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SPD searching for missing 13-year-old girl

Syndicated Content — Fri, 17 Jul 2026 20:12:00 +0000

SPOKANE, Wash. -- Police are asking for the public to help them locate a missing 13-year-old girl.

According to an SPD press release, Sophia left her home in the area of 300 E. Montgomery Ave around midnight on July 15th.

She is about 5’5” and 150 pounds, and has brown curly hair and 'is most likely wearing a black top with black athletic shorts.'

If you have any information on the whereabouts of Sophia, contact Crime Check at 509 456-2233.

Kaiser Canyon Fire expands Level 3 evacuations, power outage hits Okanogan County

Syndicated Content — Fri, 17 Jul 2026 19:30:00 +0000

OKANOGAN COUNTY, Wash. — A rapidly spreading lightning-caused wildfire on the Colville Reservation has triggered multiple evacuation orders across northeastern Washington.

According to Okanogan County Emergency Management and the Northeast Washington Interagency Management Team, the Kaiser Canyon Fire has consumed 2,170 acres since it started July 16, with containment at 0%. Approximately 200 firefighters are engaged in direct attack suppression using hand crews, brush trucks, air support, and dozers.

Evacuation Orders

Level 3 (GO NOW!)

School Loop Road and Agency Campus (Nespelem)

Evacuate immediately north on State Route 155 toward Omak

Buffalo Lake Road, Rebecca Lake, and Belvedere (Nespelem)

Fire is active south of Buffalo Lake Road and on both sides of SR 155 near Mile Post 39, moving northResidents south of Mile Post 38: Evacuate toward Coulee DamResidents north of Mile Post 39: Evacuate toward Nespelem

Level 2 (GET SET)

Area west of SR 155, north of Nespelem to the Catholic Cemetery

Conditions may worsen rapidlyBe prepared to leave at a moment's notice

City of Nespelem north on both sides of SR 155 to Jackson Ranch

Conditions may worsen rapidlyBe prepared to leave at a moment's notice

Road Closures

Buffalo Lake Road is closed from Agency to Rebecca Lake RoadState Route 155 is closed between Convalescent Boulevard and Elmer City Access Road

Emergency Shelters for Residents

Omak Long House, 25 Mission Road, Omak, WACoulee Dam High School Gym, 503 Crest Drive, Coulee Dam, WA

Animal Shelters

Ridge Riders Rodeo Grounds, 2209 Alcan Road NE, Grand Coulee, WAOkanogan County Fairgrounds, 175 Rodeo Trail, Okanogan, WA

Power Outage Update

According to Nespelem Valley Electric Cooperative (NVEC), the utility is working to restore power to the region following a lightning strike that damaged Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) transmission lines.

NVEC crews are standing by and ready to restore service to affected members as soon as BPA completes repairs and restores transmission service to their delivery point.

The utility apologizes for the outage and thanks customers for their patience during this challenging time.

Additional Alert

A Level 1 advisory has been issued for a wildfire between Danzell Mountain and Hunter Mountain near Methow. Residents in that area should be aware of their surroundings and be prepared to take action if conditions change.

Monitor Okanogan County Emergency Management Active Incidents page for the latest updates.

Smoke forces some pools to close, businesses to change operations

Syndicated Content — Fri, 17 Jul 2026 17:51:00 +0000

SPOKANE, Wash. -- The smoke from multiple wildfires has created unhealthy air across the Inland Northwest. Some events planned for this weekend are canceling due to the conditions. Some businesses are also changing their operations.

Parks and Rec posted that all City of Spokane aquatic centers are closed for today due to air quality reaching over 150 on the Air Quality Index. They will reassess the air quality conditions at 5:30am on Saturday morning on whether or nor morning programs will run as usual.

Riverfront Park closed the Numerica Skate Ribbon & SkyRide as well.

Dutch Bros on the South Hill had a sign asking customers to order at the window, and Chick-fil-A closed its drive thru all together in North Spokane.

The Park Bench in Manito Park is closed for the day, and the concert tonight is canceled.

Meanwhile, Crave Northwest is moving ahead with day two of its 3-day event at Riverfront Park posting on Facebook:

We’re keeping an eye on the air quality and expect the smoke to clear some throughout the day. We’ll have complimentary masks available for any guests or vendors who would like one!

