have countless fond memories of high school sports. Between gymnastics and track (specializing in pole vault), I relished every moment of training, competition and camaraderie, filling entire scrapbooks on this fleeting period of my life. While winning (or, in my case, getting a high score on balance beam or clearing the bar at 10 feet) was always a joyous occasion, the moments that tend to stand out most now are the life lessons learned along the way. It feels dorky and cliche to say that youth sports are invaluable character-building opportunities, but it’s undoubtedly true.
Those life lessons sports can teach us are at the center of this week’s cover story, about how former GONZAGA MEN’S BASKETBALL STAR
ROBERT SACRE is helping raise up the next generation of young men on the court as the head boy’s basketball coach at Spokane’s North Central High School. He says it best himself: “I tell these guys, being successful — it’s not fun. Doing the right things and doing all those things to be successful? It’s boring and it’s monotonous and it’s grinding. But those are the things that a lot of people don’t want to do. That’s what pushes you to the next level.”
— CHEY SCOTT, Editor
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WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS MEMORY?
SARIANA BRYEANS
One of the basketball players at my high school got his 1,000th shot. It was something that wasn’t super common because I didn’t go to a huge high school in Poulsbo, so it was super exciting.
OLIVER WERMUS
I played high school soccer and I was on the JV team, and we had a senior who wasn’t necessarily the star player, but they let him go on to score for the last game of his high school career. Then he took his shirt off and was waving it around and got a red card and kicked off the field for it. It was such a fun moment.
RUSTY HIESTAND
I didn’t play, but I went to school in a small town in Illinois [Oswego High School], and we actually went to the Rose Bowl one year, so I got to see our marching band inside the Rose Bowl Parade.
Why is that such an important memory? It was something that brought the community together. It gave us something to rally around and enjoy together.
ELENA KRAEMER
In soccer we went all the way to state, back in California.
Why was that an important moment for you? We were ranked very low and being able to come out on top as the underdog is very cool, and that had never happened at our high school before.
BRANNEN MORRIS
We got top five in [Georgia] in cross country.
Why was that so special to you?
Cross country was the only sport I did regularly, and I kept getting better each year until we got to that top five spot.
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The High Price of Cheap Eggs
While egg supplies are impacted by bird flu, consumers have options often not far from home
BY HEATHER WOOLERY
Throughout my life, chickens have had a presence. When I was very little, I was inundated with dozens of yellow fluffy chicks my grandma Florence bought annually from the local hatchery. Later on, when I was about 7, I got my own flock of six to 10 hens, which included Red, a very special Rhode Island hen who I would cart around like a doll everywhere. (Yes, even inside the house.)
But it wasn’t until the pandemic that chickens would come back into my life in the biggest way. In 2021, I picked up six little chicks from our local
farm store: Omelet, Benedict, Hollandaise, Nugget, Scrambles and Florence (for my late grandma). It was with this original six that would kick-start a full-on enthusiasm about everything chickens.
This enthusiasm would lead me to learn about heritage breeds and different colored eggs. I also learned that chickens are not protected by federal laws within the United States and are excluded from the Humane Slaughter Act, Animal Welfare Act and the Twenty-Eight Hour Law along with state protection being minimal if at all existent. One could say chicken farms across America resemble the Wild West, seeming like anything goes in terms of where and how we get our eggs, chicken meat products, and chicks from hatcheries.
Chickens sick with bird flu have created egg shortages and cost spikes, but there are other ways to get your eggs.
HEATHER WOOLERY PHOTOS
Every day we’re met with headlines about the bird flu (H5N1) epidemic, and as egg prices skyrocket we’re left to wonder how we can combat this ongoing epidemic. The U.S. Poultry Industry Manual last reported in 2023 that each chicken house at an American egg farm contained 50,000 to 350,000 egg-laying hens. Some argue that processes for maximizing egg and poultry production and the lack of U.S. chicken regulations have been partly responsible for the spread of H5N1 among chickens. Now, needing to cull sick birds, we’re paying the high price of letting cheap eggs drive the decision-making.
My flock has grown to 16 chickens, and whenever I post a photo on social media about the day’s eggs, I almost always have someone comment, “The free eggs must be nice.” While I understand the sentiment, the misconception that buying a few $3 chicks from the farm store equates to years of free eggs is far too common.
Owning backyard chickens is rewarding, but I don’t ever let anyone believe I’m getting dozens of eggs for free. It takes investment: a quality coop that ensures your chickens’ safety from predators and extreme weather; a fenced-in yard that allows them to free range; and monthly chicken feed that’s affected by inflation.
Most people who buy adorable chicks quickly realize they don’t have a plan for the chick-turned-rooster they now have inside city limits, or what to do with their flock when they leave for a two-week summer vacation. If you’re looking to own a few backyard chickens, local Facebook groups and farm stores can help connect you with local breeders to give you access to humanely raised chicks that are bred for our region’s weather along with locally grown feed that can help cut down on monthly costs and raise healthy chickens. You should also contact your city for specific regulations regarding backyard chickens in your neighborhood. Also know that owning backyard chickens isn’t the quickest and most cost-effective way to find a solution to the high egg prices for mediocre eggs.
“Cracking open those first few fresh eggs… I knew I was never going back.”
When my hens finally started laying eggs about six months after I’d brought them home from the farm store, I was filled with the same joy I had been filled with when one of my children brought home a painting they’d done at school. Cracking open those first few fresh eggs, seeing a deep orange yolk in my pan, I knew I was never going back. Whether I had chickens or not, I was buying locally raised, farm-fresh eggs from then on.
Thankfully, if there ever comes a time when I don’t own chickens, I know of three micro-farmers selling eggs just down the street from me. Most micro-farms are based just outside city limits and can be found often with signs promoting “Farm Fresh Butt Nuggets” and “Buy By The Dozen.” You can also often find micro-farmers selling their “filled egg cartons” on Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist. Local Facebook groups, farm stores, word of mouth and food co-ops can help you find local farm stands and chicken farmers who are closest to you and who sell eggs regularly. Not only will those eggs be guaranteed farm-fresh, but you will also be supporting local farmers and chicken enthusiasts alike while saving money.
It is likely that until the H5N1 is brought under control and new federal regulations are put in place for chickens and poultry products, our grocery store egg prices will remain high.
If you’re interested in owning backyard chickens, talk with your local farm store and neighbors who may own backyard chickens themselves, and join local Facebook and social media discussion groups to educate yourself before chick season begins here in the Inland Northwest. In the meantime, seeking out local options for higher quality eggs while supporting the local economy could be a solution for you and your family. n
Heather Woolery is a North Idaho-based writer, artist and art director. She is a graduate of the University of Idaho with a degree in fine art and creative writing.
SATURDAY 2 / 15 - 6 PM
‘What Community Looks Like’
Spokane’s Community Court handles most nonviolent offenses downtown. While arrests increase, founders say improving quality of life is “not an easy fix.”
BY ELIZA BILLINGHAM
Achalkboard in the front of the courtroom has a handwritten message on it. “One step in the right direction: Being HERE.”
There are plenty of reasons this isn’t your typical courtroom. There’s no judge’s bench or jury box. There are more than a dozen service providers next door and a physician down the hall. It’s also inside an event room at downtown Spokane’s Central Library. But every Monday at 10 am, the space is transformed into an extension of the courthouse.
This is Community Court, one of the five therapeutic courts under the larger umbrella of Spokane Municipal Court. It was founded in 2013 by a group of public defenders and city prosecutors, as well as Judge Mary C. Logan and Dr. Darin Neven. They’re focused on getting offenders in treatment instead of jail and providing individualized care instead of cookie cutter sentences.
Spokane’s Community Court has been nationally recognized by the Center for Justice Innovation as a “mentor” community court — an example to other similar
courts due to its unique setting and artful balance of care and accountability. It looked different during COVID-era restrictions, but restarted in October 2022.
Community Court handles nonviolent or “quality of life” offenses like public camping, trespassing, pedestrian interference, theft, vandalism, illicit substance possession, or sit and lie violations in the downtown core. These lowerlevel crimes have generated some of the loudest outcry from downtown residents and business owners, who have asked police for more arrests.
In January, there were 117 pedestrian interference citations — tickets given to people standing or sitting on the sidewalk for interfering with normal walking patterns — and 85 arrests for unlawful camping. That’s up from last January, when there were 27 pedestrian interference citations and three camping arrests.
With more tickets and arrests, it’s up to the court system to decide what to do next.
“We need community understanding,” says Francis Adewale, one of Community Court’s founding public
defenders and the president-elect for the Washington State Bar Association. “This is not an easy fix.”
Community Court serves about 100 people every week, says Sarah Thompson, the city’s therapeutic court coordinator.
Many of the people sent to Community Court are homeless, so one of the court’s main goals is to get people ready for housing. But that won’t have a huge effect, she says, until people have somewhere to go.
“There is not adequate housing that this population needs,” Adewale agrees.
Community Court is funded by the state’s Administrative Office of the Courts. It doesn’t receive any money from the city, apart from help paying for a few extra security guards.
Even though Community Court’s goals overlap with those of the community safety sales tax that city voters passed in November, those new tax dollars won’t go to this court.
(The approximately $2 million designated to the Municipal Court over the next two years from the new 0.1% sales tax will fund 11 positions with Community Justice Services, an innovative pretrial and case management service that you can read more about at Inlander.com.)
Here’s what it’s like navigating Spokane’s Community Court as it tries to combat crime and homelessness to improve everyone’s quality of life.
FIRST STEPS
At 10 am, the doors open.
Participants check in with a security guard just inside the downtown library’s north entrance. They can put their belongings behind the guard’s table and get a claim ticket to retrieve them once the morning is over.
Then, they head into event room A to meet with social workers and complete a risk/needs assessment.
It’s called the criminal court assessment tool, or CCAT. It measures factors associated with recidivism,
Spokane Municipal Judge Mary Logan speaks with participant Justin Summa about his case during Community Court at Spokane Central Library. YOUNG KWAK PHOTO
“‘WHAT
COMMUNITY LOOKS LIKE,’” CONTINUED...
including criminal history, antisocial temperament, peer networks, education, family problems and substance abuse.
“Therapeutic courts [mean] treating each individual as a person, not as a case, and meeting them where they’re at,” Thompson says. “You want to address all those needs to help the person become better.”
FINDING COMMON GROUND
“Hey, what’s up, brother?” Adewale says to a new client as he invites him up to the white folding table where all three public defenders are standing.
DRINK LOCAL
Adewale, Rick Wallis and Jen Pence rarely sit. The public defenders are constantly moving between event rooms A and B in the library to collaborate with the CCAT administrators. The assessment tool is crucial to the public defenders, who take all those factors into account when suggesting a course of action to the city prosecutor and eventually Judge Logan.
“We want to get to the root cause of ‘Why?’” Adewale says — why did someone commit a crime? Why might they do it again? What kind of treatment would be most likely to keep them from doing it again?
While Adewale, Wallis and Pence talk with participants, city prosecutor David Kling is reviewing all documented charges. As prosecutor, he’s responsible for representing the city’s commitment to public safety and accountability. When they’re ready, the defender and prosecutor try to agree on a reasonable set of consequences to suggest to the judge.
JUDGMENT
Most people are heads and shoulders taller than Logan. But the judge’s presence, authority and compassion make a big impression when she enters even a makeshift courtroom.
Standing before her, attorneys present their suggestions for how each case should move forward. The judge isn’t required to adhere to them. Although she relies on the attorneys and usually agrees with their suggestions, she often asks the participant if there’s anything they’d like to add about their situation before she makes a final decision.
When she does make a judgment, it’s called a “stipulated order of continuance” — that is, a set of rules that the person must adhere to for a certain length of time. If the participant complies
perfectly, they will have their case dismissed once the determined time is up.
Logan calls a man cited for possession of illicit substances over to the end of her “bench.” She’s just made a decision about his case. The first thing he has to do is attend Community Court every week for 12 months, the typical length of time for that charge.
“We really do expect you to come every Monday. There’s a whole accountability piece,” she tells him.
Every Community Court participant has to come every week, or give an acceptable reason to be excused that week. Other common stipulations include not committing the same crime again or racking up any other citations. Anyone out of compliance or not attending Community Court as ordered usually gets their case moved up to Municipal Court, where jail is a more common sentence.
In this man’s case, the judge makes other stipulations based on his CCAT. She notices that he needs employment. She points behind her and mentions New Leaf Cafe, a coffee shop in the library that does job training and employs homeless or recently homeless people.
Sometimes, Logan might assign community service. When she does, there are orange reflective vests in the back of the courtroom that participants can put on to immediately go out and serve with Downtown Spokane Partnership’s Clean Team. But on this Monday in early February, the morning temperature is in the single digits, and it’s too cold to send people outside.
‘KEEP IT UP’
The courtroom isn’t just for judgments. Sam Farrell gets a chocolate bar and a round of applause from the room as Logan congratulates him on his exemplary compliance with her stipulations and his new apartment at the Catalyst on Sunset Hill.
“How does that feel?” the judge asks Farrell. The strangest transition for him, he says, is the constant supply and access to hot water. Farrell was cited for illegal camping when he was living in what he calls a “small tent city” near the Fish Lake Trail.
Sometimes he’d have to walk miles to use a real bathroom or wash his hands. Sometimes he’d carry 5 gallons of water back to his community just to help his friends out. Having a bathroom attached
Sam Farrell, center, speaks about his progress with Judge Mary Logan, left, and Public Defender Francis Adewale. YOUNG KWAK PHOTO
to where he sleeps is jarring, he says, and as grateful as he is, it also smacks of losing the friends he used to take care of.
“I appreciate the hard effort you had to put in to get here,” Logan says after listening to Farrell for at least five minutes. “You’re working really hard. Keep it up.” She fist bumps him before he sits back down.
Zarin Price also gets public affirmation and a goodie bag. After his satisfactory compliance with stipulations, his case is now closed without prejudice, which means it could be brought forward again if necessary.
Price was cited for trespassing after he hopped a fence to get to an outdoor outlet to charge his phone. He feels like the court gave him a blank slate, which is something he doesn’t take for granted.
“I’ve suffered deeply, but I’m on the mend,” Price says. “It’s a heart level issue. People make poor decisions because there’s something going on in the heart. There’s only one person that can resolve that.”
‘VITAMIN C’
Some needs require a medical doctor. That’s where Neven comes in. Neven is a physician, founding member of Community Court and president of Consistent Care, an organization that uses complex case management techniques to decrease emergency room usage.
“Treatment has to be assertive,” Neven says, meaning treatment has to be taken to the people who need it and be made available immediately.
Neven is available for medical assessments of Community Court participants, plus some immediate treatments. He can inject long-lasting anti-psychotic drugs. He can get people booked into addiction treatment the same day they’re willing to go. It’s important to get people into treatment immediately, since many can’t plan for tomorrow, he says.
Treatment, just like community court, is completely voluntary. About two-thirds of people actually want help from him, he says.
“Our scarcest natural resource is cooperation,” he says. “We call it Vitamin C.”
NEXT STEPS
Participants typically end Community Court where they started it — in event room A, surrounded by service providers who want to help them, figuring out what else they might need to succeed.
In one corner, a representative from Pioneer Human Services is calling a shelter asking about bed availability. On the walls, there are advertisements for the ID fest coming to the library soon to help people get identification. As people head out for the afternoon, everyone gets a sack lunch provided by the congregation at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic cathedral.
“This is what community looks like,” director Thompson says. Adewale measures success not by cases dropped or reduced recidivism rates, but by how many people the court can keep out of jail for six months. The court is very successful at that, he says.
“People want us to be the program that cleans the streets,” he says. “The only measure of success that the business community wants is ‘there’s no homeless downtown.’ [In America,] we invest in reaction to crisis. We don’t purposely invest in prevention programs that can guide people away from crisis. That’s the challenge.”
Farrell is headed back to his new home at Catholic Charities’ Catalyst. But while he is downtown, he’ll hand out portable power banks to people he knows on the street, since he now has an easy place to charge his own phone.
His apartment is supposed to be transitional housing, he says. But he knows people who have been staying there for 16 months because there’s nowhere for them to transition to.
“The challenges the city is facing cannot be solved by the city alone,” Adewale says. He thinks the state needs to do more to encourage more affordable housing options.
But for now, Community Court is working with what they have — each other.
“I think this is probably the best chance to do what everybody wants — public safety, accountability, and getting people connected with services,” Kling says. “But it’s not something that happens overnight.” n
elizab@inlander.com
Recomposed: All Four Seasons in a Single Night at The Fox Theater
The famous classical piece The Four Seasons by Vivaldi never exactly needed a makeover, but Max Richter recomposed it anyways into a version that steals the breaths of new audiences. Used in mainstream shows like Bridgerton, The Crown, Black Mirror, and so much more, this unique rendition is recognizable for its romantic and mesmerizing soundscape that both honors and transforms the original composition. To hear it recorded is one experience, but to hear it performed live is another.
The Spokane Symphony is determined to turn this romantic rendition into a romantic evening on this upcoming Valentine’s Day at The Fox Theater.
Local talent Yvette Kraft, who began her musical career at 5 years old under Mateusz Wolski, will be featured as the violin soloist for this concert. To bring the music to another
immersive level, local artist rosethrow (Darrien Mack), will use his knowledge of design and electronic audio mixing to display the changing of seasons from Spring to Summer to Fall to Winter throughout the show. It is not just live music, it is a live experience.
It’s a romantic getaway through the seasons in a single night, and then an after party with music, dancing, food, and seasonal drinks to tie it all together.
Tickets are on sale now at foxtheaterspokane.org for RECOMPOSED by MAX RICHTER: VIVALDI – THE FOUR SEASONS on Valentine’s Day, Friday, February 14 at 7:30pm. They can also be purchase through the Fox Theater Box Office at 509-624-1200.
Yvette Kraft rosethrow
Spokane Valley City Council votes to sue Merkel over public records, if needed
BY VICTOR CORRAL MARTINEZ
Spokane Valley City Council member Al Merkel’s issues fulfilling city public records requests have come to a head.
On Feb. 4, Spokane Valley City Council unanimously voted 6-0 (Merkel was not allowed to vote) to direct City Manager John Hohman to initiate legal action against Merkel.
Hohman says Merkel has failed to fully cooperate with the city to provide all records for more than 60 public records requests for Merkel’s social media activity, including edited posts on the neighborhood-based social media site Nextdoor.
The City Council is currently working with Lukins & Annis attorneys on the next steps to get Merkel to comply and provide the requested records.
“What we’re trying to do is to compel him to hand over the public records that he’s created over this last year that we’ve been unable to get a hold of,” Hohman says. “It could very well be a lawsuit — if he’s unwilling — to have a court order determine that he needs to turn
these [records] over.”
City Attorney Kelly Konkright said at the Feb. 4 council meeting that legal fees could range from $50,000 to more than $100,000, depending on Merkel’s decision to comply or not.
Merkel says the pending litigation is a waste of taxpayer money, and he disagrees that the records requested by the city are public records.
“I have turned over everything that I’ve got, everything that was requested by the city despite a continually moving bar, including my password to Nextdoor,” Merkel says. “There’s nothing else I have to give them.”
Konkright confirmed at the meeting that Merkel had provided his Nextdoor password, but due to two-factor authentication, the city could not access the needed code to get into the account without Merkel’s help.
Pagefreezer software used by the city also does not capture Merkel’s social posts on other pages, so the city has also requested screenshots of the posts to comply with records requests. n
In the Driver’s Seat
Jon Snyder, a City Council member turned Olympia policy adviser, is back as Spokane’s new transportation director
BY ELIZA BILLINGHAM
One of the most stressful moments of Jon Snyder’s career, he claims, was answering questions for the Inlander. In 2009, this paper subjected every candidate for the City Council to a Spokane trivia quiz. On camera.
