Inlander 11/21/2024

ROSÉ WAY

The pink-hued wine is perfect for Thanksgiving PAGE 38

HOLIDAY TIME

Greet Santa Claus under the tree in downtown Spokane PAGE 46

21-27, 2024 | EDUCATION IS THE KEY TO SUCCESS

What’s in a

NAME? NAME?

Most schools in Eastern Washington’s largest district are named for historical figures, many of whom have direct ties to the Inland Northwest

By Colton Rasanen

Page 24

EDITOR’S NOTE

The middle and high schools I attended don’t have particularly special names. Lakeside, out in Nine Mile, is named for its proximity to Long Lake; its eagle mascot for the birds of prey that fish its waters. Unlike the three Spokane schools featured in this week’s cover, WHAT’S IN A NAME, Lakeside doesn’t have a historically significant namesake. But that doesn’t mean the school’s legacy (or that of any other in our area) isn’t deeply important to current, past, and even future students who will one day walk its halls.

I’ve been reminiscing a bit lately about the lasting impact of my own teachers. In eighth grade, Mr. Bannister’s American history class and the immersive “Conquest” game, and English with Mr. Drouin, who’d play Springsteen’s “Born in the USA” on every student’s birthday. In high school, my English teachers Ms. DiBartolo, Mrs. Sing and Mr. Sullivan. Math (and track) with Mr. Huffman. Physics and chemistry with Mr. Olson, who often shared about his dear cat, Snoopy.

While what they all taught helped me get where I am today in some form, it’s also thanks to countless smaller moments — the encouragement and support when I was stuck, the cheers when I succeeded. So if any of you are reading this today: Thank you.

— CHEY SCOTT, Editor

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IF YOU COULD NAME A SCHOOL AFTER ANYONE, WHO WOULD IT BE?

BRANDON VALDOVINOS

I think I would name it after Benito Martínez [Bad Bunny]. He’s a Spanish artist who’s really big on bringing Spanish and Latin culture into mainstream media. I think if it’s a music school, it would be cool to name it after him.

LILLY WRIGHT

Probably my favorite author, Colleen Hoover.

What kind of books does she write? They’re kind-of drama, kind-of romance novels.

CARLOS BARRERA

Abraham Lincoln.

Any particular reason? No, not really. Just seems like a good choice.

CARLO RUTH

Probably Pete Mitchell.

And why him?

Because I love the movie Top Gun

RYAN VAN BUREN

Jesus.

Jesus. Any particular reason?

I just think he’s the OG hippie, and we could use more hippies.

INTERVIEWS BY JOHN

The River is the Story

The Columbia River reflects the history of our region — especially Indigenous peoples’ ancient, spiritual connection to this place

BY KNUTE BERGER CROSSCUT.COM

In July 1996, two young men watching the annual hydroplane races on the Columbia River near Kennewick, stumbled across something shocking in the shallows near the shore: a human skull. It was a discovery that didn’t reveal a crime scene, but rather stirred up an even greater controversy.

The skull, and its accompanying skeletal remains, were dubbed Kennewick Man by the media, or the Ancient One by the Columbia region’s Indigenous peoples. Questions and debates erupted. How old was it? Was it a paleolithic man, or maybe even an ancient Polynesian, Asian or white person who wandered the Americas millennia ago? And who did the remains ultimately

belong to — the government, museums or local tribes? If nothing else, the bones became a flashpoint with enormous implications for our understanding of the peopling of the Columbia region. Let’s fast-forward to what we know. Native peoples claimed K-man as an ancestor, and they were right. In 2017, DNA testing revealed that the remains of the Ancient One were some 8,500 years old, and he had a direct ancestral connection to Indigenous people of the Columbia, specifically to the United Tribes of the Colville, who had supplied DNA samples for comparison. His human remains are thought to be among the oldest yet found in North America. He has since been buried in a secret location.

t is apt that his bones would be found along the Columbia. The river has been a major artery, a factor in both populating — and depopulating — the region. His antiquity speaks to the river’s long importance to trade and settlement. Along its banks were villages, gathering places

Before The Dalles Dam inundated Celilo Falls in 1957, it was — and had been for millennia — an active gathering place and fishing ground. RUSSELL LEE 1941 PHOTO / LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

and trade connections that linked tribes throughout western North America. A major trade center at Celilo Falls on the lower Columbia was flooded by a dam project in the 20th century, but before that it was a meeting place for thousands of people, Columbia Plateau nations and traders. It was no coincidence it was a source of abundant salmon. Trade was a lifeline. Dried fish, shells, whale bone and camas were commodities that traveled east, while horses, buffalo robes and wapato flowed west. Fur trader Alexander Ross in 1811 described the Native gathering he saw as forming “the great emporium or mart of the Columbia.” By the late 18th century, Western trade impacted the region. Guns, blankets, glass beads and disease made their mark on Indigenous lifeways.

If Columbia peoples had flourished since time immemorial along the river, diseases brought by Euro-Americans — smallpox, measles, typhoid, influenza — swept through. With colonial trade came pestilence. Starting in the late 1770s, disease from outsiders swept the Northwest coast and traveled up and down the river. It radically reduced flourishing populations. In the 1830s and 1840s a malarial disease is believed to have killed 90% of the Columbia River’s remaining Indigenous population.

The Columbia acted as a gateway for newcomers. The fur trade employed English, French Canadian, Scottish, Iroquois, Metis, Hawaiian and mixed-race workers in exploring, trapping and establishing forts and trading posts. Shipwrecked Spaniards, Mexicans, Filipinos, Black sailors and Asian fishermen washed up on the coast; survivors sometimes blending into local tribes.

The great migration of mostly white Americans starting in the 1840s flooded the Oregon Trail. They put down roots for homesteads and founded towns along the river. They plied the water with steamboats. The region became a magnet for emigrants and immigrants such as the Chinese, Scandinavians and Finns as the resource economy took hold: milling, logging, salmon canning, mining and shipping crops.

It’s no wonder that a Chinook-based trade language evolved — known as Chinook jargon, a mélange of Indigenous words, French and English — so that these many voices could communicate throughout the region: words like skookum for strong, chuck for water, Boston for American, and alki for by and by. The character of the river has changed utterly, but not its role in facilitating commerce, trade and human interaction.

The loss of the Indigenous river is still felt today, exemplified by the tragedy of Celilo Falls, the great rapids near The Dalles where Native people used scaffolds over the river and spears and nets to fish massive salmon runs that once traversed this section on their way to spawn upstream. This 10-mile stretch of whitewater was sacrificed to inundation by the construction of The Dalles Dam in 1957.

For thousands of years, the ancestors of Oregon Indigenous artist and poet Elizabeth Woody lived here in what was once called Wyam, which she has written means “the sound of water on rocks.” The dam that drowned Celilo disrupted one of the longest continuously inhabited sites known in North America. Its fish fed people for millennia. Woody, born after the dam, writes that she has known the falls only by their absence, by the stories of their importance and abundance. She has written that she lives with its loss “much like an orphan lives hearing the kindness and greatness of his or her mother.”

Woody reminds us that we are all orphans of Celilo, even if we don’t know it. n

Knute “Mossback” Berger is editor-at-large for Crosscut.com, where

RESILIENCE AGAINST RHETORIC

Immigrant communities and the nonprofits that help them prepare for a potential shift in immigration policy

BY VICTOR CORRAL MARTINEZ

On a cold Friday morning in November, Latinos en Spokane’s office on north Monroe Street is buzzing with staff providing a myriad of services for those in need. Phones are ringing, forms are being filled out by women seeking help understanding what the papers say, and staff are translating documents for legal services and a bilingual driver’s license education program.

Latinos en Spokane is a grassroots nonprofit that began in 2016 with a primary focus on immigration advocacy. Their work aims to help immigrant communities that have a harder time using government resources because of residency status.

Similar work is happening in nonprofits around the region that offer help to immigrant communities as they brace for another Trump administration and community backlash driven by anti-immigrant rhetoric from the incoming president and his allies.

Executive Director Jennyfer Mesa is leading the charge at Latinos en Spokane. She explains that her team has prepared to respond to Project 2025, the 900-plus-page plan that conservative think tank the Heritage Foundation created for another Trump administration. Its authors include many Trump allies, and some are expected to hold positions in the second Trump administration.

While Trump has distanced himself from Project 2025, his platform touted identical components related to immigration policy. Trump’s plans include curtailing immigration programs that provide support for asylum seekers and humanitarian parolees. Additionally, his plans call for the mass deportation of millions of undocumented immigrants.

Latinos en Spokane is already ramping up efforts to help immigrants pursue legal residency. In addition to its monthly legal immigration clinics with volunteer lawyers, Latinos en Spokane opened its own legal department in June.

The nonprofit now employs an immigration attorney,

a caseworker and a paralegal, who are handling 260 cases. The nonprofit plans to hire even more people to accommodate a growing caseload.

“We are at capacity and will be actively fundraising to ramp up our legal staff,” Mesa says. “The best way to support our community is by providing legal representation right now.”

Mesa says hiring an immigration attorney can cost up to $10,000, which can devastate immigrant families financially, so providing those services for free alleviates substantial stress.

Mesa was born in Colombia and moved to Florida as a 6-year-old. She knows from personal experience the challenges immigrants face when applying for citizenship.

“It took me 30-plus years to become a citizen of this country, and it cost my family thousands of dollars that could have been invested in my education or for us to buy a home,” Mesa says. “We never had disposable income because it was always directed towards somebody’s immigration case, and it’s exhausting.”

Manzanita House is another local nonprofit that provides language services, community education, and legal services for immigrants. Last year, the nonprofit’s staff provided legal services to over 700 individuals.

Samuel Smith, director of immigrant legal aid at Manzanita House, says the number of individuals served is increasing as the nonprofit adds staff.

Smith says he knows what the Trump team says it will do, but he’s still unsure how the new administration will actually proceed.

Manzanita House is staying agile, ready to respond to changes in immigration policy. It’s already adding workshops about immigrant rights and helping individuals plan for the potential deportation of family members in mixedstatus families.

“We’re trying our best to get good information into the community about the people’s rights so they can best protect themselves, but also making sure that they have the ability and that they have the assistance in submitting applications for asylum,” Smith says. “Or, if they’re survivors of violence, [we’re helping them] to start applying now so that they have something in the process to help provide at least a minimal level of protection.”

Smith says he’s seeing an increase in people inquiring about legal services or who previously inquired and now want to pursue legal status. He also anticipates more individuals reaching out to Manzanita House for the first time. Demand for immigration services is expected to increase and far exceed the capacity of organizations in the area, Smith says. Regardless, Smith will provide immigration services as best as he and Manzanita House can.

ECONOMIC IMPACT

According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey, as of 2022, Washington had 1,188,392 foreignborn immigrants living in the state, 606,946 of whom were noncitizens. Idaho had 115,978 residents born outside the U.S., of whom 62,354 were noncitizens.

In September, Idaho Attorney General Raúl Labrador joined a lawsuit against the Biden administration’s parolein-place program claiming undocumented immigrants are straining resources such as education, public safety and medical care.

Immigration advocates such as Smith believe differently: He’s seen immigrants motivated to start working and contributing to the workforce.

Smith says the image of asylum-seekers waiting for assistance in shelters is a problem created by the system: Asylum-seekers must wait at least six months before getting

The Latinos en Spokane team outside their office.

VICTOR CORRAL MARTINEZ PHOTO

work authorization to start providing for themselves.

“The vast majority of people that I meet with, even as we’re working towards permanent status and to residency and hopefully citizenship,” Smith says, “their first priority, sometimes I feel their overriding priority, is to be able to get work authorization and be lawfully employed.”

The American Immigration Council, a nonpartisan nonprofit organization, estimates that immigrant households contribute billions of dollars in federal, state and local taxes.

According to the Immigration Council’s 2022 data, about 793,300 immigrants with and without legal status in Washington represent 19.3% of the state’s labor force. Immigrant labor represents 77% of the state’s agricultural workforce, 30.6% of STEM workers, and 17.3% of nurses.

About 254,500 undocumented immigrants in Washington account for 4.5% of the state’s workforce. The same American Immigration Council report estimates undocumented immigrants in Washington contributed $2.3 billion in federal, state and local taxes yearly.

“Immigrants pay far more in taxes than they receive and benefit, and not just in taxes, but also they are oftentimes fulfilling roles of critical importance,” Smith says.

According to the American Immigration Council, about 35,000 undocumented workers in Idaho made up about 28% of the state’s agricultural workforce and contributed $261.3 million in taxes collected in Idaho in 2022.

Mark Finney is the executive director of Thrive International, which works primarily with individuals applying for humanitarian parole, asylum and temporary protected status. Finney says that immigrant communities contribute to critical industries like agriculture and medical care, and they were vital during the pandemic.

Locally, Thrive International has worked to relocate and house Ukrainian refugees, and Finney says the families it has helped are contributing to Spokane’s economy.

“In Spokane, we’ve had over 1,000 Ukrainians that we serve who are now paying rent in their own apartments, working jobs, paying taxes, contributing to our society, right alongside everybody else,” Finney says.

Regardless of who’s in power federally, Finney says Thrive’s work will continue.

“The fundamental nature of our work is driven by these global dynamics of mass migration, economic disparity and the brokenness of our immigration system,” Finney says. “We’re working in this space, and the administration doesn’t change our mission all that much to help people move from surviving to thriving.”

LEGAL CHALLENGES

Prioritizing deportation on a large scale is not new. The Obama administration removed more than 3 million people from the country over its eight years, according to the nonpartisan think tank Migration Policy Institute.

Kristina Campbell, a Gonzaga University law professor and director of the Beatriz and Ed Schweitzer Border Justice Initiative, quickly points out that in her 22 years working in immigration law, Obama had the most aggressive deportation program of any president in recent decades, including Trump.

Campbell says she is concerned for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, recipients and those with temporary protected status. But, she says, the U.S. Constitution applies to all people in the country, and there are processes to protect individuals.

GET COZY AT FAIRWINDS.

“Everybody has a right to due process. Everybody has a right to be treated fairly under our laws,” Campbell says. “And I think a lot of our job will be to educate the community about what their rights are and just prepare people to be ready to seek help when they need it.”

Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson, now governor-elect, sued the previous Trump administration nearly 100 times. In 2019, Ferguson sued the Trump administration for using Washington courthouses to arrest immigrants with no violent history.

During his successful campaign for attorney general, Democrat Nick Brown told the Inlander that he would take up the mantle to sue any administration violating Washingtonians’ rights.

Meanwhile, the ACLU of Idaho helps challenge rights violations in the state and organizes immigration workshops for immigrant communities each summer.

Rebecca De Leon, communications director for the ACLU of Idaho, says aggressive rhetoric against immigrants and Latinos isn’t new, but she believes the rhetoric dehumanizes the population and puts their livelihoods at risk.

“The ACLU of Idaho is dedicated to ensuring that everyone’s rights, as protected by the U.S. Constitution, are upheld,” De Leon says. “Fundamental protections, such as due process, equal protection under the law, and the right to an attorney, apply to all individuals, regardless of immigration status. We aim to protect these constitutional rights, regardless of a person’s immigration status.”

A LIGHT IN THE DARK

With the aggressive rhetoric from the Trump administration advocating for mass deportation, many immigration

advocates say it’s time to come together.

Ana Trusty is the interim executive director of Mujeres in Action, a local nonprofit that works with survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault, mainly from the Latin community. She says that community faces many hardships and challenges, but immigrants are resilient and know what they must do for their families.

“Undocumented folks are hard workers. They know that they need to work just as hard, or even harder, hold two to three jobs to make sure that they’re putting food on the table and keeping a roof over their head,” Trusty says.

Trusty says that everyone must collectively come together and lean on each other. She wants the immigrant and Latino communities to educate themselves on their rights.

“We are people with rights, and we have always had that tenacity to move forward, work hard and do what’s right,” Trusty says. “We need to humanize each other, and maybe just disconnect from that rhetoric and disconnect from those sources that are sharing those messages so we can start to be human again because we’re losing that.”

Campbell feels the same way. She points out that many nonprofits are doing great work to address fears and provide help for the immigrant community. She wants people to remember that many of those who could be affected by Trump’s goals are our neighbors, friends and colleagues.

“I think we need to look to each other for strength, and I hope that we will,” Campbell says. “I hope that this time, right when people are scared and in crisis, we will look to one another and learn to trust one another, lean on one another, and get through this together rather than turn on one another.” n

victorc@inlander.com

All Systems Go

State law now allows for more traffic cameras. Spokane decides to dedicate its resulting revenue to new ideas.

BY ELIZA BILLINGHAM

In June, Janet Mann was killed in a hit-and-run crash after she stepped into the intersection of Browne Street and Main Avenue in downtown Spokane. The 78-yearold was a foster care director, an author, and a committed cyclist and pedestrian. She had the right of way, but a truck turned right and accidentally hit her. The driver was arrested about a week later.

Mann was the victim of one of seven fatal pedestrian crashes this year in Spokane. The city has seen over 100 total pedestrian-involved collisions in 2024, according to the Washington State Department of Transportation.

After Mann’s death, Spokane City Council member Zack Zappone introduced a resolution called “Janet Mann—Safe Streets Now!,” which the council passed unanimously on June 24. Then, Mayor Lisa Brown issued an executive order promising to make safe bike and pedestrian infrastructure a top priority for the city.

The same month, a new state law went into effect. House Bill 2384 expanded both the possible locations of traffic safety cameras and the pool of people who are allowed to review infractions.

The intent is to slow traffic by fining more speeders in potentially dangerous areas. But the law also adjusted the penalties, so that people with lower incomes pay only a percentage of the fine, hopefully discouraging speeding

without perpetuating economic inequities.

Last week, the City Council passed an ordinance updating Spokane’s municipal code for traffic cameras to be in compliance with state law. While updating the code, they also voted 5-2 to turn the Traffic Calming Fund, which doles out revenue from traffic cameras, into the Spokane Safe Streets for All Fund.

The renamed fund goes further than traditional traffic calming. Guided by a national “safe systems” approach researched by the Federal Highway Administration, the city fund can now also pay for pedestrian and bike infrastructure, which will hopefully make streets safer for people like Mann.

“It’s a national program that uses a safe systems approach for traffic calming,” Zappone says. “There’s been a lot of confusion about what qualifies for traffic calming. Some people think it’s just slowing down cars. That’s why the fund has been used to fund police enforcement significantly over the last couple years. This shift says, ‘No, a safe systems approach actually focuses more on road design than enforcement.’”

TRAFFIC CAMERAS

Spokane’s eight speed cameras are all located in school zones. They’re operational during the hours when students

are most likely to be going to and from school. Speed by an elementary school around 9 am and — click! — you’ll get a ticket in the mail.

Under previous state law, speed cameras were also allowed in public park or hospital speed zones. Under the new law, they’re also permitted in roadway work zones and state highways within city limits. That means Spokane could put speed cameras on Division Street, if desired. The state law also allows for one speed or red light camera per 10,000 people to be placed at any intersection local government deems especially dangerous.

Council member Paul Dillon says there’s a desire from some Council members to add more speed cameras over time.

“We hear from neighbors often that they do want more cameras in their neighborhoods,” Dillon says. “That has also been very loudly expressed to us, which also, I think, reinforces the need to align with state code.”

But per the city budget, new cameras are at the discretion of the police department, which would have to pay to install, maintain and review the cameras. With current budget issues and personnel shortages, it’s unlikely that a new fleet of cameras would be operational soon, Dillon says.