Hazardous air quality triggers alert for Spokane through the weekend

Syndicated Content — Fri, 17 Jul 2026 17:30:00 +0000

SPOKANE, Wash. — Wildfires across southeastern Washington are creating dangerous air quality conditions.

Spokane County Emergency Management has issued an Air Quality alert through 9 a.m. Sunday and is asking people to consider postponing or cancelling outdoor events.

According to AirNow data, Spokane's air quality index is currently at 315, placing the city in the "hazardous" category on a scale of 0 to 500. This rating means the smoke from multiple fires burning across the region, including the Lyons Ferry Fire, poses significant health risks to residents.

The poor air quality prompted 4 News Now to issue a Weather Alert Day on Friday as smoke from the fires continued to blanket the area.

People in sensitive groups—including children, older adults, and those with respiratory or heart conditions—should avoid all outdoor physical activity on days when air quality reaches this level. Health officials recommend rescheduling outdoor activities for a time when air quality improves or moving them indoors.

The general population should also take precautions by avoiding prolonged or strenuous outdoor activities.

Residents are advised to stay informed about fire activity and air quality conditions through local news sources and official weather alerts. More information about smoke-related health concerns is available from the Spokane Regional Health District.

Filmmaker, podcaster Kevin Smith coming to the Spokane Comedy Club this weekend

Syndicated Content — Fri, 17 Jul 2026 17:30:00 +0000

SPOKANE, Wash. -- The man behind hits like "Clerks" and "Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back" is coming to Spokane for two nights.

Filmmaker, podcaster, actor and director Kevin Smith will be at the Spokane Comedy Club talking about his movies, telling stories, and more!

Ahead of the curtain, Kevin sat down with KXLY's Rob King to chat about movies, filmmaking, and following your passions.

Kevin Smith will be at the Spokane Comedy Club Friday, July 17 and Saturday, July 18 for two shows each night at 7 p.m. and 9:45 p.m.

Tickets are still on sale, and you can get yours at SpokaneComedyClub.com.

Lightning strike sparks Spokane Valley house fire

Syndicated Content — Fri, 17 Jul 2026 15:00:00 +0000

SPOKANE VALLEY, Wash -- A lightning strike started a house fire in Spokane Valley Friday morning.

Thunderstorms made their way through the Inland Northwest on Friday morning, carrying a lot of lightning strikes with them.

This happened at a home near Boone and Sargent in Spokane Valley around 7 a.m.

Right now, there is no word on the extent of damage or whether anyone was injured.

Fast-growing wildfire forces evacuations in Whitman, Adams counties

Syndicated Content — Fri, 17 Jul 2026 12:32:00 +0000

WHITMAN COUNTY, Wash. -- A large, fast-growing wildfire is forcing evacuations in Whitman, Adams, and Franklin counties.

According to the Adams County Sheriff's Office, the wildfire has burned approximately 30,000 acres, or close to 47 square miles.

The Lyons Ferry Fire started Thursday night in Franklin County and rapidly grew overnight. It's now burning about 45 minutes west of Colfax near the town of Hooper.

Evacuations include but are not limited to Hooper Canyon Road, McGregor Road, Charles Tobin Road, Old SR-26, Hammer Grade Road, Thomas Flat Road, and Rock Springs Road.

An evacuation shelter has been set up at Lacrosse Schools.

Firefighters from Whitman, Franklin, and Adams counties have all responded. State resources have also been mobilized.

Highway 26 is closed in both directions right now between Highway 261 in Washtucna to Highway 127 near Dusty. Highway 261 is also closed near south of Washtucna to near Perry.

The sheriff's office says expect conditions to change as firefighting efforts continue.

This is a developing situation. Check back for updates.

Crave food festival brings Spokane’s culinary scene together at Riverfront Park

Syndicated Content — Fri, 17 Jul 2026 04:20:00 +0000

SPOKANE — Burgers, beers, and biryani filled the menu at the Crave Food Festival's opening day at Riverfront Park, as the three-day celebration of the Inland Northwest's culinary talent kicked off this weekend.

The festival transformed a portion of Riverfront Park into a culinary destination, bringing together independent restaurants, breweries, distilleries, and wineries under one roof. Attendees had the opportunity to sample diverse cuisines ranging from traditional comfort food to international flavors and dishes prepared over live fire.

