This day in history: City likely wouldn’t meet federal clean air standards. CdA faces juvenile crime spree

From 1976: Spokane would be unable to meet federal air quality standards in 1976 without some additional clean air programs, said Fred Shiosaki, director of the Spokane County Air Pollution Control Authority.

The choices were stark. Either reduce the number of cars or reduce emissions from cars.

Shiosaki said the first step would probably be “implementation of some type of inspection-maintenance program.”

“It is painful, but not when you consider the alternatives, such as some type of traffic control,” he said.

Later in 1976, Spokane began a voluntary inspection program. In 1985, Spokane’s inspections would become mandatory.

Side note: Shiosaki would later become one of the main characters in Daniel James Brown’s 2021 book, “Facing the Mountain,” a bestselling account of Japanese American heroes during World War II.

From 1926: Coeur d’Alene was in the midst of a juvenile crime spree.

A total of 20 boys between the ages of 8 and 18 had been arrested in the past few weeks.

They were charged with crimes ranging from shoplifting to burglary.

In the most recent cases, one boy was charged with stealing a vanity case, another with stealing a bicycle and a third with stealing a fountain pen.

Like the majority of the other arrested boys, the judge sternly lectured them and ordered them to make restitution for the stolen property.

Then, they were sent home.

Out of the 20, the judge sentenced only one boy to the state reformatory.