Archives | April 2026

• Outside View: TV station megamerger is a threat to First Amendment freedoms

• This day in history: A Teamsters strike loomed, and 100 years ago, a downtown jewelry theft livened up the streets of Spokane

• Boise vows to ‘take a stand’ against laws targeting Pride flags, trans people

• ‘Sick and wrong’: Boise firm designing Idaho firing squad chamber draws protest

• A Grip on Sports: Mark Few’s belief in Gonzaga’s future not only led the program to a place among the nation’s best, it led him to basketball’s Hall of Fame

All stories for April 1, 2026 »

• Gardening: Plants are ahead of schedule this spring

• George F. Will: Coffin nails and the habit that defies burial

• Bret Stephens: Yes, this is your war, too

• This day in history: A near-disaster at Spokane International Airport prompted an FAA investigation

• Meta urges Idaho Gov. Little to veto a bill seeking to protect children online

All stories for April 2, 2026 »

• Rex Huppke: Bondi fired because even she couldn’t be as awful as Trump

• Sara Pequeño: Democrats have momentum with midterms. Don’t mess it up

• This day in history: Havermale Junior High School student was missing. Fashion parade endangered by snow

• Bloomsday Perennial: Laurie Rhodes tapped into a potent runner’s high during ‘the glory days’

• ‘Like it’s always been there’: New video boards bring modern enhancement to traditional game day experience at Avista Stadium

All stories for April 3, 2026 »

• Michelle Goldberg: Trump has no idea how to clean up his own mess

• Nicole Russell: ‘The View’ shows how women love to tear each other down

• LZ Granderson: Here’s why Trump fired Pam Bondi

• This day in history: Police still were searching for missing girl. April snow broke record

• ‘Bonded forever’: EWU wheelchair basketball team finishes out final tournament before being cut by the university

All stories for April 4, 2026 »

• Sara Pequeño: Jan. 6 rioters are running for office. Sounds about right

• Bloomsday Perennial: His grade school teacher, the founder, inspired him and his brothers to run

• This day in history: Tickets went on sale for Elvis at Spokane Coliseum. Air mail delivery from the East Coast was about to get to Spokane faster

• The Dirt: STCU to build 20th Spokane County branch

• Pop Mart suffers $33 billion rout as Labubu craze unravels

All stories for April 5, 2026 »

• This day in history: Missing 13-year-old found dead 5 miles outside city. 72-year-old determined to deliver mail via stage coach in ‘one last trip’ as air mail takes off

• Eastern Washington teacher entered a photo contest. Now her work will be displayed in Idaho’s newest U.S. Navy submarine

• Then and Now: Freedom Train

• ‘These wonderful people moved us along the way’: The 40-plus year volunteers who’ve made Bloomsday possible year after year

• A Grip on Sports: It’s not a national holiday – it should be – but today is a good day to skip work and prepare for the culmination of the college basketball season

All stories for April 6, 2026 »

• Sara Pequeño: Trump bails on his biggest promise just in time for midterms

• ‘OUR CITY, OUR RACE’: Bloomsday officials remove billboard after complaints of exclusion

• This day in history: A disturbing pattern began to emerge after the killing of another young girl in Spokane

• Bloomsday Perennial: ‘This is my deal; this is my passion,’ Steve Rusch says of annual road race

• ‘A natural fit’: Spokane astronaut Anne McClain lends likeness for 2026 Hoopfest promos

All stories for April 7, 2026 »

• Naomi Ishisaka: How the SAVE America Act would make it harder for you to vote

• Rex Huppke: With our world in chaos, Artemis II offers humanity a lifeline

• This day in history: The S-R offered a reward in the case of a slain 13-year-old carrier

• Are the Seahawks a dynasty in the making? The pieces are in place for a special run | Commentary

• A Grip on Sports: There are some old favorites of spring still hanging around but there are new aspects in the sports world as well

All stories for April 8, 2026 »

• Gardening: Website offers calculator to help optimize your sprinkler system

• Rex Huppke: Trump’s ceasefire confusion just gave Vance an opportunity

• Ross Douthat: Idealism can get us to space. Only commerce can keep us there

• This day in history: It was two terrifying hours stranded in the air for a pair of downtown window washers whose scaffold gave out

• A Grip on Sports: It’s a busy day when another Indians’ legend from the past leaves us, more local players decide to change schools and Hall of Fames announce inductees

All stories for April 9, 2026 »

• This day in history: City budget cuts impede Riverfront Park attractions. Pasco-Elko air mail on pause

• Bloomsday Perennial: James Edwards’ dedication to the annual road race is so strong, it cost him a marriage

• A Grip on Sports: The way the Mariners have been hitting, we all may need the calmness of golf on TV to keep our blood pressure down this weekend

• Report: Gonzaga’s nonconference game against Michigan State to take place Dec. 19 in Palm Desert

