At long last, first-time homeowners move into Post Falls' Britton neighborhood

At long last, first-time homeowners move into Britton neighborhood

Puffy white clouds rolled across the deep blue sky as that new home smell wafted on the breeze. The sun shined on the celebration unfolding on Britton Road in Post Falls. And just as happens on a lucky wedding day, the skies opened long enough to sprinkle rain and blessings on the first-time homeowners who received the keys to their brand-new homes. "We are standing in the middle of a first-in-the-nation solution to restore the American Dream of homeownership for our hard-working families whose wages have not and will not catch up to our escalating market rate prices for real estate," Panhandle Affordable Housing Alliance Executive Director Maggie Lyons said Thursday.

Lady Pirates win two, lose two at G-Funk Throwdown

Lady Pirates defeat SkyRiders and Great Falls in tourney.

Background checks, a metric for gun sales, hit all-time high

Historic numbers of background checks to purchase or possess a firearm were done in June, a trend in a year marked by uncertainty over the coronavirus pandemic, a subsequent economic recession, protests over racial injustice and calls to reduce police funding.

Glacier Hockey PeeWee team snags state title

The Glacier Hockey Association’s PeeWee (12U) team recently won the PeeWee B State Championship of Montana Amateur Hockey Association.

FIFA bans former finance director Kattner for 10 years

GENEVA (AP) — FIFA banned its former finance director Markus Kattner for 10 years on Tuesday for helping former president Sepp Blatter and other top managers award themselves

UPDATE: Canadian freight trains to roll again as government forces arbitration of labor dispute

The Canadian government has forced Canada’s two major freight railroads to enter contract arbitration with its labor union, the labor minister confirmed Thursday.

'Pooled testing' for COVID-19 holds promise, pitfalls

WASHINGTON (AP) — The nation's top health officials are banking on a new approach to dramatically boost U.S. screening for the coronavirus: combining test samples in batches instead of running them one by one.

ANGEL: Showed up at Lowe's

I would like to thank the person who turned my purse in to customer service at Lowe’s on Tuesday. I had gone shopping there. When I left, I picked up my purchase but left my purse in the basket.

Lake City captures 5A IEL opener

COEUR d’ALENE — Brooklyn Rewers and Brenna Hawkins led the way as the Lake City Timberwolves jumped out on top early en route to a 60-46 victory over the Lewiston Bengals in the 5A Inland Empire League opener for both teams Thursday night.

Bennett representing Idaho at ALA Girls Nation

The youth leadership conference takes place July 24-31

A suggestion or two for 'personal bills'

It's apparently never too late to learn something about your legislature.

US to reopen Jerusalem consulate, upgrading Palestinian ties

JERUSALEM (AP) — Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced Tuesday that the U.S. would reopen its consulate in Jerusalem — a move that restores ties with Palestinians that had been downgraded by the Trump administration.

They came, they saw, they spent

The old saying is you can’t eat the scenery. But it looks like plenty of businesses are making a living off it in Flathead County, according to the latest report from the University of Montana Institute for Tourism and Research.

Do not pick my pocket for preschool

There is no state mandate for preschool. Moses Lake School District preschool has 35 pupils. Moses Lake School District used to provide preschool at no charge for every eligible student in the school district. Moses Lake parents now pay either $150 or $250 per month on a tier system. Othello School District preschool has 129 eligible non-paying students. Moses Lake stopped paying for optional preschool because it makes no business sense. I think Othello should do the same. Early childhood learning is paid for by the same levy dollars that pay for student athletics, drama, speech and debate, chess club, band, choir and other programs we reward our students with by allowing them to participate if they make good grades. These programs all suffer shortfalls when we use our levy money to pay for non-mandated preschool. I am voting no for the first time in my life, to press the point that I believe parents should pay for non-mandated preschool for their children. I am voting no for Othello’s EP&O Levy.

Indiana forecasts 10-fold jump for mail-in voting

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Indiana election officials are bracing for perhaps 10 times more mail-in ballots for this fall’s election than four years ago.

Federal prosecutor announces task force to target COVID-19 fraud in Idaho

Idaho’s top federal prosecutor has created a task force to combat fraud related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit this week announced in a news release the creation of the District of Idaho’s COVID-19 Fraud Task Force, made up of “a broad group of law enforcement agencies, with prosecutors who will work jointly to hold accountable criminals who unjustly enriched themselves at the expense of taxpayers by defrauding economic aid programs.”

Federal prosecutor announces task force to target COVID-19 fraud in Idaho

Idaho’s top federal prosecutor has created a task force to combat fraud related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit this week announced in a news release the creation of the District of Idaho’s COVID-19 Fraud Task Force, made up of “a broad group of law enforcement agencies, with prosecutors who will work jointly to hold accountable criminals who unjustly enriched themselves at the expense of taxpayers by defrauding economic aid programs.”

Wild Horse Rendezvous celebrates mountain man culture

Montana’s Largest Flea Market is in the middle of Mineral County and the Wild Horse Rendezvous at the far eastern tip of the county every Memorial Day weekend — rain or shine. They both have become legendary events to start the summer.

Wolfpack runs away from Cats

At one point, the Glacier boys trailed visiting Columbia Falls 2-0.

Blinken says US will aid Gaza without helping Hamas

JERUSALEM (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken vowed Tuesday to “rally international support” to aid Gaza following a devastating war there while keeping any assistance out of the hands of its militant Hamas rulers, as he began a regional tour to shore up last week’s cease-fire.