Mike Prager

Sisters Connie Manz, of Pasadena, California, and Catherine Manz Smith, of Veneta, Oregon, knew their grandfather had once lived in Spokane. They knew he’d married their grandmother here in 1909. But they didn’t know, until January at least, that their grandfather was an architect who’s credited with designing more than a dozen homes in Spokane. Many of the homes are still standing on the South Hill, near Manito and Cannon Hill parks.

Raging wildfires in Okanogan County sent a plume of smoke over the Spokane area Wednesday evening, while air quality at ground level deteriorated to the unhealthy range for people with health issues such as lung disease. The cloud darkened the sky and turned the sun orange, bathing the city in an eerie and ominous orange-brown light.

Treacherous weather on raging wildfires in Okanogan County sent an elevated plume of smoke over the Spokane area this evening while air quality at ground level deteriorated to the unhealthy category for persons with health issues.

The Glenrose Prairie neighborhood southeast of Spokane is taking up arms against wildfires. In this case, the arms are mowers and chain saws, deployed during periods of cool and damp weather to remove brush and trees, lessening the risk that wildfire will spread to the homes.

Like many Lutherans in Spokane, Cheri Nelson has been watching nervously as the Wolverine fire on Lake Chelan creeps closer to the church retreat center known as Holden Village. As of Thursday, fire was on three sides of the former historic mining town located 10 miles west of the lake, just outside Glacier Peak Wilderness.

Kira’s Kloset, a clothing and book bank started in 2010, will be holding its annual backpack and school supply giveaway on Saturday at its new location at the former Mead Middle School. Doors will be open from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the clothing bank at 12509 N. Market St.

On a recent weekday, more than 60 kids from across Spokane were running basketball drills under the watchful eyes of their coaches. The Spokane Eastside Reunion Association’s summer basketball camp, now in its fourth year, has become a slam dunk at Underhill Park at Hartson Avenue and Fiske Street. Here, the hoops court is the training ground for children ages 5 to 16.

Teenagers have many tricky issues to navigate as they grow up – their individual identity, school, relationships and family. One thing few of them think about is their relationship to money.