Archives | February 2025

• This day in history: Where there’s smoke, there used to also be legislators

• Commentary: If prosecutors ‘followed the science’ as they claim, we’d have less crime, not more

• A Grip on Sports: Yes, Gonzaga and Saint Mary’s meet tonight but that isn’t the only Western showdown today, though only true hoop junkies might know it

• Mailbag: How the Pac-12 could still lure AAC schools to rebuilt conference

• ‘The trends are bad’: Another crunch-time setback for Gonzaga as Zags fall to rival Saint Mary’s 62-58

All stories for Feb. 1, 2025 »

• Charles M. Blow: Stop feeling stunned and wounded, liberals. It’s time to fight back.

• Pamela Paul: How to remain a reality-based human in 2025

• This day in history: State questioned use of road salt as it flowed into Spokane River; music prof sued orchestra leader

• The Dirt: Holy Family Hospital to undergo $1 million renovation

• Gonzaga still searching for winning formula in close contests after narrow loss to Gaels

All stories for Feb. 2, 2025 »

• This day in history: Boys skiing Mount Spokane get lost for second time in one week

• Then and Now: Inland Empire Days

• Skiers whiz across Mount Spokane in 44th annual Langlauf ski race, or ‘Bloomsday on snow’

• Did Sounders do enough this offseason to contend in 2025?

• A Grip on Sports: Is it luck or something else that allows a certain pro franchise the ability to make unexpected trades for superstars?

All stories for Feb. 3, 2025 »

• Beth Kowitt: Costco defended its DEI policies — now it should talk about them

• This day in history: Golf superstars were scheduled to play a charity round at Spokane Country Club; witness alters testimony in manslaughter trial

• Trump tariffs target Washington’s top three export markets. Here’s how that might change your bills

• Idaho lawmaker wants to remove option for registered voters. Critic calls it suppression

• A Grip on Sports: The newest rite of late winter? Being disappointed in something M’s Dipoto says about the roster

All stories for Feb. 4, 2025 »

• Michelle Goldberg: Trump is running America the way America ran Iraq

• This day in history: Spokane Public Schools passed levy; witnesses said man accused of manslaughter smelled of booze

• A Grip on Sports: It may be hard to get out of your driveway, so settle in and contemplate the number of firsts this week hold for local college hoops

• Vaughn Weems got no Division I offers. Now he’s making them regret it at North Idaho College.

• Commentary: Defending the ‘dismay’ expressed by more than a few Mariners fans

All stories for Feb. 5, 2025 »

• This day in history: The closure of a girls-only Catholic school laid the groundwork for G-Prep to go coed

• Noah Feldman: Trump is testing our constitutional system. It’s doing fine.

• Gardening: Remember the three-year rule when planting perennials

• Thunder’s Chet Holmgren set to return from hip injury: How he boosts OKC’s versatility

• A Grip on Sports: Another big night in college hoops, more changes for college football and a Super Bowl? How did we get so lucky?

All stories for Feb. 6, 2025 »

• This day in history: Gonzaga Law School’s president resigned, spurring some apparently misguided protests

• Commentary: Congress should use its power against Trump

• Idaho Supreme Court upholds former state lawmaker’s rape conviction. He’ll remain in prison

• A Grip on Sports: Yes, the Super Bowl is the weekend’s star but if you delve deep enough, you might just find something else to hold your TV interest

• Key matchup: Pacific guard Lamar Washington has been a closer in close games

All stories for Feb. 7, 2025 »

• Nicholas Kristof: The world’s richest men take on the world’s poorest children

• This day in history: Gonzaga law professor quite following dean’s resignation; confessed South Hill dog poisoner jailed

• Commentary: Trump is right to end federal diversity programs

• Michelle Goldberg: Trump’s Gaza deal: War crimes in exchange for beachfront property

• A Grip on Sports: Winter weather encourages being a home body but there is a game today that will entice us to leave the house

All stories for Feb. 8, 2025 »

• Charles M. Blow: My farewell column

• This day in history: Soviet newspaper, Pravda, published a rave review of Spokane

• The Dirt: Detox center planned for Spokane Valley

• Former WSU stars Jaden Hicks, Jaylen Watson to play key roles for Kansas City Chiefs in Sunday’s Super Bowl

• Passing grades for Gonzaga’s ‘D’ over last five games

All stories for Feb. 9, 2025 »

• This day in history: ‘When will it ever end?’: Spokane buried under more than 2 feet of snow

• Then and Now: Eisenhower in Spokane

• ‘Our kids are the voices’: Tonight, Black youths of the Inland Northwest celebrate history, culture at annual symposium

