Archives | May 2026

• This day in history: Struggling Spokane Valley zoo looked for big donors. New group formed for veterans of Indian Wars

• Bloomsday Perennial: Keith Lalonde likes to run fast, but savors the experience

• Idaho clerks have 60 days to verify signatures on reproductive rights, medical marijuana initiatives

• How West Valley sprinter Lauren Matthew is leaving past frustrations behind in her race for gold in 2026

• Educators face off in Idaho’s District 6 election

All stories for May 1, 2026 »

• ‘Wiped us out completely’: Trusted small-town clerk emptied Metaline’s bank account, cratered nonprofit

• This day in history: Foley hoped to see Carter’s presidential challenger win, and an immigration hearing was unexpectedly humorous on several fronts

• Commentary: A ballroom won’t save our children

• Trudy Rubin: King Charles III subtly reminds Congress about the importance of checks on kingly power

• Sara Pequeño: I voted for Harris in 2024. She shouldn’t run in 2028

All stories for May 2, 2026 »

• Daniel Allott: What America loses when the president becomes untouchable

• This day in history: Exotic bird on the lamb showed up in Chewelah. Paulsen Building safecracker arrested in Illinois

• 50 Years of fitness fashion: Readers, artists and graphic designers rank their favorite Bloomsday T-shirt

• Bloomsday Perennial: Bob Thornton takes brother’s advice in 50th race – ‘keep running and keep smiling’

• A Grip on Sports: The M’s made news Saturday night and it’s hard to find anything positive in any of it

All stories for May 3, 2026 »

• Michelle Goldberg: A Democratic version of the Tea Party is emerging

• This day in history: Expo site features linger two years later. Water shortage affects farmers in Northwest

• Then and Now: Highland Park United Methodist

• A Grip on Sports: A perfect day, a perfect Bloomsday, a not-so-perfect M’s weekend all lead off our tribute to Star Wars Day

• How the Pac-12’s deal with the CW, and the CW’s deal with ESPN, benefits Gonzaga | Jon Wilner

All stories for May 4, 2026 »

• Rex Huppke: I’ve had it with all the griping about high gas prices

• This day in history: For first time, a woman passed test to become Spokane firefighter. Chickens were victims of ‘murderous dogs’

• A Grip on Sports: The Mariners bring an old manager’s truism to life as we look ahead to the next few weeks

• Tommy Lloyd’s contract gives Arizona president, not AD, ‘exclusive authority’ on evaluation

• Is Mohamed Salah right to have concerns over Liverpool’s dressing-room culture?

All stories for May 5, 2026 »

• Michelle Goldberg: ‘The Devil Wears Prada 2’ made me miss the #Girlboss era

• This day in history: Deputy rescued rafter. Theft victim said thief might suffer consequences

• A Grip on Sports: It’s always nice when only a few offseason roster additions are needed to continue a run of success

• Gonzaga Prep, University, West Valley earn top Greater Spokane League seeds to district play | Prep baseball

• Mead boys, Mt. Spokane girls place first at GSL track and field championships | Notebook

All stories for May 6, 2026 »

• Gardening: The right system gets your water just where your garden needs it

• Rex Huppke: Babbling Trump has Americans longing for Sleepy Joe Biden

• Dogs, Banjos, and Cake: Palliatives for a burning world | Ammi Midstokke

• This day in history: Chronicle reporter abducted by gang of Spokane ‘auto pirates’. Othello man, 80, a state bowling leader

• A Grip on Sports: There are three true outcomes for sports rules – they will be broken, they will be challenged and they should always change with the times

All stories for May 7, 2026 »

• This day in history: 3 were found dead in car in Mead. Co-star of Douglas Fairbanks spent part of childhood near Manito Park

• Nicole Russell: Ted Turner changed news. America is paying the price

• Idaho lawmaker spends thousands on election ads — against his colleagues

• A Grip on Sports: Your only worry about the weekend? There won’t be enough on TV to avoid chores – or the grousing about the NCAA’s hoop tournament expansion

• Gonzaga commit Isiah Harwell withdraws from NBA Draft before G League Camp | Notebook

All stories for May 8, 2026 »

• This day in history: Grim clues mounted in the case of three people found dead in a car near Mead

• Commentary: Trump’s blockade is an act of war, not the end of war

• These therapy mini horses play the piano for hospital patients

• Sara Pequeño: Graham Platner isn’t perfect, but he’s better than Susan Collins

• A Grip on Sports: The world of college athletics seems to be populated by more Wile E. Coyotes than Road Runners these days

All stories for May 9, 2026 »

• This day in history: An inner tube tragedy and a shocking downtown act of ‘simply justice’

• The Dirt: MLK Center adding community center, apartments

• Baumgartner meets with defense contractors, real estate agents in Spokane stop

• Aisha Sultan: Who is more likely to fall for fake news?

