Inlander 06/05/2025

latest is a tense, funny road trip through our post-COVID, post-truth land PAGE 16

EDITOR’S NOTE

urning the pages of this week’s edition, you’ll notice a few things, such as how filled with color, joy and smiles it is — a sincere celebration of community, love and acceptance for our annual PRIDE ISSUE. From the beautiful cover photo by Erick Doxey, a moment captured during last year’s Spokane Pride Parade, to the opening spread depicting joyful paradegoers decked out in flashy, festive attire, the support found right here in our own community for our LGBTQ+ friends and neighbors is palpable.

In a collection of stories led by section editor Colton Rasanen, that support is even more evident, despite the fact that Spokane Pride faced funding challenges as national corporations dropped sponsorships of the event following the Trump administration’s slashing of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs.

Yet the message is clear: Queer folks (and their allies) aren’t going anywhere, and when basic human rights are at stake those voices are only getting louder. Happy Pride Month!

— CHEY SCOTT, Editor

FAREWELL SPOKANE!

THE OAK RIDGE BOYS RETURN TO THE STAGE WHERE “ELVIRA” FIRST PLAYED IN 1981.

JULY 28

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IF YOU WERE TO DO COSPLAY, WHICH CHARACTER WOULD YOU PICK?

JOAM SUMAWANG

A Marvel superhero, of course, Spider-Man.

Is he your favorite superhero? [He’s] one of the superheroes [from] our childhood.

RICK SCHMIDT

Phil Ochs. He was a folk singer back in the ’60s. He was a pal of Bob Dylan’s back in the day.

What’s your favorite song of his?

A song called “Flower Lady.” It’s a beautiful song.

DAVID LOEBACH

I’d go with Paul Rudd as Ant-Man, just, you know, the little guy who’s got important things to do.

Why would you choose him?

Well, I think because to me, it’s an underdog character. You think ants are insignificant, but look how incredible that is.

JEFF VANCIL

The first thing that comes to mind is Seinfeld.

Why would you choose Seinfeld?

I think his approach toward the community and humor is tremendous.

RONI DYE

Hermione Granger.

Why would you pick her?

I’m a big Harry Potter fan.

5/29/25, RIVERFRONT PARK

INTERVIEWS BY MARTA SYZMANSKA AND BEE REISWIG

Skipping School

The problems facing our higher education institutions go beyond the headlines about Harvard

BY DON C. BRUNELL

Although President Donald Trump and Harvard’s recent spats make headlines, key issues in question affect all higher education.

Harvard, our nation’s first college (1636), is a center of current civil disruption and antisemitic behavior. The timing is bad because high school graduates are finalizing their college choices or deciding to forgo college altogether.

The news comes after graduates see existing student loans payments reinstated after a fouryear pause due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Morgan Stanley economists estimate there are 5.6 million borrowers who are now delinquent of their student loans.

Nationwide, the average student loan debt after four years is $35,000; it takes $296,500 to complete dental school.

Last year, Boston magazine’s Jon Keller described Harvard as suffering from “a crushing

cancel culture, accusations of plagiarism, protests on campus, lawsuits, congressional investigations, and big-dollar donors running for the door.”

Harvard recently took the highly unusual action of revoking the tenure of professor Francesca Gino, who was widely known for researching honesty and ethical behavior. In 2023, Harvard placed Gino on administrative leave due to allegations of data falsification.

Add to that ongoing “grade inflation,” which is prevalent throughout education today.

A 2023 Harvard Crimson op-ed argued that grade inflation is substantial. One faculty member described the grading practices as “indefensible.” Another critic quipped that grades of “A”

Founded in 1636, Harvard University is facing some of the stiffest challenges in its history. ADOBE STOCK

were given out like Halloween candy.

A Harvard-watcher wrote in the Harvard Political Review that the school’s new motto could be “The only thing harder than getting in is failing out.”

The Rev. Robert Spitzer, S.J., Gonzaga University president from 1998-2009, recommends that instructors combat plagiarism by requiring students to participate in classroom discussions. Sptizer’s idea includes having students complete in-room writing assignments without using their electronic devices.

During the Spitzer years, Gonzaga’s enrollment jumped from 4,500 to 7,000 students. SAT scores and GPAs of incoming firstyear students were up, and annual gifts tripled to $15.4 million.

In 2017, CEO Magazine ranked Harvard as the world’s best university ahead of MIT, Stanford, UC Berkeley and Princeton. This year, Harvard, once the crème de la crème of higher education, slipped to fourth behind MIT, Stanford, and Cambridge.

The Hill reports that Harvard ranked dead last, two years in a row, in the College Free Speech Rankings published annually by FIRE, the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education. “Most recently, it placed 251st out of 251 surveyed universities, earning an “abysmal” rating for its campus speech climate.

Significantly, declining enrollment is facing all higher education. Colleges and universities collectively experienced a 15% decline between 2010 and 2021, according to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES).

“…declining enrollment is facing all higher education. Colleges and universities collectively experienced a 15% decline between 2010 and 2021…”

“That includes a drop-off of more than 350,000 during the first year of the pandemic alone, and it means there are already 2.7 million fewer students than there were at the start of the last decade,” NCES reports.

It will be a growing problem in the years ahead. Our nation’s number of high school graduates peaked in 2025 and now is set to enter a period of prolonged decline.

Last year, the Wall Street Journal’s Douglas Belkin wrote “for three generations, the national aspiration to ‘college for all’ shaped America’s economy and culture, as most high-school graduates took it for granted that they would earn a degree.”

That consensus is now collapsing in the face of massive student debt, underemployed degree-holders, and political intolerance on campus.

According to Gallup, the percentage of Americans who expressed strong confidence in higher education decreased from 57% to 36% over the past decade.

WSJ adds that half of parents say they prefer not to send their children to a four-year college after high school, even if there were no obstacles (financial or otherwise). “Two-thirds of high-school students think they will be just fine without a college degree.”

It is also a trend among employers who are choosing skillsbased hiring over college credentials. Deloitte is one of dozens of large companies championing the idea that skills matter more than degrees, WSJ reports.

That is an emerging challenge no university leader can ignore. n

Don C. Brunell is a business analyst, writer and columnist. He retired as president of the Association of Washington Business, the state’s oldest and largest business organization, and now lives in Vancouver. He can be contacted at thebrunells@msn.com.

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E-I-E-I-No

Agricultural protection areas in Idaho could protect farmland from government-led development. Will they actually help Kootenai County manage growth?

BY ELIZA BILLINGHAM

Currently, more than 188,000 people live in Kootenai County. The county’s Metropolitan Planning Organization predicts that number will exceed 300,000 by 2040.

Local applications to subdivide land into smaller parcels to sell to developers have more than doubled in recent years.

Starting in 2028, the Idaho Transportation Department is planning to widen Interstate 90 between the state line and Coeur d’Alene to provide four lanes of traffic each way for the increased traffic.

As pressure to build mounts, so does the desire to protect agricultural land. Last year, the Idaho Legislature passed a bill that could protect farms or rangeland from being forcibly

bought by local governments through an often unpopular executive power called “eminent domain.” The use of eminent domain often signals — and facilitates — urban development.

In 2024, Idaho House Bill 608 established a process for farmers and ranchers to create their own agricultural protection areas — parcels of land exempted for 20 years to a city’s or county’s use of eminent domain. State and federal eminent domain remains unrestricted.

“Working farms, ranches, and forests and the benefits they provide to Idahoans are being lost to rapid population growth, conversion to development, and other uses in recent decades,” the law states.

This year, Kootenai County added the applicable code

Hollice Woods is a new development next to agricultural land on the edge of Rathdrum, Idaho. YOUNG KWAK PHOTO

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While Idaho’s new agricultural protection rule is meant to stop government development, it recognizes surging growth of

“E-I-E-I-NO,” CONTINUED...

and created an Agricultural Protection Area Commission in April as required by the new state law. But even though these protection areas have been discussed at the state level for over a year, Kootenai County commissioners and planners haven’t received any applications or heard of any interest from farmers to create the county’s first agricultural protection area.

Despite widespread pushback on growth, most landowners don’t want to lower their property value by excluding their land from potential development, especially when family farms are getting harder to operate and there are few other financially viable options.

If the county wants to meaningfully encourage conservation, Kootenai County Community Development Director David Callahan says agricultural protection areas need to come with “positive incentives,” that is, financial benefits, not just the chance to avoid government buyouts.

“The median home value in our county is half a million dollars,” Callahan says. “Who do you know that can afford that? We’ve become a resort community in the sense that only the top 1% of the population can afford to live here.”

It’s important for the county to protect open spaces not just to avoid becoming “wall to wall city,” Callahan says, but also to protect the aquifer that flows under the rapidly developing area — the same aquifer that provides drinking water in the Spokane area, too.

The desire for land conservation is strong in Kootenai County, Callahan says, but it’s complicated. In 2023, the county introduced an “open space bond” to voters, which would’ve allowed the county to buy land at market price to preserve it as open space instead of allowing more housing.

‘Bruce, what can we do to make Kootenai County grow faster?’” Mattare says.

As far as Mattare knows, no local government in Kootenai County is looking to snatch up farmland or open ranges. Mattare suspects eminent domain is more of a threat in southern Idaho, including in Legislative District 35, which is the district of state Rep. Kevin Andrus, one of the main sponsors of House Bill 608.

But even though an ag land grab is not on the horizon for Kootenai County, restricting eminent domain can limit a city’s ability to grow. Any decisions that limit growth can decrease the number of available properties and result in higher property appraisals — and even though residents typically want slower growth, “people don’t want it to affect their property [values,]” Mattare says.

That could be one reason farmers and ranchers aren’t volunteering their land for these protection areas.

“Why would you want to do that if you don’t get anything for it?” Callahan says. “Because right now, you can sell your land for four times what it was worth when you bought it.”

It’s not just Kootenai County that’s not taking advantage of the new legislation.

“When I talk with my cohorts around the state, I see that they are all of the same mindset,” Callahan says. “Not one of them across the state has actually had an application yet.”

Callahan is brainstorming other perks that would make the protection areas more attractive.

“I thought of two things I’m gonna ask my county commissioners,” he says. “[One is] if they would allow me to expedite permits and waive permit fees for people that are willing to designate their land as an agricultural protection area, if they wanted a new barn or a new accessory building or even another addition to their home … [Second,] I think we could put them first in line for any sort of local grant funding.”

But the conversation about smart growth in Kootenai County is only beginning.

The bond failed, only earning about 47% of the vote when it needed a two-thirds majority to pass. Even so, Kootenai County Commissioner Bruce Mattare says that’s an impressive achievement, since the bond had essentially no marketing campaign and no group advocating for it. The main critique Mattare heard was that the county lacked detailed plans for how it would manage the land after it bought it.