Snyder did pretty well. The Spokane native gave 32 of 33 correct answers. He only missed one point on the prompt, “Name the six public high schools in District 81.”
(He listed Lewis and Clark, Ferris, Rogers, Shadle, and North Central, but he forgot Havermale, an alternative high school that was rebranded the Community School in 2012.)
Snyder won his election and went on to represent District 2 on the council for six years. Some of his favorite projects were getting the University District Gateway Bridge built and getting public buses “triple racks” so they could carry three bikes on the front, instead of the typical one or two.
Snyder was used to being out and about in Spokane. Before serving on the council, Snyder founded Out There magazine, a monthly publication dedicated to exploring Spokane by bike, ski, paddle and foot.
At the end of 2015, Snyder was tapped to be the outdoor recreation and economic development policy adviser to then-Gov.
Al Merkel
Spokane’s new Director of Transporation and Sustainability Jon Snyder.
PHOTO COURTESY JON SNYDER
Jay Inslee. The role, with an accompanying grant program, was newly created by the Legislature and one of the first of its kind in the country.
In Olympia, Snyder was involved in plenty of initiatives but was specifically instrumental in increasing K-12 students’ access to outdoor education. He wanted to expose students to the types of jobs available in conservation and recreation. He is a founding member of the Confluence of States, a bipartisan collaboration between 18 states to grow outdoor recreation and transform conservation into a driver of economic growth.
But as of last week, Snyder is back home in Spokane. He’s the newly appointed director of transportation and sustainability, a creative addition to Mayor Lisa Brown’s administration. Brown rearranged her Cabinet to create the position without adding to the budget.
Last Friday, the Inlander interviewed Snyder again. But this time we only asked him questions about his new role, and there were no cameras involved. His responses have been edited for clarity and length.
INLANDER: It seems like you’re really passionate about outdoor recreation, development and conservation. What does that have to do with transportation?
SNYDER: I like to say that when you have a sidewalk, a trail or a bike lane, it is always both transportation and recreation — just like our roads are. If I’m getting in my car to go see a movie, is that transportation or is that recreation? I don’t think we should think of our transit any differently. They’re always going to be dual use.
When I moved back here in 2001 after living in Denver for quite some time, plus San Francisco and a few other places, I had knee surgery on both knees. My doctor said, “You gotta bike.” So I started biking a lot more. I fell in with a bunch of friends that were doing a lot of biking. I got really interested in public policy because public policy governs a lot of the infrastructure we are making for biking. There was a big scene here in Spokane that was growing around cycling. One of the reasons I ran for City Council in 2009 was on a platform of biking, walking, transit and sustainability.
How do cars fit into your dream of Spokane transportation?
When you say it that way, I’m tempted to respond, “Well, my dream is that I could own a ’67 Toronado,” which is one of my favorite cars of all time.
So you don’t hate cars?
No, no! When I was in college, I bought my girlfriend’s grandmother’s 1961 Series 62 Cadillac coupe. Loved it. I love a good American car just as much as anyone. But the problem is, they are a tax on people when we have generated decades and decades of policy like we have right now. For example, Spokane has some of the poorest zip codes in the state. There’s a real mix of incomes here. If you force every adult in the household to own a car in order to get educated or go to their place of employment, it’s like putting a $10,000 tax on everyone. If we can put them on the bus, if they can ride an e-bike, if they can walk, we’re giving them a raise.
What is a director of transportation?
It’s been a trend for the last few years where transportation has sometimes split out from public works so there can be a focus on more purely transportation efforts. So right now, that’s being determined. We’re going to have all sorts of discussions internally on how best to do that.
But ultimately, I think the mayor wanted to do some things differently. There’s lots of great people doing great things. But how can we do more in the face of climate change? In the face of a younger generation that is getting their driver’s license later, who wants to live in urban areas, who likes taking transit, likes biking? How are we serving the next generation of Spokanites? n
Artistic Applications
BY COLTON RASANEN
Lauren Erickson has always been interested in art. Her dad took tons of art classes in high school, which inspired her to do the same. However, the Shadle Park High School senior has never been quite sure what she wanted to do with all that creative knowledge, until now.
Last week, Erickson was one of 13 art students from across Spokane’s school district who learned to curate and set up an art show with help from their teachers, a couple of carpenters and the Northwest Museum of Arts & Culture’s new curator, Rachel Allen.
“Curating an exhibition is a complex task,” Allen says. “It can be really deceiving how many
different details go into it — it’s sort of like a stage play in a way. There’s a lot of planning and coordination going on ahead of time before you go live.”
For the past few months, high school art teachers within Spokane Public Schools have worked to revamp their curriculum to include collaboration with local nonprofits and community partners to ensure students are given real-world learning opportunities.
Although the district has displayed high schoolers’ art each year for at least a decade, this is the first show to be co-curated by students under the new curriculum. By doing this, the
Lauren Erickson (seated) and other students learn to hang art installations. PHOTOS COURTESY SPOKANE PUBLIC SCHOOLS
teachers hope to give students insights into the many arts-related careers available, Shadle Park art teacher Carrie Stroud says.
“The most important thing for me that came out of that experience was the conversations I had with the different students about what their goals were, which artwork they liked, and what they want to do next,” Allen says.
Though it may seem simple, conversations with someone like Allen are crucial for students like Erickson who are approaching the end of their high school education.
“Rachel showed us how she curates, and I had no idea you had to research where the artworks are at to see if it’s even going to fit in your show or your theme or installation. So it takes many years to learn all that, and through that experience I kind of realized that this is something I could do,” Erickson says. “It was just so cool for an actual art curator to see our art. She put in her insight, and it just gave us this peace of mind.”
All that real-world education has culminated in the 2024-25 high school art show “Our Time, Our Voice” at the downtown Kolva-Sullivan Gallery. The small Adams Street gallery is filled wall-to-wall with artwork, from paintings and drawings to ceramic and collage creations that aim to explore social, environmental and cultural issues that students care about.
It’s not just the art students who have gotten real-world experience. Peyton Hudson’s culinary arts class at Shadle catered the show’s Feb. 7 opening. The gallery, open by appointment only (call 509-458-5517), will show “Our Time, Our Voice” until March 1.
CREATING CREATIVE THINKERS
In one corner of the Kolva-Sullivan Gallery there is a mischief of magpies flying around the space into a cage stationed in the middle of the room. Each magpie has been carefully crafted with recycled propaganda materials, and the cage they’re all flocking to has an iPad inside, broadly representing the societal ills that social media has exacerbated.
Created by students in Stroud’s class, the art installation is a metaphor for what happens when we don’t think critically about the world around us.
“We spend a lot of time teaching students that art is a vehicle for change,” Stroud says. “I would like to see students recognize that art can also be a form of empowerment to others.”
On top of showing students what they can do with an arts education, Stroud is dedicated to ensuring that her students understand the artistic process. Before the annual art show, Stroud asked her students to think about the issues that they care about in the region and how they could reflect that in their art.
“I loved posing that question to them because I learned that they care so deeply about the world around them,” she says, beaming with pride. “They chose everything from poverty in Spokane to the homelessness crisis, drug epidemic and some of them even chose overconsumption, which I thought was really fascinating.”
She doesn’t ask her students for perfect paintings and consummate collages, but work that reflects their ability to think creatively about the world around them.
“What we’re teaching is invaluable,” Stroud says. “All of us art teachers in the district, we recognize that we are teaching an artistic process to every single student, not because they’re all going to become fine artists or graphic designers or architects, but because they’re going to become critical thinkers and creative thinkers.” n
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Details like wall placement are important to consider.
A New Page
BY MADISON PEARSON
Morgan Lynch was never actually going to open a bookstore.
She and her husband joked about it for years. They weren’t serious — at first.
The couple would tease and jest each other about “working on the bookstore” every chance they got. But in 2023, things got a bit more serious, and by October 2024 Lynch found herself applying for a business license and leaving her job in graphic design.
Jupiter’s Eye Book Cafe is now a very real bookstore, which celebrated its grand opening on Jan. 17. Lynch says Spokane residents showed up in droves.
“Spokane is kind of hit or miss sometimes,” she says. “But, there are so many little bookish, cute nerds in this town who are ravenous for a cozy little spot. We’ve had folks in here on dates, playing Scrabble, knitting, doing a crossword — just cozy vibes, and that’s exactly what we’re looking for.”
The name of the bookstore is twofold. Lynch chose it in part because of the giant storm that rages on planet
Jupiter. In the eye of a storm, everything is calm despite being surrounded by chaos. She also took inspiration from The Three Investigators book series’ character Jupiter Jones.
Lynch’s vision for Jupiter’s Eye was always clear: dark academia vibes with touches of ’70s kitsch. She pulls it off with the emerald green walls, raw wood bookshelves and art in ornate golden frames covering the walls.
Local author Travis Baldree’s Legends & Lattes book series also inspired the overall business venture.
“His main character leaves her life behind to find family, kindness and a soft, purposeful life,” Lynch says. “It super resonates with me in this era.”
atmosphere.
“One of my all-time favorite hobbies is reading in bars and coffee shops,” she says. “There’s a certain amount of coziness to books. They’re great to have a cup of tea with to add an extra cozy modifier. I wanted to create a space like that.”
The cafe’s menu features items that Lynch describes as “food a Hobbit might eat,” like bread and butter, cheese and crackers, and nuts — all foods that are easy to eat while reading a good book.
JUPITER’S EYE BOOK CAFE
411 W. First Ave. jupiterseyebookcafe.com
Open Tue-Sat from 10 am-8 pm, Sun from 10 am-3 pm
She, too, imagined her future business as a combination bookstore and cafe. A place where people can simply hang out, eat, drink and enjoy their time together in a comfortable
Lynch made it a point to source the “heavy hitters” from local places. Jupiter’s Eye’s scones and cookies are from Made with Love Bakery, all of the cafe’s bread is from Twenty-Seventh Heaven Scratch Bake Shop, the coffee is Roast House and she chose Revival Tea Company for cozy cups of tea.
Jupiter’s Eye Book Cafe wants to be sci-fi lovers’ favorite “third place.” ERICK DOXEY PHOTOS OPENING
Jupiter’s Eye Book Cafe offers a cozy, calm atmosphere for Spokane book lovers to enjoy
Jupiter’s Eye owner Morgan Lynch.
Lynch’s vision for Jupiter’s Eye also includes carrying only certain genres in the store, specifically sci-fi, fantasy and mystery.
With genre labels like “space opera” and “cozy mystery” scattered along the shelves, she tediously curated the book selection to provide her customer base with titles they’ll love.
“I had gone to another bookstore to find the fourth Red Wall book,” she says. “And they didn’t have it because they have a million books. And that’s great when you want a million different books, but I wanted Jupiter’s to be a place that always carried the entire series. We have so many amazing bookstores in here that do what they do so well, but curating the genres was a way for us to find our niche in Spokane.”
Lynch prides herself on being able to talk at length about nearly every book on Jupiter’s Eye’s shelves.
“I love talking about books,” she says. “I’ve handpicked all of these books and learned about all of them so I can help people find exactly what they’re looking for. I want to hear what books they’re excited about as well. Books are sometimes like a lightning rod.”
As the cafe’s name suggests, Lynch intends to maintain a chill atmosphere in Jupiter’s Eye.
With plenty of comfortable seating options, natural light, jazz music and tucked-away spots to dive into a good book, the space is optimal for a quiet day alone or relaxing with friends.
Jupiter’s Eye has already had visits from numerous local authors, including Baldree, Chris Bieker, Mark Anderson, Charlie Byers and Russel Frans.
Lynch hopes to host in-store events with more local authors, like book launches and even a fireside reading series as time goes on.
“Being read to is so comforting,” she says.
There’s a quote in one of Lynch’s favorite books, A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers, that aptly sums up her vision for Jupiter’s Eye Book Cafe: “We’re all just trying to be comfortable, and well-fed, and unafraid.”
Lynch hopes it becomes a “third place” for those who need a home away from home or simply a place to exist.
“We vote every day with our dollar and our time and our attention,” she says. “And it’s really meaningful to see people choose a brick-and-mortar bookstore at the end of the day. I am so appreciative to this town that I love so much for loving me back.” n
Dance Your Heart Out
Sol Tribe dance crew is reigniting the local breaking community with energetic dance battle events
BY MADISON PEARSON
Being a part of a dance crew isn’t just a hobby for Khay and Brian Zellner. They owe their entire relationship to the art form.
Brian, whose dancer name is Zell, recalls seeing Khay at a dance jam in California and then at another in Seattle. The two began seeing each other at various dance events across the continent, becoming more and more acquainted.
“I would see her in Cali or the West Side or even Toronto,” Brian says. “Somehow, we always ventured toward each other.”
Brian left his hometown in Western Washington and moved to Spokane in 2017. He and Khay have been dancing together ever since.
Khay, whose dance name is Killa Khaymera, grew up in Hillyard and went to Rogers High School. When she was 14, she joined a local dance group called Paper Cut Out Crew, which later became Sol Tribe Crew.
“I felt like I had to do something,” she says. “I was a teen, an emotional little girl, and I wanted to find something. Anything.”
Breaking with the other original members of the Paper Cut Out Crew gave Khay passion and motivation to continue dancing. Nearly two decades later, its members have become family to her.
On Feb. 15, Sol Tribe Crew is hosting a oneversus-one dance battle called Heart & Sole, the first big street dancing event in Spokane since the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Zellners want to see the thriving community that first embraced them all those years ago make a comeback by hosting more dance events in the city.
“We want to bring back that part of the dance community and hip-hop culture,” Khay says. “We want that energy back again.”
“The last really big battle we had in Spokane was Coffee Breaks 3 back in 2018,” Brian says.
It was during that 2018 jam that Brian also proposed to Khay, surrounded by their closest friends. Brian says he felt like there was no better place to propose than during one of the dance events that had first brought them together. In the same vein, the Heart & Sole dance battle this Valentine’s weekend aims to reflect that love back to the community.
“Then we went on a little hiatus before COVID hit,” Brian says. “After that, there were a few smaller jams in 2021 and 2022 until we took another hiatus. I travel outside of Spokane for jams and competitions, so it only seems right to bring it back to Spokane now since so many of our members have yet to participate in a hometown jam.”
The Heart & Sole dance is happening at The Placeholder Studios, a new multipurpose creative space owned by local videographer Justin Frick. The venue formerly housed Community-Minded Television and has hosted previous dance battles and jams put on by Sol Tribe Crew.
“Jams are probably the most important
events to us,” Khay says. “They bring us together and really give us that fire. I think this battle is going to be a spark for others to really keep that fire going. I just turned 30, so I think it’s really important to bring the younger gen in and inspire them through these events.”
“Jams have helped me have this competitiveness,” Brian adds. “A want and a need to strive for more. Jams will also bring you the best friends you never thought you would have.”
Recently, breakdancing, or breaking, had a moment in the spotlight during the 2024 Paris Olympic Games after breakdancer Rachael Gunn, who goes by Raygun, pulled out some not-so-serious moves and received major backlash online.
Sol Tribe Crew promises there will be no “sprinkler” moves, just downright good dancing and a ton of fun.
At the event there will also be photos by Electric Photoland, food from Taco Vado, a mobile record store by Born to Run Records, and a merch booth run by A.J. Clothing.
Heart & Sole is an open-style battle, which means that each dancer can perform their preferred style to music provided by DJ Arsene. Then, three judges determine who moves on in the bracket-style competition.
“It keeps it interesting,” Khay says. “Even as a breaker, you might get music that fits more of a vogueing dance style. Very femme, right? You just have to dance to it and do your best. You never know what you’re gonna get.”
The battle also features guests from far and wide, like JayKidd from Wenatchee and Seattle dancers Daniel, Soju and Kidd Piccolo.
Even if you’re not a dancer but are interested in watching these dancers’ passion, Sol Tribe Crew welcomes all to Heart & Sole.
“Dance is for all,” Khay says. “I want everyone to feel welcomed and safe enough to express themselves, because they might not be able to do that anywhere else. That’s what this jam is for, expressing yourself however you want to.” n
Heart & Sole 1-vs.-1 Open Styles Battle • Sat, Feb. 15 at 5 pm • $15-$20 • All ages • The Placeholder Studios • 104 W. Third Ave. • instagram.com/sol.tribe.crew
Right: Brian Zellner, center, shows off his breaking skills. Above: Kayliana Reeves busts a move. SEAN ALEXANDER PHOTOS
SCI-FI AT SEA
Space may be the place, but some of the best sci-fi series happen underwater
BY BILL FROST
Sci-fi is usually associated with the vast unknown of outer space, but the vast unknown of Earth’s oceans is far more compelling: 95% of it remains unexplored! Who knows what’s down there? Many a movie has been made about the mysterious dangers of the sea, and that’s not even counting the roughly 6,000 sharkrelated flicks produced by the Syfy channel in the 2010s. TV series, on the other hand, is a smaller school of fish — here are a few oceanic sci-fi shows to dip into.
THE RIG (2023-2025, PRIME)
When a North Sea oil rig off the Scottish coast becomes enshrouded in a thick, impenetrable fog, the crew — including Iain Glen (Game of Thrones), Martin Compston (Line of Duty) and Emily Hampshire (Schitt’s Creek) — soon realizes this is no naturally occurring haze. They then discover that their drilling has released an ancient parasite from the ocean floor, and it’s not happy about it. The Rig’s claustrophobic suspense morphs into full-blown terror over its two taut seasons.
THE TRIANGLE (2005, PEACOCK)
Three-part miniseries The Triangle originated from the serious era of Syfy, back when it was still Sci-Fi Channel and mostly shark-free. A shipping company hires a team of experts to investigate the Bermuda Triangle, and not just because it keeps swallowing up its vessels. The experts, a journalist (Eric Stoltz), a meteorologist (Michael E. Rodgers), an oceanographer (Catherine Bell) and a psychic (Bruce Davison), uncover a military conspiracy that makes for some satisfyingly deep-nerd sci-fi.
THE SWARM (2023, CW)
The Swarm, a staggeringly expensive co-production between Germany, Belgium, Italy and Sweden, aired with little fanfare on The CW in the U.S. — ecological disaster doesn’t play like it used to in ’Merica. The “swarm” here is a riled-up army of sea creatures, including orcas, that are attacking fishing boats and tourist cruises. Are they out for revenge against humans? That’s clear, but The Swarm seems to be holding its other soggy cards for a second season that may never come.
SEAQUEST DSV
(1993-1996; PEACOCK)
In 1993, Seaquest DSV predicted that all of the planet’s resources besides those on the ocean floor would be depleted by 2018, the “near future” setting of the show. Like an underwater Star Trek, the Seaquest DSV (deep-
submergence vehicle) and Captain Nathan Bridger (Roy Schneider cashing in his Jaws cred) work to keep the peace between undersea and topside nations. The series veered wildly from Spielbergian schmaltz to stilted sci-fi, but it’s still a fun ’90s throwback.
SURFACE (2005-2006; PRIME)
It was a weighty sci-fi series that NBC chose to market with a cute CGI sea monster and star Lake Bell in a bikini — it’s a wonder that Surface lasted 15 episodes. The series follows a marine biologist (Bell), a teen (Carter Jenkins) and a fisherman (Jay R. Ferguson) as they each encounter mysterious sea creatures that may be the products of governmental genetic engineering (X-Files alert). Puerto Rico is (presciently?) annihilated in the finale, as is much of the East Coast.
THE LAST SHIP (2014-2018; MAX)
Years before he played a menacing psycho on Euphoria, Eric Dane starred as a good-guy naval captain in the sprawling sci-fi series The Last Ship. The title refers to the USS Nathan James, a destroyer at sea whose crew of 218 has been spared from a viral pandemic that’s killed 80% of the world’s population — ouch, more prescience. An onboard paleomicrobiology doctor — you know, like every warship has — races to find a cure as The Last Ship sails into action-thriller territory.
