History for Chron

Aug. 22, 2022 Updated Mon., Aug. 22, 2022 at 3:53 p.m.

Spokane residents got another look at what appeared to be a large weather balloon about 60,000 feet in the air following a similar sighting the previous week.

A weather official at Geiger Field said it appeared to be the type of weather balloon recently seen in the Northwest, but weather balloons typically can only rise to 40,000 feet before they burst.

Officials at Holloman Air Force Base said several of its clear plastic “Moby Dick” balloons had been launched and were carried by winds to several locations in the western United States.

The balloons were designed and launched to test cosmic rays, or heavy particles of elements from the sun, an Air Force official said.

A Spokane mother who left her infant daughter at a Spokane hospital doorstep was still eligible to claim the child, a local judge ruled.

“We’ll be required to conduct a complete investigation of the mother’s situation,” Juvenile Court Judge Robert C. Brumblay said. “But the law bends over backward to protect a parent’s right to a child.”

Brumblay said the baby would not be turned over to the first person who claimed her. Any potential mother who comes forward would be privately investigated to ensure she is the parent.

Local journalism is essential.

Give directly to The Spokesman-Review's Northwest Passages community forums series -- which helps to offset the costs of several reporter and editor positions at the newspaper -- by using the easy options below. Gifts processed in this system are tax deductible.

Meet Our Journalists

Jesse Tinsley

Meet Jesse Tinsley. As a certified drone pilot, this veteran Spokesman-Review photographer often can be seen capturing beautiful aerial photographs of our region. Sometimes though, the job requires getting down with the dogs.
Jim Meehan

Jim Meehan is no stranger to Zag Nation. As the lead writer covering the Gonzaga men’s basketball team, he tells the stories behind the game and gets fans a bit closer to their favorite players.
Molly Quinn

There is no artist in Spokane like Molly Quinn. Her whimsical style is instantly recognizable to readers of The Spokesman-Review. She has painted gorgeous illustrations that instantly elevate the journalism accompanying it. She brings to life the stories that defy photography. She makes our pages better.
Rob Curley

Spokesman-Review editor Rob Curley loves to talk with people and learn about their lives, whether it's a best-selling author or a stranger he meets downtown on his walk to lunch. It's that inquisitive nature combined with a playful sense of storytelling that helps make our newspaper different than most.