• The hidden housing cost: How HOAs are becoming a ‘shadow mortgage’

All stories for May 10, 2026 »

• George F. Will: It’s graduation time for disappointed little Lenins

• This day in history: Balazs commissioned to do large murals at Seattle’s Kingdome. Suspect plans to enter insanity please in connection with downtown shooting

• Then and Now: The Lincoln Building

• A Grip on Sports: The Mariners will not reach their goals unless Cal Raleigh emerges from his slump and WSU athletics will not until more of its alums open their wallets

• A month away from World Cup, injury bug strikes USMNT at worst possible time

All stories for May 11, 2026 »

• Sara Pequeño: Republicans don’t care about spending, if it’s to please Trump

• This day in history: Spokane leaders debated how to relieve snarled traffic on Division Street. Bank official’s condition improved

• Gonzaga picks up commitment from Spanish pro, former G League standout Izan Almansa

• A Grip on Sports: Our Q&A today is something to sneeze at, rightfully so considering the awful questions

• Why the Seattle Mariners must consider moving Luis Castillo to the bullpen | Commentary

All stories for May 12, 2026 »

• This day in history: Spooked by ostriches, Spokane’s Manito Park zoo kangaroo was recovering in 2 casts

• A Grip on Sports: When even sports has a day that reminds us how fragile life can be, it makes sense to hold on to those around us as tight as possible

• Recent history says long shots don’t win the PGA Championship. But is this the year?

• As Mead grad Elijah Hainline impresses in Double-A, he keeps mind on big-league dream: ‘I’m always learning and growing’

• German guard Jack Kayil electing to stay in NBA Draft, won’t play at Gonzaga in 2026-27

All stories for May 13, 2026 »

• Gardening: Excessive pine cones are trees’ response to drought conditions

• American Indian Community Center makes plans for forever home

• Finding purpose in sailboats | Ammi Midstokke

• Alan Liere’s hunting and fishing report for May 14

• This day in history: Parents and 2 children killed when Buick plunged into Coeur d’Alene River. 4 ‘Pasco Connection’ were found guilty

All stories for May 14, 2026 »

• Rex Huppke: Let Trump build his vanity projects as a warning to everyone else

• This day in history: Clarkston teen won national Junior Miss Pageant. Condition of bank president shot in assassination attempt improved

• Cheney High School senior goes from crowd to highlight in this year’s Torchlight parade

• Commentary: However you feel about their creator, TrumpIRAs are sorely needed

• How Jedd Fisch and Matt Doherty’s restructured UW recruiting staff paid off for Huskies

All stories for May 15, 2026 »

• This day in history: A big racket was being made about a new tennis center

• Sara Pequeño: Trump, Republicans know how they’re hurting LGBTQ+ kids

• Ingrid Jacques: The left has a marriage problem. Women may be why

• China says it will cut levies, expand farm trade after talks with U.S.

• How will Gonzaga address its new void in the backcourt? | Transfer portal (and other) targets 2.0

All stories for May 16, 2026 »

• Sara Pequeño: They didn’t want data centers. It didn’t matter, but it should

• Commentary: Automakers’ data monopoly and how they dictate car repair

• Comma reached its financial goal to turn The Spokesman-Review into a community nonprofit: What’s next?

• This day in history: North Central senior filled in for her sick dad to give sermon. 75,000 attended Fairchild open house

• The Dirt: Four-story apartments planned near Liberty Park

All stories for May 17, 2026 »

• Athletes gather in Spokane for chance to slide to Winter Olympics glory

• Ritzville takes best float, 24 marching bands among awardees in Lilac Festival Armed Forces Torchlight Parade

• This day in history: Soldier at Fort George Wright poised to become richest in Army; Spokane City Council denies Cox rate hike on cable television

• Sara Pequeño: It’s 2026, people. Let Olivia Rodrigo wear the dress

• Getting There: Spokane councilman calls for more transparency on road projects before removing lanes, changing direction

All stories for May 18, 2026 »

• Rex Huppke: Trump doesn’t care about Americans. He just admitted it

• This day in history: Opening date for Pavilion Circus slated for July 1977; Salmon run aplenty on Colville reservation

• Commentary: Forget the ‘abundance movement.’ We need Universal Basic Vitality

• A Grip on Sports: There are three main ingredients in our Tuesday column but they all might actually revolve around just one

• Cheney boys share 3A lead, Cerenzia leads 2A girls | State golf

All stories for May 19, 2026 »

• This day in history: Metric system would rule in Spokane classrooms. Messenger fired 5 shots at auto pirates

• A Grip on Sports: There are just no words for the NFL’s mistake concerning Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s award, nor the awful way the M’s lost Tuesday night

• Brayden Anderson, Cheney boys leaves no doubt, roll to State 3A championship | State golf

• Gonzaga, Kentucky mutually agree to discontinue nonconference series

• New moose is loose

All stories for May 20, 2026 »

• Gardening: Pots provide some thrills on a deck or in the garden

• Alan Liere’s hunting and fishing report for May 21

• What a birthday becomes | Ammi Midstokke

• This day in history: Fans would be searched before Spokane Doobie Brothers concert. Developer proposed Rockwood Terrace development

