Inlander 8/10/2023

EDITOR’S NOTE

Ican’t imagine life without a cat.

As a kid, we had so many cats, I wouldn’t even dare to count them here. There was Bear, Asia, Marley, Gordon, Pretzo, Mercedes, Midnight… You get the point.

As an adult, I lived with a cat named Fluff, who took a real liking to me but — as a Maine coon — scared most people away with her ready claws. She was my roommate’s cat and my soft heart remembers, more than once, coming home after a long day to find Fluff sitting on my bed, waiting for me, her long hair soaking wet after an (ill-advised) bath.

My wife and I have had three cats: Jaxsom, Roxanne and May. We said goodbye to Jaxsom (he of the quiet, clicking purr) a decade ago. Roxanne, aka The Chub, was with us for almost 20 years, and I’ll never forget her sweet, high voice or that time she, the ferocious hunter, came bounding back from who knows where with a muffin top in her mouth.

May is still with us and beloved, as my phone’s many photos of her attest. The pint-sized black and white “cow” kitty is very sweet — until she pinches a bit of flesh between those sharp teeth. I have photos of that, too. Maybe I should’ve entered them in this year’s PET ISSUE photo contest. She would’ve given Babette a run for her money.

— NICHOLAS DESHAIS, editor

1227 W. Summit Parkway, Spokane, WA 99201 PHONE: 509-325-0634 EMAIL: info@inlander.com SPOKANE

EASTERN WASHINGTON

NORTH IDAHO

THE INLANDER is a locally owned, independent newspaper founded on Oct. 20, 1993. Please recycle THE INLANDER after you’re done with it. One copy free per person per week; extra copies are $1 each (call x226). For ADVERTISING information, email advertising@inlander.com. To have a SUBSCRIPTION mailed to you, call x210 (78 per year). To find one of our more than 1,000 NEWSRACKS where you can pick up a paper free every Thursday, call x226 or email frankd@ inlander.com. THE INLANDER is a member of the Association of Alternative Newsmedia and is published at least twice per month. All contents of this newspaper are protected by United States copyright law. © 2023, Inland Publications, Inc.

FUN FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY!

DISNEY ON ICE

Presents Frozen & Encanto

SPOKANE ARENA

Fri, Sat & Sun, October 20-22

MONSTER JAM

SPOKANE ARENA

Fri, Sat & Sun, November 3-5

The Wonderful World Tour

FIRST INTERSTATE CENTER

Saturday, November 25

BLUEY’S BIG PLAY

FIRST INTERSTATE CENTER

Thursday, January 18

COMMENT

STAFF DIRECTORY

PHONE: 509-325-0634

Ted S. McGregor Jr. (tedm@inlander.com)

PUBLISHER

Jer McGregor (x224)

GENERAL MANAGER

EDITORIAL

Nicholas Deshais (x239) EDITOR

Chey Scott (x225)

ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR

Derek Harrison (x248)

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Seth Sommerfeld (x250)

MUSIC & SCREEN EDITOR

Samantha Wohlfeil (x234)

BREAKING NEWS EDITOR

Madison Pearson (x218)

LISTINGS EDITOR

Eliza Billingham (x222) Colton Rasanen (x263)

Nate Sanford (x282), Summer Sandstrom (x232)

STAFF WRITERS

Chris Frisella

COPY CHIEF

Young Kwak, Erick Doxey

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Sylvia Davidow, Ben Vandehey INTERNS

Josh Baxter, Chase Hutchinson, Will Maupin, Carrie Scozzaro, Tara Roberts

CONTRIBUTORS

ADVERTISING

Skip Mitchell (x247)

ADVERTISING & BUSINESS

DEVELOPMENT MANAGER

Carolyn Padgham (x214), Kristi Gotzian (x215), Autumn Potts (x251), Claire Price (x217)

SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES

Tracy Menasco (x260), Stephanie Grinols (x216), Meghan Fitzgerald (x241)

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES

Tamara McGregor (x233)

ADVERTISING OPERATIONS MANAGER

Kristina Smith (x223)

EVENT & SPECIAL PROJECTS MANAGER

PRODUCTION

Ali Blackwood (x228)

PRODUCTION TEAM MANAGER,

CREATIVE, DIGITAL & MARKETING

Tom Stover (x265)

PRINT PRODUCTION & IT MANAGER

Derrick King (x238)

SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Leslie Douglas (x231)

GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Colleen Bell-Craig (x212), Raja Bejjani (x242)

ADVERTISING ASSISTANTS

OPERATIONS

Dee Ann Cook (x211)

BUSINESS MANAGER

Kristin Wagner (x210)

ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE

CIRCULATION

Frank DeCaro (x226)

CIRCULATION MANAGER

Travis Beck (x237)

CIRCULATION SUPERVISOR

WHAT’S A FUNNY STORY OR FAVORITE MEMORY YOU HAVE WITH YOUR PET?

MOLLY GRUTSCH (7-YEAR-OLD CAT MR. WAFFLES)

He’s a very skilled carnivore. He kills huge squirrels and he’s not that big, he’s probably like an 8- or 9-pound cat.

POLLY BECKER

(BELATED POODLE MIX LOUIE)

Louie was very naughty and would escape the house all the time. Lawyers would call me and be like “he’s in our law office again.” Somehow he’d get in through two levels of locked doors. He got into the dentist’s office.

JESSICA BLOCK

(BELATED CAT KITKAT)

One of her favorite activities to do was ride in the car with us. She’d jump up like a dog and wag her little cat tail and get up on the window and look around. We’d go through drive-thrus and people would be surprised since they always see dogs.

NATHAN CRITCHFIELD

(HOUSE RABBIT MILO)

Sometimes they get into an energetic mood, and they’ll sprint around and like run up and bite my feet playfully and run away.

Did you ever have anything get eaten by the rabbit that made you go, “Dang it!”?

Oh yeah. One night I wasn’t home and he’d chewed through a charging cord.

ANN FLATT

(UNNAMED FERAL CATS)

We just keep getting more feral cats. I go to the grocery store and I buy food, and people always say, “How many cats do you have?” or “What’s your cat’s name?” and I say, “None” and they look at me like I’m crazy.

Discover Lake Coeur D’Alene’s secret spot offering lakeside dining, a full bar, indoor and outdoor deck seating with lake views, and live music. Whether you arrive by boat or car, enjoy summer fun at the grill!

Live Music Coming Up!

Saturday, August 12 7-10 p.m. - Wild Wooly Band

Saturday, August 19 7-10 p.m. - Flipside

Sunday, August 20 11-2 p.m. - Darin Hilderbrand

GET YOUR NON-PROFIT NOTICED!

The Mystery of Maggie

No judgment, no score-keeping: How a 17-pound ball of fur offers an example of pure love that most humans cannot

BY TARA ROBERTS

Irecently came home from a quick trip to Montana with my younger son. My teenager greeted me by briefly emerging from the rat’s nest of his room, pointing at his headphones when I said “hi,” and disappearing again. My husband was cleaning the kitchen while finishing dinner, which would have been an award-winning welcome — were it not for the dog.

You know those cute videos of dogs being reunited with service members who have been deployed? That’s how my poodle, Maggie,

reacts after I’ve been in the bathroom for five minutes. After my four nights in Montana, she greeted me as if I’d been vacationing on the moon and she had been solemnly told I’d drifted away into space and would never return.

I was completely chill about it, of course.

Maggie, the sweet little baby poodley-oodley.

I scooped Maggie up and ran around the house vigorously scratching her ears and shouting, “WHO IS MY SWEET LITTLE BABY POODLEY-OODLEY?!” Just as any reasonable dog-lover would.

Ilike to joke that half my soul is a poodle. I’ve had three, spanning my life. My mom brought home tiny, nervous Tyson (ironically named for the heavyweight boxing champ) when I was 5. He was my constant companion, the keeper of all my childhood secrets. He died shortly before I graduated from high school, and I figured I’d wait until after college to find a new dog.

But, during spring break of freshman year, I met Lenny in a pet store and couldn’t bear to leave him there. I carted him along through four years of school; my first years of marriage to my husband, Tim; a half-dozen apartments and houses; and the addition of our two children, who doted on Lenny in his old-man years. My now-teenager’s first word was “pup-pup” — his first long sentence, “That’s my dog Lenny on the couch over there.”

When Lenny died in 2017, I said again that I wanted to wait to get another dog. But a few weeks later, my mom stumbled across an online post from a woman looking to rehome an 8-month-old red poodle. Within 24 hours, Tim and I were driving across Washington to pick up Maggie.

One of the first times we left her home alone, she dragged my shoes, socks, pants and T-shirt to the couch and fell asleep on them.

“I think she likes you,” Tim said.

Ijoke that half my soul is a poodle, but really, my dog keeps me believing in the soul.

Maggie accepts all my emotions, even “angry because I know I’m wrong and don’t want to admit it” and “worrying about something that didn’t happen but maybe could have.” She doesn’t care about the stupid things I said in high school. She also forgives me for killing every single houseplant my husband has ever given me. Even when I’m obnoxious or arrogant or mean, she thinks I’m awesome

She doesn’t love me in spite of all my faults — but just as I am, as the old saying goes.

Humans aspire to this kind of love, but we’re ultimately pretty bad at it, clinging as we do to our long lists of secret conditions and extensive record of wrongs, real or imagined. Maggie’s love is unfiltered, unimpressed by the trappings of the world, at times so over-the-top it’s completely absurd. Her love asks for nothing (except ear scratches and cheese and a pair of smelly socks to drag around the house).

My younger son reported that Maggie’s greeting was the best part of his day when we got home from Montana: “She ran up to me like, ‘Yay! You exist!’”

Over the years, I’ve let go of understanding God as a being who enjoys smiting and condemning, or who doesn’t want to do it but just has to, or who occasionally doesn’t condemn but would really like to. While my faith is far from perfect, and often far from sturdy, I hang on to a persistent belief in a God who loves me (and everyone else) just because we exist. I can’t prove it. I can’t explain it.

Thanks to a quirky, overly enthusiastic, 17-pound ball of fur, I know that kind of love is possible. n

Tara Roberts is a writer and educator who lives in Moscow with her husband, sons and Maggie. Her novel Wild and Distant Seas is forthcoming from Norton in 2024. Follow her on Twitter @tarabethidaho.

She doesn’t care about the stupid things I said in high school. She also forgives me for killing every single houseplant my husband has ever given me.

CONFLICT ON THE LAKEFRONT

A developer wants to build on one of the last untouched parts of Liberty Lake, raising environmental concerns

BY SAMANTHA WOHLFEIL

Half a century ago, Liberty Lake was struggling. With few rules protecting the lake from development, many of the once rocky, tree-filled shores were swapped for sandy beaches and lake houses with green lawns and septic systems that allowed pollutants to run off into the lake. The shallow water body — only 30 feet at its deepest — regularly struggled with algae blooms and poor water quality.

But then, with passage of the Washington state Shoreline Management Act and the creation of the Liberty Lake Sewer and Water District in the early 1970s, things started to improve.

The water district installed sewer lines around the lake to capture and treat wastewater, dredged out polluted sediments, and applied alum to control the algae and help clarify the waterbody in a first-in-the-country restoration treatment.

Around the same time, Spokane County was required to create a Shoreline Master Program and a map that designated protections along each stream, river and lake in the county. The map, which is updated periodically, restricts the types of development that can take place and dictates how much natural vegetation needs to be protected near the water.

...continued on page 10

A property owner with the last undeveloped shoreline on Liberty Lake is asking to build 150 feet from the water — unlike this neighboring property, which was allowed to build much closer. YOUNG KWAK

“CONFLICT ON THE LAKEFRONT,” CONTINUED...

Now, the owner of one of the few Liberty Lake properties designated as a “natural” shoreline — the most restrictive category — has requested a change to the map that he says would better recognize how his land was used in the past. But neighbors worry that change could negatively impact some of the “last remaining natural shoreline” and the overall ecological function of the lake.

In a nutshell, the requested map amendment would potentially allow the owner to build 50 feet closer to the water.

“The requested change completely disregards and violates the decades long community wide efforts undertaken to restore, preserve and protect Liberty Lake for future generations,” the three elected Liberty Lake Sewer and Water District commissioners wrote in a July 20 letter to the Spokane County Planning Commission.

But the property owner, Dan Spalding, says he intends to respect the land, which has already been used as a summer camp and wedding venue for decades, and is home to a century-old lodge.

He argues that there’s little evidence that building 200 feet back from the high water mark, as the “natural” designation requires, is any more beneficial for the lake than building 150 feet back, which would be allowed under the “rural conservancy” designation he’s requested.

“The idea that if they grant this amendment this 50 feet is going to make this massive difference in the quality of lake water is misguided,” Spalding says. “And it’s not going to make a significant difference in the appearance or experience from the water.”

The Spokane County Planning Commission held a public hearing on the requested amendment on July 27, receiving several comments opposed to the change.

“It is well known and established science that land development increases nutrient loading in the watershed,” says the water district’s letter, referring to chemicals that can run off from developed areas such as fertilizers, which can increase algae. “As development moves closer to the shoreline, nutrient loading impacts increase. The 52 acres being considered are the last undeveloped portion of the shoreline.”

The only other remaining natural shoreline that’s protected is part of Liberty Lake Regional Park, also on the southern end of the lake.

Other public comments sent to the commission worried that any development enabled by the change would remove a natural path to the water for wildlife from the nearby landlocked Mackenzie Natural Area, while others criticized the idea that the change could financially benefit Spalding.

“Almost every comment I heard and read came from people who live within 50 feet of the lake,” Spalding says, noting those homes are far closer than he’d be allowed to build if the amendment passes. “It’s a bit like, ‘I got mine, and now I want to cruise by and enjoy the unsullied acreage that you paid for.’”

After discussing the request in depth, the Planning Commission opted to ask for more information and could discuss the matter again later this month. Some were unsure Spalding showed enough reason for the change to be made, and some wanted to know whether the amendment could open the door to changes on other sensitive shorelines in the county.

The property in question is home to Zephyr Lodge, likely the oldest building on the lake, constructed around 1902. It was first used as a hotel and dance hall, surviving the speakeasy days before being sold in the 1940s to a Christian group that used the lodge and some small cabins near the shore as a summer camp, retreat and wedding venue.

Spalding — who owns multiple buildings in downtown Spokane, including the Longbotham Building on East Main Avenue that he renovated after purchasing it in 1993 — bought the lakeside property in 2016, and got the previous uses grandfathered in by the county. The property is still used for weddings and events. Because of those historic uses, Spalding notes that the property isn’t a pristine natural area.

To help make his case for the amendment, Spalding is working with John Pederson, the former planning director for Spokane County, who filed the application with the county.

In a presentation to the Planning Commission before the July 27 public hearing, Pederson argued that he and others at the county made an error when they updated the shoreline map

“What one person might say and how it ends up coming to be are often two different things. I’ve seen it over and over again with regards to development on the shoreline.”

The Zephyr Lodge, built around 1902, is likely the oldest building on Liberty Lake. YOUNG KWAK PHOTO

in 2013 and designated that property as “natural.” Originally, that designation didn’t exist, and the property was designated as “pastoral,” and when the update happened, Pederson says he and others relying largely on aerial maps weren’t aware of the buildings there.

But some of the planning commissioners questioned the veracity of Pederson’s claim that it was a mistake.

Contrasting with Pederson’s narrative, BiJay Adams, the general manager for the sewer and water district, told the commission that he was part of the group that helped update the map in a yearslong process, saying that they did consider the historic uses before consciously designating that area with the protective “natural” label.

Adams, who has worked for the water district for 21 years, says that allowing more intensive uses along the lake defies the mission of the sewer and water district, which is to protect the lake.

“An increased buffer allows for more opportunity for nutrients to not make their way directly to the water body,” he says.

Ultimately, Spalding says he hopes to put four buildings on a portion of the property that is largely covered in trees and shrubs, with steep terrain leading down to the shoreline. That plan will have to go through a separate public process and is not part of the requested amendment.

Under the county zoning for that area — a separate set of rules that won’t change with the amendment to the shoreline map — Spalding can ask to build four clustered homes, each on 10 acres. He says that plan could help reduce impacts on the land by keeping the buildings closer together while maintaining most of the landscape as it is.

Due to the topography of the landscape, Spalding says it’s more logical for two of those four buildings to be near the 150foot setback, while the others would likely still be 200 feet or more from the water.

Spalding also notes that current regulations are far more stringent than what other properties around the lake faced when they were built, and he says he respects the sewer and water district’s work to protect the lake.

“There will be no lawns or fertilizing and pesticides and so forth because it’s not allowed,” Spalding says. “I wouldn’t do that anyway. I think it’s ridiculous to turn a lakeside landscape into something that belongs in the Valley.”

Whether he ultimately builds the homes 200 feet or 150 feet from the water, Spalding says he’ll be required to build swales to ensure stormwater that runs off of the homes can filter into the soil properly.

“To be honest with you, if these are built like I’d like to do it, once they’re done the only people it would ever affect are the people living there,” Spalding says.

Still, the water district is concerned that any new development has the potential to further impact the lake’s health. Adams says he’s seen many developers over the years go beyond what was expected or promised when they were granted exemptions.

“What one person might say and how it ends up coming to be are often two different things. I’ve seen it over and over again with regards to development on the shoreline,” Adams says. “I think the ultimate protection is to maintain the designation. … The lake has suffered its impacts, and we can’t just keep doing it.”

Spalding says he understands the district has to take an aggressive stance to make sure the lake is protected.

“They’ve done a great job,” Spalding says. “The water has improved so much since I was a kid out there.”

But in this case, he says the concern that he’s the big bad wolf coming in trying to make some secretive or major changes isn’t true.

“This is just a practical matter,” Spalding says. “If we get it, great. If not, I can say not much changes in either case on a practical level.”

