Inlander 09/28/2023

EDITOR’S NOTE

Just outside Washington State University’s Martin Stadium is a big bronze statue of a cougar. This ferocious and frozen large feline — thankfully — replaced the longstanding tradition of using a living cougar as the school’s mascot.

But it’s not just the statue. Nowadays, spectators in Pullman are entertained by a big, plush anthropomorphized cougar. It’s Butch, the Muppets-eque replacement for the ancestral line of real life mountain lions that, surely, were more afraid of the cheering Coug throngs than WSU’s op ponents were of it.

Like old Butch, living mascots have gone the way of the Dodo. Now we have energetic and anonymous people in massive costumes running around, flexing their “muscles,” high fiving and generally acting the fool in order to get the crowd ROARING.

You may think this week’s cover section — MASCOT MAYHEM! — is a bit silly. But take a moment to tap into that inner child. And remember that all that those tall, goofy creatures want is for you to be cheering and full of team spirit. Give them a break. And maybe a fist bump.

— NICHOLAS DESHAIS, editor

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IF YOU COULD DRESS AS ANY MASCOT, WHO WOULD IT BE?

JESS BOTTA

I like the moose of the Seattle Mariners. That guy is funny. He has a funny nose, and he just seems so furry. And I think that if I were to be him, I feel like it would be really cozy in the suit.

MICHELE KELLY

I think I would dress up as spaghetti and meatballs just for the food industry because who doesn’t love spaghetti and meatballs? And there is that children’s song that goes, “On top of spaghetti all covered with cheese, I lost my poor meatball when somebody sneezed.” And I have dressed up as spaghetti and meatballs for Halloween before.

KATE ANDERSON

I would want to dress up as the duck from the University of Oregon. When I was in high school, I performed color guard, and their stadium is really fun to perform in, so I have always really liked them. Also, who wouldn’t want to dress up as a duck?

LANAE McDERMOTT

I would want to dress up as Ronald McDonald so I can terrorize small children. He is one that comes to mind because I know how frightened people can be of clowns.

DAVI KAPLAN-GOMEZ

I would probably have to say Ralphie, the buffalo mascot for the University of Colorado Boulder, because he is very fast and a crowd favorite. I also think it is fun that he is a live buffalo, so it would be fun to dress up as him.

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Blinded by Greed

College sports in general, and WSU in particular, needs a Teddy Roosevelt-style intervention

BY MICHAEL BAUMGARTNER

In 1905, college sports were in a state of crisis.

Although wildly popular, with crowds rivaling professional baseball, college football was being played in a brutal and often deadly fashion. Players wore no safety equipment, and the most common strategy involved forming a “flying wedge” and battering head-to-head down the field. In that year alone, 19 student athletes died on the field from injuries.

Public outrage was intense. So grave was the situation that schools like Columbia and Duke dropped their football programs, while others switched to rugby. Harvard’s president described the sport as “more brutalizing than cockfighting” and was on the cusp of cutting the nation’s highest profile team.

Everyone knew the sport had to change course to survive, but individual colleges and stubborn coaches were too busy bickering and seeking self-advantage to find solutions.

Against this backdrop President Teddy Roosevelt, who felt college football was essential to building the character of not just students but also the country, exerted his leadership. Roosevelt called a summit of leading schools to

attempt to create a series of reforms. “College football is on trial,” he warned.

Roosevelt’s goal was to keep the physical and competitive essence of football while making it safer.

In addition to his stature as the leader of the nation, Roosevelt had the added leverage of being able to directly influence the coach of the U.S. Naval Academy — who fielded one of the country’s best teams — into accepting proposed rule changes.

Roosevelt’s efforts worked. A regulatory oversight body was established to increase competitiveness and introduce new rules like the forward pass in order to improve safety.

Political leadership had saved college football from itself.

Nearly a hundred years later, college sports is in a different kind of crisis

— TV contract-induced conference realignment. Notably this includes the Univer-

WSU Coach Jake Dickert has no problem sticking up for his team and its hometown. Statewide elected officials? Crickets. WSU ATHLETICS PHOTO

sity of Washington and the University of Oregon, which cut multimillion-dollar deals with Fox Sports Corporation to follow University of Southern California and UCLA when they depart the regional Pac-12 Conference for the multiregional Big Ten conference next year.

Athletes are not dying by the dozen on the field like they were in Roosevelt’s day, but financial greed will soon be send ing “student” athletes regularly flying across three time zones for league games in not just football but all men’s and women’s sports. How exactly does a volleyball player make her evening chemistry lab if she’s on a weeklong road trip from Seattle to Maryland and New Jersey?

Indeed, the academic, physical and mental health impacts on student athletes will be severe. But the damage does not stop there. The absurdity of nationwide conference realignment risks destroying the regional rivalries that make college sport great, leaving economic and academic carnage in its wake. A century of shared history and tradition have been abandoned as six other teams prepare to leave the Pac-12 in 2024. With Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado and Utah departing to play in the Big 12, and Stanford and Cal leaving for the Atlantic Coast Conference, only Washington State and Oregon State will remain in the Pac-12 Conference.

Why should the public care? First and foremost, because these are public universities owned by taxpayers. Conference af filiation and college sports success have significant impacts on the wider campus. As former Washington State University President Elson Floyd once told me, “The college sports arms race is out of control, but the fact remains that the success of a university’s foot ball team is directly correlated to how many students apply to go there, and how good the basketball team correlates to the quality of applicant’s SAT scores.”

The moves by UW and Oregon will also significantly hurt the local economies around college towns like Pullman and Corvallis. As current Oregon State University President Jayathi Murthy recently wrote, “Our surrounding community and the State of Oregon will absorb millions more in losses than the University of Oregon will collect from their move to the Big Ten Conference. The net negative impact on Oregon students, families and small businesses will be real.”

Frustrating, then, that the decisions for UW and Oregon to leave the Pac-12 were made via backroom negotiations with TV executives rather than in public by elected officials who can make decisions for the good of the entire state and be directly accountable to taxpayers and voters.

There is a courtroom drama playing out to determine who controls what remains of the corpse of the Pac-12 Conference, but college sports today desperately needs the same kind of elected public leadership that President Roosevelt showed a century ago. Senators and governors are far more important than judges if sustainable competitive balance, academic focus and basic sanity are to be restored to college athletics.

It is possible. Here in Washington, we have shown that elected leaders can do big things for higher education when they want to. When I was the vice chair of the Senate Higher Education Committee, I worked with a dedicated group of bipartisan legislators to create two medical schools in Spokane and reduce the cost of public college tuition by 20%. Now we need another bipartisan cohort, at both the local and national level, to step forward to fix college athletics.

If not Roosevelt, then perhaps Europe can serve as a guide. Three years ago, the continent’s biggest soccer clubs announced plans to form a new corporate TV driven “Super League.” The biggest teams would make billions, but smaller clubs would be left to wither. Fortunately, the backlash was intense. Grassroots protests erupted to save soccer’s local traditions. The politicians listened. The Super League was stopped. Small clubs and local communities were protected. Greed lost. Sanity prevailed. n

Michael Baumgartner was a Republican Washington state senator from 2011 to 2019, when he was elected to his current position as treasurer of Spokane County.

BY NATE SANFORD

Organized labor is having a moment.

On Sunday, the Writers Guild of America union reached a tentative agreement with the Hollywood studios — ending a historic five-month strike that brought film and TV production to a standstill.

The writers will soon return to work with what the Guild’s bargaining team described as an “exceptional” deal. But thousands of actors remain on strike, and workers in other sectors across America are continuing to walk off the job and demand better working conditions in record numbers.

Despite significant opposition from management, a wave of high-profile unionizations continues to spread across corporate giants like Amazon and Starbucks.

And on Tuesday, in one of the most significant shows of presidential support for unions in decades, President Joe Biden traveled to Michigan to show support for United Auto Workers union members striking against all Big Three automakers, simultaneously for the first time.

The increase in labor activity mirrors public attitudes on unions. Last year, public approval of unions rose to 71 percent — its highest since the 1960s.

“It’s been building for some time,” says state Rep. Timm Ormsby, a Democratic legislator, longtime labor advocate and president of the Spokane Labor Council. “There’s a renewed enthusiasm and sense of hope about unions.”

In Spokane, labor leaders say they’re seeing an increase in momentum and people interested in organizing

GETTING ORGANIZED

their workplace. A Starbucks in Spokane’s Shadle Center successfully voted to unionize earlier this summer, and local health care workers might join what could be the largest nationwide health care strike in history.

A year of historic union activity doesn’t seem to be slowing down. If anything, the picket lines are growing.

LOCAL HEALTH CARE STRIKE LOOMS

After months of unsuccessful contract negotiations, health care workers at Kaiser Permanente facilities in Spokane and other Washington cities may soon join Kaiser workers in other states who are threatening to strike.

The workers’ contract with the Washington branch of the nonprofit health care giant is set to expire at the end of October, says Kenia Escobar, spokesperson for SEIU 1199NW, the local chapter of the Service Employees International Union, which represents 1.9 million workers throughout the U.S. and Canada.

This is the first time Kaiser workers have bargained for a new contract since the onset of the pandemic.

The union represents about 120 workers in the Spokane region. If a contract isn’t reached soon and the union votes to strike, some 3,000 health care workers could walk off the job across Washington.

Kaiser Permenante operates in seven states, and a national contract is set to expire at the end of September.

Last Friday, a bargaining team from a national coalition of Kaiser Permanente unions, which includes SEIU 1199NW, notified executives that they plan a three-day

unfair labor practice strike beginning Oct. 3.

The action would involve more than 75,000 Kaiser workers, making it the largest health care worker strike in U.S history, the coalition said.

If Kaiser executives fail to meet the union’s demands to address staff shortages and cost-of-living increases, the workers say they are prepared for a “longer, stronger strike” starting in November, after Kaiser’s contract with workers in Washington state expires.

In a statement, Kaiser Permanente noted that a strike notice doesn’t necessarily mean a strike will happen and that the organization will “continue to bargain in good faith until we reach a fair and equitable agreement.”

Marie Neumayer, a medical assistant at a Kaiser clinic on Spokane’s South Hill, spent last week in California as part of a team bargaining on behalf of Kaiser workers in Washington.

Calling from a hotel room last Friday after a grueling (and unproductive) bargaining session with management, Neumayer acknowledged she’s nervous about the possibility of going on strike for the first time, but confident in the power of collective action — not just from other health care professionals, but with workers across industries.

“There’s energy and support with all unions, because being a union member, you have a voice… you have the support of all our brothers and sisters,” Neumayer says. “People now are really looking and being more aware of that.”

As a hot labor summer turns to fall, a historic health care strike looms over Kaiser workers while Spokane unions see increased support

Sarah Coning helped unionize workers at the Shadle Starbucks. ERICK DOXEY PHOTO

DECLINING MEMBERSHIP, RISING ENERGY

American unions were a powerful force in the first half of the 20th century. But after peaking in the 1950s, membership and public support began a steady decline as manufacturing moved overseas and major industries were deregulated.

Tina Morrison first got involved with organized labor in the late 1980s. It was the tail end of the Reagan administration — a tough time for organized labor.

“Union was kind of a dirty word,” says Morrison, the secretary-treasurer of the Spokane Regional Labor Council, AFL-CIO. “We were taught that unions just take your money.”

Despite the recent wave of organizing and public support, union membership in the U.S. remains low. The percentage of American workers who belong to a union dropped to 10.1 percent last year — the lowest it’s been since the Bureau of Labor Statistics started tracking comparable data four decades ago.

In 2022, 16 percent of workers in the Spokane-Spokane Valley metropolitan area belonged to a union, according to unionstats. com, which tracks local union membership by analyzing Bureau of Labor Statistics data. The number tends to fluctuate by a few percentage points each year. It was 18 percent in 2021, and 20 percent in 2015, when comparable data first became available.

Membership data for this year isn’t available yet.

While the increase in public enthusiasm has yet to manifest in increased membership, Morrison says, anecdotally, it feels like Spokane is seeing an uptick in activity.

sets precedent requiring businesses that commit labor law violations to bargain with unions without formal elections.

“Labor has been fighting for workers with both hands tied behind their backs for a very, very long time,” Morrison says. “That decision at least unleashes one hand. It evens the playing field a little bit.”

UNIONIZING SPOKANE STARBUCKS

Sarah Coning didn’t expect to end up in a union.

“I’d always thought it was more like something they needed in the turn of the century, or maybe the 1930s,” Coning says. “But not now.”

Her views started to change last year, when she says new management brought reduced hours and product shortages to the Shadle Center Starbucks, where she works.

Coning says she and her coworkers were growing increasingly frustrated as their complaints to district managers were ignored. In spring this year, one of her coworkers came to the team with an idea: What if they unionized?

Workers at the Shadle Starbucks had been following national news about Starbucks unionizations in other parts of the country and began calling around to newly unionized stores to ask for advice. In April, they filed a petition to unionize with the National Labor Relations Board.

Throughout the national unionization campaign, Starbucks has repeatedly been accused of illegal retaliation and union busting activity. The National Labor Relations Board has brought a staggering 100 separate cases alleging unfair labor practices against the coffee giant. In March, former CEO Howard Schultz, a billionaire, told a Senate panel that the company hasn’t broken any laws.

ONE for the Money

BY COLTON RASANEN

“We are seeing more organizing around the area. And there are more phone calls with questions from people who are looking to be organized,” Morrison says. “It started picking up a little bit during the pandemic, and then it just continued to grow.”

Morrison notes that larger economic forces — like the fact that so many people work full time jobs but can’t afford to take care of their families or own a home — are also contributing to increased interest.

“You work to live, you don’t live to work,” Morrison says. “I think that is finally setting in with our young workers today. They’re just not going to have it.”

Shawn Fain, who was elected president of the United Auto Workers earlier this year, has framed the recent strike efforts as a “battle of the working class against the rich.” Despite significant increases in productivity, wages in the U.S. have remained largely stagnant since 1980.

During just the pandemic, however, America’s billionaires saw their wealth grow by 70 percent.

After 25 years in the labor movement, Morrison says she isn’t holding her breath for a complete sea change. But she’s hopeful about recent progress, including a landmark ruling from the National Labor Relations Board last month that

After they filed to unionize, Coning says officials from Starbucks corporate headquarters came to the store to meet with the workers individually and try to talk them out of it. Coning says the meetings were intense, but that she and her coworkers had done their research and were determined to move forward.

“We were all very nervous, but we also felt like we didn’t have anything to lose,” Coning says.

In June, the store voted 12-4 to unionize — joining over 300 Starbucks stores across the country that have voted to unionize over the past two years, one of the most successful union drives in decades. (In Washington, workers at 27 Starbucks locations have voted to unionize, including three in Eastern Washington: Spokane, Walla Walla and Prosser.)

Coning says her store has already seen benefits from unionizing and recommends that people interested in organizing their own workplace reach out to people already in unions to ask about the pros and cons.

Coning says local unions have been calling the store to offer congratulations, and customers have told baristas that, despite living on the opposite side of town, they plan to exclusively shop at the Shadle Starbucks to show support for the union going forward.

“People come sit in the cafe and order drinks just to show solidarity,” Coning says. “We felt so alone for so long. To see that we actually had community support for what we were doing was big.” n

nates@inlander.com

The whirring sounds of construction echo as workers hurriedly complete the final touches on ONE Spokane Stadium. Thousands of stadium seats sit empty above the freshly laid turf that will soon be home to touchdowns, tackles and GOALSSSS.

It’s music to Matt Meyer’s ears.

As a Spokane native, Meyer’s excitement for the new stadium can hardly be contained. He says there was just nothing to do while growing up here. After he graduated from Washington State University in 2008, he says there wasn’t much of a reason to come back to Spokane — apart from a job offer and his family.

As director of entertainment for the Spokane Public Facilities District, which owns the land the stadium sits on, he’s trying to change that.

“We’re building a place where I would have wanted to stay as a kid, and a college student,” Meyer says. “It’s so exciting because Spokane is moving in the right direction.”

While Spokane Public Schools owns the $37.9 million stadium, the PFD will be in charge of running the 5,000-seat sports facility. (For concerts and other events, the stadium has a capacity of up to 12,000.)

The PFD also runs, among others, the Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena and the Podium, which are all located within the same two-block radius, creating Spokane’s own sports and entertainment district. Meyer says this was purely accidental.

“We joked around and talked about it, but it just kinda happened that way,” he says.

In addition to high school sports and concerts, the facility will be used by the Spokane Velocity — the city’s new men’s professional United Soccer League team, which will begin playing in the USL’s League One in March 2024. An as-yet-unnamed women’s team will also play at the stadium as part of the USL Super League. The future may be bright for the city’s newest stadium, but it wasn’t always so.

After five years of controversy, conversation, collaboration and, finally, construction, Spokane’s new stadium has opened its doors to the public

“You work to live, you don’t live to work.”

In 2018, SPS asked Spokane voters to choose between two locations for a new stadium. More than 56,000 people — 64 percent of those who voted — cast their ballots in favor of building at the old Joe Albi Stadium in northwest Spokane. About 31,000 people, or 35 percent, voted for the downtown site on the north bank of the river.

However, it was an advisory vote so officials weren’t legally bound to follow voters’ wishes — and ultimately decided to build on the facility’s current spot near the city’s center, in part because the USL said it would bring soccer to Spokane if the stadium were centrally built. (Not to mention the league said it would contribute $2 million in construction for a downtown location.)

Michael Wiser, president of Spokane Public Schools Board of Directors, says the logistics behind the new stadium were relatively vague when the measure went to voters. People weren’t sure if there would be enough parking or how it would impact the area.

Instead of coming back to voters, the school board put out a community survey. Wiser says the board wanted to save on the cost of running another ballot measure, and the district wanted to field comments and concerns from citizens — something that filling a bubble on a ballot didn’t allow. With more information on the stadium plan, including parking, Wiser says the response to the 2021 community survey was mostly positive.

On Thursday, Sept. 28, two games will be played at ONE Spokane Stadium. The first, at 4 pm, is a soccer match between Shadle Park and Pullman high schools. The second, at 7 pm, is a high school football game between North Central and Clarkston. Or, take a look around the stadium during a community open house on Saturday, Sept. 30, from 11 am to 1:30 pm.

