Good morning, Spokane.

Five Spokane-area fire chiefs and the county sheriff received Hero of Honor medals in New York City's Times Square Wednesday at the First Responders Children's Foundation ceremony hosted by Jon Stewart, and they also received the SERVPRO Natural Disaster Award for evacuating 65,000 residents (with zero lives lost) during the Spokane Complex Fires.

A longtime decorator known as the Queen of Halloween is showing more than 100 inflatables, lights, and decorations as a neighborhood tradition (1722 South Bettman Road in Spokane Valley).

The Bad Ohmans graveyard (2524 North Bradley Road) is on display 6 p.m.–9 p.m. and supports Skeletons for St. Jude.

Mt. Spokane Ski Swap will be at the Spokane County Fair and Expo Center on Oct.

31 and Nov. 1 with more than 24,000 new and used ski items; admission is $5 (children 12 and under free), shopping is 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m.-noon Sunday, and seller registration is Friday, Oct. 30, 3-8 p.m.

TopGolf USA purchased an 11-acre property on Country Vista Drive in Liberty Lake, closing the sale Wednesday and confirming a TopGolf venue will come to the area.

Numerica Credit Union signed an agreement to merge with Oregon-based SELCO in a merger of equals that would keep the Numerica name and Carla Cicero as CEO while SELCO’s president plans to retire.

The deal needs regulatory approval and a member vote and would expand services to about 325,000 members.

The Central Library opened a new exhibit on the Spokane River salmon that traces its role in Indigenous life, decline from dams and development, and current reintroduction efforts; it will be on view through Nov.

30 (third floor).

A new study by Portland State University and the U.S. Geological Survey, published recently in the National Academy of Sciences journal, finds western glaciers have lost about 35% of their area and 33% of their volume since the 1950s and that over 300 glaciers have vanished, cutting late-summer snowmelt for streams.

The Mead School Board passed a resolution and sent a letter to Gov. Bob Ferguson asking him to opt Washington into the Federal Scholarship Tax Credit Program by Jan.

1, 2027, saying private donations could fund tutoring, technology, extended day programs, and special needs services for eligible students (taxpayers could claim up to $1,700).

Brett Myers, who resigned last week as Whitman County sheriff while running for re-election, died Tuesday at 11:05 p.m. at UW Medical Center from a rare neurological disease, his family said (he served more than 20 years and is survived by his wife, Darcell, and daughters Ari and Bree).

The SBA is offering low-interest disaster loans now for losses from July 23 through Aug.

31 tied to Eastern Washington wildfires, covering Spokane, Lincoln, Pend Oreille, Stevens, Whitman and nearby Idaho counties. Businesses can seek up to $2 million and homeowners up to $500,000; apply (call 866‑SBA‑HELP or email [email protected]).

A free Halloween Health Fair will be held at Shadle Park Library from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Oct.

31, with free health screenings, flu shots, vaccinations, local resources, prizes for kids who visit five booths, and giveaways (free lunch for anyone who visits five booths).

Today marks six years since Spokane Regional Health District fired longtime health officer Dr. Bob Lutz during the pandemic, and this spring he settled wrongful-termination claims for $1.65 million (he's using part of the payout to start the LEAF endowment for public-health education and outdoor experiences).

Fall fishing is prime on nearby North Idaho cutthroat streams and the Spokane River as low water concentrates trout and BWO hatches trigger surface feeding late morning to midafternoon; nymphs, streamers, and stonefly nymphs are working now, and late whitetail rifle season runs Nov. 7 to 19 in certain units, so check regulations + tags.

Gonzaga wing Davis Fogle was named Wednesday to the Julius Erving Award watch list, which honors the nation’s top small forward.

The sophomore, coming off WCC All-Freshman honors (8.6 points, 3.1 rebounds, 51.8% FG) and a 30-point Kraziness in the Kennel outing, sat out a preseason exhibition with a minor left leg injury.