Emma Epperly

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News >  Crime/Public Safety

Body found in Spokane landfill in 1989 identified through genetic genealogy

UPDATED: Tue., Oct. 31, 2023

The man found dead at the Spokane Northside Landfill in 1989 finally has a name: Clifford Wayne Bippes.

News >  Crime/Public Safety

Entire Washington State sexual assault kit backlog sent for testing, 21 cases solved

UPDATED: Fri., Oct. 27, 2023

The sexual assault kit backlog in Washington State has largely been cleared, with more than 10,000 kits sent off for testing and at least 21 cases solved, Attorney General Bob Ferguson announced Thursday.

A&E >  Pop culture

One of the worst movies of all time is transformed into a spooky season radio special to benefit KYRS

UPDATED: Thu., Oct. 26, 2023

In 1957, Ed Wood had all the faith in the world that his new movie, “Plan 9 from Outer Space,” would be his big break.

News >  Crime/Public Safety

Sheriff tells Spokane Valley City Council policy change is underway after beating of man in park, saying his office ‘has to uphold public trust’

UPDATED: Wed., Oct. 25, 2023

Spokane County Sheriff John Nowels plans to change how his office reviews cases involving uses of force following the recent disclosure of a violent encounter in Spokane Valley involving one of his sergeants and a 61-year-old man sleeping in his car after hours in the parking lot of a city park last August.

News >  Crime/Public Safety

Family of man killed by security guard on Bonneville Power Association land sues security company, alleging guard started fight

UPDATED: Wed., Oct. 25, 2023

A lawsuit filed by the family of a man shot and killed by a security guard last month on Bonneville Power Administration property alleges the guard chased down the man, along with his son, and initiated a physical altercation before shooting them.

News >  Crime/Public Safety

Spokane Valley couple indicted on charges of COVID relief fraud

UPDATED: Wed., Oct. 25, 2023

A Spokane Valley couple was indicted last week on charges of fraudulently obtaining a COVID-19 relief loan.

News >  Crime/Public Safety

With a pathologist position open for over a year, Spokane County Medical Examiner hopes visa program fixes staffing woes

UPDATED: Fri., Oct. 20, 2023

The Medical Examiner’s Office doesn’t have enough bodies.

News >  Crime/Public Safety

Deputy who broke 8 ribs of man he arrested in Spokane Valley park says he was concerned about knife

Wed., Oct. 18, 2023

The Spokane County Sheriff’s sergeant who broke multiple ribs of a man parked in a Spokane Valley park late one night in August acknowledged hitting the 62-year-old multiple times, according to a police report he wrote following the confrontation.

News >  Higher education

WSU professor fills historical gap with new course on American Indian Wars: ‘We have an obligation to Native people’

Tue., Oct. 17, 2023

A park ranger, two Civil War re-enactors – complete with knapsacks and a muzzleloader – and a college professor carrying a large map stood poised at Steptoe Battlefield State Park earlier this month to make history come to life for Washington State University students.

News >  Local Government

Small-town issues front and center in Fairfield

UPDATED: Fri., Oct. 13, 2023

Times are changing in Fairfield, a town of nearly 600 nestled in the Palouse 40 minutes south of Spokane.

News >  Crime/Public Safety

Spokane County Sheriff’s deputy placed on leave after video surfaces of him bloodying 62-year-old man

UPDATED: Fri., Oct. 6, 2023

Eleven hours into his road trip home from meeting his brand new baby granddaughter in Oregon, 62-year-old Kevin Hinton just couldn’t keep his eyes open anymore.

News >  Crime/Public Safety

Appeals court judge will not recuse himself in Spokane County cases, saying prosecutor, law enforcement don’t understand systemic racism

UPDATED: Sat., Oct. 7, 2023

A state appeals court judge who stung Spokane County prosecutors and police with accusations of racist enforcement of the law has rejected calls that he recuse himself from ruling on local cases.

