Mardi Gras comes marching in Feb. 29

The Coeur d'Alene Arts & Culture Alliance is hosting its fifth annual Mardi Gras celebration Feb. 29 from 5:30 to 10 p.m. in the ballroom at the Coeur d'Alene Eagles, 209 E. Sherman Ave.

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Ross Oliver Walkinshaw Jr., 78

Cd'A schools take key first steps

The Coeur d’Alene School District’s recent report card — produced for $50,000 by an Iowa company that evaluates schools from top to bottom — highlighted a number of areas that need improvement.

Medication fog can mimic or worsen dementia in the elderly

Claire Dinneen's daughters thought that worsening dementia was causing her growing confusion, but her doctor suspected something else.

What would your last meal be?

If you were allowed one last meal, what would you eat? Would it be a Nathans Dog, Philly Cheese Steak, jambalaya or maybe good old Idaho Salmon? In an interview last week, one of our University of Idaho students asked the dietetics program faculty this question. Each professor took time to think this over and then carefully described their meal. What was fascinating to me was that each of us started with dessert first. We are supposed to be nutrition experts, eating well balanced uber-nutritious meals and practicing what we preach. And we do. But let's face it, part of a delicious meal is dessert and there's no reason we can't indulge occasionally.

Castro: I was misinterpreted

Former leader says statements on Cuban economy not accurate

HAVANA - Fidel Castro said Friday that his comments about Cuba's communist economic model no longer working were misinterpreted by a visiting American journalist - taking back an admission that had caused a stir around the globe.

MY TURN: Human rights task forces urge legislators to vote no on bills

The Boundary, Bonner, Kootenai and Latah County Human Rights Task Forces in North Idaho, with a combined membership of over 1,500 people, stand united against two dangerous bills currently in the Idaho State Affairs Committee, S 1220 and S 1240.

Report: K12 online students lag in math, reading

BOISE (AP) — A new report takes aim at the nation's largest for-profit online education provider and finds students taking K12 Inc. classes in Idaho and four other states are falling more behind in math and reading than their traditional school counterparts.

'It gives me a nosebleed'

Is Uber car service really worth $40 billion?

NEW YORK - Can a company that didn't exist five years ago, an upstart with a knack for angering regulators with the power to close down its business, really be worth $40 billion?

ADVERTISING: Advertorial — Sinus relief: Solutions that really work

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) millions of people in the U.S. are diagnosed with sinusitis each year. It is estimated that that amounts to around 12% of the U.S. population.

A spring fishing tale from Montucky

Our guide Sancho carefully drew a map in the air with his index finger, uttering words that cause fly anglers to scratch their chins with a measure of dignity, before scratching themselves.

Before doctors check your vitals, check out theirs

Consumers aren't sure how to uncover more information about physicians

Feeling stimulated yet?

As Fed's stimulus program nears its end, how well did it work?

Credit card customers to get a refund

Capital One to pay $210M over marketing tactics

WASHINGTON - The Obama administration's consumer watchdog agency flexed its enforcement muscles for the first time Wednesday and ordered Capital One Bank to repay millions of credit card customers allegedly tricked into buying costly add-on services.

Time to ketchup on acquisitions

Heinz buy puts spotlight on big deals

NEW YORK - Warren Buffett and a fellow billionaire are teaming up to snap up the Heinz ketchup company, marking the food industry's biggest ever deal and yet another sign that the lifeless merger market is finally picking up.

Hilde Shetler: Hungry to help others

IN PERSON

Whether it has been providing prospective companies the advantages of relocating to Kootenai County or making this a better community as a volunteer, Hilde Shetler loves assisting people.

No, you don't need a 20% down payment to buy a home

Many Americans may be unnecessarily talking themselves out of homeownership. Thirty-seven percent of non-homeowners say not having enough saved for a down payment is holding them back from homeownership, but 62% of Americans incorrectly believe you have to have at least 20% of a home’s purchase price to buy, according to NerdWallet’s 2020 Home Buyer Report.

WASHINGTON: Stay home

I had to leave the house the other day and couldn’t believe what I saw. Traffic backed up on U.S. 95 and Garwood was ridiculous, but that’s not the part that is concerning. It’s the fact that almost all of them had Washington plates.

Harry Potter to be sold as e-books

LONDON - Harry Potter battled the forces of evil and now is set to conquer the web - coming to e-books in a groundbreaking deal that has delighted fans but alarmed the book industry that helped make creator J.K. Rowling a billionaire.

California governor issues statewide stay-at-home order

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) —