The Latest: Toronto extending virus lockdown through March 8

TORONTO — A lockdown and stay at home order is being extended in Toronto until at least March 8.

The Latest: Popular Serbian singer dies of coronavirus

BELGRADE, Serbia — Djordje Balasevic, a Serbian singer who remained widely popular throughout the former Yugoslavia after the wars of the 1990s, has died after contracting the new coronavirus, state television reported Friday. He was 67.

The Latest: Hong Kong ease pandemic rules as cases decline

HONG KONG — Hong Kong is reducing social distancing rules following a sharp drop in new coronavirus cases, including restarting indoor dining and reopening gyms.

AP FACT CHECK: Biden and his shifting goalposts on schools

WASHINGTON (AP) — How do you define success when it comes to reopening schools in the pandemic? President Joe Biden and his aides are having difficulty settling on an answer to that question.

Biden orders a review of US supply chains for vital goods

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden signed an executive order Wednesday intended to boost manufacturing jobs by strengthening U.S. supply chains for advanced batteries, pharmaceuticals, critical minerals and semiconductors.

Bakery expands step-by-step in pandemic

Janice Baginski started her business by taking custom orders and, in just more than a year, expanded to a part-time location and hours.

Joseph Kuhns

Joseph Buford (Joe) Kuhns passed away on Feb. 11, 2021, in Kennewick at the age of 92.

Local musician Alysen Hesselroth excited for chance to return to performing

Navigating the coronavirus pandemic has been challenging for nearly everyone. For local musician Alysen Hesselroth, the past year has meant almost reinventing herself.

Othello parks and recreation coordinator resigns

Othello Parks and Recreation Coordinator Randy Gomez announced his resignation, but Othello Mayor Shawn Logan said the city should continue its spring sports schedule.

Roller coaster to recovery: Local pygmy rabbit effort shows alarming numbers

Ten years since the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife began reintroducing these rabbits into the wild, the most recent effort, which began in 2011, is dominated by booms and busts, said WDFW biologist Jon Gallie.

Half a million dead in US, confirming virus's tragic reach

For weeks after Cindy Pollock began planting tiny flags across her yard — one for each of the more than 1,800 Idahoans killed by COVID-19 — the toll was mostly a number.

Public records for Feb. 22, 2021

Marriages, births, divorces

Back to the boards: MLHS Drama Club prepares for live performance

Moses Lake High School Drama Club will begin auditions for its spring performance in early March, as the region is in Phase 2 and live performances can happen.

A glimmer of green: Gardeners keep growing despite snow

It’s hard to imagine anything growing with the ground buried in snow, but the persistence of gardeners is tough to match. But local green thumbs have kept plants alive through the chilly, snowy days in their greenhouses, in their homes, and even in milk jugs in the yard.

Travel stop project raises concerns in neighborhood

The proposal to build a new truck stop off the south side of Interstate 90's milepost 174 generated a lot of conversation and questions among residents and with city officials.

Ephrata senior O’Neel picks University of Montana Western

Ephrata High School senior Tony O’Neel extended his football career when he signed a commitment last week to join the University of Montana Western in the fall.

Jean Miller

Jean Miller went home to God Feb. 10 and become one of his angels, after a long fight with dementia. She finally succumbed to pneumonia.

Legals for February, 19 2021

Massive breach fuels calls for US action on cybersecurity

WASHINGTON (AP) — Jolted by a sweeping hack that may have revealed government and corporate secrets to Russia, U.S. officials are scrambling to reinforce the nation’s cyber defenses and recognizing that an agency created two years ago to protect America’s networks and infrastructure lacks the money, tools and authority to counter such sophisticated threats.

The Latest: U.S. jobless claims jump as layoffs stay high

WASHINGTON — The number of Americans applying for unemployment aid rose last week to 861,000, evidence that layoffs remain painfully high despite a steady drop in the number of confirmed viral infections.