Kim Barker

Emily Paulson shows off Bobby's stubbs. The 27-year-old horse's two front teeth are barely there. Photo by Kristy MacDonald/The Spokesman-Review

It was a cherry of a car, a shiny candy-red Ferrari racing mobile with the number "5" emblazoned on the side and front. Dakota Butler barely had his driving legs. He liked to tool around, pedal to the floor. He'd circle the block with his grandpa. He'd show off in his driveway.

Anna Aspaas and her granddaughters, Kari, left, and Jennifer, don hard hats for a groundbreaking of sorts for the Viking Plass complex. Photo by Shawn Jacobson/The Spokesman-Review

Three weeks after earning his driver's license in Montana, 17-year-old John Kelly returned to his home in Deer Park on Saturday morning to spend a week with friends and family. He borrowed his uncle's Honda Civic at 6 p.m. Saturday to shuttle around some friends and pick up others. He never made it back home. Kelly and four friends died in a two-car crash southwest of Deer Park at Glen Grove-Staley and Swenson roads.

Precious mettle Special Olympics champion John Wood, 46, has no bigger fan than girlfriend Michelle Roberts. Wood won three gold medals in the recent world games in Connecticut. Photo by Dan McComb/The Spokesman-Review

Last week, Mead teacher Debbie Rose gave her shortest lecture to the largest class she's ever faced. Rose had reason to be slightly nervous, with 9,000 listeners, not to mention the moderator, the Rev. Jesse Jackson. She spoke for 3-1/2 minutes. Rose was one of several teachers who spoke at the National Education Association annual assembly, held July 1-6 in Minneapolis.

Hank Johnson chokes back tears recalling the years he spent fighting to improve his neighborhood. Photo by Dan McComb/The Spokesman-Review

Jeff Talley is searching for his lost friend, a cool bird with a gift for gab. He's been with Talley for seven years, through thick and thin, through pigs, cockatiels and even a magpie. Last Thursday, Captain the parrot flew the coop. Talley wants his bird back. The description fits a typical runaway Amazon parrot: Captain has a yellow head, a green body and stands 15 inches tall. Captain's missing two toes - one was bitten off by another parrot - but he's got no other distinguishing marks.

Although students might get a summer vacation, student meals don't. Spokane School District 81 and the Spokane Parks and Recreation Department are serving up free breakfasts and lunches to youths under 18 during the summer months. "They need nutrition during the summer, too," said Teresa Kafentzis, summer food service coordinator for Spokane School District 81.

After years of waiting, the first piles of dirt have been moved for the new Mead high school. Lydig Construction started digging last week at the site, about a mile east of the Newport Highway on Mount Spokane Park Drive.

At school, Nora and Jeramy Kerbs fished eggs from the water, watched tadpoles grow into frogs and studied the amphibians. The only thing they didn't do was disect the frogs. The kids didn't want to cut them apart and that was OK with Wanda Kerbs, their teacher and mother, who said she wants to teach her children life lessons.

In some ways, Jill Becker rode an iceberg to the University of Maryland last month. The 13-year-old, who'll be an eighth-grader at Northwood Junior High, placed fourth nationwide in the History Day contest.

Rob Wurz and his son Jason do their own picking at Siemer's Pick & Pack produce farm on Greenbluff. Photo by Dan Pelle/The Spokesman-Review

Strong winds and rain sent a locust tree crashing onto Rick Miner's house Sunday. Photo by Molly O'Hara/The Spokesman-Review

Carlotta Garrett and her patched-up dog Taz. Photo by Colin Mulvany/The Spokesman-Review

1. Bathed in the quiet glow of remembrance, two young girls join about 120 marchers walking from Shadle Park High School to Ridgeview Elementary in a final tribute to Rachel Carver. Photo by Dan McComb/The Spokesman-Review 2. Fontinell 3. Pausing for a hug, Glenna Flewelling, right, and her daughter, Emily Rupp, 6, remove memorial ribbons and bows Wednesday from a softball backstop at Ridgeview Elementary School. Photo by Dan McComb/The Spokesman-Review

Visitors admire the 1963 ragtop Volkswagen Beetle belonging to Mike and Tara Clements at the Spokane Interstate Fairgrounds on Sunday. The Clements came up with a color the German car maker had overlooked. Photo by John Sale/The Spokesman-Review

The double-paned window at the front of Lynn White's home looks like a spider web, the 15 bullet holes connected by lines of splintered glass. The house, in the 300 block of West 19th, abuts Manito Park and is across Bernard from St. Augustine church. It was hit at 3:51 a.m. Sunday by a shower of bullets that went through furniture, lamp shades and plants. One shot bounced off a stereo speaker and grazed the head of Mike Herbst, White's 18-year-old son, who was sleeping on the living room couch. The bullet lodged in the couch.

Dan Marcilla, "The billboard of life is constantly being painted over." Photo by Dan McComb/The Spokesman-Review

They could have been cruising the computer kiosk for auto insurance rates and checking out the state's basic health plan, but most people were interested in cold, hard receipts for cash. At a news conference Wednesday, the state showed off several new programs in its Washington Information Network kiosk at NorthTown Mall. Those programs include information on auto insurance and rates, elected officials and the legislative process, the state's basic health plan and boat safety. Karen Ausderau, who moved to Spokane from Texas six months ago, was touching and clicking her way through the car-information section. "It didn't seem too difficult to use," Ausderau said.

Amber Lynch, Brian Gately and Courtney Holden will graduate from the Spokane Guilds' School on Friday. Photo by Dan Pelle/The Spokesman-Review

For all of Anna Richards's life, her mother has been there. While Anna and her younger sister were growing up, Lori Richards and her husband taught the girls in home school.

Lydig Construction plans to build the new Mead High School for about $3 million less than the Mead School District expected. The Mead school board voted unanimously Tuesday night to award the contract to Lydig for its bid of $22,550,945. That includes the school building itself and alternates such as an orchestra pit cover, an elevator and tennis lighting.

Jon Gilliland is a happy camper after his wife Caren bought him a '65 Chevy Malibu to replace the one thay sold early in their marriage to pay bills. Photo by Dan Pelle/The Spokesman-Review