That’s one reason the county is now working on a detailed comprehensive plan, which should map out next steps for reasonable, slowed growth.

“I have not had anyone approach me and ask,

“I’m starting to see a turning of the tide if you will, or a tipping point, where people are a lot more interested in open space and guiding growth and development in a way that preserves what people like about Kootenai County,” Callahan says. “We are still a relatively unpopulated area

still beautiful, I’ll be so bold as to say.” n editor@inlander.com

all kinds.

YOUNG KWAK PHOTO

SYMPHONY SUMMER SETLIST

Finally Funded

North Idaho voters pass school levies. Plus, SCOTUS allows Trump to end an immigration program, and WSU reorganizes Pullman admin

BY INLANDER STAFF

Over the past two years, voters in the Lakeland Joint School District, including those living in Rathdrum, Twin Lakes and Spirit Lake, repeatedly declined to fund the district’s two-year operating levy. However, after months of providing public information on the levy’s importance, enough voters changed their minds. In May, 67% of voters approved Lakeland’s two-year $15 million levy — a $4 million reduction from the district’s proposed levy that failed in November — that will replace the current levy, which ends on June 30. Lakeland isn’t alone; both Boundary County and West Bonner school districts passed their levies, with 69% and 60% of the vote respectively, after failing to receive enough support in November. The Post Falls School District also saw its nearly $12 million two-year levy pass with 62% of voters in support. (COLTON RASANEN)

ENDING A HUMANITARIAN PROGRAM

On May 30, the U.S. Supreme Court issued an order allowing the Trump administration to terminate a parole program for more than 500,000 immigrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela, while litigation continues in lower courts. The Biden-era program, started in 2023, grants admission to non-U.S. citizens who are otherwise unable to enter the country but can apply due to “urgent humanitarian or significant public benefit reasons,” and have proof of a financial supporter here. The unsigned emergency order from the Supreme Court did not explain the court’s reasoning. However, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, in a dissent joined by Justice Sonia Sotomayor, wrote that the parole recipients were invited by the U.S. government and afflicted by unsafe living and working conditions in their home countries. “Parolees have sponsors here and, in many cases, have integrated into American neighborhoods and communities in the hopes of eventually securing long-term legal status (e.g., asylum),” Brown wrote. In a statement following the ruling, Tricia McLaughlin, assistant secretary for the Department of Homeland Security, said ending the parole program, “as well as the paroles of those who exploited it, will be a necessary return to common-sense policies, a return to public safety, and a return to America First.” (VICTOR CORRAL MARTINEZ)

REMOVING REDUNDANCY

In 2022, former Washington State University President Kirk Schulz attempted to reorganize the school’s administration as part of what was called the OneWSU strategy, by moving his office off campus into downtown Pullman and hiring a chancellor to lead in his place. Now under the leadership of current President Elizabeth Cantwell, WSU announced last week it would eliminate the Office of the Chancellor in Pullman and move the president’s office back onto campus in an effort to “improve operational and financial efficiency.” The move was recommended to Cantwell by both WSU-Pullman Chancellor Dave Cillay and Provost and Executive Vice President Chris Riley-Tillman, according to WSU Insider. Cillay will maintain his role as the chancellor for WSU’s global campus (the university’s virtual option). “We have an obligation to operate in a way that best serves the communities of our state,” Cantwell stated on May 29. “As we look to optimize system functionality, this structural change will ultimately provide better support and alignment for our students, faculty, staff, and programs.” (CR)

CORRECTION

The May 22 story “DOGE’s ‘Dine and Dash’” listed the wrong agency when referring to $6 million in grants revoked from Humanities Washington. The correct agency is the National Endowment for the Humanities. n

SPOKANE SYMPHONY AT ARBOR CREST WINERY JUNE 18 | 7:30PM

SPOKANE SYMPHONY AT BRICK WEST BREWING CO. JUNE 26 | 7PM

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SPOKANE SYMPHONY LABOR DAY CONCERT AT COMSTOCK PARK SEPTEMBER 1 | 6PM

Block(ed) Grants

The Trump administration wants to cut a grant program that helps low-income households in Spokane

BY VICTOR CORRAL MARTINEZ

On May 2, President Donald Trump released his discretionary budget proposal for the 2026 federal fiscal year, slashing $163 billion in non-defense funding in areas such as education, environment, housing and health.

The discretionary budget is approved annually by Congress and the president through the appropriations process. It differs from the funding cuts in the “Big Beautiful” reconciliation bill passed by the House on May 22 and currently being considered by the Senate.

The 2026 discretionary budget proposes eliminating the $3.3 billion Community Development Block Grant, also known as CDBG, which is administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. This grant provides over 1,200 state and local governments with funding for community development in low- to moderateincome communities.

The grant program has existed since 1975 and was designed to decentralize decision-making. This allows state and local governments to administer programs to combat poverty and provide affordable housing effectively with fewer restrictions.

Funds can be used for myriad projects, such as housing rehabilitation, emergency housing repairs, small business assistance and home weatherization.

Local nonprofit Spokane Neighborhood Action Partners, or SNAP, is alarmed about the grant program’s planned elimination.

In 2024, the city of Spokane received over $3 million in CBDG funding, and Spokane County received $1.5 million. John Hoover, SNAP’s director of housing services, says the nonprofit receives about $500,000 from the city and $200,000 from Spokane County to provide services each year.

In the past year, SNAP has helped 270 families with home repairs, at an average cost of $2,500 per household, Hoover says. Moreover, SNAP’s 30 programs help 45,000 to 48,000 Spokane County residents each year.

Hoover says the proposed cuts will affect many SNAP programs, including weatherization, energy assistance and the emergency home repair program for moderate- to low-income families. He says the programs help vulnerable people throughout the county.

Of the local CDBG-funded program beneficiaries, 75% are elderly. More than half of the beneficiaries also identify as disabled. Hoover says that many of the households that utilize SNAP’s emergency repair programs also have multiple generations living in one home.

“Making these repairs to a structure is providing shelter for multigenerational families that otherwise would not know what they will do,” Hoover says. “They’re going to be in a van, they’re going to be on the street, they’re going to be in a shelter, all things you don’t want.”

Hoover says the CDBG funds are an investment in all Americans’ ability to live better lives and escape poverty. He says grants often assist people who can’t walk into a bank and get a conventional loan for a home repair or to start a business.

“They don’t have ready access to money in order to either fulfill their dream of owning a business or, in my folks’ case, of replacing a water heater when it dies,” Hoover says. “They just don’t have those funds available to them.”

Current CDBG funding for SNAP runs out on June 30. SNAP is in talks with the city of Spokane and Spokane County to see if the contracts can be extended until Sept. 30, the end of the federal fiscal year. Hoover says

if funds are not available on July 1, SNAP will be forced to stop offering projects funded by CDBG.

For Hoover, speaking out about the funding cuts is important for the marginalized communities he’s trying to help.

“I really get frustrated when folks who don’t have financial resources are marginalized and they don’t have a voice,” Hoover says. “I guess that’s why I’m taking this approach, because they need a voice.”

Spokane City Council member Paul Dillon says CDBG is widely popular in the city and agrees with Hoover’s fears that many recipients will be vulnerable to becoming homeless. He says that adequate housing is a human right for everyone.

Emergency home repair funds can help prevent people from being forced to vacate a low-income property that needs major plumbing or roof repairs. CDBG funds can also be used to connect water lines to homes or make septic tank repairs that allow tenants to stay in their homes.

The grant funds can also be used to make homes accessible for disabled individuals who need accommodations for their living space. Additionally, homeownership education and assistance are available to qualified individuals looking to buy their own home.

“When you couple this decision with the votes to defund Medicaid, then everything that we’re seeing is going to be exacerbating this homeless crisis that we are in,” Dillon says. “Keeping people in their homes is one of the most primary steps you can do for public safety.”

Dillon says the federal cuts are putting a larger burden on the city, which is already working under a leaner budget to provide services to the people after addressing its own $25 million budget deficit going into this year. He says that people need to call their U.S. representative, Michael Baumgartner, to tell him about the impacts these cuts will have on Spokane.

“It’s easy to look at them in silos, but this shows how interconnected our funding [and] our services are, and this would be a devastating blow for communities in need in Spokane,” Dillon says. “We’re seeing a time of top-down economics where it feels like we’re trying to blow everything up in order to give major tax cuts to the rich, and people in need are suffering.” n

victorc@inlander.com

SNAP workers help weatherize a home for energy efficiency. PHOTOS COURTESY SNAP

CDBG programs fund upgrades on furnaces and water heaters.

GRADCon ulations!

to the Spokane Community College and Spokane Falls Community College class of 2025.

KAITLYN KRAUSS

Age: 18 | GPA: 3.95

Field: International Business, SCC

KAITLYN KRAUSS always searches for ways to use her skills to incite change in her local communities and beyond. She is pursuing a transfer degree in International Business at SCC to ultimately help nonprofit organizations thrive. Her understanding of various humanitarian agency operations through personal and family travel gives Kaitlyn the opportunity to use this lived experience to help agencies find success in their efforts to help people.

ROSALIN LIVMORRE

Age: 41 | GPA: 3.7

Field: Information Technology and Cybersecurity, SFCC

ROSALIN LIVMORRE’s story includes escaping a community in which stereotypical gender roles were pushed. As a parent of five, survivor of abuse, and little to no support from the community in which they were raised, Rosalin was able to rebuild their life. Rosalin understands how life choices can positively impact those around us and is a role model for their children. Rosalin wants to work on ethical and security challenges that face our world by working in the cybersecurity field.

ERICA BUNDY

Age: 35 | GPA: 3.97

Field: Addiction Studies, SFCC

ERICA BUNDY has a passion to help others successfully navigate reentry from jail or prison with employment and mentorship resources. Erica does this by cultivating professional and leadership skills, as well as building a network of supportive peers in the community. Erica’s commitment to succeed is fueled by lived experience. Erica hopes to open a treatment center that focuses on trauma-informed care with a holistic approach to the recovery process.

KIM (DONG) NGUYEN

Age: 30 | GPA: 3.9

Field: Health Information Management, SCC

KIM (DONG) NGUYEN is a student at SCC pursuing a transfer degree in Pre-Nursing. Beyond academics, Kim enjoys volunteering in the emergency room at a local hospital. Upon completing her degree, Kim hopes to attend Washington State University to continue studies in healthcare and later gain acceptance into a master’s or doctorate level program to achieve her goal of growing as a healthcare professional.

Whether you’re graduating in Spokane or at one of our rural campuses, we can’t wait to see you take the next step toward your future!

