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Chrystal Ortega of Feed Spokane receives matching funds check from Washington Masonic Services. The lodge donated $1,000 to the organization that helps indigent residents throughout Spokane and the surrounding communities....
SPOKANE VALLEY – Area residents hoping for a snowy Christmas may be disappointed this year. According to the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Spokane, the area is set to have warmer temperatures and even some rain. “It’s a little far out, but it looks like temperatures will be in the low 40s,” said Daniel Butler, meteorologist with the Weather Service. “We should see some rain in the evening.” While Christmas without snow may feel unusual, Butler said it happens more often than people think. “For Spokane, 67%...
OLYMPIA – A new bill introduced by Sen. Jeff Holy, R-Cheney, seeks to boost public safety by increasing the number of police officers across Washington. Holy's proposal, Senate Bill 5060, asks for $100 million to create a grant program, to help local and tribal governments hire police officers. The funding would come from the state general fund. "Crime is a growing problem in our state," said Holy. "Washington ranks among the worst states in several categories, including m...
SPOKANE – A Spokane Valley woman has been sentenced to a decade in federal prison for illegally distributing methamphetamine and fentanyl. Shannon Ray Ault, 38, was sentenced on Dec. 17 by U.S. District Judge Mary K. Dimke. In addition to her prison sentence of 10 years, Ault will serve five years of supervised release. According to court documents, Ault was caught in February of this year when the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) conducted a “controlled buy” of two pounds of methamphetamine. The o...
SPOKANE VALLEY – Councilman Al Merkel advocated for a greater share of cannabis tax revenue for Spokane Valley during the special 2025 legislative preparation session of the council meeting this Tuesday evening. Under current law, only 5% of statewide cannabis tax revenue is distributed to cities and counties. Spokane Valley supports increasing the local portion to 20%. “We join other communities in supporting a 20% increase in direct distribution to cities and counties,” Merkel announced. He clarified, stating, “We’r...
It’s as simple as X and Y. The question of whether boys should be participating in girls sports in our state may finally be addressed by the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association next spring. Among proposed amendments to the organization’s athletic code are proposed rule amendments that relating to so-called “transgender” competitors. The proposals will be introduced to the 53-member assembly during its annual meeting Jan. 27. One amendment would limit participation in girls sport to “students assigned female at...
Local teen reported missing SPOKANE VALLEY – The Spokane Valley Police Department and Spokane County Sheriff's Office are asking the public to assist in locating 14-year-old Lydia S. Decker. Decker is a runaway that has been deemed at-risk due to her mental health history and behavior. Decker's family reported her missing and expressed concerns about her safety. They mentioned that she has a history of crisis treatment, threats of self-harm, and assaultive behavior. A...
In the aftermath of the catastrophic fire which gutted Paris’ Cathedral of Notre Dame in 2019, President Emmanuel Macron announced it would be rebuilt within five years and promised it would be “more beautiful than before!” Macron, who remains head of a divided French government, saw restoration of the 13th Century church as a way to restore national pride and unite fellow French citizens. When interviewed just before Notre Dame’s massive doors re-opened on Dec. 7, Macron...
If Washington state elected officials and energy planners need to be reminded of the risks of increasing reliance on wind-generated electricity, they can look to the week-and-a-half after Thanksgiving. Starting on the night before Thanksgiving, the amount of electricity generated by wind power in the BPA system across the northwest collapsed, falling to zero megawatts around midnight. Generation remained extremely low until midday on Dec. 7, more than nine days later. During t...
SPOKANE VALLEY – Councilwoman Laura Padden presented Spokane Valley’s request to clarify document recording fee distribution at the Dec. 17 meeting. These fees support housing and homelessness programs, with a portion returned to cities and counties. “30% of that revenue is then returned back to the county, where the fees are generated,” said Padden. “Unless a city within that area takes on the responsibility for the housing and homeless programs within their boundaries.” Padden explained that a 2023 legislative change crea...
SPOKANE VALLEY – Councilman Ben Wick stressed the need for improvements at the Barker Road/Interstate 90 interchange during the Dec. 17 special legislative agenda council meeting. The city is asking for $1 million in state funding for design work. Wick noted the significant congestion at the interchange, especially during rush hour. “There’s tremendous growth in residential and commercial areas, and traffic is often at a dead standstill,” he said. He noted that regional factors like Liberty Lake and the other neighbo...
SPANGLE — Freeman opened with seven consecutive wins and scored a 52-21 NE2B wrestling win at Liberty, Dec. 17. Michael Valente started with a 17-7 win over Liberty’s Coleman Green at 215 pounds. The Scotties’ Quinten Malone pinned Chance Degon in 1 minute, 54 seconds at 113 pounds and Bearret Murphey followed suit with his pin of Riqee Cervantes in 1:39. Quincy Paxton took 1:53 to score his win by another pin over Jeremiah Perry. Four of the other Freeman victories in that opening run were by forfeits at the 285, 106, 120 a...
SPOKANE VALLEY – The Spokane Valley Fire Department (SVFD) is hosting a fire safety demonstration to show the dangers of dry Christmas trees and teach families how to reduce fire risks during the holidays. According to the National Fire Protection Association, fire departments nationwide respond to an average of 160 Christmas tree fires annually, which causes $12 million in property damage and results in at least one death for every 32 incidents. The longer a tree remains in the home, the more likely it is to dry out and b...