SAFE SYSTEMS

Since 2010, the revenue Spokane has collected from traffic safety cameras has gone into the Traffic Calming Fund. The speed cameras, plus 15 red light cameras, usually generate more than $5 million annually. That money is then used to pay for traffic calming measures around the city. Those measures, though, have been vaguely defined. At this time last year, then-Mayor Nadine Woodward clashed with the City Council when she proposed supplementing the police budget with $2.8 million of traffic calming funds to reestablish the traffic unit. The city eventually put $1.8 million from the fund toward the police. The new criteria would make a decision like that harder.

Revenue from red light cameras goes into the Spokane Safe Streets for All Fund. YOUNG KWAK PHOTOS

“I think really the purpose of the ordinance is just to safeguard,” says Abigail Martin, manager of neighborhood connectivity initiatives for the city. “It puts the burden of proof on the asker for the funds to say, ‘I can tie this back to the purposes and delineations of what this fund has been deemed for.’”

Dollars from the fund will still be designated for traditional traffic calming projects, like curb bumpouts, flashing pedestrian lights or striped crosswalks. But money will also be available for projects that make streets friendlier to all modes of transportation.

“The reason that we slow vehicles in these areas is to make them safe for other modes,” Council member Kitty Klitzke said in the Oct. 28 briefing meeting. “We use the money for other kinds of safety measures in those areas because we’re trying to make these roads safe for everyone, not just drivers.”

The first pillar for a safe transportation system, according to the Federal Highway Administration, is that “the safety of all road users is equitably addressed, including those who walk, bike, drive, ride transit, or travel by other modes.”

The safe systems approach is baked into the fund’s new criteria. Appropriate designations now include any programs that follow the U.S. Department of Transportation “Safe System Approach” or any infrastructure projects with a “demonstrable connection” to safe systems improvements.

All City Council members agree with the desire to safeguard the fund, but not everyone agrees that multimodal systems fit within traffic calming efforts.

“I was the lead person pushing back on funding officers with traffic calming,” says Council member Michael Cathcart, who voted against the new ordinance. “I was grateful that others on the council agreed that we needed to ‘protect the traffic calming fund’ — which they’re now willing to unprotect, which is my biggest frustration.”

Though Cathcart and fellow Council member Jonathan Bingle both voted nay, it’s not because they’re against a safe transportation system. Cathcart says he just doesn’t believe infrastructure projects like bike lanes have a meaningful impact on slowing traffic.

“Go drive Standard [Street] today, and you will see the concrete barriers that they put up to quote-un-quote ‘slow traffic,’ and I will tell you you could go 100 miles an hour and not slow a bit,” Cathcart says. “That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t build a bike lane, but it just means we shouldn’t use traffic calming money to build a bike lane. That’s the crux of the argument.”

Cathcart is concerned that the new reductions in fines will decrease the amount of money in the fund while the possible uses for that money increase.

“This is a traffic calming fund, and it should be, you know, calming traffic — not investing in other aspects of transportation,” Cathcart says. n

elizab@inlander.com

A red light camera at the intersection of Second Avenue and Maple Street.

New Treasurer

Spokane Republicans will nominate replacements for Spokane County treasurer as Baumgartner heads to Congress

BY SAMANTHA WOHLFEIL

Late last week, the Spokane County Republican Party released details on how people can throw their name in the hat to be considered as a replacement Spokane County treasurer.

It’s expected that in late December, Spokane County Treasurer Michael Baumgartner will resign his role as he prepares to be sworn in as Washington’s 5th Congressional District representative to the U.S. House.

Because he’s a Republican, the county Republican Party will get to choose three Republican nominees to forward to the Spokane County Board of County Commissioners, who will then select someone from the list to replace Baumgartner.

Those who want to participate in the county Republican Party’s evaluation and vetting process, which offers the chance to provide more information and participate in a longer interview with the vetting committee, should go to SpokaneGOP.com/contact and ask for the “candidate evaluation form.”

The form asks candidates to share their social media accounts, relevant experience and what key performance indicators they think voters could hold them to. It also asks whether they have criminal convictions or unresolved tax liens, have filed for bankruptcy, or have other conflicts of interest.

A variety of other questions include where our rights as citizens of the United States come from, under what conditions the government can suspend those rights, whether the candidate is a constitutional originalist, when they believe life begins and whether the government has a duty to protect it, and more.

The evaluation forms are due by 5 pm on Friday, Nov. 29.

Then, on Saturday, Dec. 7, the vetting committee plans to conduct interviews at the Spokane GOP office at 901 N. Monroe St. They’ll rank candidates in order of preference and present

them to members of the party in January, after a new chair is elected.

Candidates don’t have to fill out the form or participate in the interviews to be considered for nomination by the central committee. They will, however, need to fill out a declaration that they are Republican, says Rob Linebarger, the chair of the party’s candidates committee.

“It’s a voluntary process,” Linebarger says. “Per our bylaws there is no requirement for a potential candidate to go through the process.”

Ideally, the vetting committee will include about a dozen people, with about half being Republican precinct committee officers and the rest being other interested volunteers. There’s no requirement for members of the vetting committee to be Republicans, and in the past those committees have included business owners who may lean left on some issues and right on others, or simply lean toward the middle of the political spectrum, Linebarger says.

Either the Spokane County commissioners will select someone from the three nominees put forward by the party, or, if they can’t agree, the governor will choose someone from the list to serve as treasurer.

Whoever is appointed will need to run for election in 2025 if they want to remain in the seat. Whoever is elected in November 2025 will then serve one year and to keep the seat they would need to run again in 2026, which is when the seat returns to its normal four-year cycle, Spokane County Elections Manager Mike McLaughlin says.

Baumgartner offered an endorsement for his replacement last week, but Linebarger says the party will not consider the endorsement as part of its official process.

“We want the grassroots to have a voice in this,” Linebarger says. “We want a totally fair and open process.” n

samanthaw@inlander.com

The Spokane GOP is considering applicants as Michael Baumgartner steps down from his role as county treasurer. ERICK DOXEY PHOTO

Presented by Jim Custer Enterprises, Inc.

CORE Findings

Pilot program finds repeat offenders in downtown Spokane. Plus, the school district seeks help supporting homeless students; and WA finds troubling issues at Spokane Valley mill.

On Oct. 14, the Spokane Police Department, Spokane Fire Department and social service providers started a 30-day Crisis Outreach, Response, and Engagement, or CORE, program. The pilot added six additional police officers downtown and increased collaboration between behavioral health responders and social services, in the hopes of reducing low-level crime and increasing the perception of public safety. Spokane Police Chief Kevin Hall discussed the program’s findings in a virtual town hall focused on public safety on Nov. 13. According to preliminary analysis, data from the four weeks shows that police officers made about 200 contacts with 143 people, but most crimes were committed by relatively few offenders, probably around 20 people. Assaults during the four weeks of the CORE program also decreased slightly compared with the same four weeks last year. Hall said he’s looking at how to discourage repeat offenders and wants to pinpoint why assaults decreased during that timeframe. (ELIZA BILLINGHAM)

HELPING HOMELESS STUDENTS

Close to 5% of Spokane Public Schools’ nearly 30,000 students are homeless. That’s 1,375 students in the Spokane area who lack a fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence, according to the Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction’s yearly report card. The number has also increased by more than 23% from last year, when there were 1,115 students who were homeless. The district’s Homeless Education and Resource Team, or HEART, has identified 277 students who are living without a parent or guardian. Because many of these students are unable to receive support without a guardian present, HEART is holding its annual gift card drive from Nov. 19 to Dec. 10 to ensure that these students can buy necessities to get through winter break. Gift cards can be dropped off or mailed to the district offices at 200 N. Bernard St., or brought to any school office throughout the district. Donations can also be made online to the HEART trust account at spokaneschools.org/page/support-heart. (COLTON RASANEN)

SPACE HEATERS ON SAWDUST

The Washington Department of Labor & Industries has fined Fox Lumber Sales more than $126,000 for 61 safety and health violations at its Spokane Valley location near Flora Road and State Route 290 Fox Lumber Sales buys leftover wood, cuts it down, and sells pallet parts and wood stakes. The company, which has lumber mills in Washington, Oregon, Montana and Canada, has had two fires at the Spokane Valley location since it opened in January 2024. An inspection conducted in October found the lumber mill had 5 inches of highly combustible sawdust buildup, far exceeding the allowable amount of 1/8 inch. Inspectors also discovered several space heaters plugged in and sitting on sawdust. “Almost everywhere our inspectors turned, they found hazards that could injure or kill a worker,” Craig Blackwood, assistant director for L&I’s division of occupational safety and health, said in a press release. The company was also cited for lacking protective equipment for workers exposed to chains, saw blades, grinders and other woodworking equipment. Fox Lumber Sales is appealing the citation and fines. (VICTOR CORRAL MARTINEZ)

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More police, less crime? YOUNG

Down to Earth

EWU exhibit highlights innovative arts collaboration with rural Central Washington school district

BY CARRIE SCOZZARO

Picture an artwork. Does it oscillate, ambulate or otherwise move? Does it giggle? Or smile? Probably not, as most people picture a painting on a wall or sculpture on a pedestal when they envision art. But for the 245 or so pre-kindergarten through 12th grade students at Prescott School District in Central Washington, art is alive.

Just before summer concluded the 2021-22 school year, students and staff donned brightly colored T-shirts and walked across their school campus. Their path emulated the nearby Touchet River and Whetstone Creek that frame Prescott’s western flank. Older kids extended a hand to the littles as the human river coalesced onto the district’s playing field. And then, the river became a huge cloud, visible from the air as a continuous line of bright dots — red, orange, turquoise and other rainbow colors — as the students became the artwork, “Embodying the River.”

The 2022 art performance, as this type of artwork involving action is called (giggles optional), is one of several components of a yearslong collaboration between Prescott School District and Picture Lab, a Walla Wallabased arts nonprofit, and its Rural Arts Initiative.

“When the River Becomes a Cloud / Cuando el Rio se Transforma en Nube,” is both the title of the collaboration and a recently opened art exhibit at Eastern Washington University highlighting the project.

The EWU exhibition features original artwork developed with and by Prescott students, according to

organizers Tia Kramer and Amanda Leigh Evans, who have been artists-in-residence with the district since 2021. Prescott high school students who participated in the residency will also share some of their experiences during the closing reception on Feb. 4.

Kramer says she’d just signed on to be a board member with Picture Lab (formerly called the Carnegie Picture Lab) when Prescott Superintendent Justin Bradford was looking for creative ways to integrate art into the district’s curriculum.

“[Bradford] basically became superintendent during the pandemic and knew that there wasn’t funding to have an art teacher but wanted art in the schools,” she says. “I think a lot of superintendents might think, ‘Oh, how do we get art teachers here? Or how do we have a couple art classes taught?’ And he thought, ‘How could we train our teachers to teach art, so art is integrated into all the

classrooms? Or could we just have artists that come and make art and then the students experience it because they’re making it?’”

That concept, says Kramer, resonated with Picture Lab director Susan Greene, who reached out to Kramer.

“Our vision when we started [working with the school district] was there’s a certain perception of what art looks like,” Kramer says.

Their challenge, she says, “became how do we really pull every student outside of that expected framework of what art is and show them the vast expanse of what art can look like and how they can access it through whichever means or channel or expression that is of most interest to them.”

Kramer and Evans, who collaborate under the moniker DeepTime Collective, refer to the kind of work they do as social practice or socially engaged art.

“When the River Becomes a Cloud” features art created by students in the Prescott School District of rural south-central Washington. PHOTOS COURTESY OF EWU / DEEPTIME COLLECTIVE

“I think that in this practice, in this project, the process of making the work and the people who are making it with us are [equally] as important and the research that’s going into it,” says Kramer, who describes herself as a social choreographer. “They’re all part of the practice and part of the result of the practice.”

Before they launched “Embodying the River,” for example, the pair queried Prescott students and staff about the kinds of art they were familiar with or wanted to see, Evans says.

When people mentioned the immersive Van Gogh exhibit in Seattle, Evans and Kramer had an epiphany.

“We were like, hey, we’re going to create an immersive art experience at our school,” Evans says.

Projects from the residency, which is ongoing, are organized around several themes. “Celestial Game,” for example, features sunrise and sunset images contributed by Prescott staff, students and students’ families and affixed to the backboard of two basketball hoops on campus, one east- and one west-facing. “Mapping Our Watershed” incorporates artwork by first grade and high school students.

“When the River Becomes a Cloud” is thinking about cycles, Evans explains. “The way that water cycles through a landscape, the way that people move across borders, the way that birds migrate, and also, we were thinking about agriculture as a form of movement.”

Located about 20 miles north of Walla Walla, the region is home to a large Spanish-speaking population, the majority of whom live in a farmworker housing community connected to the region’s apple industry. A smaller population of white workingclass families, many of whom live in Prescott, population 377, are rooted in dryland wheat farming.

“The apples that are grown in our region go probably all over the world, at least around the U.S.,” says Evans.

She notes that media consumed in rural areas is typically produced in urban centers.

“And so we really wanted to create an artwork that was defining what is meaningful from within the school instead of by looking elsewhere to replicate something outside of the school, because I’d be surprised if anyone living in LA or New York City has ever heard of Prescott, Washington,” Evans says.

Contemporary art, she adds, “needs to figure out how to be relevant to people from a variety of class backgrounds.”

Art is important, says Evans, who describes growing up with a working-class background. She’d never visited an art museum until college and never felt as if she fully belonged in those spaces.

“I believe creative practice is important, and it’s deeply human,” Evans says. “It doesn’t just belong to certain people who have class access to art. And we believe that students at Prescott School deserve a high quality experience with art that asks those questions.” n

When the River Becomes a Cloud / Cuando el Rio se Transforma en Nube • Thu, Nov. 21-Feb. 4, 2025; open Mon-Fri from 9 am-5 pm • Free • EWU Gallery of Art • 140 Art Building, Cheney • 509-359-2494

DeepTime Collective’s Tia Kramer and Amanda Leigh Evans. AMANDA KLEIN PHOTOGRAPHY PHOTO

Where Emerging Artists Fly

Chrysalis Gallery on Spokane’s South Hill boosts artists of all backgrounds, including kids and veterans

BY CARRIE SHRIVER

Under the watchful gaze of a large, metal dragonfly painted and named “Scrappy” by a Westview Elementary School class, visitors enter Chrysalis Gallery. A canvas hanging just inside the front door depicts a playful bear chasing butterflies, while the tantalizing smell of kettle corn hangs in the air.

On Spokane’s lower South Hill, the cozy space inside offers a diverse range of art from wire-wrapped jewelry, ceramic smoking pipes, unique masks, paintings in all types of media and aromatic bags of kettle corn.

Denny Carman is the man behind this creative and eclectic mix, opening Chrysalis in December 2022. The gallery’s origin, however, traces back to the early 2000s when an accident resulting in a severe back injury ended Carman’s 32-year career as a journeyman plumber. The subsequent loss, pain and medication fog sent him into a depression for years.

“I’m very thankful I got injured,” he says now. “It’s

really changed my life.”

One day in the aftermath of his injury, Carman’s artist son, Shawn, showed him how to use oil paints. From that moment, Carman became hooked on art.

“Art saved me. I think that’s why I’m so devoted to helping others with it,” he says.

With no formal art training, Carman started painting what came to his mind: trees.

“Since I was on pain meds, it was easy to paint limbs on a tree,” he says. “I came up with my own style, and they just somehow came together. I just painted trees for quite a while.”

Carman eventually started showing his work after being encouraged by fellow Spokane artist Christina Deubel. His confidence was further boosted after a series of his elegant tree paintings — heavily detailed, twodimensional silhouette-style depictions — on display at the Liberty Building Gallery sold in 2008.

After spending several years on pain meds, Carman decided to taper off.

About a year later, when he couldn’t create enough new paintings to show at the multiple galleries interested in showcasing his art, he instead offered some of the opportunities to other local artists. This was the beginning of his mission to help fellow creatives.

“Over the years, I always told my wife, wouldn’t that just be cool to live in a place and have a gallery down below?” he recalls. “But I never, ever, would have guessed that would happen.”

Chrysalis Gallery’s location, like art, serendipitously crept into Carman’s life. He was looking for a way out of the “cracker box” house he and his wife hated. He’d shared his dream of creating a combined home-gallery space with a fellow artist who also works in real estate. She happened to know of the

Scrappy the dragonfly (top) welcomes all to Chrysalis Gallery. ERICK DOXEY PHOTOS

perfect place with room for a gallery in the basement, a dark blue house with aqua trim across the street from Huckleberry’s Natural Market on South Monroe Street. Chrysalis Gallery has now been there for two years.

“We have a lot of talent in our community, and not just established talent,” Carman says. “I’m using [my place] as a tool to get this talent out in the community. I saw that young artists, disabled artists, really didn’t have opportunities. If you’re an upand-coming artist, people just weren’t there for them.”

Carman invites other underrepresented groups to the gallery, including veterans and children. Through November, the gallery is showcasing art by 10 local veterans, including the butterflychasing bear by the front door painted by Nancy Reid Isaak.

“I saw that art would help veterans to express what they went through or what they’re going through,” Carman says. “It just got into my blood because I know I wouldn’t be doing what I’m doing if the veterans didn’t sacrifice to put me here.”

Other work in the exhibit is by Vietnam veteran Dan Cronyn, whose paintings include majestic mountain landscapes. Cronyn is also colorblind, although viewers wouldn’t know it when viewing his work. Daniel Droz, meanwhile, transforms former musical instruments into fascinating art pieces. This includes a saxophone made into a lamp, and a violin decked out with metal hands poised as if about to play the instrument.

Clinton Barnes paints bold watercolors. Among the 82-yearold vet’s work is a barn bathed in warm sunlight. Bright paintings by Ken Kuszmaul, also in the show, include a UFO pausing to pick up surprised passengers.

Striking digital portraits in the gallery were captured by Antonio Romero. These include an inspiring portrait of another veteran, who died before the artist completed it. Romero donates each service member’s portrait he creates to their families.

Carman is also delighted by children’s art. Chrysalis has a section of beaded and wire jewelry created by his granddaughter, but she’s not the only youth artist whose work he displays.

Art for kids “helps them inside. It gives them confidence,” he notes. “A lot of kids can’t express themselves, but put a canvas in front of them, they just bloom.”

Carman reserves a special wall in the gallery each month for an artist between the age of 2 1/2 and 11. At the end of the month, he then takes the work to Yoke’s Fresh Market on Indian Trail Road where it’s displayed and for sale for another month.

Carman also collects art supplies throughout the year to donate to local elementary schools and kids who visit the gallery.

This December, Chrysalis Gallery is showcasing even more local, young talent. So far Carman has two kids signed up, but he’d like to feature about a dozen.

“If you’re a kid or an older person, I want everybody to come in here and feel like they’re home. If you leave here without smiling, there’s something wrong,” Carman says. “I just want everybody to have a great experience when they come here.” n

Chrysalis Gallery is connected to artist Denny Carman’s South Hill home.

‘Sharpened Away’

Karen Mobley’s latest poetry collection is informed by home and loss

BY MADISON PEARSON

Unless you’re relatively new to Spokane’s creative scene, chances are you’ve brushed elbows with Karen Mobley at some point.

Maybe you met her at one of her art shows, where she showcases paintings and “doodles,” as she calls them. Maybe you ran into her at a public art dedication that she had a hand in. Or maybe you’ve had the pleasure of chatting with Mobley and meeting her three beloved cats — Andrew Wyeth, Marie Curie and Betye Saar — in her South Hill home.

Between art shows and her work with Spokane Arts, however, Mobley is always writing. Her latest musings are now compiled into a new book of poetry titled 6B Pencils.

The collection marks Mobley’s third venture into the literary world. In 2020 she released Trial by Ordeal, a poetry collection reflecting a period of great loss in her life, followed by 2021’s Catatopia, a collection detailing her experiences during the COVID-19 lockdown.