Flagrant Violation

How a North Idaho city is skirting a statewide flag law to show solidarity with Canada

BY VICTOR CORRAL MARTINEZ

Since 1982, the city of Bonners Ferry in North Idaho has flown its Canadian flag alongside the U.S. and Idaho flags, reflecting a shared connection with its northern neighbors, just 27 miles away.

recalling that Broadbent told him, “We will sue you, we will file a writ of mandamus and take you to court to force you to take it down.”

Many Canadians come from towns like Creston or Cranbrook to shop in Bonners Ferry or travel the International Selkirk Loop. This 280-mile scenic highway crosses through Idaho, Washington and British Columbia.

However, the city’s friendly display of respect was threatened on April 3, when Idaho Gov. Brad Little signed House Bill 96 into law, prohibiting government entities from displaying any flags on their properties other than the U.S. flag, military flags, tribal flags, Idaho state and official city flags, or university and college flags.

Still, Bonners Ferry Mayor Rick Alonzo says that when he heard about the new law, he simply ignored it, assuming that a small city like Bonners Ferry wouldn’t be on anyone’s radar in Boise. But at the end of April, he says he received a call from Phil Broadbent, the chief deputy attorney general for Idaho.

Alonzo says that when Broadbent called him, they had a brief argument. Since there isn’t a penalty for violating the law, Alonzo asked what the attorney general could even do if the city didn’t comply

“I said, ‘If we decide that we’re going to fly the flag, what are you going to do?’” Alonzo says,

However, Damon Sidur, communications director for the Idaho Attorney General’s Office, denies Alonzo’s claims. Sidur says Broadbent asked the city to voluntarily comply with the state law, similar to the requests made asking the Parma Police Department to take down a Thin Blue Line flag and the city of Boise to take down a Pride flag and a pro-organ donor Donate Life flag.

“Otherwise, we would have to send a letter similar to the one sent to the City of Boise,” Sidur tells the Inlander by email.

In response, Alonzo worked with City Attorney Andrakay Pluid to draft a resolution around a potential loophole in the law, which allows cities to fly other countries’ flags for special occasions.

“Andrakay came up with the resolution stating we are commemorating our city’s neighborly relationship with Canada, and that we were going to fly the flag 365 days a year to do that,” Alonzo says.

At the May 6 Bonners Ferry City Council meeting, the mayor and city attorney presented the document to the council, which voted to adopt it.

On the same day, the Boise City Council, whose City Hall may have sparked the state legislation in the first place, voted to make the Pride and Donate Life flags official city flags.

FLAGGING A CONCERN

During the Idaho Senate debate on the bill in March, state Sen. Melissa Wintrow, a Democrat who resides in Boise, claimed that the legislation targeted Pride flags displayed in Boise, where the Legislature conducts its business.

State Sen. Jim Woodward, a Republican who grew up in Bonners Ferry, was also alarmed when he heard about the bill sponsored by Rep. Heather Scott, a Republican from Blanchard. Woodward grew up seeing the Canadian flag flown to show neighborly friendship with Canadians who come to visit, shop and travel in Idaho.

Woodward says he asked state Sen. Ben Toews, a Republican from Coeur d’Alene who sponsored the bill in the Senate, about the impact on Bonners Ferry, but received an ambiguous response about the legislation leaving some gray area. He says that was enough for him to vote no on the bill.

“That flag bill is just one more example of poorly written legislation,” Woodward says. “It works well for political fundraising, but it doesn’t address an issue that is really on the minds of Idahoans on a day-to-day basis.”

Woodward says that often, a statewide rule restricting what local governments can do doesn’t work for every part of Idaho, and that outside influence brought this law into the state for an issue that should be handled by local government. Similar legislation has been passed in conservative states, such as Utah.

Woodward has heard there could be efforts in the next legislative session to fix the law for cities like Bonners Ferry, but he would also expect legislation to add penalties to the current flag law for violators.

“I’m just glad to see that my values are still aligned with the people of Bonners Ferry,” Woodward says. “I’m happy that the City Council and Bonners Ferry took the action they did, that shows we’re still Idahoans who live and let live, and we’re independent and value our freedoms.”

As the former Bonners Ferry police chief, Alonzo says he didn’t set out to break any laws, but the city skirted around the edge of the flag law to show solidarity with Canadians.

“It’s much ado about nothing,” Alonzo says. “All we’re doing is trying to honor our neighbors to the north by flying their flag on the International Selkirk Loop.” n

victorc@inlander.com

A new Idaho law prohibits cities from flying other countries’ flags. ADOBE STOCK

How Far Gone?

In his new novel, So Far Gone, Jess Walter once again indulges his journalist’s instinct to write what he sees

BY E.J. IANNELLI

In So Far Gone, Jess Walter’s first novel since 2020’s The Cold Millions, the protagonist is drawn out of several years of self-imposed isolation when his partly estranged grandchildren suddenly appear at the screen door of his cinder block cabin in remote Stevens County.

The opening pages see Rhys Kinnick, a retired journalist, doing some quick mental math to calculate just how long it’s been since he willfully removed himself from society — even if the word recluse causes him to bristle.

The publication of So Far Gone — which releases on June 10 — has Walter doing some mental math of his own. Sitting in his home office on the upper level of a now-converted detached garage, he reflects that it’s been exactly 30 years since the publication of Every Knee Shall Bow, the book that propelled his own writing career beyond the columns of his hometown paper.

That nonfiction account, which centered on the deadly 11-day standoff between U.S. marshals and the Weaver family near Ruby Ridge, Idaho, in 1992, sprang from the coverage that put his reporting team at the Spokesman Review in the running for a Pulitzer Prize.

“The Ruby Ridge book is one of the reasons that I found myself sort of drawn back to the radical right ideas of this book,” Walter says.

“I was thinking back to how, if someone would have told me that these fringe characters carrying these [antigovernment] signs in 1992 when I covered that story, or in ’95 when the book came out, that that would be the main-

stream, I would have thought it was insane,” he continues.

A telling exchange in So Far Gone, and one of Walter’s admitted favorites, is when Kinnick asks a former colleague, “Who covers the radical right these days?” “Uh, the government reporter?” is her response. Kinnick is slowly struck by the gravity of what she’s saying: “no longer was the fringe on the fringe.”

This new book is thus Walter’s exploration of the surreal American moment in which we find ourselves, a time when a sitting U.S. president openly floats the idea that his predecessor was replaced midterm by a robot. Meanwhile, his supporters cheer on arbitrary deportations and the dismantling of longstanding federal programs by a ketamine-fueled tech bro and his goon squad.

For Walter to depict that moment through the uncomprehending eyes of an outsider, he has Kinnick clumsily re-enter a world that is now post-COVID and post-truth — “almost,” he explains, “like a Rip Van Winkle.”

Kinnick’s motivation is to rescue his grandchildren from their father, Shane, who’s fallen under the powerful sway of conspiracy theories and far-right religious militancy, and reunite them with Bethany, Kinnick’s daughter. Bethany might share Shane’s desire for a life-ordering meaning and purpose, but she’s chosen to search for it down less volatile paths.

The awkward adventure, alternately tense and comedic, brings Kinnick and his companions into Spokane,

to rural Idaho, on to British Columbia and back to Kinnick’s makeshift hermitage. Walter points to a spot on a nearby bookshelf where three books by Charles Portis — True Grit, The Dog of the South and Norwood — are aligned upright.

“I really wanted to write this sort of road trip book, the kind of hapless quest that Portis writes so well,” he says.

Jess Walter’s latest novel examines life on the fringe. ERICK DOXEY PHOTO

Beyond providing a sense of narrative momentum, the characters’ movement though different parts of the Inland Northwest gave him an opportunity to trace the country’s fissures and fragmentation by means of geography.

“The idea that we cross these borders and the rules change was something that really came about in the writing and studying what’s happening in the country,” he says.

“It’s indicative of these cultural borders that we cross all the time. Those borders are in places that they didn’t always used to be. We’re getting entirely different sets of information, of what we call news, of what religion means. We have a different reality when we cross these borders now.”

It’s been quite a few years — 16, in fact — since Walter last confronted the zeitgeist head-on in booklength fiction. Before the early 20th-century historical and sociopolitical drama of The Cold Millions, there was Beautiful Ruins (2012), an ambitious and expansive story that stretched from the Italian coast to Hollywood.

Those more recent novels were connected to Walter’s larger body of work by what he calls “a certain wistful humor that undercuts everything I write.” But they had “huge casts” and “larger historical frameworks” than a novel like 2009’s The Financial Lives of the Poets, which might as well be a prequel to So Far Gone

“I remember when I was writing Financial Lives of the Poets and the financial crisis had just hit us in this way. I like to think that there are these moments when it feels like the car is going off the road, and my impulse is to

“We have a different

reality when we cross these borders now.”

stick my head out the window and describe what I see,” he says with a wry smile.

“In both cases, that’s what I felt like I was doing. Working on this in 2024 as we were lurching toward another election, it became clear that no matter who won, we weren’t done with this period of history yet.”

It isn’t too great a spoiler to say that, in the tale that Walter crafted to capture that period of history, some individuals do seize the opportunities for redemption that are presented to them. As if answering the question implicit in the book’s title, they manage to pull themselves back from the precipice that would see them plunging headlong into blind hatred, fear, resentment or disaffection.

But how true to life are those characters’ reconciliations and sacrifices? Or are they just wish fulfillment on the part of the fiction writer?

“One of the great things about The Cold Millions, set in 1909 Spokane, was seeing how these [political] cycles come and go and replace themselves. And so I do have hope,” Walter says.

“I also think of what Kafka said, though. There is always hope; but not for us.” n

Launch Party: Jess Walter’s So Far Gone • Tue, June 10 at 7 pm • Sold out • Myrtle Woldson Performing Arts Center • 211 E. Desmet • (Other local events: July 17 at BookPeople Moscow and July 24 at The Well-Read Moose, Coeur d’Alene) • jesswalter.com

Poster Boy

After making official art for Star Wars and Marvel, Spokane artist Ryan Shumate heads to Lilac City Comicon

BY SETH SOMMERFELD

There are so many things that can spark a child’s artistic imagination and aspirations: an adored animated movie or show, their parents’ artistic tastes, comic books, a special trip to a museum. But for Spokane digital pop culture illustrator Ryan Shumate — who’s done work for entertainment giants like Marvel, NBC Universal and Sony — that love of art traces back to a sublime yard sale find.