Meyer and Greg Forsyth, the district’s capital projects director, say that all parking concerns have been alleviated. Once workers finish building a parking lot where a Value Village store was recently demolished, there will be 13 parking lots and one garage for stadium goers — with a total of about 50 fewer parking spots than before the stadium went up on an existing surface parking lot. (The stadium can also be reached via Spokane Transit bus routes 26, 27 or 28.)

Rejecting voters’ advice wasn’t the only headache in the stadium’s development.

Before it was named ONE Spokane in July, Spokane school board members considered naming the facility “The North Bank Stadium Presented by the Kalispel Tribe of Indians,” on the recommendation of the PFD and the soccer teams’ local owners.

The proposal was quickly shot down after the Spokane Tribe of Indians said it hadn’t been properly consulted about the naming of the facility, which is being built on the tribe’s ancestral land.

Instead of using tribal names for the stadium or field, the district decided to capitalize ONE, in an effort to show unity among all the groups that contributed to the arena’s construction — including the tribes that have called Spokane home since time immemorial and that were included in the naming process the second time around. n

With a new stadium, Spokane’s north bank will be home to professional soccer. ERICK DOXEY PHOTO

Native American Heritage Month

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ix years ago, the Inlander covered the cultural impacts of the early days of the Trump administration, from the inaugural Women’s March that January to the barrage of alt-right and white supremacist ideals being broadcast from Charlottesville to Washington State University’s campus. By the end of 2017, the #MeToo movement made many realize just how prevalent sexual assault and harassment are in American society, as celebrity horror stories enabled everyday people to speak their truth. In 2018, we followed the boom of Bitcoin mining in Central Washington, where cheap electricity abounds. The Inlander also took after papers of yore and published local author Sam Ligon’s novel, Miller Cane: A True and Exact History, one serialized snippet at a time.

IN THE NEWS

On Dec. 28, 2017, staff writer Mitch Ryals gave readers a glimpse into the losses that Ami Strahan suffered that year in his story, “LIFE AFTER FREEMAN.” “Half her family was taken from her in the span of three months.” Not only had she lost her husband in an accident in their driveway — on Father’s Day, no less — but then in September, her son, Sam, was killed in the Freeman High School shooting. Ryals, who is now managing editor at D.C.’s Washington City Paper, followed Strahan’s grieving process, as she sorted through memorials left for her son and struggled with the “Freeman Strong” mantra. Last year, the shooter, Caleb Sharpe, was sentenced to 40 years in prison.

CULTURE BEAT

On Nov. 29, 2018, staff writer Daniel Walters untangled the messy legal battle between a Christmas-obsessed North Idaho man named Jeremy Morris and the homeowner’s association who claimed he was more of a Grinch in the story “LOST IN THE LIGHTS.” “People today refer to Morris as Mr. Christmas and Clark Griswold. But that’s understating things. Sure, in the Christmas Vacation movie, Clark Griswold decked out his house in 25,000 lights. But Morris used 200,000!” At the time, an Idaho jury had recently sided with Morris, finding that his frustrated HOA neighbors had discriminated against his Christian religion when they tried to stop him from bringing busloads of visitors to their neighborhood.

ON THE COVER

On June 8, 2017, Ryals and I looked into several questionable death determinations by the Spokane County medical examiners in the story “CHILLING EFFECT.” We dug into the horrific details of cases like that of Kala Williams, whose body was found cut in half and stuffed in garbage bags in 2012. Despite evidence of a sexual assault and the violent disposal of her body, thenmedical examiner Dr. John Howard had ruled her death “undetermined,” explaining to the Spokesman-Review that he couldn’t rule out that she died of an overdose and that someone had improperly disposed of her body. But the DNA evidence was linked with Robert G. Davis, who later went on to choke and sexually assault another woman in Coeur d’Alene. He’s still serving time in prison for that crime. Meanwhile, the new medical examiner Dr. Veena Singh updated Williams’ death to a “homicide” last year and Spokane Police are still waiting on Spokane County Prosecutor Larry Haskell’s office to charge Davis based on the evidence in Williams’ death.

LOCAL FOLKS

On Jan. 19, 2017, we highlighted the new Spokane Arts director, MELISSA HUGGINS. Over her tenure Huggins oversaw the installation of many public art projects, including 17 new murals, 50 sculptures and many arts events from poetry to theater. She also helped disperse more than $1.3 million in arts grants and helped give paying work to artists during the shutdown days of the pandemic when seemingly every public gathering place was closed for a while and many people lost their main (non-art) source of income. Huggins left Spokane Arts this June for a new role with a statewide organization that helps entrepreneurs. —

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Deciduous Dollars

Spokane gets $12 million for urban canopy projects to help plant more trees and train community foresters

BY SAMANTHA WOHLFEIL

Spokane is set to get a lot greener and cooler with help from two $6 million grants awarded to the city of Spokane and the Spokane Conservation District for urban and community forestry projects.

The grant money is part of more than $42 million awarded in Washington state through the U.S. Department of Agriculture as part of the Inflation Reduction Act. Nationwide, more than $1 billion was awarded for urban and community forestry projects, including nearly $6.5 million for projects in Idaho (all in the southern part of the state).

One of the $6 million grants is going to the Tree Equity Spokane project, which is part of the city’s Spocanopy partnership with the Lands Council. The goal of that work is to get 30 percent canopy coverage throughout the city by 2030. Spocanopy volunteers and city staff have helped plant 579 trees in disadvantaged parts of the city over the last few years (about 100 per year), and the grant could help the city plant thousands more, says Katie Kosanke, the city’s urban forester.

“We plan to do street tree programs where people want them and are willing to care for them — that’s especially including watering,” Kosanke says. “In the past, we’ve done seedling giveaways for people to plant on their own properties as well. … We want to establish both public and private tree canopy, but most of our plantings will be in the public right-of-way.”

Homeowners are responsible for caring for city trees near their property, but that doesn’t always happen. The grant will also help the city provide tree care, such as pruning and dead tree removal, to help keep existing trees healthy.

“There is a financial cost to maintaining those trees,” Kosanke says. “We’ll be able to as-

sist in taking care of any urgent need and invest in what we have so it lives longer and provides benefits for longer.”

The city’s grant will focus on federally recognized disadvantaged neighborhoods that may be overburdened with pollution. The federal maps align with areas the city has already identified as in need of trees, which are also the places that a Gonzaga University heat study found were up to 13 degrees hotter than parts of the city with adequate tree cover, Kosanke says.

“The Gonzaga heat study told us what we already knew: Neighborhoods that lack canopy cover are much hotter,” Kosanke says. “That cooling benefit is fantastic.”

Some of the focus neighborhoods include the lower South Hill, downtown, and all of northeast Spokane.

Native trees such as ponderosa pine and Douglas fir grow to be massive, so they’re not the best for planting in medians, Kosanke says. Instead the city is planting a variety of species such as linden, ginkgo, sunshine elm and yellowwood.

The $6 million going to the Spokane Conservation District will help pay for hands-on forestry education. That could include summer programs for high school students, with environmental education in the classroom and restoration work in the field. The goal is to expand forestry career opportunities.

“We are really excited about the opportunity this opens up for our future stewards of the land,” Garth Davis, Spokane Conservation District forestry manager says in a press release. “It becomes a matter of bringing up a new generation of people who care for the land and teaching them the delicate balance of our natural resources and human interaction.” n

samanthaw@inlander.com

Tree Equity Spokane aims to have 30 percent canopy coverage in the city by 2030. COURTESY OF THE LANDS COUNCIL

Denounced

Spokane City Council reprimands mayor for Shea appearance. Plus, the city moves to block unneeded animal euthanasia; and a North Idaho school leader resigns.

In a packed Monday night meeting that dragged on past 11 pm, Spokane City Council members voted 4-3 to formally denounce Mayor Nadine Woodward for her appearance onstage at a worship event last month where she publicly prayed with Matt Shea, a controversial local religious and political figure with documented ties to extremist groups. Woodward later said that she didn’t know Shea would be at the event and that his views are a “threat to our democracy.” Monday’s resolution carries no actual consequences, and the four council members who voted in favor of the resolution had already released statements of their own saying the mayor’s actions were bad. Dozens of public commenters — including several pastors on both sides — gave passionate speeches for and and against the resolution. Council members were offered wine and communion wafers, yelled at, praised, prayed for and even accused of worshiping Satan himself. Council member Jonathan Bingle, who voted no with Michael Cathcart and Ryan Oelrich, described the resolution as “nakedly political.” Zack Zappone, who introduced the resolution, argued that council members need to show the community they’re listening and take a stand against bigotry. Woodward, who rarely attends council meetings, watched the whole thing from the back of the room. She declined to comment afterwards. (NATE SANFORD)

SAFETY FOR SOME

After 14 impounded dogs were unexpectedly put down last week, Spokane City Council passed an emergency ordinance Monday aimed at protecting animals. Passionate community members spoke in favor of the change before six council members voted to change city code so Spokane County Regional Animal Protective Service (SCRAPS) cannot euthanize animals simply due to a lack of space. Council member Jonathan Bingle abstained from the vote. However, as the animal control agency is co-managed regionally, the rule change may only apply to dogs or cats captured in city limits. Council member Michael Cathcart told his colleagues during an afternoon committee meeting that three of the 14 dogs killed last week were from within city limits. In a statement on its website, SCRAPS says it does not euthanize due to capacity issues. The agency also posted behavior reports for more than a dozen dogs that describe histories of biting, aversion to others and failed adoptions. Though it’s unclear if these dogs were the ones that were euthanized, several reports noted that the dogs would “never be able to safely leave property.” (SAMANTHA WOHLFEIL)

LIFE’S NOT FAIR

A North Idaho school district will be looking for a new leader sooner than expected after West Bonner School District Superintendent Branden Durst unexpectedly resigned on Monday. Durst’s tumultuous and short tenure saw rowdy board meetings, the recall of two board members, and the state’s decision to block Durst from being certified as superintendent through an emergency declaration. His final day of work is still unknown since it has to be approved by the school board. However, he says he plans to continue his work to support student success. “Assuming this role on June 28, 2023, I faced a situation marked by its relentless obstacles thrown my way by those who wished to see me fail, including the Idaho State Board of Education and the Superintendent of Public Instruction,” he wrote in the letter. “I believe it is necessary for me to step aside as Superintendent. It may not be entirely fair, but life rarely is.” (COLTON RASANEN)

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Mayor Woodward YOUNG KWAK PHOTO

A Literary Lament

Local author Erin Pringle details the permanence of loss through her new short story collection

BY MADISON PEARSON

Erin Pringle is on a first-name basis with grief. She has shaken hands with grief, met grief at parties, and has even welcomed grief into her life with open arms.

In her new short story collection, Unexpected Weather Events, Pringle introduces readers to characters who are navigating peril, heartache and loss in different ways across various landscapes and moments in time.

Pringle calls the semiautobiographical book “a collection of terribly sad stories sprinkled with a bit of dry, black humor.”

“I’m very comfortable writing about grief and saying things about grief,” Pringle says. “These stories are the vehicles I use to talk about it.”

Pringle’s sister died by suicide 13 years ago, and Pringle says the experience has informed her writing ever since. Her 2020 book, Hezeda! I Miss You, touched heavily on suicide and the impact it had on those left to live on after its painful wake. However, Unexpected Weather Events revolves around characters currently in

the midst of their sorrow. Every sentence drips with melancholy. Every word is an arrow pulled straight from the quiver of despair.

Bull’s-eye

“There’s a real lack of serious exploration into the experience of someone dying in that way, someone you’re close to,” Pringle says. “There’s a faux, artistic interest in suicide. It’s this kind of romantic idea that appears all over the place. People look at it like the dead body at the beginning of every mystery novel rather than an actual person and the people affected by it.”

Though touching on heavy topics, her prose feels lighthearted and somewhat hopeful — something readers wouldn’t expect from a collection of stories stained by grief.

Pringle’s use of short sentences and maximalist language is no accident — she’s a hardcore poetry fanatic.

“When I’m reading poetry, I feel so settled inside,” she says. “There are far too many rules in fiction, so my general rule is to break every rule.”

UNEXPECTED WEATHER EVENTS

Release Party

Sun, Oct. 1, Shadle Library

Book Reading & Signing

Sun, Oct. 8, Auntie’s Bookstore

Book Reading & Signing with Sharma Shields

Thu, Nov. 16, Wishing Tree Books

Expect the unexpected in the stories of Erin Pringle.

YOUNG KWAK PHOTO

Pringle grew up in the rural Midwest, in an Illinois town with a population of 3,000. There, death was a popular topic of conversation among residents — an inescapable reality of small-town living.

“There are never as many young people as there are old in small towns,” Pringle says. “So you’re always very aware of who’s died or who’s about to die. You’re always thinking about who you are in relation to other people. People’s deaths were important because they were important to you.”

Before she became a writer, Pringle believed she would become a visual artist. Now, instead of creating images on a canvas, she paints pictures with her words.

“I think about words like they’re paper and watercolors,” she says. “I layer and layer and layer until I see the story form.”

In one of the book’s stories, “The Telephone Game,” Pringle writes about two college students who buy toy telephones from a yard sale, using them to play out conversations laden with jokes and giggles.

“After the phones were ours,” she writes. “We played with them a little more that day, and then they sat in each of our apartments, gathering dust as we did homework, studied for exams, tried to fall in love with boys, and smoked cigarettes and drank wine like we knew a thing or two about living.”

Pringle paints a picture of youthful wonder and joy with her prose.

“We graduated. I moved away. You got sick.” A knife to the heart. “Your heart worked your lungs to death. Until you died.”

Then, the turn of the knife.

“And were buried in the way of many people. Layered away in a vault, casket, dirt, grass, graveyard — your name left on a tombstone while the rest of us are stumbling.”

This dichotomy is present throughout the whole collection as Pringle reels in readers and slowly lets them out, assuring them that grief never leaves us fully.

Throughout the book, Pringle uses household objects as a way of showing the permanence of grief. “Chair, $75 OBO,” the fourth story in Unexpected Weather Events, came from a daydream Pringle had one day of her deceased sister showing up at her house, asking to buy her reading chair.

The aforementioned toy telephones and the reading chair (which graces the cover of the book) are meant to be constant reminders of grief’s ever-looming presence.

“My two brothers run an antique business,” she says. “So, I spend a lot of time going into antique malls and looking at things. The tangible remains of past lives. Objects that hold time.”

As Pringle weaves in and out of memory and reality in her prose, it’s clear that her relationship with grief is complicated.

“These stories circle grief because it’s what I have experienced,” she says. “It’s unavoidable.” n

Learn the warning signs that can indicate whether a person is considering suicide: talking about wanting to die or harm themselves, feeling hopeless or trapped, acting anxious or agitated, isolating themselves, showing extreme mood swings, including suddenly appearing happier or calmer. Call Frontier Behavioral Health’s First Call for Help hotline 24/7: 838-4428. The National Suicide Prevention Hotline is 1-800-273-8255, or you can text the Crisis Text Line at 741741.

THE BUZZ BIN

HEALING WITH HUMOR

Local comedian Nick Theisen will take the stage alongside longtime friends to raise

money for his yearslong battle against cancer

BY SUMMER SANDSTROM

Sometimes a good laugh is all it takes to release the trials and tribulations of our daily lives.

That’s a reality local comedian Nick Theisen has grown to understand as he faces his third year battling cancer. And he infuses it into his work, including in the upcoming A Night of Hope and Laughter at the Knitting Factory on Sunday, Oct. 1 at 7 pm, the proceeds of which will go toward his treatments.

“It’s gonna be a fun evening,” says Theisen. “There’ll be some serious parts to it, but most of it’s going to be really good comedy.”

The event will feature Theisen with his friends and fellow comedians Dan Cummins, Rod Long, Susan Rice, Art Krug, Vince Valenzuela and Don Parkins, all of whom came together to organize the show in honor of Theisen.

“Nick is a very private person, first of all,” says Rice. Many of Theisen’s close friends only knew about two of his cancer diagnoses until Theisen later told them that he’s actually battling four types of cancer.

“I ended up with a diagnosis of cancer three years ago, and they told me that I had 18 months to a year to live, and I proved them wrong,” Theisen says. “It’s been three years, and I have four kinds of cancer. I’ve got lung cancer, prostate cancer, kidney cancer and gallbladder cancer.”

As a result, he’s done numerous rounds of radiation therapy and has been doing chemotherapy since his diagnosis.

“It’s basically to get people to see that you can live through cancer and there’s a positive end to it at times,” he says of the show at the Knit.

Theisen’s comedy career began almost four decades ago, when he began performing in Los Angeles. He’s also worked in radio and public relations and has toured the country as a comedian for 35 years.

Merging his career experiences, he started a podcast following his diagnosis called Finding Chemo, where he interviews cancer patients and medical professionals. The podcast details the treatment process and

describes patients’ personal experiences in a way that is inspiring to those battling cancer as well as people with loved ones going through treatment.

The event will also have a raffle of sports memorabilia, sporting equipment and photographs from Rod Long, who is also a professional photographer.

The Knitting Factory’s general manager, Kent Shelton, offered to donate the space, which normally is rented out for $20,000 a night, for Theisen’s benefit.

“He’s just been absolutely incredibly helpful, and it’s because he knows Nick,” says Rice. “The whole city knows Nick. I mean, he’s just one of those guys. He’s been around a long time.”

Rice adds that Theisen and his comedy contain a level of relatability that appeals to a wide range of people.

“He’s the working class kind of comic, and he’s just that guy that is dumbfounded by stupidity, but never takes himself off that plate,” she says. “He’s as self-deprecating as he is judgmental, but never toward a group of people, always at circumstances.”

Rice also says that comedians across the country who have worked with Theisen have reached out to her, attempting to set up more benefit shows for him. While they’ve turned down many of those offers, she says it’s been heartwarming to see, and that Theisen’s spirit over the course of his battle is impressive.

“He’s still performing, by the way,” she says. “He’s in pain, he’s having chemo once a week, and he’s still out there doing what he can.”

Theisen’s favorite part of performing on stage is seeing in real time how much comedy impacts people and serves as a release for both the audience and himself.

