In brief: House fire called suspicious

Major crimes detectives from the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office spent Sunday investigating the scene of an overnight house fire in the area of West Brooks Road and North Martin Street in Medical Lake. The fire, which was reported shortly after 2 a.m. Sunday, is suspicious, Deputy Craig Chamberlin said.

The detectives were assisted by an arson investigator from the Spokane Valley Fire Department, Chamberlin said. He declined to specify why major crimes detectives were involved in an arson investigation. “It is a possibility there was criminal activity associated with the arson,” he said.

Chamberlin said he expected to release more details about the incident today.

Pilot killed in crash near Moscow

A pilot performing at an air show at a Republican Party fundraiser died after crashing a few miles north of Moscow, Idaho.

The Latah County Sheriff’s Office said Randy Humble, 60, of Moscow, died in the crash around 5:30 p.m. Saturday near the town of Viola. Latah County Republicans were holding their annual fundraiser and picnic at the time.

The FAA will investigate the cause of the crash.

‘Seagull’ author slowly healing

Writer Richard Bach, author of the inspirational best-seller “Jonathan Livingston Seagull,” is able to speak a few words and respond to simple commands as he remains hospitalized in intensive care more than a week after his small plane went down on San Juan Island in Washington.

Bach, 76, continued to recover from head and shoulder injuries Sunday at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, but the healing process has been slow, his son, James Bach, said in an email.