“Honestly? [It started] when I got a box of Star Wars toys in 1989. My mom got it from a garage sale,” Shumate says. “I loved all of the different characters, and I immediately got to drawing…”

Fast forward to May 2025 and Shumate put those childhood skills to the test when he was hired by Lucasfilm to create official digital posters for Season 2 of the acclaimed Star Wars series Andor. The stunning mirroring diptych posters center the profiles of the show’s two opposing female forces: the cold hostility of the Empire’s Dedra Meero gazing toward the Death Star and the warm hope of Rebel Alliances’ Mon Mothra looking upon the Rebel’s logo in the sky.

It’s top-tier poster design that showcases Shumate’s skills, which he’s also shown off in art for films like Uncharted and Marvel’s Shang-Chi, video games such as Horizon Zero Dawn and musical acts including Elton John. The trademarks of his style include vibrant splashed colors and comic book style with dark, bold saturation, loose shapes and compositions. You can see some of Shumate’s work and meet the artist when he sets up shop at Lilac City Comicon this weekend, June 7 and 8, at the Spokane Convention Center. Surprisingly, it’ll be the first time Shumate has been a guest at — or even attended — a comicon, but it’s a stop on his journey that’s been in the works since those early days sketching action figures from a galaxy far, far away.

Originally from Idaho Falls, Shumate was drawing as far back as he can remember. Unsurprisingly, he was always drawn toward subjects of his favorite shows. From Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles to Power Rangers, if it was on TV, Shumate was drawing it. Despite being an artsy kid, Shumate didn’t really imagine it might be his job someday. The starving artist

LILAC CITY COMICON: 2025 HIGHLIGHTS

In addition to Ryan Shumate, this year’s ’Con includes plenty more artist and comic shop booths, plus guests like Rodger Bumpass (voice of Squidward on Spongebob Squarepants), a host of Star Wars TV series actors (Robert Timothy Smith, Barry Lowin, Stephen Oyoung), an array of comic book artists (Arthur Suydam, Larry Houston, Warren Montgomery,) two-time Lego champion Krystle Starr, The Lord of the Rings and The actor Jed Brophy, and many more.

mate’s designs started to garner some online buzz. There was an unnerving green-drenched poster for The Fly, his own bursting-with-color “Cotton Candy Dinosaur” series, and a cosmic Black Panther poster of T’Challa on the Ancestral Plane. Eventually, these caught the eyes of Poster Posse, a California-based company that links artists with major companies looking to commission official art. Shumate joined Poster Posse in 2021, which has since led to paid work for companies like Disney.

Bnarrative was drilled into him early. Yet still wanting art to be central to his life, he attended the University of Idaho to study art education (where he also met his wife). After earning a degree and dipping his toes into the classroom, he decided he couldn’t teach properly until he upped his own artistic chops.

“I never saw myself working within the art field unless I was teaching it. I have a huge passion for helping and teaching kids. So that’s why I went for the art education degree,” Shumate says. “However, upon student

efore anyone heads out to Lilac City Comicon to check out Shumate’s booth, keep in mind that part of doing the work for massive pop culture entities means there’s a restriction on what artists of his ilk can actually sell. He can’t just print off posters of everything he makes because he’s working on copyrighted properties. In order to sell their designs, artists like Shumate must go through a process of getting pieces licensed through galleries. They’re careful not to break any rules for fear of being blacklisted by said companies for selling unauthorized prints. For example, Shumate could sell a striking Batman Beyond print that he got licensed by DC Comics via Sideshow Collectibles, but cannot peddle copies of his recent Star Wars work.

“It’s funny with this Andor situation — I hadn’t opened my shop emails in forever. But the influx of attention that I [got the week the posters were released], I’ve had to tell so many people, ‘I’m so sorry, but I can’t sell prints,’” Shumate says. “And that would’ve been nice, but I respect that. You do not want Disney coming after you being like, ‘Why are you selling Star Wars drawings?’”

Delving into other mediums, Shumate did his first comic book cover last year for Rise. Properties on his dream list to make posters for include Superman and Tron. He also hopes to get into the world of creating book covers at some point.

teaching for just a little bit at Lake City High School in Coeur d’Alene in 2015, I realized it wasn’t my vibe and it wasn’t my time yet, and I really wanted to still apply myself artistically before I was teaching anybody.”

Shumate transitioned to doing graphic design for local businesses. At the same time, he was becoming more interested in the trend of artists making amazing alternative movie posters. Companies like Mondo specialize in these limited-edition screenprinted posters, and many aspiring artists have taken to creating the uncommissioned artworks as a way to show off their creative chops in a way that could potentially find a viral audience online.

In 2018, he quit his day job to pursue art. While it hasn’t been the easiest of roads, eventually some of Shu-

He’s also striving to get more connected with the local art community to help him get outside of his comfort zone. That can be tough because many of the visual art institutions exclude artists who work in Shumate’s space, i.e. creating tributes to existing pop culture. Beyond selling some prints, a big draw of Lilac City Comicon is simply having a space to connect with the people swinging by to look at his work and chat up other exhibitors.

From a kid doodling Star Wars toys to a full-grown adult working for Lucasfilm, Shumate can’t help but smile while remarking about the fact that his job is now a version of what he was doing oh-so-many years ago.

“It’s pretty full circle from a box of action figures to this.” n

Lilac City Comiccon • Sat, June 7 from 10 am-6 pm and

Shumate in his pop culture-infused home office. YOUNG KWAK PHOTOS

One of Shumate’s posters for the Horizon Zero Dawn video game series.

This Show Will Change Your Life

The Book of Mormon finds continued success in its juxtaposition of comedy and religion

BY COLTON RASANEN

The Book of Mormon is easily one of the funniest musicals out there, and it’s no secret why. Written by the co-creators of South Park, the offensively hilarious cartoon that’s aired since 1997, the musical is filled with a similar comedic approach to a much more serious topic: Mormon missionary work.

The show, which returns to Spokane’s First Interstate Center for the Arts through Saturday, follows Elder Price (Sam McLellan) and Elder Cunningham (Diego Enrico), two missionaries for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who go to Uganda for a two-year mission trip.

After arriving, however, they realize the Ugandan villagers really have no interest in religion, but real concerns on their mind: the violent warlord who rules their village and the famine and disease running rampant in the region. Yet one young girl in the village, Nabulungi, played in this tour by Keke Nesbitt, might just be the key to helping the Elders find footing in their work.

“She’s the most hopeful for change, so I think their partnership with Nabulungi kind of surpasses all of the cultural differences, and they’re able to bring these two different communities together,” Nesbitt says. “I think if you compare it to any other comedy, it’s the same thing, you know, they take these situations that can be offensive or hurtful, but they try and put the spin on it, to make it funny, and just for everyone to have a good time.”

While Nesbitt, 23, had heard about The Book of Mormon in her Palm Beach, Florida high school, she didn’t actually see the musical until her sophomore year at Penn State University. She attended the show, not because of its popularity, but because one of her school’s alumni was starring in it.

“I thought it was just so funny, and it was kind of like a cometo-Jesus moment of like, ‘Oh my gosh, wait, I was once where they were,’” Nesbitt recalls. “It was just really cool to see that.”

During her senior year of college, Nesbitt auditioned for the same show. While most fresh graduates are left wondering “What’s next?” Nesbitt was cast in the leading female role with the nationally touring musical even before graduating two years ago

It’s an actor’s job to bring a character to life regardless of how far apart the two may be, but Nesbitt says she sees a lot of herself in Nabulungi.

“Both of our auras are light, and I think we’re very fun, upbeat people. Anytime someone hangs around us, you know, it’s a better day and that’s just because of, like, the spirit that I carry and the spirit that I think Nabulungi carries,” Nesbitt says. “Within the show that’s needed, because a lot of dark stuff happened in Uganda.”

Now, as she finishes her second and final year with more than 500 performances under her belt, Nesbitt is ready to move to New York and begin auditioning for her next role.

“I don’t know if I’m ever going to do a show for this long again, it’s kind of a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” Nesbitt says. “I don’t have a home yet outside of college, so I’m excited to get to New York and figure out what my life is outside of a tour.” n

The Book of Mormon • June 3-7; Tue-Sat at 7:30 pm, Sat also at 2 pm • $45-$140 • First Interstate Center for the Arts • 334 W. Spokane Falls Blvd. • broadwayspokane.com

We’re Still Here and… Pride The ISSUE

From researching modern queer history at university and later disseminating that same information to rural North Dakotans to leading the Inlander’s annual Pride section for another year, it’s fair to say I’ve thought about Pride a lot.

The overarching message I’ve found through it all is that: Beyond the hardship and the attempts to erase or silence queer people through discrimination and governmental action or inaction over the past century, there’s always something to be proud of in the LGBTQ+ community.

This year there’s more to be proud of than ever, especially here in the Spokane area. While more than 200 unpaid volunteers selflessly donate their time each year to create the extravagant Pride parade and festival, leaders at Spokane Pride have worked around the clock for months finding local partnerships to replace tens of thousands of dollars that would usually come from national sponsors.

Inside you’ll also meet the barrier-breaking drag queen Beyoncé Black St. James, who became the first Washingtonian crowned Miss Trans USA in 2024, and Trans Spokane’s Executive Director Louis Stay.

And don’t forget to check out the long list of local Pride-related events in and around the Spokane-Coeur d’Alene area, too.

COLTON RASANEN, SECTION EDITOR

‘We’re Not Going Anywhere’

Despite losing funding from national corporations, Spokane Pride is digging its roots deeper into the Inland Northwest

BY COLTON RASANEN

As has been the case across the country, Spokane’s annual Pride event has faced financial uncertainty over the last few months as many major sponsors have decided to halt their recurring sponsorships. If you were to compare the 2024 sponsor list to this year’s, you’d notice the absence of large brands, such as Nütrl (an Anheuser-Busch brand), Walmart and Verizon.

Spokane Pride Executive Director Matt Danielson doesn’t know if these companies are forgoing their Pride support because of the economic instability caused largely by President Trump’s tariffs, to avoid partnerships with “DEI organizations,” or something else entirely. All he knows is that his team has had to work hard to make up tens of thousands of dollars in corporate sponsorships.

“It’s been a roller coaster, but I’m kind of a blind idealist. I know the community will be there. If Pride was suddenly not going to happen, and we put that out there, the community would make Pride happen,” Danielson says.

“People care deeply about what we do, and I always knew that deeply — despite the crushing anxiety of sponsor after sponsor backing out. So at the end of the day I knew we’re gonna be OK, we just had to get creative.”

Despite the loss of these corporate funds, Danielson says Spokane Pride, which is on Saturday, June 14, in downtown Spokane and Riverfront Park, has raised enough to carry on last year’s success: a large parade, five performance stages, and vendors throughout the park. And the organization has been able to do it with more local support than ever.