“It’s just gonna be a fun evening of getting together and helping me out, which I think is the best thing because I’m in debt up to my eyeballs with medical bills,” he says. “Cancer destroys everything, but I’m getting through it. I’m still in the fight, and I will keep fighting.” n

ARTISTIC ACCLAIM

In celebration of the enriching impact of art on Spokane’s culture and community, Spokane Arts held their annual ARTS AWARDS on Saturday, honoring the work of local artists and community leaders across four categories — leadership, collaboration, inclusion and imagination — and their accomplishments this year. The evening was hosted by former NAACP Spokane president, Kiantha Duncan, with dance, poetry and live music performances throughout the event. This year’s winners were Dr. Nike Imoru, Mallory Battista and Lisa Soranaka, Olivia Evans, and Stephanie Oakes, each of whom have worked extensively to cultivate a thriving and diverse creative ecosystem in Spokane. (SUMMER SANDSTROM)

Hey fellow physical music collectors, I’ve got a secret to let you in on. Do you know that sweet record store in the Parkade building? Entropy? The circular one? Yeah well, you’re gonna wanna make your way over there. Oh, and bring your dirty records while you’re at it. Personally, my ever-growing stash of used vinyl collects dust like no other and I’m too scared of damaging my records to clean them myself. Recently, Entropy purchased a record cleaning machine and for two bucks a pop, they’ll clean up those crusty dusty Neil Diamond records I know you’ve been dying to spin. See their Facebook page for more info: facebook.com/entropyspokane (MADISON PEARSON)

THIS WEEK’S PLAYLIST

Noteworthy new music arriving in stores and online on Sept. 29.

WILCO, COUSIN. The alt-rock dad favorites get a fresh sonic infusion by bringing in an outside producer (Cate Le Bon) for the first time since 2007. Le Bon opens up the band’s softer side with some light new wave-ish touches.

ED SHEERAN, AUTUMN VARIATIONS. With his math symbol album days behind him, the singer-songwriter’s second album of 2023 draws inspiration from British composer Edgar Elgar, whose Enigma Variations took a single theme and tweaked them to be about different friends.

CHERRY GLAZERR, I DON’T WANT YOU ANYMORE. Cherry Glazerr frontwoman Clementine Creevy never comes off as the bashful type, but she’s even more raw (while still being ferocious) on the melodic noise rock band’s latest LP. (SETH SOMMERFELD)

VINYL VACUUM

Comedian Nick Theisen performs at the Knit on Sunday. MARY McCOLLUM PHOTO

Wheel of Fortune

Comedian Fortune Feimster has created a comedic universe all her own

BY ELISSA BALL

With her sunny blonde curls, broad-shouldered height, and expressive, joyful comedic style that’s both silly and sincere, Fortune Feimster is the stand-up comic equivalent of a sunflower. This Saturday, Sept. 30, she’ll unfurl fresh material at Spokane’s First Interstate Center for the Arts on her Live, Laugh, Love! comedy tour.

Feimster (rhymes with teamster) was raised in the small town of Belmont, North Carolina, though for the past 20 years she’s lived in Los Angeles.

And, wow, has she been blossoming.

Initially, she worked as an entertainment journalist (“a fancy word for gossip columnist,” she quips on stage) and performed with the famed Groundlings improv troupe. Sketch comedy was her first love. Though Feimster auditioned for Saturday Night Live twice, she never got the green light, but that didn’t dampen her glow. She pushed forward, appearing on Last Comic Standing in 2010 and landing a job on Chelsea Lately as a writer and panelist soon after.

Though Fortune has also penned (and sold!) multiple sitcom and film scripts, she’s more than a writer and comic. She’s also an actor (The Mindy Project, Life in Pieces, FUBAR) and a voice-over artist (Velma, The Simpsons, Bless the Harts). So far she has two Netflix comedy specials — Sweet & Salty (2020) and Good Fortune (2002) — and is constantly touring. Oh, and she currently hosts or co-hosts three (!) podcasts: Sincerely Fortune, What a Joke with Papa, and Fortune and Handsome

The woman is extremely busy! (So busy that her schedule was too packed for a phone interview, but that’s fine.) Let Fortune rest! Let her hang out with her friend Natalie Maines (of the Chicks), watch women’s sports or The Carol Burnett Show and eat pad thai in bed — all Fortune facts I gleaned from her many podcasts.

So in lieu of an interview, for those new to Fortune Feimster’s comedy, it might help to have this guide to keep track of key characters and essential topics in the FCU (Feimster Comedic Universe — trademark pending)…

FORTUNE’S WORLD

JAX SMITH: Jax — short for Jacquelyn — is Fortune’s wife. The former kindergarten teacher prefers to work behind the scenes while Fortune takes center stage: Smith has production credits on both of Fortune’s Netflix standup specials as well as the Sincerely Fortune podcast.

The couple met in a parking lot (romantic!) during Chicago Pride in 2015, got engaged in 2018 and married in late 2020 in a last-minute, oceanside ceremony in Malibu with just five friends present and parents watching on Zoom.

BIGGIE: Biggie is the fluffy, milk-and-honey-hued male Pomeranian that Fortune and Jax adopted from an animal shelter when he was 5. “He loves to eat, so he’s a lot like me,” Fortune remarks in a 2017 home video. Biggie is one of those cute-as-hell dogs who looks like he’s always smiling. But the Pom wasn’t all smiles during an animal hospital emergency that Fortune recounts in Good Fortune, in which Biggie makes a brief-but-triumphant appearance on stage.

GINGER: A retired special education teacher, Ginger Feimster is the mother of Fortune and her two

older brothers. After Fortune came out as a lesbian in her mid-20s, Ginger became a vocal supporter of LGBTQ+ rights. She’s now the president of the Gaston, North Carolina, chapter of PFLAG. Ginger is a frequent guest on Sincerely Fortune, where — in a sweet-tea Southern accent thicker than Fortune’s — she discusses topics like hurricane survival, ghost sightings and “sit abouts” (her term for knickknacks).

TIG NOTARO & MAE MARTIN: In her newest podcast series Handsome, launched this August, Fortune shares co-host duties with two other queer comics: fellow Southern lesbian Tig Notaro and Canadian actor/author/improv-er Mae Martin. In each episode, the dapper trio — who sport sharp suits and vests in their promo photos — respond to a prerecorded question submitted by an entertainer (Kenan Thompson, Sarah Silverman, etc.) then play that celebrity’s own answer. It’s a free-flowing storytelling pod that can swing from playful banter to deeper discussions.

TOM PAPA: If you listen to NPR’s weekly news quiz Wait Wait… Don’t Tell Me!, you’re likely already familiar with Tom Papa’s voice. The veteran stand-up comic joins Fortune on What a Joke with Papa and Fortune, a live show on SiriusXM’s Netflix Is a Joke Radio (channel 93). Together, Tom and Fortune interview celebrities and comedians associated with Netflix shows.

HOOTERS: One of the strongest closing bits I’ve ever seen happens in the final minutes of Fortune’s Sweet & Salty comedy special, and it revolves around the restaurant chain Hooters. It’s not Fortune’s only Hooters material either! Since there are, un-Fortune-ately, no Hooters locations in Washington or Idaho anymore, readers may be unfamiliar with this “delightfully tacky” franchise that began in Florida in 1983. Hooters isn’t a strip club, it’s more of a PG-13 Red Robin known for fried wings and cleavage-bearing servers who wear shimmery pantyhose under orange short-shorts.

“BRENDA”: A recurring character in the spontaneous videos Feimster shares via social media, Brenda is

Feimster’s hetero alter ego, who has a husband named Tim (which sounds like a four-syllable word when Brenda says it) and a passion for the color turquoise. “I swear. To. Ga-a-awd” is Brenda’s catchphrase for when she’s fed up with Tim or their imaginary kids. Brenda does find peace, however, when she takes “a di-i-ip” in her hot tub and sips from a Kelly Clarkson cup.

“DEB”: When folks were spinning out during the early months of COVID lockdown, Feimster offered the world Deb, a mulleted, aviator-wearing spin class instructor in a signature red sweatband. Deb barks orders at her imaginary spin students but doesn’t always pedal herself. Sometimes she’s not even on a cycle: “I left my spin bike in the rain; it’s a long story,” Deb says, filming herself from a bed as she queues up the Space Jam soundtrack and upbeat ’90s hits. If Deb were a real spin instructor, her students might risk pulling an ab muscle from laughter. n

Comedic Southern sunflower Fortune Feimster. TODD ROSENBERG PHOTO

Bump, SPIKE!

Seth Sommerfeld, the Inlander’s music editor, donned the Spike suit — tail, head and all. ERICK DOXEY PHOTOS

Set,

We wanted a first-hand mascoting experience,

I became Gonzaga’s Spike for a volleyball game

BY SETH SOMMERFELD

“HE’S GOT THAT DOG IN HIM.”

Over the past year, this phrase has become the meme-ified term du jour to describe athletes who come up big when the moment matters most through a combination of mental toughness and gritty will to win. Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen flaming out in the playoffs again? Maybe he doesn’t have that dog in him. Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler carrying mediocre teams to the NBA Finals? Yeah, he’s got that dog in him

Dear readers, I very much do not have that dog in me.

But for one recent evening the inverse was true for Gonzaga University’s beloved mascot, Spike the Bulldog. Spike? Yeah, he’s got that Seth in him

For one night only, I donned that furry suit and the oversized canine head to spend a spell actually being Spike.

tain patch

MASCOT STATS

SCHOOL: Whitworth University

WHITWORTH

close to as committed to keeping up the facade of kayfabe. It’s impossible not to laugh at the seriousness surrounding adults dressing up in a dog costume.

I arrived outside McCarthey Athletic Center about an hour before that night’s scheduled volleyball showdown between Gonzaga and San Diego State in the adjoining Charlotte Y. Martin Centre. The mascot-coordinator-who-shall-not-be-named greeted me, then quickly ushered me into the bowels of the MAC. We eventually found our way into a small storage room, where Spike’s suit, costume changes and many heads reside.

ORDER: Psittaciformes(unspecified parrot species)

DEBUTED: Feb. 18, 2022

SIGNATURE MOVE: Making everyone feel included VOTED MOST LIKELY TO: Start the group chat FAVORITE ACCESSORIES: Eye patch and gold chains

FUN FACTS!

When Walker D. Plank sailed off into the sunset, his trusty parrot Patches took over as captain of the Whitworth Pirates. The friendly bird has taken up his post with a gusto, cheering on sports games, supervising university events and forming a whole gang of friends, including Gonzaga’s Spike and the Spokane Indians’ Ribby, OTTO and Doris. He belongs, heart and soul, to Whitworth alone, which means his seaworn but loveable face can grace T-shirts, jerseys, logos and other merch in ways that Walker D. Plank could have never dreamed. Arrrrrrrr you ready for a treasure trove of fun and memories?

he first rule of

TSpike Club? YOU DO NOT TALK ABOUT SPIKE CLUB

Perhaps the funniest aspect of becoming Spike is the sheer levels of secrecy involved in the process.

The mascot coordinator who guides me through the process? “You cannot disclose their name.” Have they been Spike before? “No comment.” Who are the other current Spikes? “We keep that secret.” How many other Spikes are there currently? “We’re not going to say.”

I literally did a cover feature on pro wrestling earlier this summer, and those performers aren’t even

Gonzaga is somewhat unique in that most of the time Spikes wander around free without a handler, which also means they have to do every aspect of mascoting solo. From the jump, that seems like a Herculean task… because I legit do not think I could’ve gotten the outfit on by my lonesome.

Becoming Spike is a process. In order to get Spike’s fake flexing musculature, I must first instantly bulk up via shoulder pads. Slipping into the full fur suit wasn’t a challenge, but zipping up the back on my own while wearing shoulder pads? Yikes. The shorts were easy (cute little hole for the tail!), but slipping the Gonzaga basketball jersey over the rest was a pseudo-claustrophobic nightmare. Oh, and the jersey must be tucked into the shorts — Spike is a professional after all, not a sloppy Desmet Hall undergrad bro.

...continued on next page

SPOKANE INDIANS MASCOTINDIANS STATS

TEAM: Spokane Indians

SPECIES: Spokanasaurus

DEBUTED: 2011

FAVORITE SONG: “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” by Cyndi Lauper

FAVORITE CONCESSION SNACK: Doris’s Deli Sandwich

SIGNATURE MOVE: Leading the seventh inning stretch

FUN FACTS!

Doris the Spokanasaurus made her way into Avista Stadium in 2011 and was introduced as a female counterpart to OTTO. (Don’t get it twisted, they’re just friends.) Because the world of team mascots is so often male-leaning, Spokane Indians Senior Vice President Otto Klein says Doris is a “role model for a generation of young ladies.” If you take a closer look at Doris’ dress, you’ll notice similarities to the baseball uniforms worn by the women in the 1992 film A League of Their Own, just a bit more pink to fit Doris’s spunky attitude. Doris joins OTTO and Ribby for public appearances throughout the year — if you see her, ask for a photo or an official “en-DORIS-ment.”

(MADISON PEARSON)

so

“BUMP, SET, SPIKE,” CONTINUED...

Spike’s furry feet shoes were no issue, but the furry hands were M.I.A., so I had to instead slip on a pair of football gloves to obscure my unseemly human flesh. This was somewhat of an issue, because my 6-foot-3-inch wingspan dwarfs most Spike portrayers (who are well under 6 feet tall with shorter wingspans), so I had to struggle to make sure the forbidden wrist flesh wouldn’t be visible. Once I lowered the bulldog head atop my overly large cranium the transformation was complete — I was Spike.

Or rather, I now looked like Spike. There was still training to do before I could accurately portray the Zags’ main pooch.

The second rule of Spike Club? NO TALKING

Essentially, Spike is a canine mime. This being the case, one’s physicality once in the suit is the only line of communication. Mascot-coordinator-who-shall-not-be-named literally had to walk me through the paces. Spike’s stride is a swaggy one, side-toside, bent knees, shoulders leaning into each step, and head going left and right the whole time. The last point is especially essential as Spike’s head basically provides zero peripheral vision (try cupping your hands together over your eyes and looking through the circle they create… that’s basically Spike’s vision), so looking back and forth is needed to not physically run into anyone.

This lack of vision also feeds into other Spike mannerisms: Wave a lot because it’s easier to see folks at a distance; get down to a kid’s level when interacting with them to make them feel a connection and so that you can actually see them; fist bumps are essential cause you can just throw them out blindly (yet I still accidentally left a few folks hanging). Beyond that, the other main thing was to flex a lot — apparently Spike has a 1980s Hulk Hogan complex (minus the steroids and problematic behavior, of course).

After my crash-course doggy training session, it was time to meet the people. As I strode up to Zags fans arriving for the volleyball game, the appeal of being a mascot became apparent — people absolutely light up when they see Spike. Kids would instantly point and say “Spike!” to their folks, and were stoked when I crouched down to their level for a picture. In a hallway, a visiting recruit asked for a pic as well. Even the GU staffers working the game were happy to wave to their favorite anthropomorphic bulldog. It’s just a joyful energy.

While it’s harder to get the sparse Friday night crowd for a volleyball game fired up than a sold-out hoops tilt, it was still fun trying. Motioning them to get loud, clapping during player introductions, fist bumping the regulars and so on.

I ended up only donning the Spike costume for less than a full hour, but it was still an experience. Was it very sweaty? Yes. Was it as stinky in the suit as people suspect it to be? Surprisingly not! Is being a mascot an easy gig? No siree.

There simply aren’t many chances where you can be out in public, not be yourself at all, not have to talk, and be completely adored. Being Spike offered all of that.

Maybe I have a little dog in me after all. n

MASCOT STATS

Spike? Yeah, he’s got that Seth in him. ERICK DOXEY PHOTO

DEBUTED: Sept. 29, 1973

SIGNATURE MOVE: Shaking his tail feathers

SCHOOL: Eastern Washington University SPECIES:Haliaeetusleucocephalus(bald eagle)

BIRTH NAME:Victor E. Eagle VIRAL DANCE

VIDEO:“EWU mascot Swoop teaches UD’s YoUDee how to Dougie” FUN

FACTS!

Energetic and vivacious, Swoop brings the fun to

any event or game he attends. Even though he wasn’t introduced until 1973, debuting after a board of trustees decision to ditch Eastern’s former “savages” moniker due to its derogatory meaning, Swoop is technically EWU’s first mascot. Since taking flight, Swoop has

gone through numerous design (and name) changes before the university landed on his current look, which resembles an eagle far better than some past iterations. Swoop attends nearly every campus game and event,

and is often seen dancing and performing crazy antics. (SUMMER SANDSTROM)

SPOKANE INDIANS

MASCOT STATS

TEAM: Spokane Indians

SPECIES: Oncorhynchus mykiss (redband trout)

DEBUTED: July 8, 2017

SIGNATURE MOVE: The Ribby Shake

FAVORITE CONCESSION ITEM: Redband Rally Beer Bat

FAVORITE SONG: “Barracuda” by Heart FUN

FACTS!

During the 2017 baseball season, the Spokane Indians together with the Spokane Tribe of Indians and the city of Spokane introduced the Redband Rally Campaign in honor of Spokane’s signature fish, the native redband trout. With childlike wonder and undeniable boyish charm, Ribby quickly swam into fans’ hearts when he debuted at a game versus the Hillsboro Hops. Ribby’s been leading the Redband Rally at every game since, making sure all fans know how important the redband trout is to our river’s ecosystem. You can catch Ribby entering the field at the end of the sixth inning, shaking his fins off for his adoring fans. (MADISON PEARSON)

EASTERN WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY

October 2023

MONSTER CASH

Every Sunday 5 winners receive $500 cash!

October 1ST – 2ND

SUN Monster Cash Giveaway

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of Mascots t cou

to keep distractions at bay. However, my signed Spokane Indians mascot baseball cards hang above my computer screen, serving as my own personal cheerleaders when I’m working on deadline.

There’s no problem that the Spokane Indians’ Doris’ bright, permanent smile can’t mend in an instant. You go girl, I imagine her saying while my fingers dart across my keyboard.

To be completely honest, I didn’t always like mascots.

They’re a bit sinister when you think about it. Oversized anthropomorphic figures who don’t speak? Creepy! I even remember hiding in the bathroom at a Chuck E. Cheese in order to avoid seeing the giant mouse at my own seventh birthday party.

Despite the childhood fear, they’ve grown on me over the years.

My newfound love for mascots came in the form of a bright red fish. The moment I saw Ribby dash across the baseball field at the Indians’ Avista Stadium and shake as if his little fish life depended on it, he nestled into my heart, and I’ve yet to let go. Every time I see him flap his fins or shake about, I’m filled with an amount of joy that cannot be replicated by anything else. Just looking at a photo of him makes the corners of my mouth turn upward.