Some of the poems in 6B Pencils are pieces Mobley deemed too “playful” to include in Trial by Ordeal. Yet she noticed a few common threads connecting the scrapped poems and figured they deserved a place in another collection.

collection of local poets writing about local places significant to them.

“I am a margarita at the Baby Bar, a poem in the mouth,” it reads, referencing the longtime downtown nightlife establishment and its recurring Broken Mic event. “I am the children feeding the garbage-eating goat.”

Mobley, though well-versed in the intricacies of Spokane culture, grew up in rural Wyoming. She calls the Lilac City home now, but her art and writing are informed by her bucolic upbringing. The artist says her parents introduced their children to a wide array of subjects.

“We were talking about everything from Egyptians to veterinary surgery at our house,” she says. “Politics, religion, science — especially about biology.”

Due to their rural surroundings, Mobley grew up with very few kids around, having more contact with adults than children her age, but she had her brother Curt. The two wrote poetry together, created art and even told stories by knocking on the walls in Morse code.

I am a margarita at the Baby Bar, a poem in the mouth, I am the children feeding the garbage-eating goat.

Unlike Mobley’s previous books, 6B Pencils is less rooted in a moment in time. Rather, the poems are divided into thematic sections from the past few years of the author’s life.

“There’s the — I guess I’m going to call them erotic poems — there’s a group of poems based on experiences with specific places,” Mobley says. “And then there are a group of poems that were created because they were asked for in some way.”

These “erotic poems” are some of the first few in the collection. Though not explicitly sexual, Mobley uses an apple pie analogy and a burning bush on the day of Pentecost to express sensuality and sexual experiences.

A poem titled “I Am Spokane,” meanwhile, comes from former Spokane poet laureate Laura Read’s project I Am A Town, a

The collection’s title refers to a box of 6B pencils that Curt, a cartoonist, left behind after his death in 2002.

“I finally used them all up,” Mobley says. “They were all sharpened away. It was an emotional resonance. Not only was he gone, but the thing which was a legacy of his life in mine is now gone, too.”

The poem “Friendly Formidae” is dedicated to her brother’s memory. Another, “Ask me about the time,” details other losses that Mobley has experienced.

“You know that thing they say, that someone is never really dead until people stop remembering them?” she asks. “A little bit of the grief echo in 6B Pencils is that. We’re getting to the point where I’m the one who remembers, but others don’t.”

The last poem in 6B Pencils is Mobley’s call to action for those grieving.

“Save something for a rainy day…I saved my mother’s love, stowed it in the deep pocket of my coat like a river rock… Grief is not contagious. But save it. Save it until it rains.” n

6B Pencils is available at Auntie’s Bookstore, Wishing Tree Books, The Northwest Museum of Arts & Culture and From Here. Learn more Karen Mobley at karenmobley.com.

Spokane artist Karen Mobley released her third poetry collection. ESTEVAN HEREVIA PHOTO

— “I AM SPOKANE” BY KAREN MOBLEY

SECOND CHANCE THEATER

If you missed it the first time around, it’s new to you. Here are seven TV shows Netflix has salvaged

BY BILL FROST

Besides poverty and eyeball strain, one of the biggest hazards of being a TV critic is surfing too far ahead of the curve. I’ll praise a cool new show on an obscure platform strictly on its merits, not its availability: Don’t have a Snork+ subscription? Sucks for you. Then, years later, that cool new-to-civilians show turns up on Netflix, and everybody hits me up about it. Here are a few examples, all now streaming on The Big Red N.

LOUDERMILK (2017-2020)

Loudermilk, a comedy about a recovering alcoholic GenX rock critic ( Ron Livingston), premiered to exactly no one on DirecTV’s ironically named Audience Network. It later turned up on Prime Video, but the show blew up bigly when it dropped on Netflix in January 2024. Sam Loudermilk runs a recovery group, lives with a pair of former addicts (Will Sasso and Anja Savcic), and regularly rants about modern culture and popular music (he’s not a fan of either). Four seasons, no filler.

DETROITERS (2017-2018)

Before he had a hit with I Think You Should Leave, Tim Robinson co-created and starred in Detroiters on Comedy Central — this was back when CC produced originals beyond South Park and The Daily Show. Best friends Tim (Robinson) and Sam (Sam Richardson) work at a Detroit ad agency, cranking out low-budget/highhilarity TV commercials for local businesses. Detroiters has the lived-in feel and flow of a 10-year comedy, but it only lasted for two terrifically rewatchable seasons.

KEVIN CAN F***

HIMSELF (2021-2022)

Annie Murphy went hard, dark and weird for her first post-Schitt’s Creek TV series. In one reality, housewife Allison (Murphy) suffers moron husband Kevin (Eric Petersen) and a braying laugh track that thinks he’s hysterical. In another, the laughs are gone, the lights are low, and Allison is desperate to get out of this abusive, sub-King of Queens hell. The sitcom/drama pivots of Kevin Can F*** Himself are black comedy gold, and Murphy crushes both.

from obscurity

PREACHER (2016-2019)

One of AMC’s most gonzo gambles, besides Kevin Can F*** Himself, was Preacher, based on the Vertigo Comics series. When hard-drinking and harder-living Texas preacher Jesse (Dominic Cooper) mysteriously gains the power to bend people’s will, he hits the road to find God with his violence-prone ex, Tulip (Ruth Negga), and Irish vampire Cassidy (Joseph Gilgun). Preacher is a righteously blasphemous thrill-kill ride that takes no prisoners and was wisely capped at four seasons.

UNREAL (2015-2018)

For those who hate reality TV (guilty), UnReal is a dark, devious pleasure that somehow began as a Lifetime(!) original. Rachel (Shiri Appleby) is a producer on Everlasting, a Bachelor-esque dating show. She excels at ginning up TV-ready drama between contestants, but it wears on her soul. Meanwhile, her boss Quinn (Constance Zimmer), who has no soul, pushes Rachel to do anything for ratings. Everyone on UnReal is awful, but you still root for them. Just like reality TV.

DARE ME (2019-2020)

Dare Me premiered on USA Network in the TV dead zone between Christmas and New Year’s Day — you know, that magical time of year when everybody’s looking for a glum psychological thriller about high school cheerleaders. The story centers on besties Hanlon (Herizen Guardiola) and Beth (Marlo Kelly), who find themselves at odds when a new cheerleading coach (Willa Fitzgerald), who has a mysterious past with Hanlon, arrives. Come for the cheerleading routines; stay for the sheer tension.

WARRIOR (2019-2023)

HBO afterthought Cinemax’s ambitious but doomed foray into original programming produced some solid shows (Banshee, The Knick, Quarry), but none of them topped Warrior. The action series, executive-produced by Shannon Lee (daughter of Bruce Lee, who ideated Warrior), follows Chinese martial arts prodigy Ah Sahm (Andrew Koji) as he battles to stay alive — and find his sister — in 1870s San Francisco. The cinematography is as gorgeous as the fight scenes are brutal. n

THE BUZZ BIN

TAKE AN ELFIE

If photos in Santa’s lap aren’t your kids’ favorite holiday tradition, consider having them crawl into a festive elf-size abode instead. Popular local photobooth company Electric Photoland is bringing back its Elves Cottage pop-up photo set inside its downtown Spokane studio after debuting the project last year. Sessions open on Nov. 20 and run through Dec. 7. Each 10-minute shoot ($75) can accommodate up to four people inside the diminutive scene. Perfect for using on holiday cards, photos can be purchased as prints or accessed via a digital gallery. Head to elvescottage.com/ spokane to reserve a time. (CHEY SCOTT)

GOLDEN GLASSES

Judging for the 11th annual Washington Beer Awards took place in Seattle earlier this fall, and breweries on this side of the Cascades have a lot to brag about since winners were announced on Nov. 4. Among the more than 170 breweries that entered this year’s blind judging, a dozen breweries in Eastern Washington brought home accolades. Among the local goldmedal winners: Brick West Brewing Co. (2), Garland Brew Werks, Humble Abode Brewing, Genus Brewing & Supply, Snow Eater Brewing, and Lumberbeard Brewing. Taking silver: Uprise Brewing Co., Big Barn Brewing (2) and Humble Abode. Nabbing bronze hardware: Whistle Punk Brewing, Hat Trick Brewing (2, pictured above), Uprise (2), Humble Abode, Genus and Four-Eyed Guys Brewing Co. For a complete list of all winners, including which beers each won with, visit wabeerawards.com. (CHEY SCOTT)

THIS WEEK’S PLAYLIST

Noteworthy new music arriving in stores and online on Nov. 22.

FATHER JOHN MISTY, MAHASHMASHANA

As he moves further from his sharp satirical origins, FJM finds himself luxuriating in dark rock poetry over lush — and occasionally harsh — walls of sound.

ICE CUBE, MAN DOWN

While he’s spent more time acting than rapping in recent decades, the N.W.A. OG is out to prove he’s still one of the West Coast hip-hop GOATs on his 11th solo album.

VARIOUS ARTISTS, TRANSA

This 46-track collection from the nonprofit Red Hot spotlights trans and nonbinary artists and allies, including Laura Jane Grace, Sam Smith, Andre 3000, Perfume Genius and Jeff Tweedy, plus Sade’s first new track in six years. (SETH SOMMERFELD)

Detroiters

I am putting down roots so they can grow.

Every Name, A Story

Spokane Public Schools begins a new era, naming schools after a Holocaust survivor, a Japanese American teacher and a Chicano art professor

BY COLTON RASANEN

Names are everything and everywhere (all at once). We name our children and our pets. We give them to our cars and plush toys, or other inanimate objects. And we give them to places.

On the most basic level, they act as identifiers. But dive deeper into the names of places and you’ll find rich histories that are easy to overlook. That’s why we wanted to take a deeper look at namesakes within one of the state’s largest school districts: Spokane Public Schools.

“We generally name things to honor people,” local historian Larry Cebula says. “And the people we name schools after are held up as moral examples to children.”

That’s why we have schools named for civil rights advocates, educators and even politicians. However, there are many examples of namesakes who weren’t exactly moral. One figure Cebula points to locally is James Glover, who Glover Middle School is named for.

Glover was an early pioneer and founder of Spokane. As historians looked into his past though, they found examples of misdeeds against his first wife and the Indigenous communities that called the Inland Northwest home long before any white man claimed ownership of the land.

“The first generation of school names were local settlers who seemed worthy at the time,” Cebula says. “There hasn’t really been change in how we name things, but our view of settlement and settler colonialism is less romantic these days. We’re trying to move away from that.”

Though Cebula says our relationship with harmful namesakes has clearly soured over time, the act of renaming places isn’t novel.

“The renaming of things is nothing radical

or new,” he says. “This nation began by pulling down statues of the monarch to rebel against the British.”

It’s not new to Spokane Public Schools either, which has named and renamed many schools over the years. One of the most recent examples is when the district renamed Sheridan Elementary School in 2021, because its namesake, Union Gen. Philip Sheridan, treated Indigenous communities brutally during the Indian Wars after the Civil War. The school is now named Frances Scott Elementary, after the first Black female lawyer in Spokane.

In total, the district has named five schools in the last three years, three of which were new middle schools paid for with part of the $495 million construction bond voters passed in 2018. School Board President Nikki Otero Lockwood says in that time, it’s been important for her to make sure folks from marginalized communities are being recognized for their contributions to the region.

While one could argue that the lack of school namesakes who are people of color reflects a relative lack of diversity in the region — the latest Census indicates that more than 80% of Spokane’s population is white — Otero Lockwood says the same argument can’t be made for the lack of schools named after women.

“There were only two schools named after women when we started this project to name four or five more schools,” she says. “In [my] five-plus years on the school board, we’ve tripled the amount of schools named after women — which is still only six schools.”

Of those women who’ve been honored, the most recent selection also broke namesake tradition: She’s still alive.

“ ”

We’ve tripled the amount of schools named after women — which is still only six schools.

PEPERZAK MIDDLE SCHOOL

Two weeks ago, students at Peperzak Middle School gathered together for a schoolwide birthday celebration. The party wasn’t for one of their peers, or even a staff member, but for their school’s namesake Carla Olman Peperzak, who turned 101 on Nov. 7.

If you imagine a plane taking flight in the middle of a school gymnasium, you might be able to comprehend the shrill excitement of hundreds of preteens screamsinging “Happy Birthday.” Peperzak is practically a celebrity to the school’s population. Once the celebration was over, at least 30 students swarmed her wheelchair to ask for photos and autographs.

Peperzak is the district’s only namesake who is still alive. Because of that, she’s been a regular presence at the Moran Prairie school, often sharing snippets of her history with the students.

Born in 1923 in the Netherlands, Peperzak was almost 17 when Nazi Germany invaded the country during World War II. Though she was Jewish, her family found a way to prevent her identification papers from saying as much, according to the Holocaust Center for Humanity in Seattle.

When she was 18, she joined the Dutch Resistance and saved some family members and other Jews who would have been sent to concentration camps. In one

instance, she removed a young cousin from a train bound for a killing center by impersonating a nurse, according to the Seattle Holocaust Center for Humanity.

This year, the celebration — which started as an annual tradition when the school opened last year — was extra special as Peperzak, along with the entire student body, found out that the middle school would receive a sapling from the Anne Frank Center. The sapling was grown from the chestnut tree outside Frank’s house in Amsterdam, which the Jewish girl wrote about lovingly in her journal before she was found and sent to Nazi concentration camps, where she died in February 1945.

After nearly four years of trying to secure a sapling ...continued on next page

Students rushed to get photos with Carla Olman Peperzak on her 101st birthday at Peperzak Middle School on Nov. 7. ERICK DOXEY PHOTO

EDUCATION

“EVERY NAME, A STORY,” CONTINUED...

from the tree for the school, Peperzak says she thought it would never happen.

“I couldn’t believe it,” she says. “It’s hard to explain what a tree means, but it’s terribly, terribly important for me.”

Peperzak grew up attending synagogue and Hebrew school with Anne Frank’s older sister Margot.

When the sapling is planted at the school this spring, it will be one of only 18 of its kind in the country. Peperzak says she hopes to be there when it’s planted.

Raymond Sun, an associate history professor at Washington State University with an interest in Holocaust and genocide studies, has been in close contact with Peperzak for the last decade. It was a 2015 story about her in the Spokesman-Review that initially

sparked his interest, because she is a Jewish survivor of the Holocaust.

“It’s a fairly rare story since most Jews were killed,” Sun explains. “Her story is also interesting because she was a woman, and when war came to the Netherlands she wasn’t even 17 yet.”

Since the pair met, Peperzak has spoken to many of Sun’s history classes, which he says makes the lessons more real for students.

“[Students] hearing the story from someone who experienced it is unlike anything I can produce with classroom materials,” Sun says. “I think people need individuals to identify with to make the history real. The history lacks a heart and soul and story, but when people can identify with an individual, then it becomes more engaging and understandable, because we’re all human.”

Earlier this year, Peperzak was awarded an honorary doctorate from WSU, in part for her contributions to student learning through years of sharing her story, Sun says. And even though she won’t always be able to talk to students, Sun hopes that having a school in Spokane bearing her name will keep that history alive.

“She won’t be around forever. I think the purpose of naming the school after her is supposed to give the district a chance to cultivate the story of this person and use it to impart those values of kindness and respect,” he says. “We’re about to lose this generation of Holocaust survivors, so it’s on us educators to film these stories. We’ve gotten [Peperzak’s] testimony on film, and it will continue to be an effective tool, but it will still be less effective than a real person.”

...continued on page 28

TOP: Peperzak Middle School is located on East 63rd Avenue.

MIDDLE: Carla Olman Peperzak is comforted by her daughters as she learns the school named for her will receive a sapling from the tree outside the Anne Frank House.

RIGHT: Students ask Peperzak for autographs and take time to speak with their school’s namesake.

ERICK DOXEY PHOTOS

YASUHARA MIDDLE SCHOOL

“Denny [Yasuhara] was always someone who could get the support of the people. He could negotiate with anyone, but he never took a step back because he was adamant for standing up for himself,” Dean Nakagawa says. “He was a force for change, for equality, for dignity, and if he saw something wasn’t going right, he would always say something. People hated him because he was too honest, too down to earth, too just, but he never wavered on what he thought was right.”

Nakagawa, 77, was born and raised in Spokane’s Japanese American community, but he didn’t meet Denny Yasuhara until the 1970s. At the time, Nakagawa was president of the Spokane Japanese American Citizens League, and he was working to start a food booth at the Spokane Interstate Fair. Everyone he talked to pointed him toward Yasuhara.

“I finally called him, and he said, ‘Sure.’ It surprised the heck out of me,” he says, recalling the first time the pair worked together. “He came on board immediately, and he organized the oriental food booth at the interstate fair. Then, he organized at least 20 people to build and run the booth for the fair’s 14-day schedule.”

That food booth would return for another 17 years,

but it was that initial meeting in the ’70s that sparked a lifelong friendship between Yasuhara and Nakagawa.

Yasuhara was born in 1926 in Seattle to two Japanese immigrants. However, soon after his birth, his mother died, leaving his father to support four kids, including a 6-month-old baby. Denny was adopted by family friends, the Yasuharas, who lived in Bonner’s Ferry, Idaho, at the time.

Yasuhara was just a teenager by the time World War II broke out and President Franklin Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066, which allowed the country to incarcerate about 120,000 people of Japanese ancestry, the majority of whom were American citizens, following Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor.

Due to their location in rural Idaho, the Yasuhara family avoided the internment camps, the SpokesmanReview reported in 2021, but they still suffered harsh discrimination in Idaho.

Nakagawa says Yasuhara would talk about that time sometimes, but not often.

“He was in a fight after school every day, and people would sneer and spit at him,” he recalls.

The family ultimately moved to Spokane looking for a marginally larger Japanese American community.

In the 1980s and ’90s, Nakagawa says Yasuhara worked with the National Japanese American Citizens League, which is the oldest civil rights group for Asian Americans in the nation. With that organization he fought for reparations for those who were interned during the war. Thanks to the organization’s advocacy, Congress passed the 1988 Civil Liberties Act, which saw the U.S. government and President Ronald Reagan apologize for the internment and allocate $20,000 for each person who was interned and displaced from their home. He served as the organization’s president from 1994 to ’96.

“I always thought he was a major force in this advocacy because he was always telling us exactly what was happening as far as negotiations go,” Nakagawa says.

Yasuhara’s work as a civil rights leader proved vital for the country’s Japanese American population, but Nakagawa says his 28-year career with Spokane Public Schools was equally important to him. Yasuhara began by teaching at Logan Elementary School, but later moved to Spokane Garry Middle School, where he taught math and science until he retired in 1989.

“The students loved him because he gave them extra time. He would go early in the morning to open the gym so students wouldn’t have to wait outside, and he gave them help to accomplish their higher goals,” Nakagawa says. “I remember his wife [Thelma] always asked him why he didn’t move up into the administration, but he always told her, ‘No, these students need me where I am.’”

Joanne Ferris has fond memories of Yasuhara and her father George Yamamoto together.

The two men were close friends, and while Ferris was too young at the time to remember exactly what was talked about inside her home, she says that even as a child she could see the passion Yasuhara had for doing the right thing.

“I wasn’t sure what he was talking about, but he really had a fire in his belly,” she says. “I could definitely tell that it was a passion to make things right for people who have not been treated equally.”

As Ferris grew older, she realized that doing the right thing wasn’t always the popular thing as she saw Yasuhara deal with a lot of criticism in his endeavors. Though she says it was that realization that inspired her to become more active in her community.

Ferris is the vice president of the Hifumi En Society, which provides support for Japanese Americans in Spokane and was co-founded by Yasuhara.

Today, the Hifumi En Society is often invited to talk with students, which Ferris says has been a wonderful way to teach them more about their school’s namesake.