SEALAB 2021 (2000-2005; ADULT SWIM, MAX)
One of Adult Swim’s first shows, Sealab 2021 began as a joke, editing footage from Hanna-Barbera’s craptastic ’70s cartoon Sealab 2020 into satirical nonsense. Like Space Ghost: Coast to Coast before it, the trick worked perfectly for late-night stoners. The crew of the undersea research facility Sealab are all uniquely incompetent, the 52 short episodes are largely devoid of plot, and the overall tone is textbook “problematic” in 2025. Blaze up and enjoy.
STINGRAY (1964-1965; PRIME, TUBI)
APF Films was responsible for several creepy AF puppet shows in the 1960s, including Thunderbirds, Supercar and the undersea adventure Stingray. The wet and weird sci-fi series chronicles the 2064 adventures of the World Aquanaut Security Patrol (WASP, of course) as they police the oceans and occasionally tangle with the human-loathing Aquaphibians. Stingray was the first British TV series to be made in color (or colour), adding an extra sheen of “ick” to the proceedings. n
THE BUZZ BIN
RED ROOM REVIVAL
After a massive outpouring of community support in the wake of owner Craig Larsen’s death, the remaining folks behind Red Room Lounge have decided to reopen for at least a few months. One of the hubs for the downtown music scene, the (now temporary) closure of Red Room left many in the music scene feeling adrift as the spot catered to such a wide variety of tastes. While there’s no guarantee that the venue is back for the long run, it’s a welcome reprieve for many still dealing with the grief. Reminder: If you want cultural spaces like Red Room to keep existing, folks need to get out and actually attend the shows. (SETH SOMMEFELD)
BANKING ON CREATIVES
On Sun, Feb. 9, Spokane Arts announced a partnership with Media Credit Union, allowing members of the Spokane art community to gain membership with the institution. Spokane Arts Executive Director Skyler Oberst (above) says that volunteers and artists on the nonprofit’s roster now have access to financial services provided by Media Credit Union. This furthers Spokane Arts’ mission of giving Spokane’s creatives the resources they need to build sustainable careers and ensuring full-time artists can retire comfortably in Spokane. “As a longstanding member of the film and theater community, I understand and relate to the strengths, resilience, and invaluable contributions of those in our creative economy,” Media Credit Union CEO Sarah Dahmen said in a press release. “Artists and storytellers shape culture, challenge perspectives, and ignite meaningful conversations. By welcoming Spokane Arts into our membership, more creatives have equitable access to the financial tools and education they need to thrive.” (MADISON PEARSON)
THIS WEEK’S PLAYLIST
Noteworthy new music arriving in stores and online on Feb. 14.
HORSEGIRL, PHONETICS ON AND ON
Under the guidance of producer Cate Le Bon, the young Chicago trio step out from shoegaze and get more jangly and odd on their sophomore album.
BARTEES STRANGE, HORROR
The indie rocker-turned-full-ongenre-blurring singer-songwriter expands his sound even further with production contributions from Jack Antonoff and more.
THE LUMINEERS, AUTOMATIC
Stomp-clap-hey folk pop will (unfortunately) never die.
(SETH SOMMERFELD)
The Rig
140 years of expanding access to local care
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AN OLD
BULLDOG NEW TRICKS TEACHING
After starring at Gonzaga, Robert Sacre continues his winning ways as North Central ’s head boy’s basketball coach
STORY BY SETH SOMMERFELD
Photos by Young Kwak
When sports fans look back on the most memorable players to suit up for their favorite teams, the athletes in question often fall into one of two categories: the stars and the characters.
The stars are top-tier talents who create spectacular highlights, fill up stat sheets and guide their teams to huge wins. But the trade-off is that these hyper-focused performers aren’t always beacons of charisma.
That’s where the characters come in.
These players are the ones with amusing quirks or a personality that practically jumps off the screen. That can manifest via overkill intensity, odd mechanics, cartoonish facial reactions, atypical body types, the feeling that the athlete would actually be fun to hang out with or any number of other factors.
For Gonzaga basketball fans, Robert Sacre was the rare ultramemorable player who managed to be a star and a top-tier character. And the fan favorite is still involved in the Spokane basketball scene — now as the head coach for the North Central High boys basketball team.
...continued on next page
Robert Sacre’s new hoops home is North Central High School.
Anative of Baton Rouge, Louisiana who grew up playing high school hoops in Vancouver, B.C., Sacre was a towering presence whenever the ball was tipped. An old school bruising center and two-time All-WCC player in his five seasons in Spokane (20072012), the 7-foot-tall Sacre was highly adept at scoring in the post and getting to the free throw line, and his star shined even brighter on the defensive end of the floor. The 2012 WCC Defensive Player of the Year ranks second in program history in blocks and top 10 in rebounds, while also arguably being one of the best college centers ever at defending perimeter players.
But when fans think back on Sacre’s career, his personality usually gets brought up before any specific games or plays. In terms of character archetypes, he seemed almost like a jolly giant out on the court. He could certainly lock in and get serious, but compared to many other elite Zags, it was evident that he was a kind of goofy guy — he let his toughness show via his play, so he was more than comfortable not trying to hide the fun he was having on the court by flashing his big smile.
When his time at Gonzaga came to a close, Sacre
was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers, playing four seasons, primarily as a reserve, alongside Kobe Bryant. After his NBA career, Sacre played professionally for three years in Japan for Sun Rockers Shibuya.
But even as basketball was taking the former Team Canada player around the globe, he still felt Spokane’s welcoming pull. So it was no surprise that when his playing days ended, he decided to settle down in the Lilac City.
“What brought me back to Spokane was just the family-orientated city. It’s just such a great place to raise kids,” says Sacre, who lives with his fiancee and four children (with a fifth on the way). “And then during my time playing professional, I’d always had a house here, and I always had access to a gym — whether it was Gonzaga, Warehouse, somewhere. So I was able to work. And I just fell in love with the city while I was playing at GU. So it was a no-brainer to move back here.”
Post-playing days, Sacre owns a local excavation company (Sacre Excavation) and a beef-producing ranch (Sacre Ranch), started the Gonzaga basketball podcast Sac & Jack (which is currently on the back
burner) and often pops up in local commercials, including some amusing current spots for Fred’s Appliance.
And while his days as a dominating center might be behind him, Sacre’s found his way back to Spokane’s hardwood courts to create new hoops memories — this time as a coach.
In 2023, Sacre took over as the head boys basketball coach for the North Central Wolfpack. Considering many coaches tend to be hard-nosed former guards, it might be a surprise for Zags fans to see the gregarious big man roaming the sideline. And they’re not alone. Jump-starting a coaching career wasn’t exactly in Sacre’s plans, either, when the folks at Spokane Public Schools first approached him about taking over the program.
“I said no initially. I first and foremost said, ‘No, I don’t have the time,’” Sacre recalls. “And they sat me down and talked with me. And there was a special group of guys that I was able to coach last season, and I just wanted to be a part of that program and be a part of that great group of guys. And it was fun. It was a great opportunity.”
“AN OLD BULLDOG TEACHING NEW TRICKS,” CONTINUED...
While coaching wasn’t a gig Sacre needed to pick up, he views it as a way to keep contributing to a sport that has afforded him so many opportunities.
“[It’s about] giving back, man,” he says. “Someone gave up time and effort and energy to give me an opportunity, so I want to kind of give back and help out and teach the game how it’s supposed to be taught.”
If anyone questioned his aptitude for coaching, the Wolfpack’s play on the court soon dispelled any worries. North Central won the district title in Sacre’s first year at the helm, finishing with an impressive 19-7 record.
“AN OLD BULLDOG TEACHING NEW TRICKS,”
CONTINUED...
Not content to be a one-year wonder, Sacre and the Wolfpack finished the 2024-25 regular season with a 15-6 record and a berth in the district tournament (which tipped off Tuesday with North Central playing Gonzaga Prep) despite having a younger, less experienced roster this year.
“The biggest thing was being able to help these guys learn how to win,” Sacre says. “They had a losing record the year before I got here, and to teach these young men the process of how to win. It’s not always easy. We’re not playing games to not lose the games. If you’ve been in a losing program, you’re walking on eggshells — ‘I don’t want to lose this.’ No, no, we’re winning this. That’s how this is going to be.”
Acouple things are instantly noticeable when observing Sacre patrolling the sideline during Wolfpack games. The obvious one is that he still towers over everyone else in the building as he’s chomping on gum and barking out instructions for his players. The more surprising one considering he’s a guy known both for his fiery play and goofy demeanor is the calm aura Sacre brings to his team.
When North Central squared off against then-undefeated West Valley at the end of January, things didn’t exactly go as planned for the Wolfpack, who fell down early and were never able to climb all the way back. But the team also never let things become a blowout and made multiple runs to try to make it a game. In the huddles, there wasn’t a sense of anger — mistakes were pointed out, but always in a positive way to try to get the kids past any mental roadblocks.
“[Coach] is always telling us, ‘No peaks, no valleys,’” senior
...continued on next page
Sacre’s competitive fire still shows.
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STIX Diabetes Programs is a unique non-profit organization that offers support to children with diabetes & their family members throughout the year. We are best known for our summer camp, Camp STIX, which has been serving local youth for over two decades and is made possible by over 200 volunteers each year.
PARADE OF LIGHTS kicks off the carnival with the annual parade through downtown @ 5:30 p.m. All day enjoy a host of Valentine's Day happenings and specials from downtown businesses.
POST-PARADE PARTIES Just following the parade, the Pend d'Oreille Winery hosts music, hot cocoa, and live performances outside on Third Avenue. Also, Connie's Cafe & Lounge has live music and community fun inside SLEIGH RIDE, DINNER & CONCERT. It's an annual Valentine's Day happening at Western Pleasure Guest Ranch. Horse-drawn sleigh ride, fine dining and Maria Larson in concert Reserve in advance!
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14 SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 15
PRESIDENTS’ DAY WEEKEND AT SCHWEITZER. Mountain activities all day, with snow bar, scavenger hunt, tubing, twilight skiing, live music and more.
EICHARDT’S K9 KEG PULL. Capstone carnival event, as owners race their canines down a snowy course pulling appropriately sized kegs – for a St. Bernard, it’s a full-size keg, but for a chihuahua it’s a beer can. Heart-warming fun for the Winter Carnival finale! LIVE MUSIC WITH PAPER FLOWERS @ THE HIVE. Multi-media concert and show reprising legendary Fleetwood Mac’s heyday, 7-11 p.m. at The Hive downtown 'CONFUSIUM' COMEDY MAGIC SHOW. Laughs and amazement from International Champion of Magic David DaVinci with a host of others, 7 p.m. at the Panida Theater. DINNER AND AUCTION Bene tting
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 16 SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 22
PRESIDENTS’ DAY WEEKEND AT SCHWEITZER. Carnival action moves onto the mountain with skiing, riding, food and drink samples, live music and more, capped by the Let it Glow night parade and fireworks at 6 p.m
EVENTS AT SCHWEITZER. Ski and ride, including twilight hours. Highlight for snowboarders: Free Never Summer Snowboard Demo
SPOKANE IS DEAD. Acclaimed Grateful Dead tribute band plays classics by Jerry Garcia and pals. 7:30 pm at the Panida Theater
TOASTYFEST @ MATCHWOOD. New carnival event at Matchwood Brewing includes a run/walk, mobile saunas and disc spinning by DJ Lady Oda. 10 am - 3 pm
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 23
“AN
OLD BULLDOG TEACHING NEW TRICKS,”
CONTINUED...
forward Jace Wasson-Yellowjohn says. “Trying to stay consistent. Keep a sense of clarity.”
Sacre’s NBA credentials give him a hard-to-match level of credibility with his players, and they’ve responded well to his personality.
“He’s loud, energetic, and he knows basketball,” senior center Elijah Wright says. “He really knows the schemes, how to play the right way, and things that need to be done for the team if you want to win.”
His players say that effort is always the primary emphasis for Coach Sacre, which feeds into his general coaching approach.
“Don’t have paralysis by analysis — don’t overthink it,” Sacre says. “I’ve played for coaches who know every single play in the book on their opponent. That’s great and all, but I just want you to play hard. Let’s start with just the basics of just playing hard. If you play hard, I can work with anything else. I’ll mold whatever I got, as long as you give me 100%. And then the Xs and Os can come [after that]. My philosophy is I don’t care what other teams do. I don’t think about them. What are we doing to make ourselves better?”
But Sacre also doesn’t feel the need to put on some facade of being a stereotypically stern coach.
“He’s more fun to have as a coach than most other coaches,” Wright says. “If it’s necessary, he’ll get serious. He’ll tell you what you need to do, tell you how to fix the problem or play, or tell you how to play right. But if we’re in practice, and we’re having a fun time in a drill, he’ll feed off of that and start having fun.”
Coach Sacre will even get some shots up in practice if the situation calls for it.
“The hardest part as a coach is that I can’t be out there to do it myself,” Sacre says with a laugh. “There’s some frustrating moments where it’s like, ‘Guys just do this. It’s that simple!’ But that’s educating them on how to play the right way. And I have to relearn the game so I can break it down to a group of young men. You have to understand, ‘No, you just don’t put the ball in the hoop. There’s ways to put the ball in the hoop.”
“He’ll lace up at practice sometimes, and he’ll just be giving us buckets.” Wasson-Yellowjohn says. “He’ll show us how strong he really is compared to just high school [players].”
“If they start talking crazy, alright, fine. You want to go? Let’s go. Let’s put your money where your mouth is,” Sacre mirthfully says. “I tore my achilles, and I tell them, ‘I’ll still bust your butts. I’ll tear you guys up with a bum leg, I don’t care. Bring it.’ [Laughs]”
The other thing that jumps out when watching Sacre coach is certain mannerisms. To put it bluntly, when certain calls don’t go his way, he instinctively channels the exasperated mannerisms of his former Gonzaga coach, Mark Few.
In addition to reaching out to other players and coaches in his impressive Rolodex for coaching tips (such as calling former guard teammates for their perspective on teaching specifics like what to look for in pick-and-rolls), Sacre has gotten advice from Few and is fully aware that he’s inherited some traits.
“I’ve talked to Coach Few bit. More than anything I find myself turning into the guy. Like what is going on, man?” Sacre says with a laugh. “The -isms. The -isms! [comically exasperated sigh] All those cliches he would say. It would make you mad at the time, but then you look back in five to 10 years, and you’re like ‘Man, Coach was putting on some game!’ I didn’t realize, but at the time you’re young, 18-19 years old, you’re like, ‘I don’t want to hear that.’ It’s the same philosophy of these guys. I just try to take bits and pieces from all [my] coaches — good coaches and bad coaches. What can I do to improve from that coach? What can I do to not be so much like that coach?”
While Sacre tries to not keep things too serious, he knows even being a players’ coach means being a bit direct and brash at times.
“I tell these guys, being successful — it’s not fun. Doing the right things and doing all those things to be successful? It’s boring and it’s monotonous and it’s grinding.
But those are the things that a lot of people don’t want to do. That’s what pushes you to the next level,” Sacre says. “[Another comically exasperated sigh] You hear all these cliches, but there’s a reason for those cliches. It’s like ‘UGGGGH... I have to say that?!’ But there’s a reason for it.”
While trying to put together a repeat run at the district title is the Wolfpack’s focus at the moment, Sacre’s impact on North Central extends beyond the on-court results. Folks around the school rave about the big personality that was evident to Zags fans during his playing days.
“He’s got a great, really easygoing personality. He’s very genuine, a very kind individual,” says Shelly Radtke, North Central’s athletics and activities director. “Every time he comes into the building, he’s always like, ‘How are you doing? What’s going on?’ And it’s not just to myself, but it’s to our office staff or to any of the secretaries that are present when he has to go work with the business office. He’s so humble. That’s the crazy part about it. Like, he’s played for the Lakers, for the Pelicans, overseas in Japan, and was a star at Gonzaga. He’s a celebrity around North Central, but he doesn’t know that. Everybody else thinks that, but he’s just down to earth and mellow. He’ll talk to anybody.”
When talking with Sacre, it’s clear he doesn’t have any delusions of grandeur about the legacy of his playing days or coaching job. He may be a beloved Zag. He may have played in the NBA. But when it comes down to it, he’s just a guy who likes raising a family in Spokane and trying to help the next generation of hoopers reach their potential on and beyond the court.
“I try to not take myself too seriously, because at the end of the day, in 100 years no one’s going to remember Robert Sacre. So let’s not make it a bigger deal than it needs to be,” Sacre says. “But at the same time, I’m trying to influence these guys to make sure that they’re heading on the right track. And they’re focused on where they want to go. My goal is for them to achieve their goals.” n
Gonzaga coach Mark Few is still helping Sacre on his basketball journey.
PHOTO COURTESY GONZAGA ATHLETICS
In
“It’s
OFF THE
Living in the Spokane/CDA area is like winning the geographic lottery. If you’re an active outdoors person, our area is a great homebase for all four seasons’ worth of activities. We have so many things at our fingertips, including the Canadian border, which offers some incredible winter adventures like snow cat skiing.
For the past several years, I’ve been lucky enough to be included with a group from New York who book a private snow cat each March for a three-day cat skiing adventure to Chatter Creek Lodge north of Golden, British Columbia.
The crew I was able to tag along with included my longtime friend from our days on the US Ski Team, Johnny Witt, his friends plastic surgeon Jeffrey Ridha, Robert Zoella and his wife, Andrea (who when she’s not ripping the moguls at Killington is flying commercial jumbo jets), and my friend Tommy Frey, a dock builder from Hayden.
Trips up to Chatter Creek never get old, as I’m just as excited each and every time as I was my first. The beauty of the Canadian Rockies, epic snow and insane terrain always makes Chatter Creek a favorite. If the scenery doesn’t blow you away, the snow quality and accumulations will!
Chatter Creek is tucked back in the mountains northwest of Golden, and getting there requires a 20-minute heli flight into their base of operations — two massive log lodges and several smaller outbuildings. All of the logs for the buildings were logged from this valley and milled on site because bringing in lumber to this remote area would be too costly.
Our trip was scheduled the first week of March, and upon our arrival it was snowing, as it had been all day. After my crew got settled into our rooms, we made our way into the large dining room where dinner was being served. Throughout the entire meal, the anticipation and excitement was building as each table of skiers listened to their guides’ stories about conditions from earlier in the day. In just the two hours that we’d been there, it had already snowed 5 inches and the temps were in the teens.
After an amazing meal of a perfectly cooked pork tenderloin smothered with a huckleberry demiglace, we capped off the dining experience with a crème brulée. Totally stuffed and happy, my bud...continued on next page
The scenery above Chatter Creek is epic British Columbia. Inset, from top to bottom: Andrea Zoella, Jeffrey Ridha and Robert Zoella.
CANADA
“OFF
THE BEATEN PATH,” CONTINUED...
dies and I slid downstairs to the lounge for a nightcap or two.
The Chatter Creek Lounge was buzzing with many of the other guests amped for what was looking to be an epic first day. Photos and videos on the bar’s bigscreen from the previous day’s adventures kept the vibe alive, while the pool table and shotz ski were in high demand. Being this wasn’t my first rodeo at Chatter Creek, I knew best not to come out of the gate too hard on the first night in the lodge bar; by 10 pm I threw in the towel. On my way to my room, I took a quick look outside: It had snowed almost a foot.
About 2:30 am, the sound of the wind woke me. I looked out the window, and the snowstorm had picked up significantly through the night. The four snowcats parked outside our window were pretty much completely covered.