Once the Planning Commission makes a recommendation to approve or deny the requested amendment, the Board of County Commissioners will vote on it. Then, if needed, it would go to the state Department of Ecology for final approval. n

samanthaw@inlander.com

2003 - 2004

Since change is inevitable, it’s fun when poring over old issues to see the things that still remain after 20 years. Looking at issues from 2003 and 2004, it’s a joy to read about new openings and discoveries that have become staples of Spokane: a new Thai joint called Thai Bamboo, a new concert venue called the Big Easy (or as you might now know it, the Knitting Factory), a couple visits from a rising Seattle indie rock band called Death Cab for Cutie, etc. Perhaps funniest was seeing some writers and letters to the editor being aghast that Gonzaga’s new basketball arena — McCarthey Athletic Center — might drive away fans with its less humble size and season tickets (which the public could still buy at the time) rising in price to *gasps* $400.

IN THE NEWS

The systemic abuse of children at the hands of Catholic priests started coming more fully to light in the early 2000s. Our community was not immune, as the Jan. 22, 2004, cover story “SINS OF THE FATHER” by Paul Seebeck offered a harrowing look at the admitted abuses by Patrick O’Donnell, a former pastor at Assumption parish. The story was a portrait of the legacy of trauma left in O’Donnell’s wake, including the suicide of Tim Corrigan, who along with his friends suffered at the hands of the “trusted” religious leader.

CULTURE BEAT

As the headline of the Jan. 15, 2004, Culture section lead stated, Mead grad Troy McLain was TAKING ON TRUMP. But McLain wasn’t a forebear of #TheResistance (not that there were hashtags back then), rather the entrepreneur was part of the first season of a new NBC reality competition show called The Apprentice. While he had to be mum about the show, his local friends recounted how in high school he’d carry around The Art of the Deal and his senior quote in the yearbook was “Trump, I’m coming after you.” McLain finished 5th on Season 1 of The Apprentice and currently is the CEO of Tovuti. What became of his TV boss? Well…

ON THE COVER

The Dec. 18, 2003, issue of The Inlander was hobbitheavy, boasting a review of the new film Lord of the Rings: Return of the King and culture write-ups about J.R.R. Tolkien’s legacy. But the fantasy extended to the real world with our cover feature about the warring visions of downtown Spokane’s future being framed as “THE TWO TOWERS.”

The battling parties with their respective towers were the SpokesmanReview’s Cowles family and Metropolitan Mortgage’s Sandifur clan. The factions waged a seven-year shadow war in local politics sparked by the Cowles River Park Square development and questionable public funding around a parking garage. With the historic collapse of Metropolitan Mortgage that would follow, it’s not hard to see who won.

LOCAL FOLKS

What was the Inlander’s introduction of Spokane’s basketball superstar ADAM MORRISON? Why choking a band kid of course! Wait… what?!? To illustrate the preferential treatment of student athletes compared to artistic students in local high schools for the cover story “Artists as Underdogs” by Michael Bowen, we had the then-Mead hoops standout pose with his hand around the throat of a tuxedo-wearing band student. Ammo would go on to put a chokehold on the college hoops world while playing for Gonzaga, winning player of the year trophies in 2006 and becoming one of the most revered Zags of all-time.

— SETH SOMMERFELD

Chancellor Catchup

A new transit line and freeway are heading to Spokane Community College, but Kevin Brockbank prefers to walk around campus

BY COLTON RASANEN

The future has never been certain for former Spokane Community College President Kevin Brockbank. Before working in higher education, he thought he would be a high school business teacher, and before moving into college administration he considered buying a whitewater rafting company.

Now, after nearly 30 years in education, Brockbank’s future is crystal clear: Instead of riding the waves of a turbulent tributary or teaching troublesome teens, he’s decided to help guide thousands of students traversing higher education in Eastern Washington.

In May, Brockbank was promoted to chancellor of the Community Colleges of Spokane, where he’ll preside over both SCC and Spokane Falls Community College.

For the first half of his career, the rural Montanan spent school years working as a tenured computer and office technologies teacher at Helena College — and summers as a rafting guide in Glacier National Park.

While he had no plans to leave his home state, Brockbank’s renewed interest in college administration took him to Salt Lake City, where he was dean of the School of Applied Technologies and Professional Development at Salt Lake Community College. Afterward, he made his way to Spokane, where he’s worked since 2015.

The Inlander sat down with Brockbank to discuss his new position, how the north-south freeway has impacted SCC and whether there’s a new mascot in the future. Brockbank’s answers have been edited for clarity and length.

INLANDER: What was the transition from teaching to administration like for you?

BROCKBANK: I loved teaching and still love teaching. One of my concerns about taking this job as the chancellor was simply the fact that I’m moving further away from the teaching and learning environment. But, the reality is that in education, if you’re a great manager and leader and administrator, you’re teaching all the time. I am in a different kind of classroom every day. I absolutely miss the traditional classrooms, students, but my day is filled with teaching and learning in a different way.

What exactly is a chancellor?

You might liken it to the K-12 model with a superintendent and principals. Each of our two colleges has a president, and I preside over them both as the chancellor.

So what’s the difference between a chancellor and president?

The president of the colleges probably spends 90 percent of their time on what’s going on today, like personnel issues, design issues, parking and whatever else.

Then 10 percent of their time should be spent visioning and looking forward. The chancellor should be spending the reverse, with about 90 percent of the time spent on visioning and planning for the year.

What brought you to Spokane?

I ended up being a finalist for the SCC president position, but was beat out. Then the chancellor at the time, Christine Johnson, offered me a different job as a vice provost. After a couple years I actually had the opportunity to be the acting president, and then later I became the permanent president.

How does it feel to fill in Johnson’s shoes after her retirement?

I will always be grateful for the fact that she left CCS as a really solid organization with a good history and a good success level, and has given us a platform to take on challenges of the future. Christine and I are absolutely different people and different leaders, but working with her was great. It was a delight, and I have a ton of appreciation for her.

Where is the best place on campus to hang out?

The best place at both campuses to hang out are the student centers. They’re both designed a little bit differently, but if you work in education and truly have any sense of students and student success, going into those student centers is where you get filled up. As a president, when I would have a bad day, the solution to that was to take an hour and walk around campus and almost every single time that fixed it. Those are the best places all year long.

Have you taken any classes at CCS?

Actually I’ve taken like an Inland Northwest culinary class. You go in there one night and you cook food from a different region with one of our chefs. We’re not holding those right now, but it used to be really popular. So yeah, I’ve done a couple fun things like that.

Are there any classes that you would want to take?

Ha. This schedule is so unpredictable and I don’t have a lot of personal time, so probably not.

What are some projects we can expect to see from CCS in the next year?

One of them is our Guided Pathways project, which continually takes an internal look at unintended barriers for student success. Why does this group of students not succeed at the same level as this group of students? And if so, what’s happening there, and what are we doing to cause that? Are we not providing the right kind of learning support? I think we also have a real imperative to significantly redesign and up our efforts in providing workforce education and service to our employers in the community.

We’ll also be doing a major rebranding campaign. That’s really an intrusive look into who the community thinks we are, who we think we are, what value we provide and then how we communicate that effectively. And of course the logo; we are the only college in the country with Bigfoot as a mascot.

I assume the mascot’s not going to change?

Not on my watch.

How has the North Spokane Corridor construction affected SCC?

If we could take one silver lining out of the pandemic, it would be that it happened at the same time we were building the North Spokane Corridor. The real massive impact of that would be the loss of a whole bunch of parking spaces, like you’re talking 900 or more spaces. But right about the same time they started digging holes, the pandemic happened. The transfer of students online or into hybrid schedules decreased the amount of concentrated traffic on campus and made it a nonissue. When they finish that up, it’ll coincide with a time where it is going to be dramatically necessary for us to have that parking back.

It also changes the front door at SCC, so there will be more capital projects, which I think will ultimately make that college more welcoming and more navigable because we’ll locate all of our services up front.

It had the impact or had the potential to be like a real detriment for operations, but we got the lucky roll of the dice.

How do you think the new City Line is going to affect students?

You know, it’ll be interesting to see. Our students pay for a bus pass each year, so we can get ridership numbers from that. It will dramatically increases the amount of bus traffic on campus. I think it’s a great convenience for a lot of students. You know, transportation sometimes becomes a major issue for students who have financial troubles too. Maybe it’s not a problem for you now, but if your car does break down in January you’ll have the central city line as an option. It’s nothing but a benefit for our students.

Have you taken the bus yet?

I did because I was on the steering committee, so I got to ride it like six months ago. It’s a different kind of bus than I’ve ever been on. More loungy.

Is this the last stop for you, metaphorically speaking?

This is absolutely the last stop for me.

What impacts do you hope to leave behind?

I want to be able to walk away and know for a fact that this is a better place for students to attend college. It’s a better resource for students to build careers. It’s a better place for people who are our employees to work. And it’s a better resource for our employers in town that helps build our economic development. n

coltonr@inlander.com

Kevin Brockbank

#1 Golf Course in Idaho You Can Play

Green Yellow Buses

Spokane schools contracts with a sustainable transportation company. Plus, an internal investigation about a former city official; and a coalition forms to delay a new jail.

Riding the school bus is about to become the next big thing for Spokane Public Schools’ students. In a commitment to modernized transport, SPS has awarded Zūm a five-year, $71 million contract to become the district’s new yellow bus transportation provider for the 800 special education students and 6,000 regular education students who take the bus. The Redwood, California, company offers heightened security measures and a lowered environmental impact. Parents and guardians can access a Zūm app that provides a bus driver’s complete profile, real-time vehicle location, and pick up and dropoff times. Administrators and operators can also adjust routes based on traffic or attendance at the district, which has 30,000 students. According to a statement from SPS, Zūm is the first 100 percent carbon neutral student transportation company in the nation, with all of its fleet’s carbon emissions completely offset. The company also works with Seattle Public Schools, Los Angeles Unified School District and San Francisco United School Districts for student transportation. (COLTON RASANEN)

TOP OFFICE OVERSHARES

Documents released through a public records request last week shed more light on a messy series of events at City Hall that resulted in a sexual harassment investigation and the resignation of Spokane’s top unelected official last month. Johnnie Perkins, the former city administrator, is accused in the city’s human resources investigation of creating a hostile work environment, using inappropriate language, showing a lack of respect for others and violating the city’s sexual harassment policy. The report centers on a relationship Perkins had with another city employee, who is referred to as “Witness 3” in the report. Witness 3 ended the relationship in May. During that time, Perkins regularly shared intimate details about their relationship and sex life to another coworker, “very loud with the door open” and “to an extremely inappropriate level,” according to the report. The documents also show that Mayor Nadine Woodward had previously warned Perkins not to pursue romantic relationships in City Hall in 2021. In his response, Perkins denied any wrongdoing and called the HR investigation biased and flawed. (NATE SANFORD)

PRESSING PAUSE

Spokane County Jail staff and Spokane City Council members are arguing it would be better to craft a more detailed jail plan before asking voters to pass a public safety sales tax this fall. In a letter to Spokane’s Board of County Commissioners this week, Council President Lori Kinnear and Council member Zack Zappone joined a union representative from Local 492 — which includes corrections officers at the county jail and Geiger Corrections Center — in asking for a pause on the ballot measure slated to go to voters in November’s general election. The measure seeks a 0.2 percent sales tax increase over 30 years and would bring in an estimated $1.7 billion, with cities around the county slated to get 40 percent of the windfall, and the rest going to the county for “public safety.” While the union and council members agree the current jails are inadequate, they say, “A measure like this should have a more specific and thorough plan on how the funds would be spent.” (SAMANTHA WOHLFEIL)

Get the latest on Inlander.com

Home of the Circling Raven Championship

EPSON TOUR ROAD TO THE LPGA BROUGHT TO YOU BY US FOODS ®

PRESENTED BY KXLY 4 NEWS NOW

PRO-AM SPONSORED BY BECU AUGUST 23 RD – 27 TH , 2023

Spectator passes are on sale now!

Come watch the upcoming women golf professionals from around the world take on the Circling Raven golf course in the “Road to the LPGA” Epson Tour. Just $10 for a single day or $40 for the whole week.

TICKETS ON SALE

About 6,800 students ride the bus in Spokane.

All Over

BY MADISON PEARSON

Rachel Kauder Nalebuff’s new book has more tales of blood, pain and strength to reflect the reality of periods.

On the rag. A visit from Aunt Flo. That time of the month. There are plenty of euphemisms humans have created over the years to avoid saying the “taboo” word. But Rachel Kauder Nalebuff thinks it’s time we come out and call it what it is: a period.

“Periods are a part of half of the population’s daily lives,” she says. “It’s something we all need to understand at a bare minimum.”

With her newest compilation of stories, Our Red Book, she seeks to share tales of blood, growth, change and more in order to attempt to break the stigma surrounding periods.

At an upcoming event at the Central Library on Aug. 15, Kauder Nalebuff and Our Red Book contributor Laurelin Kruse are reading excerpts from the book and conducting a voluntary sharing activity to get the community involved in sharing their own stories surrounding periods.

In 2009, Kauder Nalebuff, who teaches nonfiction writing at Yale University, released My Little Red Book, which in many ways was the predecessor of Our Red Book, released in 2022.

“The first one was, in my mind, geared mostly toward teenagers,” she says. “I thought of it as a companion for people going through that experience for the first time. Specifically girls. But once the book came out, everyone made it very clear to me that stories around menstruation and the silence around menstruation are not limited to the teenage experience.”

Right after the release of My Little Red Book, Kauder Nalebuff began the decadelong process of collecting even more stories for Our Red Book, determined to collect even more tales of blood, pain and strength to reflect the reality of periods.

“This new book still has a lot of those teenage experience stories,” she says. “But there are also stories about menopause, about birth, about the experience of transitioning genders and the experience of parenthood.”

As readers hear the tales of the editor herself and other contributors, they also are let in on how Kauder Nalebuff went about collecting and organizing all of the stories.

“It was very word of mouth,” she says. “I had to surrender to the process. It was like this decadelong investigation where I was just talking to one person and that person led me to another and another and so on.”

She says that many people were reluctant to share at first, stating that they had no story to tell. But Kauder Nalebuff believes everyone has a story, whether it’s their own or the story of a loved one’s experience.

“These are the best stories that are never told,” she says. “There is so much internalized misogyny that we immediately discount them.”

In the first few pages of Our Red Book, Kauder Nalebuff’s aunt, Tante Nina, recalls the story of her own first period.

“I was thirteen. It was 1940. We were fleeing Poland and the deportation of the Jews … My story takes place on the train arriving from Poland at the German border crossing. The train stopped, and we were told to get completely undressed for the customs guards to search us.”

Nina reveals that it was at that moment she discovered she had gotten her period.

“When she told me this story,” Kauder Nalebuff says. “It felt like a really important part of my family’s history.”

Kruse also took the familial approach with her contribution to the book.

When Kauder Nalebuff approached Kruse, she asked if she would be willing to interview someone else for her portion. Who better than her own mother?

In Kruse’s section of Our Red Book, her mother, Barbara, recalls feeling angry when she got her first period in the seventh grade.

“Around that same time, I was dedicated to the idea of being baptized in my American Baptist church. Baptism was presented as a kind of cleansing and renewal. Well, after I was baptized, I didn’t feel any different … I kept trying to accomplish that feeling of cleansing … This became my obsession.”

...continued on next page

Barbara then explains how her need for cleanliness and renewal went away at the age of 39 when she found out she was postmenopausal. Kruse admits to having those tendencies as well, realizing the link between her and her mother is more intrinsic than she once thought.

“I consider myself to have a very close relationship with my mom,” Kruse says. “She was a high school biology teacher, so she’s not afraid to talk about menstruation and periods. But in writing this, I realized that she had never shared the emotional piece of that story with me. I got to see so many different sides of my mom through the experience of putting this together.”

Throughout the pages of Our Red Book readers see glimpses into the lives of regular citizens, arts and scientists who all have their own stories to tell about menstruation. Author Judy Blume even chimes in on her own experience.

Kauder Nalebuff and Kruse anticipate their workshop on Aug. 15 will reveal familial links like Kruse’s story and reflection on people’s personal experiences with periods.

The workshop is half readings by Kauder Nalebuff, Kruse and a yet-to-be-announced local author, and half writing. Kauder Nalebuff and Kruse encourage the public to attend either one portion or both portions of the workshop with no pressure to share their personal stories if they’re not willing.

“These stories that we’re going to be sharing require us to reflect,” Kauder Nalebuff says. “Everyone is invited, I want to make that very clear.

Folks who have just gotten their period, people who haven’t gotten their period, parents, people of all genders. The world has changed a lot since [My Little Red Book came out], so it felt very important to invite people from across the aisle to witness these stories and read these stories that we are so reluctant to share”

“To end that silence,” she says. “You need to invite everybody in.” n

Our Red Book: A Reading and Sharing Event

• Tue, Aug. 15 from 2-3:30 pm • Free • All ages

• Central Library • 906 W. Main Ave. • spokanelibrary.org

CAT LADY MEETS CAT GUY

The very true and heartwarming story of how a cat led me to the love of my life

The story of how Will and I met reads something like the plot of a cheesy, Hallmark Channel romance movie. And it’s all thanks to one very special little cat.

I was eight months into my job as an arts and culture writer for this very newspaper. Taking full advantage of the creative freedom to pursue passion projects, I’d taken up the baton from my predecessor to write the Inlander’s (now since-retired) Cat Friday blog. For a new series called “Inland Northwest Business Cats,” I began profiling felines-in-residence at local shops and offices. My next featured subjects — whom I’d spotted on social media thanks to a mutual friend’s photo re-share — happened to be a handsome young man whose 14-year-old cat, Maddie, was a part-time office cat at a local web design firm.

