Bloglander

HERE

Two men are in custody after a robbery at a Shopko in Spokane Valley last night. The men tried to flee the scene but police were able to catch and arrest them. A Shopko employee positively identified the men as suspects. (KHQ)

It is possible that increased pot production is causing dangerous fires in the area. A fire from earlier this week is thought to have been started by someone using butane in the marijuana extraction process. (Seattle Times)

As part of Spokane's First Friday Visual Arts Tour, one woman combines visual and interactive arts to produce "One Woman's Conceptual Life Story" at Interplayers Theatre to reflect her experience as a woman and single mother. Our Art Director, Chris Bovey, is also taking part, putting on "The Bovey Showvey" at the Blue Door Theater. (KXLY, SR)

Spokane startup icPooch is raising money via Kickstarter to help pet owners communicate long-distance with their dogs. They are already more than halfway to their $20,000 goal and the campaign is set to end next month. (SR)

Senator Mike Baumgartner from Spokane wants to improve public education by taking the focus off student-to-teacher ratios in grades 2 and 3 and focusing more on supporting students in preschools and college. (Crosscut)

THERE

A man tried to hijack a plane headed to Turkey today. He said he claimed to have a bomb and intended to take the flight to Sochi. The pilots flew into Istanbul where the plane landed safely and is now surrounded by security. (Gawker)

Syria has officially missed its chemical weapons deadline — the second the country's been given — putting the June 30 target date for destruction of its deadly weapons program in jeopardy. The next deadline is March 31. (Time)

President Obama will sign a farm bill today and will announce the "Made in Rural America" initiative, a campaign to help rural businesses market their goods abroad. (NYT)

OLYMPICS

The Opening Ceremony is underway, but there's been at least one mishap already. (The Atlantic)

The Olympic mascots are adorable — or terrifying. Take your pick. (Now This News)

And Austria is having some problems. (Deadspin)