Chad Sokol

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News >  Spokane

Two candidates running to replace Judge Kevin Korsmo on Washington Court of Appeals

UPDATED: Wed., Feb. 19, 2020

Korsmo, who has served on the court since 2008, plans to retire at the end of the year. Spokane Municipal Judge Tracy Staab and local attorney Marshall Casey are running to replace him.

News >  Spokane

Teenager hospitalized after 20-foot fall at Bowl and Pitcher

UPDATED: Mon., Feb. 17, 2020

KHQ reported the boy’s injuries were not life-threatening.

News >  Spokane

Eastern Washington University faculty members propose cutting sports to pay for academics

UPDATED: Mon., Feb. 17, 2020

“Eastern’s not doing anything outrageous. We’re not doing anything extravagant,” EWU Athletic Director Lynn Hickey said. “At the same time, we know that we need to be responsible, fiscally. But we’ve been proactive on that. We’re getting better.”

News >  Crime/Public Safety

Man arrested, 13 roosters euthanized after authorities bust cockfighting ring in Grant County

UPDATED: Mon., Feb. 17, 2020

The Grant County Sheriff’s Office said the raid followed a yearlong investigation, and inside the home authorities “found 13 birds that were physically modified to reduce blood loss during cockfighting.”

News >  Education

‘Activist in residence’ teaches EWU students about immigrant rights

UPDATED: Wed., Feb. 12, 2020

This year’s EWU “activist in residence” is Lili Navarrete, an alumna of the university who immigrated to Spokane from Mexico City in 1988. She is the director of public affairs for Planned Parenthood of Greater Washington and North Idaho, and she manages Raíz, the organization’s outreach program for Latino communities.

News >  Spokane

Driver arrested, passenger hospitalized after stolen truck hits taco shop on Division Street

UPDATED: Mon., Feb. 10, 2020

The truck crashed into the northwest corner of Tacos El Sol at Division and Glass Avenue, toppling part of a low brick wall that surrounds a seating area in front of the building.

News >  Spokane

Coeur d’Alene jewelry shop wins snowfall dispute, says customers will get $500K in refunds

UPDATED: Mon., Feb. 10, 2020

Jane Clark, who owns Clark’s Diamond Jewelers, said more than 300 people who made purchases at the store between Nov. 22 and Dec. 31 will receive refund checks totaling more than $500,000.

News >  Spokane

Metallica foundation gives $50,000 for student scholarships at Spokane Community College

UPDATED: Mon., Feb. 10, 2020

The heavy metal band describes its Metallica Scholars program as “a major workforce education initiative that provides direct support to community colleges to enhance their career and technical education programs.”

News >  Spokane

Semitruck hits sagging power line in Spokane Valley, knocks out electricity

UPDATED: Mon., Feb. 10, 2020

The Spokane County Sheriff’s Office said deputies and a crew from Avista Utilities responded after the incident occurred on Montgomery Drive near University Road. No injuries were reported.

News >  Spokane

A look at Rep. Matt Shea’s legal career: Recently laid off, he’s sued bad drivers and a state university

UPDATED: Tue., Feb. 18, 2020

Shortly after the Washington state House released a report concluding Rep. Matt Shea has engaged in domestic terrorism, the Spokane Valley lawmaker was quietly laid off from the law firm where he had worked since 2013.

News >  Spokane

Ridpath owners sue chef Jeremy Hansen, wife Kate over abandoned restaurant plans

UPDATED: Fri., Feb. 7, 2020

The owners of the Ridpath are suing restaurateurs Jeremy and Kate Hansen, alleging the couple failed to pay rent and misspent more than $100,000 that should have been used to improve a restaurant space on the ground floor of the iconic building.

News >  Crime/Public Safety

Downtown shooting suspect tracked down, arrested in Priest River

UPDATED: Wed., Feb. 5, 2020

U.S. marshals and Spokane police tracked the suspect, Trey S. Galloway, to a house in Priest River, Idaho, and arrested him with assistance from Priest River police and Bonner County sheriff’s deputies.

