WASHINGTON – The first time someone approached Rep. Mike Simpson with the idea of breaching dams on the Snake River to save Idaho’s salmon, he started laughing.“I thought, that’s just crazy,” Simpson recalled. “I said at the time, ‘You need to do everything you can to try to restore salmon runs, every alternative, before you look at taking out dams.’ ”That was about 25 years ago, when the Republican lawmaker was serving as speaker of the Idaho House of Representatives. Over the more than two decades since he was elected to represent the eastern half of the state in Congress, Simpson...…WASHINGTON – The first time someone approached Rep. Mike Simpson with the idea of breaching dams on the Snake River to save Idaho’s salmon, he started laughing.“I thought, that’s just crazy,” Simpson recalled. “I said at the time, ‘You need to do everything you can to try to restore salmon runs, every alternative, before you look at taking out dams.’ ”That was about 25 years ago, when the Republican lawmaker was serving as speaker of the Idaho House of Representatives. Over the more than two decades since he was elected to represent the eastern half of the state in Congress, Simpson...WW…

More than four months after a wildfire tore through Malden and Pine City, President Donald Trump is withholding federal aid to help residents rebuild their lives because of his personal animosity toward Gov. Jay Inslee, an aide to Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers said.“The holdup now is the relationship between the president and Gov. Inslee,” said the Spokane Republican’s aide, who requested anonymity to speak candidly.Trump has 21 major disaster declaration requests since the Babb Fire destroyed approximately 80% of homes in the Whitman County towns on Sept. 7, including a request for wildfires...…More than four months after a wildfire tore through Malden and Pine City, President Donald Trump is withholding federal aid to help residents rebuild their lives because of his personal animosity toward Gov. Jay Inslee, an aide to Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers said.“The holdup now is the relationship between the president and Gov. Inslee,” said the Spokane Republican’s aide, who requested anonymity to speak candidly.Trump has 21 major disaster declaration requests since the Babb Fire destroyed approximately 80% of homes in the Whitman County towns on Sept. 7, including a request for wildfires...WW…

WASHINGTON – On a day of violence and tumult that put a final, indelible stamp on outgoing President Donald Trump’s chaotic tenure, a pro-Trump mob stormed the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, forcing a lockdown while a debate over accepting the legitimacy of the November election split the Republican Party in two.As Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell warned scores of his GOP colleagues that their objection to the Electoral College results could send American democracy into “a death spiral,” Trump supporters – spurred by the president at a rally in front of the White House – forced their way...…WASHINGTON – On a day of violence and tumult that put a final, indelible stamp on outgoing President Donald Trump’s chaotic tenure, a pro-Trump mob stormed the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, forcing a lockdown while a debate over accepting the legitimacy of the November election split the Republican Party in two.As Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell warned scores of his GOP colleagues that their objection to the Electoral College results could send American democracy into “a death spiral,” Trump supporters – spurred by the president at a rally in front of the White House – forced their way...WW…

WASHINGTON – With the Senate back to work after an election that saw a strong showing from GOP congressional candidates, U.S. Sen. Jim Risch said Friday he was confident Democrats and Republicans will come together to avert a potential government shutdown but less optimistic about lawmakers striking a deal for another coronavirus relief package before the end of the year.The Idaho Republican, fresh off decisively winning a third term, spoke with The Spokesman-Review at the end of the Senate’s first week of the “lame duck” session before the new Congress is sworn in Jan. 3. He said the tone...…WASHINGTON – With the Senate back to work after an election that saw a strong showing from GOP congressional candidates, U.S. Sen. Jim Risch said Friday he was confident Democrats and Republicans will come together to avert a potential government shutdown but less optimistic about lawmakers striking a deal for another coronavirus relief package before the end of the year.The Idaho Republican, fresh off decisively winning a third term, spoke with The Spokesman-Review at the end of the Senate’s first week of the “lame duck” session before the new Congress is sworn in Jan. 3. He said the tone...WW…

The U.S. Postal Service is ending outgoing mail processing in its facilities in Wenatchee and Yakima, rerouting nearly all mail originating east of the Cascades to Spokane in a move union officials say will exacerbate delays and could actually increase costs as the agency faces intense scrutiny over changes implemented in the run-up to November’s election.The Wenatchee processing center sorted its last outgoing mail Saturday and the Yakima plant will do the same Aug. 22, according to documents obtained by The Spokesman-Review and confirmed by union officials. All mail with the exception of...…The U.S. Postal Service is ending outgoing mail processing in its facilities in Wenatchee and Yakima, rerouting nearly all mail originating east of the Cascades to Spokane in a move union officials say will exacerbate delays and could actually increase costs as the agency faces intense scrutiny over changes implemented in the run-up to November’s election.The Wenatchee processing center sorted its last outgoing mail Saturday and the Yakima plant will do the same Aug. 22, according to documents obtained by The Spokesman-Review and confirmed by union officials. All mail with the exception of...WW…