“The silver lining of sponsors like Anheuser-Busch dropping is we get to have local brewers involved with us now,” Spokane Pride President Jacob Schwartz says. “With the amount of money they typically sponsor us with, [Anheuser] got an exclusivity contract in the beer garden. So this year, while we’re not getting the money from Anheuser, we’re also not getting the exclusivity contract.”

This has allowed Pride to partner with local breweries, including Hat Trick, Natural 20 and Humble Abode, to stock the beer garden with local kegs. Danielson says Dry Fly Distilling has also agreed to supply vodka, gin, whiskey and cases of its canned cocktails.

“Not only is it just pride in our queer community, but pride in our local community and our local businesses, too,” Schwartz says. “Getting to actually partner with our local brewers, especially because Spokane has an absolutely phenomenal brewing industry, is really awesome.”

This year, one of the largest sponsorships, at $10,000,

comes from the Episcopal Diocese of Spokane. Bishop Gretchen Rehberg, who pulled the money from her discretionary fund, has supported LGBTQ+ causes in the past, like when she promised to match donations to repaint the downtown Pride mural when it was defaced last year.

“I’m excited that churches are stepping in,” says Schwartz, who’s also a member of the Episcopal Diocese of Spokane. “To have faith communities, especially from the traditions near where I grew up in not only not being antiPride, but really pushing to make sure that they’re invested in our community has been earth shattering to me.”

Gonzaga University’s Lincoln LGBTQ+ Resource Center also made a significant contribution to Pride.

“The gay kid in me that grew up fundamentalist Christian is like, ‘Oh, my God, the Christians are saving Pride right now,” Danielson adds with a smile.

This year’s Pride theme, “Here to Stay,” is more a statement of resistance than anything, Danielson says.

“The world did kind of change around us, I mean, Pride didn’t change. We’re a celebration of love and diversity and acceptance of people for who they are,” he says. “No matter what happens in the world, there are going to be queer people, this community is going to be here, and the more people try to keep us down or put us in our place, the bigger Pride is going to be.”

Spokane Pride has grown exponentially in the past

decade. When Danielson began working for the organization in 2016, there were about 5,000 Pride attendees in the open grass space where the Numerica Skate Ribbon now sits. During the pandemic they hosted pop-up and drive-through events, but by 2022 there were close to 40,000 attendees filling Riverfront Park.

Danielson utilizes cellphone data to capture attendance for Pride, but last year he says there were so many people in the park that it “basically broke the cell towers.”

Spokane’s Pride celebrations draw attendees from across the Inland Northwest, including many folks from Idaho. Drag performances aren’t usually allowed at these Gem State Pride events, Danielson explains, so it’s something he emphasizes each year. Last year, more than 80 drag artists performed on stages throughout Riverfront Park.

“The weekend we do Spokane Pride there’s more love in downtown than there is in the whole year,” Danielson says. “I know it sounds ‘woo woo’ and cheesy, but I have talked to so many people about that, and it is true for them.”

This year, the June 14 Pride event coincides with Indivisible’s nationwide No Kings protest, which is being held “in response to increasing authoritarian excesses and corruption from Trump and his allies.” From 3 to 4 pm at the Lilac Bowl stage in Riverfront Park, Pride organizers are hosting the Stonewall Rally, named after the Stonewall Riots that started the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement in June 1969, for speakers from across the region to speak about the impacts of this presidency.

“It lets us honor our activist roots,” Danielson says. “We want every part of the community honored and basically our overarching message is going to be that we need to be a unified coalition to stand up to what’s happening in our federal government.”

“[The Trump administration] wants us to hide so we’ll be quiet and they might get left alone. That’s literally what it boils down to,” Spokane Pride Vice President Kassandra Forsman says. “And it’s like, no, we’re not going to be f—ing quiet. We’re not going anywhere.” n

Visit our booth at Spokane Pride

Saturday, June 14

Riverfront Park, Spokane

For more information about pride celebrations across Washington and to learn more about your rights, visit: aclu-wa.org/pride25

Attendees show their support during the 2024 Spokane Pride Parade. ERICK DOXEY PHOTO

Pride The ISSUE

Carrying the Flag

Meet the volunteers that make Spokane Pride possible

BY DORA SCOTT

Avibrant blue T-shirt with “Pride is Power, First Pride March, 1992” printed in hot pink is carefully folded and pinned.

It’s among the items inside boxes and boxes of local queer memorabilia unpacked on a recent Thursday morning by Spokane Pride board members and volunteers setting up an ongoing project called Spokane Pride & Remembrance: A History Project at Spokane Public Library’s Central branch.

Just after 10 am, the once-quiet third floor bustles with activity. The exhibit’s head curator and local Spokane drag queen, Crystal Marché, flits back and forth between dressing mannequins in sequined and sparkling drag queen gowns and helping arrange miniature LGBTQ+ flags inside one of the glass cases.

“This has been kind of like my legacy project,” Marché says. “I believe that nobody can know where they’re going unless they know where they’ve been.”

The Pride history exhibit is just one small example of the behind-the-scenes work that makes the parade and festival possible.

What began as a march numbering around 1,000 people on June 3, 1992, has grown into one of the largest LGBTQ+ events in the Inland Northwest, predicted to draw around 50,0000 attendees on June 14.

And while the main event lasts one day, it takes more than 200 volunteers to bring it to life. They do everything from selling merch and working the bar to driving shuttles, setting up tents, managing waste, coordinating safety patrols known as “Angels,” and packing it all away once the glitter and confetti settle.

THE HISTORIANS

Born in the Tri-Cities, Marché started performing drag over two decades ago at the queer Pasco nightclub Out and About before moving to Spokane in 2003 and becoming a local drag icon.

As many of Marché’s drag elders of the 1960s and 1970s have recently died, recording queer history has become ever-important.

“I grew up listening to these stories of people who did this when it wasn’t popular, when it was still illegal, and history has been something that I deeply love,” she says.

“So this is my gift to the community.”

The project was born at the end of 2023, with the help of Spokane Pride, and was shown as an exhibit for the first time last year at Riverfront Park’s Pavilion for a handful of days in June. This year, the exhibit moved to the Central Library, where library staff assisted by sifting through archives like old Stonewall News Northwest newspapers.

GET INVOLVED

“This year, we’re kind of really trying to show the intersectionality of the queer community because you’re not just queer,” Marché says. “You’re queer and a woman, you’re queer and trans, you’re queer and a person of color, you’re also queer and an ally.”

Spokane Pride running, but she also volunteers as its main merchandise creator and graphic designer.

Dirks got involved with Spokane Pride as a volunteer after moving back to Spokane in late 2019. She owned and operated a small nonprofit thrift store for a handful of years before selling it to become more involved in the organization, logging over 40 hours of service each week. Now, you’ll find her pumping out self-designed and hand-printed tumblers, making T-shirts (including last year’s Pride shirt) and designing event flyers.

Visit spokanepride.org/volunteer to learn more about helping out. While Spokane Pride needs more than 200 volunteers to put on its annual parade and festival, it also needs volunteers for its 70-plus year-round events.

A volunteer at the Pride parade and festival since 2022, Hayley Olson also joined the history project team this year. With a master’s in history from Eastern Washington University, Olson recognizes how important it is to keep records for marginalized communities.

“I felt it was my duty as a historian to uplift these stories, these narratives and this history in order to make it more visible,” she says.

In her first two years volunteering, Olson helped mostly with volunteer coordination, but last year she took on three different shifts: coordinating volunteers, selling merch and working at the Pride bar.

“I’m bisexual and I wanted to make sure that in a community that is so close to a very conservative state that this organization had life in it and continues to have life and to provide an outlet for people to celebrate the fact that we exist and we’re not going anywhere,” Olson says.

The Pride history project is ongoing, and encourages community members to share their stories at spokanepride.org/historyprojecthub. The exhibit’s opening ceremony was last Sunday; it’ll be displayed at the Central Library throughout June.

MOTHER OF MERCH

Described as a “Jack of all trades,” Spokane Pride board member Shelby Dirks has a hand in most of what keeps

Dirks notes that Spokane Pride only recently added one paid staff member, Executive Director Matthew Danielson.

“We pull off a beautiful thing,” she says about Pride. “And it all comes from people wanting to do it, so it is volunteer based. Very active board members, though, we see each other way too much, don’t we?”

THE MAPPER

A longtime volunteer of Spokane Pride, Jacob Beye became a board member a year ago. Though his responsibilities have changed year-to-year, this time around Beye is charged with mapping and coordinating the 220 vendors, 15 food trucks and five stages at the festival.

There will be booths of all sorts, from small businesses selling Pride and non-Pride wares like jewelry to organizations providing helpful LGBTQ+ resources and information.

“What I love about it is we don’t have to beg people to be vendors,” Beye says. “We just put our applications out there, make sure people know when deadlines are coming and stuff, and they just blow in.”

Food, he notes, is by far the most competitive, with about 100 applicants vying for limited spots.

Outside of his role as a board member, Beye has worked for other local nonprofits like the Ronald McDonald House and was inspired by actions that boards can take.

“[Spokane Pride] is one I believe in strongly,” Beye says. “It’s done a lot for all the people around me and myself … so it feels really important, and it feels like something I need to pay back because I received.” n

Spokane Pride board member Shelby Dirks works on a display for Pride Month. ERICK DOXEY PHOTO

We strive for a place that promotes equity and inclusion for all while fostering appreciation of diverse cultures and global perspectives. The PRIDE Center at Spokane Community College and LGBT+ Student Center at Spokane Falls Community College are safe spaces for all to be welcomed and empowered to be one's true and authentic self.

Community Colleges of Spokane does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability,

(bik-TAR-vee)

MOST IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT BIKTARVY

BIKTARVY may cause serious side effects, including:

 Worsening of hepatitis B (HBV) infection. Your healthcare provider will test you for HBV. If you have both HIV-1 and HBV, your HBV may suddenly get worse if you stop taking BIKTARVY. Do not stop taking BIKTARVY without first talking to your healthcare provider, as they will need to check your health regularly for several months, and may give you HBV medicine.

ABOUT BIKTARVY

BIKTARVY is a complete, 1-pill, once-a-day prescription medicine used to treat HIV-1 in adults and children who weigh at least 55 pounds. It can either be used in people who have never taken HIV-1 medicines before, or people who are replacing their current HIV-1 medicines and whose healthcare provider determines they meet certain requirements.

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BEFORE TAKING BIKTARVY

Tell your healthcare provider all your medical conditions, including if you:

 Have or have had any kidney or liver problems, including hepatitis infection.

 Are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.

 Are breastfeeding (nursing) or plan to breastfeed. Talk to your healthcare provider about the risks of breastfeeding during treatment with BIKTARVY.

Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take:

 Keep a list that includes all prescription and over-thecounter medicines, antacids, laxatives, vitamins, and herbal supplements, and show it to your healthcare provider and pharmacist.

 Ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist about medicines that interact with BIKTARVY.

IMPORTANT FACTS

This is only a brief summary of important information about BIKTARVY® and does not replace talking to your healthcare provider about your condition and your treatment.

POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS OF BIKTARVY

BIKTARVY can cause serious side effects, including:

 Those in the “Most Important Information About BIKTARVY” section.

 Changes in your immune system.

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 Severe liver problems, which in rare cases can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: skin or the white part of your eyes turns yellow, dark “tea-colored” urine, light-colored stools, loss of appetite for several days or longer, nausea, or stomach-area pain.

 The most common side effects of BIKTARVY in clinical studies were diarrhea (6%), nausea (6%), and headache (5%).

These are not all the possible side effects of BIKTARVY. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have any new symptoms while taking BIKTARVY.

Your healthcare provider will need to do tests to monitor your health before and during treatment with BIKTARVY.

GET MORE INFORMATION

 This is only a brief summary of important information about BIKTARVY. Talk to your healthcare provider or pharmacist to learn more.

 Go to BIKTARVY.com or call 1-800-GILEAD-5.

 If you need help paying for your medicine, visit BIKTARVY.com for program information.

plication that asks a few demographic questions, basically just confirming that you are trans, that you are local and then asking what you need the funds for,” Stay says, adding that the funds likely won’t be released until the group raises around $2,500. Visit linktr.ee/transspokane for more information.

Aside from Trans Spokane’s weekly meetings (usually held at Spokane Public Library’s Central branch downtown) and nurturing an active online community, this year has been all about organizing.

Roughly 1,000 people gathered in Riverfront Park for the Gender Freedom March on March 22 organized by Trans Spokane, carrying signs stating messages like “trans rights are human rights” and “equality has no gender.”

In addition to the march, Trans Spokane has hosted a vigil for lost trans lives, a Trans Visibility Day art show with a 300-plus person turnout, a clothing swap for trans and homeless individuals, and more.

“All of those kinds of things are super necessary and fighting back against some of what’s happening and feeling supported and not isolated at this time,” Stay says.

He notes the challenges created by the Trump administration’s recent anti-trans executive orders — which recognize only two biological sexes and bar transgender service members, to name a few — and has witnessed how they have impacted the community.

Trans(forming) Spokane

Trans Spokane offers resources and connections for the Inland Northwest’s transgender and gender-nonconforming community

BY DORA SCOTT

Growing up in Utah, Louis Stay was faced with constant prejudice, from getting stared at in public to more overt transphobia like being called a “groomer.”

“There’s definitely a lot to be said about transitioning in a conservative area, a highly red area,” Stay says. “It’s a lot more hostile than Spokane is.”

That did not stop Stay, who’s now the executive director of Trans Spokane, from getting involved in Genderbands, a nonprofit in Orem, Utah, that funds people’s transitions.

“It was a huge service to the trans community because one of the biggest barriers for transition is cost, and so giving away free gender-affirming care products really helped the people that we served,” Stay says.

After moving to Spokane in 2022 to attend Eastern Washington University, he noticed Spokane was more welcoming of trans people, but that there weren’t any organized community groups for trans and genderexpansive individuals.

“Everything that was out there was just general LGBT, which is great, but I didn’t have anywhere to go to just meet other trans people and connect with other trans people,” he says.

Within months of moving to Spokane, Stay saw a Facebook post about a trans meeting group. What started out as casual coffee meetups snowballed into a community on Discord in early 2023. Now, Trans Spokane provides a range of resources, events and a safe space for trans folks in the Inland Northwest to connect.

“So that start of that Discord community was the start of us actually organizing it, actually putting out weekly meetings, organizing leadership, just doing a number of things that actually makes us an organization rather than just a small meeting group,” he says.

The trans-led organization now has 10 people on its leadership team, including Stay, and serves about 200 people a month.

“So we really believe as part of our mission that we remain trans led because there’s such a unique perspective that comes from being trans and knowing the struggles on an intimate level of what the trans community is going through,” he says.

One of the organization’s latest projects is gathering donations for a Trans Resilience Fund that will go directly towards providing financial assistance for local trans individuals.

“It’s low barrier, which means that it’s just an ap-

“I have friends in the military that are now struggling because they can’t serve anymore,” he says. “I have friends that are trying to get their passport [who] can’t get their passport,” because the U.S. government won’t recognize their chosen gender.

“And I would say the thing that gives me hope through that is the community,” Stay adds.

On April 28, the Spokane City Council passed an ordinance — with support from queer organizations in the Inland Northwest including Trans Spokane — that affirms and protects LGBTQ+ communities.

The ordinance updated language in the city’s Human Rights code to include two spirit individuals, directed the Spokane Police Department to have a LGBTQ+ liaison officer, ensured that city employees have access to gender-affirming health care services and more.

“It feels so good to have [the ordinance],” Stay says. “It feels like the City of Spokane stands behind us and especially with a lot of the hate that’s been happening nationally.”

While the ordinance is a step in the right direction, Stay notes other things that could be done to improve the lives of trans people living in Spokane. Namely, cracking down on discrimination — especially in the workplace and with housing — and having local governments continue to collaborate with organizations like Trans Spokane.

Leading an ever-growing nonprofit is no easy feat.

“It’s certainly challenging. I work from home, which helps a lot,” says Stay about his part-time job. “I’m disabled as well, and so managing my health as well as managing the little bit of work that I do as well as managing Trans Spokane — it’s a fine balance.”

Stay has been studying and interning to become a counselor specializing in advocacy, and is set to graduate from EWU on the same day as Spokane’s Pride Parade on June 14.

“It should be a busy day,” Stay laughs, explaining that he’ll set up for Pride before heading to turn the tassel. n

Trans Spokane Executive Director Louis Stay. ERICK DOXEY PHOTO

•

ahana@ahana-meba.org | www.ahana-meba.org

FROM YOUR ALLIES IN THE CAROUSEL DISTRICT!

All Hail Queen Bey Pride The ISSUE

Lifelong Spokanite Beyoncé Black St. James is the first Washingtonian to be declared Miss Trans USA

BY COLTON RASANEN

If you’ve been to a drag show in Spokane over the past two decades, there’s a good chance that you’re familiar with Beyoncé. No, not the award-winning musician, the nationally recognized Spokane drag queen who made history in 2024 when she became the first Black, Latina woman to be crowned Miss Trans USA.

Beyonce Black St. James is the stage name of Beyoncé Nieves, a trans woman who grew up in Spokane. She’s performed at nearly every club and bar in the city over the last 20 years and has won more pageant titles than she can count on her beautifully manicured hands.

Miss Debutante. Spokane Empress 43. Miss Utopia. Miss Island Goddess. Miss Gay Washington. Miss Trans Washington.

The remnants of all these victories — sashes hung neatly along her living room walls, rhinestoned gowns and intricate accessories stowed in a spare room, and dazzling crowns that fill her bedroom — are reminders of the hard work it’s taken to get to this point.

Winning Miss Trans USA last year has felt like one of the most

impactful moments of St. James’ career, she says. Unlike other drag pageants, the Trans USA National Pageant, which began in 2018, operates to crown a visible advocate for the transgender community who acts as a role model. While there are still runway categories, the pageant’s judging “emphasizes the real person and their contributions outside of the entertainment industry.”

“People can read fake and phony. They can read right through that. And if you’re not really putting your love into something, and you’re not disciplining yourself to want to be great, you’re not going to be great,” St. James says. “I discipline myself. I don’t just hang out and kiki and bar hop. No. I get my money. I come home, and I start working on another outfit.”

When she’s not on the stage or stoning a gown or traveling the country to represent her national title, you can find Beyoncé in her Spokane Valley kitchen cooking up a storm. Each dish is a passion project for St. James, often representing her Puerto Rican heritage.

Oxtails and cornbread. Puerto Rican stew. Chicken macaroni salad. Pork fried rice. Red beans over rice. Homemade cobbler. She cooks so much that she keeps a set of to-go containers handy to easily pass out any leftovers to unhoused people who need something to eat.

“It just makes me feel good to know that I’m helping somebody,” she says. “I just wish someone would have helped me because I didn’t really get no help from anyone other than my birth mother and my drag mother.”

BEYONCÉ’S MOTHERS

When St. James graduated from Bancroft High School (now called the Community School) in the early 2000s, she says she was one of the only students who was openly gay, even though she didn’t really resonate with that identity.

“It was just, you know, lesbian, gay, bisexual — that was presented to me. I had heard the T, but never knew what the T was. And when I went to Odyssey Youth Center I found out what trans meant, and in my head I felt like I was trans,” she says.“When I came out [my mom was] like ‘We love you, you’re our baby and we’re not gonna put you out. That’s not how we operate in this family.’”

And when St. James began performing in drag after coming out, her mother was one of her biggest supporters. She even helped her daughter choose a drag mother.

In 2001, Caress St. James, who happened to be a friend of Beyoncé’s mom, was the first Black drag queen to be named Empress by the International Sovereign Court of Spokane. That title is powerful in the queer community, so when Beyoncé’s mom realized her child was going to perform, she pointed her directly to Caress.

The pair were at a drag show, and when Caress walked on stage to perform, Beyoncé’s mom told her that her drag mother was right in front of her.

“I seen Caress walking in this beautiful sequin silver and turquoise gown, probably like a Bob Mackie or something. It was beautiful, and she had this short black hair tapered to her beautiful, simple makeup, and she had her Empress crown on,” Beyoncé recalls. “I remember [my mother’s] words vividly: ‘I want you to do what you need to do to have her as your mother. That’s who you need to learn from.’”

Caress remembers meeting Beyoncé at that show, too.

“I remember thinking, my goodness, she is very creative even though she’s just starting out,” Caress says. “She was one of those people that I describe as a people person, someone that loves laughter and meeting new people.”

Even 20 years later, Caress sees those same creative characteristics in her drag daughter as she performs on stages nationwide.

“To showcase not only our community and our city, but who she is as a person,” Caress says, “that’s one of the things that makes me very proud about her and proud to be her family.”

Once her reign as Miss Trans USA is over, Beyoncé has her sights set even higher. Her next goal is to win Miss Continental, (if Miss Trans USA is the Superbowl, then Miss Continental is the World Cup), or Rupaul’s Drag Race, the hit reality show competition where Rupaul names America’s Next Drag Superstar each year. n

Pride The ISSUE

Stride with Pride

Show your support and celebrate love at these local Pride events

BY MADISON PEARSON

Outside of the many Pride festival-style celebrations, there are plenty of other ways to celebrate. Whether you’re looking to dance all night long or watch stunning performances, check out this list of events and start planning your Pride festivities!