On Thursday, March 21, 2013, I walked a couple blocks from the Inlander’s old Hutton Building offices to the Liberty Building to meet Will and Maddie for the first time. To be perfectly clear, I was definitely just as interested in meeting the bespectacled Will as I was his adorable old gal. And when I did, using my interview skills to both get the story and satisfy my ulterior motives, I knew instantly that he was someone — and Maddie some cat — very special.

During our chat, Will shared that Maddie first became his part-time officemate because he was having the floors of his home refinished and didn’t want to confine her alone in the basement with all that noise. Having a private office with a door meant Maddie could safely hang out while

BY CHEY SCOTT

he worked, and it was an enrichment she frequently enjoyed henceforth. But the real kicker for me — besides Will’s good looks and left-brained smarts — was the story of how Maddie became his cat.

After a friend alerted Will of Maddie’s need for a new home, he drove to Seattle and back to retrieve the senior cat. If that’s not the definition of a total softie with a selfless heart of gold, I thought, we’re all doomed. I was completely smitten, writing, “This endearing tale will melt your heart into a puddle of mush and give you faith in humanity. Fellow cat-loving ladies will swoon.”

Yet no one, dear reader, swooned as deeply as me.

A few days later, some Inlander staffers and I walked to lunch together. “I think I met my soulmate!” I gushed to two coworkers and fellow cat ladies.

And so, here we are — more than 10 years later and still happily together, with dear Maddie’s legacy, Dellie, at the center of our cat-loving love story.

I still joke, though it’s actually a verifiable fact, that Maddie took on the role of matchmaker, calling upon some undetectable feline magic to bring Will and me together. But before Maddie drew me into her schemes, I had to become a cat lady in the first place, and that credit goes to my immediate family’s dear Alice, who spent 19 happy years with us before departing this plane of existence last fall. And if not for Maddie bringing us together, we wouldn’t have found our sweet, talkative fluffball Dellie.

We adopted her together in May 2016 from the Spokane Humane Society, a few months after I’d officially moved in with Will.

As I write this, I text Will and ask him what he remembers about our first, fateful meeting all those years ago. Besides the immediate physical attraction he says he had for me (“Oh no, she’s hot!” he texts, and I reply with the laugh-cry emoji), he remembers deciding that day to ask me out on a date. For the record, though, I beat him to it, messaging him on Facebook to suggest we meet up. Our first date was early morning, pre-work coffee at Boots Bakery, suggested by Will. I agonized and analyzed whether the time and place was a friendzone move, but now I know it was just Will’s deeply ingrained sense of practicality. Our second date was a show at Spokane Civic Theatre, and the third was a day hike at Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge. On the way there, we stopped to save a redbellied turtle in the middle of the highway from being run over. Will got sunscreen in his eyes, and we ended the date with pizza at the Flying Goat.

Maddie was there, too, for most of those first two and a half years. While she was always Will’s cat first, I doted on and loved her as my own. Wherever Maddie’s spirit soars now, I like to think she’s purring with happiness, still proud of her matchmaking success, and of the foundation of love she led us to build upon.

As for Dellie, she has Maddie to thank, too. She’s living a life of pure luxury and adoration as an only-cat in a double-income, no-kids household! n

Maddie (left and right) brought us together so Dellie (center) could enter our lives.

THE RESULTS ARE IN — AND WOW ARE THEY CUTE!

Way back in March, we started planning our Inlander Cover Pet photo contest. In June, readers submitted a treasure trove of photos that our team of judges pored over. (For hours. We sequestered ourselves in the conference room and called it “work.”)

In addition to the hundreds of delightful photos our readers provided of dogs, cats, puppies and kittens, there were horses (miniature and tall), lizards and birds, including parrots and some really fancy chickens. There was an adorable axolotl, even a praying manti (a dubious pet, but a very cute photo). We did question the decision to enter a photo of a moose. (FYI to the submitter: That is not a pet.)

After considerable debate and several rounds of judging, we settled on the five best submissions in each of our 15 categories. And five exemplary photos were selected to advance to the Best in Show category.

Then it was up to voters to choose the winners, so on to the big reveal!

— ANNE McGREGOR, SECTION EDITOR

The Dazzling Babette

From abandoned in a barn to Inlander Cover Pet 2023, meet the fluffy white kitty who stole voters’ hearts

BY ANNE McGREGOR

In a summer that found us all dizzy in anticipation of the release of the Barbie movie, it may not be a surprise that Inlander Cover Pet photo contest voters were dizzy with appreciation for a fluffy, feminine white cat with an adorable pink nose.

What may be a surprise is that this diva with such a refined presence is not from a breeder.

“A friend of ours found her in her barn,” says Babette’s owner, Jerusha Hampson. “She was with her brother, they were about a month old… They were screaming and crying. They had a mama cat who had a big litter, and evidently she just abandoned these two.”

Though the friend took the cats in, she soon realized that she was allergic to cats, so the kittens went to live with Hampson’s family in the spring of 2022.

Now Babette lives a life befitting her good looks.

“She really likes to go on walks outside on her leash and harness, she does really well with that… I’ve had cats my whole life, and she is kind of our first indoor cat,” says Hampson. “We

wanted that because it’s better for cat health, and it’s better for wildlife too… She has a very distinct, ‘I want to go outside’ meow that she does.’”

Hampson entered the Inlander Cover Pet photo contest at the urging of a friend of her mom. Babette’s short life has been exceedingly well-documented because, of course, Babette is on Instagram (bad_babette) and has nearly 900 followers.

But most of those photos are just “photos from everyday life,” says Hampson. “I had a lot of photos, but the ones that I entered, I ended up taking the evening before the submissions were due.”

For our cover photo, Babette obliged Spokane’s Don Hamilton of Hamilton Studio with a photo shoot befitting a model such as herself. “Oh yeah baby!” exclaimed Hamilton when Babette overcame her initial nervousness and tipped that pretty face right up into the spotlight.

Asked if Babette’s win came as a surprise, Hampson is candid. “A little. I’ve been kind of optimistic. She’s pretty, and the shot was good… But there was some really good competition.” n

Babette

Born in 2022

Rescued from a barn

Resides indoors but enjoys outdoor walks

Speaks for herself on Instagram @bad_babette

Jerusha Hampson and Babette take a break during the cover photoshoot. DON HAMILTON/HAMILTON STUDIOS PHOTO

Sprout! FINALIST

Best in Show: The Runners-Up

BY ANNE McGREGOR

OAKLEY

Our judges’ panel was captivated by the photo technique demonstrated in the perfectly in-focus shot of Oakley as he nearly galloped right out of the screen through a field of wildflowers. But beyond that, it was Oakley’s joyful expression that elevated this photo into Best in Show. Writes his owner: “Oakley has the most amazing smile and exuberates nothing but happiness. He is ball-obsessed and the most perfect model. Oakley is an English shepherd and came to me unexpectedly. My mom had the COVID blues and put a deposit down on him, but quickly came to second-guess her decision. I jumped at the offer to have this amazing puppy, and it was fate from the beginning! He is my sidekick, camping partner, paddleboarding buddy, as well as noble protector. We have walked beaches, mountain trails and city streets. He will forever have his paw stamped on my heart, and his endless smiles fill my memory bank.”

BUTTERCUP

OK, perhaps cats in pink were slightly over-represented in Best in Show, but who could resist Buttercup? A cooperative subject and remarkable springtime setting made for a great photo as the “beautiful Buttercup bleps for the camera as she explores the crab apple tree,” write her owners. “She is dressed for the occasion in her flowered collar.”

SPROUT

As the lone bunny elevated to the Best in Show category, Sprout proved irresistible to judges, in part because of his

handsome good looks, but also? That little red harness and leash.

“We adopted Sprout about two years ago to be a companion to our other bunny, Bean. It didn’t take them long to warm up to each other, and now they’re like an old married couple,” write his owners. “Sprout loves pets on his forehead and the bridge of his nose. He’ll snuggle his face into your hand for more loves. He’s silly and curious. His favorite toys are paper strips. He picks them up in his mouth and waves them around. Sometimes he gets the zoomies, leaps into the air and twists his whole body. The bunny term for this move is a ‘binky.’ He’s a little shy when we take him outside, but he does enjoy the giant salad bar that is our yard. His favorite treats are dandelions and banana chips. He’s such a sweet boy.”

ELLIE

And then there’s Ellie, originally entered in the Outdoor Adventure category, enjoying a placid sunny day on a paddleboard.

Our judges were smitten not only with the arresting composition of the photo, but with Ellie’s serene posture and noble face — especially those highlights in her soft brown eyes. We were also happy to see she was wearing a life jacket for her water recreation.

Writes her owner: “Six-month-old Ellie on her first of many paddleboard adventures. She’s been training to become the ultimate adventure buddy.” n

Find photos of all the category winners on page 28

Old Dogs, New Tricks

Faithful Fields rescues and rehabilitates dogs, partnering with prisons and other nonprofits to

BY SUMMER SANDSTROM

Afluffy white labradoodle named Oscar struts around Echo Springs, a transitional living facility for young adults, and his presence relieves the tension in the room.

Little would anyone know that Oscar used to be an aggressive dog. He was rescued by Faithful Fields, a nonprofit started last year that’s dedicated to rehabilitating dogs and then finding them new homes. Faithful Fields uses unique and in-depth methods to aid their rescue dogs in unlearning old habits and patterns that got them in trouble.

Even for dogs with serious behavior issues, Richie Alaniz, the director of operations for Faithful Fields and owner of Faithful K9 Trainer, uses positive reinforcement in his training.

“We believe that dogs are thinking dogs,” he says. “Dogs can learn over 100 words, phrases, sentences, and we want them to self-correct versus being forced. And that’s what changes the whole dynamic.”

Alaniz has a natural understanding with dogs — he started working with and training dogs as a kid — and opened Faithful K9 Trainer in August 2021.

train them

lead

“I don’t like to call myself a dog whisperer, but I’m very good with dogs,” he says. “It’s just a natural thing.”

Dogs coming to Faithful Fields undergo assessments to determine their health, triggers and temperament so that Alaniz and his team can find the best way to train and rehabilitate each individual dog.

“It’s the people that turn their dogs bad, they reward the wrong things,” he says. “If you try to do these other correction things, it most definitely will make it worse, and it could potentially make them aggressive, and that’s why I don’t do any of the shock collars, prong collars, anything like that.”

President and founder of Faithful Fields Geraldine Schneider hired Alaniz as a trainer for her dog, which required specialized training due to her late husband’s Parkinson’s disease and the accommodations that came with his treatment.

“I decided to start a nonprofit partnering with Richie so that we could rescue these dogs and help rehabilitate them,” she says. “Then we can pair the dogs with people in need, whether it is foster families, therapists in the area who want a pet of their own — they can take the dog to the office if it’s the right temperament — or veterans with PTSD.”

Faithful Fields aims to train many of their rescues to be service animals, a process that requires 300 to 360 hours of training, but they hope to aid all of their dogs in finding a suitable home with a family that can meet their unique needs.

“If you’re going to get a dog from us, you’ll know about the dog,” Alaniz says. “You’ll know exactly what their temperaments are, if they’re going to be reactive to anything. You’re going to know the history of the dog.”

MUTUAL BENEFITS

Faithful Fields also partners with Idaho’s state prison in Orofino to have inmates train rescued dogs for two or three months.

Each dog is paired with two prisoners, one serving as a primary trainer and the other as a secondary. Those inmates spend every day with the dogs and go to two training sessions, followed by some well-deserved playtime.

“I have them switching off throughout the program because I want them to be OK being handled by other people,” says Alaniz.

Not all of Faithful Fields’ dogs go to the prison for training, says Alaniz. Some have triggers or issues that require more in-depth work

from himself or his staff, or they may get adopted before going through the program if the team finds a good fit.

While rehabilitating the dogs is Faithful Fields’ primary goal, the long-term impact of the training program for the inmates is another major focus for the team.

“They now have this loving companion, and they’re learning how to also work as a team with another inmate,” says Schneider. “It starts to change the personalities of these guys as well, and that’s just what I think is just incredible, too, especially because you’ve got a lot of young people that have entered into the prison system at a young age.”

Schneider became a foster mom after her husband’s death, and seeing her foster children interact with and find comfort from her dog inspired her to start Faithful Fields.

“I have seen such a parallel, to be honest, with foster kids and the rescue dogs, because they’ve both either been abandoned or abused,” she says. “With the dogs at least, and partnering with Richie, he can help me evaluate these dogs and rehabilitate these dogs.”

Each dog that is rehomed is fostered by their new owner for a month to make sure it’s the right fit.

“Let’s say for whatever reason it’s like me and this dog, it’s just too much, or I can’t do it,” Alaniz says. “We want it to work for you, but if it’s not, then you know, let somebody else get the dog or maybe we can find you another dog.”

Once a new owner is matched with a dog, they commit to coming to training classes to help the adoptees maintain Faithful Fields’ past training and to help resolve any concerns or issues that come up over time. Potential owners are also provided with supplies and food for the first month of fostering to help alleviate any stress or avoidable challenges.

Adoptee Chris Arnold is a veteran who was searching for a service dog that could live at home with herself, her child and her other pets, while also supporting her through her own health struggles.

Arnold is working with Alaniz to continue training her dog Rue, and says the constant communication and support she’s received from Faithful Fields has made her more confident to adopt Rue.

“She’s lowered my blood pressure in the last month, she’s lowered my anxiety,” Arnold says. “She’s helped me immensely.” n

BY

Photo Contest

2023 WINNERS

As voted by Inlander Readers

DAPPER DOGGIES Huey CUDDLY CATS Sage

COSTUME CONTEST

Juniper, Rosemary, Dandelion, and Lloyd

PRECIOUS PUPPIES Saylor CUTE KITTENS Frog

Purr-fectly Local

BY MADISON PEARSON

Pets are everything to us. They’re with us through every tough moment, all of the highs and lows, and bring us comfort when nothing else can. It’s only fair that we pay it forward. These local products and businesses are perfect ways to give your cat, dog or other furry companion the extra love that they deserve. And when we confront the sadness of losing a pet, there are also local creators specializing in offering comfort and preserving happy memories.

FETCH BARKERY

Susan Smith spent the pandemic like most people: baking in her home kitchen. Except she wasn’t baking pastries or cakes, she was baking treats for her dogs.

“Before I decided on opening Fetch,” she says. “I made sure there wasn’t another barkery in town. After that, I decided to start going to farmers markets and eventually bought our iconic Fetch trailer.”

Now, Fetch Barkery provides hand-crafted treats that omit salt, sugars and preservatives in order to make them completely dog-friendly. The all-natural treats range from cheese biscuits to full-on bark-day cakes with chicken heart centers — not too appetizing to the human palate but mouthwatering to your furry friends.

And, yes, all of the treats go through extensive tastetesting by Smith’s three dogs: Ann, Betsy and Sam. Smith says they all have very different personalities, so she can tell when the treat will be a hit at the Barkery or not.

“I really love what I do,” Smith says. “It brings me a lot of happiness.”

Fetch’s treat trailer frequents farmers markets and dog parks in the Spokane area all summer long. Follow @fetchbarkery on Instagram to see their weekly schedule and where to find the treat trailer on a weekly basis. Barkday cakes and various treats are available for purchase on Fetch’s website at fetchbarkeryspokane.com.

PET SYMPATHY BASKETS

It’s something no one ever likes to think about, but pet

loss is a sad reality that all pet owners will face eventually.

It’s tough to gauge how to approach giving sympathy in that situation, but Mary Wilber’s pet sympathy baskets convey so much when it’s hard to say anything at all.

“I started making these baskets about six or seven years ago,” Wilber says. “I lost one of my German shepherds and really appreciated all of the sympathy and cards I received. I wanted to create something that validates the emotions that happen when you lose a pet. You aren’t just losing a pet, you’re losing a member of your family.”

Each basket is filled with soothing items including a candle, a tissue box, a paw-shaped fridge magnet, wildflower seeds and a sympathy card. Wilder hand makes each item and her husband handmakes the wooden baskets the items come in.

“I’m semi-retired so this is my hobby,” she says. “It makes me and others happy. That’s all I can ask for.”

You can purchase Wilber’s handmade pet sympathy baskets at etsy.com/shop/PawsitiveCreations4U. They range in price from $45-$60 and are customizable to fit the needs of the customer.

HEMLOCK STREET JEWELRY

Oftentimes, the loss of a pet is diminished. We don’t often hold memorials for our furry friends and are expected to carry on like normal through our daily lives even after a member of our family has crossed the rainbow bridge.

In order to keep the spirit of your pet alive, Jessie Corigilano of the Hemlock Street Jeweler creates beautiful, handcrafted jewelry that memorializes your beloved pet forever.

The local jeweler is offering two memorial pieces on her website at the moment: a cat portrait intaglio pendant and a memorial urn necklace.

The portrait pendant is made out of 18k gold and clear quartz and will run you just over $3,000. The portrait is etched by hand onto the quartz, which is said to be the gem of healing. Customers can choose their own

photo of their cat, submit it through Corigilano’s website and receive the custom-made piece in 12-16 weeks.

The memorial urn pendant can be constructed out of 14k gold or sterling silver and will run customers anywhere from $1,255-$3,070. Find Corgilano’s work on her Instagram (@hemlockstreetjeweler) or her website, hemlockstreetjeweler.com.

SOFI AND FRIENDS

There’s no better feeling than seeing a dog all dressed up in the wild. Dogs in sweaters. Dogs in raincoats. You name it, they bring joy to all who bear witness.

Terri — of Sofi and Friends — is determined to continue bringing that joy with her sewing patterns made specifically for dog clothing; however, her patterns aren’t your typical run-of-the-mill shirts and sweaters.

If you’ve ever wanted to see your pup in full tuxedo or a poofy ballgown, she’s got you covered. Of course, you have to know how to sew in order to make these dreams a reality, but sheer determination should be your No. 1 motivation. (That and the adorable pics you’re sure to snap when it’s finished.)

