Good morning, Coeur d'Alene.

Last Friday, Books for Tots marked its 20th anniversary by giving nearly 500 free books to children from the Boys and Girls Club.

Now led by Melissa DeMotte, the nonprofit will hold another book drive from Nov. 1 to Dec. 15 to help more kids start reading.

A 29-year-old from Coeur d'Alene called for help on Lake Pend Oreille on Aug.

13 at 3:09 p.m. after his kayak capsized in swells of four to five feet; deputies rescued him using a borrowed life jacket & proper safety equipment.

Wired2Learn, a private academy for students with learning disabilities in Post Falls, was accredited on July 31, giving it global recognition.

The school uses small classes *and personalized methods* for 20 students from grades three through 12 while planning campus expansion with a diagnostic clinic.

State officials reported that Idaho spent $31 million fighting wildfires that have burned almost 700,000 acres so far this year.

The department will ask for higher funds, including new full-time staff & equipment and a tax surcharge on forested properties in its next budget request.

Regional Realtors report that Kootenai County single-family sales rose 6.9%+ median prices held at $565,000 amid a 6.69% mortgage rate.

A public meeting on blue-collar housing challenges will be held Thursday from 6 to 8 at the Innovation Collective, 418 E. Lakeside Ave.

O'Doherty's Irish Grille will host Eddie Gaedel Day today to mark 75 years since MLB's shortest player had his famous at-bat, featuring free Gaedel Society T-shirts and a petition to name Gaedel a saint — a fun nod to baseball history that gathers fans every year.

Doug Moore, a former Coeur d'Alene jockey (with nearly 2,000 wins) was inducted Saturday into the Washington Horse Racing Hall of Fame at Emerald Downs in Auburn.

He later advanced to racing administration as deputy executive secretary for the Washington Horse Racing Commission.