Daniel Moore

Justin Peterson wants to change the “sketchy” perception of the marijuana business, and he can’t do that from a strip mall. But if Spokane Valley goes beyond state law to restrict where recreational marijuana facilities can operate, Peterson, who expects to receive one of the three state-issued retail licenses allocated for the suburb, would have to move to one. It would be potentially the third location since he moved to his first location in November.

City leaders have given a green light to a plan that could make Spokane Valley a regional destination for sand volleyball players in the coming years. The Spokane Valley City Council approved on Tuesday the Browns Park Master Plan that seeks to install 16 tournament-quality sand courts in the 8.2-acre park on the corner of South Pines Road and East 32nd Avenue. The plan would also renovate the existing neighborhood park facilities and add new play equipment, picnic shelters and a splash pad.

When it comes to brews in the streets, Spokane city officials generally have said no – law enforcement has deemed it too risky. But that will change as the city allows small event and festival organizers to operate beer gardens as a way to boost their appeal and economic impact, said Jan Quintrall, director of business and development services for the city.

The ban is old enough to have graduated from college. Yet the city of Spokane made nearly two dozen total arrests the past two summers for lighting or possessing fireworks in city limits.

Spokane officials released new details Thursday on 11 street improvement projects the city could tackle in the next two years if voters approve a levy they say won’t result in higher taxes. The street projects would be financed by a 20-year levy proposal the city hopes to place on the Nov. 4 ballot, one of two ballot measures city leaders are proposing.

Brian S. Love, 42, has been identified as the man found dead in a house fire he apparently started himself after barricading himself in his room.

Idaho State Police has released the names of three officers it is investigating in the June 6 shooting death of a Coeur d'Alene man.

Officials have confirmed one Eastern Washington University student has died and two other young men were injured in a car crash early Tuesday morning in Cheney.

While Spokane city officials have ratcheted up efforts to “slow the flow” and conserve more water, the city is having trouble keeping its own supply from leaking away. The Spokane Water Department has lost about a fifth of its water supply – 12 billion gallons – during distribution of 63 billion gallons during the past three years, according to the city’s annual water quality report released Thursday. Last year, 3.79 billion of the 21.2 billion gallons the city pumped or purchased were not delivered to customers and were “assumed lost to the ground,” the report said.

The city of Spokane has not refunded traffic ticket money a judge ruled was wrongfully collected using red-light cameras, and is still is trying to collect on those who haven’t paid, according to a lawsuit filed last week.

Thomas White, 28, of Coeur d'Alene, was fatally shot in a neighbor's backyard after an alleged stand-off with Coeur d'Alene Police, according to the Idaho State Police, which is investigating the actions of three officers involved in the incident.