Brian Coddington

State Rep. Mark Sterk announced this week that he would like another term in the state Legislature. The 44-year-old Spokane Valley Republican renewed his call for harsher penalties for convicted criminals and for cutting taxes and regulations during a kick-off breakfast at the Valley Red Lion. "There's plenty of money," Sterk said. "I think that we need to re-prioritize how we spend our money."

1. Edward Anderson 2. Ruth Boden 3. Charles Booten 4. Mychelle Bowers 5. Hayley Bryan 6. Melanie Burtzoff 7. Angeline Case 8. Lindsay Daehlin 9. R.J. Del Mese 10. Jacob Fries 11. Rick Giampietri 12. Lisa Gutzman 13. Christa Harber 14. Angela Harman 15. Erica Hatch 16. Kelli Haye 17. Chris Henderson 18. Jeff Hollenbach 19. Jolie Jensen 20. Max Johnson 21. Duane Lutz 22. Megan McInturff 23. Jaime Meenach 24. Ryan Millar 25. Alex Molter 26. Adam Nebeker 27. Megan O'Dea 28. Haley Ostrander 29. Heather Reinhart 30. Sandra Roskamp 31. Todd Sears 32. Melissa Sherwood 33. Evan Sims 34. Amber Sine 35. Ryan Spear 36. Marissa Sprank 37. James Stokoe 38. Michael Van Houten 39. Leslie Whitten

Sharla Rausch

Animal control officials gave county commissioners a draft plan to regulate dangerous animals, but said Tuesday it is not ready for a public hearing. Delays in writing the ordinance to meet county legal criteria could push a public hearing back nearly three months. Commissioners and animal control officials had hoped to hold the hearing later this month or early in July. Recent reports of exotic pets escaping and the attack of a child by a pet cougar sparked interest in the ordinance.

Five young friends reclined in lawn chairs, sucking on Popsicles and soaking in a warm Saturday afternoon sun. They watched as about three dozen walkers and runners representing their teams in the Relay For Life circled the Spokane Falls Community College track. Somewhere on the track was one of their 11 weary, Road Runners teammates.

Rich Vaughan helped save the life of a man who had food stuck in his throat. Photo by Steve Thompson/The Spokesman-Review

A Spokane Valley couple credited their teenage son and a family friend with saving them from a fire early Thursday that gutted the duplex in which they were living. Ron and Vivian Warner were asleep in an upstairs bedroom when the fire started in the living room about 1:30 a.m. The blaze chased the couple, their two children and three friends from the duplex at 10511 E. Broadway. No one was seriously injured.

Sheriff's Deputy Roger Knight and SCOPE volunteer Billie Evers enter West Valley SCOPE station. Photo by Steve Thompson/The Spokesman-Review

Former Superior Court Judge Marcus M. Kelly, the second half of the only father-son judging duo in Spokane County, died Friday. Kelly, who battled stomach cancer for several years, was 65.

'When the light turned red, he just gunned it' 1. James B. Barstad undergoes a sobriety test Sunday at Mission and Hamilton. He was later booked on two counts of vehicular homicide. At right is the axle from Barstad's pickup. Photo by Dan Pelle/The Spokesman-Review 2. Cars and parts litter the road after the crash. Photo by Dan Pelle/The Spokesman-Review

Two young boys were arrested on burglary charges Sunday after they reportedly were caught breaking into a Spokane Valley home last week. A 10-year-old boy faces two counts of residential burglary. His 11-year-old friend and accomplice was charged with one count each of residential burglary and attempted residential burglary. Both boys are accused of burglarizing a house in the 3300 block of North Dale last Thursday and trying to break into another next door.

Cliff Berry didn't know he was shot until he saw blood running down his arm. Even then, he didn't panic. Instead, the sheriff's sergeant calmly asked his partner to help him guide the police cruiser they were riding in to the side of the road. The officers had been chasing two men accused of robbing a bank and shooting three people. "I'm kind of disappointed because I'm out of (the chase) now," Berry recalled thinking at time he was shot.

