Nico Portuondo

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News >  Crime/Public Safety

Two crashes on Highway US 195 south of Spokane cause congestion

UPDATED: Fri., Aug. 20, 2021

A semitruck rollover congested northbound traffic on U.S. Highway 195 a few miles south of Spokane Friday, and traffic was further delayed when a second crash happened in the same vicinity.

News >  Business

Methow Valley gifted 2,000 air purifiers by company after summer of terrible air quality

UPDATED: Sat., Aug. 21, 2021

The Instant Brands company, famous for its Instant Pot, donated 2,000 air purifiers to the town of Winthrop after the Methow Valley experienced dangerous air quality for large portions of the summer.

News >  Health

Spokane’s Monroe Street Bridge focal point for suicide, mental health awareness

UPDATED: Thu., Aug. 19, 2021

After hearing about another possible suicide at the Monroe Street Bridge this week, Toni Cornell was tired of sitting around as Spokane suffered.

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News >  Family

North Idaho State Fair draws crowds on opening day: ‘It’s almost like we’re back to normal’

UPDATED: Sat., Aug. 21, 2021

Alpacas, monster trucks and corn dogs: The North Idaho State Fair roared back to business on Friday to the excitement of fairgoers and their families.

News >  Crime/Public Safety

Families lose homes and memories to Ford-Corkscrew fire

UPDATED: Thu., Aug. 19, 2021

Jordan and Stacey Pyeatt had worked to protect their home in the event of wildfire, but those efforts weren't enough to stop the Ford-Corkscrew fire from destroying the cabin, which was among 18 residences in Stevens County burned.

News >  Crime/Public Safety

Ford-Corkscrew fire grows dramatically Monday night, takes 8 homes

UPDATED: Tue., Aug. 17, 2021

The raging Ford-Corkscrew fire took eight homes and ballooned on Monday night, more than doubling in size from 6,000 acres to more than 15,000 acres by Tuesday afternoon.

News >  Pacific NW

Spokane breaks annual 90-degree day record, but heat and smoke relief are on the way

UPDATED: Sat., Aug. 14, 2021

Spokane’s extreme summer broke another ominous record Saturday, but relief from both the scorching heat and sickening smoke is on the way.

News >  Spokane

Spokane is back to rocking with Primus concert at the Pavilion, but delta variant clouds the fun

UPDATED: Sat., Aug. 14, 2021

Head banging, mosh pits and dancing; Friday night’s Primus concert signaled that big concerts are officially back in Spokane, at least for now. “Happy days are here again,” Primus frontman Les Claypool told the crowd. “Look at all you people ‘gathering’!”

News >  Crime/Public Safety

‘None of this should have happened’: Spokane Valley toddler is mourned at vigil

UPDATED: Sat., Aug. 14, 2021

Community members gathered Saturday night at a vigil celebrating the life of a 19-month-old who died tragically earlier this month.

News >  Spokane

Spokane’s air quality expected to stay unhealthy through much of the weekend

UPDATED: Fri., Aug. 13, 2021

Smoke went from bad to worse in Spokane, with air quality making its way into the “very unhealthy” range by Friday morning and staying there throughout the day.

News >  Crime/Public Safety

Former Spokane police officer Nathan Nash pleads not guilty to rape for a second time

UPDATED: Wed., Aug. 11, 2021

A former Spokane police officer pleaded not guilty after being accused of rape for a second time.

News >  Military

‘We expect them to save lives’: On National Dog Day, Fairchild honors its canine heroes

UPDATED: Thu., Aug. 26, 2021

For most people, the typical military dog brings to mind an intimidating German shepherd or a fierce Belgian Malinois – dogs you would not want to tick off.

News >  Pacific NW

Fire in Spokane Valley dog grooming store results in no injuries to people or animals

UPDATED: Wed., Aug. 11, 2021

Wash N Snip, a Spokane Valley dog grooming business, was irreparably damaged Wednesday by fire.

News >  Crime/Public Safety

Lawsuit alleges Spokane deputies hit and allowed K9 to bite complying man lying on the ground

UPDATED: Thu., Aug. 12, 2021

A Spokane County man who was arrested on suspicion of vehicle theft in 2019 is suing the county, alleging law enforcement used excessive force when arresting him.

News >  Pacific NW

State, county investigating after dogs died following contact with waterways in Spokane area where blue-green algae was confirmed

UPDATED: Sun., Aug. 8, 2021

The dogs died shortly after swimming in the area confirmed to have blue-green algae. Three of them had been swimming in the Little Spokane River near Chattaroy, while one of the dogs went swimming in the Spokane River near the Harvard Road Bridge, the Washington State Department of Health said in a news release.

News >  Pacific NW

‘It feels like a charcoal box’: Methow Valley residents endure nearby active wildfires and hazardous smoke for weeks

Sat., Aug. 7, 2021

Eric Bjornsen has adapted as best he can to seeing his store and hometown of Winthrop, Washington, deserted over the past few weeks, but it’s not easy when he can’t even see the sun.

News >  Crime/Public Safety

Eastbound I-90 backed up due to fatal crash near Sprague

UPDATED: Fri., Aug. 6, 2021

A fatal collision involving a semi-truck and car blocked I-90 eastbound about 2 miles west of Sprague on Friday.

News >  Crime/Public Safety

Police: Erratic and dangerous behavior by suspect causes park pool to be evacuated

UPDATED: Fri., Aug. 6, 2021

A suspect was arrested Friday in Liberty Park after trying to light fires, tearing up sprinklers and eventually causing the Liberty Park pool to be evacuated, officers said.

News >  Crime/Public Safety

No criminal charges for 6 SPD officers involved in fatal January shooting of Shawn McCoy

UPDATED: Fri., Aug. 6, 2021

McCoy was the primary suspect in the killing of another man, believed to be retribution for another killing in 2013, according to investigation records. 

News >  Pacific NW

Air quality improved in Spokane Friday as some Inland Northwest wildfires grew

UPDATED: Fri., Aug. 6, 2021

Smoke finally rolled out enough for air quality to improve to “good” on Friday, but that doesn’t mean the numerous wildfires across the Inland Northwest have stopped burning.

News >  Crime/Public Safety

Police: Man arrested after trying to lure boy onto boat on Lake Coeur d’Alene

UPDATED: Wed., Aug. 4, 2021

A man was arrested on Tuesday on suspicion of child enticement at the parasail dock near Independence Point on Lake Coeur d’Alene after trying to lure a 10-year-old boy onto a boat, police said.

News >  Pacific NW

Small break in smoke for Spokane could continue through weekend

UPDATED: Wed., Aug. 4, 2021

After days of oppressive smoke, thunderstorms that passed through Eastern Washington gave Spokane a bit of a break from unhealthy air on Wednesday morning.

News >  Crime/Public Safety

Felon who killed cellmate for sexually abusing his sister gets more than 24 years in prison

UPDATED: Wed., Aug. 4, 2021

Shane Goldsby, a 26-year-old inmate who killed his cellmate for sexually abusing his younger sister, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and was sentenced to more than 24 years in prison on top of his current sentence on Tuesday.

News >  Idaho

Unhappy campers: Several camps shutter due to poor air quality

UPDATED: Wed., Aug. 4, 2021

Camps around the Inland Northwest decided to close their doors for the week after the region experienced unhealthy air quality for several days in a row.

News >  Agriculture

‘I haven’t seen anything like this’: Washington wheat growers face low yields in record drought year

UPDATED: Wed., Aug. 4, 2021

Short stalks, thin rows, cracked soil and small bushels – the wheat Kevin Klein is harvesting in a field near Sprague just looks plain different this year.