Each pattern ranges in cost from around $8 to $19 depending on the size of your pet.

Once the pattern is in your hands, the world is basically your oyster. You can customize the fabric and embellishments as you please and if you’re skilled enough, you could even tailor it to fit your cat; there are no rules in the world of pet clothing!

Check out Terri’s hundreds of patterns on her Facebook page (Sofi & Friends) and her Etsy shop at etsy.com/ shop/sofiandfriends.

TWISTNSHOUT DESIGNS

Unlike humans, dogs don’t have a lot to work with in terms of accessories. If you want your dog to be the coolest pup at the dog park, look no further than Susan Lovelace’s handmade dog collars.

Lovelace’s Etsy page is packed with dog collars of

Local artisans are catering to the needs of pet owners, creating everything from special treats to “outfits” and also offering ways to honor a pet’s passing

A bacon-topped cupcake from Fetch, a homesewn outfit from Sofi, and a handmade basket from PawsitiveCreations4U on Etsy.

all sizes and patterns. Need a cute holiday collar? She’s got one with reindeer on it! Huge sports fan? Even your dog can cheer for the Seahawks this year.

To make it even better, most collars have matching counterparts including keychains and lanyards so you can match your dog wherever you go as a duo.

All of the collars are adjustable, come in multiple sizes and have various customization options meaning your pup will look adorable in its one-of-a-kind collar.

You can find Lovelace’s designs on her Etsy page, etsy.com/shop/TwistnShoutDesigns.

FAMILY PET PANTRY

It’s all in the name, Family Pet Pantry is a total family affair — and that includes the pets!

“When the opportunity came up for my family to purchase this business we jumped on it,” says Lily West, co-owner of Family Pet Pantry. “We’re so tight-knit and are all animal lovers. This seemed like the perfect family business.”

Family Pet Pantry produces handmade treats, called Smackin’ Snax, for dogs made out of locally sourced chicken and beef liver. The treats contain only six ingredients and were formulated in conjunction with a canine nutritionist.

“When we say everything is made by hand, we mean it,” West says. “We mix everything by hand, we cut out all of the fun shapes by hand. Everything!”

The treats come in a few different styles to ensure your dog gets the most out of these tasty morsels: mini size for tiny pups, boneshaped treats for a little extra fun and even donut-shaped treats for a mid-morning snack.

You can purchase Smackin’ Snacks on familypetpantry.com or at one of many local stores that sell their products. For a list of local retailers, visit familypetpantry.com/page/retailers. n

Behind the Scenes

BY SYLVIA DAVIDOW

JULIUS

(SILLY PHOTOS)

When Lauren Diettert moved into her Minnehaha area house in 2017, she quickly realized that her neighborhood encompassed a whole colony of cats. Feeling compassion for the homeless residents, Diettert started feeding the furry creatures. Diettert is sure she is the only person who has gotten to know the cats, as many of the neighbors don’t enjoy the unique residents. So, with the help of her sister, as well as Pet Savers and Spokane County Regional Animal Protection Service (SCRAPS), she got the cats spayed or neutered and vaccinated.

Sweet and silly Julius, a tabby named after the popular Orange Julius drink, was the first of the neighborhood cats who warmed up to Diettert.

“He still purrs every time I talk to him, and sometimes he purrs so hard, he almost sounds like he is wheezing,” Diettert says. Julius has a clockwork schedule — waiting on the back patio every morning for breakfast and a fresh water dish, relaxing in one of his many favorite daytime nap spots as well as hunting for bugs and mice in the great outdoors around the neighborhood. He finishes off the day by greeting Diettert in the driveway when she comes home from work.

In the summertime, Julius loves to bask in the sun. One day, Diettert was outside doing yard work when she spotted the loveable tabby cat lounging in a hilarious belly-up position. “It looked like he was recovering from a hard day at work or having an existential crisis,” she says.

Julius has many amusing qualities such as enjoying the rain, racing through the snow and becoming extremely playful after some catnip. Julius also has an attached-at-the-hip best friend named Sandy. They practically do everything together from eating to hunting to cuddling.

The furry dynamic duo lights up Diettert’s

life, and she wants them to know that although they do not have a “house,” they most certainly have a home with her. Julius and Sandy inspired Diettert to help other cats with lost causes. She and her sister have now helped spay, neuter and vaccinate well over 300 cats since 2018. According to Diettert, it’s her life’s passion. “They may not be pets, but all of these cats are unique, special and deserve to have the best shot at life possible,” she says.

TANZIE (OUTDOOR ADVENTURE PETS)

Double J Dog Ranch happens to house a lot of cattle dogs. When Shawna Sampson saw a precious video of a deaf 5-month-old Aussie-heeler mix, she knew she had to meet the puppy. After a meet-and-greet, the shelter allowed Sampson, like other potential adopters, to bring her chosen pet home so she could see what owning a special needs dog is like. If adopters decide they don’t want the dog, the shelter welcomes the animal back with open arms.

However, when Sampson first saw Tanzie (named after the owner’s recent trip to Tanzania), the dog ran to her, and Sampson immediately fell in love with her exuberant personality.

“She’s a dog that really just lives big, she loves big, and she plays big,” Sampson says.

Tanzie fit right in with her older adopted sibling, a 10-year-old rescue Yorkie mix. As a deaf dog, all of Tanzie’s other senses are heightened, so she’s very aware of what is going on around her. Teaching Tanzie sign language has been relatively easy for Sampson.

The Aussie-heeler mix loves accompanying her owner on frequent trail runs around Spokane. On one outing, Tanzie found a random tennis ball and ended up running with it in her

Every pet has a unique backstory, but there were some photos we just had to learn more about

Bubbles

mouth for at least half of the excursion. “She’s ball-obsessed. So she loves nothing more than a tennis ball,” Sampson says. Sometimes on trail runs, Tanzie will even pick up and toss around nature’s tennis balls — pinecones.

“I think every day with her is fun. Because she’s so she’s just so affectionate and funny. And she’s a joy to be around,” Sampson says.

Life with Tanzie has been so good that Sampson decided to adopt another special needs dog from Double J Dog Ranch — a 3-year-old border collie named Scarlet who has orthopedic deformities. Scarlet already enjoys running with Tanzie. Unsurprisingly, Sampson is an advocate for adopting special needs pups.

“They really only add joy to your life. They can do anything a regular dog can do. And they need love just like other dogs,” she says.

BUBBLES (COLD BLOODED)

Kristi Edwards never went searching for a pet axolotl. But when she found out a coworker with the unique pet was moving to California, a state where the creature is illegal, she decided to take the pet on as her own.

On Thanksgiving weekend of 2020, Edwards brought home Bubbles the axolotl, a rare type of salamander that doesn’t go through metamorphosis. Bubbles prefers to live alone as axolotls are known for nibbling on each other’s gills and limbs (although they do grow back). But he loves his personal aquarium and spends most of his time swimming at the bottom of his tank.

Edwards loves that Bubbles is a low maintenance pet. “He’s quiet, he doesn’t shed, he can be left alone all day if needed, and he only eats every other day,” she says.

All Bubbles requires is his axolotl pellets, which are made from earthworms and bloodworms, as well as a regular cleaning and water changes for his 36-gallon tank.

Edwards finds it endearing that Bubbles loves to interact with her cat, who sits on a chair near the tank.

“He likes to come out and swim around in front of her, she will meow and paw at the glass,” Edwards says.

It’s not just Edwards and her cat who admire her Bubbles, it’s 425 others too! Bubbles has his own Instagram account @bubblesaxolotl where

Tinkerbell

Edwards posts oodles of cute photos and videos of her fun and interesting pet.

TINKERBELL (COSTUME CONTEST)

In 2014, Candace Martin ventured to a cat rescue in Columbus, Ohio. After perusing the shelter animals for a bit, a volunteer came up to Martin and explained, with great seriousness, that there was a cat the potential adopter had to meet. The volunteer rushed Martin over to the “shy cats” room where she met the timid Tinkerbell who was hiding even from the other shy cats.

Before arriving at the shelter, Tinkerbell had a hard life. She was abandoned at 6 years old, adopted, then returned because she jumped on the counter too much. But when the Persian cat looked up at Martin with her big green eyes and started purring, Martin immediately knew Tink was the cat for her.

And Martin found that the furry feline was the sweetest, most loving cat; together they’ve lived in Ohio, Colorado, Washington and Idaho. Although she is tiny, she has the loudest purr that sometimes starts even when just looking at her. Tink loves to snuggle, and when her owner is having a bad day, Tinkerbell seems more persistent than normal, purring up a storm. She also loves to announce her presence with a little meow that Martin finds adorable.

Tinkerbell is also remarkably communicative. When Martin and her family are eating, Tink will raise one paw which means she’s politely begging for food. “When I’m petting her, she will sometimes put her paw on me and move it, almost like she’s petting me back,” says Martin.

When it comes to costumes, Tinkerbell doesn’t seem to mind them, but Martin is sure to keep her in one for only a few minutes. When her owner came across the monster costume at the pet store, she knew Tink would look darling in it. But she also thought it would be creative and silly to have the costume juxtaposed with the sweet cat’s demeanor. According to Martin, Tinkerbell is anything but a monster. Her photogenic qualities have also led her to a fan base account @persian_tinkerbell of at least 17,000 cat lovers on Instagram.

“Having a bond like this with a pet feels like it happens once in a lifetime,” says Martin. n

THANK YOU, Spokane from the bottom of our hearts and paws for your support! Join us in celebrating THREE years of over 1100 animals saved & $65,000 donated to the Spokane Humane Society and animals in need. Come visit a floof or woof and join us in continuing our mission to Dine. Drink. & Do Good.

905 N. Washington | barkrescuepub.com

A Sensitive Touch

Rachel Moore not only trains and shows dogs, she also creates artful portraits of canines — and cats

BY RENÉE SANDE

If you see a woman with her foot tied to a bush, making duck calls and squeezing a rubber chicken over her head, don’t be alarmed. It’s just Rachel Moore doing what she does best — getting dogs’ attention.

Owner of Touched By a Dog Training and Photography, Moore has many tricks up her sleeve for getting just the right picture for her clients.

“Different breeds respond to certain movements, like something being thrown or a bush rustling — so I tie my foot to it to make that movement — and noises, so I come up with all sorts of tricks that get the dog’s attention — entertaining for any onlookers, I’m sure,” laughs Moore.

As a second-generation dog trainer, with 20 years of her own experience training dogs and 10 years as a dog photographer, Moore truly hasn’t ever really known a life without them.

“Only two of my 42 years have I been without a dog, when I was in college,” said Moore.

“I studied interior design and worked in it for a while, but I always knew that someday I was going to have my own dog and compete and show [my dog]. I just hadn’t sat down and planned it out, ‘This is going to be

my career.’ It just sort of happened.”

Now Moore combines her love of art and design with her love of dogs, as she not only trains and photographs them, but also creates digitalized paintings of them. Moore also loves photographing and doing digital paintings of cats.

“I started doing hand-digital paintings because — other than I enjoy it — I’ve had so many people that wait too long to get photos of their pet before it passes away so I create a painting for them from their favorite photo or cellphone image.”

“I love how my career now utilizes both what I grew up doing and what I went to school for; it’s perfect.”

As a dog trainer. Moore specializes in behavioral issues, leash reactivity, multi-dog household problems, wellness and early puppy socialization.

She also has experience with dog shows, including receiving a First Breed Champion on Brigs, one of her three border collies.

“A breed champion is similar to showing at the Westminster shows and is based on how they fit the breed

Pet photographer and dog trainer Rachel Moore. COURTESY PHOTO

standard in looks, personality, how they move. That was a first for me. I’d grown up watching Westminster — never thought I’d have a show dog, but he’s so wonderful.”

(Started in 1877 in New York, Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show is the second-longest continuously held sporting event in the U.S. The show has been nationally televised live since 1948 and is the standard against which the dog show world is compared.)

At Lilac City Dog Training Club, Moore helps out with puppy and dog classes. The North Spokane club is a United Kennel Club (UKC)-affiliated, nonprofit, volunteer dog training and obedience club in North Spokane, and has been operating for 51 years. Moore’s roles include determining whether dogs can pass the American Kennel Club (AKC) Canine Good Citizen (CGC) evaluation and being a puppy instructor in the S.T.A.R. (Socialization, Training, Activity, and Responsible owner) program.

“I love volunteering my time teaching classes at the club so that I can help people who need it but can’t necessarily afford the training,” says Moore. “That’s how I started, as that’s the club I grew up in. My mom has been a trainer there since before I was born.”

And the classes are not just a basic hourlong intro to training.

“They’re eight-weeks-long, full-on obedience classes… that are praise-positive, fun and effective, that we hope will get owners interested in continuing to train their dogs, as dog training is lifelong. You never stop training.”

While the classes are open to the public, the club’s members are AKC judges and experienced handlers that actively compete in dog sports.

“It’s more about community than anything else — learning from one another and giving back because we all enjoy helping dog owners,” says Moore.

While Moore loves all aspects of her career, one of her biggest rewards is helping owners with their dog’s learning or behavioral issues. But Moore says, lovingly, that she’s really training the owners more than the dogs.

“We tend to be too uptight, and dogs sense that. So I teach owners to relax their body, their mind, and just take things as they come,” says Moore.

“Also, often dog owners find it hard to set boundaries as they feel like they’re being mean, not loving enough. But I always tell them, dogs prefer boundaries, because to

them, someone is saying, ‘I have your back, your environment is safe, I’m watching you so you just watch me.’”

Often, club members will bring in rescue dogs and dogs that are having behavioral issues at local shelters to train them so they’re more adoptable. The club also offers training discounts to all the local shelters.

“You get a hard dog, and they will absolutely change your life for the better. I often say to my husband, ‘Dogs make the world go around.’ They just teach us so much.”n

"Dogs make the world go around," says pet photographer Rachel Moore. RACHEL MOORE PHOTO

Meals on Two Wheels

A local nonprofit tries to build family by delivering food via bikes

By 8:15 on Tuesday morning, people are waiting in front of Family of Faith Community Church in northwest Spokane. Three women lean against a chain link fence. A few men space themselves out along a cement retaining wall in the shade. The side of the church advertises Celebrate Recovery, a 12-step addiction treatment program. It’s quiet. The cool of the morning is already wearing off, and you can tell it’s going to be hot.

At 8:20, Timothy Diko bikes into the parking lot. He greets some people waiting but goes around the corner and knocks on a side door. He double-checks the orders on his phone until a woman opens the door and ushers him into a room full of bread, fruit, yogurt and cookies.

Every Tuesday morning, Family of Faith organizes a free food pantry for the Emerson-Garfield neighborhood. People walk, bike and drive to the pantry to supplement their food for the week. But some community members are missing — people dealing with food insecurity and mobility issues can’t get to the food pantry itself, compound-

BY ELIZA BILLINGHAM

ing their struggle to put food on the table.

That’s where Diko comes in. Diko volunteers with Growing Neighbors, a nonprofit getting creative about how to feed a healthy neighborhood. Growing Neighbors’ latest initiative recruits community members to deliver food pantry items via bikes to people who struggle to leave their homes. It encourages mobile people to be more active, helps communities be more aware of their neighbors’ needs, and organically fills in the cracks where food services may come up short.

Growing Neighbors already has bikes, trailers, routes and relationships with food pantries. Its main issue is finding people to put the pedal to the, well, gear chain.

Diko gets to fill his bike trailer with food before the church doors officially open for the crowd gathering outside. Inside, the narthex smells slightly of overripe fruit.

Every week, Diko delivers to two households, plus a little free pantry — one of the birdhouse-esque cabinets in

various front lawns filled with nonperishables food items for the taking.

He has text messages from the people he brings food to, explaining what they need the most. Both appreciate fresh produce, especially fruit.

“Love a fresh lime,” Diko says, as he peruses a stack of green citrus for the firmest fruits, rolling a few into the plastic bags that hang from both his arms.

The pantry has lots of eggs this week, so Diko carefully places a precious carton into each tote. He also makes sure to grab pasta, beans and a bag of Milano cookies for the mini pantry.

James Dunkin walks in from the sanctuary. Dunkin runs the pantry for Family of Faith. Previously an addict and a graduate of Celebrate Recovery, Dunkin now spends his time operating various programs out of the church, which also include addiction support, homeless shelters and a K-12 school. He has a fiery red beard and wears a trucker hat.

PHILANTHROPY

Timothy Diko delivers food to people in need — by bike. YOUNG KWAK PHOTO

FOOD | PHILANTHROPY “MEALS ON TWO WHEELS,” CONTINUED...

“Rosauers blessed us with 70 gallons of milk,” he calls to the room. “Make sure everyone gets milk.”

Diko’s bags are full. He weighs them before leaving, then carries them out to his bike trailer. It’s about half the size of trailers parents use to tote toddlers.

“This is always the hard part, juggling these things,” he says. “The fruit I hate to smash too much.”

Diko is lean and well-groomed, an ESL teacher who retired a few years early. He first came to Eastern Washington with the military and spent a few years on Fairchild Air Force base. Then, he went to school, getting degrees in Spanish and ESL, and wound up teaching English in the Middle East for a decade.

He came back to Spokane and taught at Mukogawa Women’s University’s extension campus, as well as ESL classrooms for refugees through the International Rescue Committee.

“I’m trying to do things in my neighborhood,” he says. “The world’s a broken place. So it needs a lot of helpers to come forward and do some of the work.”

Diko is careful to place the eggs on the very top, where they’re the least likely to get crushed when he pulls the trailer’s yellow top on. The cover is tight, and the trailer is bulky, but the whole thing glides pretty easily as Diko pedals onto the street.

“I feel like it’s part of the exchange for society’s helping me in different ways,” he says. “None of us are doing this all by ourselves. We’re mutually dependent and interdependent on everybody and everything in society. Making society better — it is all of our jobs.”