• How the creation of a mountain bike park divided a community in North Idaho

All stories for May 21, 2026 »

• This day in history: Reviewer claimed to have seen one of best concerts ever in Spokane. Auto pirates continued their streak of robberies

• This Idaho sheriff fought against mandatory ICE cooperation. Now he’s signing up

• A Grip on Sports: Even a busy sports weekend on the TV should not stop us from remembering what the holiday is really all about

• After Kyle Busch’s death, racing world carries heavy hearts into eventful weekend

• Helicopters, rain, faith: Katherine Legge and her ‘military operation’ attempt as first woman to go for ‘The Double’

All stories for May 22, 2026 »

• Rex Huppke: Bezos doesn’t want his taxes raised. I say we give it a try

• This day in history: North Central High School rocked by election fraud. Geology report ages Spokane area at 1 million years

• A Grip on Sports: Now that’s what I call a suprising start to an always fun weekend, though the surprise wasn’t kind to GU baseball fans

• Mt. Spokane fastpitch wins program’s first state title with 7-5 win over Sedro-Woolley: ‘Did what we had to do’

• Gonzaga Prep baseball advances to 4A semifinal; Freeman softball walk-offs for 2B title | State roundup

All stories for May 23, 2026 »

• This day in history: Man who kidnapped 2 and killed Canadian sentenced to life. College president held firm on resignation

• The Dirt: Apartment building planned for South Hill

• Trump’s bridezilla approach to Americans’ financial struggles

• How to calculate your home equity – and how much you can tap

• Airbnb to add grocery delivery and car rentals ahead of World Cup

All stories for May 24, 2026 »

• This day in history: Superior Court judge must decide fate of frat’s ‘Filthy Festival.’ Man’s body found in CdA River after family car fails to make turn.

• Then and Now: Volkswagen dealerships in Spokane

• A Grip on Sports: WSU’s baseball team answers every question Sunday and will find out its NCAA destination today

• What to know about every team in Eugene Regional as Washington State sets out for NCAA Tournament

• Pochettino’s one curious USMNT World Cup roster choice raises a glaring question

All stories for May 25, 2026 »

• David M. Drucker: America’s ‘everything is rigged’ era is toxic

• This day in history: Geologist says Mount St. Helens likely the next to erupt. More than 300 bottles of beer, several quarts of liquor confiscated in Prohibition raid

• A Grip on Sports: The excitement of a not-so-distant summer vacation has to be exciting for students (and teachers) but, hey, how about those Cougs?

• Spokane’s New Roots garden grows food security and community for refugees

• USMNT unveils 2026 World Cup squad at star-spangled event in New York

All stories for May 26, 2026 »

• This day in history: Irrigation was causing problems for Moses Lake

• Veteran area broadcaster Larry Weir survives heart attack on golf course with help from longtime playing partners

• Housing remains top of mind for Moscow

• A Grip on Sports: Connections run deep in the sports world, from teams to athletes to the friends we meet along the way

• One year after coming up just short, Freeman softball gets its revenge against Adna to earn 2B title | Fastpitch softball

All stories for May 27, 2026 »

• Gardening: Earthworms, nature’s tillers, are a garden’s powerful ally

• Dace Potas: With Paxton, Trump and Texas chose loyalty over electability

• This day in history: UI students’ prank against WSU kills pig and lands them fine, community service. PTA moms demand better enforcement of booze

• Some Idaho immigrants now face million-dollar fines. Here’s why

• A Grip on Sports: One nice thing about the Pac-12’s rebuild? The conference now has some schedule certainty long before the first kickoff

All stories for May 28, 2026 »

• Rex Huppke: Talarico’s taco order isn’t destroying America. Paxton is

• This day in history: Spokane congressman was floated as vice presidential candidate

• Outside View: A gas tax holiday is good politics but bad economics

• ‘A chilling image’: Judge rules on appeal in Meridian man’s viral arrest

• A Grip on Sports: Mother Nature decided Thursday night to cut into the weekend TV sports watching time around Spokane but that’s OK, the schedule is not that full

All stories for May 29, 2026 »

• This day in history: Native peoples demanded action to prevent another ‘salmonless summer.’ Spokane leaders debated who controlled Riverfront Park

• Sara Pequeño: NC bill would legalize killing those who seek an abortion. Really

• Commentary: Trump’s immigration crackdown is stronger, faster — but is it better?

• A Grip on Sports: Washington State does something no Cougar baseball team has done in 16 years while G-Prep tries to do something no GSL school ever has

• Record-setting day for several locals; Lakeside, Freeman boys bring home team titles | State 1A/2B/1B track and field

All stories for May 30, 2026 »

• Marc A. Thiessen: Trump has devastated Iran’s regime. Don’t give it a lifeline now

• Forest Service dispatcher honored for work in Canfield Mountain shooting

• This day in history: $6 would pay for roundtrip form Spokane here in 1926

• Commentary: Washington state entrepreneurs fleeing to places without a ‘millionaire tax’

• The Dirt: New apartment building planned for Garland District

All stories for May 31, 2026 »