Bloglander

HERE

A year since same-sex marriage became legal in Washington state, 17 percent of marriages have been same-sex couples. (Inlander)

Spokane’s Julianna Pena is the first female Ultimate Fighter winner, and all-around badass. (S-R)

A Spokane Valley man is accused of breaking into more than a dozen apartment complex laundry rooms to steal quarters.

At least we don’t have massive ice storms in the forecast, but we do have a wind chill warning because it’s getting even colder. (USA Today/NWS)

NEAR

The University of Washington has a new football coach: Boise State’s Chris Petersen. (Idaho Statesman)

An Idaho child died when a dump truck slammed into a school bus near Boise. (Idaho Statesman)

A King County sheriff’s deputy who threatened to arrest the editor of the Stranger during a confrontation in July has now been placed on administrative leave pending an investigation. Full account from Stranger editor Dominic Holden here. (Seattle Times/Stranger)

ELSEWHERE

Nelson Mandela, the first black president of South Africa and an “international emblem of dignity and forbearance,” died at 95. (NYT)

A suicide bomber and gunmen attacked Yemen’s defense ministry, killing 52 people. (Reuters)

After massive protests this week, Ukraine’s president was rethinking his plan to pass over a European Union agreement in favor of getting closer with Russia. Now it seems he’s cozying up with Putin after all. (Guardian)