Charles Apple

The first newspaper comic strips developed about 124 years ago — give or take a couple of voice balloons — but why?

On this date a half-century ago, two NASA astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first Earthlings to set foot on the moon while an estimated 530 million people back home watched on live TV.

On this date 110 years ago, the Looff Carrousel began operating at Spokane’s Natatorium Park. Since then an estimated 25 million riders have climbed aboard the original hand-carved, hand-painted and regularly-restored horses for a three-and-a-half minute merry-go-round ride through history.

On this date 50 years ago, NASA launched three astronauts into space. Four days later, two of them would make history by becoming the first Earthlings to set foot on the moon. What may be one of mankind’s greatest technical achievements was a technological marvel that came to be called the Saturn V rocket.

Astronaut Anne McClain, who recently returned from six months on the International Space Station, subscribed to The Spokesman-Review’s daily e-edition during her time in orbit. We hope she enjoyed reading her hometown paper. But this brings up an interesting question: If we had to, just how could we deliver a printed copy of The Spokesman-Review to McClain in orbit?

Before you dive into your barbecue and hot dogs (or your barbecued hot dogs), check out these 13 things about our nation’s birthday that you might not know.

It was a fairly routine police raid on a mafia-owned bar that catered to Greenwich Village’s carefully-closeted gay and lesbian clientele. But this raid, in the wee hours of the morning 50 years ago today, would lead to a week of skirmishes with police, rioting, protests ... and the birth of the Gay Pride movement.

Today will be the longest day of 2019 in and around Spokane. Daylight hours today will last just 23 seconds shy of 16 hours — which will be 7 hours and 34 minutes longer than the shortest day of the year, our winter solstice on Dec. 21.

Three-quarters of a century ago, Americans rose to the challenge of World War II by filling the skies with fearsome – yet beautiful – birds of steel.

Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson and his office have filed or joined in 39 lawsuits against the federal government since Donald Trump took office as president on Jan. 20, 2017.

Forty-five years ago this week — June 5, 1974 — the first United Nations World Environment Day was observed right here in Spokane. Nearly all world’s fairs have had themes. The them for Expo ’74 was "Celebrating Tomorrow’s Fresh New Environment." That seemed mighty appropriate given the eyesore that became the fair site: a blighted area with two train depots and an unsightly tangle of railroad tracks.

Thirty years ago this week, Spokane’s Tom Foley was elected Speaker of the House of Representatives. Foley served 15 terms in the House, representing Washington’s 5th Congressional District, chaired the House Agriculture Committee and served as U.S. ambassador to Japan. Here’s a look at Foley’s political career:

Thirty years ago this week, Spokane’s Tom Foley was elected Speaker of the House of Representatives. Foley served 15 terms in the House, representing Washington’s 5th Congressional District, chaired the House Agriculture Committee and served as U.S. ambassador to Japan. Here’s a look at Foley’s political career:

Each tiny star making up this U.S. flag represents a serviceperson from Washington or Idaho who became a casualty of war in order to protect our freedom.

On this day 45 years ago, Spokane’s own Tom Sneva drove in his first Indianapolis 500 race. He’d go on to run 18 Indy 500s, win once, finish second three times and qualify to start in first place three times. Here’s a look at Sneva’s history in the Indy 500:

Tariffs are essentially a tax on imports. Last year, the U.S. expected to take in about $40.4 billion in customs duties and fees on imported goods. You’re hearing a lot of partisan talk these days about increases in tariffs — especially goods from China. But the truth is, this kind of talk is nothing new. Tariffs in the U.S. have always been politicized. They’re often protectionist or retaliatory. And while it’s easy to argue that higher tariffs often backfire — like during the Great Depression — one can also argue that they’ve been effective at times in protecting U.S. business interests.

The movie and TV actor, author, singer, documentary maker and one of the most visible icons from 1960s pop culture — as Capt. James T. Kirk on “Star Trek” — appeared Friday, May 17, at the FICA. Here's a look at his career.

The world has made progress in the fight against polio, but it still has a ways to go before the disease is eradicated completely. Here’s a look at polio and its status in the world today.

Coming soon, to your pocket: Quarters with a tiny “W” on them. This denotes they were created at the U.S. Mint facility in West Point, N.Y. The Mint says these new “W” coins are a limited edition — only 10 million will be made. This is about 1% of the quarters made this year.

The 43rd running of the annual Lilac Bloomsday Run, a 12-kilometer race through the streets of Spokane and the surrounding area.

Seventy-five years ago today, the movie “Going My Way” was released in theaters. The musical featured Spokane’s own Bing Crosby in a role that would win him an Academy Award and that featured him singing a song that would win an Oscar.

Edmund O. Schweitzer III, founder and chief technology officer of Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories of Pullman, will be inducted Thursday into the Inventors Hall of Fame in Washington, D.C., for his invention of the SEL-21 multifunction digital relay. Here’s a look at his life and work.