But it runs deeper than just feeling happy and hyped up at a sporting event. Mascots represent a team, yes, but they’re so much more than just a clever marketing ploy designed to sell T-shirts and plushies.

Max Knopik, who prefers the pronoun they, runs the Instagram account @swoop_simps where they document the life and times of Eastern Washington University’s beloved eagle mascot, Swoop. The account isn’t affiliated with EWU, but Knopik says it makes them feel more connected to their school.

“College is a time in our lives where we experiment, make mistakes, fall down, get up, make important choices and figure out who we are as individuals,” Knopik says. “All of that comes back to me when I see our silly bird.”

The account started as a joke between friends, but quickly grew into a way for Knopik to explore college life, make friends and get involved with the EWU community.

“People love the idea of being superfans of Swoop,” Knopik says. “Students and faculty send in photos of themselves with Swoop, or send in ‘Swoop spottings’ of him around campus. Other mascots, students from dif-

ferent schools, and even people from different regions of the world follow us and have developed a love for Swoop. We’re a smaller college, but our school pride runs incredibly strong.”

But what about the community at large? School mascots are deeply loved by most students who attend that specific school. But sports team mascots are a whole different ball game when it comes to community involvement and public persona.

Aaron Croom knows that ball game like the back of his hand.

Croom, who works as the mascot manager for EWU as well as the Spokane Indians, wants the world to appreciate mascots just as much as he does.

As early as middle school, Croom was fascinated by mascots. That fascination followed him into his adulthood and now, it’s his life.

“Working as a full-time mascot manager is as fun as you think it is,” he says. “I want to share this fantastic world with as many people as possible.”

We all know them (and I especially adore them), the Spokane Indians mascots: OTTO, Doris, Ribby and KC. (As well as the now-retired Recycle Man. Shout out, Recycle Man!)

With a team of four mascots, demand for performers is higher than ever. It’s Croom’s job to make sure the Indians have a lineup of amazing performers.

“Last year was sort of a test run of this new program I dreamed up,” he says. “But now, it’s in full swing.”

The Mascot Pathways Project was inspired by Croom’s own life, experiences and love of mascoting.

Through the program, the Indians bring on a crew of high school theater students interested in mascoting, and Croom trains them to perform. From there, the students perform at home games and community events all year, getting first-hand experience before they’re even in college.

Once it comes time for graduation, Croom seeks college mascot opportunities for the students. Croom says most universities in the Inland Northwest grant students who opt to be the college’s mascot a full-ride scholarship.

Croom has already had one student in the Pathways Project go on to become a mascot at a university and had his tuition fully covered because of his decision to become the character.

“Mascots have the power of fun in them,” Croom says. “In a world where it’s easy to get caught up, seeing a mascot and experiencing that joy is powerful and it can be life-changing.” n

WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY MASCOT STATS

SCHOOL: Washington State University

SPECIES: Puma concolor (cougar)

DEBUTED: Oct. 1, 1927

SIGNATURE MOVE: Leading the “Go Cougs” chant

CLAIM TO FAME: 2006 Capital One Mascot of the Year

NAMESAKE: WSU quarterback Herbert “Butch” Meeker

FUN FACTS!

Although WSU was founded in 1890, the fierce-but- friendly Butch T. Cougar didn’t become the school’s official mascot until many decades later. Famously, the first six iterations of Butch were living, caged cougars, a practice that continued for more than 50 years until Butch VI died on Aug. 25, 1978, at the age of 15. Even wilder, perhaps, is the fact that it became a popular prank during the live-Butch era for WSU’s rivals to steal the wildcat from its enclosure. (Somehow, nobody died.) Today, the much more humane, costumed Butch is a familiar face at WSU sports events, serving as a campuswide ambassador and enduring symbol of Cougar pride. (CHEY

SCOTT)

LEFT: Spokane Indians mascots Ribby, OTTO and Doris. ERICK DOXEY PHOTO

More than a Mascot More than a Mascot

Two years ago, Washington state tried to reckon with harmful representations

If you walked the halls of North Central High School two years ago, you’d find students milling about in their letterman jackets and jerseys stamped with the face of a Native American tribal chief in a traditional headdress.

Nowadays, however, you’d struggle to find a shred of evidence that the school’s mascot was ever anything other than a pack of howling wolves — the Wolfpack.

Mascots have been a staple of schools and sports teams for more than a century and for some, these iconic caricatures are the lifeblood that keeps fans coming back. For others though, some of these mascots sparked shame, rather than joy — that is, until one Washington legislator stepped in.

In 2021, state Rep. Debra Lekanoff — the only Native American woman currently in the state House of Representatives — introduced a bill that would prohibit the use of Native American names, symbols or images as public school mascots, logos or team names. House Bill 1356, which passed with bipartisan support, led schools across the state to recognize the harm that their mascots have caused.

Washington legislators didn’t stop at the ban. They created a $1.6 million fund to help schools cover the costs of replacing or redesigning signage, uniforms and logos.

Locally, this change took center stage at North Central High School that same year — 2021 — when the mascot was changed from the Indians to the Wolfpack.

“In my own personal view it is dehumanizing. The stereotypical ‘Indian’ image was created to oppress and homogenize us,” says Ivy Pete, a 2022 North Central graduate. “Mascots should not be something to be ashamed of or disgusted by. We should feel pride and joy.”

Pete — who is Pyramid Lake Paiute and Blackfeet, and part of the 2 percent of the school’s population who

skitch

BY COLTON RASANEN

are Native — says it was never her intention to stand at the forefront of the movement. Still, she says she was honored to carry the voice of her ancestors forward to enact meaningful change. The 19-year-old now attends Yale University, where she’s studying ethnicity, race, and migration and human rights, and hopes to make a bigger impact for Native communities throughout the country.

To fully understand the issue, Pete says we need to look at the ways the narrative has been intentionally misconstrued. These mascots weren’t meant to honor Native Americans.

“Harm has been continually perpetuated and shielded by this facade of honor. These mascots symbolize us as the extinct, passive and defeated Native,” Pete says. “Why do I need to be honored by something that simply isn’t an accurate depiction of people?”

Native activists have been fighting against this imagery for the past century, but their protest in opposition was never enough to enact the change that Lekanoff’s bill sparked. According to the Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, approximately 32 schools in the state had Native-inspired mascots or team names when HB 1356 was signed into law.

Now, only a few of these mascots remain. One caveat included in the bill meant that schools could keep their mascots as long as they consulted with local tribal officials and received explicit authorization.

“The beautiful part about this bill is that it wasn’t just ‘no more Indian mascots,’” Pete says. “It created this connection between schools and local tribes, and facilitates an important dialogue.”

MASCOT STATS

SCHOOL: Community Colleges of Spokane SPECIES: Sasquatch, cryptid

FIRST SIGHTING: 2008

SWORN ENEMY: Bigfoot skeptics

SHOE SIZE: At least 20 BIG BREAK: Patterson-Gimlin film (1967)

FUN FACTS!

Though Skitch wasn’t spotted until 2008, Community Colleges of Spokane decided to adopt the Sasquatch as the schools’ mascot 30 years earlier in 1978. Not much is known about this mysterious mascot, but he’s a hoot when he’s spotted out in public! According to The Communicator, Spokane Falls Community College’s student-run newspaper, Skitch has been spotted pole-dancing on a tree at Pride, skiing on Mount Spokane and at plenty of school events over the years. (MADISON PEARSON)

This can be seen in Wellpinit — located on the Spokane Indian Reservation — where nearly 90 percent of the high school population are Native American. Wellpinit’s mascot has been the Redskins — a word used as an insulting and contemptuous term for American Indians — for more than 100 years and has been challenged on more than one occasion.

In 2014, the Wellpinit School Board voted to keep its mascot, following a push from some students to have it changed. When the issue came back to Wellpinit High School in 202l, students overwhelmingly told the district that they wanted to keep the mascot.

A resolution passed by the Spokane Tribal Council supported Wellpinit’s students and their desire to keep their mascot as is.

The topic of harmful mascots has been debated in Spokane since the early 2000s. In 2006, the city’s minor league baseball team, the Spokane Indians, partnered with the Spokane Tribe of Indians — the first partnership of its kind in the nation — in an effort to respectfully highlight the use of Native imagery.

Initially this meant that the team’s logo was redesigned to include the tribe’s native Salish language. More changes came in the 2010s, including an alternate uniform with Spokane written in Salish — “Sp’q’n’i?” — and historical markers throughout the Avista Stadium Hall-of-Fame Plaza documenting the story of the Spokane Tribe.

While there is always room for improvement, North Central High alum Pete says the work that Native activists have done and will continue to do in Washington is an important step toward strengthening public education for Indigenous students. n

MASCOT STATS

TEAM: Spokane Indians

MODEL: KC-135 Stratotanker

DEBUTED: July 22, 2022

FAVORITE CONCESSION SNACK: Tanker Helmet Nachos

FAVORITE SONG: “Leaving on a Jet Plane” by John Denver

FAVORITE MOVIE: TopGun

FUN FACTS!

The youngest of the Indians mascots, and the only inflatable mascot on this list, KC the Stratotanker debuted in 2022 as part of Operation Fly Together, a campaign with Fairchild Air Force Base. He is meant to highlight the KC-135 refueling tankers that call Fairchild home and also marked the 75th anniversary of the U.S. Air Force. Indians fans can do some refueling themselves by buying the Tanker Helmet Nachos, from which a portion of sales benefit Operation Fly Together and directly support local veterans. The red helmet they’re served in also makes for a perfect ballpark souvenir. (MADISON PEARSON)

SPOKANE

SPOKANE

e vanda

SCHOOL: University of Idaho

DEBUTED: Sept. 22, 1956

ANCESTRY: Ferocious Germanic tribe

SIGNATURE MOVE:Vandalizing his foes ASTROLOGY SIGN:Virgo, ruling planet Mercury SWORN ENEMY: Inflatable Joe Vandal

MASCOT STATS FUN FACTS!

Over a century ago, U of I’s basketball team was so good

thatlocalsportswriterswrotehowthey“vandalized”their

opponents. Students loved how the verbage smacked of

UNIVERSITY OF IDAHO IDAHO

prowess and disrespect, and by 1921 officially dubbed

all their sports teams “gangs of Vandals.” In September 1956, Idaho’s yell leader, Bill Currie, taunted fans and

flirted with cute girls in a giant homemade paper mache

head, and thus Joe Vandal was unleashed. Today, Joe

Vandal towers over opponents with more than 6 feet

of pure bravado and is aptly dubbed the “Vandal Spirit Superintendent.” He’s jacked, mischievous, proud and

SPOKANE INDIANS

TEAM: Spokane Indians

SPECIES: Spokanasaurus

DEBUTED: 1993

FAVORITE HOBBIES: Dancing on top of the dugout

FAVORITE CONCESSION SNACK: Indians Dog NAMESAKE: Spokane Indians Senior Vice President Otto Klein

MASCOT STATS FUN FACTS!

unique, and definitely past his cringey early 2000s inflatable era. Every year, his big shoes are filled by two

lucky work-study students. (ELIZA BILLINGHAM)

He’s big, he’s blue, he’s a reptile with style… it’s OTTO! OTTO was the first-ever Spokane Indians mascot, debuting in June 1993. Though there were four additional team mascots to follow, OTTO remains the face of the Indians with his sweet dance moves and signature jokester personality. You may be asking yourself: “What exactly is OTTO?” Well, he’s the world’s first Spokanasaurus! Now that’s something to be proud of. OTTO’s favorite Indians’ events include fireworks night, “Dollars in Your Dogs” nights and, of course, his birthday game. (It’s always all about OTTO.) When he’s not stealing snacks from fans or dancing on Molina Field, OTTO loves making appearances at community events, more than 200 each year! (MADISON

PEARSON)

2Chainz, a multi-platinum Atlanta rapper, hits the Clearwater River Casino stage September 29th. The Def Jam signed rapper has major hits such as “No Lie”, “I’m Different”, “Good Drank” and “Birthday Song”, to name a few.

MASCOT STATS

SCHOOL: Gonzaga University

SPECIES: Canis lupus familiaris (bulldog)

DEBUTED: 1985

SIGNATURE MOVE: Flexing his muscles. So much muscle flexing.

EXISTENTIAL QUESTION: “What the hael is a Gael?”

FAVORITE SPRING BREAK DESTINATION: The NCAA Basketball Tournament. Every year!

FUN FACTS!

MASCOT STATS

TEAM: Spokane Chiefs

SPECIES: Ursus americanus (black bear)

DEBUTED: Sept. 30, 1995

FAVORITE CATCHPHRASE: “OK, Boomer.”

RIVAL: Tri-City Americans mascot Winger

FAVORITE TRADITION: Teddy Bear Toss

GONZAGA UNIVERSITY SPOKANE CHEIFS

The most recognizable mascot in the Inland Northwest thanks to Gonzaga’s place among college basketball’s elite, Spike has established himself as one of the top. At the turn of the 20th century, Gonzaga’s former football team was known as either the Fighting Irish or the Blue and Whites (bad names!), but they picked up their current moniker after a reporter in 1921 said the team fought with the tenacity of bulldogs. In 1985, after decades of having live bulldog mascots, GU’s then-sports information director ordered a bulldog costume, and the rest is history. Now the ferocious-in-a-fun-way Spike can be found at almost every Zags sporting event, gracing screens in national commercials and events around the greater Spokane area. (SETH SOMMERFELD)

2023 Thelma L. Cleveland Visiting Scholar

FUN FACTS!

Ten years after the Spokane Chiefs first hit the ice in 1985, the now-beloved Boomer the Bear joined the team, mingling with the crowd, leading chants and serv- ing as the Chiefs’ community liaison. Boomer has been known to occasionally take over weather reports on lo- cal TV broadcasts and can frequently be found hanging out with his pals Swoop and the Spokane Indians’ crew. Among the Chiefs many annual promo nights, Boom- er’s obvious favorite is the Teddy Bear Toss (tentatively slated for Dec. 2) during which fans throw hundreds of stuffed animals into the rink in celebration of the team’s first goal to then be donated to organizations serving kids. (SUMMER SANDSTROM)

“Keeping

Gyros and Icons

Spokane’s Holy Trinity Greek Food Festival preps for its 87th year

Inside the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church on North Washington Street, an icon screen separates the nave, where worshippers sit, from the inner sanctuary, where the altar table is. It’s a common setup in Eastern Orthodox churches. The screen, also called an iconostasis, traditionally depicts saints and canonical scenes between ornate gold scrolling.

At Holy Trinity, one of these painted scenes shows a group of people feasting. It’s from a story in Genesis, the first book of the Bible, where future-patriarch Abraham invites three strangers into his home to eat and drink.

It’s a fitting homage in a church that hosts the longestrunning Greek food festival in the nation.

Every fall since 1935, Holy Trinity has been inviting friends and strangers to come feast on authentic Greek food and culture. This year, Greek Fest is expanding, offering new homemade treats like spanakopita and lemon chicken alongside established favorites like

BY ELIZA BILLINGHAM

honey-drenched loukoumades doughnuts, twisted sesame koulourakia cookies, gyro sandwiches and Greek fries. As always, there will be live music, dancing and church tours, plus this year’s fest is adding a slate of activities for kids. Come for the baklava, stay for the friends.

Holy Trinity is also expanding its vision, using proceeds from the festival not only to support their own church, but to also support other local charities.

“I can’t put into words what it means for our parish to be able to share our deep faith and cultural roots with the Spokane community, whether you’ve been joining us for decades or it’s your first time experiencing this timehonored tradition,” says Rev. Father Daniel Triant.

Parishioners met last February to begin planning this year’s festival and started preparing food in June. On a Thursday morning in September, 10 women are gathered in the basement of Holy Trinity to

make kourambiedes, Greek sugar cookies doused in mountains of powdered sugar.

The cookies are light, crumbly and sweet. But one woman says she calls them asphyxiation cookies because you have to hold your breath to eat them. Breathe in when the powdered sugar is too close and — bam! — the back of your throat is covered. Apparently, kids and young men have risky competitions to see who can eat a whole cookie the fastest without choking. To be clear, this is not recommended.

Liza Supica, a woman in her 20s and the youngest of the group by far, makes the dough. Ten pounds of clarified butter, plenty of egg yolks, and a plastic tote bag of flour go into an ancient, commercial-grade stand mixer.

“This thing is so much older than I am,” she says, estimating the hunk of machinery is at least five decades old.

Liza’s father, Stephen, was the previous priest at Holy

There’s never too much powdered sugar. ERICK DOXEY PHOTOS

Trinity and retired just three years ago. Liza has been helping prepare for the festival since she was a little kid. Once the dough is combined in the mixer, she heaves the weighted silver bowl up out of the mixer, carries it out of the kitchen and scoops the dough onto a clean table in the main room where the other women, all her mothers’ age, are working.

“I make the dough because I have the best shoulders,” she laughs.

The rest of the women take turns measuring the dough with melon ballers and rolling them into perfect spheres. As the scoopers click, the women laugh about a parishioner who helped run the Greek Festival for years and taught most of them how to bake but intimidated them with her obsession for uniformity. When the parishioner died, Liza’s mother, Irene, took her spot as the most experienced baker.

All around, the fruit of the womens’ labor is piling up. Tens of metal kitchen shelves hold 14,000 pieces of unfinished baklava waiting to be baked and drenched in syrup. Upstairs, the main gathering room is already filling up with finished koulourakia cookies, which are twisted by hand and coated in sesame seeds. Today, the women will make hundreds of kourambiedes, and this is only one of the seven days in September that they’ve dedicated to this cookie alone.

Irene says that preparing for the festival gives congregants a chance to get to know one another better. They make food together and eat meals together, since baking can last from morning through the afternoon.

“Everything is about food,” she says. “That’s what it means to be family — we eat together.”

Philoxenia, a Greek work for hospitality, means “love of the stranger.” It has deep roots in Hellenic culture, which loves honor — especially the honor of being generous to others, says Father Triant, Holy Trinity’s current priest.

Greek Fest invites everyone, parishioner or not, to be part of the family. Authentic, delicious food draws people in, and once they come, they don’t want to leave.

“People come and say, ‘We love Greek Fest because we just sit and talk to people we’ve never spoken to before,’” Triant says.