Spokane Valley Fire Chief Pat Humphries recommended to the board of fire commissioners Wednesday that they accept a plan to merge their dispatch center with three others, including the city's. Officials from Valley Fire, Spokane City Fire, Fire District 8 and Fire District 9 have tentatively agreed to the plan, which would save Valley Fire more than $1 million over 10 years.

A public hearing on a proposed Spokane County exotic animal ordinance could come next month. County animal control officials will give county commissioners a draft of the proposed ordinance at a June 4 meeting. Recent high-profile incidents involving exotic animals have renewed interest in the proposed law.

1. Lilac Festival Queen Abigail Palmer of West Valley High School greets spectators at the outset of Saturday's parade. Photo by Dan McComb/The Spokesman-Review 2. As an Andy Panda balloon takes flight outside the Opera House, the Lilac Festival Parade takes shape in downtown Spokane. Photo by Dan McComb/The Spokesman-Review 3. Wayne L. King, a retired cajun chef from Louisiana who now lives in Boise, inflates a toy snake in preparation for the parade. Photo by Liz Kishimoto/The Spokesman-Review 4. Members of the Spokane Fire Department blaze to the finish line Saturday to win the 20th annual bed race. Photo by Liz Kishimoto/The Spokesman-Review 5. "Timmy Dawg" keeps a keen eye on the weather as his owners, the Ostrander family, stay dry while staking out a prime parade viewing spot along Spokane Falls Boulevard early Saturday afternoon. Photo by Dan McComb/The Spokesman-Review

Some big new faces will join the Lilac Festival Armed Forces Torchlight Parade procession when it winds through downtown Spokane tonight. A 50-foot-tall Care Bear, 35-foot Droopy Dog and 18-foot Smiling Star will sway above the crowd.

A shooting at 1203 N. Adams Thursday night led to the arrest of homeowner Ronald L. Acre. Photo by Steve Thompson/The Spokesman-Review

Spokane Valley Fire officials say three fires that started within minutes of each other last week were arson. The first fire burned inside an abandoned house in the 12400 block of east Mansfield early Thursday. Two more charred the inside of Dumpsters near a business a few blocks away. All three fires were intentionally set, said Valley Fire Marshall Paul Chase. Investigators have questioned a few people, but have no suspects, Chase said.

A family of four huddled in a fire truck watching firefighters scurrying desperately in the dark to save their burning house. As Spokane Valley firefighter Scott Crawford remembers the scene two years ago, it was 2 a.m., cold and miserably wet. Although he was busy fighting the fire, Crawford found a moment to hand a terrified brother and sister each a teddy bear. The gesture was a simple one, but it helped soothe the siblings.

1. Flaggers try to keep traffic flowing at the intersection of Trent and Dale, where cars are being rerouted past the Argonne underpass construction zone. Photo by Steve Thompson/The Spokesman-Review 2. Students at Millwood Elementary play near the detour route for Argonne underpass construction work. Photo by Steve Thompson/The Spokesman-Review

A man whose dog viciously attacked a 3-year-old Spokane Valley girl is guilty of "owning a dog with vicious propensities," a jury decided last week. The jury found Todd D. Bates guilty Wednesday after two days of testimony in District Court. Bates, 22, faces a $1,000 fine and up to 90 days in jail when he is sentenced June 13 by Judge Sam Cozza.

Bruce Ely, second from left, with other University of Montana photographers covering the arrest of Ted Kaczynski.

Geno Harry Dodd, 92, suspects his caregiver robbed him of $1,500 worth of cash, groceries and possessions. Photo by Steve Thompson/The Spokesman-Review

Fire chased a 12-year-old girl and her pets from a Spokane Valley home Friday afternoon. Heavy smoke poured from a broken window leading from Sydney Danner's bedroom when firefighters arrived at the 10905 E. Seventh home. Firefighters needed only minutes to extinguish the 4 p.m. fire. A candle burning in the girl's closet sparked the blaze, said Valley Fire inspector Eric Olson.