James Hanlon

All Stories

News >  Sci/Tech

UI archaeology students unearth history on grounds of Moscow High School

UPDATED: Wed., Oct. 11, 2023

MOSCOW, Idaho – Archaeology, often thought the purview of exotic locales and ancient history, can also investigate the recent past close to home.

News >  Washington

Catholic Charities wins $633,000 award

UPDATED: Mon., Oct. 9, 2023

Catholic Charities of Eastern Washington has won a large cash award for a project with another Spokane nonprofit that offers a solution to workforce development through supportive housing.

A&E >  Pop culture

Fancy that: Get lost in a Reba McEntire-themed corn maze at Beck’s Harvest House in Green Bluff

UPDATED: Thu., Oct. 5, 2023

Reba McEntire is popping up in corn mazes across the country this fall, including at a farm in Green Bluff north of Spokane.

News >  Washington

Stray bullets prompt DNR to close Boggs Pit shooting range near Deer Park

UPDATED: Fri., Oct. 6, 2023

A popular public shooting range north of Spokane will close Thursday amid neighbors’ reports of bullets striking vehicles and nearby buildings.

A&E >  Dining

Waitsburg’s hidden gem Bar Bacetto is a New York Times Top 50 dining destination near wine country

Tue., Oct. 3, 2023

WAITSBURG, Wash. – A celebrated restaurateur closed his West Side hustle to set up shop in an idyllic southeast Washington town – and word is getting around far beyond Walla Walla County.

News >  Education

Even after the pandemic, broadband is critical for rural education. $1 billion won’t be enough to reach everyone in Washington.

UPDATED: Sun., Oct. 1, 2023

Last year, Brandi Jo Desautel installed a SpaceX-powered Starlink dish in front of her trailer outside Inchelium, Washington, on the Colville Reservation. At $700 for the equipment and $120 a month for service, it wasn’t cheap. But for her, it was the only option.

News >  K-12 education

West Bonner school board briefly meets, but Branden Durst remains superintendent

UPDATED: Thu., Sept. 28, 2023

The West Bonner School Board approved an application process to fill the seats left by two recently recalled trustees during a rushed meeting Wednesday that failed to address the employment status of the district’s embattled superintendent, who has indicated his willingness to step down.

News >  Local Government

Proposition to close Columbia County Library is unconstitutional, court commissioner rules

UPDATED: Thu., Sept. 21, 2023

DAYTON, Wash. – A ballot proposition to close Columbia County’s only library is unconstitutional, a court commissioner ruled Wednesday.

News >  K-12 education

Idaho Board of Education denies West Bonner superintendent’s certificate

UPDATED: Fri., Sept. 15, 2023

The Idaho State Board of Education declined to consider awarding an emergency certificate this week to West Bonner Superintendent Branden Durst.

Sports

Wellpinit celebrates refurbishment of ball field with softball gold medalist Jennie Finch

UPDATED: Tue., Sept. 12, 2023

WELLPINIT, Wash. – An uneven baseball field on the Spokane Indian Reservation has long been plagued with flooding and canceled games. A partnership between Major League Baseball and Scotts Miracle-Gro has solved the problem by literally leveling the playing field with laser grading and restoring the greenspace.

Sports >  Seattle Seahawks

Seahawks season opener may be harder to watch after Comcast drops FOX affiliate KAYU over contract dispute

UPDATED: Sat., Sept. 9, 2023

Seattle Seahawks fans who rely on Xfinity TV may not be able to watch their football team’s season opener Sunday, after an agreement between Comcast and KAYU-TV Fox 28’s parent company expired Friday afternoon.

News >  K-12 education

West Bonner recall results certified, officially ousting two trustees

UPDATED: Thu., Sept. 7, 2023

The Aug. 29 election that recalled two West Bonner school board members was certified Thursday, after the board had twice attempted to hold last-minute meetings and violate the terms of a restraining order.