Upstairs in the sanctuary, the scene of Abraham feasting with three strangers occupies the center left panel of the iconostasis, a very special place on the icon screen. This panel typically displays the patron saint or namesake of the church. Holy Trinity is named for the Trinity, a theological conundrum that claims God is both three and one, which is notoriously impossible to paint.

But as the story in Genesis goes, the three strangers who eat with Abraham turn out to be divine. Christians believe that Abraham’s generosity to the stranger allows him to meet God. The feast they share together reveals who God is, and the scene is therefore a fitting depiction of what the Trinity looks like.

At Holy Trinity, loving the strangers who walk through their doors looks like eating good food together, dancing and laughing and becoming family. It looks like getting covered in powdered sugar, licking sticky fingers, or mopping up lemon juice and olive oil with a last bit of pita. It looks like sharing a meal with someone from a different nationality, or a different neighborhood.

So come early and stay late. But don’t be greedy if the food goes quickly — even with advanced preparations and the most batches they’ve ever made, there’s still a good chance the baklava and kourambiedes will sell out before the good conversations end. n

30 at 11 am-8 pm • Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church • 1703 N. Washington St. • holytrinityspokane.org • 509-328-9310

at the German-American Society’s Historic Deutsches Haus

Saturday September 30th • 4pm

Tickets $10 - Enjoy Live Entertainment

Live music including the Odessa OOM PA’s and MA’s, Authentic German Beer, Wine, Bratwurst, Pretzels & Potato Salad Catered by Das Stein Haus (Available for Purchase)

DEUTSCHES HAUS

W. 25 Third Ave. Spokane, WA For more Info 509-954-6964

THE INSIDER’S GUIDE TO THE INLAND NORTHWEST FEATURING:

ABOVE: Inside Holy Trinity.

BELOW: Irene Supica rolls perfect kourambiedes.

A WORTHWHILE INVESTMENT

Dumb Money tells the story of the 2021 GameStop stock boom with intelligence and humor

It’s tough to find the right perspective for a film about true events as recent as those depicted in director Craig Gillespie’s Dumb Money. Gillespie and screenwriters Lauren Schuker Blum and Rebecca Angelo, working from Ben Mezrich’s nonfiction book The Antisocial Network, don’t necessarily understand the full financial impact of the GameStop stock short squeeze of 2021, because there hasn’t been enough time for it to make a difference (or be rendered irrelevant). But Dumb Money still captures something vital and meaningful about its time period, with the earned hindsight that comes from living through such accelerated traumatic circumstances.

That general trauma isn’t the GameStop situation, but the ongoing pandemic that was at its height during the period when Dumb Money takes place. It’s partly because so many people are stuck at home, living their lives online, that small-time financial analyst and YouTuber Keith Gill (Paul Dano) is able to rally such a large number of investors around his idea of buying stock in GameStop. In 2020, Keith tells his followers on YouTube and in the Reddit forum Wall Street Bets that he’s bullish on the flailing video-game retailer, whose stock has been shorted by heavy-hitter hedge funds.

As more and more so-called retail investors buy shares in GameStop, the price of the shares soars, and

BY JOSH BELL

Keith and his supporters get very rich — at least on paper. Because of the nature of shorting, the rising stock price means that the monolithic hedge funds start losing money, and when billionaires’ bottom lines are threatened, they spring into action. Thus Dumb Money is presented as a battle between struggling everyday people and the ultrarich elites, although the truth is more complex than that. Still, the filmmakers give the audience a clear rooting interest, simplifying complicated financial concepts into relatable personal stakes without coming across as condescending.

stract financial dealings in genuine human interactions.

DUMB MONEY

Rated R

Directed by Craig Gillespie

Starring Paul Dano, Pete Davidson, America Ferrera

Dano makes for an appealing, sympathetic everyman, a devoted husband and father who approaches his newfound online fame with appropriate skepticism. In the roles of the real-life billionaire Wall Street insiders who were challenged by the populist GameStop rally, Seth Rogen, Nick Offerman, Vincent D’Onofrio and Sebastian Stan are suitably slimy without turning into cartoon villains. The filmmakers invent several composite characters to represent the huge number of retail investors, including a nurse (America Ferrera), a GameStop store employee (Anthony Ramos) and a pair of college students (Talia Ryder and Myha’la Herrold), and each gets their share of heartfelt character development, grounding the ab-

Keith’s story is grounded in his relationships, too, especially with his slacker brother Kevin (Pete Davidson), who provides a bemused outsider perspective. Kevin works as a food delivery driver, and Dumb Money effectively highlights the position of frontline workers during lockdown, which is a constant looming concern over everything that happens. As much as it’s an entertaining and informative story about a financial scandal, Dumb Money is one of the best narrative films yet made about the COVID pandemic, perfectly capturing the eeriness and unease of that moment in time. Seeing the unmasked billionaires surrounded by silent, fully masked household employees conveys as much about those people as any snarky dialogue exchange.

Gillespie doesn’t go overboard on the snark, and Dumb Money isn’t smug or self-referential like Adam McKay’s The Big Short, its most obvious predecessor. Like Gillespie’s I, Tonya, it’s a funny but empathetic portrayal of people who’ve been reduced to punchlines in news articles. It may end on a slightly unearned note of optimism, but that’s exactly the kind of attitude that allowed Keith and his followers to achieve their unlikely success. n

Dumb Money is more fun than some of the video games available at GameStop.

ALSO OPENING

FAIR PLAY

Emily (Phoebe Dynevor) and Luke (Alden Ehrenreich) are both working at a high-pressure hedge fund and keeping their romantic relationship a secret. But thriller tension builds and emotional manipulation begins when Luke gets passed over for a promotion in favor of Emily. Rated R At the Magic Lantern

ON FIRE

In terms of disaster movie scenarios, nothing can top the current realness of deadly wildfires. On Fire follows a husband who must try to keep his teen son and pregnant wife safe as they try to escape a massive, harrowing blaze. Rated PG-13

PAW PATROL: THE MIGHTY MOVIE

The CGI-animated search and rescue pups of the PAW Patrol are always ready to jump into kid-friendly action, but their jump from the Nickelodeon to the big screen will see a powered-up version of the pack. When a meteor crashes into Adventure City, the rock’s crystals give the doggos super powers, but, of course, the evil Mayor Humdinger wants to steal them. Rated PG

QUANTUM COWBOYS

A visual treat of a Western, Quantum Cowboys uses live action and 12 different animation styles interspersed to tell a mind-bending tale of drifters trying to recover stolen land and to locate a musician in the timebending Arizonan Wild West.

Not rated At the Magic Lantern

SAW X

Somehow, the 10th installment of the horror-trap laden Saw franchise is a direct sequel to the original and a prequel to Saw II

Time is an illusion! Anyway… people gonna diiiiiiie. Rated R

Artificially Unintelligent

While visually stunning, Gareth Edwards’ The Creator offers thuddingly hollow science fiction

BY CHASE HUTCHINSON

At this point in his career, it is time to accept that filmmaker Gareth Edwards is better at creating captivating worlds than he is at populating them with well-written characters. In 2010, he made his feature debut with the scrappy science-fiction horror film Monsters, which thrived on atmosphere and remains his best work to date by a fairly wide margin. His next two films, 2014’s Godzilla and 2016’s Rogue One, were each technical achievements that saw him building off of existing genre stories still looming large over the modern movie landscape. Both had some interesting ideas, but the latter was especially hamstrung by a persistently pandering approach.

One would then think that a film like The Creator would free Edwards up to explore without being boxed in by an existing franchise. An original sci-fi story, when done well, is something that has the potential to be refreshing in how it stands apart from the malaise of sequels and reboots. Working from a script he co-wrote with Rogue One scribe Chris Weitz, Edwards squanders this promise with a story that is defined by superficial characters and empty emotions. The basics of this involve the former soldier Joshua, played by a stiff John David Washington of Tenet, who is drawn back into a near-future war between the U.S. military and AI beings living in what is called “New Asia.” This will be further complicated by the relationship he forms with the robot who becomes known as Alphie. Played by a debuting Madeleine Yuna Voyles, the character is believed to be a miracle who could turn the tide of the conflict.

In execution, the entire thing falls flat.

Once Joshua and Alphie unite, the film settles into a repetitive pattern where they will go to a place, get attacked, then escape to the next one. Rinse and repeat. Rather than chart a new path, it is painfully familiar to Rogue One. Both had plenty of incredible visuals, but their plodding narratives are utterly devoid of emotional depth. The Creator brings a darker humor at times, but these moments are too fleeting to leave a mark.

MOVIE TIMES

THE CREATOR

Directed by Gareth Edwards Starring John David Washington, Madeleine Yuna Voyles, Gemma Chan

That Edwards seems to be trying to confront the destructive forces of American militarism is potentially interesting, but he remains hesitant to take us further into these ideas. For all the deeper readings to be made, there is very little actually there on screen. Science-fiction cinema has a rich history of such confrontations from James Cameron’s recent Avatar: The Way of Water tackling colonialism and environmental destruction to George Lucas’ Star Wars stealthily being an allusion to the Vietnam War. That doesn’t mean these works are above criticism in how they do so, but at least there is something deeper to them that opens up rigorous discussion.

Thus, Joshua and Alphie set out on a journey to escape the long reach of the government that used to employ him. This isn’t so easy as they have a superweapon that they use ruthlessly, killing freedom fighters and civilians alike. One such attack seemed to kill Joshua’s pregnant wife, Maya, played by a wasted Gemma Chan (Don’t Worry Darling), though he now believes she survived. While a bit derivative, all of this sounds like it could be compelling on paper.

The Creator doesn’t carry this conceptual torch forward as much as it drags it along the ground. By the end, it feels like a hollow echo of director Neill Blomkamp’s ouvre. Where Blomkamp’s more incisive and bold work on 2009’s District 9 ensures it remains a memorable film, The Creator only lightly touches on that movie’s most promising aspects before diving into a painfully contrived spectacle. Even while Blomkamp’s subsequent sci-fi films — 2013’s profoundly underrated Elysium and 2015’s deeply flawed Chappie — are considered to be lesser works, they’re still more enthralling than anything taking place in this world that Edwards has crafted. By the time we get through hours of drudgery and arrive at The Creator’s explosive end, the characters, be they AI or human, are themselves only lifeless approximations. Even with all the action playing out, the greatest battle is between the ideas Edwards gestures toward and

In the end, we all lose. n The

Mainlining Heroine

Reflecting on Lorde’s Pure Heroine — the best album of the past decade — turning 10

BY SETH SOMMERFELD

“Don’t you think that it’s boring how people talk?”

As an opening salvo, that line doesn’t exactly connote a paradigm-shifting moment. When delivered by a 16-year-old, the inclination might be to simply shrug it off as typical bratty teenage self-importance.

But when you actually hear Ella YelichO’Connor (aka Lorde) sing the first line of Pure Heroine, it’s instantly clear that any preconceived notions need to be incinerated so that you can bask in the glow of their outdated flickering embers. Over swelling synths and bass-heavy beats, Lorde presents the “Tennis Court” lyrics not as an angst-riddled kid, but with a stoic grace that belies her age. It’s not a pithy complaint, but a thesis statement. Just as the drone of people chatter can be a bore, cycles of pop music can similarly get tiresome.

The arrival of Lorde’s Pure Heroine, which turns a decade old this week, put a jolt into the doldrums of the pop music world in an indelible way. It’s one of the most influential records in recent memory.

It’s also the best album of the past decade.

It might be boring how people talk, but there isn’t a single boring moment across Pure Heroine

At its very core, Pure Heroine is an album about isolation and how one wrestles with trying to break out of that to experience the world and feel more seen. It’s a natural starting point for Lorde, a literal kid growing up in Auckland, New Zealand. While Auckland may be a metroplex, the island nature of New Zealand breeds a sense of disconnect from the world. Those feelings radiate throughout every fiber of Pure Heroine’s being.

On a purely musical level, this is expressed through sparse pop minimalism. It may be easy to overlook now, but Lorde mainstreamed bedroom pop — productions centered on minimal instrumentation that one could conceivably concoct in their bedroom thanks to the advance of electronic musical technology. Along with

producer Joel Little, Lorde created an electropop soundscape of synth swells and twitchy programmed drum beats that captured the anxious feeling of being young and alone with your overwrought thoughts.

One only needs to glance at the Billboard charts during the year of Pure Heroine’s arrival to see how much of a departure this sound was from the hyper-overproduced pop of the era. Sitting above “Royals” on the 2013 year-end charts were songs that did everything in their power to sound big, bombastic and digitally layered within an inch of their life: Katy Perry’s “Roar,” Imagine Dragons’ “Radioactive,” Justin Timberlake’s “Mirrors,” etc. Since most artists were approaching pop music as if it needed to be a tidal wave of noise, Lorde’s uncluttered production instantly stood out as something fresh. It didn’t come off as feeling like a world conquering force. This wasn’t someone out here seeking legions of stans, Lorde simply sounded like she was looking for a friend to make the quiet moments a bit less lonely.

It’s extremely hard to imagine the decade of pop music that has followed Pure Heroine’s release being anywhere close to the same without Lorde breaking down that bedroom pop door and letting those new friends into her welcoming space.

Lorde wasn’t a white teeth teen, so she “settled” for being a dark teen pop queen. CHARLES HOWELLS PHOTO

Would other teen superstars who clearly drew from the Lorde playbook have taken over the industry without Pure Heroine? Perhaps. But the ease with which the lines can be drawn between the album and subsequent star-making pop events like Billie Eilish’s album When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? and Olivia Rodrigo’s song “drivers license” suggests that a whole generation of pop stars should still be paying reverence to their Lorde.

Sonic influence is one thing, but what’s so unrepeatably special about Pure Heroine is the way in which Lorde makes her personal experience feel so wildly universal. When the album dropped in 2013, it wasn’t only Lorde’s teenage pop-loving peers eating it up, it also found atypical audiences like R&B radio listeners and older rock dudes. And there’s a myriad of reasons why this was the case.

For starters, it’s the point of view. Lorde’s lyrics across the album are sung from a much lower status than most pop music. It’s not merely an underdog perspective, but one where you’re scrapping for slivers of hope and moments of joyful solitude in the face of the world moving swiftly on around you with totally uncaring nihilism. At times it’s overwhelming and the world simply seems far too big in your little Kiwi alcove. Pop stars are supposed to be beacons of brashness, but Lorde is more often found to be underconfident across Pure Heroine. And most of us can relate to that feeling more than to untouchable superstar bravado.

And while it’s one of the most remarkable pieces of teenage art out there, it’s stunning how Lorde’s writing manages to both clearly be from a teen girl perspective without ever feeling kiddie or flippant. Part of this comes from the strength of her voice and lyrical delivery. She can dip into a smokey contralto to set a snearing-at-bling-excess tone on “Royals” and then easily shift to a soprano on the uneasy summer memories jam

“Buzzcut Season.” Youthful uncertainty can be felt in the anxious beats of “Ribs” and lines like “My mom and dad let me stay home / It drives you crazy getting old” showcase that Lorde is a spring chicken, but her overall writing carries a sense of weathered wisdom. Take, for example, “Still Sane” where she wrestles with the fear of fame (“Only bad people live to see their likeness set in stone”), which feels like a little prayer of warning for her future self.

The album also doesn’t shy away from being darker than most mainstream-targeting pop. On Pure Heroine, Lorde comes across as more of a goth girl who has the album art of the Cure’s Disintegration taped to the inside of her locker than the pop princess prom queen. If we’re being real, darkness is more universal than light. Not everyone lives upbeat pop lives, but even those who do have solitary moments of crushing doubt. That Lorde is able to express that inherently makes her feel more authentic and relatable than her pop contemporaries at the time.

Another relatable element that one might not expect from a 2010s teen comes via the anti-tech

undercurrent that runs throughout Pure Heroine While a touch ironic because of the electronic production, it’s clear Lorde was wrestling with the digital world around her in a way that even most adults at the time weren’t considering. When she sings “God knows we like archaic kinds of fun” on “Glory and Gore,” you believe it. There’s a constant note of wanting to escape to a less complicated place (be it tennis courts or otherwise). She may give a laughing nod to her Tumblr dashboard on “White Teeth Teens,” but more often she’s wanting to get away from the world of her peers. This is most evident in Pure Heroine’s best track, the album-closing “A World Alone,” a slow-build anthem to finding outsider love in an overly hectic world. As the refrain bemoans how “the people are talking, people are talking” it’s clear that it’s not just the irl folks she’s discussing (“Maybe the Internet raised us / Or maybe people are jerks”). In a world of digital kineticism, Lorde just wants to get still.

Even though they’re the thoughts of a 16-year-old girl, nothing feels hyper-specific in a way that might detach a listener’s empathetic connection. It’s a cascading sonic series of we’ve all felt this way at some point moments. On Pure Heroine, Lorde doesn’t sing at you. She wants you along for the ride with her.

Lorde’s follow-up album, 2017’s Melodrama, stands as another pop masterpiece, but it does shift into more personalized territory. Anecdotally, the album is beloved among folks who were young women when the record dropped, because Lorde brilliantly explores the messiness of being a young, lovesick and mistake-prone 20-something with both fierce swagger and heart-wrenching vulnerability.

And while it’d be absurd to change a single thing about Melodrama’s artful exploration of those feelings, it’s just factually harder for that to connect with the atypical pop audiences that Pure Heroine brought to the table who don’t happen to fit into that young female demographic.

For all the criticism hurled at Lorde’s third LP, 2021’s Solar Power, the main issue with the record is how far it drifts away from universality. In a way, Solar Power finds Lorde becoming the bougie type that she once bemoaned on “Royals.” Sorry, but the people who can relate to being stoned in a nail salon or casually tossing their cellphone in the water to get off the grid is decidedly a tiny and targeted niche. (The album’s aesthetic presentation of a pseudo-private beach hang while people were still struggling with COVID isolation at the time of its arrival certainly didn’t help things.) But any latter missteps in the sand don’t diminish Pure Heroine in the slightest.

