Marty and Max: Q&A to avoid first-time home buyer catastrophes

Marty sits down with local lender Alisha Neff to discuss some of the pitfalls that first-time buyers routinely fall into.

'Big and Bold Balazs'

Works of late artist on display at Chalice Brewery through Feb. 26

The Art Spirit Gallery was honored to represent a significant collection of works by Harold Balazs in the past two years. One piece was sold to the Space Needle and will be dedicated this month. Art Spirit owner Blair Williams said the remainder of Balazs' works were sold to the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture, which opened the exhibition “Leaving Marks,” Feb. 3. His works were added to the MAC's permanent collection, so Balazs' art will be celebrated by the public for generations to come.

Randall McCutcheon, 74

Randall McCutcheon, 74

ADVICE: For newcomers

Have your ever heard the old folks from around these parts use the word “pukers.” It’s what we affectionately called the privileged folks who always need to speak to the manager. It describes the look on their face when they see a miner wearing his muck-covered clothes to the saloon or a bear on the hood and a pack of exhausted dogs. These days, it’s a lot harder to explain to the pukers that their jewelry and fancy rugs came from somewhere.

RESPONSE: To Ralph Shay (Love Lives Here member)

Love Lives Here is a group of Coeur d’Alene folks who think that writing kind notes to people in February spreads ‘love’ around. I once paid $200 to learn Transcendental Meditation. I was assured that my meditation would change the lives of all those around me. It did not, and later I learned that the so-called one-of-a-kind ‘mantra’ they gave me was also given to numerous others between the ages of 26 and 30. “On inspection these mantras turn out to be… magical invocations of the main Hindu gods.” Wijngaards Institute for Catholic Research.

OPEN PRIMARIES: Veterans group supports initiative

There is a cadence song I used to sing with my fellow female airmen as we marched along in perfect formation, “Momma, Momma, look at me, look what the Air Force has done to me. Took away my loving man, and now I sleep with Uncle Sam.” At the time I found it humorous, and kind of saucy. It certainly helped me to pass the endless hours of marching. I came to understand through my service that it rang very true. Soldiers of every service branch willingly and proudly dedicate every aspect of their lives to preserving our democracy and keeping Americans safe from adversaries.

Jaylene Patrice McCoy, 38

Jaylene Patrice McCoy, 38, of Wallace, Idaho, beloved sister, aunt, and best friend, passed away on February 3, 2024, at The Schneidmiller Hospice House in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.

Clarabel Leone Hei, 93

Clarabel L. Hei, 93, beloved mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, of Silverton, Idaho passed away on February 4, 2024, at The Schneidmiller Hospice House in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.

Molly B’Damn, Part 3: The Final Years

Murray was a boisterous mining town experiencing a typical “mining boom.” So, when smallpox struck in 1886, it was understandable that the town was completely unprepared.

Legals for February, 9 2024

Ukraine's president replaces top general to shake up deadlocked war with Russia

Zelenskyy appointed the commander of Ukraine’s ground forces, Сol. Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi, to lead the army, which needs a morale boost at a time when the conflict with Russia has been at a near stalemate for months

THE FRONT ROW with MARK NELKE: The various pathways to state in Idaho

What’s the best way to determine who goes to state?

PREP ROUNDUP: McCarthy guides Post Falls past Sandpoint

“We were able to get out in transition and get some baskets after our pressure got to them,” Post Falls coach Mike McLean said. “We were able to get some baskets and it allowed us to set up our defense.”

'She truly was my hero'

Family, friends remember 11-year-old Harper Pursley

Harper Pursley loved a good dad joke. "She could rattle them off," her mom, Chelsea Pursley, said Wednesday. "She had a repertoire of 20 jokes she could rattle off at any time, and her comedic timing was perfect." She loved fairies, sparkles and the color purple. She loved baking and rooting for the Denver Broncos with her dad, Chance. Most of all, she loved her family, friends, classmates and community. And they all loved her right back. "She was an amazing sister and an amazing friend," Chelsea said. "She had an amazing support system of the people who loved her."

PF Community Forest still mostly off limits

Fire mitigation work continues, could open in May

While the mercury slowly rises toward warmer spring temperatures, the city of Post Falls is reminding the public that climbing is still prohibited in a large portion of the Post Falls Community Forest.

House narrowly passes first of 10 omnibus budgets

Some Idaho legislators are divided over major budget changes in 2024 session

A divided Idaho House of Representatives voted 38-31 on Wednesday to pass the first of 10 omnibus budget bills that are at the center of a budget showdown in the Idaho Legislature. The vote to pass House Bill 457, the omnibus fiscal year 2025 budget for the judicial branch, appears to represent a narrow political victory for Republican House Speaker Mike Moyle, R-Star, who supported the budget, as well as Rep. Wendy Horman, R-Idaho Falls, one of the co-chairs of the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee.

MY TURN: Homeless solutions sought

Kudos to Lynn Fleming for outlining the huge money pit that Ignite has dug for taxpayers. Now, here is the rest of the story: Unless we want to see Spokane and Coeur d’Alene turn into Los Angeles and San Francisco, we need to find a way to address homelessness. Idaho state, county, cities and nonprofits need to figure out how to house workers, students and retirees at a reasonable price. Placing affordable housing down by the Spokane River is ridiculous. Surely cheaper land could be used. Attracting better paying jobs does nothing for retirees. Maybe the state could open its big savings account to help lower income citizens rather than giving tax breaks to the upper 2%.

Anderson Ranch Reservoir kokanee fishery showing signs of improvement after 2020 lows

The outlook for the 2024 kokanee fishery is improved from previous years

Bras on Dudes a 'godsend'

Event raises $30K for Cancer Care Northwest Foundation

Funds raised at the 20223 event were donated to the Windermere Foundation, which in turns donates them to the Cancer Care Northwest Foundation.

Idaho inmate nearing execution wants a new clemency hearing. The last one was a tie

During his clemency hearing, Ada County deputy prosecutor Jill Longhurst characterized Creech as a sociopath with no regard for human life