"Pals on the Road", a new book by Stan E. Hughes aka Ha-Gue-A-Dees-Sas, has been released by Dorrance Publishing Co., Inc.

Stan E. Hughes aka Ha-Gue-A-Dees-Sas and his little brother pretty much raised themselves since their family was in shambles. "Pals on the Road" is a combination of true stories and fiction, based on the author's lifetime. Filled with humorous situations fitting for teenagers and adults, the author takes you through San Diego, the Marines, Yellowstone, and South Dakota before finally settling in the Pacific Northwest with long-lost family.

Ha-Gue-A-Dees-Sas's little brother passed away in April of 2024, serving as the motivation he needed to get this story to you.

About the Author Stan E. Hughes aka Ha-Gue-A-Dees-Sas (Seneca for "Man Seeking His People") is a retired public school administrator and college professor with an extensive publication background including an Editor's Choice Award from the International Library of Poetry and the Nation Silver Arrow Award for Excellence in Native American Literature for his book, Medicine Seeker. His publication on Chesapeake Bay history titled "Children of the Blue Fish" continues to be lauded by critics and readers across the country.

Ha-Gue-A-Dees-Sas was very active in Native American education issues, serving as a consultant for the Indian Education Technical Assistance Center at Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington, where he spoke and led workshops at conventions from Alaska to Alabama. He was an officer in both the Washington State and Oregon State Indian Education Associations. His developmental years were spent in the Black Hills of South Dakota, considered sacred by the Sioux Nation, and as an adult he participated in the Rite of Passage to warrior-hood during a seven day fast and vision quest in the Big Horn Mountains of Wyoming under the tutelage of traditional shamans from Northern California.

Ha-Gue-A-Dees-Sas is a veteran who served in the United States Army from 1959 to 1965. He had four children, three girls and a boy, all of whom are very successful in their individual endeavors and all who walk gently on the Earth Mother in respect and appreciation. Also, he has six grandchildren, three boys and three girls. His granddaughter is in the Marine Corps at Camp Pendleton, California, and is a sixth-generation warrior-and the first female. His special person, Phyllis Betts, has been his partner for almost thirty years and is retired in the field of public education.

"Pals on the Road" is a 70-page paperback with a retail price of $13.00 (eBook $8.00). The ISBN is 979-8-89499-145-0. It was published by Dorrance Publishing Co., Inc. of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. For members of the press, to request a review copy or author interview, please visit https://bookstore.dorrancepublishing.com/pages/media-requests or to buy the book, visit our online bookstore at https://bookstore.dorrancepublishing.com/products/pals-on-the-road-stories-about-my-little-brother-and-me

Lisa Gardner, City Council Communications Director, 509.625.6226

During Monday’s Legislative Session, Spokane City Council Members voted 5-2 on Resolution 2020-0010, supporting Spokane's Immigrant and Refugee communities and affirming compliance with Washington’s Keep Washington Work Act of 2019.

“The Keep Washington Working Act is not just a policy; it embodies our shared values of equity, justice, and respect for all people,” said Council Member Lili Navarrete. “In Washington, everyone deserves to feel safe and access vital services without fear of discrimination or deportation. This law is essential in creating a welcoming environment where everyone can thrive.”

The resolution reaffirms the City of Spokane’s commitment to follow the state law passed in 2019, which directs that local governments and law enforcement agencies refrain from using resources or cooperating with federal immigration enforcement unless required by law. This law protects the rights of immigrants and enhances community trust in law enforcement, which is crucial for public safety.

“Our economy is fueled by workers and customers who moved to our region for the opportunity to achieve the American dream,” said Council Member Zack Zappone. “Spokane businesses are already seeing negative impacts with the loss of workers, and decreased sales. Everyone, whether you’re an immigrant or not, should know your civil rights, especially your right to ask for a warrant.”

“My desire is that this resolution acts as a public service announcement for our community, emphasizing the importance of education and collective involvement,” said Council President Betsy Wilkerson.