• Idaho bill targets prenatal care, food assistance, other services for certain immigrants

• A Grip on Sports: The Super Bowl was such a bore it allowed us to shut the book on the NFL’s season at halftime – and start looking toward March

All stories for Feb. 10, 2025 »

• This day in history: A Spokane city councilman proposed a ‘trap a pooch’ plan to bait and capture stray dogs

• ‘They are not other. They are us’: Community members at Spokane rally urge city support for immigrants

• A Grip on Sports: This winter’s first deep cold snap allows us the opportunity to rough it and attend some burning hot hoop games this week

• Spring training preview: Can Mariners starting rotation stay elite in 2025?

• Dishing on the Dons: Bay Area reporter sizes up Gonzaga-San Francisco matchup

All stories for Feb. 11, 2025 »

• This day in history: Big layoffs were coming to Kaiser’s Trentwood plant, and 50 years earlier, agents made a big sake bust

• CEOs of these Idaho companies make millions. See what they and their median workers get

• A Boise-area city council wants the power to fire its library director. It may get it

• A Grip on Sports: The calendar, and the thermometer, says something different but we know the truth today heralds – winter is over

• Spring training preview: Mariners banking on bounce-back season from bullpen

All stories for Feb. 12, 2025 »

• This day in history: Chad Mitchell Trio founder sentenced to prison in marijuana case; logs filled Spokane River downtown

• Gardening: Watch out for pests on indoor plants

• Voices in harmony: Le Donne Choir brings together women of all musical experience levels

• A Grip on Sports: College basketball’s stretch run kicks off locally with a couple key Gonzaga games followed by a packed weekend

• Buzzer breakdown: Ryan Nembhard guides Gonzaga offense, power forwards pack a punch against USF

All stories for Feb. 13, 2025 »

• This day in history: Havermale Island’s post-expo life was looking good, and enrollment at both community colleges was way up

• A Grip on Sports: The opening is there now that the NFL is over, so a whole bunch of sports stand ready to bask in the spotlight this weekend

• Key matchup: Pepperdine’s Moe Odum posted big numbers in loss to Gonzaga last month

• Gonzaga turns page to Pepperdine after big win over San Francisco

• Gonzaga’s Graham Ike and Ryan Nembhard named to Naismith Midseason Team

All stories for Feb. 14, 2025 »

• Catherine Rampell: The GOP’s budget plan: Tax cuts for the rich, austerity for the poor

• This day in history: Sen. Scoop Jackson touted wheat in presidential campaign stop in Spokane; hero and his swim prevented train catastrophe

• A Grip on Sports: As WSU’s men prepare for their biggest challenge of the WCC season, it seemed like a good time to play the ‘where are they now’ game

• Gonzaga sets school record with 33 assists in 107-55 blowout over Pepperdine: ‘A great brand of basketball’

• Analysis: An early look at who Seahawks might take in first round of NFL draft

All stories for Feb. 15, 2025 »

• This day in history: Newspaper examined the state of women’s rights

• The Dirt: Plans for Hillyard improvement project; Bovey on the move

• Cool critters: Meet G. spokanistan, the unique cold-loving insect living on Mount Spokane

• Gobsmacked by groceries: Inflation inching higher for Washington consumers weary at the market

• A Grip on Sports: There is little guaranteed in the sports world, not even when teams like Gonzaga seem to reach a certain point year-after-year

All stories for Feb. 16, 2025 »

• This day in history: Spokane approaches all-time snowfall record for February

• Then and now: Top Hat Drive-In

• Gonzaga rises to No. 10 in NET, nearly matches projected seeding

• ‘My father would be crying’: Hundreds protest Trump at downtown Spokane march

• A Grip on Sports: On this holiday it is right and proper to remember the past, and not just the nation’s but some personal past as well

All stories for Feb. 17, 2025 »

• This day in history: Unemployment topped 10% in Spokane, 25% in Colville

• A Grip on Sports: Don’t lose your grip on sanity about all the changes in the sports world, partly because you will have plenty of time later

• Frontier Airlines announces new flights from Spokane to Denver

• Mariners starter Luis Castillo opens up about offseason trade rumors

• WSU releases spring football schedule, with one open practice scheduled in Spokane

All stories for Feb. 18, 2025 »

• This day in history: Proposal to turn Riverfront Park into amusement park based on one in Copenhagen stalls

• Built to melt: Boys’ impromptu South Hill igloo hearkens back to the days before cellphones

• Former Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta to receive WSU’s Foley award for public service

