Weather 'folklore' and more

By request, I'm repeating a 'Gems' column that I wrote more than 6 years ago in March of 2004.

Despite our mild temperatures, February can be mighty cold

Weather Gems

A Press subscriber asked me this week about just when the coldest day in North America occurred in modern times. Here's the answer, Ted.

Natural variability, not global warming, responsible for all the weather 'extremes' around the world

Weather Gems

Despite what you may have read or heard lately, man-made global warming is NOT the main culprit in our worldwide cycle of wide weather 'ex-tremes.'

The summers of 1939, 1961 and 1967 were the hottest ever in Coeur d'Alene

Weather Gems

May of 2014 began locally with a near-record early season warm spell with afternoon highs in the 80s both in town and across much of the rest of the Inland Empire.

All-time single-day rainfall swamps Phoenix

Weather Gems

The remnants of Hurricane Norbert swamped the Phoenix area of Arizona this past Monday with a record 3.29 inches of rain, easily surpassing the previous single-day precipitation mark of 2.91 inches in 1939.

Op-Ed: Soto says he could do better than Fulcher

Talk with Congressman Russ Fulcher and you’ll get the idea that this year’s elections have all the drama of a yawning festival.

Museum’s virtual life off to strong start

Jocelyn Babcock said the move to give the Museum of North Idaho a virtual space has been challenging but adventurous.

An active hurricane season is expected

Weather Gems

Cliff and I see another active tropical storm and hurricane season may be just around the meteorological corner. Many hurricane forecasters, including us, believe this upcoming season has the potential to approach 20 named storms.

John W. 'Jack' O'Brien, 81

John W. “Jack” O’Brien died peacefully at his ranch on Oct. 1, 2012. He had spent the weekend doing something very special to him, announcing the Last Horse Show of the Season. Jack was very proud and happy to watch his youngest granddaughter show in her first real horse show that weekend.

Abortions up in Idaho

About 40 percent of the procedures happen in other states

The number of abortions among Idaho women rose 36 percent between 2001 and 2011, with about 40 percent of the procedures happening in other states, according to a report released by the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare.

Bears, berries and baby deer

Hayden woman honored for writing about wildlife

Betty Fountain-Magnus knows firsthand that Idaho's wildlife isn't shy.

Idaho ranks 20th in overall child well-being

Like children throughout the United States, Idaho’s kids continue to see setbacks in their economic well-being, but have seen gains in education and health.

Helping you catch up

Ask the PropellerHeads

A hero passes: Tributeto Principal Bob Olson

My hero, Bob Olson, one of the finest elementary school principals ever to grace the halls of Coeur d'Alene's schools, passed away on Good Friday this year.

'Eight is Enough' star Van Patten dies at 86

State ed chief tours Kootenai County

COEUR d’ALENE — Area schools got a visit Wednesday from Superintendent of Public Instruction Sherri Ybarra. Ybarra is touring the state this month to listen to school district officials, teachers, and students.

Mountain bike superstars

By DEVIN WEEKS

Short legislative session may not serve the people

The working assumption that this will be a short, relatively uncontroversial legislative session may prove to be true in the end, but a truncated assembly, spurred by incumbents' desire to return to the campaign trail, may not effectively serve the "people's business" - the very rationale for the creation of government.

Friendly to small business

Survey of owners ranks Idaho second in nation

No headline

H. Sid Fredrickson, 71