For more information on the Keep Washington Working Act and ongoing initiatives to support immigrant communities, please visit the Washington State Attorney General's Office at https://www.atg.wa.gov/keep-washington-working-act-faq-law-enforcement

About the Spokane City Council The City Council is the legislative body of the City of Spokane, which is home to more than 220,000 people and is located in the heart of the Inland Northwest. The City’s 2,000 employees strive to deliver efficient and effective services that facilitate economic opportunity and enhance the quality of life for all our citizens. For more information, visit SpokaneCity.org/CityCouncil/ and follow us @SpokaneCityCouncil on Facebook.

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Weather forecasts for the 45th annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade set to kick off at noon Saturday in downtown Spokane are looking sketchy, but the parade will go on as planned.

The National Weather Service is predicting precipitation Saturday that may fall as snow in some areas in the morning, then rain in the afternoon. The high temperature is expected to be around 49 degrees.

“We’re not going to have 68 and sunny like last year,” said Friendly Sons of St. Patrick parade committee member Paul Delaney. “This parade goes on, rain, snow or whatever.”

The annual parade is always held on the Saturday before St. Patrick’s Day. The weather in the Spokane area in March is unpredictable at best, which means the parade has been held in all types. Some years the parade has been lucky, with either snow or rain falling in the morning, but stopping by parade time.

The first time rain fell during the parade was in 2003, Delaney said.

“It took 25 years for the parade to ever have rain,” he said.

The highest temperature on parade day has hit 68 degrees twice, in 2024 and 1992. The coldest parade was in 2002, when the high temperature was 37 degrees.

If the weather is poor on Saturday, it could affect the number of entries in the parade. People can sign up to be in the parade in advance, but last-minute entries are typically reopened the morning of the parade, Delaney said.

“If the weather’s nice, we have a flood of people,” he said. “That really pushes the entries up a lot.”

Last year’s good weather led to many last-minute entries, pushing the parade to a record high of 112.

The parade typically includes some bands, local community groups, businesses and nonprofit organizations. It’s not unusual for animals like goats, horses and llamas to make an appearance, some of them dyed green.

The parade route through downtown Spokane is usually packed, with some people arriving hours early to claim prime viewing spots. The route is unchanged from the past few years. Parade entrants will line up on Washington Street north of the Spokane River, head south on Washington to Main Street, zigzag to the west between Spokane Falls Boulevard and Main Street before ending at City Hall.

A detailed map is available at friendlysonsofstpatrick.com/map.asp.

The grand marshal of this year’s parade is Keats McLaughlin, a Friendly Sons of St. Patrick member who has been integral to planning the annual parade for more than a decade, Delaney said.

Central Pre-Mix has been named the Irish business of the year.

Other honors are: Chase Van Cotthem, Irish man of the year; Kathey Webley, Irish woman of the year; Macaela Moran, Irish colleen of the year; and Clan Droter, Irish clan of the year.

Each year, the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick meet after the parade to vote on which local organizations will receive donations of money it raised. In years past, donations have been made to Project Beauty Share, the Humane Society, the Union Gospel Mission, the Haran Irish Dancers, Behind the Badge and the Second Harvest food bank.

As the 8th seed Gonzaga Bulldogs prepare to play the number one seed Houston Cougars in the NCAA tournament, Cougar coach Kelvin Sampson made sure everyone knows how to pronounce Gonzaga.

During a press conference Friday afternoon, a reporter asked Sampson a question about Gonzaga and when he mispronounced the school's name, Sampson let him know.

"It always burns me up when people say that. Yeah. I was like calling me Kevin. My name is not Kevin. My mother used to say people would see my name and say, hey, Kevin. And she would say don't let people call you Kevin. Your name is Kelvin. Make sure they pronounce your name right. So that's why my antennas go up with that." Said Kelvin.

Coach Sampson also made sure everyone knows how to pronounce Spokane.

He remembers the roads he's taken in his life. Those roads run through Washington.

