Good morning, Spokane Valley.

Wildfire season is still here and residents are urged to build an emergency kit for their pets with vaccination records, medications, and microchip paperwork—NFPA guidelines say these items are essential for a quick evacuation.

Homeowners should also include veterinarian contact details and name someone who can care for their pet during an evacuation.

The federal trial for nine people involved in protests at the ICE office on June 11 has been postponed nearly seven months by Judge Rebecca L.

Pennel’s order signed on September 8—a new pretrial conference is set for April 20 and the trial for May 18, 2026.

Spokane native Grace Flott painted a new portrait of former WSU President Kirk Schulz, unveiled on September 9th—she used over 300 reference images to show his down-to-earth style.

The portrait will be installed in the Terrell Library atrium at Pullman.

Ridgeline High School in Liberty Lake hosted the annual FIRST Tech Challenge on Saturday, where students built and programmed robots to boost their STEM skills—teams worked on simple plans for the contest.

The Spokane County Commissioners appointed Preston McCollam as the new county prosecutor after interviewing three nominees on Tuesday — he has served since July following Larry Haskell’s retirement.

McCollam will continue in the role until voters select a long-term replacement in 2026.

Active tuberculosis cases in Spokane County have nearly doubled since 2020 as the Spokane Regional Health District currently manages 11 active cases and monitors 20 others.

Financial director Kim Kramarz asked county commissioners for funds to hire a new TB nurse to ease the 15-20 extra work hours of two existing nurses — the trend is expected to continue.