FEDERAL WAY —The Freeman Scotties won the 2024 Washington State 2B Girls Soccer Championship with a 3-0 victory over Mount Vernon Christian on Nov. 23 at Federal Way Memorial Stadium. The girls completed a dominating season with a 3-0 victory over the Hurricanes to claim the state 2B/1B soccer championship, a first for the program. Junior striker Rylee Russell continued her scoring domination for the Scotties who finished 21-0, scoring twice, including the eventual game winner in the 44th minute that broke a scoreless f...
Freeman girls' soccer celebrate a state 2B championship following their 3-0 win over Mount Vernon Christian. See more on Page 8....
SPOKANE VALLEY – The city council’s approval of its 2025 budget last Tuesday was overshadowed by sharp exchanges and ongoing tensions between councilman Al Merkel and his colleagues. The budget, which totals $149.6 million across 31 funds, passed with a 6-1 vote, with Merkel casting the lone dissent. The meeting marked the third and final public hearing on the 2025 budget. Finance Director Chelsie Walls highlighted key points, including a General Fund expenditure of $67.7 million, a planned reduction of two full-time emp...
SPOKANE – Spokane County Sheriff’s Major Crimes Detectives have recently partnered up with the U.S. Marshal’s regional Violent Offender Task force in order to locate and arrest Jordan G. Fleming, the suspect in a Nov. 17 shooting at the Big Foot Tavern in north Spokane. Fleming, 30 years old, is considered armed and dangerous. Authorities advise residents to not approach him. The U.S. Marshals Service is offering a reward of up to $750 for information that leads to his arrest. Tips can be submitted by calling 1-800...
SPOKANE VALLEY – Spokane Valley Deputies arrested two men early Monday morning after they were caught stealing tires from a local business on North Fancher Road. The suspects, Hector N. Palomera-Tapia, 40, and Malcolm L. Kaisi, 32, were pushing shopping carts loaded with stolen tires when apprehended. Both men were booked into the Spokane County Jail on charges of second-degree burglary and third-degree theft. The incident occurred on Nov. 25, at around 2:40 am. Deputies w...
SPOKANE VALLEY – The Central Valley School Board held a special meeting on Monday, Nov. 18 to discuss transgender athletes in girls’ sports, drawing a large and vocal crowd. After a lengthy discussion, the board passed a resolution and sent a letter asking the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA) to reconsider its current policy, which allows athletes to play on teams that match their gender identity. The resolution passed 3-1, with one member abstaining. A similar letter to the WIAA and state law...
SPOKANE VALLEY – MultiCare Valley Hospital has earned an “A” Hospital Safety Grade from The Leapfrog Group, a nonprofit organization that rates hospitals for patient safety, announced Kevin Maloney in a newsletter on Nov. 18. Maloney is the media relations manager for MultiCare Health System’s Inland Northwest Region The grade is based on more than 30 safety measures, including the prevention of medical errors, infections, and injuries. Leapfrog rates hospitals with grades from A to F based on their safety protocols and res...
Ah, Thanksgiving. Turkey, cranberries, pumpkin pie and family. It’s a time to give thanks and celebrate family traditions. But that can’t happen if you’re glued to a cellphone. As adults, it’s time to set an example and put those devices away. Spend time with your family partaking in longstanding traditions or creating new ones. There’s no need to be spending the day surfing social media. Instead, enjoy real social media with family and friends. Talk together, eat together, en...
When Jay Inslee took the job as governor in 2013, the state’s annual operating budget was approximately $38.4 billion. After 12 years of the Inslee administration, the state is now spending almost twice as much per year, $75.5 billion. Yet, despite this massive increase in state spending, legislators are claiming that they will need another $10-12 billion over the next 4 years to balance the state’s checkbook. The state does not have a revenue problem, it has a spending proble...
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. - The rushing engine that drove Eastern Washington to victory a week before ran out of steam, and for the most part so did the passing game. The result was Northern Arizona outscored Eastern 16-3 over the game's 24 minutes to earn a 30-18 Big Sky Conference victory in the Walkup Skydome, Nov. 23. "We hung in there, but it's a 60-minute game, not a 45-minute game at the end of the day," head coach Aaron Best said. The game closed out the season for the...
BASKETBALL: Eagle women winless on Hawaii trip HONOLULU — The Eastern Washington women escaped the rain but not a pair of losses in their trip to play in the Bank of Hawaii Classic. Eastern saw a late tally fall short in a 59-57 loss to St. Mary’s, Nov. 22 and then 67-55 to the host Rainbow Wahine, Nov. 24. Eastern trailed 48-39 after three quarters and the Eagles’ 18-11 edge in the final 15 minutes was not enough. Peyton Howard had a game-high 15 points against the Gaels of the West Coast Conference. Jaecy Eggers follo...
SPOKANE – The Spokane County Sheriff's Office has been recognized for achieving the highest professional standards in law enforcement. Last week the office earned accreditation through the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs (WASPC) during the group's Fall Conference. The WASPC accreditation process, which spans multiple months, involves a seven-phase review to ensure that agencies meet the association's high standards. These include effective a...
