www.kxly.com – RSS Results in news/local-news of type article… – KXLY 920 News Now (KXLY AM)

‘Deeply moved’; Attorney representing Mead hazing victims hopes $17 million verdict will bring meaningful change

Syndicated Content — Fri, 26 Jun 2026 20:15:00 +0000

SPOKANE, Wash - The attorney representing two boys and their families in the Mead High School football hazing case expressed pride in the teens' willingness to testify, saying he hopes the jury's verdict in the case brings about meaningful change.

Marcus Sweetser represented two former Mead football players who sued the district for its lack of response to hazing at summer football camps in consecutive years.

The jury awarded a combined $17 million to the boys and their parents.

"The families of these two young men who endured horrific hazing at Mead High School are deeply moved by the jury’s unanimous verdict," Sweetser said in a statement provided to 4 News Now. "A jury’s impact is not merely financial. It is profoundly moving on an emotional and psychological level to be heard, to be seen, and to have accountability for the harm and injustice suffered."

"For these young men to take the stand and speak their truth, having to relive painful events in a public courtroom, is a powerful testament to their bravery and resilience," Sweetser continued. "We thank the jury for their dedicated service, careful attention to the evidence, and recognition of the harm that was done. We hope the verdict leads to meaningful change within the Mead School District."

In a statement after the verdict, the Mead School District committed to learning from the events.

"We are deeply mindful that two former students and their families have been harmed, and that acknowledgement will always come before anything else we might say," the district said. "This matter has had a significant impact on those involved, their families and our school community. We remain committed to the ongoing process of improving as a result of what we’ve learned from these events. Our primary focus is to ensure that every student in our district is safe, supported and protected."

Two other families previously settled with the school district for the hazing incident.

This is not the end of the legal battle in this case.

The families of one of the two victims served by the most recent verdict have also filed a lawsuit in federal court.

In that case, they also name as defendants several of the boys accused of carrying out the hazing and Eastern Washington University where the football camp was held.

24-hour game raising money for foster kids at Hoopfest

Syndicated Content — Fri, 26 Jun 2026 20:00:00 +0000

SPOKANE, Wash.-- 60 players from across the country are playing for 24 hours during Hoopfest to support local foster kids.

Embrace Washington will be raising money throughout the 24-hour game and it's already raised more than $70,000.

Players said supporting their cause keeps them going throughout those 24 hours.

This year's game has double the participants compared to last year and organizers are excited to see the event grow in Spokane.

Organizer Jason Reinhardt said, "Obviously, we're Hooptown, so this is where a 24-hour event belongs. We're the only ones that I know that play outside. We've doubled the player count and the volunteer count, and so far, the money that we've raised for Embrace Washington and Hoopfest charities."

Players said it gets difficult to continue laying when it gets late into the night, but they're focusing on the charity they're raising money for to keep them motivated.

"At first, the 24 hours can seem scary, and you'll think about whether you want to do this.," Players Colin and Gavin said, "but then you'll get Jason talking about why we do this and where the money goes to support the foster children."

Embrace Washington will also be holding events during its 24-hour game, including a police officer versus fire fighter game.

The games will run until 7 a.m. on Saturday.

Spokane man sentenced to 3 years for armed pharmacy robbery

Syndicated Content — Fri, 26 Jun 2026 19:44:00 +0000

SPOKANE, Wash. — A 59-year-old Spokane man will spend three years in prison after pointing a gun at a pharmacist and demanding narcotics.

Zephery G. Strandy pleaded guilty to first-degree robbery and was sentenced June 24 in Spokane County Superior Court to 36 months in prison and 18 months of community custody, according to the Spokane County Prosecuting Attorney's Office.

In January 2025, court documents say Strandy entered a pharmacy near the intersection of North Division Street and Lincoln Road wearing a mask and hoodie, demanded oxycodone at gunpoint, then fled. The Spokane County Sheriff's Office released photos of his getaway vehicle, prompting the truck's owner to contact investigators and identify Strandy as the borrower.

