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News > Spokane

‘A language that many speak’: Thrive soccer camp helps local refugee youth cultivate their passions and connect

Fri., June 28, 2024

Refugees shared community and competition Thursday at Rogers High School.

News > Nation

An ‘unmitigated disaster’: Local political experts weigh in on first Trump-Biden debate

UPDATED: Thu., June 27, 2024

U.S. President Joe Biden stumbled over his words repeatedly in his first presidential debate with former President Donald Trump leading up to the November election, and the Republican frontrunner responded to Biden’s verbal attacks with lies about his role in the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol insurrection along with fibs about the economy.

News > K-12 education

Spokane Public Schools approves superintendent contract extension

UPDATED: Thu., June 27, 2024

The school board Wednesday approved a renewal of his employment contract, including a $10,000 salary increase. The contract lists Swinyard’s pay as roughly $272,000, up from last year’s $262,000.

News > Crime/Public Safety

Spokane County to pilot hate crime hotline

UPDATED: Thu., June 27, 2024

Spokane County will join King and Clark counties in testing a statewide hate crimes hotline, Attorney General Bob Ferguson announced Wednesday.

A&E > Stage

Blue Door Theatre’s HoopProv show puts Spokane’s 3-on-3 tournament on center stage

UPDATED: Thu., June 27, 2024

In the weeks leading up to this year’s 3-on-3 basketball tournament, Spokane’s Blue Door Theatre has added a Hoopfest-themed improvisational show to their weekend lineup, which has resulted in a humorous and entertaining collaborative performance called “HoopProv.”

News > K-12 education

Spokane Public Schools bond likely won’t reappear on November ballots, board decides

UPDATED: Wed., June 26, 2024

Spokane Public Schools’ failed $200 million bond will likely not appear on ballots in November, but the district may move forward with a smaller one in its place as early as next year.

News > WA Government

At state convention, Washington Democrats narrowly reject proposal to block nuclear power

UPDATED: Tue., June 25, 2024

On the third and final day of the convention, delegates filed into a big event room at the Meydenbauer Center and spent roughly eight hours going through party business. In that time, the group voted on a handful of resolutions. The group narrowly rejected two resolutions stating that nuclear energy is “not the solution to climate change,” and that the state should not use funding for clean energy to support construction or expansion of small modular nuclear reactors.

News > Transportation

Getting There: Expansion planned for U.S. border crossing at Porthill, Idaho

Mon., June 24, 2024

Plans to rebuild the U.S. port of entry at Porthill, Idaho, have prompted questions from residents at the tip of the Panhandle about why the border crossing hasn’t returned to prepandemic hours.

News > Nation

U.S.-Canada border crossing hours

Mon., June 24, 2024

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S.-Canada border closed except for essential services. Hours of operation gradually returned as restrictions were lifted, but not all hours are what they used to be. Here are the U.S.-Canada border crossing times for noncommercial traffic at Inland Northwest ports as of June 2024.

News > WA Government

At state convention, Washington Democrats pass cease-fire resolution after pro-Gaza protesters show up

UPDATED: Tue., June 25, 2024

The three-day event, which drew a crowd of more than 700 delegates and politicians, took place east of Seattle in nearby Bellevue at a convention center.

News > WA Government

Maria Cantwell seeks fifth Senate term, facing GOP’s Raul Garcia and 10 other primary foes

UPDATED: Mon., June 24, 2024

Sen. Maria Cantwell’s first term in the Senate didn’t come easy, as she defeated incumbent Republican Slade Gorton by a margin of less than 0.1% in 2000. Since then, the Democrat has cruised to re-election three times as Washington has become an ever-bluer state.

News > WA Government

Washington gubernatorial hopeful, other candidates left off speaking bill at this year’s state Democratic convention

UPDATED: Sat., June 22, 2024

Organizers of the three-day event at the Meydenbauer Center in Bellevue appeared to have designed the lineup of speakers in a way that would mask any divisions in party ranks. Democratic gubernatorial hopeful Mark Mullet, a state senator from Issaquah, wasn’t invited to speak at the event, so he chose to skip it all together. Also not invited to speak were state attorney general candidates Nick Brown, a former U.S. attorney, and state Sen. Manka Dhingra, D-Redmond, along with state lands commissioner hopefuls Dave Upthegrove, a member of the King County Council, and state Sen. Kevin Van De Wege, D-Lake Sutherland.

A&E > Entertainment

Hot Wheels Monster Trucks revving to race and glow in Spokane Arena, thanks in part to an Eastern Washington grad

UPDATED: Thu., June 20, 2024

Spokane has become a hotspot for nationwide tours in recent years, and the Spokane Arena is preparing for another weekend of high-intensity competition and entertainment, this time with Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Live: Glow Party.

A&E > Stage

Abbott Elementary’s Lisa Ann Walter promises ‘adult fun’ at standup Spokane Comedy Club show

UPDATED: Thu., June 20, 2024

Lisa Ann Walter had trepidations about telling her mother that she got her role as teacher Melissa Schemmenti on “Abbott Elementary.”

News > Spokane

Community and history recognized at Juneteenth celebration in Grant Park: ‘It does my heart good’

UPDATED: Wed., June 19, 2024

When she was president of the African American club on Fairchild Air Force Base in the late 1990s, organizing the first of the area’s Juneteenth celebrations, Peggie Troutt had a clear goal: education.

News > Pacific NW

For the first time, federal government acknowledges damage Columbia River dams caused tribes

UPDATED: Tue., June 18, 2024

A report from the U.S. Department of the Interior released Tuesday documents the historic and ongoing harms federal dams along the Columbia and lower Snake rivers caused area tribes.

News > K-12 education

As November deadline looms, Spokane Public Schools board remains undecided on when to send their once-failed bond to ballots

UPDATED: Fri., June 21, 2024

The Spokane School Board has a deadline.

News > Washington

Bye-bye, butter churn: St. John’s local history museum favors narratives over artifacts

Tue., June 18, 2024

ST. JOHN, Wash. – Many small-town museums are rarely open, perhaps only for a few hours on weekends in the summer or by appointment.

News > Washington

‘You can’t tell me what’s up in these hills’: Skeptics and believers gather in Metaline Falls for annual Bigfoot Festival

UPDATED: Mon., June 17, 2024

If Bigfoot wanted to reveal himself, Metaline Falls, Washington, this past weekend would have been a fitting place to debut.

News > K-12 education

Are extracurriculars the key to fighting skipping, isolation and phone addiction in kids? Spokane Public Schools hopes so

Sun., June 16, 2024

Origami, birdhouse -making, Rubik’s Cubes, the Salish language, podcasting, yoga. School leaders in Spokane are boosting extracurricular offerings to suit even the most niche of student interests.