News >  K-12 education

‘We are all new here today’: Almira students enjoy first day in rebuilt school after 2021 fire

UPDATED: Tue., Sept. 5, 2023

ALMIRA, Wash. – Students in this small Lincoln County town started the school year Tuesday in a brand-new building after a fire destroyed their historic schoolhouse nearly two years ago.

News >  K-12 education

Restraining order cancels lame duck West Bonner school board meeting

UPDATED: Fri., Sept. 1, 2023

PRIEST RIVER, Idaho – A West Bonner school board meeting was canceled at the last minute Friday after a Bonner County judge granted a restraining order preventing the board from taking action until the results of a recall election that ousted two board members this week are certified.

News >  K-12 education

After recall election, West Bonner agenda item plans to shake up school board

UPDATED: Fri., Sept. 1, 2023

Three days after a recall election overwhelmingly voted out the chair and vice chair of the West Bonner County school board, an agenda item Friday night to "dissolve" the current school board and turn the meeting over to the superintendent has the community alarmed at an apparent attempt to maintain a grip on power.

News >  K-12 education

Future of controversial West Bonner superintendent uncertain after recall of two far-right trustees

UPDATED: Wed., Aug. 30, 2023

Two leading members of the West Bonner County school board were recalled Tuesday in a repudiation of extreme far-right politics that have invaded the rural North Idaho school district.

News >  K-12 education

West Bonner school district recalls two board members

UPDATED: Wed., Aug. 30, 2023

The chair and vice chair of the West Bonner County school board were recalled in a special election Tuesday.

News >  Crime/Public Safety

Spokane man charged with disorderly conduct for entering U.S. Capitol Building on Jan. 6

UPDATED: Tue., Aug. 29, 2023

A Washington man was charged in federal court Tuesday with entering the Capitol Building during the Jan. 6 riot attempting to overturn the results of the 2020 election.

News >  Higher education

North Idaho College hires attorney with extremist ties who scored lowest on board assessment

UPDATED: Thu., Aug. 24, 2023

The board of North Idaho College on Wednesday night hired an attorney with far-right ties who scored lowest in the college’s review of four candidates.

News >  ID Government

Bonner County commissioner files restraining order against chairman after alleged threat

Thu., Aug. 24, 2023

A temporary restraining order against the chairman of the Bonner County commissioners has prevented him from entering the county administration building in Sandpoint, forcing him to conduct his duties remotely.

News >  K-12 education

West Bonner School District policy identifies students by biological sex, bans trans athletes from women’s sports

Wed., Aug. 23, 2023

Staff of the West Bonner County School District cannot call students by their chosen gender pronouns under a new policy approved by the school board last week.

News

More than 230 evacuees camp and shelter at Riverside High School as Oregon Road fire rages on

UPDATED: Sun., Aug. 20, 2023

An estimated 200 evacuees are camped in the Riverside High School parking lot, while another 30 have sought shelter inside. All are waiting for the Oregon Road fire near Elk to be contained so they can return home. Or at least comb through the wreckage of their property.

News >  Crime/Public Safety

Pedestrian in critical condition after hit by a vehicle on Monroe

UPDATED: Fri., Aug. 18, 2023

A pedestrian was taken to the hospital with critical injuries Friday afternoon after being hit by a vehicle on Monroe Street.

News >  Crime/Public Safety

Fire destroys historic downtown Chewelah hardware store, ‘a landmark for the town’

UPDATED: Fri., Aug. 18, 2023

CHEWELAH – A fire destroyed Chewelah’s downtown hardware store overnight Thursday, gutting a historic town fixture designed by renowned architect Kirtland Cutter.

News >  ID Government

Fraud investigation after fairgrounds director’s suicide reveals deeper divisions within Bonner County government

UPDATED: Tue., Nov. 28, 2023

SANDPOINT – Late last October, the director of the Bonner County Fairgrounds was interviewed by police about allegations that she had misappropriated fair funds. Four days later, she drove behind the fairgrounds and took her life.