At sentencing, Strandy apologized and admitted he struggles with drug addiction. Judge Candie Dibble followed the state's recommended sentence; Strandy has no prior scorable criminal history.

4 The People: Our election coverage mission statement

Syndicated Content — Fri, 26 Jun 2026 19:24:00 +0000

Campaign season is noisy. This year’s midterm elections will be no exception.

National politics can often drown out important local races and issues that will have a direct impact on our daily lives.

Misinformation often spreads faster than the facts; it’s hard to know where to find information you can trust.

It’s tempting to shut it all out, but an engaged electorate is more important than ever.

The 4 The People team is here to help.

We’re committed to covering this election season differently, in a way that empowers you as you cast your vote.

Our promise to you:

-We’ll lead with local. Local races and politicians have the most impact on our lives, so that’s where we’ll focus most of our attention and resources. We’ll still cover national politics, but we’ll do it from the perspective of how those races will impact life in the Inland Northwest.

-We’ll do the fact checking. Politicians say a lot of things, but don’t always back it up with facts and context. We’ll look beyond talking points, stump speeches, and campaign ads to find out if they’re telling you the truth.

-We’ll cover the issues that matter to you, not the ones politicians want to talk about. Bring us your questions, we’ll put our journalists to work to get you the answers. We’ll also show you how we got there.

-We’ll make it informative and fun. From in-depth news stories and candidate interviews on TV to explainers on Tik Tok about what these elected officials actually have the power to do in our community, we’ll make sure you get the information you need in the places you’re already scrolling.

-We’ll show you where to find the information if we’re not covering it. We’ll connect you with resources and information so you can draw your own conclusions from your perspective.

What do you want politicians to talk about as they compete for votes? Share your questions with us at this link!

Rain is here along with cooler weather for the weekend ☔📉🌡️

Syndicated Content — Fri, 26 Jun 2026 18:15:00 +0000

Rain and storms are here along with cool temperatures to kick off a weekend that will feel more like spring than summer.

Plan Your Friday

Morning showers will ease up a little around midday, then give way to scattered afternoon thunderstorms. Temperatures won't be warm at all, upper 60s and low 70s at warmest, while winds stay a little breezy throughout the day. Scattered showers remain possible overnight with lows dropping to the low 50s.

What We're Tracking

Cool and showery conditions persist through the weekend. Saturday and Sunday will see highs in the 60s and low 70s with more breezy conditions. Saturday will see mainly mountain showers and isolated thunder. The Central Idaho Panhandle and Northeast Washington will have the best odds of rain Saturday. This will keep the first day of Hoopfest on the drier side of things, though a few minutes of a shower can't be totally ruled out in Spokane.

Sunday will start with just a few sprinkles in the region before a major push of wet weather in the afternoon. Rain will start in the north and progress south, starting around midday. Sunday evening into Monday morning now looks like the wettest period of the next seven days.

Extended Forecast

Rob King joining Good Morning Northwest anchor team on 4 News Now

Syndicated Content — Fri, 26 Jun 2026 16:27:00 +0000

There's a familiar face joining the Good Morning Northwest anchor team. Rob King is joining the morning show team full-time, anchoring alongside Natalie Grant and meteorologist Matt Gray.

King has been part of the 4 News Now family since 2022. A native of Orange, California, King was the first digital and streaming anchor for KXLY+. In addition to live streaming breaking news, King has expanded 4 News Now's digital presence with lifestyle videos and interviews on social platforms.

"Rob has been an incredible addition to our newsroom since day one," said 4 News Now News Director Melissa Luck. "He's said yes to every challenge and has grown his online presence and our journalism, always with a smile on his face. He and Natalie have a wonderful friendship and chemistry that make the newscast fun to watch, in addition to being informative."

King has a degree in broadcast journalism from California State University-Fullerton. After graduation, he anchored news at a radio station in Bakersfield, California.

