Regional News
What's happening in the region? Here's a roundup of news from Spokane, Montana and other regional areas.
In Wyoming, the Eastern Shoshone tribe decided to classify buffalo as wildlife. Here is why
While climate change isn’t the main driver behind the push to restore buffalo's wildlife status, the move could br…
The US has a single rare earths mine. Chinese export limits are energizing a push for more
The California mine yields neodymium and praseodymium, the light rare earths that are the main components of the permanent rare earth magnets in EVs and wind t…
Google's digital ad network declared an illegal monopoly, joining its search engine in penalty box
Although antitrust regulators prevailed both times, the battle is likely to continue for several more years as Google tries to overturn the two monopoly decisi…
Mega Millions tickets rise to $5, but the lottery promises more giant jackpots
The biggest change is the ticket price hike from $2 to $5. Lottery officials expect that jump to increase revenue from the twice-weekly game, enabling them to …
Snatched pets and livestock deaths blamed on wolves raise alarms in rural New Mexico
“This is an immediate health and safety hazard to individuals and property,” Catron County commissioners said in a recent news release. “Please be aware of you…
Kilauea volcano's sporadic eruption resumes in Hawaii as lava pours out of a summit vent
The volcano on the Big Island of Hawaii has been erupting on-and-off since Dec. 23. It's shot tall fountains of lava high into the air and spilled molten rock …
Hecla forges ahead with Lincoln County mine
That optimism met a roadblock when the state of Montana tried to label Hecla’s former CEO, Phillips S. Baker, a “bad actor” for his involvement in a failed min…
A new thermal steam vent is grabbing attention in ever-changing Yellowstone National Park
Mike Poland, scientist in charge of the observatory, said Monday that such features are often forming and constantly changing in Yellowstone.
Amazon warehouse planned for south Kalispell
The contractor is Dick Anderson Construction, a management firm with offices across Montana, Wyoming, Arizona and Illinois. The architect of the project is Scott Conley.
Violent attacks on Tesla dealerships spike as Musk takes prominent role in Trump White House
In Trump’s first term, his properties in New York, Washington and elsewhere became a natural place for protest. In the early days of his second term, Tesla is …
Aircraft catches fire after landing in Denver, sending passengers onto wing as smoke engulfs plane
Flight 1006 was headed from the Colorado Springs to Dallas Fort Worth on Thursday but diverted to Denver after the crew reported engine vibrations. It landed s…
Former reality TV star Jessie Holmes wins longest-ever Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race in Alaska
“It’s hard to put into words, but it’s a magical feeling," Holmes said shortly after crossing the finish line. “It’s not about this moment now. It’s about all …
Iconic pet reindeer in Alaska falls mysteriously ill after someone tampers in his pen
In early January, someone cut a huge hole in the fencing to gain entrance, spending about five minutes inside with Star before taking off. What the person did …
Storm dumps heavy snow on northern Arizona, gridlocking Interstate 40
The storm was the biggest of the winter season so far and followed a dry stretch that left Flagstaff and numerous other cities across the West well below norma…
Mystery solved? A submerged car from the 1950s may belong to a missing Oregon family
The search for the Martin family was a national news story at the time and led some to speculate about the possibility of foul play, with a $1,000 reward offer…