Film about 2017 congressional race premieres Friday in Whitefish

The special election to fill Montana’s only congressional seat became a story picked up by new outlets across the nation.

A look back at 2022, Part 3

Join The Western News as it continues a look back at the second quarter of 2022.

Kansas City grocery opens with Amazon technology to change the way we shop and eat

A new grocery store opened Friday in Kansas City’s East Crossroads, bringing not only healthy and organic food to residents but also state-of-the-art technology and a venue for local businesses to expand their reach.

STEM Charter dials back dual credit at NIC

North Idaho STEM Charter Academy in Rathdrum will scale back its dual credit offerings through North Idaho College, looking instead to partner with other educational institutions.

New day, new board, new elected officials

“New day, new board, new elected officials, and some continuing on,” were the first words commissioner Steve Bradshaw said as he took over as chairman of the board of county commissioners at a swearing-in ceremony on Monday.

Legals for January, 10 2023

CWU men earn first GNAC win, women fall to Simon Fraser

MOSES LAKE — Both the Central Washington men’s and women’s basketball teams concluded their home stand in Moses Lake on Saturday, with the men’s team surviving a scare and the women’s team suffering its third consecutive loss. CWU men vs Alaska Fairbanks The Wildcats led wire-to-wire in their 78-66 win over Alaska Fairbanks on Saturday, including a 20-plus point lead in the first half that the Nanooks cut to a two-point lead in the second half. “They’re a good team, and we knew that they would make a run,” CWU Head Coach Brandon Rinta said. “It got close there, and that makes it mean more that we had to gut it out like that.”

Public invited to ask questions for panel discussion on Ukraine

Four experts will come together at Flathead High School Tuesday for a panel discussion on the Russia-Ukraine war.

U.S. House backs McCarthy as speaker

Idaho's congressmen voted for McCarthy 15 times

The U.S. House elected Kevin McCarthy speaker early Saturday after most of the chamber’s Republicans finally gathered behind him, ending a four-day stalemate that led to the most rounds of voting for a speaker since before the Civil War.

U.S. House backs McCarthy as speaker

Idaho's congressmen voted for McCarthy 15 times

The U.S. House elected Kevin McCarthy speaker early Saturday after most of the chamber’s Republicans finally gathered behind him, ending a four-day stalemate that led to the most rounds of voting for a speaker since before the Civil War.

U.S. House backs McCarthy as speaker

Idaho's congressmen voted for McCarthy 15 times

The U.S. House elected Kevin McCarthy speaker early Saturday after most of the chamber’s Republicans finally gathered behind him, ending a four-day stalemate that led to the most rounds of voting for a speaker since before the Civil War.

McCarthy elected House speaker in rowdy post-midnight vote

Republican Kevin McCarthy was elected House speaker on a historic post-midnight 15th ballot early Saturday, overcoming holdouts from his own ranks and floor tensions that boiled over after a chaotic week that tested the new GOP majority's ability to govern.

North Idaho COVID deaths: 238 in 2022

New cases could total around 20,000

The county's vaccination rate remains low, 43.1% with 73,489 residents fully vaccinated

Libby man found not guilty of DUI

After two hours of deliberation, the jury found Miller not guilty of driving under the influence.

Lincoln Co. man sentenced for stealing sporting goods

Vaughn Grier Rouse, 25, pleaded guilty on Oct. 31 to felony theft in exchange for the dismissal of a felony methamphetamine charge.

Libby woman sentenced for meth possession

According to court documents, Quinn had five previous felony drug charges, four of which were dismissed. A fifth resulted in a 2-year deferred sentence.

Sitting pretty

More than half of Washington homeowners equity-rich

COLUMBIA BASIN — Lots of homeowners are in good shape this year. A recent study by analysis firm ATTOM Data Solutions indicates that nearly half of mortgaged residential properties in the U.S. were considered equity-rich, meaning that the amount owed on them was no more than half the estimated value, the report said. “The way you make money on your home is your equity,” explained Jessie “Weno” Dominguez, CEO of Imagine Realty Group in Othello. “And the way you look at equity is as your savings account. So if I purchased a home, let's say, four years ago, right before the craziness, for $200,000, I put 5% down, I owed $190,000. I've been paying it for five years and owe now $170,000. I kept the house up, maintained it, kept it pretty nice. As home values rise, the prices continue to go up. That same home is now worth, let's say, $425,000, and I owe $170,000. So I'm equity-rich.” The study indicated that in the third quarter of 2022, 48.5% of mortgaged homes were classed as equity-rich, compared to 48.1% in second quarter and 39.5% in the third quarter of 2021. In fact, the the third quarter of 2022 marked the 10th consecutive quarter in which the proportion of equity-rich homes increased, according to the ATTOM report.

OPINION: What's with the Mountain States Policy Center? Part 1

The Mountain States Policy Center recently burst upon the political scene in Idaho with 10 policy recommendations for the legislatures of Idaho, Washington, Montana, Wyoming. The policies include spending public money for private schooling, lowering income tax rates and rejecting additional federal Medicaid funding. A legislator friend recently asked me about MSPC, telling me, “I’m thinking they are almost like the Idaho Freedom Foundation (IFF), but hoping not.” That description is close to the mark.

Weekend TV/Radio highlights

Television and radio highlights for upcoming weekend.

Legals for January, 6 2023