"I've been to food festivals in different parts of the country and they kind of act as a catalyst to keep people here and show off independent restaurants that are doing really cool stuff," said Adam Hegsted, Crave! co-founder. "You're going to come here and be like 'oh here's a really good bite, oh my gosh here's a really good bite too'. You are going to find all these new restaurants that are all independent."

The festival's three-day format allows visitors to experience different culinary styles throughout the weekend. Thursday night's "Hoedown Showdown" emphasizes comfort food paired with country music. Friday night shifts the focus to international cuisines from around the world. Saturday's "Fire and Smoke" theme highlights foods cooked over live coals and open flames.

"We have fifteen to twenty chefs every night and we have thirty other vendors...that's brewers...distillers...tastemakers...wineries...all of those different people all under one roof and one ticket," Hegsted said.

This variety allows attendees to explore Spokane's restaurant scene without having to visit multiple locations on different nights.

Many of the vendors attending the festival will showcase their offerings across all three days, with custom offerings tailored to match each day's theme. Michael Haig, a vendor at the event, explained the value of the festival for local businesses.

"Each day we are going to be showcasing a different one of the spirits we distill...and its just a great way to be out in downtown Spokane in the beautiful park and showcase our product," Haig said.

For many local restaurateurs and business owners, the event serves as an opportunity to connect directly with the community. Haig emphasized the importance of allowing customers to experience products firsthand.

"You can advertise all you want but the best way to get people to buy your product is to actually get them to taste it...and so an opportunity like this is an opportunity for people to...sips to lips...they can actually try the product and see if they like it," Haig said.

Festival-goers embraced the opportunity to step outside their usual dining preferences. Dylan Skelly, an attendee, sampled items beyond his typical choices.

"I really like this kimchi meatball that I just had...the mead is great as well, I've never had mead...so it's something new and something exciting," Skelly said. "I think the city of Spokane has a lot to offer so I'm really excited about this event."

The festival menu included both familiar favorites and adventurous options.

Attendees and organizers emphasized that the festival reflects Spokane's commitment to supporting its local business community.

Tickets are still available for this weekend's events, and you can get yours at IntermountainPNW.org.

Controversial Sandpoint parking kiosks closed for week

Syndicated Content — Fri, 17 Jul 2026 01:05:00 +0000

SANDPOINT, Idaho -- The new paid parking kiosks in downtown Sandpoint have been shut down two weeks after they were rolled out. That decision came at the city council's meeting last night after pushback from business owners and residents, protests and calls to remove the mayor from office.

The council voted to table a discussion about an amendment to the rules, shutting down the kiosks in the meantime. Council president Deb Ruehle was the only one to vote against the decision.

"If those lots were legal yesterday, then they'll be legal tomorrow," council member Joel Aispuro said at the meeting. "We'll deal with it at the next meeting."

The paid parking system, which went into effect July 1, allows people to park downtown for free for two hours, and then requires them to pay $4 an hour after that. While the city has said the plan was meant to generate revenue for the city, increase parking spot turnover and take the tax burden off residents, the plan has been criticized by some residents and business owners, with some saying it discourages people from shopping downtown.

Ruehle spoke in favor of keeping the kiosks, arguing that getting rid of them would be a waste of money.

"Once we stop and we rip things out of the ground, we've cost the taxpayers a lot of money," Ruehle said at the meeting. "I think the opportunity to educate and move forward and see where we end up is here."

Other council members said the city's communication about the parking system had been poor, and that the rules had caused more harm than good.

"The piddly amount of income that we're going to get from street parking is not worth the damage that we're doing to our downtown businesses or our community," council member Kyle Schreiber said at the meeting. "My opinion is when there's water filling up the boat, you grab a bucket."

The city council will pick the discussion back up at its next meeting.

Public Safety Power Shutoff impacting thousands of customers across North Idaho

Syndicated Content — Fri, 17 Jul 2026 00:12:00 +0000

Due to extreme fire behavior, Northern Lights Electric Cooperative says Public Safety Power Shutoffs will be taking place across north Idaho and Montana.

Northern Lights says this outage began at 5 p.m. on Thursday and is expected to last until 11 a.m. on Friday.

The power shut off impacts customers in Troy, Montana, Lincoln County, north of Bonners Ferry, west of Sandpoint, north of Priest River, communities near Sagle, Schweitzer Mountain, and more.

Anyone who is impacted by the shutoff will be notified directly.

For more information on this shutoff and a full list of impacted communities, click here.