“When you look at what he’s done, not just in Spokane but for Japanese Americans everywhere, it’s quite impressive,” Ferris says. “Hardly anyone in Spokane knew that someone like Yasuhara pushed a lot of things forward that helped a lot of people. [Naming] Yasuhara Middle School was an important step for us to honor his contributions.”

FAR LEFT: Denny Yasuhara Middle School is located on North Perry Street. COLTON RASANEN PHOTO

LEFT: Yasuhara meets President Bill Clinton in 1995. PHOTO COURTESY SPS

BELOW: Students often called their beloved teacher “Mr. Yas.” PHOTO COURTESY SPS

RUBEN TREJO DUAL LANGUAGE ACADEMY

On a cloudy Thursday afternoon in mid-September, Mauricio Segovia welcomes hundreds of students into the large field behind Ruben Trejo Dual Language Academy. Every so often a break in the clouds allows the final rays of summer sunlight to shine down onto the outdoor space.

“Buenas tardes, students,” the school principal says with a grin as he offers each passing kid a high-five. “Dame cinco. Give me five, amigo.”

Segovia switches between English and Spanish, often repeating words or phrases in both languages as he talks with students. It’s an experience that’s unique in Spokane Public Schools, as the academy is its first and only school where students receive an entirely bilingual education.

As the school’s 290 students begin to settle into their seats, their excited chatter is dulled by the sound of live music from Eastern Washington University’s mariachi band, complete with the blaring trumpet, soothing guitarrón and melodic accordion that the genre is known for.

The Sept. 12 event at the school’s Spokane Valley campus is serving as an inauguration of the school’s first year under a new namesake, Rubén Trejo.

Tanya Trejo and her brother José Trejo, two of Rubén’s kids, are both there.

“He was just someone who was very focused on community. He showed that with his art, showed that with how we talked to people,” Tanya Trejo says. “So I think it’s such a wonderful honor.”

José Trejo speaks to the students and families who are now attending a school named after his father.

“I really didn’t realize how much he affected the lives of so many people in so many ways,” he says. “I think that is the most important part of my memory of my father.”

Rubén Trejo was born in 1937 and raised in St. Paul, Minnesota. His parents, Eugenio José Trejo and Esperanza Trejo, were first-generation Mexican immigrants.

In Rubén’s younger years, he worked as a farm laborer, but eventually he chose to pursue the arts, according to the Smithsonian American Arts Museum.

In 1969, Trejo earned a Master of Fine Arts degree in sculpture from the University of Minnesota. His work often took inspiration from his Mexican heritage, and infused a sense of humor. For example, his Calzones series of sculptures includes a bronze cast pair of underwear and a jalapeño that is meant to challenge the traditional Spanish machismo culture, according to a book documenting his artwork, Ruben Trejo: Beyond Boundaries, Aztlan y mas alla.

Four years after receiving his degree, Trejo got a job at Eastern Washington University teaching art. In those early years of his 30-year tenure, he worked hard to support the school’s small Latino population. By 1977, Trejo had co-founded the Chicano Education Program at the university, which is now known as Chicana/o/x Studies.

...continued on page 32

ABOVE: Rubén Trejo’s art is often shown at Marmot Art Space, and is in the permanent collection of the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture.

SCOTT BRITAIN PHOTO COURTESY OF TANYA TREJO

TOP: Ruben Trejo Dual Language Academy is located on East Fourth Avenue in Spokane Valley.

PHOTO COURTESY SPS

MORE NAMESAKES

From politicians, doctors and educators to historians and civil rights leaders and activists, many of the schools within the Spokane Public Schools district are named after someone notable. While we’ve featured three of the district’s recent namesakes in this section, below you’ll find a collection of other historical figures whose stories pepper the walls of more than half of the schools in Spokane.

For this section, we’ve excluded past U.S. presidents and other national figures, such as Benjamin Franklin, who don’t have explicit ties to the Inland Northwest or Washington state and have all been written about extensively.

FERRIS HIGH SCHOOL

ROGERS HIGH SCHOOL

Though he worked to protect Latino students at Eastern from discrimination by increasing the resources available to them, he took other measures at home to keep his own children safe in the Inland Northwest, his daughter Tanya says.

“I don’t speak Spanish because my father had been so discriminated against for speaking Spanish that he didn’t want us to speak Spanish,” she tells the Inlander

“I totally understand, and I think we’ve come a really long way for that in Eastern Washington,” she continues. “So I think it’s full circle of someone who wanted to protect his kids from what he experienced as a negative thing, to have his name on a school where it’s celebrating people who are bilingual. I think it’s really lovely.”

School Board President Otero Lockwood says that she is one of the lives that Rubén Trejo touched at Eastern. She was the first person in her family to go to college, so the entire enrollment experience, and specifically securing financial aid, was new and stressful.

While she was able to secure a combination of student loans, scholarships and Pell grants, she says she hit a wall soon after moving into the dorms.

“The Financial Aid Office called me and told me that my financial aid was going to be revoked,” she says, recalling the stress of that moment. “I was already in, so I didn’t know what to do. But, at the time I had a boyfriend, and his mom worked at a small technical college, and she said, ‘Nikki, go to Chicano Studies, they’ll help you.’”

She sought help in the department that Trejo had founded, and she was able to quickly find out that there were small technical errors on her financial aid forms — something she says is extremely common for first-generation college students.

“That thing that he created helped me, and if I hadn’t gotten that help, I mean, I hope I would have still gone to college, but it just would have been a very different experience,” she says, quietly fighting back tears. “You know, we stand on the shoulders of the people that came before us, and that ripple effect of him creating [the Chicano Education Program] reached me directly and so many other students. So many other students.” n

Joel E. Ferris was born and raised in Carthage, Illinois, but eventually moved to Spokane in 1908 when he was 34 years old. Ferris was a banker by trade, eventually becoming the president of the Spokane & Eastern Trust Company in 1931, according to his Spokesman-Review obituary. Aside from his day job, Ferris’ interest in Inland Northwest history was well known. He served as the president of the Eastern Washington State Historical Society. After his death, his donated personal library became an essential part of the society’s special collections and is still housed at the Northwest Museum of Arts & Culture.

LEWIS & CLARK HIGH SCHOOL

Capt. Meriwether Lewis and 2nd Lt. William Clark led the famous U.S. military expedition to explore the Louisiana Purchase and the Pacific Northwest from 1804 to 1806. Many places throughout the region are named for the two men.

THE LIBBY CENTER

Isaac Chase Libby was born in Maine in 1852 and he later moved to Spokane with his wife, Martha, in the early 1880s. Libby is known for his work as the superintendent of Spokane County schools from 1887 to 1891, and later his work as a Greek and Latin teacher at Spokane High School (today’s Lewis & Clark High School), according to the Isaac Chase Libby Papers.

John Rankin Rogers was Washington state’s third governor. Rogers was first elected in 1896 and re-elected to the office in 1900. He died before completing his fifth year in office.

CHASE MIDDLE SCHOOL

James Chase moved to Spokane from Texas in 1934 and spent much of his time in the city working at auto body repair shops, including Chase and Dalbert Body and Fender Repair, which closed in 1981. Chase was also a prolific civil rights advocate, serving as the president of the Spokane NAACP through the entirety of the 1960s. He later made history by becoming Spokane’s first Black City Council member after a narrow election victory in 1975. Chase was reelected to the same seat in 1979, and then in 1981 was elected mayor. This election made him the first Black mayor in Spokane and the second Black mayor in Washington state. Chase chose not to run for a second term, and he died in 1987, two years after he left office.

FLETT MIDDLE SCHOOL

Pauline Pascal Flett grew up on the Spokane Indian Reservation speaking her family’s native language, Spokane Salish. Flett only learned to speak English when she went to public school, InsideEWU reported, and later co-authored the first SpokaneEnglish dictionary. By the time she died in 2020, the tribal elder was known for her decades of work documenting the Spokane Salish dialect and reviving a once endangered language.

SPOKANE GARRY MIDDLE SCHOOL

Slough-Keetcha was born in 1811 to the chief of the Middle Spokane Tribe Illum-Spokanee. At 14 years old he, like many Indigenous youths at the time, was sent to a boarding school in what is now Manitoba, Canada. There, he took on the name Spokane Garry at the requirement of the boarding school, according to Spokane Historical, a public history project at Eastern.

In 1828 his father died, so he made his way back to the Inland Northwest where he would become Chief Spokane Garry, serving as a leader for what we now know as the Spokane Tribe. The rest of his life was spent trying to secure a treaty with the white settlers and a reservation for his people. He died in 1892, a few years after a white settler stole his farm and left him homeless, according to the Washington State Historical Society.

Principal Mauricio Segovia came out of retirement to lead the academy. PHOTO COURTESY SPS

“EVERY

Bring comfort and joy home.

GLOVER MIDDLE SCHOOL

James Glover has often been called the “Father of Spokane.” When he arrived in the area in 1873, he bought 160 acres of land around the Spokane River and worked to build a city around the picturesque Spokane Falls. The historic Glover Mansion, one of his most notable namesakes, was built for Glover and his wife, Susan, in 1888. However, he later divorced Susan, remarried just days later, and then had his ex-wife institutionalized for the last 22 years of her life.

“Glover avoided serious scrutiny in his lifetime and died with his reputation intact,” Lisa Waananen Jones wrote for the Inlander in 2014. “But in keeping his first wife out of sight — and out of history — Glover ended up jeopardizing the honored place he worked so purposefully to attain in Spokane’s story of itself.” In a reckoning with that unsavory history, the Spokane City Council declined to add his name to the plaza outside City Hall in April 2014.

FINCH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

John A. Finch was an English immigrant who made his money in the mining industry, specifically at the Hecla Mine in Burke, Idaho. Finch, who would later die in Hayden Lake in 1915, is partially known for his lavish mansion built by renowned Spokane architect Kirtland Cutter in the Browne’s Addition neighborhood.

FRANCES SCOTT

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Frances L.N. Scott grew up in Spokane’s East Central neighborhood and later spent three decades teaching English at Rogers High School, the SpokesmanReview reported. During her tenure, she earned a Juris Doctorate from Gonzaga University, passed the state’s bar exam and became the first attorney in Spokane who was a Black woman.

HAMBLEN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Laurence Hamblen served as the Spokane City Park Board president in the 1950s and was vital in the creation of the Spokane Parks Foundation. Today, the foundation continues to ensure that the entire city has access to parks and recreational programs.

HUTTON

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Levi W. Hutton was a railroad engineer who married May Arkwright (right) in 1887, according to the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture. The couple made their fortune in Idaho’s Silver Valley, and Arkwright Hutton was a suffragist who campaigned locally for women’s right to vote. She died in 1915, just five years after Washington state guaranteed women the vote. After her death, her husband went on to found the Hutton Settlement, a home for children that still operates today.

SACAJAWEA MIDDLE SCHOOL

Sacajawea was born in the late 1780s and likely died in 1812, according to the Brooklyn Museum. Sacajawea was the only woman on Lewis and Clark’s expedition, and she was the only member who was not paid. Her regional knowledge proved to be vital to the white settlers’ survival, as is evidenced in the journals left behind.

...continued on next page

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“MORE NAMESAKES,” CONTINUED...

SALK MIDDLE SCHOOL

Dr. Jonas Salk was a virologist in New York City who developed one of the first polio vaccines, which was determined to be safe in 1955.

SHAW MIDDLE SCHOOL

John A. Shaw was a North Central High School graduate who went on to teach at the same school and eventually became the school’s fifth vice principal in 1924, according to the Washington state Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation. Shaw then worked as the principal for Havermale Junior High School — which would later become the Spokane Public Montessori School — in 1928, and after a brief period away from the district he became the superintendent from 1943 to 1957.

STEVENS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Isaac Stevens was the first governor of the Washington territory, serving from 1853 to 1857. He used troubling tactics to compel local Native American tribes to sign treaties and imposed martial law to force his control in the territory. He was killed during the American Civil War in the Battle of Chantilly.

WHITMAN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Marcus Whitman made his way to what’s now Walla Walla in the late 1830s to establish a mission. Whitman later led settlers to the West across the Oregon Trail who would encroach on the territory of the Cayuse tribe and wipe out part of their population with a measles outbreak. In retaliation, Cayuse natives murdered Whitman and other settlers in 1847.

WILLARD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Frances Willard was born in Churchville, New York, in 1839 and spent most of her life as an educator and women’s suffragist. She died in 1898, 22 years before the 19th Amendment granted women the right to vote federally. n

140 years of expanding access to local care

City Sidewalks

Downtown Spokane for the Holidays

SHOPPING

Gifts

Galore

Finding the perfect gift doesn’t have to take hours of shop-hopping. The key is knowing where to look. ANTHROPOLOGIE (885 W. Main Ave.) makes shopping for fashionforward items effortless on account of its incredible selection of boho-chic womenswear, shoes and accessories coupled with a cozy yet creative retail vibe. From head-turning dresses for formal occasions to snuggly soft sleepwear and sweaters, you’re sure to find ultra-trendy clothing to suit any occasion. Plus there’s stylish home décor like wall art, candles, dinnerware and furniture.

If you’re leaning more toward gifts that celebrate everything local, RIVERFRONT GIFT SHOP (507 N. Howard St.) inside the Looff Carrousel specializes in items that let you share your love of the Lilac City and our wider region.

“We have books by local authors, games and toys for younger kids, and Spokane and Riverfront Park branded apparel,” says Riverfront Park Director Jonathan Moog. “We also have items that reference

more general things we’re known for in the Inland Northwest like Bigfoot and huckleberries. And we wouldn’t be doing it right if we didn’t have at least a couple Garbage Goat items.”

Along with popular year-round souvenirs like T-shirts, puzzles and hats, Riverfront Gift Shop also features Christmas ornaments, snow globes and other seasonal goods. The best part? You’re only steps away from a ride on the historic Looff Carrousel.

Quirky is the watchword at nearby BOO RADLEY’S (232 N. Howard St.), arguably the best spot in town for one-of-a-kind gifts that are steeped in pop culture and knowing humor.

When your giftee is into cartoons, sci-fi, classic films, pop music, art or all of the above, you can bet that Boo Radley’s — named for the enigmatic character in To Kill a Mockingbird — has a T-shirt, sticker, board game, plush toy or mug paying tribute to their favorite figures and quotes. 

Every week through Christmas, let City Sidewalks help plan your holidays!

Classical Takes on Pop Hits

Long to swoon to the music of Bridgerton? You’ll get that chance when the VITAMIN STRING QUARTET performs at the Fox on Nov. 23. While you may not be familiar with the name, it’s almost certain you’ve heard the musical stylings of the quartet — which consists of two violins, a viola and a cello. Composed of a rotating group of session musicians based in Los Angeles, the Vitamin String Quartet has created more than 70 albums filled with classical interpretations of contemporary music. They’ve covered music from a wildly diverse range of performers, from Queen to Rush, Lady Gaga to Iron Maiden, Bruce Springsteen to Lana Del Ray, and of course, Taylor Swift. It’s the rare musical experience that promises to be engaging to music lovers of all ages as the quartet explores new ways of thinking about familiar tunes. 

BOO RADLEY’S

Auntie’s Bookstore

Something for SomethingEveryone

Downtown Spokane for the Holidays

FOOD Sip and Savor

So Many Cuisines

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rawing on an inspired mix of traditional cuisines that includes Latin, Italian, French and Asian, DOÑA-MAGNOLIA (110 S. Madison St.) adds its own contemporary flair to make the familiar fresh again. Dishes like jalapeño cilantro-infused alfredo pasta imbue a classic Italian dish with Mexican flavors, for example, while the chorizo burger gives a Spanish twist to a quintessentially American staple. Of course, for the purists, there are timeless dishes like a New York-style Angus steak or a Caesar salad.

While PURGATORY (524 W. Main Ave.) was just recognized by Whisky Advocate magazine for its jaw-dropping selection of 1,022 whiskies, customers also rave about specialties like the elk burger or the brisket sliders that showcase the house-made bourbon barbecue sauce.

“We get a lot of great comments on our food,” says Purgatory owner and founder Kevin Cox. Purgatory has been busy expanding into the adjacent space this year and will unveil its larger digs at the start of December. The new area increases the footprint fourfold, adding more room for dining and a brand new liquor lineup. At opening, there will be more than 300 agave-based spirits like tequila and mezcal.

“We’ll be doing holiday flights that change every week,” says Cox. “And you can buy a flight pour of any spirit on the wall. So you can really explore the different spirits with the help of our bartenders, who are experts in their field.”

For a fine dining atmosphere with an emphasis on fresh, high-quality Northwest seafood, ANTHONY’S (510 N. Lincoln St.) is a favorite among downtown diners. Perched above the Spokane River, the restaurant offers an incredible wintertime view of the upper falls to complement coastal delicacies like Alaskan scallops, Willapa Bay oysters and Dungeness crab. Anthony’s lunch and dinner menus also offer classic dishes like fish and chips, chowders, calamari and seafood fettuccine. 

PURGATORY

DOÑA-MAGNOLIA

Strolling to Santa

For both the young and the young at heart, one of the most anticipated events of the year is SANTA’S ARRIVAL . Coming straight from his legendary North Pole workshop, the bearded icon in red will be making his grand seasonal entrance at River Park Square on Nov. 23, starting at 3 pm.

“This year, we have a lot of special guests joining in the fun beforehand and then also during the tree lighting ceremony: winter princesses, the Ferris High School Dance Team, Mrs. Claus, Spokane Aerial Elves, the Cheney High School Show Choir and even Boomer the Bear from the Spokane Chiefs,” says Rita Koefod, River Park Square’s director of marketing and communications.

The visual centerpiece of the celebration is the stunning 50-foot tree in the mall’s atrium. Once it’s aglow with holiday lights, Santa will take his seat and be available for photos through Christmas Eve. Pro tip: STCU members can save $10 on their

photo packages at River Park Square just by using their STCU credit or debit card.

A million things to see from $25 to $25,000!

Extending south from River Park Square along Post Street is the new-for-2024 MERRY & MAGICAL LANE . With all-new canopy lights, window displays and more seasonal decorations than ever before, this festive and inviting stretch of downtown between the mall and the Historic Davenport Hotel will provide a picture-postcard backdrop to your holiday shopping. And there’s even more reason to visit, thanks to the MERRY & MAGICAL DEALS PASS . Participating businesses in downtown Spokane will offer special deals and discounts Nov. 23-Jan. 31 through an exclusive mobile app from Visit Spokane. Learn more at SpokaneHolidays.com. 

IN THE NEXT CITY SIDEWALKS

Downtown Spokane has so much to offer during the holidays — follow it all here in CITY SIDEWALKS inside the Inlander. Next week, Christmas Tree Elegance is back, along with the annual Riverfront Park Christmas Tree Lighting.

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WINE

THE ROSÉ WAY

The pink-hued wine is perfect not just for summer, but year-round — including with Thanksgiving dinner

BY BOB JOHNSON

Asmile crosses the face of Chuck Reininger, the founder of Reininger Winery and Helix Wines in Walla Walla, when asked to describe the rosé style of wine.

“Rosé, to me, is always delightful,” he says. “It’s beautiful. It’s sexy. It can be all those things.”

Bartender, a round for the house!

“I think most people think of rosé as a summertime wine,” says Natalie Conway-Barnes, co-winemaker with her father, Mike Conway, at Latah Creek Wine Cellars in Spokane Valley. “We definitely market it that way at the beginning of summer. But it pairs so well with whatever you’re having all year long.”

That may well be rosé’s superpower, as selecting the wine or even several wines to serve with the multiple-dish Thanksgiving meal has long been a thankless task.

Food and wine pairing is mostly about flavors. Growing up in her family’s winery, Conway-Barnes initially was taught to pay attention to flavors by her mother, Ellena.

