Mike Prager

Lake Coeur d’Alene neared its crest Thursday about 3 feet below flood stage following the heavy rain and mild temperatures dating back more than a week. Also Thursday, the Kootenai County Sheriff's Office warned backcountry travelers to be wary of unplowed mountain roads after a number of travelers got trapped in snow that had been softened by the warm weather.

The Kootenai County Sheriff's Office today warned mountain travelers to be wary of unplowed mountain roads after an unspecified number of travelers got trapped in snow softened by warm weather.

Unseasonably mild weather is going to bring another spring-like weekend to the Inland Northwest and potentially record warm temperatures on Friday and Saturday, forecasters said. While that should be good news for lowland outdoor activities, it will mean a continuation of the snowpack trouble facing winter sports in the mountains.

Warm weather and a lack of snow have forced Mt. Spokane Ski & Snowboard Park to suspend operations this week while crews on snowcats try to move enough existing snow to reopen runs by the weekend.

The Coeur d'Alene River in North Idaho has spilled over its banks this morning, causing minor flooding as a rush of rainwater and snow melt move out of the mountains.

A proposal to weaken a law that restricts demolition of historic buildings in Spokane has been withdrawn on the recommendation of the city Plan Commission. The city prohibits tearing down historic buildings across much of the city without plans to build a replacement. That means property owners can’t raze old buildings and leave the land bare or convert it to parking in downtown and in National Historic Register districts across the city.

Spokane Valley bus service would see a range of improvements if voters adopt a ballot measure to increase funding for the Spokane Transit Authority this spring. STA is seeking a 0.3 percent increase in sales tax collected in its service area to provide major improvements to the system, expand evening and weekend service and shore up ongoing finances.

The snow-challenged winter sports season in the mountains is going to continue with a series of mild Pacific rainstorms expected through this weekend. Snow levels could rise into the upper elevations today and higher over the weekend, the National Weather Service said.

State lawmakers in Washington are targeting studded tires with proposed new fees.

The drive to reduce or eliminate studded winter tires in Washington is gaining traction, a leading transportation advocate from Spokane says. Joe Tortorelli, vice chair of the Washington State Transportation Commission, said he supports a call to phase out the use of studded tires to save money on highway and street maintenance.

An express bus service from Spokane Valley to Coeur d’Alene is among the improvements to service Spokane Transit Authority officials are considering if voters approve a tax increase this spring. The plan calls for extending routes of some of the freeway express buses that serve Spokane Valley and Liberty Lake so they would continue to Coeur d’Alene.

The public is invited to a meeting Feb. 5 on an effort to list Spokane parks on the National Register of Historic Places. The meeting will be 6 p.m. at the Woodland Center in Finch Arboretum, 3404 W. Woodland Blvd.