CDA4PRIDE 2025: PRIDE IN THE PARK

Coeur d’Alene’s annual Pride celebration featuring food, entertainment and an area for community resources and local businesses to share information. Sat, June 7 from 10 am-3 pm, Coeur d’Alene City Park, nipridealliance.com

PRIDE HISTORY & REMEMBRANCE EXHIBIT

An exhibit featuring gowns, archival photographs and rarely seen artifacts from the LGBTQ+ community, showcasing its rich and diverse culture in Spokane over the decades. Daily from 10 am-5 pm through June 31, Central Library, spokanelibrary.org

FORAY FOR THE ARTS: A CELEBRATION OF PRIDE

QUEER PROM

A prom for members of the queer community featuring DJ Asher St.Mars, live tattoos, an Electric Photoland photobooth, drag performances and live music from Starcourt, Saffron City and Abyss. Fri, June 13 at 8 pm, The Chameleon, chameleonspokane.com

BIG GAY DANCE PARTY

This annual Pride-themed dance party features dancing, drag performances, prizes, swag, giveaways and more. Proceeds support SAN (Spokane AIDS Network). Fri, June 20 from 8-11 pm, nYne Bar & Bistro, sannw.org

FAMILY PRIDE CELEBRATION

Celebrate Pride in Spokane with Foray for the Arts, a collective space where artists, writers, musicians and creatives of all kinds come together to showcase their work, share their stories and support one another. This event features artists and performances celebrating the LGBTQ+ community and is co-hosted by local literary artists Sarah Rooney and Greg Bem. Sat, June 7 from 6-9 pm, Lunarium, foray4thearts.org

SPOKANE PRIDE KICKOFF SHOW

An event marking the beginning of Spokane’s annual pride celebration featuring drag performances, music, dancing, giveaways, yard games and a beverage garden. Fri, June 13 from 5-9 pm, Riverfront Park, spokanepride.org

DJ JAZZY’S DISCO PRIDE DANCE PARTY

An all-ages disco dance party aimed at celebrating love, diversity and community with beats by DJ Jazzy and beers from Brick West. Fri, June 13 from 6-9:30 pm, Brick West Brewing Co., brickwestbrewingco.com Subscribe at Inlander.com/newsletter A weekly email for food lovers

Celebrate Pride at the library with activities including crafts, science experiments, games and more to promote togetherness and inclusivity in the community. Sat, June 21 from 1-3 pm, Central Library, spokanelibrary.org

PRIDE IN PERRY

A Pride celebration taking place in Spokane’s South Perry District featuring local vendors, entertainment, art, food specials and more. Sat, June 28 from noon-5 pm, South Perry District, odysseyyouth.org/prideinperry

SANDPOINT PRIDE

Sandpoint’s annual Pride celebration featuring drag performances, vendors, community resources and more. July 11-13, Sandpoint, safe-idaho.org/sandpointpride

PALOUSE PRIDE 2025

A three-day Pride celebration featuring drag bingo, Pride in the Park, a drag show, brunch, local vendors and more. Sept. 5-7, Moscow, inlandoasis.org

OPENING

Pinot for Palates and Palettes

The Sprague Union District welcomes a new tech-driven wine bar and relocated art studio

BY BOB JOHNSON

There’s a new wine bar in East Spokane’s Sprague Union District where technology meets funky, creating an atmosphere that owner Jackie Casey hopes is welcoming to all.

Casey had operated her local franchise of Pinot’s Palette art studio in downtown Spokane since 2014, but she and her aspiring-artist clientele were growing weary of the parking situation. Street parking was limited to two hours — less than the length of a class — and nearby

lots often charged inflated “event parking” rates.

So, Casey began looking for a new location.

“I fell in love with this building,” she says. “It’s a historic building with nice, big windows everywhere, tall ceilings and giant skylights. It’s perfect.”

Bonus: It includes an adjacent parking lot.

There was only one catch: The property owner was looking to lease the entire building, not just the rear portion Casey needed for the art studio.

“I toyed with the idea of sub-leasing the front area,” she says, “but I’d always wanted to open a wine bar. So, I figured this would be the time to do it.”

That’s how 1919 Wine Cellar, which opened its doors in early April and had its grand opening (alongside the grand re-opening for Pinot’s Palette) on May 8, came to be.

The Pinot’s Palette business model already includes a wine component — helping to create a social atmosphere for participants in its guided painting classes — but that element actually didn’t spark Casey’s wine bar dream.

“Our top-selling wine at Pinot’s Palette is the huckleberry riesling from Latah Creek,” she notes. “People love it. That’s exactly the kind of wine I loved when I was 21.”

But as time ticked by, Casey’s palate began to evolve — and quickly.

“I was born and raised in Montana, and after college, my husband and I moved down to Tulsa, Oklahoma,” she says. “I had a friend who told me she had the best job ever; she was a wine rep for a distributor. Her job was to go around to bars and restaurants with bottles of wine and let the owners and managers try them. She talked about how much free wine she got from it. And then she mentioned that they were hiring.”

Casey applied and got the job, and it wasn’t long before she was enjoying not only sweet rieslings but also dry pinot noirs. The next step encompassed “the big, bold reds,” which she says she loves.

“It was very educational. I learned so much.”

Now, Casey is sharing the love at 1919 Wine Cellar, which consists of a wine bar with eight scalloped black-velvet stools, additional seating for more than 50 guests, a cooler packed with dozens of alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages, and the piece de resistance: a trio of eight-spigot, self-service Wine Emotion dispensing systems that were made in Italy. The technology incorporated in each machine can keep each bottle fresh for weeks.

Similar machines have been utilized at venues in nearby Idaho for years, but their use was legalized in Washington only last year, Casey says.

Here’s how it works: A staffer obtains a credit card from a guest to start a tab, then presents them with a 1919 card. The guest scans that card at one of the machines, selects the wine they wish to try, grabs a glass to place under the spigot and selects the size of the pour: a full glass (6 ounces), a half-glass (3 ounces) or a taste (1.5 ounces).

The technology embedded in the special card keeps track of the purchases, ensuring that guests are not overserving themselves.

“I really try to select a big variety, not just in flavor profiles, but also in prices,” Casey says. “We have a Leonetti merlot that’s $15 for a taste, but we also have several that are very reasonably priced. The 2024 Misty Cove sauvignon blanc [from the Marlborough growing region of New Zealand] is just $1.75 per taste [and $7 per glass]. I have a lot from Walla Walla and Columbia Valley because I love to support local, but you can’t have a wine bar without at least some from around the world.”

Casey also includes a few of her personal favorite varietals, cabernet franc and syrah, but says she knows it’s more important to stock what guests will like. And, she adds, she’s “always open to suggestions.”

Although the wine bar offers a dozen white, red, rosé and sparkling wines ($7-$11 by the glass), as well as four

Owner Jackie Casey pours a glass of Columbia Valley rosé from a wine dispensing machine. YOUNG KWAK PHOTOS

Customize your experience with a variety of pour sizes at 1919 Wine Cellar. rotating draft beers ($7), Casey estimates that 98% of guests so far have opted to use the wine dispensers.

“People are so enamored and intrigued by them,” she says. “I’m guessing that’s because it’s a new thing in Washington.”

As the new business finds its rhythm — with a Spotify list of ’80s-and-later tunes providing the beat — Casey says she’s working on what’s coming next: mocktails and food.

“I think the nonalcoholic cocktails will be important for us because not everybody’s drinking today,” she observes. “I also think it’s a good idea to have food with wine, so we’ll be offering a menu of flatbreads, appetizers and charcuterie.”

Down the road, Casey adds, 1919 Wine Cellar will be embracing the “cellar” in its name by remodeling a downstairs space for special events.

Meanwhile, with its mix of comfy couches and chairs — obtained from its neighbors The Tin Roof, Bide & Burgeon and ReSkued — and a long church pew found on Facebook Marketplace, Casey is working to create a “Roaring Twenties feeling that isn’t over the top.”

Ah, so the name of the business is derived from the year before Prohibition went into effect?

No.

“I might own a creative business, but I’m not super creative myself,” Casey admits. “Our name came from our address on Sprague Avenue: 1919.”

It’s also just a happy coincidence that the wine bar sits on the corner of Sprague and a street named Napa.

Casey adds that while some people are intimidated by wine bars or “think they’re kind of hoity-toity,” that won’t be the case at 1919 Wine Cellar.

“We don’t take it too seriously,” she says. “We turn our music up. This place is for everybody, even if you don’t drink wine. The vibe I’m going for is laid-back. My goal was to make it fun, eclectic and funky, but also cozy and comfortable.” n

1919 Wine Cellar • 1919 E. Sprague Ave. • Open Sun 2-8 pm, Wed 4-9 pm and Thu-Sat 3-10 pm • 1919winecellar.com • 509-508-1586

REVIEW

Infrastructure Week

Wes Anderson’s The Phoenician Scheme is another visual wonder with great performances by Benicio del Toro, Mia

Threapleton and Michael Cera

BY CHASE HUTCHINSON

The Phoenician Scheme is Wes Anderson’s most spiritual, if slightly scattered, film. It’s a work built around a story simultaneously intricate and incidental, profound and perfunctory, while remaining as visually enrapturing as ever. However, where his magnificent Asteroid City created some of his most marvelous and moving moments to date, this film is more preoccupied with the mechanics of getting to the next scene. It does so in an often wandering fashion that could easily prove tough going for even the most devout Anderson acolytes, but still finds a more earned impact in how it ultimately brings everything together.

reflections on the idea of death and legacy that will change Zsa Zsa.

Much of this comes down to how it benefits greatly from a bittersweet turn by Benicio del Toro and a terrific introduction to relative newcomer Mia Threapleton, though there is also a richness to Anderson’s latest that helps it rise above the rather ho-hum depths it often falls into. This falling begins in literal fashion as an attempt is made on the life of the wealthy industrialist Anatole “Zsa Zsa” Korda (del Toro), sending his lovingly crafted lo-fi plane falling from the sky toward what seems to be certain death. Miraculously, he survives and wanders out from the wreckage of the attack with guts in hand. It’s a sublime though bloody introduction for Anderson, with one of the other unlucky people on the plane getting blown to pieces, marking the beginning of the film’s

The Phoenician Scheme

Rated PG-13

Specifically, after seeing a black and white vision of heaven, he’ll try to turn over his wealth to his daughter Liesl (Threapleton) by naming her his sole heir even though he hasn’t seen her in years... and she is now a nun... and he has nine other sons he could cut in on the fortune (none of whom he trusts). He also sets out to build an immense infrastructure project (this is the titular scheme), though he will have to overcome more assassination attempts and sabotage from all angles (while reconnecting with his daughter along the way). Oh, and the endlessly goofy tutor Bjorn (Michael Cera, in rare form) tags along for all of this for mysterious reasons. The plot’s machinations are a lot to sort through, but they also aren’t what’s most important.

