Amy Cannata

Wits, courage and cash brought Spokane native Shayna Silverstein from Lebanon back home Tuesday when the U.S. government could not. When Israel began bombing Lebanon last week, the 27-year-old was in Beirut as part of a four-month trip to study the impact of popular and traditional music on Lebanese society for her University of Chicago graduate thesis.

Full-service gas stations, where attendants pump your fuel, check your car's fluids and tires and wash the windshield, are nearing extinction. But a few still reside in Spokane and Coeur d'Alene. Many full-service customers are older women, said Lloyd Mumford, who owns the Fourth Street Garage, a Chevron station in Coeur d'Alene. Some have never touched a gas pump despite decades of driving.

"I thought it was a school zone, and school is out." "I wasn't speeding."

The Spokane area hit a new milestone Wednesday – an average gasoline price of more than $3 a gallon. And it's not likely to dip much below that figure anytime soon.

Skyrocketing asphalt prices are steamrolling road construction budgets. The higher-than-anticipated costs are forcing agencies to postpone or scale back some paving projects.

The last Black Hawk helicopter at Geiger Field lifts off this morning, taking with it the Washington Army National Guard's local aviation unit, which has moved to Fairchild Air Force Base. The move closes the military aviation era at Geiger, which has been home to National Guard aircraft since 1949.

More than 100 people gathered Tuesday at a flag-lowering ceremony at Whitworth College to remember Army 1st Lt. Forrest P. Ewens. The Whitworth graduate was killed Friday in Afghanistan when his all-terrain vehicle struck a roadside bomb. Ewens' former ROTC commander, his history professor and others praised his determination, courage and honor, describing him as the track team captain who would compete so hard he would pass out from exhaustion; the dedicated history major determined to learn about both the good and bad in America's past; and the student who embraced ROTC after watching his identical twin brother, Oaken, flourish in the program.

"Street Law," advertised the sandwich board in Riverfront Park. "Talk to a Lawyer For Free Today." And they did.

A refueling mission high above the Southwestern United States became a 5-mile-high preview of the precision flying that Inland Northwest aviation enthusiasts will see next month at the Skyfest air show. About two hours into the Thursday mission, a squadron of brightly colored F-16 jet fighters throttled through the cloud cover and surrounded the Fairchild-based KC-135. It was the Thunderbirds, the U.S. Air Force's precision flying team, headed for Pennsylvania and in need of fuel.

Most people go to Zip's Drive-in to fill their bellies. John Carlson goes to fill his fuel tank. Carlson recently converted his 1993 Chevrolet pickup to run on kitchen grease, and he proudly advertises its fuel source with a large "This truck is powered by French Fry Oil!" decal on the tailgate.

California's In-N-Out Burger chain might have been a better fit for Vivian Ingraham and Ludy Kostelecky. Since Sonic Drive-In opened at Ruby Street and Sharp Avenue, the alley behind the two women's homes has been taken over by a steady stream of fast-food fans willing to wait 10 minutes or more just to get into Sonic's parking lot.

Memorial Day is just another day off for many Americans. Most use the day to camp, barbecue or just hang out with their families.