Local lakes to be stocked with 43K fish

Over 43,000 catchable-size (10 to 12 inch) rainbow trout will be stocked in the Panhandle Region in April.

Mulling over Volume One of the Mueller Report

Debate over what the Mueller Report concluded with regard to Russian interference in the 2016 election has only intensified since Robert Mueller spoke to the nation on May 29. In his sphinx-like manner, the special counsel summarized what he had found, declining to go beyond the confines of his written report.

EU faces battle to keep energy prices from tanking economy

It didn't take long for EU member countries to realize that the bloc's dependence on Russian energy was a huge political error after Putin invaded neighboring Ukraine on Feb. 24 and natural gas prices skyrocketed

'Spice' is far from nice

Synthetic version of pot popular, very addictive

COEUR d'ALENE - It's a hard drug with a barcode.

Fall brings potential ‘sweet spot’ for homebuyers

Neighborhood of the Week: Oct. 3

Competition is fierce, play fair

As the graphic shows the Kootenai County real estate market is strong. This illustrates a level of activity that leads to fierce competition among buyers, sellers and agents. Buyers are competing to be the first in line with an offer and are taking care to make their offers agreeable to sellers of well-priced properties.

Oil prices down sharply for a second day

NEW YORK - Oil prices plunged for a second day Thursday, raising hopes that a relentless rise in gasoline prices may slow or reverse at least temporarily.

We made it

Although it was touch and go, the Debt Forgiveness Act survived the fiscal cliff negotiations. This means that folks who are losing their homes will not have to pay income taxes on the money they lost as if it was income. Example; when a home sells for less than owed the IRS considers the balance as personal income even though no money was tendered. Realtors' lobbying efforts to keep the exception to this tax code - which expired Dec. 31, 2012 - intact, at least for the short term were successful. So too, did we retain the Mortgage Interest Deduction which provides some incentive for people to buy and own homes. Caps have limited the deduction for high income families and the MID will undoubtedly be scrutinized as Congress fine tunes their 11th hour agreement. For now at least we can heave a sigh of relief that the slow, but steady, housing market recovery can continue.

Inkwell dries up after 35 years in downtown Sandpoint

SANDPOINT - Another longtime downtown retailer is succumbing to a struggling economy and perceptions that buying locally is costlier compared to big box stores or online vendors.

Puppy scam predators barking plenty

Who let the dogs out? It’s a question you may not have asked yourself this pandemic. With all the extra time spent at home, many are turning to “man’s best friend” as a cure for their isolation blues.

Shopko shoppers saddened

One day after the announcement that Shopko will close all of its stores in early June, the Coeur d’Alene location was full of shoppers.

States scale back food stamp benefits even as prices soar

But the extra benefits also help out families in need at a time of skyrocketing prices for food

Oil soars 9.4% as Europe moves to tackle crisis

'We don’t deserve this': Inflation hits Turkish people hard

Many people in Turkey are facing increased hardship

FTC sues DirecTV, alleges hidden fees, deceptive ads

WASHINGTON - The government is taking the nation's biggest satellite TV provider to court, accusing DirecTV of misleading millions of consumers about the cost of its programming.

Hang onto these scam-bustin' tips

I’ve been writing this column for just shy of one year. The following rules are my prescription for avoiding most scams. Here are the most valuable lessons we’ve learned together. This section of this column is worth cutting out and taping beside your phone or on your desk.

Random acts of green

Remember the joy of finding a penny on the sidewalk when you were a kid? Find a penny, pick it up, all day long you'll have good luck! Such a simple find, free for the taking. I had the good fortune to feel that girlish glee again recently. On a hectic business trip to the big city, I stopped by a cafe for lunch, and as I was leaving, I noticed a book lying on top of a trash bin just outside the door. Hardbound, clean dust jacket, popular fiction. Was it lost? I picked it up with the notion that I'd take it inside to the cashier. But a small yellow sticker on the spine of the book caught my eye. The sticker read, "Traveling Book! Look inside..."

Holiday shopping battle begins

NEW YORK - From free shipping from Walmart to Sears stores open on Thanksgiving for the first time, the battle for holiday shoppers' dollars has begun in earnest.

Getting great pork chops is all about the size

Everyone loves the idea of a grilled pork chop, but they often fall short of expectations. And I blame the butcher!

ART INSIGHTS: Hidden costs the viewer or consumer may not be aware of

"Why’s it so pricey? This artist sure thinks a lot of his work!" Well… he may just make a few dollars an hour. Yes, we keep our day jobs! Great Renaissance masters had wealthy benefactors, such as the church or a ruling family. They had to produce under command and duress.