Historic watering hole lost to overnight fire in Mullan by Nicole Hensley More than a dozen bars used to wet the whistles of Mullan steelworkers in the heyday of mining – now there is one. A fire burned the rickety Silver Dollar Bar to the ground early Tuesday morning, taking an old miners union hall and railroad car with it. Read more about the fire that destroyed one of the last historic buildings in Mullan, Idaho at The Spokesman-Review. Four may be charged in assault at WSU by Nicole Hensley Pullman police are recommending felony charges against four people connected to an assault on Washington State University instructor David Warner. Police also want prosecutors to charge the instructor’s friend, Lawrence J. McDonald, with a misdemeanor for his part in the March 30 melee. McDonald, who told police he was too drunk to remember what happened in the parking lot of WSU-owned Adams Mall, is accused of harassing people and challenging passers-by to fights. He had been drinking with Warner at two bars earlier that night, police said. Read more about the police department’s investigation and when the prosecutor could formalize charges at The Spokesman-Review.
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Historic watering hole lost to overnight fire in Mullan by Nicole Hensley

More than a dozen bars used to wet the whistles of Mullan steelworkers in the heyday of mining – now there is one. A fire burned the rickety Silver Dollar Bar to the ground early Tuesday morning, taking an old miners union hall and railroad car with it.

Read more about the fire that destroyed one of the last historic buildings in Mullan, Idaho at The Spokesman-Review.

Four may be charged in assault at WSU by Nicole Hensley

Pullman police are recommending felony charges against four people connected to an assault on Washington State University instructor David Warner. Police also want prosecutors to charge the instructor’s friend, Lawrence J. McDonald, with a misdemeanor for his part in the March 30 melee. McDonald, who told police he was too drunk to remember what happened in the parking lot of WSU-owned Adams Mall, is accused of harassing people and challenging passers-by to fights. He had been drinking with Warner at two bars earlier that night, police said.

Read more about the police department’s investigation and when the prosecutor could formalize charges at The Spokesman-Review.

Fallen Fairchild pilot Tyler Voss honored by pilots, friends by Nicole Hensley A sweatshirt and coveralls stained with grease and sweat sit on a work table at Felts Field exactly where Capt. Tyler Voss left them. He bought his Van’s RV-8 kit aircraft two years ago. Now it waits for a new plastic canopy in a hangar for the Experimental Aircraft Association. The wings are still speckled with bugs from prior flights. Voss perished in a plane crash in Kyrgyzstan on May 3 that killed two other airmen based at Fairchild Air Force Base. To honor Voss, friends, colleagues and chapter members looked to the sky Friday evening at Felts Field. The crowd hushed as they watched four biplanes fly over, one splitting off to perform the dramatic “missing man” formation. Read the full story about friends and pilots honoring the late pilot and his plane over at The Spokesman-Review.
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Fallen Fairchild pilot Tyler Voss honored by pilots, friends by Nicole Hensley

A sweatshirt and coveralls stained with grease and sweat sit on a work table at Felts Field exactly where Capt. Tyler Voss left them.
He bought his Van’s RV-8 kit aircraft two years ago. Now it waits for a new plastic canopy in a hangar for the Experimental Aircraft Association. The wings are still speckled with bugs from prior flights.
Voss perished in a plane crash in Kyrgyzstan on May 3 that killed two other airmen based at Fairchild Air Force Base.
To honor Voss, friends, colleagues and chapter members looked to the sky Friday evening at Felts Field. The crowd hushed as they watched four biplanes fly over, one splitting off to perform the dramatic “missing man” formation.

Read the full story about friends and pilots honoring the late pilot and his plane over at The Spokesman-Review.

Why is the media obsessed with fires?

A friend - who asked not to be named, but he didn’t ask me to not link to him - asked me why media outlets are so obsessed with fires. Instead of a drawn out philosophy, I’ll keep this short and sweet with bullet points. 

1. Fires pose a legitimate danger to property and life. Although few people have died in the Spokane area due to fire incidents, it happens and causes immense damage to buildings and land.

2. Fires are visually compelling. Flames reaching for the sky from the rooftop of a century-old home spells a long day for firefighters and one way for neighbors to get out of their homes with their phones.

3. People want to know how their tax dollars are being used. Fire crews are paid with public money so this is one way to show how that money is used.

It’s a good question especially since the majority of my stories lately have all been about fires.

Flames engulf home, displacing residents by Nicole Hensley A fire destroyed a century-old home Wednesday afternoon, and three Spokane firefighters suffered heat exhaustion from fighting the blaze. The sound of crackling alarmed resident Nick Peraud as he relaxed during a sweltering afternoon at his home at 1208 E. Nora Ave. He saw nothing out of the ordinary when he walked through the back door, he said, but moments later, around 3:30 p.m., he saw a wall of fire. Read the full story of four firefighters being treated at local hospitals for heat exhaustion and burns over at The Spokesman-Review.
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Flames engulf home, displacing residents by Nicole Hensley

A fire destroyed a century-old home Wednesday afternoon, and three Spokane firefighters suffered heat exhaustion from fighting the blaze.

The sound of crackling alarmed resident Nick Peraud as he relaxed during a sweltering afternoon at his home at 1208 E. Nora Ave. He saw nothing out of the ordinary when he walked through the back door, he said, but moments later, around 3:30 p.m., he saw a wall of fire.

Read the full story of four firefighters being treated at local hospitals for heat exhaustion and burns over at The Spokesman-Review.

Street cred

I’m earning street cred among the Spokane street kids.

I met a group of them last night outside a police perimeter in Browne’s Addition. We talked about the breaking news outside their apartment and of course, their tattoos. 

I bumped into them this morning while walking to coffee. They were asking me for spare change when suddenly, “Hey, I know you.”

They asked me what happened to the shooting victim and where he was shot, etc. Does this actually count at street cred?

Dreams of journalism:

Last night I had a dream I was reporting on a major breaking news incident involving active shooters and the media zone came under fire. I hid behind boulders, trees, cars - anything I could find, but bullets were raining above my head. A missile launcher targeted where the shooters were thought to be located, but another group of them popped up from the hills.

And then I woke up.

I wonder if other journalists are having the same nightmare this week. 

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