The world may be littered with boring talkative people making boring art, but Ella Yelich-O’Connor isn’t one of them. In the face of any “Royals” misgivings, Pure Heroine shines like a flawless royal diamond. But if the bores lob criticism Lorde’s way, there’s only one worthy response — the same line Lorde delivers with cheekily uncaring and above-it-all detachment to close Pure Heroine

“Let ’em talk…” n

MEET THE EXPERTS

GONZAGA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA WITH SIMONE DINNERSTEIN, PIANO

Monday, October 2 at 7:30pm

Schubert: Symphony No. 4

Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 2

GONZAGA CHOIRS PRESENTS THE JOURNEY BEGINS

Saturday, October 7 at 7:30pm

Featuring: Gonzaga Glee Club, Discantus Treble Choir, and Concert Choir

211 E. DeSmet, Spokane 509-313-2787 | myrtlewoldsoncenter.org

ROCK COHEED AND CAMBRIA, DEAFHEAVEN

When you think of music, “lore” isn’t usually the first thing that springs to mind, but don’t tell Coheed and Cambria that. The prog rock outfit has built almost its entire career around a series of ongoing albums chronicling The Amory Wars, an epic sci-fi story crafted by frontman Claudio Sanchez (which he’s also adapted into comics and a novel). C&C has done so by exploring a galaxy of sounds too, ranging from shredding heavy metal to melodic pop rock to post-hardcore. The group’s latest tour also includes Deafheaven, the black metal-meets-shoegaze act that crafts the most beautiful punishing music out there (though the band took heat for shifting away from screamed vocals to a much more light and atmospheric sound on 2021’s Infinite Granite).

— SETH SOMMERFELD

Coheed and Cambria, Deafheaven • Fri, Sept. 29 at 8 pm • $50 • All ages • Knitting Factory • 919 W. Sprague Ave. • sp.knittingfactory.com

FOLK WILLI CARLISLE

Thursday, 9/28

ARBOR CREST WINE CELLARS, Wyatt Wood

J BRICK WEST BREWING CO., Kyle Richard and Friends

CHAN’S RED DRAGON ON THIRD, Thursday Night Jam

CHECKERBOARD TAPROOM, Weathered Shepherds

J THE DISTRICT BAR, Willi Carlisle, Matt Mitchell Music Co.

HIGHBALL, Royale

J KNITTING FACTORY, Sleep Token

J MCCRACKEN’S PUB AND BBQ, Gil Rivas

J NORTHERN QUEST CASINO, Chevelle, Three Days Grace, Loathe

PANIDA THEATER, Bart Budwig, Graham Farrow Knibb, Solana Brooklyn

J PINE STREET PLAZA, Ally Fraser-Robinson

J QQ SUSHI & KITCHEN, Just Plain Darin

J THE JACKLIN ARTS & CULTURAL CENTER, What She Said: The Diva Concert

THE STEAM PLANT, Son of Brad

ZOLA, Wasted Genius

Friday, 9/29

AK ASIAN RESTAURANT, Gil Rivas

BARRISTER WINERY, Sean Owsley and The Rising

THE BEE’S KNEES WHISKEY BAR, Kosh

BIGFOOT PUB & EATERY, Pastiche

BOLO’S BAR & GRILL, Dangerous Type

CHAN’S RED DRAGON ON THIRD, Bobby Patterson and The Two Tones

CURLEY’S, Bruiser

THE DISTRICT BAR, Marrielle Kraft, Emma Klein

THE DISTRICT BAR, Royal Bliss, Shallow Side

J THE GRAIN SHED, Open Mic at The Grain Shed

HIGHBALL, Soul Proprietor

IRON HORSE (CDA), JamShack

J J KNITTING FACTORY, Coheed and Cambria, Deafheaven

MOOSE LOUNGE, Hasenpfeffer

J NIGHTFALL LIVE, Jona Gallegos

NIGHTHAWK LOUNGE (CDA CASINO), Heather King Band

PEND D’OREILLE WINERY, Ben Vogel

THE RIDLER PIANO BAR, Just Plain Darin

THE ROCK BAR & LOUNGE, Steve Starkey

SPOKANE EAGLES LODGE, Into the Drift Duo

ZOLA, Snacks at Midnight

Saturday, 9/30

BACKWOODS WHISKEY BAR, Son of Brad

J BECK’S HARVEST HOUSE, Christy Lee Band

While folk music often gets discussed in faux traditionalist terms, the actual legacy of the genre is one of rebellious outsider folks. Willi Carlisle is certainly more of a Woody Guthrie-esque firebrand than a backwards looking good ol’ boy. The queer singer-songwriter grew up a punk kid, has an MFA in poetry and has performed one-man folk-based shows at fringe theater festivals. On his deftly verbose 2022 album Peculiar, Missouri, Carlisle sings rich songs about the complicated existence of unhoused people living that van life, queer sadness, the existential abundance of a small-town Walmart, trying to find hope in the dark spots and much more. If you’re a lyrics-first music fan, Carlisle’s storytelling-rich show is not one to be missed.

— SETH SOMMERFELD

Willi Carlisle, Matt Mitchell Music Co. • Thu, Sept. 28 at 8 pm • $15 • 21+ • The District Bar • 916 W. First Ave. • sp.knittingfactory.com

J THE BIG DIPPER, Fate Defined, Mezzanine, Day Shadow, The New Nightmare

BIGFOOT PUB & EATERY, Pastiche

BOLO’S BAR & GRILL, Dangerous Type

CHAN’S RED DRAGON ON THIRD, The Usual Suspects

CURLEY’S, Bruiser

J HUCKLEBERRY’S NATURAL MARKET, Into the Drift Duo

IRON HORSE (CDA), JamShack

J KNITTING FACTORY, Jai Wolf, Evan Giia, Manila Killa MOOSE LOUNGE, Hasenpfeffer

NIGHTHAWK LOUNGE (CDA CASINO), Heather King Band

NORTHERN QUEST CASINO, Live

PEND D’OREILLE WINERY, Tom Catmull

J PONDEROSA BAR AND GRILL, Rhythmic Collective Duo

J UNCORKED WITH FRIENDS, Just Plain Darin ZOLA, Snacks at Midnight

Sunday, 10/1

J BECK’S HARVEST HOUSE, Greg White Jr., Dallas Kay

J THE BIG DIPPER, Violent J, Ouija Macc, Esham, Dirty Savage, Gryn, Eric Acebo HOGFISH, Open Mic

J = THE INLANDER RECOMMENDS THIS SHOW

J = ALL AGES SHOW

J THE DISTRICT BAR, Mudhoney, Hooveriii, Oct. 13, 8 pm.

J NORTHERN QUEST CASINO, Ann Wilson & Tripsitter, Oct. 15, 7:30 pm.

J J SPOKANE ARENA, Tool, Oct. 15, 7:30 pm.

J THE DISTRICT BAR, Death Chant, Oct. 27, 8 pm.

J THE DISTRICT BAR, Frenship, Gavn, Nov. 1, 8 pm.

J J PLAYERS & SPECTATORS, The Nixon Rodeo, Alive In Barcelona, The Ongoing Concept, Pulling 4 Victory, Bruiser, Nov. 4, 6 pm.

J J BING CROSBY THEATER, The Sam Leyde Band, Gabriella Rose, Nov. 18, 8 pm.

J J SPOKANE ARENA, Trans-Siberian Orchestra: The Ghosts of Christmas Eve, Nov. 24, 7 pm.

J J THE FOX THEATER, Bush, Bad Wolves, Eva Under Fire, Dec. 6, 7 pm.

VISUAL ARTS SUPREME FOURTEEN

Where else can you find thrilling art, performances and installations from hundreds of local artists under one roof? That’s right: nowhere else except Terrain! This year the local arts nonprofit is celebrating 14 years of its annual flagship event (save a few absent years due to COVID). Here are a few numbers to get you hyped: This year, Terrain features 810 artworks by 394 artists, and you’re going to have an amazing time, I’m 110% sure. Terrain is always free, but if you’re hoping to beat the crowds you can attend preview night on Thursday, Oct. 5 for $25. Otherwise, head to the big event on Friday night, peer around every corner, and look in every crevice because the building will be packed with art from wall to wall.

— MADISON PEARSON

Terrain 14 • Fri, Oct. 6 from 5-midnight; Preview night: Thu, Oct. 5 from 6-9 pm • Free, Preview night: $25 • Downtown Spokane • 314 W. Riverside Ave. • terrainspokane.com

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.

VISUAL ARTS TOUR ON THE SHORE

Spend a relaxing, early fall Saturday exploring the scenic byways of the Little Spokane River watershed, which plays host to the 16th annual Little Spokane River Artist Studio Tour. The self-guided event offers a chance to see several local working artists’ studios up close and in person. Each of the five studios along the tour route, however, also showcase the work of numerous fellow artists and friends, with more than 50 artists in total participating. Every style and medium is represented — from fiber arts to jewelry, watercolors to ceramics — by the diverse lineup of regional artists on this year’s roster. To see the complete list of artists, this year’s event map and other details, head to the link below.

— CHEY SCOTT

Little Spokane River Artist Studio Tour • Sat, Sept. 30 from 10 am5 pm • Free • Locations vary; details at littlespokanestudios.com

COMMUNITY HARVEST DELIGHTS

Experience your childhood dreams of Charlie Brown coming to life at the fourth annual Great Pumpkinfest! Taking place in the courtyard of Brick West Brewing Co., this event fosters a farm-like atmosphere with a selection of over 10,000 pumpkins available for purchase. The festival also features themed days and a range of special activities for families to enjoy. From line dancing and a petting zoo to face painting, live entertainment and a cornhole tournament, there is something for guests of all ages. All proceeds from this event benefit local charity organizations. Don’t miss this opportunity to get in the fall spirit and support the Spokane community. See website for full schedule of events.

— AMELIA TRONCONE

The Great Pumpkinfest • Sept. 29-Oct. 8; Fri from 4-9 pm, Sat from 10 am-9 pm, Sun from 10 am-7 pm • Free • All ages • Brick West Brewing Co. • 1318 W. First Ave. • brickwestbrewingco.com/ pumpkin

VISUAL ARTS DO OR DREAM

When the going gets tough, artists start creating. In a statement for her solo show this fall at Eastern Washington University’s Gallery of Art, artist Cayla Skillin-Brauchle sums this idea up, saying: “This work responds to my ever-present feelings of grief, despair, and fear around political collapse, social despondence, and the rapidly deteriorating climate. To combat panic, I find myself conjuring situations and images that allow for a transformation of mind, body, and spirit.” The resulting works, both traditional media and performance, explore temporary solutions that can help us think differently about how we live and connect with the world and its people. Skillin-Brauchle, who’s based in Salem, Oregon, is present for an opening reception lecture/ workshop on Sept. 28, and returns Nov. 2 for an in-gallery performance of “Our Bodies Know The Way.”

— CHEY SCOTT

Cayla Skillin-Brauchle: A Day For Dreaming, A Day For Doing • Sept. 28Nov. 3, open Mon-Fri from 9 am-6 pm • Free • EWU Gallery of Art • 140 Art Building, Cheney • ewu.edu/cale/programs/art

Fall Symposium

BUILDING CAREERS, CHANGING LIVES

Tuesday, October 17 | 8:30-10:30 am

CenterPlace Regional Events Center Spokane Valley, WA

Join us for a conversation with Ed Brady, President and CEO of the Home Builders Institute (HBI) moderated by Brooke Baker Spink of Baker Construction. HBI is the nation’s leading non-profit provider of trade skills training and education for the building industry. Ed Brady is a sought after thought leader in the housing industry and workforce development space. Don’t miss the chance to hear from him!

Doors open at 8:00. Light breakfast served. CenterPlace Regional Events Center is located at 2426 North Discovery Place in Spokane Valley.

BENEFIT ENHANCING THE OUTDOORS

The Jess Roskelley Foundation is holding a fundraising event in honor of its namesake, who was a Spokane native and elite international alpinist who died in a 2019 avalanche. Held at the Garland Theater and in partnership with Telluride, Colorado’s Mountainfilm Festival On Tour, the event includes beer and wine and a raffle with items from The North Face, Lowa, YETI, Rambleraven Gear Trader and Bloc Yard Bouldering Gym. Roskelley loved the parks in Spokane, so as part of the foundation’s mission all event proceeds will go toward renovating John H. Shields Park and climbing area. The foundation has helped fund other outdoor public projects, such as the Ice Age Floods Playground in Riverfront Park.

—

visit helloforgood.org.

Through a collaborative effort with business owners, leaders, and community members, Hello for Good strives to create full-spectrum solutions that address addiction recovery, housing, education, job training, and employment to create real and lasting change.

PO Box 25, Spokane WA 99210, helloforgoodspokane@gmail.com

I SAW YOU

DISCO KING OF LIBERTY LAKE Sept. 19, 2023, Liberty Lake Yoke’s around 5:30 pm in the Health and Beauty section. I saw your great disco moves as Gloria Gaynor crooned about how she “Will Survive” over the loudspeakers. It warmed my cold dead heart back to Disco. You keep dancing like nobody else saw, my King.

CHEERS

CHEERS TO SCRAPS Cheers and thumbs up to the management, staff and volunteers at SCRAPS who are working so hard to take care of so many desperate, unwanted, helpless, homeless dogs and cats. Don’t let the nasty talk of the world get you down.

COME ON Why do you have to write an essay every time? This is my home as well as yours. Just be thankful.

MURAL CLEANUP Cheers to the wonderful painting crew that has gotten to work cleaning up graffiti at Second and Maple under the train track. My favorite is the puppy looking at me while waiting for the light to change. It is a beautiful mural. Jeers to graffiti.

THANKS FOR ENTERTAINING ME Cheers to everyone who submits messages to this section, especially to the Jeers section. I find such joy in reading the often trivial ramblings of my fellow community members. It is honestly hilarious. Every

week, I read through this section (in its entirety) while I sip my tea. I not only giggle, I laugh out loud, which I’d like to think adds years to my life. Lighten up Spokane! Or don’t and continue providing me with my weekly dose of pure entertainment. And thank you so much to the staff at the Inlander. Keep it coming!

C HEERS TO THE GALLERY AT ENTROPY

Cheers to the gallery at Entropy for being the coolest art gallery in Spokane, on top of rad records and vintage. Cheers to the owner, JJ Wandler (do you know him?), for intentionally saving the upstairs space for our art community. Cheers to Helen Parsons for curating all the amazing local art. Cheers to everyone involved in creating a space unlike anywhere else in our area. A space with a collective vision to foster opportunities for (nearly unheard of) solo exhibitions where the artist has total control over the narative they want to tell, without an emphasis on sales (all while taking no commissions or fees from the artists). Cheers to the gallery at Entropy. See you first Friday.

SPOKANE MUSIC SCENE I’m going to throw this in the Cheers section because I’m an eternal optimist. With Lucky You Lounge closing, the community is looking to the other smaller venues to pick up and seek out bands we might otherwise miss out on. There’s a big hole in our musical hearts now that LY (and Bartlett) have closed their doors. Cheers to the many years of memorable and intimate concerts Spokane had the pleasure of hosting, BIG thanks to those two venues and cheers to the many more years to come as the community rallies around this void!

THE CALM AND REASONABLE PEOPLE I get so overjoyed when I hear people look to the future with hope, instead of with fear and blame.

THANK YOU FOR STOPPING Thanks to the truck driver who saw an elderly lady waiting for a chance to cross Nevada at Rich and who not only stopped their vehicle, but waited patiently until all four lanes had stopped so that the lady could cross safely. Your consideration is appreciated.

JEERS

DUCK SPOKANE You suck. The only good thing I got from you is my dog. You treat people like numbers. No one cares. You all use people for their profits. It’s so ugly...

and sad. My father helped build this place, and no one helps.

STOP THE INSANITY The only way to eradicate the homeless population in downtown Spokane is to shut down all of the charity organizations that offer free meals and a place to sleep. This will deter the homeless population from staying in Spokane. At the

LEAVE WASHINGTON AND OREGON ALONE

Why are people so set on making Idaho larger? At least the talk this time is joining Eastern Oregon to Idaho, instead of a separate state. If you’re so unhappy with the liberals in Eastern WA and Eastern ID, MOVE TO IDAHO!! Don’t try to move Idaho to you. I’m sick of the far right spreading so much misinformation. I’ve had to lose

yourself doesn’t qualify for rebates. They want you to hire contractor — a for-profit business. Why isn’t this utility company a public works division of Spokane county??

NO DECORATIONS’ KAREN I didn’t bother to look up the name of your silly jeer. So, all the hunger, pain of the world and the one thing you zero in on is someone else having

same time we need to rigorously enforce the vagrancy, panhandling and drug use laws. As for the folks who are mentally ill, we need to offer state-run hospitals that will take care of these folks. It’s really pretty simple if you think about it. I, personally, am tired of seeing our beautiful city taken over by people who pay no taxes and are a menace to those of us who go downtown to work, shop, eat, watch a concert or take care of our daily business. We’re already losing businesses because of criminal activity that takes place every day. Let’s take our city back from those who are doing harm.

CHEERS VS. JEERS I read all the time for many years. Just wondering why there are more jeers than cheers. I hope there are not more miserable people out there than happy ones.

RE: ‘LAZY’ ZOOMERS To our respected elders with too much free time: “Zoomers” are currently aged 12-25, account for around 30 percent of the global population, and are expected to make up 1/3 of the entire workforce by 2025. And that’s with some of them not yet old enough to hold full-time positions. Doesn’t sound super lazy to me! Maybe you should stop assuming and look up the research done on the topic. And hey, while you’re complaining about socialism, how about you forfeit your Social Security payouts. You know, because you wouldn’t want to bend the knee to the “socialist overlords” or whatever. Pull your aching bones up by your aging bootstraps or whatever, get back to work, and stop yelling at clouds. Sincerely yours, a Millennial who is tired of the asinine generation bashing and lazy news consumers.

SOUND OFF 1. Visit Inlander.com/isawyou by 3 pm Monday. 2. Pick a category (I Saw You, You Saw Me, Cheers or Jeers). 3. Provide basic info: your name and email (so we know you’re real). 4. To connect via I Saw You, provide a non-identifying email to be included with your submission — like “petals327@yahoo.com,” not “j.smith@comcast.net.”

friends because they’ve joined the MAGA bandwagon and won’t talk about anything else. Hate has no home here!

TIME TO CHANGE THE PICKETING OF PPH

I would like to see a group of people find out where some of the PPH picketers go to church and picket that church with “Support Science, not Myth and Superstition.”