GET INVOLVED

Wanna get involved with food deliveries, community gardening, cooking workshops or other activities? See what Growing Neighbors is doing in your neighborhood at growingneighbors.wordpress.com or email growingneighbors509@gmail.com for updates.

Growing Neighbors grew out of the careful observation of Johnny Edmonson, a pastor at Shadle Park Presbyterian. The nonprofit, separate from the church, was already involved in communal meals, community gardens and local farmers markets.

Growing Neighbors’ leaders kept wondering about more ways to minimize fossil fuels, maximize physical activity and strengthen each neighborhoods’ social capital — the kind of support network that healthy families often provide, like bringing meals to someone who’s sick or just had a baby, or dropping off groceries to a grandparent who’s more comfortable at home.

Edmonson sees bicycle food deliveries as another way to encourage neighbors to act more like family.

“I know there’s a ton of people around that love to ride bikes, and also love to help their neighbors and love to feed people,” Edmonson says. “We just have to kind of bring it all together.”

Diko’s first stop is a one-level house a few blocks away from Family of Faith. He places a couple bags on the doorstep, rings the bell and opens the carton of eggs. A couple of the eggs cracked, and Diko is embarrassed, lifting his cap and rubbing his forehead in despair.

An old woman and a young child answer the doorbell. She pulls the bags inside as the boy clings to her calf, and Diko apologizes for the broken eggs.

“No problem,” she assures him. “We’ll eat them right now.”

Diko continues on his route, his trailer getting lighter as local families get a little fuller. n

Fast Track to Healthy

Konala offers an alternative to typical drive-thru dining in Post Falls

BY CARRIE SCOZZARO

Even the dog treats are healthy at Konala, a new North Idaho eatery that takes its islandinspired name from its owners’ two dogs, Kona and Nala. And Konala is an island among the sea of same ol’, same ol’ fast-food joints.

There are no fryers or frying of any kind at Konala, no high-sugar beverages, and the menu is nearly gluten-free. All meals are also high in protein and comparatively low in sodium — even lower in fat — says Trace Miller, who opened the Post Falls eatery with wife Jammie in May.

Six full-size and six other mini bowls on Konala’s menu offer around 40 grams of protein and allow for a choice of base: greens, rice, half greens and half rice, or cooked multigrains (add $1). Sauces are served on the side so you can decide how much sauce, if any, you want.

All full-size bowls also include two to three types of fresh veggies.

The ahi poke bowl ($15.97) is a protein two-fer, with tender edamame and chunks of marinated ahi. Sliced cucumber adds crunch (and fiber), while the “dynamite” sauce punches your palate. There’s a little smattering of crispy onions, one of only two items on the menu that’s not gluten-free (the other is the chicken teriyaki), Miller says.

The Greek bowl ($14.97) is grilled steak, a slaw of cucumber, tomato and red onion, plus feta cheese and a spicy chimichurri on the side.

And if your companion at Konala’s drive-thru or walk-up window is canine, the pooch gets as good as you’re getting.

“Instead of giving them a sugary dog treat or

whipped cream, we’ll give them a little ramekin of chicken,” Miller says.

Konala is a definite departure from the couple’s other venues, Burger Bunker food truck and Bunker Bar, both in Post Falls and within shouting distance of Konala.

Between COVID-related issues and the 2020 departure of their former tenant, Famous Willie’s Barbecue, the Millers scrapped plans to build a brickand-mortar, drive-thru version of the Burger Bunker.

“We were gonna open multiples of those and look to franchise that, but it’s very competitive in burgers and fries, and it’s not necessarily the future of the industry,” Miller says.

Nor did another burger joint fit the Miller’s — or their pups’ — lifestyle.

“When I was in the Army, I was always helping other people that wanted to be healthy or be fit,” he says. In addition to physical training, Miller tried to eat well: high protein, low sodium, limited fats and carbs.

“So we started just thinking about if we could create a business from scratch … and to also just be more in tune with our lifestyle and where we think the industry’s headed,” he says.

It was a lightbulb moment for the couple, and for Miller specifically, who realized he really likes the business end of the culinary industry.

“The military taught me some leadership principles and grit,” says Miller who describes his business background as “school of YouTube and Google and books.” He also surrounds himself with knowledgeable people, and although he makes mistakes, he says, he tries to learn from them and not make them twice.

“Our customers have already kind of proven [the Konala] concept for us, but we’re still making it better, still testing out things to add on and to fine tune” like adding fresh fruit to the menu, Miller says. “And we haven’t even started running specials yet.

The couple are already working on a Coeur d’Alene location of Konala and hope to have all the documents in place to expand even further.

“By October, we’re going to be ready to start selling franchises,” Miller says. “I mean, we’re just obsessed with growth and always moving forward and trying to make everything better.” n

Konala • 107 E. Seventh Avenue, Post Falls • Open Mon-Sat 10:30 am-9 pm • konala.com • 208-777-2695

There are no fyers at Konala, only healthy bowlfuls. COURTESY PHOTO

A LONG TIME AGO IN A SMALL TOWN FAR, FAR AWAY

Reflecting on the 50th anniversary of American Graffiti

Iwas born in 1988, so I never had that initial privilege of watching the Tantiv IV try to escape a Star Destroyer in the opening frames of 1977’s Star Wars on the big screen like prior generations did, but I do recall my parents speaking of that moment in a kind of breathless reverie they rarely expressed. Seldom did they speak of an arguably equally influential film from writer/director George Lucas: American Graffiti, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this week.

Coming off of the poor audience, studio and critical reaction (at the time, anyway) to his dystopian, experimental and antiseptic debut feature, THX 1138, Lucas was tasked by his colleague and mentor Francis Ford Coppola with producing a more relatable and human story. To do so, Lucas turned to his youth as a geekturned-drag-racer in small-town Northern California.

In many ways, Graffiti is underrated for its innovation — Lucas’ first three films as a director are all remarkable for the ways they changed the landscape of cinema and culture writ large. American Graffiti’s technical accomplishments are commendable, including a novel structure of interviewing stories that speak across generations, despite its 1962 period setting.

Let’s get the nerdy stuff out of the way first. American Graffiti was groundbreaking on a number of levels. Produced during the heyday of “New Hollywood,” it eschewed the darkness and grit of contemporary films like Serpico or The Godfather or The French Connection. It was formally inventive, but bereft (mostly) of the miasma of nihilism that hung over America in the 1970s. The film was lensed in only 28 days, with Lucas overseeing multiple cameras for every shot in a guerrilla/verite style.

BY JASON BAXTER

But perhaps more importantly than the way the film looks, is the way it sounds. One of his most important collaborators on Graffiti was Walter Murch, a now-storied sound designer who’d worked on THX with Lucas as well as The Godfather. Lucas’ trailblazing approach was to renounce the principle of traditional film score — American Graffiti was to be soundtracked entirely by sourced music from the mid- to late ’50s, a radical idea at the time (film nerds call this “diegetic” or “source” music). Murch and Lucas went to work re-recording jukebox classics in natural environments like auditoriums, cars and backyards to authentically situate the music in the characters’ actual lived spaces. It was a level of verisimilitude unforeseen in Hollywood productions up to that point.

And then there’s the narrative structure. Four overlapping narratives — concerning young high school graduates at a spiritual, emotional and sexual crossroads — taking place over a single night? Studio executives like Universal’s Ned Tanen were perplexed. It was daring, it was arty, but it worked American Graffiti would go on to be one of the most financially successful films of all time, despite having a bumpy journey to its release (with a budget of under $1 million, it still ranks as the 51st highest-grossing film ever adjusted for inflation, per Box Office Mojo).

I’m too young to have any concept of the fervor that surrounded the movie, though every time I revisit it, I get emotional. The anxiety of the four main protagonists Curtis (Richard Dreyfuss), John (Paul Le Mat), Steve (Ron Howard) and Terry (Charles Martin Smith) speak to a universal feeling of being on the verge of adulthood, uncertain what your place in the world will be. Curtis is

brainy but insecure, John is frozen in time living out a badass greaser fantasy, Steve is a jerk with doubts about commitment, and poor Terry is a hapless dork who just wants to meet a girl. Per his admission, most of these characters represent aspects of a young George Lucas (with the exception of Steve, whose eventual fate depicts the life George might have had, had he not gotten out of Modesto and gone to film school).

American Graffiti represents a kind of last hurrah for this idealized notion of a gestalt “simpler time,” which is underlined by the profoundly existential end card that wraps it. Spoiler alert: Curtis dodges the draft, Terry goes MIA in Vietnam, John is killed by a drunken driver, and Steve settles down for a life of mediocrity as an insurance salesman. While its themes are enduring, it also speaks eloquently to the premise of an America that was on the precipice of overwhelming transformation. In 1963, just one year after the film was set, the president would be assassinated. Overseas wars would accelerate. There would be a civil rights movement, a womens’ liberation movement, LSD, the British Invasion on youngster’s 45 RPM players, radios and television sets.

But don’t write off American Graffiti as some kind of boomer hagiography — it’s a singular and special work by one of the generation’s most gifted filmmakers, who put his childhood and his nostalgia up on the screen with unsparing accuracy, while also reminding audiences that, while it’s fun to revisit the past every once in a while, it’s more important to look forward and to accept change. One thing that will never change? American Graffiti is a kick-ass movie with a bangin’ soundtrack. I raise my malt milkshake to you, George: Keep rockin’ round the clock! n

American Graffiti still holds up a half century later.

Close Encounters of the Tepid Kind

Jules traps the audience and its alien visitor in a sci-fi dramedy that can’t get off the ground

BY CHASE HUTCHINSON

Remember Steven Spielberg’s 1982 film E.T.? The science fiction classic remains both delightfully funny and emotionally resonant in how it explores the connection a lonely young boy forms with a visiting alien who becomes stranded on our planet. Now what if there was a film that took a similar premise, made a few alterations, and then vaporized away any real cinematic vision? You’d probably have something that looks a lot like the toothless and tiresome Jules, a frustrating film about aging that makes it feel as though you’ve lost years watching it.

The lonesome widower Milton (played by a reserved Ben Kingsley) is trying to make the best of a bad situation when he discovers something that will upend his otherwise quiet life. No longer will he be able to spend his days merely watching television and futilely trying to convince the uncaring city council of his small Pennsylvania town to add another crosswalk so pedestrians like him can safely walk. When an alien crashes in his backyard, he suddenly has much bigger problems. Played by stunt performer Jade Quon, this being becomes known as Jules despite being silent

ALSO OPENING

THE LAST VOYAGE OF THE DEMETER

Set on a ship carrying crates from Carpathia to London in 1897, the harrowing high seas are the least of the crew’s concerns when it is discovered Dracula is on board and the monster begins feasting on passengers. Rated R

and observing Milton with what seems to be detached curiosity. As the two form a bit of a bond, the man begins to reflect on his life as he faces the haunting prospect of his mind slipping away from him entirely.

The film builds around a premise that would work for a serviceable sketch, but instead stretches far beyond its breaking point into a feature. There is something rather bizarre about how Jules insists on repeating the same attempts at jokes over and over. One recurring bit involves straight-faced characters being informed of the alien that has crash landed in the small community and misunderstanding what’s being communicated to them. When the first person says “Like an illegal alien?” before being corrected, it only elicits an eye roll at the utter lack of cleverness to the stiff writing and the painfully clunky manner in which the line is delivered. When you then hear it multiple more times, it encapsulates the film’s fundamental lack of imagination and the almost complete absence of anything approaching incisive humor.

Rated PG-13

sense, each going further into distant galaxies light-years away from being remotely funny, makes this an experience that crashes harder than the central alien spaceship itself. The way it explores isolation and aging, while well-intentioned, is saccharine to the point of being suffocating. It attempts to coast off its premise, ensuring the few effective gags completely collapse under the weight the entire film places on them. Even scenes of Milton’s doting daughter Denise (given something resembling heart by a wasted Zoe Winters of Succession) trying to be there for her father (while also often not knowing how to do that) are dragged down by how superficially her character is written. At one moment toward the end, the film itself seems to forget about her entirely before awkwardly acknowledging how she is indeed still around with little to actually do in the story.

Some of this is because the movie is really about how Milton connects with his neighbors, who provide the few standout moments — teetering ever so slightly on the edge of a darker humor. However, those instances are so few and far between that the actors are left to attempt to do a lot with very little.

That Jules keeps hammering home the same jokes in both a micro and macro

The more Jules desperately pulls on the heartstrings, the more it feels cloying and contrived. For all the more serious reflections about aging it merely gestures at, it is a deeply unserious work. Everything feels like a series of strained gimmicks that come apart under the slightest scrutiny. As it shifts to being about Jules understandably wanting to repair the crashed spaceship and depart, it is only compelling in the abstract as it allows you to imagine that we too could blast off with the alien visitor into a better film as far away from this one as possible. n

JULES

Directed by Marc Turtletaub Starring Ben Kingsley, Harriet Sansom Harris, Jade Quon

Growing old with an alien is a pain.

DRAG

Cool As a Witch’s Tit

Drag star Jinkx Monsoon gets a full rock band for her latest cabaret show

BY SETH SOMMERFELD

Jinkx Monsoon is such a force of nature that you’d be forgiven for thinking she has magical powers.

After coming up in the Seattle drag scene, Jinkx hit it big winning the fifth season of RuPaul’s Drag Race in 2013. With razor sharp wit, loads of musical talent and a personality that manages to be both effervescent and deeply cynical, the competitive reality TV show launched her into a new level of stardom, and she’s never slowed down. She’s released two albums, acted in a Broadway production of Chicago, won season seven of RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars, created a Hulu holiday special with BenDeLaCreme (The Jinkx and DeLa Holiday Special) and staged two shows at Seattle Repertory Theatre with her artistic partner Major Scales (2014’s The Vaudevillians was one of the best productions I saw while living in Seattle).

But there’s one thing that Jinkx wanted, but had yet to achieve — have her own rock band.

That changed this year when Jinkx and Scales put together their latest musical revue, Everything at Stake. The music is at the forefront of the new show — not that there won’t be plenty of hysterical asides between numbers — as Jinkx and Co. lash out at the rise of openly bigoted culture with witchy vigor.

...continued on page 44

Jinkx Monsoon stroms through Spokane this weekend.

METTIE OSTROWSKI PHOTO

WHERE WILL MOMENTUM TAKE YOU?

HOME EQUITY LINE OF CREDIT

Don’t keep those home renovations or that dream vacation waiting!

With low introductory rates and our NEW interest-only payment option, our Momentum HELOC allows you to take advantage of your home’s equity with low, manageable payments.

MUSIC | DRAG

Before Everything at Stake hits the stage at the Fox on Sunday, Aug. 13, we caught up with Jinkx to chat about musical chemistry, scapegoating and being filthy with a message.

INLANDER: How does this new show differ from prior shows you and Major Scales have done together?

Well, most of our cabaret shows are very heavily scripted, and we love a convoluted plot. And this show we pared back that convoluted plot a little bit, so that the focus could be equally on the music and the premise of the show.

The show’s premise is pretty simple: I’m Jinkx Monsoon. I’m on a 44-city tour with a rock band. I’ve got shit to say about what’s going on in the world right now. And I’m a witch. [laughs]

What’s the essence of your chemistry with Scales, both musically and comically?

Musically, we have very similar musical tastes, and we draw from very similar references. Our Venn diagram overlaps quite a bit. And then we both also pull musical inspiration from other sources as well. Major brings in the ’80s mod, I bring in the witchy big band swing and the more esoteric stuff, and then it just kind of coalesces well together.

And then my and Major’s repartee really just comes from years of knowing and working together. But also Major went to the same theater school as me, and he knows all the same drag queens as I do. He is every bit as much a clown and a drag persona, even though he is playing the straight man in our duo.

What was the organizing principle when putting together the songs for this show?

A lot of the time when I start writing a show with a big theme, it’s sometimes hard to fit in our original music, which is very referential to my life, but it’s not necessarily narrative. So this time, we started opposite. We wanted to showcase the music since we were going to have a live band, so we started with the songs of ours that we most wanted to perform and would be well-served by performing live with a full rock band. And then once the setlist was devised, I wrote the script to kind of set up context for each song, so that the song can be less narrative but still apply to what the arc of the show is. The show is really just, “Hey, here’s what’s going on in the world. And here’s how I feel about it as a very outspoken trans femme queer witch.”

Does it feel different touring a show in this more heightened time of aggression against the drag community?

We might be targeted now, but we’ve always been targeted. So it’s sadly just been a constant.

It became very, very real for me when the Pulse nightclub shooting happened. And that’s

when I became very staunch on my stance about gun reform. It just became scary in a profession that’s all about spreading joy and positivity and trying to create a safe space for people who might not feel like they have a safe space where they live. We’re still kind of pariahs in the eyes of many in our society.

And so it is a little nerve-racking to decide to do a show that’s like, “Hey, I’m gonna stop pussyfooting around these issues and talk very directly about them.” But that’s also why the show has felt so special and why I think the audiences have been so electric. We’ve only experienced audiences that are really, really excited to come together and celebrate what makes our community special in the light of so much vitriol being spewed towards us.

Were there any reference points you used as a guiding light when putting the show together?

There was a focal image of a woman in a white garment being burned at the stake, presumably for witchcraft. And there’s a bunch of men up a staircase kind of looking on, but at her feet are a bunch of women in black veils who look very witchy. And they’re there with her, holding her hand, like mourning her as she’s being burned alive. And I kind of use that as inspiration for what I want this show to be — to look at how our community is being scapegoated, being witch hunted, and look at how we as a community can protect and stand up for each other and advocate for each other.