“Mom would cut an apple and pour a little bit of riesling into a glass,” she recalls. “She’d tell me to take a bite of apple and then taste the wine, and I could taste the apple flavor in the wine. That really was the beginning of my wine education, and it’s why riesling has always been near and dear to my heart.”

Years later, she would discover her true vinous love.

“So many wines you buy in the supermarket have similar characteristics and flavors because they’re made with various combinations of the Bordeaux varietals — primarily cabernet sauvignon and merlot,” she observes. “Then I tasted a tempranillo and it threw me off. The whole flavor profile was different. It was unique. It was the first time I really had a vision of what wine tasted like, and I loved it.”

Latah Creek’s rosé is crafted from malbec grapes. YOUNG KWAK PHOTOS

While it might be said that winemaking is in the Conway family DNA, the wine-bug didn’t afflict Reininger until after he married. Originally, he had visions of starting a brewery, but after moving from the Seattle area to Walla Walla with his wife, Tracy, Reininger began making wine at home.

“I absolutely fell in love with it,” he says, adding that a big part of it had to do with his experience as a climbing guide on Mount Rainier.

“That gave me an interest in geology,” he explains. “The vine is the umbilical cord between the soils and the wines. What was intriguing about it to me was that I could sit at the dinner table and ponder where the wine came from — the geology of it.

“I like to say that I make wine for myself, and if there’s enough left over, I share it with everyone else.”

“It evoked the same feelings in me of why I would climb — being in awe of the incredible sources that created our world,” he adds. “With climbing, I get a view from above. Wine gives me a view from below.”

That respect for things he cannot control informs Reininger’s approach to winemaking.

“I’m not trying to make a similar profile year after year, although I do have preferences,” he says. “I like to say that I make wine for myself, and if there’s enough left over, I share it with everyone else. I just try not to get in Mother Nature’s way. I try to be a good steward of the land. Grapes will turn into wine eventually if you leave them alone; winemakers just slow the process.”

Similarly, Conway-Barnes understands that the most memorable wines are largely allowed to happen, rather than being manipulated.

“Mother Nature always takes a unique path,” she notes. “With riesling, one year you might get a Granny Smith [apple] flavor, while another year you might have pear in there. You have to allow each wine to shine. With reds, we can use oak to balance out the flavors, but I want you to taste the fruit first. With our rosé, like all the wines, I want the vintage to dictate.”

There are four basic ways to make a rosé wine: maceration, saignée, direct press and blending. Entire books have been written about the processes, but it ultimately boils

down to an individual winemaker’s preferences and how they envision the finished product.

Early on, Reininger says he experimented with the saignée method — removing the juice from a tank of fermenting grapes and then fermenting the juice separately — but didn’t like the relatively high alcohol level in the wine, which he likened to “fire water.” It was after a visit to the Chianti Classico region in Italy’s Tuscan hills, where he experienced Rosato Classico wines for the first time, that he decided to make “a real rosé.”

For him, that equated with “making the wine in the vineyard,” and managing the vines differently than sangiovese vines intended for making red wine.

“We’re basically looking at slightly higher yields and higher acidity in the grapes — not bracing, but higher,” he explains. “To get the level we want, it typically means picking the grapes earlier. You need to make sure the greenness has grown out of the grapes, and then you keep a close eye on the fruit.”

Helix Wines sources its sangiovese grapes from the Stillwater Creek Vineyard in Washington’s Royal Slope viticultural area, about 5 miles north of Royal City.

The evolution of Latah Creek’s rosé program has included a sangiovese as well as a blend of red and white varietals. Today, the Latah Creek rosé is crafted from malbec grapes grown in the Famiglia Vineyard in the Ancient Lakes American Viticultural Area (AVA) in Central Washington.

“I chose malbec because of its intense fruit flavors,” Conway-Barnes explains. “You get some unique flavors, like watermelon, that you’re not going to taste in red malbec.”

Exceptional rosés can be made from almost any red grape variety. Icicle Ridge Winery in Leavenworth and Coeur d’Alene Cellars, for example, both use pinot noir fruit. Rosemary Manor in Post Falls makes a dry rosé from cabernet sauvignon grapes and a sweet rendition from syrah. Pend d’Oreille Winery in Sandpoint also makes a syrah rosé. Even hybrid grapes can be used, as demonstrated by the Marechal Foch rosé made at Skimmerhorn Winery and Vineyard in Creston, B.C.

The French have known of rosé’s food affinity for generations. When visiting Lyon, the city that natives consider the country’s culinary capital, you’ll witness hardly any white wine being consumed, some red, and a whole lot of rosé — whether it’s in a boulangerie where the chef can be seen through a kitchen window ladling oodles and oodles of cream into a pot to create a decadent mushroom ravioli or in a café serving croque monsieur and a simple green salad.

That versatility makes rosé the perfect antidote to a Thanksgiving wine headache. n

“With our rosé, like all the wines, I want the vintage to dictate,” says Latah Creek co-winemaker Natalie Conway-Barnes.

ALSO OPENING

BONHOEFFER: PASTOR. SPY. ASSASSIN. Angel Studios’ latest feature dramatizes the life of Dietrich

and

REVIEW

Are You Not Mildly Entertained?

The highly anticipated Gladiator II makes an uninspired return to ancient Rome

BY JOSH BELL

Not long after director Ridley Scott’s original Gladiator was released in 2000, star Russell Crowe approached singer-songwriter Nick Cave to write a sequel to the Oscar-winning hit. Although Crowe’s Roman military commander and gladiator, Maximus Decimus Meridius, dies a glorious death at the end of the movie, Crowe wanted a way to return.

So Cave wrote one of the most infamous unproduced screenplays in Hollywood history, featuring Maximus making his way through the afterlife, battling gods, and eventually becoming a sort of avatar for war and violence across the entirety of human history.

Rated R

Gladiator II

and the promise of a more democratic Rome, apparently none of that came to pass. Rome is now ruled by a pair of equally deranged twin emperors, Caracalla (Fred Hechinger) and Geta (Joseph Quinn). They send their top general, Marcus Acacius (Pedro Pascal), to conquer the African territory of Numidia, where Lucius has made a new life for himself. Like his father before him, Lucius is captured and sold into slavery, and his skills as a fighter soon make him the most formidable threat in the gladiatorial arena.

Directed by Ridley Scott

Starring Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal, Denzel Washington

It’s not surprising that Cave’s bizarre vision never made it to the screen, but it’s also tough not to wish for something bolder while watching the version of Gladiator II that Scott finally did make. To Scott’s credit, the longawaited sequel features its share of out-there moments, but far too much of it is a bland retread of the original, with star Paul Mescal failing to live up to Crowe’s mesmerizing performance as Maximus.

Mescal plays the grown-up version of Lucius Verus, the son of Maximus and Lucilla (Connie Nielsen). Lucius has been living in exile for 15 years since the events of Gladiator, when Lucilla sent him away to protect him from forces loyal to her late brother, the deranged Emperor Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix).

Although Gladiator ended with Commodus’ death

Mescal, who’s given strong performances in low-key dramas like Aftersun and All of Us Strangers, always seems out of place as the supposedly fierce warrior. It doesn’t help that Scott frequently throws in flashback clips of the original movie, emphasizing how brilliant Crowe was as Maximus. The characters, too, are in awe of Maximus, repeating some of his iconic lines as words of wisdom that have now been passed down across generations. The result is a movie that is constantly reminding viewers of something better they could be watching instead.

Pascal (who is in seemingly every other high-profile project in Hollywood) is similarly underwhelming as the conflicted Acacius. Nielsen, the only major actor to return from the first movie, mostly looks lost. That all makes it even more thrilling whenever Denzel Washington appears onscreen as Macrinus, a onetime slave who has risen to become a behind-the-scenes operator dealing in gladiators and other questionable commodities.

At first Macrinus seems like a devious but helpful mentor for Lucius, but as his grand plan comes into focus, he emerges as the movie’s real villain, an ambitious and cruel manipulator who’ll do whatever it takes to amass power. Washington looks like he’s having a blast as the ruthless, smooth-talking, shockingly sexy agent of chaos, and the movie completely deflates whenever he’s not around.

Even with its dull story and duller protagonist, Gladiator II still generates some excitement during its action scenes. As in the first movie, Scott stages a thrilling opening battle and multiple brutal, intense fights in the arena. Never one to be concerned with historical accuracy, Scott offers up a scene of the flooded Colosseum filled with sharks, as the gladiators engage in combat aboard boats and try not to fall in the water and get eaten. Earlier, Lucius faces off against giant feral baboons that are barely distinguishable from mythological monsters.

More of that Cave-style craziness would have served Gladiator II well, but Scott spends far too much time on the plodding interpersonal drama and the characters’ rote inner conflicts. As a spectacle, Gladiator II is passable at best, with special effects that look no better and no worse than the CGI of nearly 25 years ago. As an engaging drama — one that could theoretically win Oscars — it’s a bust. Only Washington provides the kind of energy that lives up to the original. After all this time, the most that Scott can come up with is a mediocre echo of what he’s already accomplished. n

Gladiator II can’t battle its way to the original’s Oscars highs.

Bonhoeffer, a German pastor

theologian who staunchly opposed the Nazi’s genocidal dictatorship during WWII. Rated PG-13

We’re Off to See the Witches

Wicked turns the Broadway hit into a mostly satisfying big-screen spectacle

BY JOSH BELL

As a movie based on a musical based on a book inspired by a different movie that was itself based on a book, Wicked comes to the screen with a lot of baggage. Director Jon M. Chu doesn’t run from any of that, embracing the movie’s range of source material to deliver a largescale crowd-pleaser that should satisfy most fans of most of the previous iterations.

Just as importantly, Wicked should satisfy viewers who aren’t familiar with the hit Broadway show, or the Gregory Maguire novel it’s based on, or even the 1939 classic movie The Wizard of Oz or L. Frank Baum’s 1900 novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. The basics of Baum’s story are so ingrained in pop culture that it’s nearly impossible to avoid them, but Wicked’s particular story is just as familiar in its own way, a broad and accessible tale of an outcast who fights back against injustice and bullying.

That outcast is Elphaba Thropp (Cynthia Erivo), better known as the Wicked Witch of the West in the tale of Dorothy Gale’s journey to the magical land of Oz. With her distinctive green-colored skin,

Elphaba is scorned by her father and everyone around her from the day she’s born, and she tries to hide the chaotic magical powers she possesses. It’s her younger sister Nessarose (Marissa Bode) who is sent to the fancy Shiz University, and Elphaba only enrolls after she’s spotted and recruited by Madame Morrible (Michelle Yeoh), the school’s professor of sorcery.

At Shiz, Elphaba meets Galinda (Ariana Grande), later to be known as Glinda the Good Witch of the North. Galinda is a vain popular student who’s initially horrified to be rooming with Elphaba, but the two later become friends, although they compete for the affections of fellow student Fiyero Tigelaar (Bridgerton’s Jonathan Bailey), a seemingly superficial but secretly soulful prince.

Rated PG

Wicked

Directed by Jon M.

An opening flash-forward establishes Dorothy’s eventual defeat of Elphaba for anyone who doesn’t remember, so the story is headed toward inevitable tragedy, even if it gets just halfway there by the end of its 160-minute running time. Chu and screenwriters Winnie Holzman and Dana Fox adapt only the play’s first act, taking nearly as much time as the entire production lasts onstage, including intermission. That makes the pacing a bit sluggish, especially in the middle, although it also allows Chu to include all of the songs, which is often not the case when Broadway shows come to the screen.

Those songs are the highlight of Wicked on both stage and screen, and Erivo and Grande are equally fantastic at delivering them. Hiring stars who can actually sing makes a huge difference for a movie like this, and Erivo and Grande apply the full force of their powerhouse voices to all of Stephen Schwartz’s songs, culminating in signature number “Defying Gravity.”

They also give strong performances in the smaller moments, and Grande is especially amusing as the vapid, self-centered Galinda. Grande channels original Broadway star Kristin Chenoweth (who makes an extended cameo alongside her stage co-star Idina Menzel) with a delightfully sarcastic performance that still finds emotion in the burgeoning central friendship.

Chu’s musical experience includes the film version of In the Heights as well as two Step Up movies, and he knows how to stage kinetic dance numbers that don’t obscure the choreography or lose track of the performers. The rest of the movie’s aesthetic is less impressive, and turning certain moments into effects-heavy spectacles only sidelines the music and the characters in a story that’s about heart, not action set pieces.

Even worse is the choice to make the talking animals (including a goat professor voiced by Peter Dinklage) into photo-realistic CGI creations, which are as lifeless as the characters in Disney “live action” remakes like The Lion King. That ugly modern sheen extends to the color palette, which is never remotely as vibrant as the 1939 movie or even Sidney Lumet’s maligned 1978 film version of The Wiz. As great as Erivo and Grande are here, seeing them perform Wicked onstage would probably be a more satisfying experience. The movie will reach more people, of course, and for now, that’s good enough. n

Erivo and Grande carry Wicked with their singing and acting.

Chu

Starring Cynthia Erivo & Ariana Grande

NOT FLYING BLIND

After a long break following the Pacific Northwest indie folk boom, Blind Pilot returns with In the Shadow of the Holy Mountain

BY SETH SOMMERFELD

It’s easy to digest cultural history when reading it in a book. It’s simple for scholars to lay things out in a way that makes sense as patterns emerge and the passage of time allows for a broader perspective. The people involved become characters — relics of the past who can be boiled down to a few lines rather than the complex living and breathing people they were.

Actually living through a cycle of cultural history is much more complicated.

When singer-songwriter Israel Nebeker started the band Blind Pilot with drummer Ryan Dobrowski in the

mid-2000s, the then-Portland-based duo was just playing the type of music they and their friends enjoyed. Blind Pilot’s 2008 debut album 3 Rounds and a Sound radiates an easygoing sonic warmth. Combined with Nebeker’s emotionally thoughtful lyrics, it’s an album that quickly caught on with the mildly crunchy and contemplative Pacific Northwest collegiate crowd.

Blind Pilot — which expanded to become a six-piece band with bass, banjo, trumpet, vibraphone and more — was just making the kind of music that appealed to its members. But it turns out they weren’t the only ones in

the region on a similar wavelength.

The mid-2000s saw a massive Pacific Northwest indie folk boom. Fellow Oregonians like The Decemberists, Blitzen Trapper, and Horse Feathers emerged around the same time that Seattle Sub Pop bands like The Head and the Heart, Fleet Foxes and Band of Horses broke out on a national level. There was a Cascadian quaintness that Blind Pilot and their PNW peers all shared — Blind Pilot even did bike tours. Nebeker and Dobrowski would pedal long distances to take in the beauty of the evergreenstrewn West Coast between gigs.

INDIE FOLK

Israel Nebeker (center right) strove to make the new Blind Pilot album a full band endeavor. FAWN DEVINEY PHOTO

But it wasn’t long before a version of the booming scene grew beyond them and became commodified into a stomp-clap pop movement and a style that could be peddled as a hipster aesthetic. This commercialized indie folk might’ve been parroting some of the same notes as the PNW indie folk scene, but it was an entirely different bird. Needless to say, this shift was a bit of a headtrip for Nebeker.

“I studied art history in school. It’s one thing to conceptually understand how art movements flow and how it always works and changes and morphs into the next thing. It’s a different experience to be a part of something,” Nebeker says.

“We were really lucky. There wasn’t a scene for what I was drawn to making at that time. We got to be at the front of a big wave that we didn’t even know was forming. It was just what we were attracted to and some of our friends were attracted to. Looking back on it, it was exciting to be there and to be part of a scene and to be like a buzzy band — that was amazing, that was a dream come true. But it also was deeply disturbing by the time every Brooklyn kid musician putting on overalls in a straw hat and speaking with the Southern accent on stage. It was like, ‘Oh man, we need to get out of this.’ [Laughs]”

“It was actually difficult to be in that moment for me, because I knew conceptually that this is just how art movements work — they’re alive and thriving and bringing a potent message for just a couple of years, maybe three or four at most, and then it’s onto the next thing,” he continues. “But to be part of it, it was artistically really challenging. I felt resentment for everybody that was commodifying something that felt really valuable, and now we were forced to either be a part of the song and dance or move on to the next thing, which we didn’t want to. We liked what we were doing.”

After releasing two more LPs — 2011’s We Are the Tide and 2016’s And Then Like Lions — Blind Pilot mostly dropped off the radar until this year. August saw the release of In the Shadow of the Holy Mountain. The album showcases a group that hasn’t lost a step, whether it’s the opening exuberance of Nebeker retracing his roots (“Jacaranda”), an outdoorsy rumination on the stories that continue across time (“Pocket Knife”) or tender homespun love songs (“Don’t You Know”). While the now-Astoria, Oregonbased Blind Pilot hadn’t been planning to take such a long time off, part of the delay was just Nebeker just finding his songwriting spark again.

“I was trying for some years to bring songs in, and they just didn’t really want to come,” Nebeker says. “One major pivot was I gave myself permission to write songs for a solo album, rather than writing for Blind Pilot. And immediately, a lot of songs started coming through. But I was very much not looking forward to the conversation going to my band and saying, ‘Thank you so much for waiting for me for like five years, but I am going to record a solo album instead.’ And so the second pivot that came was that notion that now that I have a solo album written and about to go record, I could devote the month of July [2023] to writing for Blind Pilot, and it could just be whatever comes out in that month.”

While Nebeker’s songwriting drives Blind Pilot, the process of making Holy Mountain was largely one intended to decentralize him from

controlling every aspect of the process. The band employed producer Josh Kaufman to make the new album, which allowed Nebeker to step back from a guiding role. The results lead to an album that showcases the band as its own living entity, instead of being so songwriter focused.

“I’ve always known that the music will sound best if everyone gets to be their authentic self in the song together — if everyone gets to bring what they do best, musically and energetically,” he says. “But it gets really tricky when you’re a songwriter, because you’re also obligated to the song. You have a stewardship role for the song. And sometimes those things conflict. I didn’t feel that conflict at all in this album’s whole process. It just flowed.”

The swift songwriting window also allowed Nebeker’s songs to unfold within his own brain differently. While prior Blind Pilot albums featured autobiographical songs that he’d honed over years and understood with a craftsman’s sense of complete comprehension before ever bringing them to his bandmates, some of the themes on Holy Mountain didn’t even become evident to him until the album had been fully completed.

“I was listening back to it with some friends, and it just hit me really hard how much of the album has to do with my own story as it mirrors and relates and reflects my family’s ancestral story and stories in my family,” he says. “That’s a pretty big through line.”

That story is, in part, one of the Sámi, an Indigenous people of the Scandinavian region. Nebeker can trace his lineage back to the Sámi, but also those who caused the Sámi suffering.

“The Sámi hold a pretty similar recent history as Native Americans: land taken, pushed into less desirable land, and children taken from families, Christianized, all that. That’s definitely part of it. Also my mom’s side of the family is Jewish from Ukraine — pretty intense trauma with pilgrims in Ukraine and starvation and things like that,” Nebeker says. “But I also gotta say, on my dad’s side I’m Sámi, but I’m also Norwegian. I come from this oppressed group, I also come from the oppressors. And I think that’s pretty important to understand, that we all hold trauma in our family line. That’s the story of our world, collectively.”

After the long unintentional hiatus, Blind Pilot is excited to get back out in front of fans to share these Holy Mountain tunes and revisit old favorites. Blind Pilot heads — not by bike — to the Bing Crosby Theater for a concert on Tuesday, Nov. 26. Nebeker has been thrilled that folks still care about his band’s music.

“We weren’t really sure where our fan base was going to be at by the time we were back on the road. And, you know, it’s a very different musical world than it was when we put out our last album in 2016,” Nebeker says. “But it has been really encouraging and truly just overwhelmingly amazing to have fans show up and be glad to connect with us still after a lot of years.”