• How Edgar Martinez has helped unlock Mariners star Julio Rodriguez

• A Grip on Sports: The road to Pullman is paved with good intentions, though tonight’s game between the region’s WCC teams could use a better route

All stories for Feb. 19, 2025 »

• This day in history: Smoker on state health board was criticized as board considered public smoking ban

• Gardening: Work smarter, not harder, with these gardening tools

• The Collector: Matchbox car collection strengthened this match

• Why the Mariners believe in Victor Robles: ‘He’s a ball of energy’

• A look at Sounders’ projected best starting lineup

All stories for Feb. 20, 2025 »

• This day in history: A plan to create the Washington lottery was panned in the Legislature

• Key matchup: Gonzaga’s Graham Ike, SMC’s Mitchell Saxen renew post battle

• Round 2: Gonzaga trying to even score against first-place Saint Mary’s

• A Grip on Sports: There may be clear skies currently playing on your TV set but the clouds are gathering, especially for baseball

• Mariners prospects Lazaro Montes, Colt Emerson turning heads in first spring training

All stories for Feb. 21, 2025 »

• Nicholas Kristof: With Trump’s prostration to Putin, expect a more dangerous world

• Idaho lawmakers have introduced several license plate bills. It’s quite a wide variety

• Familiar formula: Timely plays, rebounding edge help Saint Mary’s defeat Gonzaga 74-67 in rematch

• District 6 roundup: Short-handed Ridgeline girls reach state; Mead, Central Valley triumphant heading into state

• Recap and highlights: Saint Mary’s holds off Gonzaga 74-67 to win WCC regular-season title

All stories for Feb. 22, 2025 »

• 18 ways to save money on groceries

• Ruth Marcus: When the guardrails holding back law enforcement fail

• This day in history: Gonzaga protests Eastern’s proposal to buy Holy Names Academy

• The Dirt: New building planned near WSU Spokane campus

• A Grip on Sports: No one wants to create a Senior Night (or Day) tradition of losing but sometimes it happens

All stories for Feb. 23, 2025 »

• This day in history: Minors in custody in connection with Safeway bomb threat over $5,000

• Then and Now: Shadle Center

• ‘We’re human, finally’: A look inside an Idaho prison dorm offering men freedom and agency

• Key matchup: Gonzaga hopes to avoid more Tyeree Bryan-induced headaches in second matchup with Santa Clara

• ‘Red-hot’ Santa Clara hosts Gonzaga with WCC seeding, NCAA Tournament ramifications on the line

All stories for Feb. 24, 2025 »

• This day in history: Jimmie Durkin, former saloon owner, bought more downtown property

• A Grip on Sports: The bubble may be a literary fantasy but there is no doubt Gonzaga’s men have more work to do to assure the usual NCAA berth

• ID bill would let cities fire library directors. City behind it says that’s not the point

• Mariners hope Donovan Solano can provide veteran presence — and a bit of pop

• Women’s basketball: Gonzaga focuses on defense for last week of regular season

All stories for Feb. 25, 2025 »

• This day in history: Walla Walla Community College proposed buying 5 Expo ‘74 pavilions; company bought land to mine ochre

• Sierra store opening in Coeur d’Alene on Saturday

• More Boise-area book challenges could spell trouble for libraries. How one is responding

• A Grip on Sports: There always seems to be someone stepping up for Mark Few’s Zags this time of year, though Tuesday’s example was unexpected

• Idaho imposes new minimum fine for low-level marijuana possession — likely steepest in U.S.

All stories for Feb. 26, 2025 »

• This day in history: A ‘professed witch’ told Eastern students her favorite pets were ghosts; Woman injured in Spokane City Hall elevator filed suit

• Gardening: Choose plants according to your garden’s growing season

• NCAA Tournament bubble watch: Georgia leads SEC surge, Gonzaga can climb out of danger zone Saturday

• Mountain West approaches Pac-12 about mediation over poaching penalty lawsuit

• A Grip on Sports: As the season winds down, there is a lot on the local college basketball programs’ to-do lists, though winning is still at the top

All stories for Feb. 27, 2025 »

• This day in history: First steps were taken toward what would eventually become Alpine Lakes Wilderness Area

• Idahoan to lead U.S. Forest Service

• A Grip on Sports: The first great weekend of 2025 is tough in one regard – the sunshine and mild temps may force all of us to make hard choices

• Key matchup: Marcus Williams enters Gonzaga rematch on a hot streak

• Gonzaga, San Francisco collide with second place, bye into WCC Tournament semifinals on the line

All stories for Feb. 28, 2025 »