In brief: Driver dies in crash on Division Street

The northbound lanes of Spokane’s Division Street were closed for several hours Sunday as police investigated a fatal car accident.

The collision near NorthTown Mall happened while officers were on the scene of two unrelated, minor crashes in the same area just after 1:45 p.m., the Spokane Police Department said.

That’s when an older man driving northbound on Division crossed the center median, hit another car head-on in the southbound lane, then hit a large pole at the intersection of Division and Crown streets. The driver was pronounced dead at the scene.

The driver of the southbound vehicle was treated for minor injuries, police said.

Northbound lanes of Division were closed from Wellesley to Rowan avenues, while one southbound lane remained open.

Survivalists gather at ‘Self Reliance’ rally

BOISE – Self-described patriots took advantage of a weekend “Self Reliance” rally in North Idaho to urge like-minded thinkers to prepare for what they believe will be an inevitable collapse of the U.S. economy by stocking up on ammunition and other necessary supplies.

The event Friday, Saturday and Sunday at Farragut State Park on the shores of Lake Pend Oreille included tea party-backed Republican speakers such as Idaho Rep. Vito Barbieri of Dalton Gardens, as well as Washington Rep. Matt Shea, a Republican from Spokane Valley.

Shea told the crowd he knows the collapse is going to happen and that Americans need to prepare for the inevitable. Such a scenario isn’t a crisis, Shea said, it’s an opportunity.

“You know it’s going to happen,” he said. “That’s right, I am a politician and I am standing up here and saying that.”

The rally, organized by the Oath Keepers group that promotes adherence to its interpretation of the U.S. Constitution, also included several survival experts giving demonstrations on a variety of things ranging from field midwife training to hand-to-hand combat

It was set against a lakefront backdrop where vendors sold freeze-dried food, ammunition and first-aid supplies meant for people seeking to bolster their stores just in case. Also on the agenda, to keep the younger members of the crowd busy: Historical-document reciting contests for kids.

More than 500 people attended Friday’s event, organizers said.

Goldendale wildfire nearly doubles in size

GOLDENDALE, Wash. – A wildfire burning near Goldendale has grown to nearly 27 square miles.

Spokeswoman Lauren Durocher of the interagency fire management team said the fire has grown from Saturday’s estimate of 14 square miles partly because of more-accurate mapping.

The fire along the top of Satus Pass is threatening about 144 structures, including about 69 residences. That number was also updated on Sunday. No structures have been destroyed, but all have been evacuated.

The fire was about 15 percent contained on Sunday. Most of Highway 97 between Goldendale and Toppenish remains closed.

Meanwhile, a brush fire burning south of Wenatchee has grown to more than 3 square miles.

The fire burning at the Colockum Pass area burned at least two structures Saturday.