Blind Pilot might no longer be riding the cresting wave of the mid-2000s Pacific Northwest indie rock boom, but there’s still plenty of musical joy to be found in calmer waters.

Buzz fades, but authenticity does not. n

Blind Pilot, Molly Sarlé • Tue, Nov. 26 at 8 pm • $30-$165 • All ages • Bing Crosby Theater • 901 W. Sprague Ave. • bingcrosbytheater.com

theswingingdoors.com

(509)326-6794 • 1018 West Francis Ave • Spokane

December 7th & December 14th

SANTA TRAIN RIDE

DECEMBER 7th 11am • 1pm • 3pm • 4:15pm

DECEMBER 14th 11am • 1pm • 3pm

Ride with Santa and his Elves in a full size train car; includes admission to the Museum, tour of museum, walk through train cars, view exhibits; and a ride on our 2-foot gauge train Treats! Take pictures with Santa!

4 & Under On Lap Free • All Others $20.00 Order Tickets Online, Pick Up Day Of Ride

Inland Northwest Rail Museum 27300 Sprinkle Road • Reardan, Washington 509-796-3377 • www.inlandnwrailmuseum.com

ALT-ROCK THANKSGIVING THROWDOWN

Thursday, 11/21

BOLO’S BAR & GRILL, Bolo’s Blues & Brews

BOLO’S BAR & GRILL, Neon Interstate

CHECKERBOARD TAPROOM, Weathered Shepherds

J LUNARIUM, Starlite Open Mic

J MIKEY’S GYROS, Old Timey Music Jam Sessions

MOOSE LOUNGE (NORTH), Luke Yates

J QQ SUSHI & KITCHEN, Just Plain Darin

J SPOKANE TRIBE CASINO, Keith Anderson, Devon Wade

J WESTWOOD BREWING CO., Open Mic Night

ZOLA, Sydney Dale Band, RŌNIN

Friday, 11/22

ARBOR CREST WINE CELLARS, KOSH

J J THE BIG DIPPER, Hayes Noble, Puddy Knife, Psychic Death, Fossil Fire Fossil Blood

BOLO’S BAR & GRILL, Rusty Nail & The Hammers

THE CHAMELEON, Sorry for Party Rocking

CHINOOK STEAK, SEAFOOD & PASTA, Mike McCafferty

J THE GRAIN SHED, Haywire

IRON HORSE (CDA), Sonic Groove

J JAGUAR ROOM AT CHAMELEON,

The Writer’s Room: Vika, Surname, Folds, Jacob Maxwell, John Wayne Williams

J KNITTING FACTORY, The Pharcyde

MOOSE LOUNGE, Karma’s Circle

When Thanksgiving rolls around, you can always count on Spokane pop punk band Free the Jester to lay out a tasty spread of live local music for all to enjoy. The night before the holiday of gratitude always finds the FtJ crew rounding up their alt-rock buddies in a metaphysical cornucopia of distorted sound that all ages can enjoy. The free showcase returns to the Knitting Factory for its 10th edition with a lineup that includes The Nixon Rodeo, Nothing Shameful, Pulling 4 Victory, Nathan Chartrey and, of course, Free the Jester. Be thankful for this sonic bounty. — SETH SOMMERFELD

Thanksgiving Throwdown 10 • Wed, Nov. 27 at 6:30 pm • Free • All ages • Knitting Factory • 919 W. Sprague Ave. • sp.knittingfactory.com

CLASSICAL POP VITAMIN STRING QUARTET

MOOSE LOUNGE (NORTH), Bruiser NIGHT OWL, DJ F3LON

J PEND D’OREILLE WINERY, Nobody Famous

RED ROOM LOUNGE, Live DJs

SPOKANE EAGLES LODGE, Over Easy Duo

SPOKANE EAGLES LODGE, Into the Drift Duo ZOLA, Mister Sister

Saturday, 11/23

ARBOR CREST WINE CELLARS, KOSH BERSERK, Elektro Grave Goes Berserk

J THE BIG DIPPER, Mama Llama, Gaxing, Minot, Timeworm

BIG RED’S, Starlite Motel

BOLO’S BAR & GRILL, Rusty Nail & The Hammers

J THE CHAMELEON, EJ Worland, Blake Braley, Tristan Hart Pierce

CHINOOK STEAK, SEAFOOD & PASTA, Mike McCafferty THE DISTRICT BAR, SonReal

J J FOX THEATER, Vitmain String Quartet

J HAMILTON STUDIO, Time Baby

IRON HORSE (CDA), Sonic Groove

J KNITTING FACTORY, The Devil Wars Prada, Silent Planet, Like Moths to Flames, Greyhaven

There’s certainly a market for pop favorites put through a symphonic filter. The Los Angeles-based Vitamin String Quartet brings mainstream pop into the classical sphere with seven charting albums, tracks heard on Bridgerton and over 2 billion streams. The ultra prolific foursome turns out albums of covers at an extremely rapid pace — this year alone they’ve put out collections of Taylor Swift, The Weeknd, Fall Out Boy and Paramore tunes. On its latest tour, the quartet is foregrounding performances of Swift songs alongside pieces from fellow modern hitmakers like Billie Eilish and BTS. The sweet call of violins and the deep thrall of cellos make it nearly impossible to have a bad night with VSQ. — MADI OSWALT

Vitamin String Quartet • Sat, Nov. 23 at 7:30 pm • $25-$45 • All ages • Fox Theater • 1001 W. Sprague Ave. • foxtheaterspokane.org

MOOSE LOUNGE, Karma’s Circle

MOOSE LOUNGE (NORTH), Bruiser NIGHT OWL, Priestess

J J NORTHERN QUEST CASINO, Straight No Chaser

J PEND D’OREILLE WINERY, Tom Catmull

RED ROOM LOUNGE, Live DJs

J SNOW EATER BREWING CO., Just Plain Darin

J SPOKANE TRIBE CASINO, Smash Mouth

ZOLA, Katilyn Wiens, Malachi Burrow

Sunday, 11/24

BING CROSBY THEATER, Take it to the Limit

J HAMILTON STUDIO, Spokane Guitar Collective Showcase

HOGFISH, Open Mic

ZOLA, Sugar Bear Dinner Party

Monday, 11/25

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

RED ROOM LOUNGE, Open Mic Night

J THE BULLET BAR, Open Mic Night

Tuesday, 11/26

J J BING CROSBY THEATER, Blind Pilot, Molly Sarle

BLACK LODGE BREWING, Open Mic Night: The Artist Stage

J PEND D’OREILLE WINERY, Rich and Jenny

SWING LOUNGE, Swing Lounge Live Music Tuesdays

ZOLA, The Zola All Star Jam

Wednesday, 11/27

THE CHAMELEON, EMO 200: Thanksgiving Special THE DRAFT ZONE, The Draft Zone Open Mic IRON HORSE (VALLEY), PJ Destiny

J J KNITTING FACTORY, Thanksgiving Throwdown 10: Free The Jester, The Nixon Rodeo, Nothing Shameful, Pulling 4 Victory, Nathan Chartrey RED ROOM LOUNGE, Red Room Lounge Jam

J TIMBERS ROADHOUSE, Cary Beare Presents ZOLA, Brittany’s House, Matt Mitchell

Just Announced...

J THE CHAMELEON, Evergreen Afrodub Orchestra: Into the Groove Album Release Show, Nov. 30.

J HAMILTON STUDIO, Jonanthan Doyle and the Zonky Jazz Band, Dec. 1.

NEATO BURRITO, Jesus Christ Taxi Driver, Dec. 9.

J FOX THEATER, Girl Named Tom: The Joy of Christmas, Dec. 14.

J KNITTING FACTORY, Barely Alive, Jan. 10.

J FOX THEATER, Amy Grant, Feb. 11.

J KNITTING FACTORY, The Elovaters, Feb. 23.

THE DISTRICT BAR, Ballyhoo!, Mar. 7.

J KNITTING FACTORY, Elderbrook, Apr. 1.

J THE DISTRICT BAR, Laura Jane Grace & The Mississippi Medicals, Apr. 25.

J SPOKANE TRIBE CASINO, KT Tunstall, May 3.

J SPOKANE TRIBE CASINO, Ben Rector, June 7.

J NORTHERN QUEST CASINO, Goo Goo Dolls, Dashboard Confessional, Aug. 28.

Coming Up...

THE BEE’S KNEES WHISKEY BAR, Justyn Priest, Nov. 29, 6 pm.

J THE BIG DIPPER, Glass Artifacts, Atomsk, Horizons, Antique Sex Machine, Nov. 29, 7:30 pm.

THE CHAMELEON, Thanks for the Bass: Cyrus the Virus, HI IMELFO B2B Jawun & Only, MIIko b2b JO JO, Peskey Penguin B2B trizzle, Nov. 29, 9 pm.

J NEATO BURRITO, Violent Abuse, Index, Nov. 30.

J THE BIG DIPPER, The Emergency Exit: Absolutes Album Release Show with T-180, Stubborn Will, Bitter Row, Nov. 30, 7:30 pm.

J BING CROSBY THEATER, Stone in Love, Nov. 30, 7:30 pm.

J THE CHAMELEON, Evergreen Afrodub Orchestra: Into The Grove Album Release Show with Liv Luminosity, Northwest Breeze, Nov. 30, 7:30 pm.

MUSIC | VENUES

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

THE CHAMELEON • 1801 W. Sunset Blvd.

CHECKERBOARD • 1716 E. Sprague Ave. • 509-443-4767

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

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

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

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

THE DISTRICT BAR • 916 W. 1st Ave. • 509-244-3279

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SEASONS OF COEUR D’ALENE • 1004 S. Perry St. • 208-664-8008

SPOKANE ARENA • 720 W. Mallon Ave. • 509-279-7000

SPOKANE TRIBE RESORT & CASINO • 14300 US-2, Airway Heights • 877-786-9467

SOUTH PERRY LANTERN • 12303 E. Trent Ave., Spokane Valley • 509-473-9098

STORMIN’ NORMAN’S SHIPFACED SALOON • 12303 E. Trent Ave., Spokane Valley • 509-862-4852

TRANCHE • 705 Berney Dr., Wall Walla • 509-526-3500

ZOLA • 22 W. Main Ave. • 509-624-2416

Living Well in the Inland Northwest

November-December Issue ON STANDS NOW!

Pick up your copy at area grocery stores and Inlander stand locations

COMMUNITY O CHRISTMAS TREE

Thanksgiving has yet to commence, and many of us are still clinging to fall as the trees shed their last leaves, but it’s never too early to kick off the holiday season! In River Park Square and along Post Street, Downtown Spokane Partnership is hosting all the events you need to shift your brain to “Deck the Halls.” You’ll get to rock around the 50-foot Christmas tree, watch it light up and greet Santa with your wish list — I hope you’ve been good. Grab a cup of cocoa to warm your hands, hop on one of the carriage rides, snap some shots at the roaming photo booth, put your artistry to the test with the Brushes and Boughs tree paint-off for charity, and hear all the holiday music hits.

— DORA SCOTT

Light Up Merry & Magical Lane • Sat, Nov. 23 from 3-7:30 pm

• Free • River Park Square and Post Street • 112 N. Post St. • downtownspokane.org

DANCE TWO WOODEN FEET

Are you dreaming of sugar plum fairies, walking wooden men and mischievous mice? Then you’ll definitely want to snag a couple tickets to Nutcracker! Magical Christmas Ballet this weekend. The Nutcracker ballet, which often sees dancers practicing months in advance, is a timeless holiday story that showcases the whimsical magic that can be found near Christmastime. Between the technically exquisite dancers, the vivid set pieces and the luxurious costumes, Talmi Entertainment has been hosting this extravagant touring show for more than 30 years now.

— COLTON RASANEN

Nutcracker! Magical Christmas Ballet • Sat, Nov. 23 from 3-5 pm

• $34-$183 • First Interstate Center for the Arts • 334 W. Spokane Falls Blvd. • firstinterstatecenter.org

MUSIC ACA-SCUZE ME?

While a cappella groups are a staple at college campuses across the country, most fade into fond memories after graduation. That’s not the case with Straight No Chaser. Formed at Indiana University in 1999, the group went pro, which turned out to be a fortuitous decision. Straight No Chaser’s wildly talented vocalists and harmonious arrangements have made it one of the top a cappella groups on the planet, selling over 3 million albums to date. While there’s still a student chapter at IU (a feeder for the main group), the Straight No Chaser pros take the stage just before the holiday season as part of the group’s 25th Anniversary tour.

— SETH SOMMERFELD

Straight No Chaser • Sat, Nov. 23 at 7:30 pm • $49-$79 • Northern Quest • 100 N. Hayford Road • northernquest.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 ART I LIKE TO MOVE IT, MOVE IT

Moveable type. It’s one of the first things you learn about in high school history classes: Johannes Gutenberg’s invention of the printing press started the Printing Revolution and suddenly images and text could be replicated and distributed to the masses (the Inlander thanks Mr. Gutenberg greatly). In this workshop, learn all about the process of typesetting with Spokane Print & Publishing Center member Pixie Carlson, a queer femme artist who began learning about letterpress during the pandemic. Come to class prepared with your favorite quote, lyric or line of a poem no longer than seven words. Might I suggest something in German to honor the guy who made it all possible?

— MADISON

PEARSON

Intro to Typesetting • Sat, Nov. 23 from 1-4 pm • $35 • Spokane Print & Publishing Center • 1921 N. Ash St. • spokaneprint.org

COMEDY REAL TALK

Ever felt like the societal expectation for women to be demure, sexy, innocent, horny, passive, confident and hairless is so absurd it’s… hilarious? Iliza Shlesinger gets you. The actress and comedian has validated the experience of countless millennial women with wisecrack commentary on the most vulnerable parts of dating, marriage, sex and body image. Join Shlesinger for the Get Ready Tour, which is sure to prove that the only thing more ridiculous than the razor burn a woman gets from rushing out the door is the man in the car with no idea what’s taking so long. Bring your gal pals, your boyfriend or your ex — just make sure to bring some handmade Iliza swag to fit in with the rest of the audience.

— ELIZA BILLINGHAM

Iliza Shlesinger • Fri, Nov. 22 at 7 pm • $39.50-$99.50 • First Interstate Center for the Arts • 334 W. Spokane Falls Blvd. • firstinterstatecenter.org

I SAW YOU

DEFINITELY NO ORDINARY MAN OF STEEL

Hey Clark, I saw you at Bellwether on Halloween — I’m pretty sure you were just trying to blend in as a mild-mannered reporter, but I couldn’t help but notice your superhuman good looks. If you’re free from saving the world, I’d love to grab a drink and see what other powers you’re hiding. –The one who always needs her glasses

DEPARTMENT OF ARTS AND CULTURE I see the mayor wants a Department of Arts and Culture added to the budget. Hey! Just frame the graffiti.

RE: TARGET HEARTTHROB I hope it was me! What day did you see me? I am very tall, and Target is my favorite place to get coffee. And my style does take effort, so thank you for noticing. Next time you see me, say hi!

TO MS. OASIS FROM MR. INLANDER Challenge accepted! I’ll swing into the shop on the 23rd. We can hash out the details there. I’m excited to meet you.

SALEM IN SPOKANE Salem - please forgive me. I am so sorry for being a jerk. A hard time and please give me another chance. I’d like to talk about it. K

RE: JAYWALKING TURKEY ON MONROE I saw you too! That’s why I’m still alive to peck this message out. I don’t know what jaywalking is. I don’t abide by designated painted pathways across the pavement. AND....I’m sure I won’t end up on someone’s Thanksgiving table, since wild turkeys taste

terrible, as any hunter knows.

YOU SAW ME

RE: TARGET HEARTTHROB Please explain more i.e. what day, time of day, how tall I am, what was I wearing, approx how old I am, color of my hair, if you saw what I was driving etc. Please respond I’m pretty sure it was me.

CHEERS

MONARCHY The United States is a constitutional federal republic because the 13 colonies broke away from the British monarchy in 1776 to form a republic. Changing the federal government from a republic into a monarchy requires a king, not a president. Apparently, this is what we want.

CLASSY WEATHER LADY I have been in involved in the fashion world for all of my working life, a very long time. Graduated from The Fashion Institute in NY, so I’m qualified to applaud a gal & her engaging fashion sense, like Leslie Lowe on KHQ. Today (11.12.2024) Leslie has on a beautifully tailored suit with gorgeous heels that complement not only her suit but her legs. Her dress styles are classy & sophisticated in colors that are not the usual. You get 5 stars from me Leslie.

SAVED THE DAY! To the Iron Goat workers.... particularly Peter & Anika.....thank you for saving our crappy day and making it a celebration to remember (in a good way!). Your easy-going attitudes, welcoming spirit, and kindness warmed my heart on a chilly, rainy, stupidly messed-up day. I love coming across people like you in life. Thank you. You are appreciated! xo (ps, I happily paid that parking ticket, just to put that day behind me!)

HALLOWEEN DECOR To the homeowners at Lyons & Wall - I know I’m a little late, but had to say, I LOVED your Halloween decor! I drove by it frequently and it made me smile. Love seeing the pride of ownership and spirit of the holiday. I look forward to Christmastime :)

SALEM - I’M SORRY Salem - please forgive me. I am so sorry for being a jerk. A hard time and please give me another chance. I’d like to talk about it. K

HUGE THANK YOU! Cheers to the staff at the Safeway on 29th! When I mixed up

the gas and break pedal like an idiot last Saturday and high-centered myself in the parking lot, a whole team of staff came out to help me, eventually towing me out of my predicament. Thank you soooo much from one grateful shopper.

WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE US TO DO? Thank you to the Inlander for the in-depth article on the opioid crisis in Spokane. One of the individuals interviewed expressed the concern that the public does not care about our homeless population or whether or not an addict dies from an overdose of their drug of choice. As a citizen of Spokane I would like to pose the question “What does the homeless population want us to do to show that we do care about you?” I’ll leave this as an open-ended question to our homeless population. I really do want an answer.

amazes me when it comes to road construction (and not in a good way). They suddenly decide to shut down part of Market Street in the middle of the day backing up traffic for miles so that cars try to take short cuts down side streets that either lead to dead ends or further backed up traffic. Meanwhile, there are no signs indicating what is going on and/or advising traffic to find another route (good luck with that with so many side streets closed). Every day is taking your life in your hands by trying to navigate some of these areas, having no idea what’s up ahead. Certainly, there must be some competence in these city offices. If so, they don’t appear to be showing themselves. For a so called ‘big city’, this one seems much more like a small city mentality. Maybe a few catastrophic accidents will cause some well meaning competent person to arise. Spokane: it’s not just for dumb people anymore.

“ What does the homeless population want us to do? ”

JEERS

JEERS TO MYSELF JEERS TO ME: I need to express my deep sorrow and remorse for my involvement in the arrest of a man who now faces a life sentence. Looking back, I can hardly find words to convey the weight of my regret. It pains me to know that my choices contributed to a situation that has had such devastating consequences for his life and the lives of those who care for him. I realize now the severity of my actions and how they have impacted not only him but also the broader community. Reflecting on my past, I truly wish I could have been a better person — one who stood firm against the pressures that led me to become a confidential informant. In moments of weakness, I caved to the role without fully understanding the ramifications it would have on another human being. I now see clearly the hurt I have caused, and it is a burden I will carry with me. My hope is that in acknowledging this pain, I can begin to make amends, however small, for the path I took that has led to so much suffering.

SPOKANE ROAD CONSTRUCTION Spokane

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.”