Sampson coached at Washington State University beginning in 1985. He became head coach in 1988. Sampson led the Cougars, of the Palouse variety, to the NIT tournament in 1992 and the NCAA tournament in 1994.

While it's been a long time, he hasn't forgotten.

"I mean, Washington state was obviously the hardest, toughest job in the Pac-10. If it would've been a good job, they would have never hired me. They would have hired a real coach. Somebody that was really good. I was 31 years old." Said Sampson.

Sampson has been considered a really good coach for a very long time now. He has his Houston Cougars once again poised to make a deep run in the tournament.

On the eve of a huge second round game, Sampson was able to connect with fans who may remember his WSU days and perhaps gave Gonzaga fans a new team to cheer for if the Bulldogs happen to fall.

"You can tell I worked at Washington State. Those guys aren't even, never heard of Snohomish or Chelan, Moses Lake, Ellensburg. See I'm down. I'm down with the state of Washington," said Sampson.

COPYRIGHT 2025 BY KXLY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THIS MATERIAL MAY NOT BE PUBLISHED, BROADCAST, REWRITTEN OR REDISTRIBUTED.

Gonzaga punched their ticket to the second round of the NCAA Tournament this weekend after beating (9) Georgia to open tournament play.

On Saturday, March 22, the Bulldogs will face off against (1) Houston in Wichita, Kansas. The Zags are 0-10 all-time against No. 1 seeds in March Madness.

A Gonzaga win would mark their 10th-straight tournament with a Sweet 16 appearance.

The game will start at 5:40 p.m. PST.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: (8) Gonzaga demolishes (9) Georgia, 89-68, wins NCAA Tournament First Round game

COPYRIGHT 2025 BY KXLY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THIS MATERIAL MAY NOT BE PUBLISHED, BROADCAST, REWRITTEN OR REDISTRIBUTED.

SPOKANE, Wash. – Ryan Becker from Spokane is battling a rare medical condition that has left doctors at the Mayo Clinic and Johns Hopkins perplexed.

"Before the lesions even showed up, there was something in my body that was killing me," Becker said.

He described the terrifying experience of being told by numerous doctors that they had never seen anything like it before.

Just before his 38th birthday, doctor believed Becker's condition is Pyoderma Gangrenosum (PG), a rare disorder causing large, painful sores on the skin.

The Mayo Clinic notes that these sores can develop quickly, often appearing on the legs.

However, for Becker, the condition has spread to 40% of his body, including the upper half.

The exact cause of this condition is unknown, but Mayo Clinic doctors believe it to be an immune system disorder.

Becker's case is severe and unlike anything doctors have encountered before.

"This really is truly life or death," Becker's wife, Mikkel stated.

His family has rallied around him as doctors work to stop the spread and save his life.

Becker first noticed something was wrong last year when he felt unusually tired.

"And I just didn't feel like myself. I felt this general malaise and just felt off," he recalled.

In January, a blister formed on Becker's leg, which eventually turned black.

A visit to Airway Heights Express Care led to a preliminary diagnosis of Pyoderma Gangrenosum.

A dermatologist later urged him to visit the emergency room.

"They couldn't exactly figure out what was going on," Becker said.

After being taken off steroids, lesions appeared on his arms, legs, and back, causing excruciating pain.

Becker was eventually accepted at the Mayo Clinic.

"I'm in so much pain. I'm crying, I'm sweating, but I'm also filled with this like awe and respect, and joy," he said upon arriving at the clinic.

After extensive testing at the Mayo Clinic, Becker was sent to Johns Hopkins Center for Unknown and Undiagnosed Diseases.

There, doctors are working to find a way to slow the spread of his condition.

"The prognosis was I had six months to live," Becker shared, though he remains hopeful as medical experts continue their efforts.

Tuesday, Becker received a letter from the Mayo Clinic stating, "Your insurance has denied a claim as patient responsibility. The balance remains your responsibility until it is resolved."

Becker revealed that the bill exceeds $100,000.

WARNING -- Photos below may be graphic for some readers.