News >  Health

Ferry County Hospital District to pay $15,000 for improper opioid dispensing practices at Republic pharmacy

UPDATED: Mon., Oct. 2, 2023

The Ferry County Hospital District will pay a $15,000 settlement for not following opioid dispensing regulations at its Republic Drug Store, the United States attorney for the Eastern District of Washington announced Friday.

News >  Crime/Public Safety

Man pleads guilty to involvement in murder of 8-year-old girl, agrees to testify against child’s mother

UPDATED: Fri., Sept. 29, 2023

A 29-year-old man agreed to testify about the mysterious final days of 8-year-old Meela Miller’s life when he pleaded guilty to his involvement in her death Friday.

News >  Crime/Public Safety

Separate lawsuits allege Inland Power caused Gray fire

UPDATED: Tue., Sept. 26, 2023

Two separate lawsuits filed Tuesday afternoon blame a faulty Inland Power and Light Company outdoor light for sparking the Gray fire, which devastated the Medical Lake community last month.

News >  Crime/Public Safety

Medical examiner: Driver in Fairfield Tesla crash died by suicide

UPDATED: Tue., Sept. 26, 2023

The driver in a Tesla crash near Fairfield died by suicide, the Spokane County Medical Examiner said Tuesday. 

News >  Crime/Public Safety

Man died of smoke inhalation, burns in Gray fire

UPDATED: Tue., Sept. 26, 2023

Carl Grub, a rancher and Medical Lake fixture who supported youth and other causes, died last month from smoke inhalation and burns, according to the Spokane County Medical Examiner.

News >  Crime/Public Safety

Arkansas man pleads guilty to $16.5 million in COVID fraud in Spokane federal court

UPDATED: Tue., Sept. 26, 2023

An Arkansas man pleaded guilty Tuesday in federal court in Spokane to fraudulently obtaining more than $16.5 million in COVID relief funds.

News >  Crime/Public Safety

U.S. Marshal’s Service offers $10,000 reward for information on Okanogan County man accused of killing elderly couple

UPDATED: Mon., Sept. 25, 2023

The United States Marshal’s Service is offering a $10,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest of the 27-year-old man accused of killing an elderly Okanogan couple last year.

News >  Crime/Public Safety

Inmates allege DOC using faulty drug tests to levy harsh punishments in new lawsuit

UPDATED: Mon., Sept. 25, 2023

Washington Department of Corrections officials have been using shoddy over-the-counter drug tests as grounds for harsh punishments that in some cases significantly delayed inmates’ release, a group of inmates argued in a class-action complaint filed Friday.

News >  Crime/Public Safety

Longtime Medical Lake resident, pillar of the community Carl Grub remembered at memorial Saturday

Sun., Sept. 24, 2023

Carl Grub was a fixture of the Medical Lake community who spread the joy he had as a cowboy and cattleman to future generations.

News >  Crime/Public Safety

Little known about 49-year-old who died in Oregon Road fire

Sun., Sept. 24, 2023

Little is publicly known about Alex Brown, 49, the only person to die in the Oregon Road fire that devastated the Elk area last month.

News >  Crime/Public Safety

Officials reflect on the successes and struggles of response to Gray, Oregon fires

Sun., Sept. 24, 2023

More than a month after the fires, officials' No. 1 regret is they didn't have more people available to help with the natural disaster

News >  Crime/Public Safety

85-year-old Naches woman dies days after single-car crash north of Spokane

UPDATED: Thu., Sept. 21, 2023

An 85-year-old Naches woman died two days after she crashed her car near the intersection of state Route 395 and Half Moon Road.

News >  Crime/Public Safety

22-year-old sentenced to 14 years in federal prison for 2021 crime spree that ended in Spokane shooting

UPDATED: Thu., Sept. 21, 2023

A 22-year-old Inchelium man was sentenced to 14 years in prison Wednesday for a three-day crime spree marked by two shootings, an armed robbery and car chase that ended in Spokane.