COPS NW It saddened me to hear on the news that they could close the COPS businesses, they have been a good thing for Spokane, but sadly not all of the programs are good, they have a senior security patrol program, that is not the best, some not all of their volunteers, do not represent, the morals of their program, lack of respect, rudeness, and lack of taking responsibility for what they have done, I think it would be a good idea if these COPS businesses would check with people in the places who are using these senior patrols, I think if people in these places, thought they had a voice, and knew people would listen to them, and maybe help them with some of these issues , they are having, it would put COPS in a more positive view with the public, I’m not saying all COPS shops, just the ones with the senior security programs ( which i heard is a pilot program) I got involved with the COPS NW program, with officer Grant who was the best with the DARE program

RAPE Is anyone who is so against abortion going to speak up about rape or to rapists? And females, you are all seriously ok ignoring that complications and conditions happen where choices needs to be made? And that those women are already

heartbroken, but now they’re dealing with random bullying from their own sex?

PUBLIC SAFETY MUCH? Jeers to our new mayor for shutting down C.O.P.S. You ran on public safety platform, gave resource officers to downtown, now you’re cutting C.O.P.S.? So, only downtown deserves public safety? You want to raise money? Cut the Lame scooter company & I don’t know — make people pay their parking tickets, licence tabs, & traffic tickets. Hold a bake sale or a raffle, don’t cut C.O.P.S.

QUIT CRYING You voted for this. You voted against me and all my queer siblings. We knew eight years ago that this was gonna happen, and you still chose this. So I have no sympathy for any of you. You don’t get to cry now that you’re being hurt when you wanted to hurt me and my sibs.

ROUTE 74 Never gets to The Plaza on time. When it’s supposed to be at the bay, it’s hanging back next to Greater Spokane’s office. When it IS at the bay, its sign says out of service when it’s actually the 74. When it’s actually out of service, the sign says it’s the 74 while the real 74 departs. I’ve never been able to accurately predict when the 74 gets to The Plaza. Every other bus is also consistently five or 10 minutes late. Please figure out what’s going on, and quit driving those little-ass 12-meter buses during high school release.

GIVE JANE’S A HER DUE Here’s a Cheers/ Jeers: Cheers to the interesting musical coverage you provide in the Inlander, it’s a huge asset to our whole region. Jeers to the 10/31 issue’s Music headline/article “Nothing’s Shocking” for not shouting out the band who put out an album of that name: Jane’s Addiction. The author shouts out a who’s who of shocking bands while omitting the band that regularly caused shock and awe and helped coin the term Alternative Nation. Singing songs like “Idiots Rule,” and with lyrics like “...But it’s just like the show before and the news is just another show.” 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.

YOU SAW ME:

STROLLING PAST NO-LI BREWHOUSE, stopping to check out the sign for the 10th Annual Frost Fest on December 7th. I was the one with the big smile, already picturing myself sipping on a Salted Caramel Ale and rocking a No-Li Pom Beanie.

I SAW YOU: $16 gets you a custom Frost Fest mug + No-Li Pom Beanie! Beer fills $8 each.

GIVING ME A KNOWING NOD, maybe thinking about grabbing your early access pass by snagging a holiday sweater or a six-pack of Mexican Lager. Are you also dreaming of winning those custom skis in the raffle? Let’s meet at the Bier Campus. Noon-3 PM, or maybe earlier if you’re ready to beat the crowd. Bring your festive spirit—I’ll bring the cheers!

DEC. 7 | NOON-3 PM

Live DJs | Santa Visit | Ski Raffle

Early access at 11:30 AM with a holiday sweater or six-pack purchase!

EVENTS | CALENDAR

BENEFIT

PARTY FOR A PURPOSE Join the Spokane Professional Society for a night of networking, fellowship and giving back. This exclusive fundraiser benefits SpokAnimal, a local non-profit dedicated to rescuing and rehoming pets in need. Nov. 21, 5-7:30 pm. $35. Ruby River Hotel, 700 N. Division St. spokaneyp.org

FURRBALL The annual fundraiser gala benefitting the Spokane Humane Society features silent and live auctions, dinner, dancing and adoptable pets. Ages 21+. Nov. 24. Davenport Grand Hotel, 333 W. Spokane Falls Blvd. spokanehumanesociety.org/furrball (800-918-9344)

COMEDY

GARY VIDER Vider is known for his subtle style of comedy. Nov. 21, 7 pm. $20-$25. Spokane Comedy Club, 315 W. Sprague. spokanecomedyclub.com

ILIZA SHLESINGER A comedian who is best-known or winning Last Comic Standing in 2008. Nov. 22, 7-9 pm. $40$100. First Interstate Center for the Arts, 334 W. Spokane Falls Blvd. firstinterstatecenter.org (509-279-7000)

ZOLTAN KASZAS Kaszas has been featured on Drybar Comedy, Hulu and SiriusXM. Nov. 22, 7 & 9:45 pm, Nov. 23, 7 & 9:45 pm and Nov. 24, 7 pm. $25-$35. Spokane Comedy Club, 315 W. Sprague. spokanecomedyclub.com

GOLDEN GIRLS: THE LAUGHS CONTIN -

UE! A show imagining what the Golden Girls would be doing if they were alive today. Sophia is out on bail, Blanche and

Rose have founded a sex app for seniors and Dorothy is with a younger lover. Nov. 24, 6:30 pm. $50-$80. First Interstate Center for the Arts, 334 W. Spokane Falls Blvd. firstinterstatecenter.org

NEW TALENT TUESDAYS Watch comedians of all skill levels work out jokes together. Tuesdays at 7 pm. Free. Spokane Comedy Club, 315 W. Sprague. spokanecomedyclub.com

GABRIEL RUTLEDGE Rutledge has recorded five comedy albums and has several comedy specials. Nov. 29-30, 7 & 9:45 pm and Dec. 1, 7 pm. $20-$28. Spokane Comedy Club, 315 W. Sprague. spokanecomedyclub.com (509-318-9998)

COMMUNITY

AMERICAN GIRL OF THE MONTH CLUB

Each month’s meeting features one of American Girl’s historical dolls and includes fun activities that are inspired by her era and heritage. Every third Thursday at 1 pm and 4 pm. Free. Coeur d’Alene Public Library, 702 E. Front Ave. cdalibrary.org (208-769-2315)

IT HAPPENED HERE: EXPO ‘74 FIFTY

YEARS LATER This 50th anniversary exhibition revisits the historical roots of Expo ‘74’s legacy. Tue-Sun from 10 am-5 pm through Jan. 26. $7-$12. Northwest Museum of Arts & Culture, 2316 W. First Ave. northwestmuseum.org

CUSTER’S CHRISTMAS ARTS & CRAFTS

SHOW A marketplace with over 250 artisans selling their fine art, hand crafts and specialty goods and food. Nov. 22-24; Fri from 10 am-8 pm, Sat from 9 am-6 pm, Sun from 10 am-4 pm. $8-$10. Spokane

County Fair & Expo Center, 404 N. Havana St. custershows.com

NATIVE AMERICAN ART MARKET An all-Native art market featuring authentic jewelry, paintings, beadwork, and much more. Nov. 22-24, daily from 11 am-8 pm. Free admission. Coeur d’Alene Casino, 37914 S. Nukwalqw. cdacasino.com

LIBERTY LAKE WINTER GLOW SPEC-

TACULAR A holiday light show featuring various installations and displays. Nov. 23-Jan. 1, daily. Nov. 23-Jan. 1. Free. Orchard Park, 20298 E. Indiana Ave. winterglowspectacular.com

LIGHT UP MERRY & MAGICAL LANE Family activities and entertainment in the mall from 3-5 pm. See Santa arrive at the tree and take photos with him. Nov. 23, 3-7:30 pm. Free. River Park Square, 808 W. Main Ave. visitspokane.com

SPOKANE’S TRANGENDER DAY OF REMEMBRANCE Focus on centering trans voices amidst the epidemic of anti-trans violence. Two-Spirit, transgender, nonbinary and gender-expansive musicians, dancers, drag performers, storytellers, slam poets and other artists perform. Nov. 23, 2 pm. Free. Central Library, 906 W. Main. spokanelibrary.org

WINTER BLESSING An afternoon of traditional storytelling and dance exhibition, complete with complimentary fry bread and huckleberry jam. Performed by Laura Grizzlypaws. Nov. 24, 2-5 pm. Free. Coeur d’Alene Casino, 37914 S. Nukwalqw. cdacasino.com (208-769-2464)

BITCH ‘N’ STITCH Grab your crochet, knitting, embroidery, weaving, cross stitch, felting, looming, macrame, friendship bracelets and craft casually in the

company of others. Every second and last Thursday at 6:30 pm. Free. Lunarium, 1925 N. Monroe St. facebook.com/Lunarium.Spokane

JOURNEY TO THE NORTH POLE CRUIS-

ES Take a Journey to the North Pole onboard Lake Coeur d’Alene Cruises to see 1.5 million twinkling lights and visit Santa at his remodeled North Pole featuring a brand-new illuminated Christmas tree. Nov. 28-Jan. 1, daily at 4:30 pm, 5:30 pm, 6:30 pm and 7:30 pm. $14-$29. The Coeur d’Alene Resort, 115 S. Second. cdacruises.com (208-765-4000)

ELF ON THE SHELF Find elves hidden throughout downtown Coeur d’Alene shops and win prizes from Santa. Nov. 29-Dec 22, Fri-Sun from 10 am-5 pm. Free. Downtown Coeur d’Alene, Sherman Ave. cdadowntown.com (208-415-0116)

FESTIVAL OF FAIR TRADE: A GLOBAL

HOLIDAY MARKET This annual festival features handmade, fair trade items from Nepal, Guatemala, Chile and 50 other countries. Nov. 29, 10 am-5:30 pm and Nov. 30, 10 am-5:30 pm. Community Building, 35 W. Main Ave. ShopKizuri.com

FESTIVAL OF TREES View dozens of decorated Christmas tree displays and watch local entertainment. Nov. 29, 5 pm. By donation. The Coeur d’Alene Resort, 115 S. Second. kh.org/foundation

HOLIDAY MARKET A popup Christmas market featuring local and regional vendors selling goods. Nov. 29-30, daily from 12-6 pm. Free. Dayton Historic Depot, 222 E. Commercial. daytonhistoricdepot.org

LIGHTING CEREMONY PARADE Parade entries light up Sherman Avenue and bring holiday spirit to downtown Coeur

d’Alene with marching bands, dancing, music and festive floats. Nov. 29, 5-7:30 pm. Free. Downtown Coeur d’Alene, Sherman Ave. cdadowntown.com

SPOKANE HOLIDAY MARKET Browse a selection of local vendors offering unique gifts, handcrafted items and festive treats for the Christmas season. Nov. 29, 10 am-3 pm. Free. Steam Plant Restaurant & Brew Pub, 159 S. Lincoln St. washingtonshoppersmarket.com/steamplant

HOLIDAY CRAFT FAIR Local vendors sell handmade goods and art. Nov. 30, 10 am-5 pm. Free. Coeur d’Alene Public Library, 702 E. Front Ave. cdalibrary.org

MAC HOLIDAY KICK-OFF CELEBRATION

The museum is decorated with lights and decorations for the holiday season. Hulda the chef serves up cookies and participants are invited to watch performances.. Nov. 30, 4-6 pm. Free. The MAC, 2316 W. First. northwestmuseum.org

NUMERICA TREE LIGHTING CELEBRATION Watch the tree in Riverfront Park light up for the holidays with food trucks and performances. Nov. 30, 4-7 pm. Free. Numerica Skate Ribbon, 720 W. Spokane Falls. riverfrontspokane.com

RIVERFRONT MARKET A local vendor and artsan market featuring shopping, entertainment and more. Nov. 30, 12-7 pm. Free. Pavilion at Riverfront, 574 N. Howard St. riverfrontspokane.org

INTENTIONAL COMMUNITY GATHERING A community gathering focused on sharing space with song, ceremony and spirituality. First Sunday of each month from 1-4 pm. Free. Harmony Woods Retreat Center, 11507 S. Keeney Rd. harmonywoods.org (509-993-2968)

EVENTS | CALENDAR

FILM

OYATE WOYAKA (THE PEOPLE SPEAK)

The Spokane International Film Festival and Red Nation International Film Festival present short films and a special screening. Proceeds benefit the Salish School of Spokane. Nov. 22, 6-9 pm. $10. Magic Lantern Theatre, 25 W. Main Ave. spokanefilmfestival.org (509-981-5679)

FANTASTIC MR. FOX 15TH ANNIVERSARY Mr. Fox breaks a promise to his wife and raids the farms of their human neighbors, Boggis, Bunce and Bean. Giving in to his animal instincts endangers not only his marriage but also the lives of his family and their animal friends. Nov. 23, 2 pm and Nov. 24, 5 pm. Free. Garland Theater, 924 W. Garland Ave. garlandtheater.org (509-327-1050)

THE WIZARD OF OZ 85TH ANNIVER-

SARY Young Dorothy Gale and her dog Toto are swept away by a tornado from their Kansas farm to the magical Land of Oz and embark on a quest with three new friends to see the Wizard, who can return her to her home and fulfill the others’ wishes. Nov. 25, 6:30 pm and Nov. 26, 6:30 pm. $5. Garland Theater, 924 W. Garland Ave. garlandtheater.org

ANORA A young sex worker from Brooklyn, meets and marries the son of an oligarch. Once the news reaches Russia, her fairytale is threatened as his parents set out for New York to get the marriage annulled. Nov. 29, 4 & 7 pm, Nov. 30, 4 & 7 pm and Dec. 1, 4 & 7 pm. $8. The Kenworthy, 508 S. Main St. kenworthy.org

ELF INTERACTIVE MOVIE NIGHT This interactive movie screening features an indoor snowball fight, a sing and shout along with Buddy the Elf, sweet treats and more. Nov. 30, 6-8 pm. $15. Garland Theater, 924 W. Garland Ave. endtheviolencespokane.org (253-318-7748)

ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW A newly-engaged couple have a breakdown in an isolated area and must seek shelter at the bizarre residence of Dr. Frank-n-Furter. Nov. 30, 8:30 pm. $10. Garland Theater, 924 W. Garland Ave. garlandtheater.org (509-327-1050)

FOOD & DRINK

BEHIND THE CURTAIN A four-night, Wizard of Oz-themed bar experience featuring drinks and photo ops. Nov 2124; daily from 5-10 pm. $10. Servante, 221 N. Division. servantespokane.com

S’MORES BY THE SHORES Gather around lakeside fire pits, and indulge in a nostalgic treat under the stars. Daily from 3:30-9 pm through Dec. 31. $10. The Coeur d’Alene Resort, 115 S. Second. cdaresort.com (208-292-5678)

SOKOL BLOSSER WINE DINNER A spe-

cially crafted six-course menu, designed to complement the distinctive flavors of Sokol Blosser’s acclaimed wines Nov. 22, 6-9 pm. $175. Beverly’s, 115 S. Second St. beverlyscda.com (208-292-5678)

VINEGAR TASTING Discover and taste the diverse flavors of vinegar at this special event presented by Oil & Vinegar Spokane. Nov. 23, 1 pm. Free. Shadle Library, 2111 W. Wellesley Ave. spokanelibrary.org (509-444-5300)

AMERICAN ITALIAN CLUB SPAGHETTI

DINNE: Enjoy an authentic Italian dinner with live music, door prizes and a silent auction. Proceeds benefit the Gonzaga American Italian club. Nov. 24, 12-5 pm.

$12-$20. Gonzaga Prep, 1224 E. Euclid Ave. (509-483-8511)

MEXICAN PASTRY: CONCHAS Join Viviana to learn how to make this traditional Mexican sweet bread. Nov. 24, 4-6:30 pm. $85. The Kitchen Engine, 621 W. Mallon Ave. thekitchenengine.com

MOLÉ WITH MARTHA PEREZ Learn the step-by-step process in creating savory, rich bases. First, a Molé Rojo, followed by another traditional flavor base, Molé Verde. Last a Pink Molé made with beets. Nov. 26, 5:45-8:15 pm. $70. The Kitchen Engine, 621 W. Mallon Ave. thekitchenengine.com (509-328-3335)

MUSIC

DAVID SPEIGHT Speight plays classical and contemporary selections on the piano. Nov. 21, 1-3 pm. Free. Pend d’Oreille Winery, 301 Cedar St. powine.com

HANDEL’S MESSIAH The annual performance of Handel’s Messiah featuring the Spokane Symphony and the Spokane Symphony Chorale and Chamber Singers. Nov. 21, 7:30 pm and Nov. 22, 7:30 pm. St. John’s Cathedral, 127 E. 12th Ave. spokanesymphony.org (509-838-4277)

AN EVENING OF BLUEGRASS Nick Dumas, Chris Luquette and Andrew Knapp perform bluegrass selections. Nov. 22, 7 pm. $28. The Jacklin Arts & Cultural Center, 405 N. William. thejacklincenter.org

TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA TransSiberian Orchestra performs the rock opera titled “The Lost Christmas Eve.” A portion of ticket proceeds benefit a local charity. Nov. 22, 7-10 pm. $67-$141. Spokane Arena, 720 W. Mallon Ave. transsiberian.com (509-279-7000)

GONZAGA WIND ENSEMBLE: THE STORYTELLER Conducted by Peter J. Hamlin, this concert includes music by Alfred Reed, Kevin Day, John Mackey, James Stephenson and Ryan George. Nov. 23, 2 pm. $10-$15. Myrtle Woldson Performing Arts Center, 211 E. Desmet Ave. gonzaga. edu/music (509-313-4776)

HANDEL’S MESSIAH A performance of Handel’s Messiah conducted by Kent Kimball and featuring soloists Chloe Sundet, Ann Benson, Scott Miller and Steve Mortier. Nov. 23, 7 pm and Nov. 24, 3 pm. $20-$30. Schuler Performing Arts Center, 880 W. Garden. cdaconservatory.org

VITAMIN STRING QUARTET: THE MUSIC OF TAYLOR SWIFT, BRIDGERTON AND BEYOND The quartet performs contemporary arrangements of the music of Taylor Swift, Billie Eilish, BTS and songs from the Netflix series, Bridgerton. Nov. 23, 7:30 pm. $25-$55. The Fox Theater, 1001 W. Sprague Ave. foxtheaterspokane.org

WHITWORTH WIND SYMPHONY FALL CONCERT The Whitworth Wind Symphony conducted by Richard Strauch with student conductor Melissa Jones, performs “Medieval Suite” by Ron Nelson, “English Folk Song Suite” by Ralph Vaughan Williams and more. Nov. 24, 3 pm. $12. The Fox Theater, 1001 W. Sprague Ave. foxtheaterspokane.org

EWU ORCHESTRA AND CHOIR CONCERT The EWU Orchestra and Choir perform their fall concert featuring music of Bloch, Corelli and Zelenka. Nov. 25, 7:30 pm. $5-$10. EWU Music Building Recital Hall, Music Building 119. ewu.edu/cahss

GONZAGA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA & ITAMAR ZORMAN The Gonzaga Symphony Orchestra, director Kevin Hekmatpanah, and violin virtuoso Itamar Zorman perform Rimsky-Korsakov: Capriccio Espagnol, Op. 34, Tchaikovsky: Francesca

da Rimini, Op. 32 and more. Nov. 25, 7:30 pm. $5-$24. Myrtle Woldson Performing Arts Center, 211 E. Desmet Ave. gonzaga. edu/music (509-313-4776)

WHITWORTH COMMUNITY CHORALE CONCERT This Whitworth Community Chorale concert features two choral masterworks: a characteristic organ mass by Joseph Haydn and a Christmas oratorio by Camille Saint-Saëns. The concert features local soloists Chloe Sundet, Nicole Sonbert, Sheila Sloan, Scott Miller and Derrick Parker. Nov. 25, 7:30 pm. $15. The Fox Theater, 1001 W. Sprague Ave. foxtheaterspokane.org (509-624-1200)

