U.S. WWII veterans attend a ceremony in honor of the 67th anniversary of D-Day at the Pointe du Hoc in Cricqueville en Bessin, western France, Monday, June 6, 2011. The June, 6, 1944, invasion and ensuing battle for Normandy helped change the course of the war.

Over 140 artisans from around the Inland Northwest set up for ArtFest 2011 in Coeur d’Alene Park in Browne’s Addition on Friday, June 3, 2011. ArtFest runs through Sunday, June 5, 2011.

Seventh grade teacher Maureen Howard is among dozens of teachers in the Spokane-Coeur d’Alene area who have turned to the online educational charity organization donorschoose.org as school budgets have tightened.

Residents of 18 communities in central and western Massachusetts woke to widespread damage Thursday, a day after at least two late-afternoon tornadoes shocked emergency officials with their suddenness and violence and caused the state’s first tornado-related deaths in 16 years.

Environmentalists are trying to head off a European Union plan to deepen shipping channels that they fear could eliminate the last shallows where the sturgeon deposit their eggs - dooming the fish to vanish in its last stronghold in Europe.

The Melvin M. Smith Detachment #586, Marine Corp League, and, VFW Post #51 conducted a Memorial Day Ceremony at Fairmount Memorial Park on Monday, May 30, 2011.

A dandelion bloom gone to seed awaits a strong gust of wind to spread the noxious weed’s seed onto lawns and gardens on the South Hill Tuesday, May 31, 2011.

Angel Delgadillo, 84, has witnessed the rise and fall of America’s most historic byway and gets credit for helping it rise again as Historic Route 66. Telling his story and the road’s has become his life’s work. Delgadillo was the driving force behind the formation of the Historic Route 66 Association of Arizona, which lobbied the state to dedicate U.S. 66 as “Historic Route 66.”

The Round the Clock mountain bike race at Riverside State Park kicked off at noon today, with more than 850 riders who’ll attempt to ride for 24 hours solo or in relay-style teams.

The Spokane Kennel Club All-Breed Dog Show and Obedience Trials run Friday, May 27, 2011, through Sunday, May 29, 2011 at the Spokane County Fair & Expo Center.

Violent weather swept across the Eastern seaboard overnight, dropping heavy rains that flooded towns from New England to Georgia, knocking out power and killing at least three people in the Atlanta area.

Tens of thousands of Sudanese are fleeing from the contested north-south border region of Abyei, and the top U.S. official in the region warned Friday of a humanitarian crisis over the north’s invasion.

About 3,000 anti-government protesters in Georgia have demanded the president’s resignation and will try to block a military parade in the capital Thursday.

View a slide show of celebrations in various sporting events from around the world on Wednesday, May 25, 2011. From a Dodgers game to the Indian Premier League cricket, all these photos showcase the rush and excitement of sports excellence.

War crimes fugitive Ratko Mladic was arrested Thursday in village of Lazarevo. Gen. Ratko Mladic, Europe’s most wanted war crimes suspect, has been arrested in Serbia after years in hiding, the country’s president said Thursday.

Representatives of eight countries with large wild elephant populations pledged Tuesday to eradicate poaching of the animals and smuggling of ivory to ensure their survival for future generations. Environment ministers or officials from Thailand, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, India, Botswana, Congo, Kenya and Tanzania attended the meeting in New Delhi.

The Grimsvotn volcano, which lies under the uninhabited Vatnajokull glacier about 120 miles (200 kilometers) east of the capital, Reykjavik, Iceland began erupting Saturday for the first time since 2004.

A massive tornado that tore a 6-mile path across southwestern Missouri killed at least 89 people as it slammed into the city of Joplin Sunday, May 22, 2011.

Saturday was the the 73rd annual Armed Forces Torchlight Parade in Spokane, Wash.

Officers from the Pennsylvania Game Commission gathered the falcon chicks to give them a check up and apply bands to their legs, and then return them to the nest in Pittsburgh. The peregrine falcon is listed on Pennsylvania endangered species, and the program monitoring the birds nesting has been in effect since since 2002.