By daybreak, the snowstorm had let up, leaving us with 23 inches of fresh. At breakfast, our guide Matt spoke about many of the hazards that much snow with wind can bring. Beyond avalanche danger and tree wells, he mentioned how that much snow, that quickly, along with wind can be tricky and limiting of where we can and cannot ski. Typically when the avy hazards increase and there’s wind loaded snow, you stay in the trees on lower-angle slopes to give the snowpack some time to bond and settle.
After breakfast, each of the four different cat skiing groups split up, and our guides put us through the mandatory avalanche and transceiver training before we ventured out. After our training we loaded up into our snowcat and headed up the mountain where we planned to spend the day tree skiing low-angle runs until stability increased.
Sometimes that much snow is too much snow, especially on low-angle slopes. The challenge is that it’s extremely hard to get up enough speed to keep moving. Matt would set a track, and then one by one the next person would go, following in the guide’s track until you had enough speed/momentum to venture out of the tracks to make a few turns in the bottomless powder. Weighing in at 215 pounds, I was struggling as I would go right to the bottom and lose just about all my speed. Once you made it down to the guide, the next person would go as you don’t want to load the slope with too many people skiing at one time.
Thankfully by noon the air temps were warming up a bit, and the snow in the trees was settling out. The rest of the day was much more enjoyable as our skis weren’t diving in so deep. Everybody in my group was pretty smoked after a hard but fun day, making those cold beers back at the cat that much more rewarding. That 15-minute ride back to the lodge went fast.
Day 2 weather and conditions… PERFECT!
Avy hazards dropped somewhat, and the snow had settled, so we were going to venture into some more open and slightly steeper terrain.
The sun was out, and our crew was fully recharged. The three other cats went their separate ways, as Matt directs ours up one of Chatters’ dozens of cat roads to one of their more legendary runs, the Enchanted Forest, which takes you through an old forest fire burn.
What makes this run so special is that it’s wide open with only burnt trees that have no branches. The ...continued on next page
The gang prepares for a big day outside the Chatter Creek Lodge after an overnight dump of two feet.
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snow is always consistent, because there’s no tree branches that drop their snow when the air warms up. (As loaded branches get heavier, they bend, dumping the snow onto the slope creating “Tree Bombs” that are hard spots or bumps where it freezes.)
perfectly spaced gladed trees where your every turn you’d sink down and be submerged into the White Room, and then, like a ground hog you’d pop your head out navigating your next few turns through the trees.
Another one of my favorite runs was down the well-known Chatter Creek Pillow Lines, which is a huge
happen before you aren’t physically able to go. If you’re a skier or snowboarder, this is a bucket list item. Because of its popularity, you’ll possibly need to plan a year or two ahead; they’re usually booked out. A great thing to do is get on their wait list as guests periodically cancel because of one thing or another. This is usually last minute, so
Don’t wait another year. Life is short, make yourself
Bob Legasa has been a Snowlander contributor since 1994. He’s also a Hayden-based independent videographer, TV producer and snowsports event promoter with his Freeride Media company.
EVEN MORE CAT SKIING
Learn more about Chatter Creek outside of Golden, B.C., at chattercreek.ca. And there are numerous other cat skiing operations that you can check out, such as Monashee Powder Snowcats, Keefer Lake Lodge, Valhalla Powdercats, Baldface and Big Red Cats just to name a few in British Columbia. Here in the States, we have Great Northern Powder Guides just north of Whitefish, Montana, and locally we have Schweitzer Backcountry Adventures, which operates on over 4,300 acres just outside Schweitzer’s ski area boundary.
The Enchanted Forest takes you through an old forest fire burn.
Don’t miss the oceanside hot springs.
“ABOVE THE LAND OF FIRE AND ICE,” CONTINUED...
I’ve even strolled down a black sand beach studded with incredibly beautiful chunks of ice and found one that looked like a giant diamond ring, which in a case of tremendous foreshadowing I only half-jokingly put on the finger of the woman who would later become my wife.
However, when I skied with a photographer in northern British Columbia who told me her boyfriend was a heli-ski guide in Iceland, I had to rethink all that I thought I knew about this fabulous land of fire and ice. Before that moment, I somehow had no idea they even skied in Iceland. It just goes to show, the more you think you know, the less you actually know.
EVEN FOOD & WINE LOVES IT
After a season of research and more than a few conversations with folks in the know, my now wife, Kim, a couple of our good friends and I loaded ourselves onto a plane and headed off to what would be the adventure of a lifetime — helicopter skiing at 66 degrees north.
Every trip to Iceland should start with a day or two in Reykjavik, and so ours did. Food & Wine magazine recently ran a feature story on how great the Icelandic capital’s dining scene is, and I couldn’t agree more — on every trip here we have found delicious food. Fortunately for us, our most excellent and modern hotel right in the heart of the city, Ion City Hotel, was next door to one of Food & Wine’s top eight picks, Sumac.
Dinner at Sumac was a lively experience featuring topnotch mediterranean flavors and a bustling dining room filled with folks seemingly having just as great a time as we were. With only two nights in town, we also had to visit one of our favorites, Snaps. The French-inspired bistro that never disappoints, with such delicacies as escargot and boeuf bourguignon served in an atmosphere that almost makes you think your plane landed in Europe.
Despite being very compact and walkable, Reykjavik has a very big city feel. When you visit, which you most definitely should, be sure to allow time to stroll the streets and stop into ...continued on next page
any of several fabulous cafes, bookstores and pubs. But don’t miss the waterfront and amazing architecture of the Harpa Concert Hall as well as the art installations nearby. Of course, before we could head north to ski we had to stop by the famous Hallgrimskirkja church and then grab one of the best hot dogs known to humankind at Baejarins Beztu Pylsur.
TAKE A DIP IN THE SEA
The current homebase of our heli destination, Viking Heli, is just a few minutes outside the northernmost town in Iceland, Siglufjrour, and for our arrival journey we chose to drive. Another popular option for arriving to Viking is to fly out of Reykjavik domestic airport into the city of Akureyri, where Viking staff will pick you up for the remaining hour or so drive north.
We broke our drive up north by spending one night at the Brimslod Guesthouse right on the oceanfront in the village of Blonduos, and what a wonderful stop it was. The rooms feature a modern farmhouse feel and are very comfortable. The location allowed us to stretch our legs with a stroll along the ocean before digging into a fabulous dinner featuring a delicious arctic char
topped with a creamy celery root sauce finished off with a world-class chocolate souffle topped with fresh berries and cream.
There are possibly more hot springs than humans in Iceland, so having a favorite is nearly impossible, but another highly recommended stop along the way is at the Hvammsvik hot springs. The oceanfront location and natural landscape is breathtaking, but the highlight is the rock thermal pool jutting right out into the ocean. This special set up allows braver guests to climb right out of the thermal pool and take a brisk ocean plunge. If you’ve made it this far, you must give it a try.
Upon finally arriving in the incredibly picturesque town of Siglufjorour, we checked into our hotel for the next few days, the Siglo Hotel, where we were greeted immediately by Viking staff and updated as to the plan for skiing, eating and everything in between. The hotel, which is known as one of the finest in Iceland, features a waterfront hot tub and an amazing restaurant where we dined on Icelandic specialties each night of our stay. The town itself is a photo backdrop in the making. With deep roots in herring fishing, one mustsee attraction between heli time is the award-winning
herring museum. There are also art galleries, a bakery, shops and even a local micro-brewery to make strolling the quaint streets a true pleasure.
NEVER-QUITE-SETTING SUN
Our first scheduled day of skiing started out a little slow as weather issues prevented us from getting right out into the mountains, but the Viking staff were overwhelmingly accommodating and offered guided ski touring to anyone who was interested while taking the rest of the patiently waiting skiers out to lunch at a local restaurant. Finally, just when we thought the day might be a bust, we received word that we were good to go right around 5:30 pm. By 6 pm we were at the heli barn, and by 6:30 the first group of skiers was in the air.
One of the amazing aspects of skiing this far north in the spring is that it’s light pretty much all day so the regularly expected hours of skiing simply don’t apply. When our group finally made it out into the mountains, what followed was one of the most incredibly beautiful evenings of skiing any of us had ever experienced. We skied run after run of consistently carvable corn snow from the tops of the mountains right down to the ocean under a blanket of always-setting but never-quite-disappearing golden sunlight. The scenery alone made this day unforgettable, but the skiing was pretty darn great, too. Our guide Marius made the day almost more fun than should be legally allowed.
Our guide Marius made the day almost more fun than should be legally allowed.
After our initial day of basking in the golden glow of a constant sunset while enjoying panoramic views of indescribable beauty, I thought it couldn’t get any better. Once again I discovered I know almost nothing.
Day 2 a storm rolled through and covered the seemingly endless mountainscape in a blissful layer of fresh white powder. Once the weather cleared up enough to fly, we were back in the air and headed off to etch lines in the easel of virgin snow, but with a new guide, a hard-charging and good-time-loving German named Heiko. When Heiko isn’t guiding in Iceland, you might just find him paragliding in the Alps or — get this — heli-guiding in, of all places, Uzbekistan. I guess there’s now another place I must go skiing.
While the main draw to skiing in Iceland is skiing corn snow in the sun, we now found ourselves skiing fantastic boot-top powder run after run. On our best, and longest, day of skiing, all the other groups decided to pull the plug after lunch. That’s when things got really interesting. With no limitations on us, the intensity of the skiing ramped up, and we found ourselves chasing Heiko down steep couloirs I would have never guessed existed in Iceland.
On the last of our fun-filled days skiing with Viking, our legs finally gave up, and we called quits early in the afternoon. But the always friendly and fabulous Viking staff didn’t let the fun end then. Back at the heli barn, they cranked up the bbq and cooked us up an unbelievably delicious lunch while we sipped beers on the deck and passed around the binoculars to take turns checking out the incredible lines we had left on the nearby mountains.
HELI LIKE A VIKING
If you’re even remotely considering heli-skiing in Iceland, I can’t say enough great things about the Viking operation. Every single staff member we encountered from reservations staff to guides and everyone in between were amazing.
Yeah, it’s a rugged, beautiful place to ski.
Also, the skiing, food and scenery simply can’t be beat. Lastly, coming for the 2025 season, they are opening a new lodge, called Hofoi, just a short drive from Akureyri. This new facility will provide amenities such as a rooftop bar, restaurant, gym, spa, indoor golf and horse stables, as well as an array of activities such as hunting, fishing, kayaking and horseback riding. I guess just when you think this experience can’t get any better, Viking says, “Hold my beer and watch this.”
When our experience of a lifetime was over and we were back in Reykjavik on our way home, Kim asked me if I would ever want to visit Viking and ski there again. I couldn’t help but answer quickly, “I don’t think I could possibly forgive myself if I don’t.” As I’ve written before about adventures such as this one, what are you waiting for? n
John Grollmus is a lifetime resident of the Inland Northwest, local restaurateur and backcountry ski guide. He loves all things outdoors, food of every kind and, more than almost anything, skiing. John can currently be found living with his wife and favorite human, Kim, near Hope, Idaho, and at johngrollmus.com.
It’s super quaint!
ENJOY 12-HOUR SKI DAYS
SUNRISE STARLIGHT
Mt. Spokane offers night skiing four nights a week. With one ticket, you can ski for 12 hours. All-day tickets include night skiing. A night ticket is available from 3PM to 9PM for six hours at just $39. 9AM–9PM, WEDNESDAY–SATURDAY 9AM–4PM, SUNDAY–TUESDAY
MEGADEMO DAY
It’s never too early to start preparing for next year’s winter sports season. Schweitzer’s annual MegaDemo Day allows local snow sport enthusiasts to do just that by testing out next year’s gear before nearly anyone else. Chat with reps from various brands, pick from over 400 pairs of skis and snowboards, get the gear fit to your bindings, and then head to the slope to try it out on the terrain. After a few runs, head back to the demo area, and do it all over again until you’ve found something to add to your collection. All proceeds go directly to PAFE (the Panhandle Alliance for Education) to further its mission of funding education in the Lake Pend Oreille School District.
—
MADISON PEARSON
MegaDemo Day • Sat, March 1 from 7:30 am-3 pm • $60$140 • Schweitzer Mountain Resort • 10,000 Schweitzer Mountain Road, Sandpoint • schweitzer.com
MT. SPO SKIMO
Breaking into the world of competitive snow sports can be daunting, but the Mt. Spokane SkiMo race is for everybody. Whether you’re an experienced backcountry skier with decades under your belt or this is your first time joining a race, you’re bound to have a stellar time at this low-stakes event. Begin at Chair 1 Lodge and complete two laps up and down Mt. Spokane for a total elevation gain of just over 3,000 feet. Afterward, warm up with coffee, hot chocolate and cinnamon rolls provided by Old European. Bask in the fresh mountain air and the camaraderie of your friends as you explore the many beautiful areas of Mt. Spokane before the season ends.
— MADISON PEARSON
Mt. Spo Skimo • Sat, March. 1 from 8 am-noon • $65 • Mt. Spokane Ski & Snowboard Park • 29500 N. Mt. Spokane Park Dr., Mead • www.ponderosaracing.com
HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY DISCOUNT
WEEK If you are employed at a restaurant, hotel, or tourist attraction, simply show your current pay stub at the ticketing window any day from Feb. 10-14 to get a lift ticket for only $49. Through Feb. 14. $49. Silver Mountain Resort, 610 Bunker Ave. silvermt.com
CLUB SHRED Kids learn and practice ski skills with instructors and participate in fun activities like snow fort building, movies and more .Every Friday from 5-8 pm through March 14. Advance registration required. Ages 4-10. $49. Mt. Spokane Ski & Snowboard Park, 29500 N. Mt. Spokane Park Dr. mtspokane.com (509-238-2220)
NIGHT RIDERS A nighttime ski/snowboard opportunity for intermediate athletes guided by instructors. Ages 8-17. Advance registration required. Every Friday from 5-8 pm through March 14. $25-$45. Mt. Spokane Ski & Snowboard Park, 29500 N. Mt. Spokane Park Dr. mtspokane.com
VALENTINE’S NIGHT SKIING Spend
Valentine’s Day on the mountain skiing under the lights. Feb. 14, 12-6:30 pm.
APRES SKI DAYS Gather outside the Mountain House for drink specials, games and giveaway prizes served
over a snow bar. Feb. 15-19. Silver Mountain Resort, 610 Bunker Ave. silvermt.com (208-783-1111)
SPOKANE CHIEFS VS. TRI-CITY AMERICANS Regular season games. Promotional schedule includes Chiefs Fight Cancer Night (Feb. 15), 40th Season Celebration (Feb. 21) and Miller Lite St. Paddy’s Day Jersey Sweepstakes (March 15). Feb. 15, 6:05 pm, Feb. 21, 7:05 pm and March 15, 6:05 pm. $12$40. Spokane Arena, 720 W. Mallon Ave. spokanechiefs.com (279-7000)
LET IT GLOW KIDS PARADE & FIREWORKS A parade for kids and a fireworks show plus twilight skiing, live music and beer specials. Feb. 16. Free. Schweitzer, 10,000 Schweitzer Mountain Rd. schweitzer.com
NEVER SUMMER SNOWBOARD DEMO DAYS Try out the latest snowboard models provided by Never Summer. Feb. 20-22 and March 26-28, 9 am-3 pm. Schweitzer, 10,000 Schweitzer Mountain Rd. schweitzer.com
CROSS COUNTRY SKI LESSON Learn to cross-country ski and tour the trails of Mt. Spokane. Learn the basics from Spokane Nordic Ski Association P.S.I.A certified instructors. Equipment and lunch provided. Meet at the Mt. Spokane Selkirk Nordic Area. Feb. 22, 10 am-noon. $77. Mt. Spokane Ski &
Snowboard Park, 29500 N. Mt. Spokane Park Dr. spokanerec.org
CROSS COUNTRY SKI LESSON Learn to cross-country ski and tour the trails of 49 Degrees North Nordic Area. Learn the basics from professional ski instructors. Equipment and lunch provided. Feb. 23, 10 am-2 pm. $75. 49 Degrees North, 3311 Flowery Trail Rd. spokanerec.org (509-935-6649)
GIRLS GONE METAL An all-women event featuring a community jam session in Half Hitch. After, gather at NoLi Bar for festivities and raffle prizes. Feb. 23, 10 am-2 pm. $50. Mt. Spokane Ski & Snowboard Park, 29500 N. Mt. Spokane Park Dr. mtspokane.com
GIRLS ON SHRED Intermediate and advanced skiers and snowboarders are invited to ride with a supportive group of individuals. Feb. 23 and March 30. Lookout Pass Ski & Recreation Area, I-90 Exit 0. skilookout.com
HEALTHCARE WORKERS DISCOUNT
WEEK Simply show your current pay stub or employee ID with photo at the ticketing window any day from Feb. 24-28 to get a lift ticket for only $49. Feb. 24-28. $49. Silver Mountain Resort, 610 Bunker Ave. silvermt.com
DJS AND DEMOS This outdoor party featuring live DJ sets, drinks from Grand Teton Brewing and free demo
boards to test out from Lib Tech and Gnu plus bindings from Bent Metal. March 1. Silver Mountain Resort, 610 Bunker Ave. silvermt.com
DOUG E FRESH BANKED SLALOM Race
your snowboard through a banked slalom course in Silver Mountain’s terrain park. This 10th annual fundraiser benefits the Doug Johnson Memorial Fund. March 1, 7 am. Silver Mountain Resort, 610 Bunker Ave. silvermt.com
MEGADEMO DAY Over 20 brands will bring over 400 total pairs of 20242025 skis and snowboards so you can try before anyone else in the market. All proceeds benefit the Panhandle Alliance for Education. March 1, 7:30 am-3 pm. Schweitzer, 10,000 Schweitzer Mountain Rd. schweitzer.com
MT. SPO SKIMO Complete two laps up and down Mt. Spokane totaling 3,000ft of elevation gain at Mt. Spokane’s first ski touring and splitboarding race. March 1, 8 am-noon. $45. Mt. Spokane Ski & Snowboard Park, 29500 N. Mt. Spokane Park Dr. ponderosaracing.com (509-238-2220)
RANGER-GUIDED SNOWSHOE WALK
Join Interpretive Ranger Kara Frashefski for a 2.6 mile snowshoe walk as she discusses the park’s history. Ages 10+. Sno-park pass required March 1, 10 amnoon. Free. Mt. Spokane State Park,
26107 N. Mt. Spokane Park Dr. parks. wa.gov (509-505-7721)
SHEIMO CUP Test your speed and accuracy in this timed race benefitting the F.A.S.T. Racing Program. Categories include ski, snowboard and telemark. March 1, 8:30 am-1:30 pm. $30$35. 49 Degrees North, 3311 Flowery Trail Rd. ski49n.com (509-935-6649)
SKI BUM PROM NIGHT SKI Ski under the lights and dance the night away on top of Silver Mountain with music by Jamshack in Moguls and drink specials. Wear retro ski attire and enter raffles. March 1, 3-8 pm. $30. Silver Mountain Resort, 610 Bunker Ave. silvermt.com
SPOKANE CHIEFS VS. SEATTLE THUNDERBIRDS Regular season games. Promotional schedule includes Numerica Hockey Skate Bank Giveaway (March 1) and Coeur d’Alene Casino Regular Season Finale and Family Feast Night (March 21). March 1, 6:05 pm and March 21, 7:05 pm. $12-$40. Spokane Arena, 720 W. Mallon Ave. spokanechiefs.com
HOMESCHOOL SKI & SNOWBOARD
PROGRAM A five-week program focused on getting children outside and exploring the mountain. Mon.. through March 31. 49 Degrees North, 3311 Flowery Trail Rd. ski49n.com
GONE TO THE DOGS & SKIJOR DAY Dogs are allowed on the lower trail
system all day when accompanied by their human with a pass. March 7. 49 Degrees North, 3311 Flowery Trail Rd. ski49n.com (509-935-6649)
LADIES’ DAY CLINIC A ladies-only clinic led by mountain instructors. The day-long event also features a morning stretch, coffee, lunch and a social hour. Ages 18+. March 7, 8:30 am-3 pm. $149. Mt. Spokane Ski & Snowboard Park, 29500 N. Mt. Spokane Park Dr. mtspokane.com (509-238-2220)
IFSA JUNIOR REGIONAL 2 LAKESIDE
CHUTE-OUT Freeskiers and riders take on Schweitzer’s steep and challenging terrain as they compete for a spot on the podium in the annual Lakeside Chute-Out. March 8-9. Schweitzer, 10,000 Schweitzer Mountain Rd. schweitzer.com
CHEWELAH PEAK CHALLENGE: FAT TIRE BIKE RACE A race and demo day with fate tire bikes. The race is 7 km on a lower trail system with ingle track downhill sections. March 9, 11 am. $20. 49 Degrees North, 3311 Flowery Trail Rd. ski49n.com (509-935-6649)
NORDIC CLINIC Develop and refine your skate and/or classic ski techniques with instructor Tim Ray. March 10, 9:30 am & 12:30 pm. $55-$90. 49 Degrees North, 3311 Flowery Trail Rd. ski49n.com (509-935-6649)
TOYOTA FREE SKI FRIDAY The driver of any Toyota, Scion or Lexus is eligible for the free lift ticket. All other passengers in the car will need a lift ticket to access the mountain. March 14. Free. Silver Mountain Resort, 610 Bunker Ave. silvermt.com (208-783-1111)
TELEBRATION WEEKEND Explore telemark skiing with certified instructors hosting group sessions all weekend, March 15-16, 10 am-1 pm. 49 Degrees North, 3311 Flowery Trail Rd. ski49n. com (509-935-6649)
SLUSH CUP & POND SKIM This funfilled ay features a pond skim, snow golf, a costume contest, silent auctions, a poker run, live music and more. March 22, 9 am. 49 Degrees North, 3311 Flowery Trail Rd. ski49n.com
SCHWEITZER COMMUNITY DAY A discounted day of skiing with $20 lift tickets. All proceeds benefit Community Cancer Services. March 28. $20. Schweitzer, 10,000 Schweitzer Mountain Rd. schweitzer.com (208-263-9555)
SNOW GHOST BANKED SLALOM A traditional hand-dug banked slalom competition in partnership with 7B and Schweitzer. All proceeds will go directly back into the Bonner County Skatepark Association expansion plans. March 29-30. Schweitzer, 10,000 Schweitzer Mountain Rd. schweitzer.com n
The Need for Noodles
Hot Pot Ramen House brings a trendy Korean convenience store experience to Rathdrum
BY DORA SCOTT
From a dorm room snack to lunch on the go, instant ramen has been satisfying stomachs and saving wallets across the U.S. since Top Ramen hit the market in the 1970s. Nothing, however, compares to the instant noodle empires of countries like South Korea and Japan.