News >  Spokane

Lawsuit accuses Mead School District of failing to protect student from teacher’s sexual abuse

Tue., Feb. 4, 2020

Seattle attorneys representing the former student and her mother filed the lawsuit last week in Spokane County Superior Court, seeking damages for the abuse committed by the former teacher, 38-year-old Wesley G. Perez.

News >  Spokane

Spokane police arrest T-Mobile robbery suspect

UPDATED: Mon., Feb. 3, 2020

One T-Mobile employee captured a photo of the man and showed it to police. Officers recognized the man as Michael S. Budik, who has an extensive criminal record, and issued a warrant for first-degree robbery.

News >  Spokane

Taxpayers won’t foot bill for Stevens County commissioners’ legal defense, judge rules

UPDATED: Mon., Feb. 3, 2020

A judge on Friday ruled the commissioners aren’t entitled to a lawyer at public expense. The judge also declined to dismiss the suit, in which Stevens County Prosecutor Tim Rasmussen accuses the commissioners of misspending more than $121,000 from a fund dedicated to fighting homelessness.

News >  Spokane

FCC proposes $12.9 million fine against neo-Nazi robocaller Scott Rhodes

UPDATED: Thu., Jan. 30, 2020

Detailing his robocall campaigns in six states, the Federal Communications Commission said Rhodes “made unlawful, spoofed robocalls to target a community grappling with the recent murder of a local woman, threaten a journalist and newspaper, and attempt to influence a jury. Additionally, the caller made unlawful, spoofed robocalls related to political campaigns in California, Florida and Georgia.”

News >  Spokane

EWU student to continue facing obstruction charge stemming from November protest

Tue., Jan. 28, 2020

Maya Caruth, 25, was arrested on Nov. 7 after crossing a so-called “safety zone” that separated hundreds of student protesters from three religious activists who had arrived on campus with signs and a portable speaker, preaching in derogatory terms about LGBT people.

News >  Spokane

Fire damages Post Falls steakhouse GW Hunters

UPDATED: Mon., Jan. 27, 2020

Kootenai County firefighters responded at 4:17 p.m. to GW Hunters at 615 N. Spokane St. near Interstate 90. KHQ reported no one was inside the restaurant at the time.

News >  Washington

Report: Leader of neo-Nazi terrorist group owns land in Ferry County

UPDATED: Thu., Jan. 23, 2020

According to an investigation published Thursday by the Guardian, the leader of the Base is Rinaldo Nazzaro, a 46-year-old who was born in the United States – and who owns 30 acres of land in rural northeast Washington.

News >  Idaho

Coeur d’Alene businesses step up to assist those displaced by structure fire

UPDATED: Tue., Jan. 21, 2020

“I firmly believe in community over competition,” said one local business owner who has offered to help displaced tenants of the burned building at Fourth Street and Lakeside Avenue.

News >  Spokane

Marchers in Spokane honor Martin Luther King Jr. – and demand change

UPDATED: Mon., Jan. 20, 2020

Several thousand people took part in a rally and march Monday morning in Spokane to honor King’s legacy and remind the community that the fight for civil rights is far from over.

News >  Spokane

Spokane domestic violence suspect found dead in Stevens County

UPDATED: Mon., Jan. 20, 2020

A Spokane man accused of tying up his girlfriend and beating her with a baseball bat has been found dead in Stevens County.

News >  Spokane

Okanogan County snowplow slides off road, into Salmon Creek

UPDATED: Sun., Jan. 19, 2020

The driver was uninjured after the heavy industrial truck backed into Salmon Creek, according to Okanogan County Emergency Management.

News >  Spokane

Gonzaga hosting voter rights presentation after Martin Luther King Jr. Day march

UPDATED: Sun., Jan. 19, 2020

The two-hour presentation, titled “Lifting as We Climb: A Teach-In on Voter Rights and Suppression,” will begin at 12:30 p.m. in the third-floor ballroom of Gonzaga’s Hemmingson Center. Separately, comedian and social commentator W. Kamau Bell will speak Thursday evening during an event celebrating King at Washington State University’s main campus in Pullman.

News >  Spokane

Spokane County asks for patience after man challenges snowplow driver to fisticuffs

UPDATED: Fri., Jan. 17, 2020

“The snow started falling last Friday, and it’s been a long week for everybody,” a county spokeswoman said.