GABRIEL MERRILL-STESKAL: AMERICAN MINIATURES Award-winning pianist Gabriel Merrill-Steskal performs a program that explores miniature pieces written by American composers within the last 100 years. Nov. 26, 7:30 pm. Myrtle Woldson Performing Arts Center, 211 E. Desmet Ave. gonzaga.edu/music

TRAVOLTA CHRISTMAS SHOW: THE SOUND OF CHRISTMAS A holiday performance starring the Shotwell Family. Produced by Ellen Travolta, this show promises a magical blend of music and cherished local traditions. Nov. 29-Dec. 22, Thu-Sun from 7:30-9:30 pm. $35. The Coeur d’Alene Resort, 115 S. Second. cdaresort.com/travolta-christmas-show

SPOKANE YOUTH SYMPHONY 75TH

ANNIVERSARY DIAMOND JUBILEE

ALUMNI CONCERT This special anniversary concert celebrates 75 years of the Youth Symphony and features alumni SYS musicians as well as the 2024-2025 Spokane Youth Symphony Orchestra. Nov. 30, 7 pm. $15-$19. The Fox Theater, 1001 W. Sprague. foxtheaterspokane.org

SPORTS & OUTDOORS

PRAY FOR SNOW PARTY A pray for snow party sponsored by Alpine Haus and Out There Monthly featuring a best dressed and dance for snow contest benefitting the South Perry neighborhood’s T.E.A.M. Grant. Nov. 22, 6-10 pm. Free. Perry Street Brewing, 1025 S. Perry St. perrystreetbrewing.com

SPOKANE BRAVES VS. NELSON LEAFS

The Spokane Braves will be wearing military themed jerseys as take on the visiting Nelson Leafs. The military themed jerseys will be auctioned off with 100% of the proceeds to benefit the Washington State Fallen Heroes Project. Nov. 23, noon. $9-$11. Eagles Ice-A-Rena, 6321 N. Addison St. spokanebraves.com/militarynight (509-489-9303)

WARREN MILLER’S 75 Warren Miller’s 75 brings fans to powder stashes and chutes around the world, from Canada, Colorado, California, and Utah to Finland, Japan, Austria and New Jersey. Nov. 23, 7 pm. $15. Chewelah Center for the Arts, 405 N. Third St. ski49n.com

HUFFIN FOR THE STUFFIN 10K & 5K Run through Riverfront Park and the Gonzaga University campus with friends and family. Overall winners win a pumpkin pie. All participants receive a shirt. Nov. 28, 8:5010:45 am. $35-$45. U-District PT, 730 N. Hamilton St. nsplit.com (509-458-7686)

PANCAKE RUN A 5k, five-mile or marathon run with free pancakes and coffee at the finish line. Nov. 29, 9-11:30 am. Free. Fleet Feet Spokane, 1315 W. Summit Pkwy. runsignup.com/Race/WA/Spokane/AnnualPancakeRun

THEATER & DANCE

MANNHEIM STEAMROLLER CHRISTMAS The program includes 15 musicians playing holiday music with multimedia effects. Nov. 21, 7:30 pm. First Interstate Center for the Arts, 334 W. Spokane Falls Blvd. broadwayspokane.com

BARBECUE APOCALYPSE After a midsummer barbecue, a group of friends realizes the world fell apart during their gathering. After a year of surviving the apocalypse, the group reunites to tell their stories. Fri-Sat at 7:30 pm, Sun at 2 pm through Nov. 24. Spartan Theater at SFCC, 3410 W. Whistalks Way. sfcc.spokane.edu/theatre

NEWSIES When titans of publishing raise distribution prices at the newsboys’ expense, Jack Kelly rallies newsies from across the city to strike against the unfair conditions and fight for what’s right. Fri-Sat at 7 pm, Sat-Sun at 3 pm through Nov. 24. $15-$20. Kroc Center, 1765 W. Golf Course Rd. cytnorthidaho.org

NUTCRACKER! MAGICAL CHRISTMAS BALLET A world class ballet performance of the Nutcracker featuring puppets, lavish costumes and acrobatics. Nov. 23, 3-5 pm. $34-$183. First Interstate Center for the Arts, 334 W. Spokane Falls Blvd. firstinterstatecenter.org (509-279-7000)

A CHRISTMAS CAROL The story of Ebenezer Scrooge, a miserly old man who despises Christmas and the joy it brings. On Christmas Eve, Scrooge is visited by three ghosts who take him on a journey through his past, present and future. Nov. 29-Dec. 22; Wed-Sat at 7:30 pm, Sun at 2 pm. $15-$41. Spokane Civic Theatre, 1020 N. Howard St. spokanecivictheatre.com

VISUAL ARTS

AMANDA LEIGH EVANS & TIA KRAMER: WHEN THE RIVER BECOMES A CLOUD DeepTime Collective, a collaboration between artists Amanda Leigh Evans and Tia Kramer, unearths how we understand ourselves within the interdependent constructs of time, place, community and landscape. Mon- Fri from 9 am-5 pm through Feb. 7. Free. EWU Gallery of Art, 140 Art Building. ewu.edu/cahss/gallery

COASTERS Artists and friends of Trackside create coasters that sell to benefit the Peace and Justice Action League of Spokane. Coasters are $10 each. Wed-Fri from 11 am-5 pm through Nov. 29. Free admission. Trackside Studio, 115 S. Adams St. tracksidestudio.net (509-863-9904)

EMERGE STAFF EXHIBIT An art exhibit featuring works made by Emerge CDA’s faculty. Tue-Sat from 10 am-6 pm through Dec. 7. Free. Emerge, 119 N. Second St. emergecda.com (208-930-1876)

LORI ANN WALLIN Lori Wallin creates art with natural fibers like wool, silk and cotton. Daily from 11 am-7 pm through Nov. 30. Free. Pottery Place Plus, 203 N. Washington St. potteryplaceplus.com

MATT LOME: A LONG STORY SHORT An exploration of whimsy and color through illustrative pastels. Mon-Sat from 10 am-5 pm through Nov. 29. Free. Pend Oreille Arts Council Gallery, 313 N. Second Ave. artinsandpoint.org (208-263-6139)

JILL KYONG & AVA RUMMLER: ILLUMINATED This two person show features physical lights and art focuses on the concept of light. Daily from 11 am-6 pm through Nov. 29. Free. Entropy, 101 N. Stevens St. explodingstars.com

JOSHUA HOBSON Joshua Hobson displays abstract photography. Mon-Thu from 10 am-4 pm, Fri from 10 am-2:30 pm through Jan. 31. Free. Boswell Corner Gallery at NIC, 1000 W. Garden Ave., Building 22. nic.edu/cornergallery

KIM LONG: ETHEREAL IMAGES OF OUR NATURAL WORLD Kim Long creates highly detailed multimedia pieces that challenge perceptions of reality. Daily from 11 am-7 pm through Nov. 30. Free. Liberty Building, 203 N. Washington St. spokanelibertybuilding.com

MULTI-DISCIPLINED A group show featuring the ArtsWA staff with pieces on view throughout the newly constructed Fine and Applied Arts Building on campus. Mon-Fri from 8:30 am-3:30 pm through Dec. 5. Free. SFCC Fine Arts Gallery, 3410 W. Whistalks Way, Bldg. 6. sfcc. spokane.edu (509-533-3710)

MIKE DECESARE DeCesare captures nature and human’s imprint on it through photos. Tue-Sat from 10 am-6 pm through Dec. 31. Free. William Grant Gallery & Framing, 1188 W. Summit Pkwy. williamgrantgf.com (509-484-3535)

REINALDO GIL ZAMBRANO: GALIMATIAS Prints by Spokane-based artist Reinaldo Gil Zambrano detailing his experiences as a father. Thu-Sat from 4-7 pm through Nov. 29. Free. Terrain Gallery, 628 N. Monroe St. terrainspokane.com

A COLLECTIVE OF MOONBEAMS: WE ALL SHINE ON A showcase of works by members of the New Moon Artist Collective. Wed-Sat from 11 am-5 pm through Nov. 30. Free. New Moon Art Gallery, 1326 E. Sprague. manicmoonandmore.com

WONDER OF STRUCTURE: EXPLORATIONS OF SCIENCE, ARCHITECTURE, AND ABSTRACTION A group exhibition inviting viewers to explore the dynamic intersections of science, architecture, and abstraction through the works of four local artists: Lynn Hanley, Laura Kaschmitter, Seth Collier and Tarra Hall. Mon-Fri from 8 am-5 pm through Dec. 27. Free. Chase Gallery, 808 W. Spokane Falls Blvd. spokanearts.org (509-321-9416)

BOB LLOYD: ART, SCIENCE OR FORENSICS This show featuring works by Robert Lloyd invites participants to explore AI by breaking the fear barrier surrounding the medium. Fri from 1-5 pm, Sat from 1-4 pm or by appointment through Nov. 28. Free. Shotgun Studios, 1625 W. Water Ave. shotgunstudiosspokane.com

GEN HEYWOOD: THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE A solo exhibition featuring photographs of the American Flag. Fri from 4-7, Sat from 10 am-3 pm through Nov. 30. Free. Gonzaga University Urban Arts Center, 125 S. Stevens St. gonzaga.edu

ZINE PARTY Draw, trade, read and talk about Zines while drinking Lunarium tea. Nov. 22, 3-5 pm. Free. Lunarium, 1925 N. Monroe St. lunariumspokane.com

HEADS-UP PORTRAIT CLUB A series of 20-minute portrait-drawing sessions. Choose another member of the group to draw, while also being drawn by others. Bring your preferred sketch pad, digital tablet, or notebook. Every second and fourth Saturday of the month from 10 am-noon. Free. Terrain Gallery, 628 N. Monroe St. headsup-portraitclub.com

INTRO TO TYPESETTING Setting moveable type was one of the most revolutionary innovations of all time. In this in-person workshop, students will work with wood or lead type to create their own unique messages. Nov. 23, 1-4 pm. $35. Spokane Print & Publishing Center, 1921 N. Ash St. spokaneprint.org

THIS AND THAT River Ridge Association of Fine Arts artists showcase art and perform art demonstrations. Nov. 23-24; Sat from 10 am-5 pm, Sun from noon-5 pm. Free. Spokane Art Supply, 1303 N. Monroe St. rrafaofspokane.com (509-325-0471)

ACRYLIC PAINTING CLASS:

GRUMPY GNOME ORNAMENTS

Paint a grump gnome ornament on wood in this guided class. Ages 10+. Nov. 24, 2-4:30 pm. $45. Dane Joe Espresso, 2819 E 27th. artvana.life

FUNDAMENTALS OF POTTERY An introductory class on throwing pottery on the wheel and learn how to throw your first cylinder. Ages 18+. Nov. 25, 6-9 pm. $225. Gizmo-CDA, 283 N. Hubbard Ave. Suite 102. gizmo-cda.org (208-929-4029)

HOLIDAY PAINT AND SIP: FOLK

ORNAMENTS A guided acrylic painting class. Create a set of four folk ornaments. Nov. 26, 6-8:30 pm. $45. Iron Goat Brewing Co., 1302 W. Second Ave. artvana.life

OPEN STUDIO Stop by The Hive to see what current Artists-In-Residence are up to, and tour the building. Every Wednesday from 4-7 pm. Free. The Hive, 2904 E. Sprague Ave. spokanelibrary.org

PAPER ART NIGHT Bring your collage and paper projects in progress or start something new. Every month on the fourth Wednesday from 6-8 pm. Free. Lunarium, 1925 N. Monroe. lunariumspokane.com

SLIGHTLY WEST OF SPOKANE ARTISTS STUDIO TOUR A selfguided tour of 14 artists’ studios in the West Plains including Dennis Smith, Nicole Nutt, Faith King, Gayle Havercroft and more. See website for location information. Nov. 30, 9 am-4 pm. Free. Medical Lake. slightlywestofspokane.com

WORDS

ILLUMINATIONS: MINIATURE

BOOKS A showcase of miniature books including a 1904 ed. of Shakespeare’s Titus Andronicus, a royal miniature almanac from 1848, and The Smallest English Dictionary in the World, and many more featuring Mel Antuna Hewitt of LibroBuch. Nov. 21, 11 am-noon. Free. Central Library, 906 W. Main Ave. spokanelibrary.org (509-444-5336)

ERASED: JOAN BURBICK Erased details the life of Katherine Lin, a wife, young mother, and promising Chinese scientist. Ffter Lin’s disappearance, her daughter-in-law sets out to find out who she was, how she lived and why her death was a mystery. The author, Joan Burbick will read and sign books. Nov. 21, 3-4 pm. Free. Central Library, 906 W. Main Ave. spokanelibrary.org

AUTUMN STORYTIME A librarian reads a story that fuels imagination and teaches early literacy skills. The event ends with a craft activity. Every Friday at 9 am and 11 am through Nov. 29. Free. Coeur d’Alene Public Library, 702 E. Front Ave. cdalibrary.org (208-769-2315)

FORAY FOR THE ARTS #11 A night of live performances including comedy, prose, poetry and music. Featured performers include Hannah Boundy, Xander Gibbons, Jill Herrera, Brittany Holden, T.S. Loveless,

Missy Narrance and more. Nov. 22, 6-9 pm. Free. The United Building, 5016 N. Market St. instagram.com/ foray4thearts

WRITE TOGETHER: A COMMUNITY WRITING SESSION Bring your current writing project and your favorite writing tools and prepare to hunker down and write with local novelist and Writing Education Specialist Sharma Shields. Nov. 22, 10 am-noon. Free. Indian Trail Library, 4909 W. Barnes. spokanelibrary.org

ADVANCED JOURNAL TECHNIQUES TO FINISH YOUR MEMOIR

Hands-on activities centered on journaling, writing meditations, and literary lessons to help with finishing a memoir. Nov. 23, 10:30 am. Free. Coeur d’Alene Public Library, 702 E. Front. kimemorgan.com

TY BROWN: ALONG THE LITTLE SPOKANE RIVER A captivating journey through the rich history and natural beauty of the Little Spokane River valley. The author will be signing books. Nov. 23, 11 am-2 pm. Free. Auntie’s Bookstore, 402 W. Main Ave. auntiesbooks.com

INLAND NORTHWEST BOOK ARTS

SOCIETY MEET-UP INWBAS meets monthly to practice and learn different aspects of book arts. Each meeting of the Inland Northwest Book Art Society features a different technique. Nov. 23, 10 am. Free. The Hive, 2904 E. Sprague Ave. spokanelibrary.org (509-444-5300)

POETRY BEFORE DARK EWU MFA students lead discussions about craft elements, style and form in poetry. Every Saturday from noon2 pm. Free. Spark Central, 1214 W. Summit Pkwy. spark-central.org

AUNTIE’S BOOK CLUBS: QUEER & WEIRD Discuss Godly Heathens by H.E. Edgmon at the November meeting. Nov. 23, 6-7 pm. Free. Auntie’s Bookstore, 402 W. Main Ave. auntiesbooks.com

TEEN WRITE CLUB Teen writers are invited to get feedback on their work and explore all things prose and poetry. Every Tuesday from 5:30-7 pm. Free. Spark Central, 1214 W. Summit Pkwy. spark-central.org

BROKEN MIC A weekly open mic reading series. Wednesdays at 6:30 pm; sign-ups at 6 pm. Free. Neato Burrito, 827 W. First Ave. bit. ly/2ZAbugD (509-847-1234)

CREATIVE WRITING CLUB Stretch your writing skills with fun prompts, character creation, world building and more. Every Wednesday from 3:30-4:30 pm. Ages 8-12. Free. Moscow Public Library, 110 S. Jefferson St. latahlibrary.org (208-882-3925)

HARMONY WRITERS GROUP A writing group focused on memoir and craft. Every other week on Thursday from 5:15-7 pm. Free. Liberty Park Library, 402 S. Pittsburgh St. spokanelibrary.org

VIRGINS AND VENUSES: REVISITING FEMININE ICONS Dr. Meredith Shimizu, Professor of Art History at Whitworth University, delves into the significance of various art movements, key artists, and provide an understanding of the art’s impact on society and history. Dec. 1, 2 pm. $10. Northwest Museum of Arts & Culture, 2316 W. First Ave. northwestmuseum.org n

Annual Manual

FOOD & DRINK SHOPPING

Cannabis’ New Holiday

Green Wednesday marks the start of the holiday season for cannabis consumers

First came Black Friday. Then retailers started moving the action to Thanksgiving Thursday itself. Now however, if you’re a cannabis consumer, you don’t even have to wait that long, because there is Green Wednesday.

The day before Thanksgiving has become something of a 4/20 in the fall. It’s one of the biggest days of the year for shopping in the cannabis industry.

According to research published in Marijuana Venture, recreational cannabis sales on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving were nearly 92% higher than preceding Wednesdays in November of last year.

“Green Wednesday has become a super popular time for us. Each year we get more and more people interested in stopping by before the holiday,” says Keegan McClung, marketing director at Cinder.

Some of this may be consumers taking advantage of deals before the holiday season, but insiders see it as a response to the holiday itself.

“Cannabis seems to make food taste better, so it’s no wonder one of the biggest eating holidays in America is now becoming associated with cannabis in legal states,” McClung adds.

It goes beyond just food, though. Thanksgiving is a time when people return home. They go back to their families and longtime friends. And over a

greenhand DAILY SPECIALS

long weekend, they might just want to get away for a minute.

A deal on a preroll joint or a vape pen could be all it takes to help a couple of cousins step out of the house and get to know each other on a different level, if only for a brief walk around the block.

This is not just a local phenomenon, either. Green Wednesday is becoming widely recognized in the cannabis industry. In 2022, the stock exchange Nasdaq published a story on its website about the trend.

According to cannabis business analysis company Akerna, Green Wednesday is now second only to 4/20 in consumer spending on cannabis.

Retailers are taking note of the demand from consumers.

“Whether it’s because they want to load up for Thanksgiving since they’ve got family in town or they’re trying to ensure they can scarf down an extra slice of pie, customers are expecting deals to help them out and stretch their dollar,” McClung says.

Local dispensaries are following suit, with many offering special sales on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. For cannabis consumers, Green Wednesday now serves as the unofficial kick off to the holiday season. n

BLACK FRIDAY

SUMMIT SALE

NOTE TO READERS

GREEN ZONE

BE AWARE: Marijuana is legal for adults 21 and older under Washington State law (e.g., RCW 69.50, RCW 69.51A, HB0001 Initiative 502 and Senate Bill 5052). State law does not preempt federal law; possessing, using, distributing and selling marijuana remains illegal under federal law. In Washington state, consuming marijuana in public, driving while under the influence of marijuana and transporting marijuana across state lines are all illegal. Marijuana has intoxicating effects; there may be health risks associated with its consumption, and it may be habit-forming. It can also impair concentration, coordination and judgment. Do not operate a vehicle or machinery under the influence of this drug. Keep out of reach of children. For more information, consult the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board at www.liq.wa.gov.

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.

Join us for an afternoon of traditional storytelling and dance exhibition, complete with complimentary fry bread and huckleberry jam. Visit cdcasino.com for more information and the full lineup of events for Native American Heritage month. All ages welcome.

VISIT CDACASINO.COM FOR MORE INFORMATION AND THE FULL LINEUP OF EVENTS FOR NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH.

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 24TH 2 PM | FREE EVENT LOCATED UPSTAIRS

HORSE MASK CONTEST WINNERS VOTED ON DURING EVENT & ANNOUNCED AT 4 PM.

NOVEMBER IS NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH

NATIVE AMERICAN ART MARKET

NOVEMBER 22ND – 24TH | 11 AM – 8 PM NOVEMBER 29TH – DECEMBER 1ST | 11 AM – 6 PM

Get your holiday shopping done early! Featuring authentic jewelry, paintings, beadwork, and much more! This event is FREE to the public.