As an undergraduate student in Korea, convenience stores were my go-to choice for a quick, cheap meal. Most of Korea’s 55,000+ convenience stores have a whole wall dedicated to instant ramen. From the viral “nuclear” spicy noodles to the more common Shin Ramyun, there’s any flavor your tastebuds desire.
No need to wait to cook your instant ramen at home, or even settle for a cup noodle version. Korean convenience stores also have a few instant ramen cookers so customers can perfectly prepare their noodles and throw some fresh ingredients into the mix like eggs and cheese.
Now, diners who’ve yearned to try this unique fast food experience can make their own zhuzhed-up instant ramen at Hot Pot Ramen House in Rathdrum, Idaho, which opened at the start of the new year.
You may have seen the concept on social media. Firstperson TikToks of people creating their own instant ramen variations in Korean convenience stores have blown up Americans’ algorithms. One of these videos landed on Lisa Maxwell’s screen while scrolling in the bath. She was sucked into the K-food rabbit hole, and when she came
out on the other side, she had a business idea in mind.
Maxwell and her husband, Jimmy, run a Rathdrumbased food truck called Rodeo Dogs, which roves across North Idaho and the Spokane area. But the couple thought a restaurant emulating the Korean convenience store ramen experience is just what their small town needed.
“When we started the restaurant, we wanted to bring something unique to Rathdrum, some culture, some diversity,” Maxwell says.
It took just eight weeks from when she had the spark of an idea to when Hot Pot Ramen House celebrated its grand opening on New Year’s Day.
The impressive timeline had only one hiccup: navigating the complicated world of global exports and imports. While some Asian instant ramens brands are easily found in American grocery stores (like Maruchan, Cup Noodles, Top Ramen and Nongshim), the Maxwells had to find Korean and Japanese distributors to directly import more niche ramen and snacks from Asia.
“We’re so unique that Korean distributors — there’s a Korean distributor in Seattle — they have no customers this side of Seattle. We’re the only customers, so they won’t even deliver to us,” Maxwell says. “We have to go every two weeks to Seattle to pick up the product and bring it back.”
Customers heading to Hot Pot Ramen House can explore a wall of more than 65 instant ramen varieties to the left of the entrance. A helpful 2-minute video about the cooking process plays on a large tablet.
First, scour the ramen selection. There are lists of staff favorites, too, if the choice is overwhelming, as well as spice warnings for those who can’t take the heat.
Next, place your dried noodle packet ($7) into a metal bowl if you’re eating in, or a paper bowl if you’re taking it to-go. There are also gluten-free noodles and fresh udon noodles.
Place your bowl on a wooden tray, and stop by the mini fridge to the right of the ramen wall that holds mostly premium toppings. Here, you can add things like spam ($2), sausage ($2), cheese ($0.50-$1), kimchi ($1), rice cakes ($1.50) and tofu ($1.50).
Next, follow the arrows to more fridges holding other premium toppings like eggs ($1), as well as free toppings like green onions, bean sprouts, pickled radish, onions, mushrooms, limes, jalapeños and edamame.
Customers need to check out before cooking their meal, which is also a great opportunity to check out the boba menu, ice cream and coolers full of various drinks.
Finally, take your tray of goodies over to one of five instant ramen cookers. In addition to an informational sheet by each machine, TVs overhead explain and demonstrate the cooking process.
“Even though it’s a do-it-yourself process, we’re still there hand-in-hand guiding people, giving them recommendations,” Maxwell says.
After placing most of the ingredients in your bowl, and depending on the type of noodles, next choose one of the three settings: soup base, stir fry, or udon/thick. Within a five-minute countdown, with attentive stirring and some mouthwatering anticipation, you have yourself a bowl of deluxe instant ramen for usually less than $10. ...continued on page 46
Spice up your instant ramen with fresh toppings. YOUNG KWAK PHOTO
“THE NEED FOR NOODLES,” CONTINUED...
Hot Pot Ramen House also has a punch card reward program, so after buying nine bowls, you’ll get one free.
For more customization options or gluten-free seasonings, the eatery has a large condiment station with sesame seeds, wasabi, red pepper flakes and more.
It wouldn’t be true to an Asian convenience store experience without onigiri ($3.50-$4.25). The triangle-shaped, Japanesestyle rice balls come with three filling options: tuna mayo, Cali roll and veggie/kimchi. Though tasty when eaten cold, Maxwell recommends dipping them into the ramen broth.
Maxwell’s grandmother immigrated to the U.S. from Japan and imparted some of her knowledge of Asian cuisine.
“Because of my Japanese culture, my grandma had made kimchi even though it’s a Korean thing, they kind of all play on each other. So we did kimchi but out of cucumber, so I was very familiar with a lot of it,” she says.
A few times a month, Maxwell makes 80-pound batches of Hot Pot Ramen House’s kimchi (spicy fermented cabbage) by hand, right down to the red pepper paste.
If you love spice but need something to cool down your palate, the restaurant’s boba ($6) is also made fresh daily, with flavors like classic milk tea, taro and Thai tea, with an added cinnamonvanilla twist. It was the Maxwells’ 11-year-old daughter’s idea to include a boba bar; she helps run it once a week.
There’s also a large selection of Korean convenience store “pouch” drinks ($3) that you can add to a cup of ice ($1), and a fridge filled with flavored Korean milks ($3), aloe drinks ($4) and sodas ($4).
So far, the surrounding community has welcomed Hot Pot Ramen House with excitement.
The Maxwells soft-launched the business during Rathdrum’s Christmas lighting ceremony along Main Street. They made a huge batch of chicken Top Ramen and another of authentic Asian instant ramen for people to compare side-by-side. People were blown away by the difference in taste, preferring the rich umami flavor in the imported varieties.
“You can eat with us 1,000 times and not have the same ramen twice,” Maxwell says.
Next time you’re hankering for some good ol’ instant ramen, maybe ditch those Cup Noodles for a trip to Hot Pot Ramen House. n
Hot Pot Ramen House • 8052 Main St. #101, Rathdrum • Open Tue-Sat 11 am-7 pm • hotpotramenhouse.com 208-981-8620
Which ramen would you choose? YOUNG KWAK PHOTO
Style and performance can be yours, year in and year out, with Pella® windows and doors.
Visit your local Pella branch today to explore all the styles, finishes and hardware that help create your one-of-a-kind look. Whether you’re interested in wood fiberglass or vinyl, Pella has the windows and doors you desire.
ALSO OPENING
CAPTAIN AMERICA: BRAVE NEW WORLD
The Marvel Cinematic Universe returns with the former Falcon (Anthony Mackie) taking on the mantle of Captain America and attempting to thwart an international conspiracy centered on the president of the United States (Harrison Ford). Rated PG-13
CHHAAVA
This Hindu historical action flick tells an exaggerated story about the legendary king of the Maratha Empire, Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj. Not rated
GHOST
If you’re looking for a love that transcends death this Valentine’s Day week, the Academy Award-winning Ghost returns to theaters to mark the supernatural romance film’s 35th anniversary. Pottery wheels have never been the same. Rated PG-13 At AMC River Park Square
NE ZHA 2
A sequel to the 2019 Chinese CGI animated fantasy action blockbuster, the titular demon-slaying child must confront sea monsters and dragons. Not rated
Cinema’s most charming ursine boy is back.
Bearly There
Paddington in Peru is a disappointing step down for the third entry in the family film franchise
BY MARYANN JOHANSON
You can take the bear out of London... but why the heck would you want to do that? That’s who Paddington is — a little bear in a big city, a stranger navigating a strange (to him) land. Michael Bond, who created Paddington in the 1950s and authored many books about him, never took the character far from London, and for the first two movies in this series — 2014’s Paddington and 2017’s Paddington 2 — cowriter and director Paul King remained true to Bond’s urban fairy tale. But other than a story credit, King has not returned for this third outing, and Paddington in Peru suffers greatly from the lack of his deft whimsy.
This time, Paddington (once again charmingly voiced by Ben Whishaw) and his adoptive English family, the Browns, head to his homeland to visit his Aunt Lucy, who isn’t doing too well in her Home for Retired Bears. But they arrive to find that Lucy (the voice of Imelda Staunton) has disappeared... she’s gone off on a some sort of “quest,” suggests the Reverend Mother in charge of the home (Olivia Colman). And so Paddington and the Browns venture off into the Peruvian Amazon in an attempt to find her. But that journey, rather bizarrely, morphs into a search for the lost Incan city of El Dorado and its golden riches, complete with mysterious maps and clues to be deciphered. Alas that the aspect of this movie most faithful to Bond is the colonial exoticism of Paddington’s latest exploits. Bond required only the suggestion of “dangerous for-
eignness” for his Paddington — indeed, his original idea was that the bear was from “darkest Africa” until he was informed that no bears are native to that continent, so “darkest Peru” did the trick just as well.
New director Dougal Wilson (his debut feature after making commercials and music videos) and new writers Mark Burton (Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl and Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget) and the team of Jon Foster and James Lamont (who together have written for an animated Paddington television series for very young children) give us a themepark notion of Amazonia, colorful but flattened and flimsy. Of course this is a family adventure, not a documentary or a serious adult drama, but the drop-off compared to the previous Paddington movies is shocking. King’s London was both bursting with pop-up-book magic and grounded in authenticity, a delightful paradox. It was vibrantly and diversely populated by people who are of London... including Paddington himself. But here, where Paddington is actually supposed to be from, he feels as out of place as the Browns as they all get tossed around — sometimes literally — on the cinematic equivalent of a Disney amusement ride.
Rated PG
of 10 million people (the second largest in South America). We could have gotten a different sort of urban fairy tale, with Paddington bringing his innocence and optimism and marmalade-fueled exuberance to a whole new band of cityfolk. But Lucy’s home has been relocated to the jungle, as if treasure hunts and peculiar perils — as risk-averse insurance man Mr. Brown (Hugh Bonneville) spends most of the movie fretting about — are all Peru could possibly be about. What’s most irksome about Paddington in Peru is how lazy and generic it is. It’s really grating considering how abundantly, uniquely original the first two movies are. The third entry tries too hard, right down to what feels like the irresistible impulse of franchise movies now to overexplain everything and fill in every little nugget of backstory.
PADDINGTON IN PERU
Directed by Dougal Wilson
Starring Ben Whishaw, Olivia Colman, Antonio Banderas
It’s a film that’s… well… bearly there. The cleverest it can muster is cheap references to far superior movies such as The Sound of Music and Raiders of the Lost Ark (and it bashes the latter one to death). I can’t help but wonder whether the huge comedown that this movie represents is why Sally Hawkins has also not returned Mrs. Brown (new-to-the-role Emily Mortimer is as lovely as she always is, but brings a much more subdued energy than Hawkinses’ electric quirkiness).
Paddington in Peru is fine. It’s fine. Olivia Colman is obviously having a ball as the nun, who sings and plays guitar (hence the nods to The Sound of Music) and clearly has a secret. Ditto Antonio Banderas as the riverboat captain who hosts the Brown family (though I’m not sure the “oroloco,” or gold madness, he suffers from quite works as the commentary on the European plundering of the ancient Incas, and the power the El Dorado myth continues to exert, in the way it is intended to).
Though absolute fealty to source material isn’t necessary (and sometimes is ill advised), in Bond’s books, Aunt Lucy’s Home for Retired Bears is in Lima, a historic city
I’m not sure Paddington would or should find “fine” good enough, though. I think he might have a hard stare for anyone happy with “fine.” n
Short and Sweet
Dishing out superlatives for this year’s Oscar-nominated short films
BY CHASE HUTCHINSON
It’s Oscar season with a whole bunch of great feature films available to watch, but what about the shorts?
You’re in luck as you can see those starting this week at The Magic Lantern and Kenworthy Theatre.
To mark the occasion, here’s a special batch of Oscars Shorts Superlatives to highlight the best animated and live-action short films you can see (there will also be a shorts documentary program playing as well with the incisive Incident being the one that is the most essential to watch). From a tense drama about the madness of American bureaucracy to a surreal animated film about a trio of bald brothers looking to get some hair, here’s what good ol’ Oscar has in store for you this year.
BEST HAIR (OR LACK THEREOF)
- BEAUTIFUL MEN
The strange little stop-motion gem Beautiful Men plants itself somewhere between Anomalisa and an offbeat buddy comedy as it follows three bald brothers while they wait
MOVIE TIMES
in a hotel in Istanbul for their hair transplants. If this sounds silly, it very much is, but there is also a quite surprising emotional undercurrent to the whole affair that draws you into its small-scale yet richly textured world. Laying bare its characters, both emotionally and often literally, the film is about digging deeper into their respective anxieties while still holding us at a distance. Even as some of them may get the hair they dream of, the unexpectedly humorous yet haunting emotional punch to Beautiful Men comes in seeing that the men underneath their new ’do may just remain the same.
BEST IN SHOW - I’M NOT A ROBOT
While there is something eerily familiar to the stellar sci-fi short I’m Not a Robot, which starts as a darkly comedic joke about the terrors of online captcha security measures before becoming something oh so much more than that, it’s in the execution that it hits home. Most critical to its success is that it sees an excellent Ellen Parren giving
the undisputed best performance of all the nominated shorts this year as she plays a troubled music producer who begins to question everything she thought she knew about herself. Not only does the film remain consistently clever throughout as it explores this, but it also isn’t afraid to throw you for a loop when you least expect it. Just be prepared for the final brutal impact it lands and lets linger through the credits.
CLASS CLOWNWANDER TO WONDER
Though it may seem like one of the more slight of the bunch at first glance, Wander to Wonder is also one of its most fun and well-crafted shorts. Taking us into what happens to a group of tiny performers who are now trapped in a studio after the creator of the children’s series they starred in died, it’s another stop-motion wonder that isn’t afraid to get more darkly wacky. In this world, the show must go on, even if nobody is actually watching and doing so means possibly setting fire to itself in the process. It’s on the shorter side, but that doesn’t stop it from making the most of its time just as it may be running thin for its tiny trio.
MOST LIKELY TO MAKE YOU WEEP FOR AMERICA - A LIEN
From the moment you’re dropped into A Lien, the confined but effective portrait of the casual cruelties of the American immigration system as seen through the eyes of a single family, you hardly have a moment to even catch your breath. This is what gives it a potent, yet tragic, tension as you feel the stress and anxiety in every level of the labyrinthian procedural process that takes a dark turn. It’s rather explicit in what it’s attempting to open your eyes to, but the way it’s crafted from the tight close-ups to the suffocating sound design as everything spirals out of control and the quick, precise cuts make it impossible to look away from — and nor should you.
MOST LIKELY TO WIN AN OSCAR - THE MAN WHO COULD NOT REMAIN SILENT
The longer that you sit with The Man Who Could Not Remain Silent, which plays most like a shortened version of the astounding recent film A Hidden Life, the more it is that the painful power it has grabs hold of you. Based on a true story and set almost entirely on a train in Bosnia 30 years ago, it captures just how easy it is that a terrifying act of violence can be carried out as we all look on. Good thing there’s no example of this happening in history over and over again. n
TENDERPUNK
2 Hotties
2 Handle
Illuminati Hotties’ Sarah Tudzin finds her power both producing and performing
BY SETH SOMMERFELD
The successful alt-rocker to great producer/engineer pipeline might not be something the casual music consumer notices, but the track record is incredibly strong.
Before becoming the go-to pop producer for Taylor Swift, Lorde and pretty much every other modern pop queen, Jack Antonoff was playing in the indie rock bands Steel Train and Fun. Brian Eno was an art rock standout with Roxy Music before producing classic U2 and Talking Heads albums. The National’s Aaron Dessner started off producing a stellar Sharon Van Etten album (Tramp) before getting behind the boards for multiple Taylor Swift
and Gracie Abrams albums. The Clash’s Mick Jones ushered in a new era of rabble-rousing British punks when he produced the early albums for The Libertines. Mark Hoppus of Blink-182 has helped fellow pop punkers by producing great albums by Motion City Soundtrack, The Matches, and PAWS. Before setting a sonic alt-rock template as a recording engineer for Nirvana, Pixies, PJ Harvey and more, Steve Albini was creating dissonance in noise punk bands like Big Black.
The list goes on and on, but the list of those who started behind the mixing board and then became alt-rock standouts? That list is all but nonexistent.
And that makes Sarah Tudzin stand out even more from the pack. While she started on the production side of things and has become a rising star and Grammy winner on the technical side of recording, she’s also an absolute ripper with her band Illuminati Hotties.
After her schooling days at Berklee College of Music wrapped up in the mid-2010s, Tudzin dove into the world of recording engineering in her hometown of Los Angeles. While she had the itch to make music of her own, being a member of the studio team seemed like a more realistic music career at the time.