What I always want to just reiterate is that though the show tackles heavy topics, I kind of pride myself on being able to talk about heavy topics in a very accessible, fun and tongue-incheek way. I strive not to be preachy. I always worry that I’m going to scare audiences away by saying, “Hey, I’m gonna talk about the shit we’re dealing with in the world right now!” But I want everyone to rest assured it’s a filthy, hilarious show that lampoons everything. n

Jinkx Monsoon: Everything at Stake

Jinkx Monsoon and Major Scales finally have a rock band to call their own. KIKI VASSILAKIS PHOTO

Hang Loose on the Palouse

Moscow Mountain Music Fest aims to become a regional music tradition

BY SETH SOMMERFELD

As most creative thinkers can attest, the best ideas rarely come through group brainstorming meetings or while actively thinking about things at work. Most come on a whim. Just ask Britnee Christen, a Moscow resident and the founder/director of the Moscow Mountain Music Fest.

“So the Moscow Mountain Music Fest was literally developed as an idea in my kitchen one day,” Christen says with a laugh. “I am an event producer by trade, I’ve been doing it for over 10 years. And I’ve always wanted to be able to start my own festival from the ground up. I was just kind of in the right place in life to be able to say, ‘You know what? I think this is a good time to start this festival and create something that could become a new tradition for Moscow and its community.’”

The initial seed of the festival came to her in early 2021 before it blossomed into a reality with the first edition of the Moscow Mountain Music Fest on Aug. 13, 2022. Now in its second year, the one-day Americana- and folk-leaning event looks to fill a bit of the void in the Moscow scene. While the Inland Northwest gets plenty of great concerts during the summer, the region isn’t exactly a music festival hotspot. That’s especially true in Northern Idaho, and part of the reason Christen wanted to launch her fest to unite folks.

“It really all just started with the idea of

connecting music to the people in our community. The Palouse has a lot of fantastic local musicians. And so I just really wanted to create an opportunity to connect us in the region with this music and bring out some of the best bands that are working in the Pacific Northwest and the West Coast,” says Christen. “I really just wanted to create something that was unique to us and could be a tradition and was community-minded and could be a welcoming space for people who want it and need it.”

Christen approaches the fest as a bit of a tourist perspective too, considering her background as the former tourism director for the city of Pullman (as well as the former director of the National Lentil Festival in Pullman). And while she strives to bring in outsiders, there’s a homegrown core of friendly musical celebration that she wants to curate. Part of the joy of the fest’s first year was seeing so many folks meet up with pals for their first big live music event since the start of the COVID pandemic. As she puts it, she wants Moscow Mountain Music Fest to be “an environment where you can be your silly self.”

“We want it to grow organically, so it just feels like a warm hug,” says Christen. “I know that sounds kind of cheesy, but it’s just something that can be familiar and fun and just an opportunity to let everything else go.”

Moscow Mountain Music Fest focuses primarily on folk and Americana artists

from the Pacific Northwest, but Christen is open to booking most any genre (there’s more country on this year’s bill). The lineup for the 2023 edition of Moscow Mountain Music Fest — which takes place Saturday, Aug. 12 — includes headline indie folk band Blitzen Trapper, Inlander indie rock favorite Maita, Spokane troubadour Matt Mitchell Music Co., and more. There’s also a new secondary stage just for acts from Moscow’s growing music scene: Corey Oglesby, Will Fontaine, Owen McGreevy, Blaine Andrew Ross and Ice Cream Band.

While Christen has dreams of the festival becoming a multiday interactive event that activates different parts of the community, the more important thing at this point is just building something that can stick around.

“The ultimate goal is to create something that can be a long-lasting tradition,” Christen states. “We have a couple of events in town that have been around for 40-plus years, it would just be a dream if that was something that happened for this festival. So I think just being sustainable in our growth and being responsive to what our community needs.” n

Moscow Mountain Music Fest • Sat, Aug. 12 at 8 pm • $25 (Free for children ages 12 and under) • All ages • Latah County Fairgrounds • 1021 Harold Ave., Moscow • moscowmountainmusicfest.com

Patrons soak in the good vibes at last year’s inaugural Mosco Mountain Music Fest. SARAH GREENWALT PHOTO

HARD ROCK BAND-MAID

Do the ladies of Japanese hard rock group Band-Maid dress like actual maids? Yes. Does this prevent the band from absolutely kicking ass? Absolutely not. After working in a maid cafe where hostesses serve “master” patrons while dressed as maids (Japan can be weird, man), guitarist/singer Miku Kobato decided to put together a band to play on this cultural niche. The submissive nature of the maid persona contrasts greatly with the aggressive ferocity of the headbanging music Band-Maid across seven albums, most recently on 2021’s Japanese rock chart-topping Unseen World. That’s all to say that you are free to enjoy Band-Maid’s bubbly thrash even if the whole maid thing isn’t your kink.

—

SETH SOMMERFELD

Band-Maid • Sat, Aug 12 at 8 pm • $35-$286 • All ages • Bing Crosby Theater • 901 W. Sprague Ave. • bingcrosbytheater.com

Thursday, 8/10

J ADELO’S PIZZA, PASTA & PINTS, Brassless Chaps

ARBOR CREST WINE CELLARS, Summer Concert Series: Ron Greene

J BRICK WEST BREWING CO., Kyle Richard and Friends

CHAN’S RED DRAGON ON THIRD, Thursday Night Jam

CHECKERBOARD TAPROOM, Weathered Shepherds

COEUR D’ALENE PARK, Browne’s Addition Summer Concert: Stagecoach West

J HISTORIC DAVENPORT HOTEL, Thomas Pletscher

MAGNOLIA AMERICAN BRASSERIE, B

J THE NEST AT KENDALL YARDS, Spilt Milk

J PINE STREET PLAZA, Music on Main: Snake River Six

J QQ SUSHI & KITCHEN, Just Plain Darin

J RIVERSTONE PARK, Riverstone Summer Concerts: What About Bob, Renei Yarrow

J STELLA’S ON THE HILL, Take 2

J TIMBERS ROADHOUSE, Cary Beare Presents

J TRUE LEGENDS GRILL, Evan Denlinger

ZOLA, Mister Sister

Friday, 8/11

J AK ASIAN RESTAURANT, Howie King

J BRICK WEST BREWING CO., Nick Seider

CHAN’S RED DRAGON ON THIRD, Eternal Jones

INSTRUMENTAL ROCK STEVE VAI

Despite being something of a guitar player myself, I have to admit I’ve never really got the appeal of virtuosic solo guitar stars. I just tend to prefer simple melodic songs over technical prowess. That said, it’s impossible not to appreciate the wild skill of someone like shredding legend Steve Vai. Just throw on the video for “Teeth of the Hydra,” and watch the man play rhythm guitar, bass and lead guitar at the same time on one three-necked ax. Bonkers stuff. There’s a reason he’s been called upon to be the guitar ace for everyone from Frank Zappa to David Lee Roth to Spinal Tap. Just try to not have your mouth remain agape when watching his wizardry live.

— SETH SOMMERFELD

Steve Vai • Wed, Aug. 16 at 8 pm • $48-$248 • All ages • The Knitting Factory • 919 W. Sprague Ave. • sp.knittingfactory.com

CHINOOK LOUNGE (CDA CASINO), Ron Greene

J THE COEUR D’ALENE RESORT, JoJo Dodge

THE COEUR D’ALENE RESORT, Tropical Summer Yacht Party

DAHMEN BARN, The Lukenbills

J HISTORIC DAVENPORT HOTEL, Rachel Bade-McMurphy Trio

KNITTING FACTORY, Barbie Night: Pink Party

LUCKY YOU LOUNGE, Brea Fournier & the Dream Ballet, The Colourflies

J NIGHTFALL LIVE, Earl Berkley

NIGHTHAWK LOUNGE (CDA CASINO), Laketown Sound

J ONE SHOT CHARLIE’S, Karma’s Circle

PARK BENCH CAFE, Kori Aliene

J J PARK BENCH CAFE, Under the Trees Concert Series

PEND D’OREILLE WINERY, Brian Jacobs

THE RIDLER PIANO BAR, Just Plain Darin

J THE PODIUM, W.A.S.P., Armored Saint

Saturday, 8/12

BECK’S HARVEST HOUSE, Carly Rogers

J J BING CROSBY THEATER, Band-Maid

J BRICK WEST BREWING CO., Olivia Grabowski

CHAN’S RED DRAGON ON THIRD, P.U.S.H.

CHINOOK LOUNGE (CDA CASINO), Ron Greene

J THE COEUR D’ALENE RESORT, Sean Kavanaugh

J HISTORIC DAVENPORT HOTEL, Thomas Pletscher Trio

J KNITTING FACTORY, The National Parks, Jordan Moyes

LATAH COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS, Moscow Mountain Music Fest 2023

LIVE AT ANDRE’S, Willis-Leigh-Carper

J ONE SHOT CHARLIE’S, Karma’s Circle

PEND D’OREILLE WINERY, Hannah Siglin Trio

J PONDEROSA BAR AND GRILL, OutWest Duo

STEAMBOAT GRILL, Wild Wooly Band

J TRUE LEGENDS GRILL, Gil Rivas

ZOLA, Blake Braley

Sunday, 8/13

ARBOR CREST WINE CELLARS, Sara Brown Band

BECK’S HARVEST HOUSE, Carly Rogers

J COEUR D’ALENE CITY PARK, Soul Proprietor

J THE COEUR D’ALENE RESORT, AP Collective

J HISTORIC DAVENPORT HOTEL, Dr. Paul Grove

HOGFISH, Open Mic

J JIMMY’S DOWN THE STREET, Sidewalk Sunday: The Black Jack Band

J SOUTH HILL GRILL, Just Plain Darin

J J THE FOX THEATER, Jinkx Monsoon: Everything at Stake

Monday, 8/14

J THE BAD SEED, The Imagine Collective

J = THE INLANDER RECOMMENDS THIS SHOW

J = ALL AGES SHOW

BECK’S HARVEST HOUSE, Carly Rogers

J EICHARDT’S PUB, Monday Night Blues Jam with John Firshi

Tuesday, 8/15

LITZ’S PUB & EATERY, Shuffle Dawgs

NEATO BURRITO, The Pentagram String Band, Dead Channel ROCKET MARKET, Ronaldos

J TRUE LEGENDS GRILL, Dallas Kay

J TWIGS BISTRO, Steve Starkey

ZOLA, The Night Mayors

Wednesday, 8/16

CHAN’S RED DRAGON ON THIRD, Wednesday Night Jam

J D-MAC’S AT THE LAKE, Chuck Wasileski

THE DRAFT ZONE, The Draft Zone Open Mic

J JJ’S TAP & SMOKEHOUSE, Brassless Chaps

J J KNITTING FACTORY, Steve Vai

LUCKY YOU LOUNGE, Never Come Down

MCEUEN PARK, Alive After 5: Skippy & The Underprepared

PEND D’OREILLE WINERY, Bob Beadling

RED ROOM LOUNGE, The Roomates

ZOLA, Brittany’s House

Coming Up ...

J NORTHWEST MUSEUM OF ARTS & CULTURE, Heat Speak, Aug. 17, 5:30-8:30 pm.

J THE NEST AT KENDALL YARDS, Snacks at Midnight, Aug. 17, 7-9 pm.

J LUCKY YOU LOUNGE, MAITA, Matt Mitchell Music Co., The Holy Broke, Aug. 17, 8 pm.

J J PAVILION AT RIVERFRONT, Noah Kahan, Joy Oladokun, Aug. 18, 7-10 pm.

LUCKY YOU LOUNGE, SUSTO, Ether Rose, Aug. 18, 8 pm.

CHAN’S RED DRAGON ON THIRD, 7 Bay, Aug. 19, 7 pm.

J J NORTHERN QUEST CASINO, Boyz II Men, Aug. 19, 7 pm.

BING CROSBY THEATER, The Motown Band with Garfield Fleming, Aug. 19, 8 pm.

LUCKY YOU LOUNGE, Among Authors, Helmer Noel, Halley Greg, Aug. 19, 8 pm.

J THE FOX THEATER, Gipsy Kings, Aug. 19, 8 pm.

ARBOR CREST WINE CELLARS, Soul Proprietor, Aug. 20, 5:30-7:30 pm.

J KNITTING FACTORY, Chase Matthew, Aug. 20, 8 pm.J

J THE BIG DIPPER, No Bragging Rights, Ghost Heart, STOE, Aug. 21, 7:30 pm.

J J KNITTING FACTORY, Flogging Molly, The Bronx, Aug. 22, 7:30 pm.

J KOOTENAI COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS, Chase Rice, Aug. 22, 7:30 pm.

THE DISTRICT BAR, Portrayal of Guilt, Aug. 23, 9 pm.

J KNITTING FACTORY, Spoon, White Reaper, Aug. 24, 8 pm.

LUCKY YOU LOUNGE, Alcohol & Feelings, Aug. 25, 7 pm.

J KNITTING FACTORY, Metal Mayhem: Enemy Mine, Outer Resistance, MezzanineFate Defined, Aug. 25, 7:30 pm.

J PANIDA THEATER, The Travelin’ McCourys, Aug. 25, 7:30 pm.

LUCKY YOU LOUNGE, Bailey Allen Baker, Aug. 25, 8 pm.

KNITTING FACTORY, Broadway Rave, Aug. 25, 8:30 pm.

LIVE AT ANDRE’S, The Paperboys, Aug. 26, 7 pm.

J BING CROSBY THEATER, Tab Benoit, The Rumble, Aug. 26, 8 pm.

THE DISTRICT BAR, Voicecoil, Watch Clark, Electro Grave DJs, Aug. 26, 8 pm.

LUCKY YOU LOUNGE, Sweet Water, Purusa, Aug. 26, 8 pm.

KNITTING FACTORY, Gimme Gimme Disco, Aug. 26, 8:30 pm.

J NORTHERN QUEST CASINO, Dierks Bentley, Kameron Marlowe, Aug. 27, 7:30 pm.

J KNITTING FACTORY, Noah Cyrus, Aug. 27, 8 pm.

J PAVILION AT RIVERFRONT, Billy Idol, Aug. 28, 7:15 pm.

J NORTHERN QUEST CASINO, The Beach Boys, Aug. 28, 7:30 pm.

J NORTHERN QUEST CASINO, Lindsey Stirling, Walk off the Earth, Aug. 29, 7:30 pm.

J RIVERFRONT PARK, Pig Out in the Park, Aug. 30-Sep. 4.

COEUR D’ALENE, Rhythm & Blues Sunset Cruise, Aug. 30, 6-8 pm.

LUCKY YOU LOUNGE, Hannah Dasher, Aug. 30, 8 pm.

J THE BIG DIPPER, Decayer, Saltwound, Inferious Midnight Drive, Aug. 31, 7:30 pm.

J KNITTING FACTORY, Bryce Vine, Aug. 31, 8 pm.

LUCKY YOU LOUNGE, Mo Lowda & The Humble, Trash Panda, Aug. 31, 8 pm.Sep. 9, 5 & 7 pm.

MUSIC | VENUES

219 LOUNGE • 219 N. First Ave., Sandpoint • 208-263-5673

ARBOR CREST WINE CELLARS • 4705 N. Fruit Hill Rd., Spokane Valley • 509-927-9463

BABY BAR • 827 W. First Ave. • 509-847-1234

BARRISTER WINERY • 1213 W. Railroad Ave. • 509-465-3591

BEE’S KNEES WHISKY BAR • 1324 W. Lancaster Rd.., Hayden • 208-758-0558

BERSERK • 125 S. Stevens St. • 509-315-5101

THE BIG DIPPER • 171 S. Washington St. • 509-863-8098

BIGFOOT PUB • 9115 N. Division St. • 509-467-9638

BING CROSBY THEATER • 901 W. Sprague Ave. • 509-227-7638

BLACK DIAMOND • 9614 E. Sprague Ave. • 509891-8357

BOLO’S BAR & GRILL • 116 S. Best Rd., Spokane Valley • 509-891-8995

BOOMERS CLASSIC ROCK BAR • 18219 E. Appleway Ave., Spokane Valley • 509-368-9847

BUCER’S COFFEEHOUSE PUB • 201 S. Main St., Moscow • 208-596-0887

THE BULL HEAD • 10211 S. Electric St., Four Lakes • 509-838-9717

CHAN’S RED DRAGON • 1406 W. Third Ave. • 509-838-6688

COEUR D’ALENE CASINO • 37914 S. Nukwalqw St., Worley • 800-523-2464

COEUR D’ALENE CELLARS • 3890 N. Schreiber Way, Coeur d’Alene • 208-664-2336

CRUISERS BAR & GRILL • 6105 W Seltice Way, Post Falls • 208-446-7154

CURLEY’S HAUSER JUNCTION • 26433 W. Hwy. 53, Post Falls • 208-773-5816

EICHARDT’S PUB • 212 Cedar St., Sandpoint • 208-263-4005

FIRST INTERSTATE CENTER FOR THE ARTS • 334 W. Spokane Falls Blvd. • 509-279-7000

FOX THEATER • 1001 W. Sprague Ave. • 509-624-1200

IRON HORSE • 407 E. Sherman, Coeur d’Alene • 208-667-7314

IRON HORSE BAR & GRILL • 11105 E. Sprague Ave., Spokane Valley • 509-926-8411

JOHN’S ALLEY • 114 E. Sixth St., Moscow • 208-883-7662

KNITTING FACTORY • 911 W. Sprague Ave. • 509-244-3279

LEFTBANK WINE BAR • 108 N. Washington St. • 509-315-8623

LUCKY YOU LOUNGE • 1801 W. Sunset Blvd. • 509-474-0511

MARYHILL WINERY • 1303 W. Summit Pkwy. • 509-443-3832

THE MASON JAR • 101 F St., Cheney • 509-359-8052

MAX AT MIRABEAU • 1100 N. Sullivan Rd., Spokane Valley • 509-922-6252

MILLIE’S • 28441 Hwy 57, Priest Lake • 208-443-0510

MOOSE LOUNGE • 401 E. Sherman Ave., Coeur d’Alene • 208-664-7901

MOOTSY’S • 406 W. Sprague Ave. • 509-838-1570

NASHVILLE NORTH • 6361 W. Seltice Way, Post Falls • 208-457-9128

NORTHERN QUEST RESORT & CASINO • 100 N. Hayford Rd., Airway Heights • 877-871-6772

NYNE BAR & BISTRO • 232 W. Sprague Ave. • 509-474-1621

PEND D’OREILLE WINERY • 301 Cedar St., Sandpoint • 208-265-8545

THE PODIUM • 511 W. Dean Ave. • 509-279-7000

POST FALLS BREWING CO. • 112 N. Spokane St., Post Falls • 208-773-7301

RAZZLE’S BAR & GRILL • 10325 N. Government Way, Hayden • 208-635-5874

RED ROOM LOUNGE • 521 W. Sprague Ave. • 509-838-7613

THE RIDLER PIANO BAR • 718 W. Riverside Ave. • 509-822-7938

SEASONS OF COEUR

GRAMMY NOMINATED DELTA SWAMP BLUES LEGEND

DRINK AMBER WAVES OF GRAIN

It’s harvest time! You know what that means? Fresh, locally grown grains for fresh, locally made beer! Although the 10 collaborative brews showcased for this year’s annual Grainmaker Beer Festival don’t contain grain harvested this season, the event is both a celebration and showcase of the 2023 crop for breweries from the Pacific Northwest and beyond who reap the rewards. Hosted by YaYa Brewing and LINC Malt, more than 20 such breweries have been invited to see this year’s harvest in action, and to showcase their brewing excellence via 10 collaboratively made beers. There’s no special ticket required to come out and sample the festival brews — just come and buy individual pours of each — however, beer is available first come, first served, until the kegs blow.

