The Spokane County Library District is reopening library buildings to the public early next month.

Like last year when the coronavirus made waves through Washington, two longtime community events in Spokane – the St. Patrick’s Day parade and the Spokane Lilac Festival – won’t happen in the coming months due to COVID-19 concerns.

Emergency responders rescued a man Monday after he fell approximately 19 feet in a grain elevator at a local processing plant, according to the Spokane Valley Fire Department.

Gov. Jay Inslee found what he was looking for on Tuesday: confirmation.

After the threat of avalanches closed the three main routes between Seattle and Spokane on Sunday evening, the state Department of Transportation reopened them one a time over the course of Monday, improving the flow of traffic across the Cascades. But with 18 to 24 inches of snow in the forecast, they may all have to close again.

As was the case during state and federal campaigns last year, candidates for city office are planning virtual events while weighing the risks of what were once staples of election season, such as knocking on residents’ doors.

There is broad consensus that, in comparison to the proposed agreement voted down last year, the new proposal announced earlier this month would enhance the powers of the department’s civilian watchdog while improving officer salaries. But whether it matches the level of oversight called for in the City Charter remains up for debate.

Avista Corp. has agreed to match a $2.5 million grant from the Washington Department of Commerce to build charging infrastructure for the planned expansion of electric cars in the next decade. 

A pair of studies recently published on COVID-19 data in Washington state suggest that pregnant mothers should be near the front of the line in receiving vaccinations, as their health risks increase during the pregnancy. 

Brothers Leo and Sam Weisfield and their brother-in-law Ralph Goldberg had a small watch repair business in Seattle, started in 1917. Before Spokane, they had stores in Seattle, Tacoma, Aberdeen, Bellingham and Mount Vernon.

The total number of infections in Spokane County since the pandemic began stands at 36,783 as of Sunday afternoon. Of those cases, 565 people have died. 

Snoqualmie and Stevens passes will close both directions at 6 p.m. on Sunday due to heavy rains and increased avalanche danger, the Washington State Department of Transportation announced Sunday afternoon.