“I really wanted to be creatively involved in music. And for a long time, I didn’t know that production existed, and I just didn’t feel like I was a good enough musician to be a session player,” Tudzin says. “I felt like a pretty great writer, but for a long time, I didn’t really feel like a great singer and didn’t see myself as like a front person. But I think that being behind the board, you get a lot of the rewards of being an artist.”
And while she got early gigs assisting as an engineer and mixer on albums from acts like Macklemore, Logic, Slowdive, Porches, and the Hamilton original cast recording, studio time when you’re a beginning hired hand doesn’t exactly allow for a lot of the experimentation that growth in the field requires.
But producing one’s own music? That allows for a lot more freedom and creative control.
So it’s not surprising that around this time Tudzin formed the band Illuminati Hotties, not to try make it as a rock star, but essentially to create a sonic resume all of her own.
“My goal is not only to be able to express myself, play shows and have the opportunity to bring my own music to the world,” says Tudzin. “I obviously also am always trying to sort of produce that at my highest level as a way of hopefully convincing other bands to let me make their records too.”
Funny thing though — it turns out Tudzin is also pretty sick at this front person business.
Like a sonic splash of cold water on one’s halfawake face, Illuminati Hotties’ Kiss Yr Frenemies was a jolting, refreshing and reinvigorating debut album when it dropped in 2018.
Tudzin aptly coined the genre phrase “tenderpunk” to describe her band’s sound, which used an instrumental base of pop punk and indie rock to showcase both Tudzin’s super-energetic bratty side on frenetic tunes and her soft emotional core when things slowed down. Super catchy songs like “Pressed 2 Death,” “Paying Off the Happiness” and “(You’re Better) Than Ever” captured the lovesick and world-weary brain of a twentysomething trying to navigate being a broke creative romantic, all of which translated wonderfully live thanks to Tudzin’s caring but manic on-stage charisma. With a wave of critical praise and great reception in the indie music scene, it became clear that Tudzin’s music career wasn’t going to be just sitting behind a mixing board anymore.
After Tudzin had a falling out with her label, Tiny Engines, over their dubious financials, her friends Lucy Dacus, Speedy Ortiz’s Sadie Dupuis, and the band PUP cryptically leaked music from an unknown group called
It’s no conspiracy: Illuminati Hotties rock. SHERVIN LAINEZ PHOTO
“Occult Classics” in July 2020. After generating a ton of buzz, it was revealed the Occult Classics tunes were actually part of Illuminanti Hotties’ new mixtape called FREE I.H: This Is Not the One You’ve Been Waiting For. The collection was a mixtape in the truest sense, offering a playground for Tudzin to play around with wildly different production styles that might clash a bit too much on a “proper” studio album and one that pretty instantly became influential (to say that Olivia Rodrigo’s Sour liberally borrowed from FREE I.H.’s sound and the visual aesthetic of the Tudzinproduced Pom Pom Squad album Death of a Cheerleader would be a generous understatement).
Continuing the momentum, the second official IH studio album, Let Me Do One More, arrived the following year with even more urchin energy with infectious singles like “Pool Hopping” and “MMMOOOAAAAAYAYA” leading the way. It garnered even more praise for Tudzin, ending up on Pitchfork’s “The 50 Best Albums of 2021” list.
All the while, Tudzin kept building her reputation on the production and engineering side, helping craft standout albums like Pom Pom Squad’s aforementioned debut, multiple Weyes Blood LPs and Speedy Ortiz’s Rabbit Rabbit. But the biggest feather in her proverbial cap on that side of the musical equation came as one of the engineers and producers on Boygenius’ 2023 breakout album, The Record. The LP quickly became a sensation, eventually earning Tudzin five Grammy nominations — including Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical — and taking home the trophy for Best Alternative Music Album.
“I’m really proud of [The Record],” Tudzin says. “I was so happy to be a part of that team, and I think that it’s such a beautiful stepping stone on the path of what I hope my production and engineering career ultimately is.”
That all leads to the latest chapter in Tudzin’s story: Illuminati Hotties’ latest album, Power. In terms of the tenderpunk aesthetic, the third IH studio album leans into the tender. The overly caffeinated frenzy found on the prior records gives way to a much chiller (but still catchy) vibe from the open salvo that is “Can’t Be Still.” It’s clearly an album written by someone finding a sense of loving, thirtysomething comfort in settling into their own skin and finding their person (Tudzin married fellow singer-songwriter Maddie Ross in 2023). With songs like “I Would Like, Still Love You” expressing unwavering smitteness and “Sleeping In” reveling in blissfully caving to your partner’s lifestyle, Power might not rip as much as past IH albums, but it’s hardly devoid of attitude.
“I think that there is a brattiness to it, but it’s not immature,” Tudzin says. “It’s not snotty like some of the older stuff. Where I’m at in life is obviously completely different.”
Of course, it’s not long before the production elements become the focus when chatting about Power with Tudzin. This time around she strove to be more decisive in terms of sticking to the core guitar sounds rather than trying to add five or six layers of sound on top of everything. The keep-it-simple-stupid attitude leads to a record that sounds streamlined without narrowing its scope.
“Sonically, I wanted really loud drums and loud vocals. I wanted it to sort of feel like everything was pushed to the limit in like a 2000s kind of way,” Tudzin says. “Even on the softer songs on the album, I sort of had this goal of making it feel like this festival feeling of indie rock of yore. Where it feels like it could be on the radio, but also could be played in front of like 45,000 people at a festival. I was looking at a lot of old Yeah Yeah Yeahs and The Shins and The Flaming Lips and sort of like bands who span a lot of genre and a lot of perceived volume based on the instruments they’re using, but are kind of smashing it to the limit no matter what.”
Illuminati Hotties will continue smashing the limit as the band tours as opening support for Cavetown, which includes a sold-out Feb. 16 stop at the Knitting Factory.
If Sarah Tudzin can’t produce your favorite band’s newest record, she’ll settle for being your new favorite band. n
Cavetown, Illuminati Hotties • Sun, Feb. 16 at 8 pm • Sold out • All ages • Knitting Factory • 919 W. Sprague Ave. • sp.knittingfactory.com
MONEY ANSWERS FOR SKIERS HOPING FOR A BACKLOADED SEASON.
SINGER-SONGWRITER ALEX LAMBERT
J = THE INLANDER RECOMMENDS THIS SHOW
J = ALL AGES SHOW
Thursday, 2/13
BOLO’S BAR & GRILL, Neon Interstate
J BOTTLE BAY BREWING CO., Jason Perry
CHECKERBOARD TAPROOM, Weathered Shepherds
GARLAND DRINKERY, Speak Easy: Open Mic Night
J MIKEY’S GYROS, Old Timey Music Jam Sessions
J QQ SUSHI & KITCHEN, Just Plain Darin
Friday, 2/14
THE BEE’S KNEES WHISKEY BAR, Justyn Priest
BERSERK, Nausoleum
J J THE BIG DIPPER, Crooked Teeth, This Could Be Dangerous, Her Memory
BOLO’S BAR & GRILL, Rusty Nail & The Hammers
BULLHEAD SALOON, Neon Interstate
THE CHAMELEON, Au5, Schraeder, Psiyan, Pew Pew Spload
CHINOOK STEAK, SEAFOOD & PASTA, Cris Lucas
THE DISTRICT BAR, Rittz, Doc Backer
J THE GRAIN SHED, Haywire
IRON HORSE (CDA), Sonic Groove
MOOSE LOUNGE, The Shift
MOOSE LOUNGE (NORTH), Theresa Edwards Band
J PEND D’OREILLE WINERY, KOSH
ZOLA, Starcourt, Jason Lucas
Saturday, 2/15
ARBOR CREST WINE CELLARS, Green Corduroy
POP PUNK CROOKED TEETH
J J THE BIG DIPPER, RockFest Battle of the Bands
BOLO’S BAR & GRILL, Rusty Nail & The Hammers
J BOTTLE BAY BREWING CO., Eric Kegley
BULLHEAD SALOON, Neon Interstate
THE CHAMELEON, Emo 2000: Broken Heart Edition
CHINOOK STEAK, SEAFOOD & PASTA, Cris Lucas
J THE DISTRICT BAR, Alex Lambert, Harper O’Neill
IRON HORSE (CDA), Sonic Groove
J JAGUAR ROOM AT CHAMELEON, KEZE, Zachary Hartman, Unspoken Truth!
MOOSE LOUNGE, The Shift
MOOSE LOUNGE (NORTH), Theresa Edwards Band NIGHT OWL, Priestess
J NOAH’S CANTEEN, Just Plain Darin
J PEND D’OREILLE WINERY, Zach Simms
ZOLA, Blake Braley, Jojo Dodge
Sunday, 2/16
219 LOUNGE, The Jauntee
J THE BIG DIPPER, Cosmic Ranger, Guillotine Gambit, Bailey Allen Baker, Fossil Fire Fossil Blood HOGFISH, Open Mic
Alex Lambert began his career on American Idol in 2010 and went on to pen songs for artists like Carly Rae Jepsen and Justin Bieber. But when his debut album, Lonely Avenue, was released in October 2024, it was clear that his efforts to nurture his solo endeavors had paid off. With a rich timbre and a heavy helping of Lone Star soul, Lambert’s love and appreciation of his home state is evident throughout the album, blending country, blues and R&B into a sonically satisfying nine-song package tied up with a “everything’s bigger in Texas” bow. Lambert is easy on the ears, but heavy on the heart — a perfect post-Valentine’s Day show that’ll keep the love going.
— MADISON PEARSON
Alex Lambert, Harper O’Neill • Sat, Feb. 15 at 9 pm • $15 • 21+ • The District Bar • 916 W. First Ave. • sp.knittingfactory.com
While many may be seeking out romantic duets for their Valentine’s, the interplay between masculine and feminine vocals works great in less lovey-dovey settings too. Take for example, California punk band Crooked Teeth. The band’s latest single, “One Week Off,” finds founding frontman Tyson Evans bemoaning prescription withdrawals while trading verses with the band’s new bassist/singer, Livi Dillon. The pair’s vocals complement each other, opening up the pop punk dynamics to be even hookier. Spokanites can check out Crooked Teeth’s new arrangement when the band stops by the Big Dipper to play a Valentine’s Day gig for lovers who love mosh pits. — SETH SOMMERFELD
Crooked Teeth, This Could Be Dangerous, Her Memory • Fri, Feb. 14 at 7:30 pm • $15 • All ages • The Big Dipper • 171 S. Washington St. • thebigdipperspokane.com
Wednesday, 2/19
CENTRAL LIBRARY, Come Be Heard Open Mic Night THE DRAFT ZONE, The Draft Zone Open Mic PACIFIC AVE PIZZA, Square Wave Wednesday
J TIMBERS ROADHOUSE, Cary Beare Presents
J TRVST, The TRVST Open Decks
Just Announced...
J J THE CHAMELEON, The Chameleon 1 Year Anniversary Shows, Mar. 1.
J THE BIG DIPPER, Smile on the Sinner, Mar. 6.
J FOX THEATER, The Mark Wood Trans-Siberian Symphony Experience, Mar. 22.
J THE BIG DIPPER, Unlikely Candidates, Apr. 11.
J THE BIG DIPPER, Mermaid, Apr. 14.
J THE BIG DIPPER, Crowd Control, Apr. 19. THE CHAMELEON, Babes in Canyon, Apr. 9.
J KNITTING FACTORY, Pop Evil, Apr. 24.
J KNITTING FACTORY, Yelawolf, May 2.
THE DISTRICT BAR, Phoneboy, May 21.
THE DISTRICT BAR, Ward Davis, May 23.
J J GORGE AMPHITHEATRE, Outlaw Music Festival: Willie Nelson, Bob Dylan, May 23.
J FOX THEATER, Gillian Welch & David Rawlings, June 27.
J BING CROSBY THEATER, Postmodern Jukebox, July 2.
J NORTHERN QUEST CASINO, Joe Bonamassa, Aug. 5.
J SPOKANE TRIBE CASINO, Shakey Graves, Trampled by Turtles, Aug. 14.
J FOX THEATER, Kidz Bop Live, Sept. 6.
Coming Up...
J LUNARIUM, Starlite Open Mic, Feb. 25, 6:30-8:30 pm.
J BOTTLE BAY BREWING CO., Daniel Hall, Feb. 20, 7-9 pm.
COEUR D’ALENE CASINO, Tonight’s The Night – The Rod Stewart Hybrid Tribute, Feb. 20, 7 pm.
J THE BIG DIPPER, Bão, Norm Dufresne, Isaac and His Orchestra, Feb. 20, 7:30 pm.
While on Valentine’s Day many folks indulge in some fancy food and drinks, why not also feast your eyes on a spectacular aerial show? To help celebrate the holiday of love, the Gem State Flyers are coming to Kenworthy Performing Arts Centre for their “Love at First Flight” show. Hold on to your seats, for the show is sure to be silky and swoonworthy. The aerial troupe was founded in 2024 and is composed of coaches and members of the University of Idaho Aerial Arts Club. The club practices, teaches and performs circus acrobatics, including aerial silks, sling and hoops.
— DORA SCOTT
Love at First Flight • Sat, Feb. 15 at 6:30 pm • $5-$20 • Ages 18+ • Kenworthy Performing Arts Centre • 508 S. Main St., Moscow • kenworthy.org
THEATER IN THE CLOSET
If you could wander through your wardrobe into another world, would you? For the four children in C.S. Lewis’ classic story The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe the answer is a resounding “yes” after they find said wardrobe at their distant relative’s home. Once they make it past the closet doors they find themselves in the magical realm of Narnia, only to be thrust into a century-long battle between a talking lion named Aslan and the story’s icy villain, Jadis the White Witch. For the next two weeks, Liberty Lake’s Theatre Arts Center is retelling this fantasy epic in a stage production directed by Jeff Rocco.
— COLTON RASANEN
The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe • Feb. 14-23; Thu-Sat at 7 pm, Sat-Sun at 2 pm • $15 • Theatre Arts Center at the Lake • 22910 E. Appleway Ave., Liberty Lake • tacatthelake.com
COMMUNITY BUT FIRST…
You can tell a lot about someone by their Instagram page. Some users post uninspiring photo dumps every month just to clear out their camera rolls (guilty!), but others are masters at the craft, curating the most beautiful feed you’ve ever scrolled through. If you’re aspiring to get to that level, head to the Captured by Love Selfie Museum pop-up and take some stellar photos to spice up your Insta feed. The pop-up event features four perfectly decorated, Valentine’s Day-themed sets ripe for snapping photos of yourself, your loved ones and your friends. Nothing boosts confidence more than being told your face card never declines in the comments of a killer Insta post.
— MADISON PEARSON
Captured by Love Selfie Museum • Fri, Feb. 14- Sun, Feb. 16; times vary • $15 • 811 W. Second Ave. • gloscreativestudio.com/ capturebylove
GET LISTED!
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COMEDY SPOKANE SILLIES
Though she’s since moved away from the Lilac City, local gal Kelsey Cook remains Spokane’s comedy sweetheart. After an eventful 2024 that included kicking a 15-year-long peanut allergy, appearing on CBS’s After Midnight gameshow, and touring like mad, Cook is coming back to her hometown for five shows packed full of pure relatability and hilarity at the Spokane Comedy Club. Expect plenty of Spokane-related jokes from Cook’s loaded arsenal — jokes she really can’t do anywhere else. These hometown shows are innately special but also serve as some of the first dates on her new Happy Hour tour and the first shows happening after her new comedy special Mark Your Territory debuted on Hulu on Feb. 11.
— MADISON PEARSON
Kelsey Cook • Feb. 13-15; Thu-Sat at 7 pm, Fri-Sat at 9:45 pm • $28-$35 • Spokane Comedy Club • 315 W. Sprague. • spokanecomedyclub.com
FILM GAZING AT GAZA
Tens of thousands of Palestinians have been killed over the past two years during the Israeli ground operations and invasion of the Gaza war; the United Nations estimates it might take 15 years just to fully clear out all the rubble from the destruction. Now is not the time to avert one’s gaze from the war-torn region. With that in mind, The Inland Northwest Coalition for the Liberation of Palestine once again hosts a slate of documentaries to bring the Palestinian plight to the big screen. “The Endless Nakba: A Palestine Film Series” runs one day a month through May, offering free screenings at the Magic Lantern. The series kicks off with one of 2024’s most acclaimed films and the heavy favorite to win Best Documentary at this year’s Oscars, No Other Land. The doc chronicles Israeli military evicting Palestinians on the West Bank from their homes in order to create military firing zones and an unlikely friendship between a Palestinian activist and an Israeli journalist. The series continues with The First 54 Years (March 16), The Night Won’t End (April 13) and Atrocity, Inc (May 18).
— SETH SOMMERFELD
The Endless Nakba: A Palestine Film Series: No Other Land • Sun, Feb. 16 at 4 pm • Free • Magic Lantern Theatre • 25 W. Main Ave. • inwclp.com
I SAW YOU
N. COSTCO FOOD COURT 2/3 To the small child who thought I was Santa, you made my day brighter & joyful. Thank you! You are adorable! Just remember Santa’s laugh goes Ho-ho-ho, not ha-ha-ha. I will always smile when I think about today.
I’LL ALWAYS SEE YOU I saw you when you walked into “our” office and you were so gorgeous and I could barely speak when you introduced yourself. I saw you when your heart was broken and you needed a friend. I saw you be an amazing Dad and try so hard during the worst time of your
life. I saw you as my best friend and then one day, I saw you as my soulmate. After over ten years, I still see only you and it will always be you. I love you, EB. Thank you for seeing me too and loving me more than I knew someone could.
A VALENTINE FOR MR. OUTTHERE How could you not know I desired you? The opposite was true. I could hardly bear it. I felt more than desire. What started as an ember burned a glowing steady flame, deeper and deeper, until I was ablaze. If randomly reminded of you, I don’t pine. I giddily
remember you gazing into my eyes, your wiseacre smile, sarcastic voice, belly laughs, the delicious shiver I felt when you carelessly extended a long leg my way. The sheer raw power in the ridge of muscles down your back. You teddy bear. I giggle when you shout, you’re cute when you’re grumpy. When your hand lingered by my thigh while you drove, it took all my strength to turn away. I don’t play games with feelings. I’m not ashamed or embarrassed. I don’t scorn feelings as weakness, I don’t pretend to have all the answers. I don’t avoid feelings, I embrace them in all their glory, heartbreak and all. I have the guts to live life fully. That is true freedom and independence. My heart broke. It’s ok. It means I’m alive. I’ll happily feel this pain. For better or for worse, we only get one shot at life. Spring will bloom. I have the courage to truly, deeply, passionately love again. Btw, triple ds, not double. I blow raspberries in your general direction.
HIGHWAY CUTIE I saw you Last summer while Cruising down the Palouse Highway. You were mowing the field on your riding mower. Girl, you looked so cute with your baseball cap and long hair flowing behind you. You were going kinda fast and the field must be rough because you had the right bounce to make me hit the rumble strips. Now the snow’s flying and I haven’t seen you much. I can’t wait for the grass to grow this summer and I start hitting the rumble strips again. I wrote this verse for you, I hope you see it…Mowing on your rider - Or shoveling snow - I don’t know - Where this might go -- So when
at 9 pm; wrote back a longer-than-usual reply around 11pm and looked for your reply this morning Feb 5. Nada; looks like your account was deleted. Contact me thru the Inlander or nokes49@yahoo.com
CHEERS
THANK YOU To the beautiful lady who helped me when my parked car was stuck in front of the attorney general’s office February 4: Thank you so much.
GET HEALTHY Nice idea to boost survivability of downtown. While we’re at it, let’s require the junk-food grocery stores to sell insulin. I have noticed some at least are providing - with apparent effort - healthy food choices. Cheers to your humanity.
