News briefs

South Graham Road rollover claims life of unidentified woman

A woman was killed in a rollover accident that took place Friday evening on South Graham Road.

According to a July 18 Spokane County Sheriff’s Office news release, Sheriff’s Deputy Mitchell Othmer responded to a report of a one vehicle rollover crash in the 18500 block of South Graham Road in south Spokane County late Friday evening. Upon arriving, Othmer observed a silver 2000 Jeep Cherokee lying on its driver’s side in the middle of the road.

Spokane County Fire District 3 personnel, already on scene, were unable to obtain a pulse and began CPR and additional lifesaving efforts to the driver, identified only as an adult female. Despite their efforts the driver was pronounced deceased at the scene. 

Sheriff’s officials believe the vehicle was traveling north on Graham, a gravel road, began to fishtail, left the roadway and began to roll. The driver, who was not wearing a seat belt, was ejected.       

Investigators believe speed combined with the lack of a seat belt, are factors in the fatal crash. It is not known if impairment was a factor until toxicology information is received.      

The Spokane County Medical Examiner’s Office will release the name of the deceased at a later date, when appropriate.

Library hosts eclipse activitiesCelebrate celestial phenomenon at the Spokane County Library District with “Out of This World” events and programs, culminating with the 2017 solar eclipse.

On Solar Eclipse Day, and weather permitting, district personnel will assist in safely viewing the partial eclipse with pinhole projectors and other protective eye gear from 10 a.m. – noon Monday, Aug. 21, at seven locations: Argonne, Cheney, Deer Park, Medical Lake, Moran Prairie, North Spokane and Spokane Valley Libraries.

Other Out of This World events include crafts and learning activities at all local libraries, lessons on stargazing from the Spokane Astronomical Society, special storytimes and a virtual planetarium show from the Mobius Science Center.

Solar eclipse activities for all ages will take place at all locations from Aug. 1–21 during open branch hours. Cheney Library will host a stargazing activity on Thursday, Aug. 10, from 6:30–7:30 p.m.

Author and journalist Lisa Napoli makes Spokane appearance

The Pacific Northwest Library Association (PNLA), Spokane County Library District, and the Friends of the Spokane County Library District are pleased to present author and public radio reporter Lisa Napoli at CenterPlace, 2426 N. Discovery Place in Spokane Valley on Wednesday, Aug. 2, from 7–8 p.m. to talk about her newest book: “Ray & Joan: The Man Who Made the McDonald’s Fortune and the Woman Who Gave It All Away.” This event is free and open to the public.  

Napoli was inspired to write the book while on assignment for public radio. She learned that a 26-foot tall work sculpture had been funded by the late Joan Kroc, wife of McDonald’s founder Ray Kroc. Intrigued, she set about finding out why the heiress to the McDonald’s fortune, about whom so little was known, would fund such a project.

Over the next five years she unearthed and pieced together the story of this amazing woman. To tell her story, it seemed essential to tell that of Ray and how he made the McDonald’s fortune, too. 

A journalist for over 30 years, Napoli was among the pioneering team of journalists at the New York Times who covered the early days of the dot-com era. Earlier this year, she began producing and hosting a podcast about growing old called “Gracefully.”