— CHEY SCOTT

Grainmaker Beer Festival • Fri, Aug. 11 from 3-9 pm • Free admission • All ages • YaYa Brewing Co. • 11712 E. Montgomery Drive, Spokane Valley • instagram.com/yayabrewco

BENEFIT SUDS AT THE CLUB

Didn’t get enough local beer at Grainmaker? A sunny Sunday afternoon on the lower South Hill has you covered. The Woman’s Club of Spokane is hosting its second annual brewfest fundraiser, featuring almost a dozen local breweries, plus brats and sides. After great success last year for its inaugural beer-themed fundraiser — proceeds support the nonprofit club’s future as a community gathering place and the preservation of its historic home — organizers are hoping to sell out, but only 250 tickets are available. Attendees can also buy themed event T-shirts featuring a retro design by Chris Bovey, enjoy live music and pop into a streetcar-themed photobooth celebrating the neighborhood’s new designation as the Cannon Streetcar Suburb Historic District. To gain entry an hour early (1 pm), grab a VIP ticket, which includes the event tee.

— CHEY SCOTT

Woman’s Club Brewfest • Sun, Aug. 13 from 2-6 pm • $35 general; $55 VIP • The Woman’s Club of Spokane • 1428 W. Ninth Ave. • thewomansclubofspokane.org

VISUAL ARTS LAKESIDE ART

The 51st annual Pend Oreille Council’s Arts and Craft Fair shares the talents of a plethora of regional artists with the Sandpoint community and visitors from beyond. Booths lining Second Avenue and Main Street in the city center are filled with locally made home goods, ceramics, metal work, paintings, photography, jewelry, woodwork and more. Plus, multiple food vendors serve delicious treats and refreshing drinks. All event proceeds support the Arts Council’s visual and performing arts programs, as well as arts education, as part of its mission to provide North Idaho with an array of cultural and artistic experiences and opportunities. Head to the website below for a full list of featured artists and activities, plus an event map.

— SUMMER SANDSTROM

Pend Oreille Arts Council Arts & Crafts Fair • Sat, Aug 12 from 9 am-5 pm and Sun, Aug 13 from 9 am-4 pm • Free • All ages • Second Ave. and Main St., Sandpoint • artinsandpoint.org

GET LISTED!

Submit events online at Inlander.com/getlisted or email relevant details to getlisted@inlander.com. We need the details one week prior to our publication date.

COMEDY YOU BOTHER ME

Holy cannoli! A Chicago-Italian kid made it to the big stage and silver screen, and he’s not slowing down. Comedian Sebastian Maniscalco has sold out the biggest American arenas, including Madison Square Garden, TD Garden and the United Center, plus held a residency in Vegas, released a best-selling memoir, landed roles in Green Book and The Irishman, then added a show this weekend at Northern Quest to top it all off. His Sicilian growl and nononsense, rub-some-dirt-in-it charm endears Maniscalco to audiences the way you’d laugh at your grumpy grandpa getting bothered by Siri’s latest upgrade. The glitz of casino shows and the glam of Maniscalco’s polished performances belie a grinding work ethic instilled by an immigrant father. Catch a hilarious evening with Maniscalco before he’s off to Atlantic City, or on set with his “movie dad,” Robert De Niro.

— ELIZA BILLINGHAM

Learn more about the

Study

The ADapt Study is a research study testing whether a potential treatment, called lebrikizumab, may be a safe and effective way to treat adults and adolescents who have atopic dermatitis and were previously treated with the medication Dupixent® (dupilumab).

Eligible participants will receive the study drug every 2 or 4 weeks during the 24-week treatment period. The study will last a total of 36 weeks.

Taking part in this study may help in the advancement of a potential treatment for moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis (eczema). Reimbursement may be available for study-related expenses.

To nd out more about the ADapt Study, contact a member of our study team:

Sebastian Maniscalco • Fri, Aug. 11 at 7:30 pm

• 509-481-2800

• $60-$300

• BECU Live at Northern Quest • 100 N. Hayford Rd, Airway Heights • northernquest.com

BENEFIT PRINT TOWN USA

Printmaking as an art form is really having its day in the sun — more printmakers keep popping up, and there’s no better home for them than Spokane, a burgeoning mecca of print. In anticipation of the Rocky Mountain Printmaking Alliance Symposium coming to town this fall, Spokane Print & Publishing Center is hosting a fundraiser featuring five printmakers paired with a local literary luminary. Pairings include Carl Richardson and Emma Noyes, Mel Antuna Hewitt and Sharma Shields, and Margot Casstevens and Mark Anderson. Each pair has collaborated to create a limited-edition print portfolio for supporters. The finished portfolio is available at the showcase, as well as online for those who can’t make it to Brick West. There are only 20 portfolios from each available, so get ’em while they’re fresh off the presses!

— MADISON PEARSON

I SAW YOU

MISS EMILY ROSE CARTER You taught me of a greater love than a mother's for her child, which is a child's love for their mother. I have gone through life trying to fit in and find any place where I can rest knowing I belong. Finally after decades of searching I found it when I first laid my eyes on you. You can get and do whatever you would desire to (with in reason) from life no matter where you stand. This world is open for you nothing will be too much for you to conquer... nothing. Well, I love you and wanted to let you know I wrote a poem for you. It's not quite done yet, but here it is so far:

I see eternity in your eyes such a holy view, I know that God's love does exist, Darling, you're the living proof.

FOOD FOR THE NEEDY We saw you once again, at a public park, handing out food. We're sure we went through this over a year ago, it's against city ordinance to hand out food to people in our parks. Work with the city or, better yet, the new Homeless Coalition to help everyone and find a permanent solution, but maybe that is not newsworthy or financially beneficial. What happens after you drive away — garbage happens, encampments in our parks happen, harassment happens, robberies in broad daylight happen, vandalism, broken car windows, and fires happen. We'll ask you again, where do you live and what's the park near you. I'm sure you and your neighbors would like to do your part and be part of the solution.

WHITE ’99 FORD RANGER, CHUCK 70S

See you around a lot. Repping Chuck 70s, Levi’s (or maybe it’s bdg jeans), and silver star earrings. Just wanted to say, hi. I really like your truck.

CHEERS

MOON TIME - THE ITALIAN HOTEL Thank you to the incredible young man dining alone, reading a book, who reminded me so very much of my youngest brother and paid for our little family's dinner tonight, Monday July 31, at Moon Time in downtown CDA. That was so kind and unexpected — generous gestures like that are passed on by all of those involved, and you better believe that we can't wait to pay it forward with our children! I'm lucky to always cross paths with so many wonderful people in life, and you, kind sir, I hope you see this message and know how much you touched my sad heart in this time of difficult growth and change I'm going through, so thank you!

THANK YOU FOR BEING NICE I was paddleboarding at the Plante's Ferry area, and I got out after a long paddle, fully expecting to do everything by myself. I'm a single woman who's 43, and I'm never looking for attention or help (just excersize and pleasure). I only ever hope to have a casual interaction with strangers (male or female) talking about whatever water body I am in. Today, a man (with his family) offered to help carry my board up a big hill. I didn't know what to do. Tears came to my eyes just over this simple act of kindness. So many "men" nowadays have the mtfu stickers, and then they slam doors in my face. I feel the very opposite of chivalry with those "people." I am just a woman going about my business, fully expecting to be treated like absolute shit from any "Christian, family man" because those "men" are just horrible people. I have no idea why this person helped me, but he was a family man with kids and a wife, and he must have felt I was a valid lady, too. Also, shout-out to his wife who saw the situation as it was. I shouldn't be floored by the kindness, but I am. Thank you, thank you, thank you. I am a woman, too, and it was amazing to have someone help just because of that and manners. I'm shook.

CHEERS TO SPOKANE STREET DEPARTMENT

Spokane’s Street Maintenance team really impressed me with their responsiveness recently. I called in about missing lane paint

at a complicated intersection at Fourth and Walnut, and they responded within just a few days to repaint the lane markers. Thanks for such quick action, I’m sure these lane markers will prevent several fender benders.

WANT TO MEET MY LIFESAVERS I'm looking for two women who on Aug. 21, 2022, were doing trail maintenance past the gate at Selkirk Lodge on Mt. Spokane. They used a Subaru to get me off the trail to a Life Flight helicopter after I suffered a major heart attack while mountain biking. It's been almost a year since that happened, and I want to thank them both, share how well I'm doing, and let them know that their

JEERS

STOLE MY STUFF Jeers to the person who broke the window in my truck and took all my dirt bike gear. I'm sure you have no use for it. So if anybody comes across my gear in a dumpster, please contact police or maybe relay message to me here. Helmet, pants, jerseys, and all my shoes. It seems nothing is sacred and nothing is safe. Peace to all people who care about each other.

DO YOU READ WHAT YOU POST?

Every message here shows the mental illness that runs rampant in this community. Liberals are foaming at the mouth

crossing the street. What happens in this instance when the person hits a pedestrian?

I assume that would be involuntary murder. I do support law enforcement and hope that they ticket people like this who have no concern for others. In fact, perhaps people like this should lose their license until they can learn how to drive.

LAZY ZOOMERS Jeers to all you lazy Zoomers who don't wanna work. You just want to stay home, smoke pot and collect a paycheck. Once our socialist overlords make Universal Basic Income a reality, most businesses will have to outsource their labor I reckon. Enjoy your successful careers at streaming video games. Way to dream BIG.

actions literally saved my life. One was a nurse, named Lynn. Can anyone help me get in contact with these women?

YOU SAVED MY DAY To the older guy and it looked like his son who saved my life on Sunday, July 23, at around 2:30pm-ish. I was driving a little gold/tan Ford Ranger pick-up with a canopy on it and it died almost right at the intersection of Empire and Nevada. It's a manual and I killed it and couldn't get it started. You two were behind me in your, from what I could see, red SUV (maybe a Durango?), and saw that I needed help. You whipped around, parked in 7-11's parking lot, went through traffic to get to me and pushed me (up an incline I might add), around the corner onto Empire to get out of the traffic. It was so miserably hot that day, and I had no idea what i was going to do. Every time I put it in neutral, to try to push it myself, it kept rolling backwards. You two were like guardian angels and saved my afternoon. You didn't have to be so kind and nice but you were. I dont know how to repay you but if I ever see you again, I hope to pay it back. Thank you for being there that day and for showing me that people in Spokane can be pretty amazing!

CONSTANTLY; conservatives are doing what they do. But the complaints from both sides of you d bags is absolutely disgusting. Take a long long look at the garbage both sides post. You guys are 100 percent WHAT'S WRONG WITH AMERICA these days. Disgusting. This whole publication should be ashamed of the vitriol and garbage they publish, and allow others to post.

RE: DECORATE LIKE PEOPLE

When did I finally decide to seek out therapy? When I could no longer drive past those ubiquitous “drive like your kids live here” signs around town without crying and insisting that all my neighbors must be responsible for the tremendous pain that I felt inside me. Hang in there. Seek and ye shall find.

UPRIVER DRIVE UNSAFE DRIVING

Jeers to the unsafe drivers all around Spokane, but just for sake of illustration, I provide the following example. I'm driving down Upriver Drive just west of the Boulder Beach swimming area. The speed limit is 30 mph. I'm actually driving at 34 mph. A piece of garbage two-tone car is riding on my tail. Just before the beach area, they pass me (across double lines) easily at 20 mph over the speed limit in the same area people are

THE SUMMER SWELTER So, are we to expect three months of 90-plus heat every year? What happened to the three-degree increase?

DEAR STUPID Stupid People of Spokane: You know that lane on the south side of Upriver Drive along the Centennial Trail? That's called a trail, for runners or walkers or bikers. When you pass a driver on the right side, that's illegal. That's because people are walking or running or biking on it as you pass. I am one of those people. If you strike me with your car, my family will press charges against you for third-degree manslaughter. The trail isn't a personal passing zone for you, a--hole. ! n

NOTE: I Saw You/Cheers & Jeers is for adults 18 or older. The Inlander reserves the right to edit or reject any posting at any time at its sole discretion and assumes no responsibility for the content.

WE’RE SORRY.

We’d like to apologize to our Spokane community for our July ads that had insensitive language. We understand the power of words and are taking this as a learning opportunity to do better. Effective immediately, we are changing our slogan from “we stand with you” to “care, no matter what”. Thank you to those who brought this to our attention, we appreciate you!

all you lazy Zoomers who don’t wanna work. — LAZY ZOOMERS ”

BENEFIT

THE GRAPE ESCAPE: LADIES NIGHT

This night of fundraising features wine, vendors and small bites. Benefits Safe Harbor, a local anti-human trafficking nonprofit. Aug. 10, 5-8 pm. $35. Rosemary Manor, 763 S. Manor Heights Dr., Post Falls. safeharborforfreedom.com

WOMAN’S CLUB BREWFEST Enjoy beer tasting, music and food pairings. This fundraiser preserves and maintain the building as well as fulfill the nonprofit’s mission. Aug. 13, 1-6 pm. $35$55. Woman’s Club of Spokane, 1428 W. Ninth. thewomansclubofspokane.org

KISMET: WRITERS & PRINTERS COLLAB This fundraiser is a collective effort to celebrate local printmakers and features five regional printmaking artists each paired with a local author. Prints available for purchase. Aug. 17, 5-7 pm. Free. Brick West Brewing Co., 1318 W. First Ave. fb.me/e/19TbPd6XW

COMEDY

CHRIS KATTAN Kattan is well-known for his time spent on Saturday Night Live. Aug. 10, 7:30 pm, Aug. 11, 7:30 & 10:15 pm and Aug. 12, 7 & 9:45 pm.

$22-$30. Spokane Comedy Club, 315 W. Sprague. spokanecomedyclub.com

MEDIUM-AT-LARGE Improv based around the life and adventures of the BDT Spiritualist. Aug. 4-25, Fridays at 7:30 pm. $9. Blue Door Theatre, 815 W. Garland Ave. bluedoortheatre.com

SEBASTIAN MANISCALCO Maniscalco is a comedian, actor and best-selling author of his memoir, Stay Hungry Aug. 11, 7:30 pm. $59.50-$529.50. Northern Quest Resort & Casino, 100 N. Hayford Rd. northernquest.com

MARTIN AMINI Amini’s stand-up material touches on what it’s like growing up mixed in America, from a Bolivian and Iranian background. Aug. 16, 7:30 pm. $25-$35. Spokane Comedy Club, 315 W. Sprague. spokanecomedyclub.com

NATALIE CUOMO & DAN LAMORTE

Cuomo makes comedy videos for TikTok and Instagram. LaMorte has been featured on AXS TV’s Gotham Comedy Live and Getting Doug with High. Aug. 17, 7:30 pm, Aug. 18, 7:30 & 10:15 pm and Aug. 19, 7 & 9:45 pm. $20-$35. Spokane Comedy Club, 315 W. Sprague. spokanecomedyclub.com

COMMUNITY

MEND-IT CAFE Bring in clothing or textiles that need repair to be fixed by a member of Spokane Zero Waste. Aug. 10, 3:30-6 pm. Free. Garland District. instagram.com/spokanezerowaste

WSU MEDICINE BUILDING RIBBON

CUTTING Features remarks from Executive Vice President of Health Sciences and WSU Spokane Chancellor, Daryll DeWald, Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine Interim Dean, Jim Record and others. Aug. 10, 11:30 am. Free. WSU Spokane Medicine Building, 668 N. Riverpoint Blvd. spokane.wsu.edu

WAREHOUSE BOOK SALE This annual book sale hosted by the Deer Park Library features thousands of gentlyused books of all genres. Proceeds support the Deer Park library and community. June 9-Sept. 10, second Fri and Sat of each month from 9 am-4 pm. Free. Deer Park Auto Freight, 2405 E. Crawford St. scld.org (509-893-8300)

WA MUTUAL UFO NETWORK MEETING Maurene Morgan, Washington Mutual UFO Network State Director, shares her understanding of recent explosive UFO disclosure events. Aug. 11, 1-4 pm. Free. North Spokane Library, 44 E. Hawthorne Rd. (360-670-4213)

WEEKENDS ON WALL A series of public events along Wall Street between Main and Spokane Falls Blvd. to support local artists, vendors and more. Interested participants can register online. Activities include Friday Night Live (music and food trucks), Summer Saturdays (interactive events and performances) and the Sunday Art Mart (arts, crafts, vendors of original works). Free. downtownspokane.org/wall-weekends

TOUCHMARK CAR SHOW Peruse vintage, restored, antique and unique cars with music by Elvis tribute artist Ben Klein. Benefits the Alzheimer’s Association. Aug. 12, 10 am-2 pm. Free. Touchmark South Hill, 2929 S. Waterford Dr. spokane.touchmark.com/carshow

THE BOHEMIAN SUMMER SIDEWALK

SALE A sidewalk sale featuring local guest vendors, in-store promotions, snacks and more. Aug. 12, 10 am-5:30 pm. Free. The Bohemian (North), 7503 N. Division. thebohemianspokane.com

EDUCATOR’S DAY Teachers and homeschool parents are invited to participate in raffles and pick up free art supplies. Aug. 12, 10 am-5 pm. Art Salvage Spokane, 1925 N. Ash St. artsalvagespokane.com

HILLYARD CRAFT POP UP Shop local small businesses in one location. Every second and fourth Friday from 11 am-4 pm. Free. Hillyard. (509-724-1924)

HISTORIC SEVENTH AVENUE TOUR

Walk and learn about the influential families who lived here and their impact on the region and Spokane. Aug. 12, 10-11 am and Sep. 9, 10-11 am. Free. Corbin Art Center, 507 W. Seventh Ave. slporter727@gmail.com

HISTORIC WALKING TOURS Join local historian Chet Caskey for a tour of Riverfront Park. Sat at 10 am and noon through Aug. 26. Free. Riverfront Park, 507 N. Howard. riverfrontspokane.com

MURDER AT THE GRAVESTONE SALOON Solve a murder mystery with other outlaws. Aug. 12, 6-9 pm. $29-$39.

