Stories by Greg Mason for the Spokesman-Review

News > Local Government

Spokane Valley’s new Streets Sustainability Committee takes shape

UPDATED: Thu., Feb. 4, 2021

Spokane Valley lawmakers have outlined the framework for a new stakeholder group to help officials determine how much to invest into citywide road maintenance.

News > Health

New research shows wildfire smoke can contain potentially hazardous microorganisms

Wed., Feb. 3, 2021

Research has shown wildfires across the Western United States have grown larger and more frequent with time, as a majority of fires in the last 60 years have occurred since 2000.

News > Health

‘Here comes hope’: Spokane Valley church raises $300k to pay off millions in medical debt for those in need

Mon., Feb. 1, 2021

Valley Real Life's partnership with a medical debt payment charity means the church could potentially erase debts of up to $30 million for those in the Northwest. The church's fundraising efforts have inspired at least one other congregation to work toward eliminating medical debt.

News > Higher education

Proposed WSU funding shift to athletics frustrates faculty: ‘We haven’t been able to invest in other areas’

Fri., Jan. 29, 2021

Washington State University faculty members are incensed over a proposal from the college administration to funnel $2 million to $3 million in university funds to the athletics department budget.

News > Spokane

Cause of fire at West Plains transportation company may never be determined

UPDATED: Thu., Jan. 28, 2021

Fire investigators were unable to determine the cause of a blaze earlier this month that destroyed a maintenance shop and damaged several semi-trucks at Victory Transportation in Spokane’s West Plains, said Spokane County District 10 Fire Chief Ken Johnson.

News > Washington

Deputies: Man dies in private property vehicle accident in Mount Hope

UPDATED: Tue., Jan. 26, 2021

A man was killed after losing control of his vehicle Monday afternoon along a private property access trail south of Spokane, according to Spokane County Sheriff’s deputies.

News > Higher education

‘Rise to the challenge’: WSU nursing, pharmacy students volunteer to administer COVID-19 vaccine

UPDATED: Tue., Jan. 26, 2021

John McLain has had his share of practice with flu shots as a student at the Washington State University College of Nursing.

News > Business

Union: COVID-19 mask mandates at Spokane-area grocery stores ‘not rampantly violated’

Mon., Jan. 25, 2021

Despite an incident at a Grocery Outlet store in Spokane Valley earlier this month, representatives of local stores and the union representing many grocery workers said compliance with mask mandates due to COVID-19 has been generally good throughout the Inland Northwest.

News > Education

Spokane-based charity donates $1.35M for Eastern Washington University scholarship funds

Sun., Jan. 24, 2021

A local charity has gifted $1.35 million to support a number of Eastern Washington University’s scholarship programs, the university announced Thursday.

News > Military

‘Focused right now on the mission’: New command chief gets started at Fairchild Air Force Base

UPDATED: Fri., Jan. 22, 2021

Twenty-four hours sometimes aren’t enough for Chief Master Sgt. Daniel Guzman.

News > Military

Leaders at Fairchild Air Force Base work to preserve base culture in midst of pandemic

Fri., Jan. 22, 2021

The Fairchild Air Force Base movie theater has been serving the base’s command staff nowadays for less cinematic purposes.

News > Spokane

When does food go bad in a power outage? ‘Best to err on the side of caution,’ experts say

Wed., Jan. 20, 2021

When in doubt, throw it out.

News > Washington

‘Life of service’: Kalispel Tribal Police officer who died was a longtime Special Olympics volunteer

Sat., Jan. 16, 2021

For those familiar with the Special Olympics in Washington, Jay Hughes was known as someone who would do whatever it took to raise money and awareness for amateur athletes.

News > Pacific NW

Science behind the storm: A low pressure center took a ‘very favorable track’ to create a lot of wind

Thu., Jan. 14, 2021

Local meteorologists tracked Wednesday’s storm system on its way to the Spokane area during the past week.

News > Religion

Tree falls onto Coeur d’Alene’s oldest church: ‘We can’t even get the doors to open’

UPDATED: Wed., Jan. 13, 2021

High winds buffeting the area Wednesday caused a tree to fall onto Coeur d'Alene's oldest church, resulting in apparent roof and structural damage, according to the Museum of North Idaho.

News > Spokane

Woman killed, 100K without power in aftermath of brutal windstorm

UPDATED: Wed., Jan. 13, 2021

High winds toppled trees across the Spokane and Coeur d’Alene region Wednesday, knocking out power to tens of thousands of people as meteorologists reported the second-highest gusts recorded at Spokane International Airport.

News > Crime/Public Safety

Fire at West Plains transportation company under investigation; owner assessing next steps

UPDATED: Tue., Jan. 12, 2021

Fire officials are investigating what caused the maintenance shop for a West Plains transportation company to go up in flames Monday night.

News > Crime/Public Safety

Fire erupts at West Plains transportation company

UPDATED: Mon., Jan. 11, 2021

Dozens of firefighters from at least five different agencies converged Monday on a fire at a building containing petroleum products and commercial vehicles belonging to a Spokane transportation company.

News > Business

North Idaho internet provider blocking Facebook, Twitter upon request over censorship claims

UPDATED: Mon., Jan. 11, 2021

A North Idaho internet service provider is blocking access to Facebook and Twitter for customers upon request in response to claims of censorship after President Donald Trump’s accounts were suspended on both platforms.

News > Education

How area colleges are handling campus return plans, COVID-19 testing for spring semesters

UPDATED: Mon., Jan. 11, 2021

Whitworth, Gonzaga, Eastern Washington and Washington State universities all have different procedures for returning to campus based on how much work is being done online.

News > Business

Spokane businessman Vince Bozzi, who died of COVID-19, remembered for ‘boundless optimism’

Sat., Jan. 9, 2021

Well before he was producing issues of Spokane Coeur d’Alene Living magazine as publisher and co-founder of Bozzi Media, Vince Bozzi had Bozzi’s Place.