• Mayor Lisa Brown revives city’s annual recognition of volunteers

All stories for April 10, 2026 »

• Bret Stephens: No, Iran isn’t winning the war

• LZ Granderson: Faith lessons don’t belong in public schools, and Christians know that

• This day in history: A Valley sewer debate and a phony arrest to celebrate a long stagecoach trip

• Chris Brennan: Trump’s illegal attack on mail ballots has Republicans nervous

• A Grip on Sports: Rory McIlroy and the Mariners’ offense both fly higher Friday than anyone could have forseen

All stories for April 11, 2026 »

• George F. Will: A casket cartel tries to bury the competition

• Bloomsday Perennial: Vermonter has the longest to travel to keep streak alive, but the rush makes it worth the flights

• This day in history: A missing pilot and curbside gasoline pumps were making headlines

• The Dirt: Frontier Behavioral Health planning new Spokane location

• Food truck freedom? Spokane considers ending permission requirement for the mobile meal vendors downtown

All stories for April 12, 2026 »

• George F. Will: An unpardonable abuse of presidential power with only one solution

• This day in history: Residents cautioned over deadly Spokane River currents. North Central High gets new athletic field

• Then and Now: Ridpath Hotel fire

• Mountain bike kickoff race draws hundreds of kids in event that’s as much community as it is competition

• A Grip on Sports: With McIlroy’s win Sunday at Augusta, the Masters finally have enough back-to-back champions to have a real Mount Rushmore

All stories for April 13, 2026 »

• Michelle Goldberg: What Orban’s defeat means for the rest of the world

• Bloomsday Perennial: Mike Hogue remains fit, fast and ready for what Bloomsday morning brings

• This day in history: Bicycle robbers stole teen’s bike, pocketbook. 40 trees, toilets and light poles vandalized at Valley Mission Park

• A Grip on Sports: Doors close, windows open and the vibe around Northwest sports seem more upbeat this week

• Brody Brecht, Stu Flesland solid on the hill, Spokane Indians top Vancouver 5-3 in series opener | NWL baseball

All stories for April 14, 2026 »

• This day in history: The coroner and police were at odds about homicide investigation. Felts Field being prepared for night flying

• Bloomsday Perennial: Roger Risinger kept the 50-year-old newspaper documenting his first of many annual races

• Josh Naylor’s connection to Mariners fans grows even more with cleat giveaway

• A Grip on Sports: Dan Wilson’s early questionable decision paved the way for another Mariner defeat and may lead them down a darker road

• WSU continues roster rebuild with addition of East Texas A&M forward Ronnie Harrison

All stories for April 15, 2026 »

• Gardening: Continuing drought conditions make firewise landscaping all the more important

• Why aren’t Americans working as hard as they used to?

• Bret Stephens: How Trump can wrap up the war

• This day in history: Police used ‘gas bomb’ in arrest of man accused of assault. Palouse was transforming into bedroom community

• Faye Griffiths finds joy in creating

All stories for April 16, 2026 »

• Rex Huppke: Maybe Republicans are right. Has the pope even read the Bible?

• This day in history: City officials used an unusually desperate strategy to draw out Nanette Martin’s killer

• A Grip on Sports: After failing miserably Thursday, we try to bounce back with a double-headed column today, one that looks forward and back

• ‘Fundamentally unfair’: Idaho federal judge criticizes immigrant’s treatment

• Ben Wartinger pitches Ridgeline baseball over University; Emme Bond hits two homers for Mt. Spokane softabll | Prep roundup

All stories for April 17, 2026 »

• This day in history: A devastating schoolhouse fire and a deed to… the entire world?

• Ingrid Jacques: Swalwell, Gonzales rightly resigned. Let’s elect better people

• Dr. Jennifer Lincoln: Menopause is having a moment, but women aren’t getting real care

• Sara Pequeño: Under Trump, anti-abortion violence is getting a pass

• A Grip on Sports: As Yogi might have said, it’s getting late early for the M’s as their offense is consistent in its failures

All stories for April 18, 2026 »

• EJ Antoni and Stephen Moore: The coming fertilizer crisis will cause food prices to rise — unless we act now

• This day in history: WSU student was missing after Hayden Lake scuba accident. Chamber boosted promotion of Grand Coulee and Dry Falls

• Bloomsday Perennial: The first one was miserable, but that didn’t stop Chuck Murphy

• Trudy Rubin: Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump were big losers in Hungary’s election on Sunday

• Latino farmworkers face high rates of long COVID but barriers delay diagnosis

All stories for April 19, 2026 »

• Then and Now: Lilac Festival Parade

• Spokane bus plaza smoking section gone for good, agency decides

• This day in history: Jesse Jackson says senator’s ‘lack of concern for Black people’ will hurt his bid for president. Burnt-out forest soon to be replanted

• A Grip on Sports: From trivia to transfers, today is all about, with apologizes to Jay Buhner, notes, notes and more notes