Crime Scene Entertainment, 2775 N. Howard. crimesceneentertainment.com

PALOUSE SECOND SATURDAYS An event featuring local culture, welcoming visitors to enjoy all that Palouse has to offer. Second Saturdays from 10 am-4:30 pm through Sept. 10. Free. Palouse, Wash. visitpalouse.com

BRITBULL BRITISH CAR SHOW The Inland Northwest’s largest display of classic British motorcars. Trophy awards at noon. Aug. 13, 9 am-1 pm. $35; free to spectate. Grant Park, 1015 S. Arthur St. northwestbritishclassics.com

CDA FLEA MARKET Shop from 40+ vendors dealing vintage finds, handmade crafts, small-batch eats/drinks, and more. Second Sunday from 10 am-3 pm through Oct. 8. Free. Roosevelt Inn, 105 E. Wallace. artsandculturecda.org

MOORE-TURNER HERITAGE GARDEN

TOUR Experience the garden as it looked in 1915 and hear stories about the two families of early Spokane. Aug. 13, 20 and 27, 11 am-noon. Free. MooreTurner Heritage Gardens, 507 W. Seventh. heritagegardens.org

14TH ANNUAL BACKPACKS FOR KIDS

The Salvation Army is giving away

4,000 new backpacks filled with school supplies. (First-come, first-served while supplies last.) Aug. 16, 9 am-6 pm. Free. The Salvation Army Spokane, 222 E. Indiana Ave. makingspokanebetter.org

CAMPBELL HOUSE DARK HISTORY: SOCIETY SECRETS An after-hours tour that sheds light on strange details and unconventional stories from turn-ofthe-century Spokane. Third Thursdays at 6 pm through Oct. 19. $3.50-$6. The MAC, 2316 W. First Ave. northwestmuseum.org (509-456-3931)

FILM

MOVIES ON THE MOUNTAIN Enjoy a movie at twilight with popcorn outside of the Crow’s Bench. See website for movie schedule. Aug. 4-25, Fri at 8 pm. Free. Schweitzer, 10,000 Schweitzer Mountain Rd. schweitzer.com

FREE KIDS MOVIES: THE BOSS BABY: FAMILY BUSINESS The now-adult Templeton brothers are brought back together. Aug. 14-18, daily at 9:30 am. Garland Theater, 924 W. Garland Ave. garlandtheater.com (509-327-1050)

POINT BREAK An FBI agent goes undercover to catch a gang of surfers who may be bank robbers. Aug. 15, 7-9 pm. $7. The Kenworthy, 508 S. Main St. kenworthy.org (208-882-4127)

OUTDOOR MOVIE: THE GREAT GATSBY Enjoy 1920s-inspired food and drinks. Also includes a costume contest. Aug. 16, 6:30-10:30 pm. Free. Commellini Estate, 14715 N. Dartford Dr. commellini.com (509-466-0667)

MOVIES AT THE PARK: THE GREATEST SHOWMAN See the film under the Pavilion. Bring a lawn chair, blanket and your own food/drinks. Aug. 16, 8:30 pm. Free. Pavilion at Riverfront, 574 N. Howard St. riverfrontspokane.com

SURPRISE SUMMER FILM SERIES Audiences won’t know what film they’re watching until it begins. Follow the Panida’s social media for clues. Aug. 16, 7 pm. $5. Panida Theater, 300 N. First Ave. panida.org (208-263-9191)

THIRD THURSDAY MATINEE: SMILES OF A SUMMER NIGHT This film examines the Swedish upper class and its leisure amid luxurious settings and stunning costumes. Aug. 17, 1-3 pm. $7. The MAC, 2316 W. First Ave. northwestmuseum.org (509-456-3931)

FOOD

GRAINMAKER BEER FEST Showcasing breweries working with Inland Northwest-grown grains. Ten beers are poured, each brewed specially for the event as collaborations between participating breweries. Aug. 11, 3-9 pm. Free. YaYa Brewing Company, 11712 E. Montgomery Dr. yayabrewing.com

SILVER MOUNTAIN BREWSFEST Ticket includes a tasting mug, a gondola ride and six drink tickets. Aug. 12. $42. Silver Mountain Resort, 610 Bunker Ave. silvermt.com (208-783-1111)

BRUNCH WITH A VIEW Enjoy brunch at Nectar in Kendall Yards. Aug. 13 and Sep. 10, 11 am-1 pm. $20. Nectar Wine and Beer, 1331 W. Summit Pkwy. nectarwineandbeer.com (509-951-2096)

WINE TASTING Taste regional wines. Buy two bottles and receive your tasting free. Sundays from 2-4 pm through Sept. 3. $10. The Culinary Stone, 2129 N. Main St. culinarystone.com ...continued on page 54

Cannabis College

Gonzaga is bringing the classroom to the cannabis industry starting this fall

BY WILL MAUPIN

Gonzaga University is now offering two new programs aimed at people who work in or are interested in joining the cannabis industry and adjacent fields. One program focuses on cannabis and health care, while the other is aimed at the business and compliance side of the industry. The programs are a collaborative effort between the university and cannabis industry educational training provider Green Flower.

“We’ve been seeing the rise of legalization of medical and recreational cannabis across the nation. Here in Washington the growth has been one of the highest across the country. The reason we went into this is because there is an educational gap. We see ourselves as an institution that is here to provide education and to meet people in the margins,” says Rachelle Strawther, director of Gonzaga’s Center for Lifelong Learning.

As part of the university’s lifelong learning offerings, the programs are not exclusive to Gonzaga students or graduates. The courses are open to anyone over the age of 18, and there are no educational prerequisites.

Gonzaga provides the accreditation and vets the curricula that Green Flower instructors will be teaching in the online courses.

Green Flower has been in the cannabis education and certification space since 2014, partnering with colleges and companies

in the industry around the nation.

“Part of what Green Flower offers is we have an employer network helping people get hired by companies that appreciate those who have this level of training,” says Green Flower CEO Max Simon.

Both Strawther and Simon said there’s a lack of an established and accepted education and certification track for those entering or advancing in the cannabis industry, whose employees outnumber dentists by a 3-1 ratio, according to Green Leaf and Gonzaga.

“We’re trying to help reduce the stigma surrounding cannabis because people need to have good information to make decisions for themselves and for their businesses,” says Strawther.

With the health care and medical program, for example, primary care providers can complete the course and receive a Gonzaga-branded certificate that will allow patients to see that they are well versed in the relationship between cannabis and health.

“Whether it’s to patients or to colleagues in the medical field, [graduates] can say they have a formal form of recognition of the knowledge they have for that sector,” says Simon.

The registration deadline for the first 24-week session is Sept. 11. n

Learn the business at Gonzaga. ERICK DOXEY PHOTO

SOMETHING TO BARK ABOUT

WARNING: This product has intoxicating effects and may be habit forming. Cannabis can impair concentration, coordination, and judgment. Do not operate a vehicle or machinery under the influence of this drug. There may be health risks associated with consumption of this product. For use only by adults 21 and older. Keep out of the reach of children.

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.

greenhand

DAILY SPECIALS

EARLY BIRD MONDAY 811AM 20% Off (excludes all pre-rolls)

TOP SHELF TUESDAY 20% Off

WAX WEDNESDAY 20% Off concentrates $20 or more

OPEN EVERY DAY!

PREROLL THURSDAY $1 off packs of 4 or less, 20% off 5 or more

FEATURED VENDOR FRIDAY 20% off featured vendor SELFCARE SATURDAY 20% Off CBD & Wellness

SNACK SUNDAY 20% Off Edibles & Drinkables

Sun-Thur 8am-10pm • Fri-Sat 8am-11pm | 2424 N. Monroe St • (509) 919-3470

EVENTS | CALENDAR

MUSIC

CAMP MIXTAPE Create a mixtape using instruments and beats from Garageband while working with peers and mentors. Aug. 8-10, daily from 9:30-11:30 am. Free. Spark Central, 1214 W. Summit Pkwy. spark-central.org

BLUE WATERS BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL

The annual music festival at Medical Lake’s Waterfront Park. Aug.

11, 4-9 pm, Aug. 12, 1-9:15 pm and Aug.

13, 12-4 pm. $30-$60. Waterfront Park, 1386 S. Lefevre St. bluewatersbluegrass.org (869-0252)

MEL DALTON ALBUM RELEASE AND COOKOUT Celebrate the release of Mel Dalton’s new album, Ramblings and Recollections. Dinner included. Aug.

13, 4-7 pm. $15. Eagles 15th Street Pavilion, 1700 N. 15th St. (208-932-8005)

SPORTS & OUTDOORS

SPOKANE INDIANS VS. HILLSBORO

HOPS Promos include Dollars in Your Dog (8/10), Fireworks (8/11), Storybook

Princess & Fireworks (8/12). Aug. 10,

6:35 pm, Aug. 11-12, 7:05 pm and Aug.

VENDOR DAYS EVERY FRIDAY

WARNING: This product has intoxicating effects and may be habit forming. Cannabis can impair concentration, coordination, and judgment. Do not operate a vehicle or machinery under the influence of this drug. There may be health risks associated with consumption of this product. For use only by adults 21 and older. Keep out of the reach of children.

13, 1:05 pm. $8-$22. Avista Stadium, 602 N. Havana. spokaneindians.com

FITKIDS DAY Kids can participate in a morning of active play and meet Daniel Tiger, Clifford the Big Red Dog, Elmo and other characters. Aug. 11, 9 am-noon. Free. Shaw Middle School, 4106 N. Cook St. ksps.org

SCENIC CHAIRLIFT RIDES Ride the chairlift up and down the mountain with options to hike back down the mountain. Fri-Sun from 10 am-3:30 pm. $9-$13. Lookout Pass Ski & Recreation Area, I-90 Exit 0. skilookout.com

COEUR D’ALENE TRIATHLON Options include an Olympic triathlon, the scenic sprint and a duathlon. Race starts/ ends in downtown Coeur d’Alene on the city beach. Aug. 12. $120-$220. Downtown Coeur d’Alene, Sherman Ave. cdatriathlon.com/races/triathlon

RIVERFRONT MOVES: ECLIPSE POWER YOGA This class offers features fun music designed to uplift and invigorate. Aug. 12, 10 am. Free. Pavilion at Riverfront, 574 N. Howard St. riverfrontspokane.com (509-625-6000)

THEATER

ESCAPE TO MARGARITAVILLE This musical comedy centers around a part-time bartender/singer who falls for a career-minded tourist. Wed-Sat at 7:30 pm, Sun at 2 pm through Aug. 20. University High School, 12320 E. 32nd Ave. svsummertheatre.com

SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN Don and Lina are often cast as a couple, but when their latest film is remade into a musical, Kathy, a young aspiring actress, is hired to record over Lina’s voice.

Thu-Sat at 7:30 pm, Sat-Sun at 2 pm through Aug. 13. $22-$28. Kroc Center, 1765 W. Golf Course Rd. aspirecda.com

THE 25TH ANNUAL PUTNAM COUN -

TY SPELLING BEE This heartfelt comedy follows eclectic tweens competing for the championship of a lifetime. Aug. 11-29; Wed-Sat at 7:30 pm, Sun at 2 pm. $15-$25. Spokane Civic Theatre, 1020 N. Howard. spokanecivictheatre.com

AN AVIARY FOR BIRDS OF SADNESS

A found family story about a group of

friends who must care of one of their own during her darkest days. Aug. 1127; Thu-Sat at 7 pm, Sun at 2 pm. $20$25. Stage Left Theater, 108 W. Third Ave. stagelefttheater.org

DISNEY’S DESCENDANTS In presentday Auradon, Ben, the benevolent son of King Adam and Queen Belle, offers a chance of redemption for the troublemaking offspring of Disney’s classic villains. Aug. 11-13; Fri-Sat at 7 pm, Sat-Sun at 2 pm. $12-$16. Spokane Children’s Theatre, 2727 N. Madelia. spokanechildrenstheatre.org

PRIDE & PREJUDICE Based on the classic novel by Jane Austen. Aug. 1113; Fri-Sat at 7:30 pm, Sun at 2 pm. $50-$65. Schuler Performing Arts Center, 880 W. Garden Ave. cdasummertheatre.com (208-769-7780)

VISUAL ARTS

FIRST IMPRESSIONS: WOMEN PRINTMAKERS OF WASHINGTON An overview of women printmakers active in the early to mid-twentieth century. Tue-Sun from 10 am-5 pm through Nov. 19. $15-$20. The MAC, 2316 W. First. northwestmuseum.org

JANIE SCHNURR: COLLAGE MIX UP

This exhibition features more than 40 abstract collage paintings. Through Aug. 29, daily from 12-6 pm. Free. Barrister Winery, 1213 W. Railroad Ave. janschnurr.com (509-465-3591)

ART & GLASS FEST A weekend of art, live music, wine, beer and food. Aug. 12-13, 11 am-5 pm. Free. Arbor Crest Wine Cellars, 4705 N. Fruit Hill Rd. arborcrest.com (509-927-9463)

POAC ARTS & CRAFTS FAIR A twoday vendor fair featuring local artists and makers. Aug. 12, 9 am-5 pm and Aug. 13, 9 am-4 pm. Free. Downtown Sandpoint. artsinsandpoint.org

WORDS

SEANAN MCGUIRE IN CONVERSATION WITH TRAVIS BALDREE Local author Travis Baldree chats with Seanan McGuire about her latest release, Be Sure. Masks required to attend. Aug. 11, 7 pm. Free. Auntie’s, 402 W. Main Ave. auntiesbooks.com (509-838-0206)

ORIGIN STORIES Create a short comic based on a myth, legend or anything else that inspires you. Aug. 15-18, daily from 9:30-11:30 am. Free. Spark Central, 1214 W. Summit Pkwy. sparkcentral.org (509-279-0299)

OUR RED BOOK: A READING & SHARING EVENT Rachel Kauder Nalebuff, editor of Our Red Book, and guests read from the anthology followed by a voluntary activity for those interested in sharing their own menstruation stories. Aug. 15, 2-4 pm. Free. Central Library, 906 W. Main Ave. spokanelibrary.org (509-444-5336)

BROKEN MIC Spokane Poetry Slam’s longest-running, 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

J.T. GREATHOUSE: THE PATTERN OF THE WORLD Celebrate local author J.T. Greathouse’s latest book, The Pattern of the World, the third installment of his Pact and Pattern fantasy series. Aug. 18, 7 pm. Free. Auntie’s Bookstore, 402 W. Main Ave. auntiesbooks. com (509-838-0206) n

39. “Where the Wild Things Are” author Maurice 40. Available to watch, in a way 42. Old Army base on the Santa Fe Trail, briefly

Barber’s “____ for Strings”

44. Bartender who serves Barney and Homer

(off) 46. Brewing company that resulted from a 2005 merger

67. Stretch of history 68. Nays’ opposites 69. Financial ctr. in Manhattan 70. California’s Big ____

DOWN

1. Start to climax?

2. “The Facts of Life” actress Mindy

3. Lisa with the 1994 hit “Stay (I Missed You)”

4. Open, as a bottle

5. Put on TV

6. Planet that’s home to Octavia E. Butler Landing

7. Perception

13. It might slide or revolve

29. $100 bill, in slang

35. TV Guide listings, informally

37. Prepares to leave port, say

41. Bishop’s domains

42. Rock’s ____ Fighters

44. Features of some crooked enterprises

47. Grand ____ (wine designation)

48. Blueprint detail

52. Pinkberry treat, for short

53. Gush

54. Jazz

of lyric poetry

62. “The magic word”

64. Some Antarctic samples

66. American Society of Magazine Editors annual awards

8. “That’s all ____ wrote”

9. Wrote (in) tentatively 10. “You’re very mistaken!”

11. Enjoy a book

12. Author ____ Stanley Gardner

18. Leslie who played Burr in “Hamilton”

22. Drag show accessory

25. Fish that’s being reeled in

27. Perfume samples

28. Certain golf tourney

30. Former Massachusetts governor ____ Patrick

32. Corp. leader

33. More quirky 34. Foamed at the mouth