Spokane

Spokane Valley City Councilman Al Merkel will continue to be sequestered from most city staffers after an independent investigation found a pattern of disrespectful behavior toward city staff.

Even though it has been a bit dry this spring, the conditions are still right for fairy ring mushrooms to pop up in our lawns.

In the mid-’80s, Cherylee Duncan found a tiny white ceramic bowl and pitcher at a thrift shop, and bought it. That first piece launched a collection of what she calls “lumpy whites.”

Expo ’74 was indeed a “world’s” fair, if the crowds so far were any indication.

The Spokane County Democratic Party has dual-endorsed two candidates running to represent Eastern Washington in Congress: former diplomat Carmela Conroy and OB-GYN Bernadine Bank.

A major Spokane property tax increase likely will be pulled from the August ballot to allow time for “additional analysis,” Mayor Lisa Brown’s administration announced Wednesday. .

The Spokesman-Review reported that “much of Spokane’s business community now spends its lunch hour at Expo.”

Spokane County is poised to pour $5.2 million into hands-on medical treatment to detox and treat drug addicts as elected officials try to slow the deepening fentanyl crisis.

Crowds at Expo ’74 continued to surpass expectations, totaling about 143,392 over the fair’s first three days.

Positive visitor reviews abounded on the second day of Expo ’74, with one person quoted as saying it was “a combination of a state fair, a carnival and Disneyland.”

Al Hunter, travel director of the Washington State Department of Commerce and Economic Development, said the 1974 world’s fair would be a major travel attraction for Washington, and an estimated 5 million visitors would find their way to Spokane by riding buses, trains, airplanes and private cars in spite of the uncertainties of gasoline shortages of that era.

Mindy Rowe sat on the corner of Broadway Avenue and Adams Street Sunday morning, cheering on her husband Rob, their friends and community members as they raced to the Bloomsday finish line.

For the Madrid family, Bloomsday is a tradition centered on togetherness.

Racers of all skill levels, ages and attire poured into downtown Spokane and spilled into the surrounding neighborhoods Sunday morning for what shaped up to be a damp running of the 48th annual Bloomsday.

Positive visitor reviews abounded on the second day of Expo ’74, with one person quoted as saying it was “a combination of a state fair, a carnival and Disneyland.”

A new structure has popped up in Riverfront Park that tells the story of Expo ’74 as Spokane celebrates the 50th anniversary of the world’s fair.

Gordon Smith III has fond memories of standing in front of the Spokane County Courthouse watching his grandfather, Gordon Smith Sr., finish Bloomsday.

Using the same giant scissors President Richard Nixon used 50 years ago to open Expo ’74, Mayor Lisa Brown and City Council President Betsy Wilkerson cut a purple ribbon to kick off the 50th anniversary of the international event Saturday night at the U.S. Pavilion.

“At 12 noon of this day, acting in my capacity as president of the United States, it is my highest privilege to declare Expo ’74 officially open to all of the citizens of the world.”