James Hanlon

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News >  Crime/Public Safety

Columbia Basin fire, burning on 300 acres, forces evacuations near Tyler

UPDATED: Fri., July 26, 2024

A wildfire near Tyler destroyed eight structures Friday and forced residents throughout the neighborhood to evacuate east of Interstate 90 in southwest Spokane County.

News >  Crime/Public Safety

Swawilla fire on Colville Reservation is 10% contained

UPDATED: Fri., July 26, 2024

Calmer winds and cooler weather brought relief Friday to crews fighting a wildfire burning toward the town of Keller, Washington, on the Colville Indian Reservation.

News >  Washington

Keller evacuated on Colville Reservation as Swawilla fire swells

UPDATED: Thu., July 25, 2024

A large wildfire is approaching a small town under evacuation on the Colville Indian Reservation.

News >  K-12 education

Troy Reinbold resigns from West Bonner School Board

UPDATED: Wed., July 24, 2024

Troy Reinbold, one of the West Bonner School Board trustees who supported the controversial former superintendent Branden Durst last year, has resigned.

News >  Crime/Public Safety

Evacuation level raised for growing Swawilla Fire on Colville Reservation

UPDATED: Wed., July 24, 2024

A wildfire quickly spreading across the Colville Indian Reservation led to new evacuation orders Wednesday around Buffalo Lake north of Coulee Dam.

News >  Crime/Public Safety

Wildfires burn nearly 10,000 acres on Colville Reservation

UPDATED: Tue., July 23, 2024

Two growing wildfires on the Colville Indian Reservation in Ferry County have led to road closures and evacuation warnings for the town of Keller.

News >  Washington

‘Not forgotten’: Culture camp teaches next generation of Kalispels traditional crafts

Sun., July 14, 2024

CUSICK, Wash. – The light scent of campfire wafted through the Kalispel Powwow Grounds along the east bank of the Pend Oreille River last week. Although summer camp was taking place, this wasn’t an ordinary campfire. It was an earth oven buried underground baking camas, an ancient staple of the Kalispel Tribe.

News >  Health

Providence to close children’s inpatient psychiatric center at Sacred Heart

UPDATED: Tue., July 9, 2024

Sacred Heart Medical Center will close its children’s psychiatric unit on Sept. 7, Providence announced Tuesday.

News >  K-12 education

After levy fail and school closure, West Bonner School District launches endowment fund

Fri., July 5, 2024

To make up its budget shortfall, a North Idaho school district is asking for donations.

News >  Spokane

Are Expos still a thing? Next up: Osaka 2025

UPDATED: Wed., July 3, 2024

As Expo ’74 50th Anniversary official celebrations wrap up this week, some are looking forward to the next world’s fair, coming to Osaka, Japan, in 2025.

News >  Pacific NW

Supreme Court rules homeless camping bans are constitutional, overturning Martin v. Boise

UPDATED: Fri., June 28, 2024

The 6-3 ruling will have broad implications for local governments across the West, where the 2018 U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit decision Martin v. Boise prevented cities from enforcing camping bans against the homeless if there were not enough available shelter beds.

News >  Crime/Public Safety

Spokane County to pilot hate crime hotline

UPDATED: Thu., June 27, 2024

Spokane County will join King and Clark counties in testing a statewide hate crimes hotline, Attorney General Bob Ferguson announced Wednesday. 

News >  Transportation

Getting There: Expansion planned for U.S. border crossing at Porthill, Idaho

Mon., June 24, 2024

Plans to rebuild the U.S. port of entry at Porthill, Idaho, have prompted questions from residents at the tip of the Panhandle about why the border crossing hasn’t returned to prepandemic hours.

News >  Nation

U.S.-Canada border crossing hours

Mon., June 24, 2024

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S.-Canada border closed except for essential services. Hours of operation gradually returned as restrictions were lifted, but not all hours are what they used to be. Here are the U.S.-Canada border crossing times for noncommercial traffic at Inland Northwest ports as of June 2024.

News >  Pacific NW

For the first time, federal government acknowledges damage Columbia River dams caused tribes

UPDATED: Tue., June 18, 2024

A report from the U.S. Department of the Interior released Tuesday documents the historic and ongoing harms federal dams along the Columbia and lower Snake rivers caused area tribes.

News >  Washington

Bye-bye, butter churn: St. John’s local history museum favors narratives over artifacts

Tue., June 18, 2024

ST. JOHN, Wash. – Many small-town museums are rarely open, perhaps only for a few hours on weekends in the summer or by appointment.

News >  Spokane

Native American citizenship, a century later: Looking back on the national Indian congresses that followed in Spokane

UPDATED: Fri., June 14, 2024

A century ago this month, Congress made all Native Americans citizens of the United States. In Spokane, this was a rallying cry for the first National Indian Congress, a gathering held over the next two years that grew solidarity and collaboration between tribes.

News >  Washington

High-speed boating extravaganza continues Saturday on Webb’s Slough in St. John

UPDATED: Wed., June 12, 2024

ST. JOHN, Wash. – Sprint boats plowing around hairpin turns at up to 80 mph through a narrow ditch 3 feet deep, while spraying spectators with a rooster tail wake. That’s what’s in store Saturday for the opening of the 18th season of Webb’s Slough.

News >  Washington

Chewelah’s First Thursday Art Walk rivals Spokane’s First Friday: ‘This town has an interesting vibe’

UPDATED: Tue., June 11, 2024

CHEWELAH – On the first Thursday night of every month, this old mining town 45 miles northwest of Spokane comes to life with artistic expression.

News >  K-12 education

West Bonner closes Priest River Jr. High for one year, keeps elementary schools open

UPDATED: Thu., June 6, 2024

PRIEST RIVER, Idaho – At the end of a five-hour discussion Wednesday night, the West Bonner School Board decided against closing two elementary schools and will instead close the junior high next school year as a stopgap while the district comes up with a longer-term plan to deal with its budget shortfall.

News >  K-12 education

West Bonner School District hires new superintendent

UPDATED: Wed., June 5, 2024

After more than two years of leadership turnover at West Bonner School District, the school board offered a job to another superintendent Tuesday night.

News >  K-12 education

West Bonner considers school closures after levy fail

UPDATED: Thu., June 6, 2024

Update: West Bonner School Board votes to close junior high

News >  ID Government

Kootenai County GOP re-elects Brent Regan as chairman

UPDATED: Fri., May 31, 2024

The Kootenai County Republican Central Committee narrowly re-elected longtime chairman Brent Regan Thursday night over a more moderate challenger.

News >  K-12 education

Moses Lake School District to cut 85 more staff during budget crisis

UPDATED: Thu., May 30, 2024

The Moses Lake School District will cut 85 classified staff positions in a second wave of layoffs announced Wednesday as the district reckons with a $20 million deficit.

News >  Washington

Welcome to Reardan: New signs installed ahead of Mule Days

Tue., May 28, 2024

REARDAN, Wash. – Bright new signs recently installed on U.S. Highway 2 welcome drivers to Reardan as the small town just 20 miles west of Spokane prepares to host its 120th Mule Days celebration this Saturday.