MAYOR You have turned this city into a porta potty, nice going! Homeless everywhere you look. Stabbings shootings, horrible streets, it’s not safe to go anywhere in this town thanks to your leadership or lack there of. How dare you and your financers, Stone et al, call Brown and Wilkerson soft on crime, less police, your farce is invisible, they’re in the cop shops with a closed sign and door locked, with 5-6 cop cars out front. We didn’t need to use SWAT teams before you arrived, now you’re making a last ditch effort before the election, TOO LITTLE TOO LATE! WELCOME new mayor and council presdient, good riddance to the status quo!

SCRAPS Jeers to SCRAPS for becoming a kill shelter and trying not to admit it. What kind of human has such lack of empathy for such innocent beings and is allowed to work in a shelter? It’s outdated, abusive and just wrong. Stop killing innocent animals and go get jobs in retail, seriously.

LOCAL UTILITY FIST My electricity bill jumped by $33 a month recently. This is after I insulated and added vents to my attic, planted shade trees, replaced my water heater and installed awnings. Am I naive to expect a lower bill? Btw, do-it-

fun and decorating? “These people are having fun, and I hate it because I’m a stiffnosed entitled Karen who wants to poop on anything I don’t like! Waaaaaah!” That’s how you sound. So, I want you to know, just in your honor, I have put up even more Halloween decorations. Maybe I’ll mix them with Yuletide. Maybe some others. Just to see your head spin around. Maybe I’ll even just start wearing a costume everywhere. Why don’t you be careful where you step so you don’t hit anybody with the stick that seems to be lodged right up there? 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.

I SAW YOU WITH A GREAT HELOC RATE Special introductory rate Special introductory rate Interest only payment option Interest only payment option

“ Hey, while you’re complaining about socialism, how about you forfeit your Social Security payouts.

CALENDAR BENEFIT

COMEDY

FUNNY FUNNY FUNNY JOKE JOKE

MOUNTAINFILM ON TOUR

The annual fundraiser features showings of various short films, raffles and more. Proceeds benefit the Jess Roskelley Foundation. Sep. 28, 7-9:30 pm. $20. Garland Theater, 924 W. Garland Ave. jessroskelleyfoundation.com (509-327-1050)

MORGAN JAY Jay is a musician and comedian based in Los Angeles and has made appearance’s on MTV’s Wild’n’Out, NBC and Comedy Central. Sep. 28, 7:30 pm. $25-$30. Spokane Comedy Club, 315 W. Sprague. spokanecomedyclub.com

JOKE A spooky take on the monthly comedy show featuring video elements, 3D glasses and stand up comedy from Harry J. Riley, Jesse Burt, Camrynne Sullivan and Josiah Carlson. Oct. 5, 6:30-9 pm. $15. Garland Theater, 924 W. Garland Ave. garlandtheater.com

regarding their interest in running for elected office. Sep. 30, 4:30-5:30 pm. Free. Liberty Park Library, 402 S. Pittsburgh St. spokanelibrary.org

or support if elected to office. Oct. 4, 6-9 pm. Free . Gonzaga Cataldo Hall, Addison and Sharp. gonzaga.edu

VOWS & VENDORS WEDDING EXPO A mock wedding event featuring vendors, industry experts and giveaways. Oct. 5, 6-9 pm. $20. Commellini Estate, 14715 N. Dartford Dr. suzyqcakes.com

THE SHADES OF LOVE

The event includes a performance by R&B Violinist Dominique Hammons, an auction, hors d’oeuvres and more. Proceeds support the work of The Shades Of Motherhood Network. Sep. 29, 6:30-9 pm. $100. The Philanthropy Center, 1020 W. Riverside. theshadesofmotherhoodnetwork.org

THE GREAT SPOKANE ROAD RALLY

Partake in a scavenger hunt, a car show and more. Proceeds benefit Meals on Wheels. Sep. 30, 8 am-2 pm. $60-$75. Spokane Valley Mall, 14700 E. Indiana Ave. gscmealsonwheels.org

LIGHT THE WAY GALA This dinner and auction benefits the American Childhood Cancer Organization of the Inland Northwest. Sep. 30, 7 pm. $100. Spokane Convention Center, 334 W. Spokane Falls Blvd. acco.org/inlandnw (279-7000)

MUTT STRUTT A dog festival with contests, activities, vendors and more. Register online to attend. Sep. 30, 10 am-1 pm. Free. Reaney Park, 460 NE Morton St. whitmanpets.org/muttstrutt

ROCKTOBERFEST! An afternoon of live music, food, drinks, and opportunities to donate to the Humane Society of the Palouse. Donations accepted on site. Sep. 30-10 pm. $20. Burnt Ridge Bed and Breakfast, 1070 Burnt Ridge Rd. humanesocietyofthepalouse.org (208-883-1166)

WALK TO DEFEAT ALS Walk 2.5 miles in support of ALS research and finding a cure for the disease. Registration required. All funds raised support the ALS Association. Sep. 30, 10 am-12:30 pm. By donation. Mirabeau Point Park, 2426 N. Discovery Place. als.org/evergreen

A NIGHT OF HOPE AND LAUGHTER

Comedians Dan Cummins, Rod Long, Susan Rice, Art Krug and more comedians perform stand up routines, host raffles and more. Proceeds benefit Nick Theisen’s costs in his fight against cancer. Oct. 1, 7 pm. $27. Knitting Factory, 919 W. Sprague Ave. sp.knittingfactory.com

BINGO FUNDRAISER The fundraiser features bingo games, raffles and prize packages from local Spokane businesses. Proceeds benefit the Spectrum Center. Oct. 5, 5:30-7:30 pm. $20. The Philanthropy Center, 1020 W. Riverside Ave. spectrumcenterspokane.org

MOSCOW COMEDY FEST Various comedians perform stand up at this threenight festival. Featured comedians include Ryan McComb, Liz Miele, Joe Larson, Gabriel Rutledge, Mary Lou Gamba and more. Sep. 28 and 29 at, 7 pm, Sep. 30 at 3 and 8 pm. $25-$80. The Kenworthy, 508 S. Main St. kenworthy.org

THE PUNDERGROUND An improvised punning competition with spots for up to 12 contestants. Sep. 28, 7:30 pm. By donation. Blue Door Theatre, 815 W. Garland Ave. bluedoortheatre.com

FELIPE ESPARZA Felipe Esparza is a comedian and actor best-known for winning Last Comic Standing in 2010. Sep. 29, 7:30 & 10:15 pm, Sep. 30, 7 & 9:45 pm and Oct. 1, 7 pm. $25-$33. Spokane Comedy Club, 315 W. Sprague. spokanecomedyclub.com (509-318-9998)

IMPROV COMEDY SHOW An evening of fast-paced comedy inspired by audience suggestions. Sep. 29 from 7-8:30 pm & 9-10:30 pm. Pay what you want. Harding Family Center, 411 N. 15th St. levitytheatre.com (360-318-3828)

NO CLUE A fully-improvised murder mystery comedy show. Sept. 29-Nov. 3, Fri at 7:30 pm. $9. Blue Door Theatre, 815 W. Garland Ave. bluedoortheatre.org

FORTUNE FEIMSTER Feimster is a standup comedian and actor who has appeared on various late-night shows including Conan and Late Night with Seth Meyers. Sep. 30. $29.50-$165. First Interstate Center for the Arts, 334 W. Spokane Falls Blvd. firstinterstatecenter.org

SAFARI The Blue Door Theatre’s version of Whose Line, a fast-paced short-form improv show. Sep. 30 from 7:30-9 pm. $9. Blue Door Theatre, 815 W. Garland. bluedoortheatre.com

EMO PHILIPS The character of Emo Philips is best-known for his delivery of unexpected phrases in a high, wandering voice. Oct. 2, 7 pm. $25. Spokane Comedy Club, 315 W. Sprague. spokanecomedyclub.com (509-318-9998)

IMPROV PLAYGROUND An open improv hangout for people of all improv experience levels. Every Wed from 6:30-8:30 pm through Dec. 27. $10. Harding Family Center, 411 N. 15th St. levitytheatre.com

KELSEY COOK Kelsey Cook is a writer and actress best known for her work in Wrists of Fury. Oct. 5 and 6 at 7:30 pm, Oct. 6 at 10:15 pm and Oct. 7 at 7 & 9:45 pm. $20-$32. Spokane Comedy Club, 315 W. Sprague. spokanecomedyclub.com

COMMUNITY

BECK’S FALL HARVEST FESTIVAL The festival features a pumpkin patch, a corn maze, children’s games, food trucks, fresh produce and more. Daily from 10 am-6 pm through Oct. 29. Free. Beck’s Harvest House, 9919 E. Greenbluff Rd. becksharvesthouse.com

MINECRAFT: THE EXHIBITION The world of Minecraft is explored in this wide-ranging exhibition, designed for players and non-players of all ages. TueSun from 10 am-5 pm through Dec. 31. $15-$20. Northwest Museum of Arts & Culture, 2316 W. First Ave. northwestmuseum.org (509-456-3931)

FAMILY FUN FEST Celebrate the HUB’s 16th anniversary with basketball, pickleball, corn hole and more games. Sep. 29, 4-7 pm. Free. HUB Sports Center, 19619 E. Cataldo Ave. hubsportscenter.org

THE GREAT PUMPKINFEST A pumpkin patch featuring line dancing, face painting, a petting zoo and more. Proceeds go to local charities. Sept. 29-Oct. 8; Fri from 4-9 pm, Sat from 10 am-9 pm, Sun from 10 am-7 pm. Free. Brick West Brewing Co., 1318 W. First. brickwestbrewingco. com/pumpkin

WHISKEY & WINE HOME TOUR Meet for after-hours tour of one of Camden Homes’ million dollar builds, savory small bites, local vendors and a tasting of whiskey and wine. Sep. 29, 5-7:30 pm. 54. Fred’s Appliance Design Center, 13820 E. Indiana Ave. shba.com (509-532-4990)

FALL QUEER CLOTHING EXCHANGE

Browse community-curated clothes and put together a gender-affirming outfit. Clothing drop-offs are welcome during business hours leading up to the event. Sep. 30, 10 am-4 pm. Free. Atomic Threads Boutique, 1905 N. Monroe St. atomicthreadsinc.com (509-280-9120)

SPOKANE CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT 2 CANDIDATE FORUM Katey Randall Treloar and Paul Dillon, address questions

EL MERCADITO A Latino cultural market featuring fresh food, cleaning supplies, local vendors, a free health clinic, immigration resources and more. Last Sat of each month from 11 am-3 pm. Free. A.M. Cannon Park, 1920 W. Maxwell Ave. latinosenspokane.org/mercadito

FALL ANTIQUE & COLLECTOR’S SALE

Antique dealers from across the region sell rare and retro items including jewelry, kitchenware, furniture and more.

Sep. 30, 10 am-6 pm and Oct. 1, 10 am-4 pm. $7-$9. Spokane County Fair & Expo Center, 404 N. Havana St. custershows. com (509-477-1766)

NORTHWEST ELECTRIC FLY-IN Pilots are invited to fly in to Paradise Field to enjoy raffles and fun activities. Food available at The Harvester in Spangle. Sep. 30, 9 am-4 pm and Oct. 1, 9 am-4 pm. Free. Spokane. IEQF.org

OKTOBERFEST A two day gathering featuring authentic German meals, live music, games and beer from Square Wheel Brewing Co. Ages 21+. Sep. 30, 12-5 pm and Oct. 1, 12-5 pm. Free. Arbor Crest Wine Cellars, 4705 N. Fruit Hill Rd. arborcrest.com (509-927-9463)

OKTOBERFEST CELEBRATION Celebrate Oktoberfest with live music, beer, german food and more. Sep. 30, 4 pm. $10. German American Hall, 25 W. Third Ave. (509-954-6964)

ONE SPOKANE STADIUM OPEN HOUSE

See Spokane’s newest sports venue before programming begins for the season. Sep. 30, 11 am-1:30 pm. Free. One Spokane Stadium, 501 W. Gardner. onespokanestadium.com

WSECU FALL FEST Celebrate fall with a petting zoo, a kids carnival, a pumpkin patch and more. Sep. 30, 11 am-5 pm. Free. Riverfront Park, 507 N. Howard St. downtownspokane.org (509-625-6600)

MEET THE CANDIDATES: MILLWOOD CITY COUNCIL Shaun Culler, Kelly Stravens and Andy Van Hees answer questions from Judge Ellen Clark and will include an opportunity for audience questions, refreshments and informal conversation with the candidates. Oct. 2, 6-7:30 pm. Free. Masonic Center, 3219 N Argonne Rd. millwoodwa.us

2023 SPOKANE CANDIDATES CLIMATE CHANGE FORUM This annual forum is a partisan space where candidates for local office can share with local voters and citizens what they would or would not do

OPENING NIGHT

Saturday 9/30 - 6pm vs. Tri-City Americans

Blue Moon Opening Night kicks off outside the Arena at 3pm with player introductions, games, drinks, and more. Puck drops at 6pm.

Sponsored By:

Tickets: spokanechiefs.com

FILM

TWILIGHT 15 YEAR ANNIVERSARY A screening of the movie based on Stephanie Meyer’s vampire series. Sep. 28, 4 pm, Sep. 29, 2:25 & 5 pm and Sep. 30, 2:25 pm. Garland Theater, 924 W. Garland Ave. garlandtheater.com

DRIVE IN MOVIE: CHILD’S PLAY Gunned down by Detective Mike Norris, murderer Charles Lee Ray uses black magic to put his soul inside a doll named Chucky. Sep. 29, 9-11 pm. $25 per car. HUB Sports Center, 19619 E. Cataldo Ave. hubsportscenter.org (509-927-0602)

MANHATTAN SHORT FILM FESTIVAL A screening of the finalists in the Manhattan Short Film Festival. See website for a full list of films being shown. Sept. 29Oct. 8; Fri-Sat at 7:30 pm, Sun at 5 pm. $15. Garland Theater, 924 W. Garland Ave. garlandtheater.com (509-327-1050)

HAROLD AND MAUDE: This cult classic pairs Cort as a dead-pan disillusioned 20-year-old obsessed with suicide and a loveable Gordon as a fun-loving 80-yearold eccentric. Sep. 30, 11:59 pm. $8. Garland Theater, 924 W. Garland Ave. garlandtheater.com (509-327-1050)

METROPOLIS Taras Nazarov, DJ Love, performs a live electronic soundtrack to accompany Fritz Lang’s 1972 film Metropolis. Oct. 5, 7 pm. The Kenworthy, 508 S. Main St. kenworthy.org

FOOD & DRINK

SPOKANE GREEK FEST This annual celebration includes traditional greek food items such as gyros and baklava. Church tours are available. Sep. 28-30 from 11 am-8 pm. Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, 1703 N. Washington St. spokanegreekfest.org (328-9310)

OKTOBERFEST This two-day celebration features small-batch beers, an Oktoberfest menu and commemorative mugs. Sep. 29, 3-10 pm and Sep. 30, 12-10 pm. $20. Garland Brew Werks, 603 W. Garland Ave. facebook.com/GarlandBrewWerks (509-863-9419)

...continued on page 42

Game Time: 6 PM

• Text or Call: 509-535-PUCK

CAMERA READY

POLICY

National Notables

Congress and college athletics have been busy reconsidering cannabis policy

BY WILL MAUPIN

T

CONGRESS SEEKS CURE

A bill that would open federal employment opportunities to people who have previously consumed cannabis advanced out of a committee in the U.S. House of Representatives last week. The Cannabis Users Restoration of Eligibility (CURE) Act was approved by the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability with bipartisan support.

Rep. Jamie Raskin, a Maryland Democrat, introduced the bill, which passed by a 30-14 vote.

wo committees with national reach — one congressional, one collegiate — made moves last week that have the potential to impact Americans who consume or have ever, even once, consumed cannabis.“The CURE Act will ensure that qualified and dedicated individuals seeking to serve our country are not precluded from doing so simply because they have used marijuana,” Raskin said in a statement. “It will also allow for someone who has previously been denied a security clearance or a federal job opportunity, like my constituent, to have that denial reviewed.”

Currently, admitting to any past cannabis use can be a disqualifying factor for candidates seeking federal employment or a job requiring a security clearance.

“Despite the rapid liberalization of marijuana laws in most states, thousands of Americans are being denied security clearance or ineligible for federal employment

solely because they admit to having used marijuana — even if it was completely lawful under state law. These obsolete federal marijuana laws are preventing too many qualified Americans from serving their government,” the committee stated in a news release after the vote.

COLLEGE ATHLETICS CONSIDERS CHANGE

On Friday, the NCAA’s Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports issued a handful of recommendations on rule changes, one of which would remove cannabinoids from the NCAA’s list of banned substances.

The committee’s recommendation also includes implementing an educational framework on cannabis use as part of a shift to a harm-reduction model from the current punitive approach.

“We are recommending a big shift in the paradigm when it comes to cannabinoids. We want to modernize the strategy with the most up-to-date research to give schools the best opportunity to support the health of studentathletes,” said James Houle, the committee’s chair and an Ohio State University sports psychologist, in a statement.

In issuing their recommendation, the committee acknowledged the ineffectiveness of the NCAA’s current cannabis policy. It also recognizes that while the NCAA is entitled to regulate performance-enhancing substances, cannabinoids should not be considered as such.

There are more than 520 thousand student athletes who could be impacted by these changes across roughly 1,100 NCAA member schools. n

Sep 15 - Oct 15

PomCannabis.com

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 fiveyear sentence and fine of up to $10,000. Transporting marijuana across state lines, like from Washington into Idaho, is a felony under federal law.

