This day in history: A new transmitter offered hope for a public radio renaissance in Spokane

From 1975: Two TV-related stories made the news, the first related to KSPS-TV, Spokane’s public television broadcaster.

A new $326,000 transmitter was being installed, which would substantially increase the station’s reach. It would now operate “on par” with Spokane’s commercial stations. The old transmitter, which made for shaky reception in various “shadow” areas, was being dismantled and sold.

The other TV-related story involved KHQ-TV and its two radio stations in Spokane. The U.S. Justice Department had just asked the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to “refuse to renew” the broadcast licenses of the KHQ stations.

Why?

Because the Justice Department objected to “cross ownership” of a city’s newspapers and broadcast stations, especially TV stations.

From 1925: Mystery surrounded the death of A.A. Kimball, 65.

His wife had died just a week prior, and he had been grieving deeply ever since. On the day of his death, some friends were visiting Kimball’s home, and he invited them to take his car and go for a ride.

They came back about 45 minutes later and found him dead in bed. There were no marks on his body and no signs of convulsions.

The coroner said he did not know the cause of death, but noted that in urging his friends to go for a ride, he seemed “anxious to be left alone.”