Ward Sanderson

November, coming as it does just before the gift-getting holidays of December, is the perfect month to give children a reminder about giving. Linda Wagner, who runs the YMCA's child-care program in Freeman, offers her young charges this simple lesson: You wanna play, you gotta pay. "A lot of kids are given things, and they don't have to work for it," Wagner said. "We're trying to teach them that helping others is fun, and it makes your heart feel good."

Sue Manbeck reassures her 9-year-old son, Tony Grace, as he cover his ears to dull the roar of the Albertasaurus. The Post Falls residents came to Sandpoint on Sunday to see "The Story of Egg Mountain," a dinosaur exhibit that runs through Feb. 8 at the Bonner Mall. Photo by Liz Kishimoto/The Spokesman-Review

Two North Idaho duck hunters died early Sunday, apparent victims of cold water and heavy hunting clothing that weighed them down. John J. Hario of Coeur d'Alene and Earl Roger Fulton of Pinehurst both were found too late by rescuers who pulled their bodies out of Cave Lake near Medimont, Idaho. The men were barely away from shore when water started filling their 12-foot aluminum boat not long before 6 a.m. It sank.

Tiger Scouts, Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts of the Thunderbird Scout District unload a pickup packed with food at the First Nazarene Church dropoff site. Photo by Roger Ames/The Spokesman-Review

The poor aren't asking for a free ride. Just a lift. That was the message Wednesday, when 250 people gathered in Spokane to honor local businesses that hire the poor, pay decent wages and offer decent benefits.

A Spokane man faces up to 10 years in prison after admitting Tuesday that he threw a 3-year-old girl headfirst into a bathtub. Lance Brandvold pleaded guilty to first-degree assault in Spokane County Superior Court, said Kay Felice, spokeswoman for the prosecutor's office. Judge Linda Tompkins scheduled sentencing for Nov. 25.

An autopsy suggests the woman found dead in her truck along with her 6-year-old son shot herself, sheriff's deputies said Tuesday. Debra Eik died of a gunshot wound to the head, "consistent with a self-inflicted wound," Spokane County Sheriff's spokesman Dave Reagan said. Her 6-year-old son, Brandon, died of a shot to the chest.

Kootenai County Sheriff Pierce Clegg addresses off-road vehicle users during a meeting that also has included sheriff's deputies and Forest Service officials. Photo by Liz Kishimoto/The Spokesman-Review

Seattle's mayor told a Spokane crowd Saturday that the destiny of blacks in Washington rests with the four R's - race, respect, religion and regionalism. Norm Rice, who this year finishes his eighth and final year as mayor of the state's largest city, rallied an audience of 210 to unite before the new millennium. To vote down initiatives, he said, will divide society, not bind it fast. And Rice called upon the crowd to stop searching for leaders and to take stands themselves.

1. The family (from left): Tiffany Felton, Austin Trunipour, Dennielle Felton (seated), Sterling Felton, Heather Felton (seated), Dan Marcoux, Corey Marcoux, Lisa Marcoux and Dianna Marcoux. Photos by Liz Kishimoto/The Spokesman-Review 2. Toddler Austin Trunipour watches his uncle, Sterling Felton, 13, play Creature, a computer game, at the Marcoux family home. 3. Dennielle Felton squeezes past her brother Sterling as he watches Dan Marcoux work on the computer in their home.

Bewitching. Cooking up a little mischief, Dakotah Direct payroll workers, from left, Shyla Obcemea, Gwendolyn Crone and Mary Geissler try on witch costumes Wednesday. Photo by Dan Pelle/The Spokesman-Review

County commissioners have deemed a black female chow named "Opie" a dangerous dog. The dog has repeatedly threatened other dogs and charged people in Otis Orchards. No one was bitten, though - each time Opie was fended off by neighbors wielding a 2-by-4 or a stick.

There may be a free lunch in jail. But a visit to the doctor isn't - not anymore. Spokane County commissioners on Tuesday unanimously approved new medical-care fees for prisoners. That could likely save taxpayers thousands of dollars. Those in jail are now billed if they need a doctor. If they have insurance, their providers pay.

Shiny new sleds 1. Ashley Herrin, 4, and her 10-month-old-brother, Jacob, test a snowmobile their parents were considering at the annual Snowmobile Auction and Trade Show Sunday in Coeur d'Alene. Photo by Liz Kishimoto/The Spokesman-Review 2. Fifteen-month-old Katie Sibert, St. Maries, searches for the last drop of her drink while her mom checks out a display at the trade show.

County commissioners will decide next month whether to approve a scaled-down version of Morningside Heights, a proposed housing development near Eighth and Barker. It has long been opposed by neighboring landowners, and the original plan was nixed by commissioners last year. But now, neighbors have reached an agreement with developer Richard Dahm that Morningside would be 147 residential lots, not 335, and that zoning wouldn't be changed. If the project is approved, a suit filed against the county by Dahm and his partners would be dropped.

Burning season fires up again Friday. Then, after three days, it's doused. But be careful. Light up the wrong stuff in the wrong place, and it won't be the only thing going up in smoke. The other plume just might come from your pocket. Fines for illegal burning are steep - up to $10,000 and never less than $250. And the Spokane County Air Pollution Control Authority works weekends.

County commissioners expanded a licensing agreement with Telect Inc. on Tuesday, allowing the Liberty Lake company to use 2-1/2 acres of public land for $200 per year. Commissioner John Roskelley fought the idea, saying the company would get too sweet a deal. Telect had already been paying $100 per year to use 1 acre along Appleway Avenue.

The Rev. Percy "Happy" Watkins hopes the glue to fuse fragmented cities contains at least a little barbecue sauce. The local NAACP leader donned a chef's outfit Saturday and helped whip up ribs, burgers and beans for about 200 people at the East Central Community Center.

Spokane County's five-day burn season starts Saturday. People living outside the county's no-burn area can burn yard waste through Oct. 26. Those dates may change, though, depending on the weather. But the Spokane County Air Pollution Control Authority prefers that people burn as little as possible.

A proposed pay raise for full-time instructors at the Community Colleges of Spokane has some seeing green. Others see red. Some are just confused.

A jack-o'-lantern is born. Jake Morrow, 7, picks out his pumpkin at Carver Farms on Sunday afternoon. Jake and his brothers and sisters joined the steady flow of families that arrived at Carver Farms in Newman Lake for the traditional autumn hunt. Photo by Liz Kishimoto/The Spokesman-Review

Participants listen at the first Loren Miller Bar Association meeting held outside King County. Photo by Dan Pelle/The Spokesman-Review

His wife calls into the basement when visitors arrive. She points down the stairs and says, "Go into the dungeon." Dick Grosch is working down there, and he's swimming in paint fumes and license plates. Hundreds of license plates, even he's not sure how many.

A visit to the video store turned violent when a man attacked a customer and then threatened to kill the security guard who intervened. A 43-year-old man and his young son left the Blockbuster store at 11510 E. Sprague just before 9 p.m. Friday. The 3-year-old boy was complaining because his father hadn't bought him a toy, said Sheriff's Department spokesman David Reagan. The boy's complaints apparently got on the nerves of another man who was in the parking lot outside the store. "Shut up!" he screamed at the boy, and then yelled at another customer: "Have a rotten day!"