Spokane County voters are narrowing down the field of candidates for local political office during Washington state's 2021 primary election on Tuesday, Aug. 3.
Ballots were due at 8 p.m. on Tuesday and Spokane County released its first round of results shortly after 8 p.m. A handful of key races are up for vote, including candidates for Spokane City Council and the Spokane Public Schools Board of Directors. Read more
About half of the COVID-19 patients currently hospitalized at Kootenai Health in Coeur d'Alene are receiving treatment in the ICU.
Kootenai Health's online hospital status as of Tuesday morning is showing 37 COVID-19 inpatients and 20 patients receiving treatment in the ICU. In North Idaho's Panhandle Health District, 96% of those hospitalized for COVID-19 are unvaccinated. Forty COVID-19 patients are hospitalized and 22 of those patients are receiving critical care in the entire health district as of Tuesday afternoon, according to spokesperson Kate Hoyer. Read more
As smoke continues to fill the sky in the Spokane area, people are choosing to stay indoors to avoid negative health effects. Some people are also seeing their outdoor recreational programs modify activities, or cancel them altogether, in an effort to stay safe.
The Inland Northwest has been under a blanket of smoke for several days due to a number of wildfires in the region. When the air quality index from the Spokane Regional Clean Air Agency reaches 150 - or the unhealthy level - Spokane Parks and Recreation has to start making decisions on whether to hold their youth and adult programs. Read more
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