EVENTS | CALENDAR

FRESH HOP FESTIVAL A breweryfocused event showcasing the creative talents of head brewers from the Inland Northwest who are highlighting the flavors of the Northwest. Sep. 30, 4-8:30 pm. $60-$85. Millwood Park, 9205 E. Frederick Ave. eatgoodgroup.com

SWEET & SAVORY GALETTES Learn how to make these versatile rustic tarts can be made with savory or sweet ingredients and eaten at any time of the day with instructor Kristi Fountain. Oct. 3, 5:45-8:15 pm. $85. The Kitchen Engine, 621 W. Mallon Ave. thekitchenengine.com

FOOD & ART FROM LATIN AMERICA

Hear a story, try a snack, view some art and make a craft inspired by the many cultures that make up Latin America. Oct. 4, 3:30-4 pm. Free. Medical Lake Library, 3212 Herb St. scld.org

GROWING GARLIC Master Gardener

Steve Nokes teaches how to grow garlic. Learn the time of year to plant, the types of garlic and the best storage practices. Oct. 4, 6:30-7:30 pm. Free. Cheney Library, 610 First St. scld.org

BEVERLY’S BLANTON’S BOURBON

DINNER A six-course menu featuring bourbons from Blanton’s Bourbons. Oct. 5, 6-9 pm. $135. Beverly’s, 115 S. Second St. beverlyscda.com (208-292-5678)

COOKIE DECORATING Learn cookie decorating techniques for the holiday season with Jamie of Three Birdies Bakery. Oct. 5, 5:45-8:15 pm. $85. The Kitchen Engine, 621 W. Mallon Ave. thekitchenengine.com

WHISKEY BARREL WEEKEND The weekend includes classes taught by industry insiders, whiskey tastings and cooking classes. Oct. 6-7; times vary. The Coeur d’Alene Resort, 115 S. Second. cdaresort.com (208-765-4000)

RED, BLACK AND BREW BEER FESTIVAL The second annual festival features vendor booths, food and beer from local breweries. Oct. 7, noon. $35-$45. Sutton Park, 805 Washington St. westplainschamber.org/brewfest

MUSIC

FACULTY ARTIST SERIES: JULIE ANNE

WIECK Wieck performs “Songs of Love and the Sea” accompanied by Elena Panchenko on piano and Martin King on horn. Sep. 29, 7:30 pm. Free. Bryan Hall Theatre, Washington State University, 605 Veterans Way. music.wsu.edu

UNIVERSITY OF IDAHO JAZZ CONCERT

This concert features both the University of Idaho Jazz choir and bands. Sep. 29, 6:30 pm. University of Idaho Administration Building, 851 Campus Dr. uidaho. edu/class/music (888-884-3246)

CDA SYMPHONY: BEETHOVEN’S EM -

PEROR The Coeur d’Alene symphony performs Rossini’s Overture to Barber of Seville, Capriccio Espagnol by RimskyKorsakov and Beethoven’s Piano Concerto #5, Emperor. Sep. 30, 7:30 pm. Schuler Performing Arts Center, 880 W. Garden Ave. cdasymphony.org (208-769-7780)

SPOKANE SYMPHONY POPS 1: LADIES OF SONG Carmen Bradford performs selections sung by America’s first ladies of song including Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Sarah Vaughan and Lena Horne. Sep. 30, 7:30 pm. $47-$100. The Fox Theater, 1001 W. Sprague. foxtheaterspokane.org

GONZAGA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

CONCERT The symphony orchestra plays with piano soloist Simone Dinnerstein. The program includes Schubert’s Symphony No. 4 and Brahm’s Piano Concerto No. 2. Oct. 2, 7:30 pm. $15-$18. Myrtle

Woldson Performing Arts Center, 211 E. Desmet Ave. gonzaga.edu/mwpac

THE LOWEDOWN ON MASTERWORKS

2: SYMPHONIC GRAFFITI Music Director James Lowe previews each of the Masterworks concerts he conducts each Thursday before the concert weekend. Oct. 5, noon. Free. Northwest Museum of Arts & Culture, 2316 W. First Ave. northwestmuseum.org (509-456-3931)

SPOKANE JAZZ ORCHESTRA WITH JOE BRASCH Spokane guitarist, vocalist, composer and producer performs originals as well as his favorite jazz standards with the jazz orchestra. Oct. 7, 7:30-9:30 pm. $27-$37. Bing Crosby Theater, 901 W. Sprague Ave. bingcrosbytheater.com

SPOKANE SYMPHONY MASTERWORKS

2: SYMPHONIC GRAFFITI An array of works handpicked by the Spokane Symphony musicians, including a contemporary piece based on artwork by Jean-Michel Basquiat, the champion of street art and neo-expressionism. Selections include Academic Festival Overture by Johanna Brahms, Tuxedo: Vasco ‘de’ Gama by Hannah Kendall and more. Oct. 7, 7:30 pm and Oct. 8, 3 pm. $19-$68. The Fox Theater, 1001 W. Sprague Ave. foxtheaterspokane.org (509-624-1200)

SPORTS & OUTDOORS

COMMUNITY TREE PLANTING Plant trees with other community members as part of the ongoing Pine Creek Restoration project. Sep. 30, 8 am-noon. Free. Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge, 26010 S. Smith Rd. fws.gov (509-559-3030)

GONE FIR A RUN 50K TRAIL RACE A 50k trail run in Riverside State Park. Runners cover varied terrain and trail on this beginner-intermediate course. Sep. 30, 7 am-4 pm. $75. Riverside State Park Equestrian Area, 3402 N. Aubrey L. White Pkwy. facebook.com/gonefirarun50k

RELENTLESS WRESTLING 19 Professional wrestlers match up in the ring. Sep. 30, 6 pm. $33-$39. Players & Spectators, 12828 E. Sprague Ave. facebook.com/RelentlessPNW (509-489-4000)

SPOKANE CHIEFS VS. TRI-CITY AMERICANS Promotional schedule TBA. Sep. 30, 6:05 pm. Spokane Arena, 720 W. Mallon Ave. spokanechiefs.com (279-7000)

SPOKANE SUBMISSION CHALLENGE A Brazilian Jiu Jitsu tournament featuring Mason Fowler, Tanner Weisgram, Amanda Lowen and Thamara Ferreira. Sep. 30, 7 pm. $35-$200. Pavilion at Riverfront, 574 N. Howard St. spokanepavilion.com

BIKE TOWN HALL A mellow bike ride through downtown Spokane with opportunity for community members to learn about Spokane bike infrastructure and speak with local legislators Andy Billig and Zack Zappone. Meet at the University District Gateway Bridge. Oct. 6, 12-1 pm. Free. Downtown Spokane. leg.wa.gov

JACKASS HALF MARATHON & 5K Run on the paved Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes starting in historic Wallace and ending in Kellogg. Oct. 7, 9:30 am-5 pm. $25-$80. Wallace, ID. wallaceid.fun

MUSHROOM FORAGING HIKE Walk around the Mackenzie Natural Area while receiving an introduction to wild mushroom and fungi foraging, including basic foraging safety, different kinds of fungi and their various identifying parts. Oct. 7, 10:30 am-12:30 pm. Free. Mackenzie Natural Area, S. Lakeside Rd. scld.org

THEATER & DANCE

RISING TIDE: A COLLABORATIVE EVENING OF DANCE A celebration of the female choreographic voice that features the work of five local choreographers representing a wide variety of dance styles. Sep. 28 & 29 at 7:30 pm. $25-$30. Bing Crosby Theater, 901 W. Sprague Ave. bingcrosbytheater.com (509-227-7404)

THE ADDAMS FAMILY The Addams family is in turmoil. Their daughter Wednesday finds herself falling in love. When she invites her new boyfriend over, with his “normal” family to get better acquainted with the Addams household, chaos ensues. Wed-Sat at 7:30 pm, Sun at 2 pm through Oct. 15. (Sat, Sept. 30 and Oct. 7 performances at 2 pm.) $15-$38. Spokane Civic Theatre, 1020 N. Howard St. spokanecivictheatre.com

TROUBLE AT THE TROPICABANA Enjoy dinner, dancing and a live show where you figure out “whodunnit”. Call to make reservations. Sept. 29-Oct. 7; Fri-Sat at 6 pm, Sun at 2 pm. $40-$42. Cutter Theatre, 302 Park St. cuttertheatre.com

TWO WITCHES, NO WAITING A comedy play focused on eccentric sisters Arlene & Elzbeth. Dinner varies each night, see website for menu. Sept. 29-Oct. 14, FriSat at 7:30 pm. $12-$35. Circle Moon Theater, 3642 N. State Route 211. northwoodsperformingarts.com (208-448-1294)

THE COMPLETE WORKS OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE (ABRIDGED) [REVISED] [AGAIN] Three actors summarize all 37 Shakespeare plays down to a neat 1 hour and 40 minutes. Oct. 6 at 8:30 pm, Oct. 7 at 6 pm, Oct. 8 at 2 pm. $10. Myrtle Woldson Performing Arts Center, 211 E. Desmet Ave. gonzaga.edu/mwpac

MINIMUM WAGE Evan, a single father and aspiring actor is tasked with saving a local burger joint, Family Burger. Pressure to save the business and his employees’ jobs leaves them with impossible choices. Oct. 6-22; Thu-Sat at 7 pm, Sun at 2 pm. $20-$25. Stage Left Theater, 108 W. Third Ave. stagelefttheater.org

THE WHO’S TOMMY Based on the iconic 1969 rock concept album, The Who’s Tommy is the story of the pinball-playing, deaf and blind boy who triumphs over his adversities. Oct. 6-15; Fri-Sat at 7:30pm, Sat-Sun at 2 pm. Kroc Center, 1765 W. Golf Course Rd. aspirecda.com

VISUAL ARTS

ALEETA RENEE JONES: ANCIENT DREAMS This gallery show features a series of large paintings exploring the search for commonality throughout human history and the ancient ties that bind people together. Thu-Sat from 4-7 pm through Sep. 30. Free. Terrain Gallery, 628 N. Monroe. terrainspokane.com

CAYLA SKILLIN-BRAUCHLE: A DAY FOR DREAMING, A DAY FOR DOING

This exhibition features works on paper, sculpture and performance by Salem, OR-based artist and educator SkillinBrauchle. Sept. 28-Nov. 3, Mon-Fri from 9 am-6 pm. Free. EWU Gallery of Art, 140 Art Building. ewu.edu/cahss/fineperforming-arts/art/gallery/

THE ELVIRA ART SHOW An art show comprised of drawings of Giant Nerd Books’ store dog, Elvira, drawn by community members. Mon-Sat from 11 am-6

pm, Sun from 12-5 pm through Sep. 30. Free. Giant Nerd Books, 607 W. Garland Ave. instagram.com/giantnerdbooks

ERIC SANCHEZ: EVERYBODY KNOWS

THIS IS NOWHERE A collection of cubist-style paintings by local artist Eric Sanchez. Daily from 11-6 pm through Oct. 2. Free. Entropy, 101 N. Stevens St. explodingstars.com (509-414-3226)

HANNAH KUHNS: TELEPHONE: This show features abstract works and prints by artist Hannah Kuhns. Sept. 8-Oct. 7, Tue-Sat from 10 am-6 pm. Tues.-10 am-6 pm through Oct. 7. Free. Emerge, 119 N. Second St. emergecda.com (208-9301876)

HERE IN A HOMEMADE FOREST: COMMON READING CONNECTIONS EXHIBITION: Inspired by Washington State University’s 2023-24 Common Reading Book, Braiding Sweetgrass, this exhibition highlights crucial themes through the lens of art, inviting visitors into a conversation about prioritizing a reciprocal relationship with the land, with each other and with other living beings. Aug. 22-March 6, 2024, Tue-Sat from 10 am-4 pm. Tues.-10 am-4 pm through March 9. Free. Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art WSU, 1535 NE Wilson Rd. museum.wsu. edu (509-335-1910)

IO PALMER & ANN CHRISTENSON: EN -

TANGLE The show features mixed media art consisting of fabric, ceramics and wire. By appointment only through Sep. 30. Free. Kolva-Sullivan Gallery, 115 S. Adams St. kolva.comcastbiz.net

JAMES ALLEN: EXCAVATING BOOKS

An exhibition featuring books that have been carved out to tell new stories. MonFri from 10 am-4:30 pm and Sat from 10 am-2 pm through Oct. 26. Free. Bryan Oliver Gallery, Whitworth, 300 W. Hawthorne. whitworth.edu/cms/academics/ art-and-design/bryan-oliver-gallery/

JUN OH: JAEMI The local artist uses non-traditional painting materials to create experimental paintings to represent certain emotions. Thu-Sat from 4-7 pm through Sep. 30. Free. Terrain Gallery, 628 N. Monroe St. terrainspokane.com

TRACY PETRE WALKER: LIFE AND TIME Walker presents a body of artwork that explores universal themes seen within our society through the use of symbolism, archetypal imagery, and stereotyping. Mon-Fri from 8:30 am-3:30 pm through Oct. 19. Free. SFCC Fine Arts Gallery, 3410 W. Whistalks Way, Bldg. 6. spokanefalls.edu/gallery (509-533-3746)

SPOKANE WATERCOLOR SOCIETY 2023 MEMBER’S INVITATIONAL SIGNATURE SHOW This show features art by members of the Spokane Watercolor Society including Janie Edwards, Kim Gardell, Sherri Thies, Dan Earcret and more. Mon-Fri from 10 am-5 pm through Sep. 29. Free. Spokane Art School, 503 E. Second., Ste. B. spokaneartschool.net

ALISON WAHL: STELLAR JEWELS Wahl showcases handmade silver and precious stone jewelry. Wed-Sat from 11 am-5 pm through Sep. 30. Free. New Moon Art Gallery, 1326 E. Sprague Ave. manicmoonandmore.com (509-413-9101)

KIMEKOMI FABRIC ART CLASS Learn the Japanese art form of tucking fabric into a pattern. Bring favorite fabrics to use. Tools provided. Sep. 30, 11 am-3 pm. $36. Create Arts Center, 900 Fourth St. createarts.org (447-9277)

LITTLE SPOKANE RIVER ARTIST STUDIO TOUR Five participating studios showcase over 50 artists and their work. See website for studio map and more

information. Sep. 30, 10 am-5 pm. Free. Spokane. littlespokanestudios.com

SPOKANE CARVERS: ARTISTRY IN WOOD 2023 The juried show is open to all carvers from throughout the U.S. and Canada. Carvings are entered by novice, intermediate, advanced and expert carvers. Sep. 30, 10 am-5 pm and Oct. 1, 12-4 pm. Free. The Hive, 2904 E. Sprague Ave. spokanecarvers.com (509-244-3467)

TERRAIN 14 An annual, one-night only, juried multimedia art and music event featuring all-local art. Preview night (Thu, Oct. 5) is a ticketed event, the main event (Fri, Oct. 6) is free. Takes place at 314 W. Riverside Ave. Oct. 5, 6-9 pm and Oct. 6, 5 pm-midnight. Free. Downtown Spokane. terrainspokane.com

WORDS

WARREN SEYLER: 700 GENERATIONS OF THE SPOKANE TRIBE Seyler discusses what it was like for the Spokane ancestors when they lived as a semi-nomadic river people upon the Plateau. Sep. 28, 6:30-8 pm. Free. Northwest Museum of Arts & Culture, 2316 W. First Ave. northwestmuseum.org (509-456-3931)

DR ZACHARIAH ETIENNE: BLACK HOLES AND GRAVITATIONAL WAVES

Dr Zachariah Etienne, Professor of Physics, University of Idaho., discusses black holes and gravitational waves. Presentation followed by a screening of Interstellar. Sep. 30, 6 pm. $5-$25. Panida Theater, 300 N. First Ave. panida.org

BOOK RELEASE PARTY: UNEXPECTED WEATHER EVENTS Celebrate Erin Pringle’s newest book of stories with a reading by the author. Oct. 1, 2 pm. Free. Shadle Library, 2111 W. Wellesley Ave. spokanelibrary.org (509-444-5390)

DIAMONDS IN THE ROUGH: THE GENTRIFICATION OF RURAL WASHINGTON

Join Jennifer Sherman, professor of sociology, to discuss both the glaring and the hidden effects of rural gentrification. Oct. 2, 6 pm. Free. Create Arts Center, 900 Fourth. humanities.org (509-447-9277)

ENVIRONMENTAL AND MIGRATION CRISIS IN THE SAHEL El Hadj Djitteye from the Timbuktu Center for Strategic Studies on the Sahel discusses the topic of environment and migration. Oct. 3, noon. Free. Foley Speakers Room, Bryan Hall Room 308. foley.wsu.edu

ORIGIN STORIES WRITING WORKSHOP Jennifer Passaro dicsusses how our collective sense of place, our ideas of kinship and family and our individual identities populate our writing. Oct. 4, 6:30-8 pm. $30. Emerge, 119 N. Second St. emergecda.com (208-930-1876)

ALEXANDRA TEAGUE AND MAYA JEWELL ZELLER BOOK LAUNCHES A book launch for Teague’s Spinning Tea Cups: A Mythical American Memoir. Teague is joined by poet Maya Jewell Zeller, launching her book, out takes / glove box. Oct. 5, 6-7:30 pm. Free. PalouseClearwater Environmental Institute, 1040 Rodeo Dr. pcei.org

3 MINUTE MIC A poetry open mic where readers may share up to three minutes’ worth of content. First Fri. of every month, 7-8:30 pm through Dec. 1. Free. Auntie’s Bookstore, 402 W. Main Ave. auntiesbooks.com (509-838-0206)

BEN DONAHUE: THE RISE OF WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY FOOTBALL Donahue signs copies of his book detailing the timeline of WSU football. Oct. 7, 11 am-1 pm. Free. Auntie’s Bookstore, 402 W. Main Ave. auntiesbooks.com n

11. Milk carton amts.

14. ____ fide

15. Drove

16. One-eighty

17. *It has a stem and a black head

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20. Sunak who took over as British P.M. in 2022

21. Soft mineral powder

22. Super uptight 23. “Reckon so” 25. In a little bit 27. Skip out (on) 28. Ointment amount 31. Heavenly beings 32. Bygone Mach 1 breaker, in brief 33. Inclusive acronym that was nominated for the American

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35. Jury ____

36. *2022 Oscar winner for the documentary “Summer of Soul”

38. NSFW stuff

40. Virtual greeting

41. Karaoke need, for short

44. Shushes

46. “Good” cholesterol initials

47. Lower layer of the earth’s crust

48. Turmoils

50. Pesters, Chihuahua-style

52. Mogadishu-born supermodel

53. Mandatory college courses, in brief

56. Dispensary fill

57. Do more than nudge

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60. Inc., in France

61. #49 on the periodic table

62. Wrestler/actor John

63. Fabric measures: Abbr.

64. Uses a Zoom alternative

65. Paradise

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1. Cookout entree, in brief

2. Adams and Alcott

3. How kebabs are cooked

4. Artist nicknamed the “Pope of Pop”

5. ____ Kwon Do

6. Offended

7. Active Sicilian volcano

8. April 1 victims

9. “You ____!”

10. Suffix with ox- or chlor-

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