• Spokane to host Egypt and world superstar during World Cup

All stories for April 20, 2026 »

• This day in history: Ferris High School senior was about to make military history

• Bloomsday Perennial: For John Day, ‘It’s just the camaraderie’ that keeps him coming back

• A Grip on Sports: WSU’s Jon Haarlow knows it’s not easy to keep the grass on your side of the fence green enough these days to make the neighbors jealous

• This NFL draft remains important for Seahawks, even with loaded roster | Commentary

• How to get last-minute tickets to FIFA Men’s World Cup

All stories for April 21, 2026 »

• This day in history: Man accused of kidnapping, killing girl delivering Spokesman-Review arrested. Curbside gas pump ordered removed

• A Grip on Sports: The rebuilt Pac-12 will be OK in football and good in basketball but baseball is the sport in which it could really shine

• Spokane legends Becca (Noble) Carson, Rick Riley inducted into Pasco Invite Hall of Fame | Prep track

• UW men pick up former WSU, EWU forward LeJuan Watts from transfer portal

• Did Berkly Catton and other homegrown forwards meet Kraken’s expectations this season? | Analysis

All stories for April 22, 2026 »

• Gardening: Master Gardeners kick off plant sale season

• This day in history: Police were processing evidence in major murder case. Movement was underway to create choral society like those in major West Coast cities

• Bloomsday Perennials: Intense competition between brothers fades though not their desire to participate

• Sara Pequeño: The far right is raking in millions online with pay-for-hate

• Special Interest Group: Local Philanthropic Educational Organization chapter celebrates centennial

All stories for April 23, 2026 »

• Marc A. Thiessen: Trump doesn’t need a deal to get what he wants from Iran

• This day in history: Federal judge halted 7 Spokane Prohibition cases. Zoo official proposed way forward for Walk in the Wild

• Bloomsday Perennial: Rick Serns had quite a few close calls before attaining his coveted status

• A Grip on Sports: It won’t last but for the past few years the top of the NFL Draft and college football’s most-famous award have been dominated by Pac-12 alums

• Gonzaga signee Jack Kayil enters NBA Draft; college route still on the table

All stories for April 24, 2026 »

• Bret Stephens: An academic miracle

• Ross Douthat: The four lessons liberals should consider after Orban’s defeat

• This day in history: A presidential tide was shifting for Spokane, and an unlikely suspect was named in a police scuffle

• Commentary: Trump’s empty bluster worked until he took on the pope and Iran

• Joe Battenfeld: Inflation putting a squeeze on Trump

All stories for April 25, 2026 »

• Nia-Malika Henderson: Congress has a male predator problem. Here’s how to fix it

• Bloomsday Perennial: Founder’s race times have slowed. His passion for the event has not

• This day in history: A heroic pool rescue and a controversial pardon were making headlines

• The Dirt: McKinley School conversion project resurfaces near Spokane’s Sprague Union District

• Motley Fool: A promising transformation

All stories for April 26, 2026 »

• Michelle Goldberg: The conspiracy theory behind Tucker Carlson’s apology

• Then and Now: Prince Hall Masonic Temple

• This day in history: New-to-Spokane cable TV already weighing price increases. Chronicle launches new advice column

• A Grip on Sports: On this Monday morning, why not highlight a few challenges in baseball, a couple comebacks and some streaking?

• WSU signs Oregon transfer guard Jamari Phillips for ninth offseason addition

All stories for April 27, 2026 »

• Rex Huppke: Cocaine salmon is the energy boost I crave

• Trudy Rubin: Trump administration wants to give Afghans who helped U.S. forces a choice between death and disaster

• This day in history: Hitchhiker accused of murder arrested near Liberty Lake. Spokanites had lots of ideas where to build a civic auditorium

• A Grip on Sports: The search for answers is always elusive unless you can remember there is one reason behind every decision

• Quarterback Demond Williams Jr. is undisputed face of UW offense this spring

All stories for April 28, 2026 »

• Michelle Goldberg: Political violence isn’t just evil. It’s counterproductive

• This day in history: Kootenai County backed giant outdoor concert at State Line. Cheney college president criticized governor

• A Grip on Sports: The Zags’ newest basketball addition proves once again no matter how many mistakes the folks in charge make, the games themselves still draw us in

• Spokane-bound Mohamed Salah expected to return for Liverpool before end of season after hamstring injury

• Boise Cascade bought illegally imported timber. Here’s the price it will pay

All stories for April 29, 2026 »

• Gardening: Associated Garden Clubs specializes in annuals and hanging baskets for plant sale

• Bret Stephens: The banality of evil, again

• Outside View: Iran war talks stall. Defense chiefs get fired. Where’s the Senate?

• This day in history: Governor took jab at Washington senator running for president. Boaters rescued men in Priest Lake

• ‘Morally correct’: Idaho lawmaker, attorney general clash over funds for victims

All stories for April 30, 2026 »