CHEERS TO SUSAN Thank you, Susan from Queen Creek, AZ (formerly of the Spokane south hill), for the recommendation of the Queen Creek Olive Mill. What a delightful and delicious place to visit. I enjoyed chatting with you on the flight from Spokane to Mesa AZ.
Walking my dogs, there are about a dozen red 2022 tabs within 2 blks, a couple blue 2019, and several green 2023 tabs. Driving up/down Division-Ruby any time of the day, and at least 10% of the cars have expired tabs. Its probably this way in
PARENTS OF SCHOOL-AGED CHILDREN
Please start PARENTING your kids! What is going on with the majority of parents these days? So many children are coming into the schools unable to stay in a classroom or sit at a table to
I honk - And if you hear - Give me a wave - And I’ll come near -- Then I know - Our eyes will meet - Our bods will cling - Our hearts will beat
YOU SAW ME
FLY182 LIKES YOU I saw your “Like” in OTime a couple days late on Feb 4. Six feet tall you were and me a little taller. Nice bio. The thought occurred to me that you might be the One. Noted your last log-in
IS THIS REAL? I heard that somewhere online there is video running wherein a young lady, apparently of college age, is shouting angrily that her boyfriend began crying hysterically when she told him that he is deserving of love. I can’t find it, but I’ve heard it’s intense. Can someone help me find it? Please! I’m 65, never been married, never had kids, spend all my days writing poetry, and, in all my 65 years I’ve never once been told that I am worthy of love. Yikes! I think I just realized why I haven’t approached a woman since 1994.
JEERS
CAR TABS Besides several Jeers here about expired tabs, I have had 3 letters to the editor in the Review on that subject.
Seattle, Tacoma and other cities. The City and State are in a huge budget deficit. Well, if they want revenue, then start enforcing the Law. The City and State are missing out on $$$Tens of Millions in lost revenue, if not more. The cops wont enforce the Law, but they should. DONT raise our taxes when they re too lazy to enforce the Law. Same with drug houses......I have 4 drug houses within a block on either side. Myself and numerous neighbors sent in info to the cops, and worthless Code Enforcement; but they refuse to do anything. Enforce the Laws
TO MY DOWNSTAIRS NEIGHBOR I want to sincerely apologize for living above you. It’s completely unfair. The apartment complex should’ve chosen a family of 4 with children instead of two working adults who sleep from 9 pm to 5 am and are gone from 6 am to 6 pm, 4 days out of the week. You have every right to yell at us through the ceiling for living in our space! It’s completely inconsiderate of us to walk around in socks or purchase two rugs to try and decrease our sound presence. I don’t know why we keep trying to cook in our kitchen or flush our toilet. I understand that it’s unexpected and unusual. And I’m sorry that we’ve tried to talk to you about it to understand your point of view or create solutions. You’re the victim here! And we’re just a couple of ***holes. Since you’ve blocked our phone numbers, I’ve resorted to the newspaper to make you this final promise: we promise to never walk — sorry “stomp” around our apartment ever again. We will never open our closet, never clean a dish, and never and I mean NEVER do ANYTHING in the apartment ever again. We accept that we deserve to be verbally assaulted, I hope that you’ll meet with us (with a third party present) to discuss our behavior in the future.
eat in a cafeteria. So many students run down the halls, tear up their classrooms, back talk, and disrespect the teachers and principals. It is time for parents to step up and teach their children that doing non-preferred activities is a part of life. Teachers are leaving the profession in droves due to the fact that so many children are being sent to school while not being taught basic skills at home. Many kindergartners are coming to school still in diapers. We are talking about 5 year old children... not able to use a toilet. Step up parents and do what your title says.... PARENT your kids. KUDOS to all of the parents out there who actually hold their children accountable. The rest of you need to step up and take control of your kids.
UNCARING VET CLINICS I hope this letter will tick someone off enough so they provide a directory of where to get help when our “animal loving” vets won’t euthanize a dying pet or help the owners get help, so the owners were forced to kill their pet themselves because they didn’t know where to turn because they couldn’t afford the fee. Why don’t vets have a slush fund of sorts? If they set aside $1/visit, they could write it off AND put their money where their mouth is. n
EVENTS | CALENDAR
BENEFIT
HEARTS FOR HOMES SWEETHEARTS
BALL A ball featuring a surf-n-turf dinner, live and silent auctions, a cocktail hour, raffles and live music serving as a fundraiser for Habitat of Humanity of North Idaho. Feb. 14, 5-11 pm. $80. Best Western Coeur d’Alene, 506 W. Appleway Ave. northidahohabitat.org
CORKS & CAPS A beer, wine and cider tasting event featuring drinks from local craft artisans, live music from Lucas Brookbank Brown and Jerry Lee Raines, photobooths, auctions and more. All proceeds benefit Spokane Angels. Feb. 22, 3-7 pm. $35-$50. Spokane Valley Event Center, 10514 E. Sprague Ave. spokaneangels.org/corksncaps (509-863-9427)
FREE REIN THERAPEUTIC RIDING’S
ANNUAL AUCTION & DINNER A roasted tri-tip dinner and auction benefitting Free Rein Spokane’s programs and lessons. Feb. 22, 4-8:30 pm. $75-$100. Mukogawa Institute, 4000 W. Randolph Rd. freereinspokane.org (509-979-1468)
VIVA VINO GALA This fundraiser benefitting Nuestras Raíces features Folklorico performances, a Latino DJ, dinner and auctions. Feb. 22, 4:30-10 pm. $100. Spokane Tribe Resort & Casino, 14300 W. SR Highway 2. hbpaofspokane.org
COMEDY
KELSEY COOK Spokane native Kelsey Cook turns her most embarrassing moments into relatable conversation. She’s appeared on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, After Midnight and has her
own comedy special. Feb. 13-15, 7 pm, Feb. 14-15, 9:45 pm. $28-$35. Spokane Comedy Club, 315 W. Sprague. spokanecomedyclub.com (509-318-9998)
CHRIS D’ELIA Chris D’Elia got his start on the short-form video platform Vine and now has his own podcast, Congratulations with Chris D’Elia. Feb. 16, 8 pm. $51$118. The Fox Theater, 1001 W. Sprague Ave. foxtheaterspokane.org
DRINK N DEBATE A monthly comedy competition featuring four teams of three comedians debating on a topic in an improv-style debate show. Feb. 16, 7 pm. $10-$16. Spokane Comedy Club, 315 W. Sprague. spokanecomedyclub.com
NEW TALENT TUESDAYS Watch comedians of all skill levels work out jokes together. Tuesdays at 7 pm (doors at 6 pm). Free. Spokane Comedy Club, 315 W. Sprague. spokanecomedyclub.com
CHRIS KATTAN Chris Kattan is best known as one of the longest serving cast members on NBC’s Saturday Night Live Feb. 20-22, 7 pm, Feb. 21-22, 9:45 pm. $22-$30. Spokane Comedy Club, 315 W. Sprague. spokanecomedyclub.com
SPOKANE COMEDY FILM FESTIVAL Two nights of short form comedy films from Spokane’s local comedians and filmmakers. Feb. 21-22, 7-9:30 pm. $10. Garland Theater, 924 W. Garland Ave. spokanecomedyfilmfestival.com (509-327-1050)
LYV BABINSKI Lyv’s comedy show offers an entertaining combination of funny sketches, interactive moments and engaging activities for kids with humor that’s safe and child-appropriate. Feb. 22, 2-3 pm. By donation. Blue Door Theatre, 319 S. Cedar St. comedy-for-kids.com
PINKY PATEL Chicago-based Pinky Patel is a PTA-mom-turned-creator, comedian and internet personality. Feb. 23, 4 pm. $30-$55. Spokane Comedy Club, 315 W. Sprague. spokanecomedyclub.com
COMMUNITY
BITCH ‘N’ STITCH Grab your crochet, knitting, embroidery, weaving, cross stitch, felting, looming, macrame, friendship bracelets and craft casually in the company of others. Every second and last Thursday at 6:30 pm. Free. Lunarium, 1925 N. Monroe St. facebook.com/Lunarium.Spokane
THE EVOLUTION OF THE JAPANESE
SWORD This exhibition showcases Japanese swords as more than a mere weapon of war. The iconic samurai sword of Japan and its accompanying fittings were elevated to works of high art that were, and still are, treasured and collected for their beauty and craftsmanship. Tue-Sun from 10 am-5 pm through May 4. $9-$15. Northwest Museum of Arts & Culture, 2316 W. First Ave. northwestmuseum.org
FREE IMMIGRATION CLINIC A free clinic or anyone in need of an immigration legal consult. Second Thursday of each month from 5-7 pm. Free. Latinos en Spokane, 1502 N. Monroe St. latinosenspokane.org
GALENTINE’S TRUCKER HAT PARTY An evening of wine, food and personalized trucker hat creation. The class includes instruction, hat, supplies and one glass of wine. Feb. 13, 5:40-7:30 pm. $40. Pend d’Oreille Winery, 301 Cedar. powine.com
SAMURAI, SUNRISE, SUNSET Step into the world of a samurai and experience ar-
mor, weaponry and personal items from the powerful military class that ruled Japan for nearly 700 years. Each item tells a story through its master craftsmanship and individual details. Tue-Sun from 10 am-5 pm through June 1. $9-$15. Northwest Museum of Arts & Culture, 2316 W. First Ave. northwestmuseum.org
WINTER CARNIVAL BLOCK PARTY A community event following the Winter Carnival Parade featuring dance performances, music, s’mores, hot cocoa, food and more. Feb. 14, 6-8 pm. Free. Pend d’Oreille Winery, 301 Cedar. powine.com
LEARN TO WEAVE Instructor Tabitha Wellsandt teaches the basics of weaving using easy to find materials. All materials provided. Ages 8-11. Feb. 17-6 pm. $35. Emerge, 119 N. Second. emergecda.com
SOCIAL CHESS NIGHT Whether you’re a seasoned player or a curious beginner, this weekly event offers something for everyone. Play casual games, learn new tactics and connect with fellow chess lovers in a relaxed, welcoming environment. Mondays at 5:30 pm through March 24. Free. Lumberbeard Brewing, 25 E. Third Ave. blitzandblunders.org
BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING Join the library’s monthly Board of Trustees meeting, held the third Tuesday of each month from 4:30-6 pm. Free. Central Library, 906 W. Main. spokanelibrary.org
SPACE FUN FACTORY Create a solar system model and a constellation minilamp. This event helps kids practice these STEM skills: engineering & problem-solving. Feb. 18, 4-5 pm. Free. Shadle Library, 2111 W. Wellesley Ave. spokanelibrary.org
DROP-IN AND DRAW, PAINT, KNIT, STITCH... Bring your current creative project to the Hive and create with others. Every third Wednesday of the month from 5:30-7 pm. Free. The Hive, 2904 E. Sprague Ave. spokanelibrary.org
OPEN HOUSE See newly renovated areas of the Madison Inn like the lobby, front desk area and breakfast space. Also get a tour of the accommodations and enter giveaways. Feb. 19, 11 am-3 pm. Free. Madison Inn, 15 W. Rockwood Blvd. rubyhospitality.com (509-474-4200)
AMERICAN GIRL OF THE MONTH CLUB
Each month’s meeting features one of American Girl’s historical dolls and includes fun activities that are inspired by her era and heritage. Third Thursday at 1 pm and 4 pm. Free. Coeur d’Alene Public Library, 702 E. Front Ave. cdalibrary.org
CABIN FEVER MARKETS Vendors from the Kootenai County Farmers’ Market sell baked goods, crafts and more. Last Saturday of each month through March from 10 am-3 pm Free. Kootenai County Fairgrounds, 4056 N. Government. kootenaifarmersmarkets.org
EL MERCADITO A Latino cultural market featuring fresh food, cleaning supplies, local vendors, a free health clinic, immigration resources and more. Last Saturdays from 11 am-3 pm Free. A.M. Cannon Park, 1920 W. Maxwell Ave. latinosenspokane.org/mercadito
FUTURE DAY A day of hands-on play designed to ignite children’s curiosity about the world of work. Grades K-3. Feb. 22, 10 am-2 pm. Free. On Track Academy, 4091 N. Regal St. ksps.org (509-443-7735) ...continued on next page
EVENTS | CALENDAR
INLAND NORTHWEST BOOK ARTS
SOCIETY MEET-UP A group that meets monthly to practice and learn different aspects of book arts. Each meeting features a different technique, and is held in Mel Antuna Hewitt’s studio at the Hive. Space is limited. Feb. 22, 10-11:30 am. Free. The Hive, 2904 E. Sprague Ave. spokanelibrary.org (509-444-5300)
FILM
MOSCOW FILM SOCIETY: LA HAINE A gritty, unsettling and visually explosive look at the racial volatility in modern-day France. Feb. 13, 7-9 pm. $8. The Kenworthy, 508 S. Main St. kenworthy.org
ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW A newly-engaged couple have a breakdown in an isolated area and must seek shelter at the bizarre residence of Dr. Frank-n-Furter. Feb. 14, 11:30 pm. $10. Garland Theater, 924 W. Garland Ave. garlandtheater.org (509-327-1050)
VALENTINE’S BABYSITTING MOVIE
NIGHT Children ages 2 and over are invited to a movie night with themed-crafts, popcorn and a Valentine’s movie. Feb. 14, 5-9 pm. $30-$40. Nest Community School, 4418 E. Eighth Ave. spokanenest. com (509-590-9366)
SUNDANCE SHORTS TOUR A collection of short films curated from the 2024 Sundance Film Festival featring three awardwinning titles. Feb. 15, 12-9 pm. $20. Moses Lake Civic Center Auditorium, 401 S. Balsam St. cba-arts.org (509-793-0792)
OSCAR SHORTS A two-day screening of Oscar-nominated short films in three categories: live action, animation and documentary. Feb. 15, 1 pm and Feb. 16, 4 & 7 pm. $8. The Kenworthy, 508 S. Main St. kenworthy.org (208-882-4127)
CRAFTING MATINEE: THE NEVERENDING STORY A magical journey about the power of a young boy’s imagination to save a dying fantasy land. The lights will be gently dimmed to allow guests to enjoy the movie and crafting. Bring personal crafts you’d like to work on. Feb. 16, 1-3 pm. $8. The Kenworthy, 508 S. Main St. kenworthy.org (208-882-4127)
THE ENDLESS NAKBA: A PALESTINE FILM SERIES A series of film screenings that reveal different aspects of Palestinian life and death under Israeli occupation, both in Gaza and the West Bank. Moderated audience discussions to follow each film. Films include No Other Land (Feb. 16), The First 54 Years (March 16), The Night Won’t End: Biden’s War on Gaza (April 13) and Atrocity, Inc (May 18). Select Sundays through May from 4-7 pm. Free. Magic Lantern Theatre, 25 W. Main Ave. inwclp.com (509-209-2383)
THE SLED HILL SHORT FILM PREMIER Experience the Sled Hill at Pine Street Woods through the eyes of the past at the long-awaited premier of The Sled Hill, a short film by Tanner French Films. Feb. 20, 5-8:30 pm. $10. Panida Theater, 300 N. First Ave. kaniksu.org
LEGO STOP-MOTION ANIMATION Create and edit videos of LEGO characters moving, jumping and talking to each other. During this workshop, you’ll make a short stop-motion movie and learn how to create more in the future. The library provides all supplies. Registration is required. Ages 8-12. Feb. 22, 2-3:30 pm. Free. Spokane Valley Library, 22 N. Herald Rd. scld.org (509-893-8400)
PALOUSE CULT FILM REVIVAL: THE ROOM AN INTERACTIVE SCREENING A screening of Tommy Wiseau’s The Room
that includes call-out scripts, prop bags and a second bar set up near the screen. Feb. 22, 7 pm. $20-$50. The Kenworthy, 508 S. Main St. palousecultfilms.org
MOSES: 13 STEPS Two time Olympic gold medalist Dr. Edwin Moses introduces a new documentary that addresses his unprecedented dominance in the 400m hurdles, running undefeated in all professional competition for over 10 years. Feb. 23, 4-6 pm. $10. The Kenworthy, 508 S. Main St. kenworthy.org (208-882-4127)
FOOD & DRINK
BEVERLY’S SWEETHEARTS COUPLES
DINNERS A romantic evening featuring a four-course meal with optional wine pairings and breathtaking views of Lake Coeur d’Alene. Feb. 13-15, 5-9:30 pm. $75. The Coeur d’Alene Resort, 115 S. Second. beverlyscda.com (208-292-5678)
VALENTINE’S DAY SURF & TURF DINNER An entertainment-style cooking class featuring four courses of Valentine’s Day favorites accompanied by wine. Feb. 13, 5-8:15 pm. $300. The Kitchen Engine, 621 W. Mallon Ave. thekitchenengine.com
VALENTINE’S LUNCH DATE FOR TWO Learn how to create a delicious and visually stunning five-course dinner with your partner and take home your own personal pan of lasagna. Feb. 14, 12-2:30 pm. $190. The Kitchen Engine, 621 W. Mallon Ave. thekitchenengine.com
VALENTINE’S WINEMAKERS DINNER A night of Italian cuisine paired with wines from Latah Creek. Feb. 14, 7 pm and Feb. 15, 6 pm. $105. Commellini Estate, 14715 N. Dartford Dr. commellini.com
GERMAN-AMERICAN SOCIETY SWEET-
HEART VALENTINE DINNER A Valentine’s Day dinner of schnitzel and other traditional fare. Email or call for reservation. Feb. 15, 5:30-11 pm. $25. German American Hall, 25 W. Third Ave. germanamericansociety-spokane.org
REVIVAL TEA COMPANY FIVE-YEAR
ANNIVERSARY This milestone celebration features $5 mocktails all day, exclusive door prizes and a “Win Tea for a Year” raffle. Feb. 15, 9 am-6 pm. Revival Tea Company, 415 W. Main Ave. Suite 100. revivalteacompany.com (509-315-8099)
GNOCCHI COOKING CLASS Join Commellini Estate’s Executive Chef for a hands-on cooking class and learn how to create gnocchi from scratch. Feb. 18-19, 6:30-8:30 pm. $85. Commellini Estate, 14715 N. Dartford Dr. commellini.com
NORTH IDAHO WINE SOCIETY FEBRUARY TASTING The February tasting features wines from the Rhone Valley in France. Members Ron and Sherri Thies share stories and photos from their trip while Trevor Treller, sommelier and owner of Terroir Fine Wines, discusses the Northern and Southern Rhone wines. RSVP before Feb. 17. Feb. 21, 7-9:30 pm. $30-$35. Lake City Center, 1916 N. Lakewood Dr. northidahowinesociety.org
COCHINITO TAQUERIA 7TH ANNIVERSARY This party celebrating Cochinito’s seventh anniversary features cocktails, small bites, love music and more. Feb. 23, 12-9 pm. $79. Cochinito Taqueria, 10 N. Post St. cochinitotaqueria.com
MUSIC
GONZAGA WIND ENSEMBLE: THEMES AND MOTIFS The Gonzaga Wind Ensemble performs music by Gustav Holst,
Ryan George, David Maslanka andArturo Márquez with guest soloist Dr. Kevin Hekmatpanah. Feb. 13, 7:30-9 pm. $10-$15. Myrtle Woldson Performing Arts Center, 211 E. Desmet Ave. gonzaga.edu
TOM PLETSCHER Tom Pletscher performs jazz selections on piano. Feb. 14, 6-9 pm. Free. Northern Quest Resort & Casino, 100 N. Hayford Rd. northernquest.com (509-242-7000)
SATURDAY WITH THE SYMPHONY The Coeur d’Alene Symphony performs, puts on an interactive activity and a book is read by the children’s librarian. Every third Saturday at 11 am. Free. Coeur d’Alene Public Library, 702 E. Front Ave. cdalibrary.org (208-769-2315)
