Roberta Simonson

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News >  Spokane

‘A big family event’: Thousands of stuffed animals shower onto the ice at the Spokane Chiefs’ Teddy Bear Toss

UPDATED: Sat., Dec. 2, 2023

The Spokane Chiefs didn’t win their 6-3 game against the Prince George Cougars Saturday night, but they did score this year.

News >  Spokane

Translators ensure ‘all are welcome’ at the Christmas Bureau

Fri., Dec. 1, 2023

Wasan Hassan works full-time as an immigration assistant at the International Rescue Committee, but for the past three years she has found time for the Christmas Bureau.

News >  Spokane

Help kids open those Christmas Bureau presents in cozy new pajamas with Catholic schools’ donation drive

UPDATED: Thu., Nov. 30, 2023

What’s special about the Christmas Bureau is there is space for everyone to help. Volunteers of all ages and backgrounds keep the bureau running each year like clockwork, and countless community members chip in what they can by making donations to The Spokesman-Review Christmas Fund.

News >  Spokane

‘An icon at the Bureau’: Fern Swecker, the Teddy Bear Queen, is remembered at the Christmas Bureau

UPDATED: Wed., Nov. 29, 2023

In her 70s, “Christmas Bureau icon” Fern Swecker used to wake up at 5:30 a.m. to make it to the Christmas Bureau each day by 9 .

News >  Spokane

‘The guys behind the curtain’: Restock volunteers keep the Christmas Bureau’s toy room in tip-top shape

UPDATED: Tue., Nov. 28, 2023

The Christmas Bureau, with its thousands of books and toys and clients, has been described as “an enormous logistical puzzle.” Its volunteers are the hundreds of pieces that click together to solve it.

News >  Spokane

Ferris High School students craft wooden toys and trucks for the Christmas Bureau

UPDATED: Mon., Nov. 27, 2023

It’s the holiday season, and that means shop students at Ferris High School are making wooden toys for children. They’re crafting rocking horses, cars, little reindeer, tops and keepsake boxes.

News >  Spokane

Volunteers Craig and Cathy Blankenstein jumped in when help was needed – ‘We love the Christmas Bureau’

Sun., Nov. 26, 2023

Christmas shopping can be a daunting task for everyone. For toy-buyers at the Christmas Bureau, it’s a full-time job.

News >  Religion

Women of the Year: Mable Dunbar helps victims of domestic abuse – ‘People just need to be healed’

UPDATED: Wed., Nov. 29, 2023

Mable Dunbar always knew it was her passion to help victims of domestic violence and abuse. But when she first started her career fresh out of college, taking on an internship at a domestic violence shelter in Michigan, she hated it.

News >  Features

The Christmas Bureau is back – here’s what’s new this year

UPDATED: Fri., Nov. 24, 2023

The Christmas Bureau is back for its 78th year, and teams of volunteers from across the region are getting ready to share holiday cheer to tens of thousands of people across the Inland Northwest.

News >  Pacific NW

Manito’s annual Turkey Trot draws thousands – ‘it’s a tradition’

UPDATED: Thu., Nov. 23, 2023

Hundreds gathered in Manito Park on Thursday morning to run an approximately 3-mile loop around a frozen duck pond for the annual Bloomsday Road Runners Club Turkey Trot. There were dogs of all sizes and people of all ages. There were turkey hats, pie hats, a few Santa hats and there was even a pilgrim costume.

A&E >  Stage

SFCC’s Spartan Theatre balances the heartfelt and the humorous with play “Crumble (Lay Me Down, Justin Timberlake)”

UPDATED: Thu., Nov. 16, 2023

It’s not often that a Christmas play features a grieving mother and a vindictive tween “addicted to Barbies and Mountain Dew” alongside Justin Timberlake and Harrison Ford – but this one does.

News >  Crime/Public Safety

Fog caused hunter to lose way in woods outside Cheney

UPDATED: Wed., Nov. 15, 2023

Rescuers located a hunter lost in fog southwest of Cheney on Tuesday evening after the man called 911 with 5% remaining on his phone battery.

News >  Transportation

Getting There: In the garbage sector, there’s waste – and then there’s just wasting time

UPDATED: Sun., Nov. 12, 2023

Spokane spans roughly 60 square miles. But for garbage truck drivers, traversing the city means far more mileage – and headache.

News >  Military

Spokane veteran and his five brothers have all served in the military, some as early as 1941

UPDATED: Mon., Nov. 13, 2023

Throughout his military career, Spokane’s Gerald “Jerry” Garcia told no one he had technically lied about his age to his recruitment officer.

News >  ID Government

Voters reject Kootenai County bond to preserve open space for conservation and recreation

UPDATED: Wed., Nov. 8, 2023

Voters in Kootenai County rejected a $50 million property tax that would have enabled the county to purchase land to preserve as natural open space.

News >  Local Government

Spokane voters criminalize homeless camps near places children gather

UPDATED: Tue., Nov. 7, 2023

Frustrated with the growing issue of visible homelessness and urban blight, Spokane voters have criminalized encampments within 1,000 feet of schools, parks, playgrounds and licensed child care facilities.

News >  Weather

Region makes up for lost time with rain

UPDATED: Mon., Nov. 6, 2023

The weather has been gloomy this past week, with gray skies and showers visiting Spokane on and off since Wednesday. If it feels like it hasn’t rained this much in a long time, that’s because it hasn’t.

News >  Transportation

This week’s road work in Spokane

Mon., Nov. 6, 2023

Here’s an overview of construction in Spokane this week that could impact local commutes.

A&E >  Dining

Iconic Eateries: Vintage airplanes may be the draw for the Skyway Café, but the scratch-made food and camaraderie are not to be missed – ‘This place is special’

Sun., Nov. 5, 2023

Vintage airplanes regularly take off from an airstrip just outside the back windows of the Skyway Café. A fleet of model planes hang suspended from its ceiling, and an abundance of military memorabilia decorate its walls.

News >  Local Government

Who is Tom Jones and why is he running as a write-in candidate for Spokane mayor?

UPDATED: Fri., Nov. 3, 2023

Lisa Brown and Nadine Woodward have won the August primary for the general election for Spokane mayor. But Spokane voters may have noticed a third candidate’s campaign signs appearing along Spokane streets.

News >  Family

Halloween is tonight, and here’s what you need to know for trick-or-treating in Spokane

Tue., Oct. 31, 2023

Halloween is finally here, and some are expecting at least one bright color to frequent the streets: pink.

News >  Transportation

Work to watch for this week in the Spokane area

Mon., Oct. 30, 2023

Here’s a roundup of construction work that could impact local roads this week.

News >  Weather

Spokane gets its first snow of the season. Is cold weather here to stay?

UPDATED: Wed., Oct. 25, 2023

Wednesday marked the first freeze and the first snow of the season as parts of Spokane were dusted with just over an inch of fluff.

News >  Sci/Tech

Washington joins 40 other states suing owner of Instagram and Facebook, saying social media harms kids

UPDATED: Tue., Oct. 24, 2023

A federal lawsuit announced Tuesday alleges the social media giant Meta has fueled a nationwide youth mental health crisis by engineering social media products to be intentionally addictive for children.

News >  Transportation

Getting There: We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it – unless it’s closed

UPDATED: Mon., Oct. 23, 2023

With the barrage of bridges offering pedestrians connection through downtown Spokane, you’d think crossing the river would be easy. But the task is becoming ever more complicated as the city works to improve its bridges, trails and roads before the anniversary of Expo ’74 in May.