He has most recently worked as 4 News Now's weekend anchor.

Fans united in support of Men’s World Cup national team, celebrating historic group stage

Syndicated Content — Fri, 26 Jun 2026 04:17:00 +0000

SPOKANE, Wash. -- Fans were out in full force Thursday night cheering on the U.S. Men's National team in their final World Cup group stage game.

Team USA lost to Turkiye on a late goal, but this is still the best start to the tournament the U.S. has had since 1930.

"They've been playing really well and it's great to be in an atmosphere with a bunch of other fans," fan Harper Churape said.

The U.S. finished its group with six points, the best group stage result since the first ever World Cup in 1930. Fans have been through the highs and lows of the tournament so far.

"I think this is the best team they have maybe had ever," Churape said. "They've been playing really well, really connected. It's been really cool to watch."

Beyond the results of the games, fans are enjoying the camaraderie being built as they cheer on the men in the stars and stripes.

"In this moment where we are doing well and our country is kind of getting brought together, people from all around the world are being brought here," Mattson Overstreet said. "It's just a beautiful, amazing thing that's going on."

Fans are building on that newfound friendship and creating lasting memories they hope will help build the game here in the states.

"I've been playing soccer my whole life and I have been around the world visiting buddies that love soccer and watching soccer games all over the world," Overstreet said. "The fact that we get to host it is incredible."

Despite losing Thursday's match, fans are riding the high of winning their group for the first time since 2010. They have high hopes for how far this squad can go.

"My heart is saying we are going to win it all. My brain is saying we are going to lose in the semis, but we are going the heart. The heart is what you have to listen to," Overstreet said.

The U.S. will advance to the knockout stage and take on Bosnia and Herzegovina on July 1 at 5 p.m.

City of Coeur d’Alene launches new website design to improve community access

Syndicated Content — Fri, 26 Jun 2026 03:38:00 +0000

COEUR D'ALENE, Idaho -- The City of Coeur d'Alene has launched a new, user-friendly website it hopes will be more accessible to residents, visitors and businesses.

The new site features enhanced navigation tools, a fresh design, and more mobile-friendly elements. The city says the website also is ADA-compliant and has improved access to city services.

“We are excited to introduce a new website that makes it easier for our community to access information and meets the evolving needs of our residents,” said Mayor Dan Gookin.

You can check out the new website redesign for yourself by clicking here.

Spokane Valley fugitive arrested in Alabama after a year on the run

Syndicated Content — Fri, 26 Jun 2026 03:22:00 +0000

SPOKANE VALLEY, Wash. -- A Spokane Valley fugitive who has spent more than a year on the run has been tracked down and arrested in Alabama this week.

According to the U.S. Marshals Service, Robert Depasquale had a felony warrant for assault and rape charges out of Spokane County.

Depasquale appeared before a Spokane County Superior Court judge in May of last year. After that, USMS says he fled the state.

Investigators tracked Depasquale to Alabama, where he was taken into custody on Wednesday without incident.

Depasquale is currently waiting to be extradited back to Washington.

18-year-old arrested for setting off fireworks that started a brush fire along the Prairie Trail

Syndicated Content — Fri, 26 Jun 2026 01:15:00 +0000

COEUR D'ALENE, Idaho -- An 18-year-old was arrested for arson after setting off fireworks along the Prairie Trail Thursday afternoon.

According to Coeur d'Alene Police, people living in the area reported 18-year-old Gavin M. Pannell for lighting off fireworks and starting a brush fire near North Carrington Lane and West Hanley Avenue around 4:15 p.m.

Police say one of the fireworks veered off the trail into nearby grass, starting a fire.

Both Pannell and a juvenile male ran from the area. Officers found them a few blocks away from the fire.

Pannell was arrested for arson and taken into custody.

Police say this serves as a reminder that fire danger in the area is high, and fireworks can easily start fires that spread fast. Use extreme caution when using fireworks this Fourth of July.