A WHIMSICAL WANDERING AROUND THE WORLD WITH A CONGENIAL CLARINET FOR A COMPANION A faculty recital featuring clarinetist Tom Shook, pianist Joy Zickau, and cellist Roberta Bottelli performing music from around the world. Feb. 15, 3-4:30 pm. Free. Whitworth University, 300 W. Hawthorne Rd. whitworth.edu/music (509-777-3280)
GONZAGA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA The Gonzaga Symphony Orchestra, director Kevin Hekmatpanah, with cellist Steven Isserlis, perform selections by Beethoven, Mendelssohn and SaintSaëns. Feb. 18, 7:30-9 pm. $18-$24. Myrtle Woldson Performing Arts Center, 211 E. Desmet Ave. gonzaga.edu
BLACK HISTORY MONTH CONCERT A concert featuring the United Black Voice of Spokane and the Gonzaga University Choir honoring the rich cultural legacy of black music. Feb. 23, 3-4:30 pm. Free. Manito United Methodist Church, 3220 S. Grand Blvd. manitoumc.org
KEBERLE JAZZ MASS An originally composed jazz mass by Dan Keberle, retired Whitworth jazz professor, a jazz band and St. Mark’s Chancel Choir. Feb. 23, 8:30-9:30 & 10:45 am. Free. St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, 316 E. 24th Ave. stmarksspokane.org (509-747-6677)
MEOW MEOW Meow Meow sings, dances and performs her hilarious musical act. Feb. 23, 7:30 pm. $42-$66. Myrtle Woldson Performing Arts Center, 211 E. Desmet Ave. gonzaga.edu/mwpac
SPORTS & OUTDOORS
HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY DISCOUNT WEEK If you’re employed at a restaurant, hotel, or tourist attraction, simply show your current pay stub Feb. 10-14 to get a lift ticket for only $49. Through Feb. 14. $49. Silver Mountain Resort, 610 Bunker Ave. silvermt.com (208-783-1111)
VALENTINE’S NIGHT SKIING Spend Valentine’s Day on the mountain skiing under the lights. Feb. 14, 12-6:30 pm. $35$50. Silver Mountain Resort, 610 Bunker Ave. silvermt.com (208-783-1111)
APRES SKI DAYS Gather outside the Mountain House for drink specials, games and giveaways served over a snow bar. Feb. 15-19. Silver Mountain Resort, 610 Bunker Ave. silvermt.com
SPOKANE CHIEFS VS. TRI-CITY AMERICANS Regular season games. Promos includes Chiefs Fight Cancer Night. Feb. 15, 6:05 pm. $12-$40. Spokane Arena, 720 W. Mallon Ave. spokanechiefs.com
LET IT GLOW KIDS PARADE & FIREWORKS A parade for kids and a fireworks show plus twilight skiing, live music and beer specials. Feb. 16. Free. Schweitzer,
CHICKEN KEEPING BASICS Learn about the chicken keeping regulations in Spokane County as well as housing, breed selection, egg production, feeding and caring for chickens. Presented by Paul and Susan Puhek of S&P Homestead Farm. Feb. 18, 6-8 pm. Free. Otis Orchards Library, 22324 E. Wellesley Ave. scld.org
CROSS COUNTRY SKI LESSON Learn to cross-country ski and tour the trails of Mt. Spokane. Learn the basics from Spokane Nordic Ski Association P.S.I.A certified instructors. Equipment and lunch provided. Meet at the Mt. Spokane Selkirk Nordic Area. Feb. 22, 10 am-noon. $77. Mt. Spokane Ski & Snowboard Park, 29500 N. Mt. Spokane Park Dr. spokanerec.org
GIRLS GONE METAL An all-women event featuring a community jam session in Half Hitch. After, gather at the No-Li Bar for festivities and raffle prizes. Feb. 23, 10 am-2 pm. $50. Mt. Spokane Ski & Snowboard Park, 29500 N. Mt. Spokane Park Dr. mtspokane.com (509-238-2220)
GIRLS ON SHRED Intermediate and advanced skiers and snowboarders are invited to ride with a supportive and friendly group of individuals. Feb. 23 and March 30. Lookout Pass Ski & Recreation Area, I-90 Exit 0. silookout.com
THEATER & DANCE
AMÉLIE Amélie finds a child’s box of treasures in the floor of her apartment, and sets out to return it. After her success, and the joy it brings to Bretodeau, Amélie resolves to anonymously do good for those around her. Times vary through Feb. 17. $22-$28. Aspire Community Theatre, 1765 W. Golf Course Road. aspirecda.com (208-696-4228)
KALEIDOSCOPE Hosted by Stage Left Theatre, this biennial event features theater organizations from all over Washington State performing productions and competing for prizes. Feb. 13-15, 3:30 pm. $15-$45. Gonzaga University Magnuson Theatre, 502 E. Boone Ave. stagelefttheatre.org (609-313-6553)
LEND ME A SOPRANO Lucille Wiley, Manager of the Cleveland Grand Opera Company, is ready to welcome Elena Firenzi for her one-night-only starring role in Carmen. Elena arrives late, her husband Pasquale has a fit of jealousy and it remains to be seen whether Mrs. Wiley’s assistant can save the day. ThuSat at 7:30 pm, Sun at 2 pm through Feb. 16. $15 - $39. Spokane Civic Theatre, 1020 N. Howard St. spokanecivictheatre.com
TOOTSIE In a meteoric rise to Broadway stardom, Michael (disguised as Dorothy) soon has audiences enamored while falling for his co-star. It isn’t long before Michael realizes that maintaining his greatest acting success is going to be much harder than he expected. Feb. 1323; Thu-Sat at 7:30 pm, Sat-Sun at 1:30 pm. $30-$35. Regional Theatre of the Palouse, 122 N. Grand. rtoptheatre.org
THE LION, THE WITCH, AND THE WARDROBE This dramatization of C.S. Lewis’ classic recreates the magic and mystery of Aslan, the great lion, his struggle with the White Witch and the adventures of four children who wander from an old wardrobe into Narnia. Feb. 14-23; Thu-Sat at 7 pm, Sun at 2 pm. $15. TAC at the Lake, 22910 E. Appleway Ave. tacatthelake.com
HEART & SOLE A 1v1 all-styles dance battle event focusing on celebrating hip hop culture in Spokane with music by DJ Arsene. Feb. 15, 5-11 pm. $20. Placeholder Studio, 104 W. Third Ave. linktr.ee/theevergreenscene (509-768-4997) ONCE UPON A MURDER In a kingdom where jealousy, betrayal and deception are common story lines, it will be up to you to find the felon of this fairytale murder mystery so that everyone can live happily ever after. Feb. 15, 6-9:30 pm. $54. Crime Scene Entertainment, 2775 N. Howard. crimesceneentertainment.com
GEM STATE FLYERS: LOVE AT FIRST FLIGHT A night of aerial romance and circus delight from the Gem State Flyers, an aerial performance troupe founded in 2024 composed of University of Idaho Aerial Arts Club coaches and members. Feb. 15, 6:30-9 pm. $5-$20. The Kenworthy, 508 S. Main St. kenworthy.org
VISUAL ARTS
KRISTIN ROBBINS: PAINTED FRAMES
Kristin Robbins is an artist, musician and part-time custodian for Spokane Public Schools. Her work portrays characters caught in everyday activities in maximalist interiors or busy exteriors. Daily from 11 am-6 pm through Feb. 28. Free. Entropy, 101 N. Stevens St. instagram.com/ entropygalleryspokane
THE ART OF FOOD: FROM THE COLLECTIONS OF JORDAN D. SCHNITZER AND HIS FAMILY FOUNDATION A collection of work showcasing how prominent artists depict food beyond mere sustenance and how food connects us through shared experiences. Tue-Sat from 10 am-4 pm through March 8. Free. Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art WSU, 1535 NE Wilson. museum.wsu.edu
ART U.S.A.: ONE HUNDRED AMERICAN WORKS ON PAPER A collection of 100 pieces of art from the Jundt’s permanent collection depicting an expanse of American life from the years 1925-1950. MonSat from 10 am-4 pm through May 10. Free. Jundt Art Museum, 200 E. Desmet Ave. gonzaga.edu/jundt (509-313-6843) BY THE SEA ART EXHIBIT & SALE Enjoy art of the oceans, seas, riverscapes, ponds and pools creatively interpreted by 20 local artists. Wed-Fri from 10 am-6 pm, Sat from 9 am-noon and Sun from 1-4 pm through March 22. Free. The Jacklin Arts & Cultural Center, 405 N. William St. thejacklincenter.org (208-457-8950)
CHRIS KELSEY: ALTERED CONNECTIONS Ceramic artist Chris Kelsey showcases themes of change in the form of geometric shapes and geologic forces. Wed-Fri from 11 am-5 pm through Feb. 28. Free. Trackside Studio, 115 S. Adams St. tracksidestudio.net (509-863-9904)
CONNECTIVE STRANDS OF SPIRIT A group exhibition featuring works by Joe, Carly and Ryan Feddersen, William Passmore, Emma Noyes and others honoring the Plateau people’s past, present and future. Thu-Sat from 4-7 pm through March 1. Free. Terrain Gallery, 628 N. Monroe St. terrainspokane.com
ED & KAREN ROBINSON: PLACES, FACES, & SPACES An exhibition featuring the works of local artists Ed and Karen Robinson. Themes range from serene landscapes to vivid portraits. Mon-Fri from 10 am-5 pm, Sat from 10 am-4 pm through Feb. 28. Free. Pend Oreille Arts Council Gallery, 313 N. Second Ave. artinsandpoint.org
POLITICS
FARM TO TABLE
Washington lawmakers consider allowing cannabis producers to sell direct to consumers
BY WILL MAUPIN
Legislators in Olympia are considering a bill that could upend the business model of the state’s cannabis industry, by bringing it in line with every other legal business in Washington.
Senate Bill 5403 proposes legalizing direct producer-toconsumer sales of cannabis.
Currently, the state requires producers and processors of cannabis to go through an intermediary — licensed dispensaries — to bring their products to the public market. If passed, SB 5403 would allow producers and processors to sell directly to consumers, much like how alcohol producers — think breweries or wineries — are allowed to sell directly to consumers while also having their products on store shelves.
For cannabis producers and processors, especially smaller ones, this could be a game changer.
“It would open up another revenue stream,” says Libby Rindal, part owner of Lilac City Gardens, a local cannabis producer. “If a farm could have a way to sell their products retail to the average consumer, they could make that retail profit instead of someone else.”
SB 5403 had its first public hearing on Jan. 27 and is scheduled to have another, in the Senate Committee on Labor & Commerce, on Feb. 14.
The bill, sponsored by Sens. Rebecca Saldaña, Deborah Krishnadasan and T’wina Nobles, three Puget Sound-area Democrats, aims to “[support] a sustainable cannabis industry.”
Currently, the state’s three-tier system for producers and processors puts limits on the amount of space and product that growers and manufacturers are allowed to occupy and produce. The impetus behind the three-tier system, which has been in place since legalization was first adopted more than a decade ago, was to allow for small businesses to coexist alongside larger producers.
While that has happened, things haven’t been easy for the smaller producers in Washington.
The bill recognizes this reality, stating that “due to the federal legal landscape, all cannabis produced within Washington must stay within the state’s borders, which can cause downward pressure on prices that threaten the ability for small and independent producers to stay in business.”
Rindal’s experience confirms that sentiment.
“There’s only so much shelf space,” Rindal says. “Smaller companies might not have the opportunity to get their product to a customer without being able to negotiate with retailers who have no reason to buy their cannabis when they can buy all of the other well-known cannabis that’s available.”
SB 5403 would give all cannabis producers the ability to sell directly to consumers, but for smaller producers that have been squeezed by the highly regulated market, it could be a lifeline. n
Imagine buying cannabis straight from the farmer.
GREEN ZONE
BE AWARE: Marijuana is legal for adults 21 and older under Washington State law (e.g., RCW 69.50, RCW 69.51A, HB0001 Initiative 502 and Senate Bill 5052). State law does not preempt federal law; possessing, using, distributing and selling marijuana remains illegal under federal law. In Washington state, consuming marijuana in public, driving while under the influence of marijuana and transporting marijuana across state lines are all illegal. Marijuana has intoxicating effects; there may be health risks associated with its consumption, and it may be habit-forming. It can also impair concentration, coordination and judgment. Do not operate a vehicle or machinery under the influence of this drug. Keep out of reach of children. For more information, consult the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board at www.liq.wa.gov.
NOTE TO READERS
Be aware of the differences in the law between Idaho and Washington. It is illegal to possess, sell or transport cannabis in the State of Idaho. Possessing up to an ounce is a misdemeanor and can get you a year in jail and up to a $1,000 fine; more than three ounces is a felony that can carry a five-year sentence and fine of up to $10,000. Transporting marijuana across state lines, like from Washington into Idaho, is a felony under federal law.
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EVENTS | CALENDAR
HANDS ON: WORKSHOP FOR LITTLE MAKERS Use hands-on exploration to experience art basics like color and texture at this monthly workshop. Every second Thursday of the month from 10-11 am. $10. Art Salvage Spokane, 610 E. North Foothills Dr. artsalvagespokane.com ((509) 798-9039)
JUDY KLIER & MARCIA MCDONALD: WE ARE FAMILY Sisters Judy Klier and Marcia McDonald showcase diverse paintings of animals, human beings and abstract shapes. Wed-Sat from 11 am-5 pm through Feb. 28. Free. New Moon Art Gallery, 1326 E. Sprague Ave. newmoonartgallery.com
LITTLE SPOKANE RIVER ARTIST STUDIO TOUR PREVIEW SHOW This month’s show is a preview of artwork by artists who are participating in the 2025 Little Spokane River Artist Studio Tour on the last Saturday in September. Daily from 11 am-7 pm through Feb. 22, Free. Liberty Building, 203 N. Washington St. spokanelibertybuilding.com (509-327-6920)
LOCAL COLOR A group exhibition featuring local artists Wes Hanson, Megan Perkins, L.R. Montgomery and Teresa Rancourt. Wed-Sun from 11 am-6 pm through Feb. 23. Free. The Art Spirit Gallery, 415 Sherman Ave. theartspiritgallery.com (208-765-6006)
NEUROGRAPHIC DRAWING This class is taught as a creative method of drawing that promotes mindfulness and intentionality. It involves drawing lines and shapes that mirror the brain’s neural pathways. Feb. 13, 5-6:30 pm, Feb. 21-22, 11 am-12:30 pm. $30. New Moon Art Gallery, 1326 E. Sprague. newmoonartgallery.com
OUR TIME, OUR VOICE This show features artwork from Spokane Public Schools’ five high schools (Ferris, Lewis & Clark, North Central, Rogers and Shadle Park) exploring themes of culture, the environment and social issues. Open by appointment through March 1. Free. Kolva-Sullivan Gallery, 115 S. Adams St. mobile.kolva.comcastbiz.net (509-458-5517)
PAPER AS WATER: CONTEMPORARY INDIGENOUS PRINTS An installation of works by Indigenous artists of Washington state from the collection of Helen Carlson and Paul Nicholson. Mon-Fri from 10 am-4:30 pm through March 21. Free. Bryan Oliver Gallery, Whitworth, 300 W. Hawthorne Ave. whitworth.edu (509-777-3258)
KAREN KAISER: THEN & NOW This show features oil paintings reflecting on the artist’s childhood memories. Mon-Fri from 10 am-5 pm through Feb. 28. Free. Spokane Art School, 503 E. Second Ave. spokaneartschool.net
2025 REGIONAL FACULTY INVITATIONAL EXHIBITION A group exhibition featuring faculty art works from: Gonzaga University, Eastern Washington University, Whitworth University, Spokane Falls Community College and North Idaho College. Fri from 4-7 pm, Sat from 10 am-3 pm through March 8. Free. Gonzaga University Urban Arts Center, 125 S. Stevens St. gonzaga.edu
ANDREA JOYCE HEIMER: NO NAME THAT I KNOW OF Through collagelike layers of detail, Washington-based artist Andrea Joyce Heimer reconstructs tangled memories of her upbringing in rural Montana. Feb. 14-May 25, Tue-Sun from 10 am-5 pm. $9-15. Northwest Museum of Arts & Culture, 2316 W. First. northwestmuseum.org
WORDS
AUNTIE’S BOOK CLUB: NEW FICTIO: Discuss Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar at the February meeting. Feb. 13, 6-7 pm. Free. Auntie’s Bookstore, 402 W. Main Ave. auntiesbooks.com
REDISCOVERING ARCHITECT EARL WILSON MORRISON Retired Spokane architect Glenn Davis presents a detailed account of Earl Morrison’s extraordinary career in the field of architecture. Register via email. Feb. 13, 5:30-6:30 pm. Free. Liberty Park Library, 402 S. Pittsburgh St. spokanelibrary.org (509-444-5300)
WRITE TOGETHER: A COMMUNITY WRITING SESSION Bring your current writing project and your favorite writing tools and prepare to write. Local novelist and Writing Education Specialist Sharma Shields will write alongside of you and provide prompts and advice if needed. Feb. 14, 10 amnoon. Free. Liberty Park Library, 402 S. Pittsburgh St. spokanelibrary.org
ARMCHAIR TRAVELERS SERIES: EXPLORING THE NORTH ATLANTIC This travel series is designed for adventurous travelers who want to share their journeys and relive their experiences, allowing us to explore distant destinations from the comfort of chairs. Cecilia talks about her adventures across the North Atlantic. Feb. 15, 1-2 pm. Free. Shadle Library, 2111 W. Wellesley Ave. spokanelibrary.org (509-444-5300)
POETRY BEFORE DARK EWU MFA students lead discussions about craft elements, style and form in poetry. Every Saturday from noon-2 pm. Tues., 12:30-2 pm. Free. Spark Central, 1214 W. Summit Pkwy. spark-central.org
TEEN WRITE CLUB Teen writers are invited to get feedback on their work and explore all things prose and poetry. Every Tuesday from 5:30-7 pm. Free. Spark Central, 1214 W. Summit Pkwy. spark-central.org
BROKEN MIC A weekly open mic reading series. Wednesdays at 6:30 pm; sign-ups at 6 pm. Free. Neato Burrito, 827 W. First Ave. bit.ly/2ZAbugD PICTURE BOOK CHAT Hear and see what librarians Mary Ellen and Sheri like about books for toddlers, preschoolers and emergent readers. Feb. 19-May 21, third Wednesday of each month at 1 pm. Free. scld.org
LIBARNA URBAN LANDSCAPES PROJECT: EXPLORING A ROMAN CITY Geophysical survey and archaeological excavations by the Libarna Urban Landscapes Project are helping to expand understanding of urban society and culture in northern Italy. Feb. 20, 6:30-8 pm. Free. Northwest Museum of Arts & Culture, 2316 W. First. northwestmuseum.org
FILL-A-BAG SALE Fill a bag with used books priced $8.95 and under for $50. The first 30 people in line receive a tote to shop with. Feb. 22, 4-6 pm. $50. Bookishly Happy, 2415 N. Government Way. bookishlyhappy.com
AUNTIE’S BOOK CLUB: QUEER & WEIRD Discuss The Stars Too Fondly by Emily Hamilton. Feb. 22, 6-7 pm. Free. Auntie’s Bookstore, 402 W. Main Ave. auntiesbooks.com
HARMONY WRITERS GROUP A writing group focused on memoir and craft. Every other Thursday from 5:15-7 pm. Free. Liberty Park Library, 402 S. Pittsburgh St. spokanelibrary.org n
99114.
study will take place at 956 S Main Street, Colville,
study will require a proposal in
to our RFP packet. To receive an RFP packet and further project information, please email cothompson@ruralresources.org. This opportunity will be open to submit a proposal until Sunday 2-16-2025.