No, what’s most central to this film is family. Though not rising to the same heights, The Phoenician Scheme is most akin to The Royal Tenenbaums (still Anderson’s best film) in how it’s about a father desperately attempting to make a last-ditch effort to reconnect with his child. It’s this element that is the strongest part of his latest, as it never once sands down how frequently painful this can be and how generally awful Zsa Zsa is. He makes Royal Tenenbaum look like Father of the Year and has a much longer road to

earning back the trust of Liesl, who is a deadpan delight with every sharp look Threapleton gives. The scenes she has with del Toro alone — rather than the ones featuring many faces old and new that speed by — are where the film increasingly grabs you.

Many other moments the film feels like it’s slipping through Anderson’s fingers. Namely, everything in the scheme feels oddly more like box-checking than it does truly charming whimsy. Much of this is the point, as this culminates in the film making clear this was just a distraction from the choice between wealth and love that Zsa Zsa will eventually have to make. That Anderson dedicates the film to his late father-in-law Fouad Malouf gives a sense of what he was most interested in grappling with here. He eventually even crafts a gentle rejection of the craven capitalist mindset of “who can lick who.” Zsa Zsa believed he could “flatten” anyone who stood in his way, though the cost to his own soul was far greater than any profit he could ever make.

Even as Anderson gets too caught up in the clunky and more shallow pursuit of said profit, all this getting stripped away makes for a quietly emotional finale. One line, “I suppose I’m moved by this absurd performance,” delivered by Jeffrey Wright (who steals the show just as he did in Asteroid City) encapsulates the experience perfectly. You aren’t fully certain if The Phoencian Scheme is as successful as Anderson’s best films, but you may just be moved all the same. n

Directed by Wes Anderson Starring Benicio del Toro, Mia Threapleton, Michael Cera

Time to take another meticulous ride with Wes Anderson.

Dance Dance Retribution

The John Wick universe expands with mediocre action thriller Ballerina

BY JOSH BELL

When Ana de Armas showed up for a single sequence in the 2021 James Bond movie No Time to Die, it gave the somewhat sluggish movie a jolt of energy, thanks to her lively, playful performance as a rookie CIA agent tasked with helping Daniel Craig’s Bond on a mission in Cuba. That brief but memorable appearance made a convincing case for de Armas as the star of her own action movie.

She follows through on that promise with the John Wick spinoff Ballerina, but there’s almost none of the sly charm that she brought to her No Time to Die role. Instead Ballerina is just as grim and grandiose as the later John Wick movies, with de Armas playing a stoic killer in the mode of Keanu Reeves’ formidable assassin. De Armas’ Eve Macarro isn’t a legend like John Wick, but she’s otherwise cut from the same cloth, with the same single-minded focus on revenge.

Rated R

ALSO OPENING

DAN DA DAN: EVIL EYE

The supernatural adventures of quirky high schoolers Momo and Okarun continue as they team up to investigate strange happenings at a friend’s home in rural Japan in this theatrical release combining the anime series’ first three episodes of Season 2. Rated R

DANGEROUS ANIMALS

After a surfer gets abducted by a serial killer who ritualistically feeds his victims to sharks, she must figure out how to escape his boat on open waters.

Rated R

DOGMA

Writer/director Kevin Smith’s intentionally blasphemous Catholic comedy about two fallen angels (Matt Damon and Ben Affleck) trying to exploit a loophole to return to heaven (which may undo creation) returns to the big screen to celebrate its 25th anniversary.

Rated R

I DON’T UNDERSTAND YOU

Before adopting a baby, a couple (Nick Kroll and Andrew Rannells) head off for an Italian vacation, only for things to take an accidentally macabre turn in this horror comedy. Rated R

THE RITUAL

Based on the event that inspired The Exorcist, this horror film finds two priests (Al Pacino and Dan Stevens) attempting to cure a possessed young woman. Rated R

ber. De Armas looks fantastic and clearly trained well for her action sequences, but there’s no depth to her character, nothing like the sense of history that Reeves brought to John in the series’ first movie.

Instead, there’s more of the byzantine mythology that has weighed down the recent installments, which are full of secret organizations and hidden sanctuaries. The Chancellor’s group, which other characters refer to as a cult, is such a super duper secret organization that apparently no one could even mention it before. The expansion of the John Wick “universe,” which includes the already forgotten 2023 Peacock prequel TV series The Continental, is tedious and often laughable, and Reeves’ extended guest appearance as John comes off as desperate pandering.

Directed by Len Wiseman

For John, it started with a dog that was a gift from his late wife. For Eve, it begins when she’s a child, and her father is killed by a criminal faction led by the man known as the Chancellor (Gabriel Byrne). Young Eve is befriended by John’s old pal Winston Scott (Ian McShane), who offers her the chance to train with the Ruska Roma, the mercenary organization where both John and Eve’s father learned their trade (and which is also inexplicably a ballet school).

Twelve years later, Eve is a fully trained Ruska Roma operative ready for her first mission, and also ready to take on the man responsible for her father’s murder. Like John, she goes against the extensive established rules of the ever-expanding assassin underworld, which put her at odds with the Director (Anjelica Huston), the leader of the Ruska Roma.

It’s a rather perfunctory revenge story, with one meager late-film twist, and a stock motivation that feels less personal than John’s puppy-based quest, even if it involves an actual human family mem-

But what about the action? That’s what audiences really come to these movies for, and to its credit, Ballerina offers plenty. Primary series director Chad Stahelski reportedly came aboard as the uncredited director of substantial reshoots, and there’s one early set piece that’s blatantly been inserted to increase the action quotient, with no bearing on previous or subsequent events. It’s still cool to see Eve take out bad guys in a neon-lit nightclub full of ice sculptures, though, so the plot relevance doesn’t quite matter.

The final third of the movie takes place in a remote snowy mountain village, with lots of opportunities for impressive battles, and credited director Len Wiseman (making his first feature since 2012) finds numerous ways to pit Eve against the bad guys. It’s solid work that never reaches the heights of the most memorable John Wick action sequences, and it lacks the momentum and intensity of the storytelling in the early Wick chapters.

Byrne makes for an ineffectual villain, and Huston and McShane primarily function as exposition delivery systems. De Armas proves that she can carry an action movie, but she’s always operating in Reeves’ shadow, especially when they share the screen. In No Time to Die, she stole the movie, but in Ballerina, there isn’t much to steal. n

Ana de Armas kicks ass, but can’t elevate Ballerina

Ballerina

Starring Ana de Armas, Gabriel Byrne, Anjelica Huston

SONIC GROOVE

Starring Tim Robinson & Paul Rudd

TILLING THE SOIL

North Idaho’s Steve Von Till unroots us with his out-there folk album Alone in a World Full of Wounds

BY TAYLOR D. WARING

Many wonders are tucked away in the endless forests of North Idaho, but few are quite as unique as Steve Von Till, the poet, educator, DIY-lifer and area resident best known for his work in the post-metal band Neurosis. On his mercurial new solo album Alone in a World Full of Wounds (released May 16), Von Till’s eldritch, Odin-esque voice moves like lunar silver dancing through the shadowforms of trees — up their dark branches — around their dark leaves — down around their dark roots. Far from a “metal” record, the

album still has a considerable weight, as it finds itself stuck in the cold sap of longing, sorrow, and regret.

“Don’t weigh me down with your dark matter — I will arise with the dawn.” (“Distance”)

En route from Spokane to Von Till’s abode, I recalled the winding, tree-lined roads of my home in Wisconsin — up past Highway 8, where one might spend a few days gazing at the sun rising over shadowy reflections of trees on a quiet, nearly hidden river. Roads, like rivers, are

curious — like time, they’re always racing around to come up behind you again.

This melancholic feeling of eternal recurrence seems central to Alone in a World Full of Wounds’s lead single, “The Corpse Road.” A dreamy track built around a sable, synthesized bass line that guides us inward as a symphony of stuttering strings and brass breaths surrounds us. Von Till’s voice — an ancient, oak barreled vintage — invokes the unknown: “Calling out without question / knowing all along life does the asking.” Throughout the track,

GOTHIC AMERICANA

Steve Von Till musically communes with nature. BOBBY COCHRAN PHOTO

there’s a constant tension between this sense of return — this hope to “dream it all again” — and the veritable “corpse road” we all find ourselves on.

“In the solitude of our inner spaces.” (“The Corpse Road”)

When I arrived at Von Till’s hermitage in North Idaho, he invited me into “The Crow’s Nest” — the current iteration of his home studio, where he tracked Alone in a World Full of Wounds. Built in an old barn, the studio is filled with meticulously chosen analog recording gear: some, inspired by past recording efforts with Neurosis; some, relics with unique properties. For instance, a vintage tremolo unit, capable of unusually slow rates due to its analog architecture. No one makes anything like it anymore.

I disclosed that I’d been listening to his first album, 2000’s As the Crow Flies, on the drive over. Noting how intimate and DIY it felt, I asked how his process and subject matter have changed from that first solo record — a sort of barebones, dark folk record — to Alone in a World Full of Wounds

“I mean, the first album [was] still DIY — there’s that,” Von Till says. “I was balancing a RadioShack microphone on my leg because I didn’t have a mic stand. That’s why it’s such a close sound. I was living in the Mission District in San Francisco. Busy. I was writing and recording at 3 a.m. when the world was finally quiet.”

“I didn’t know what it was. I would have never thought in a million years I would put my own name on something. But I was reading a book that said that if you create something meaningful to yourself, or was transformative for you, you have a responsibility to share it so that others might benefit from the same transformation,” Von Till continues. “So I decided I was going to own it and put my own name on it, which opened a doorway, just like poetry did later. And the through line lyrically: There’s always a sorrow and a longing. I’m realizing I’ve been asking the same questions this whole time. Spiraling in and out.”

“It’s the nature of loss that binds us to this root, this tree.” (“Calling Down the Darkness”) Roots, and other natural imagery, are common motifs on Alone in a World Full of Wounds, which seems to erupt from the land Von Till has called home for two decades.

“What is the root of all this illness?” Von Till asks. “What is the root of all the sickness? What is the root as a species? As individuals with our own minds, within families and communities. What is this giant beast that seems to be devouring everything in its sight?”

It’s just impossible to separate Von Till — as a person and an artist — from the Inland Northwest soil he’s dwelled upon for the last two decades.

“In my 20 years here, I’ve become very acquainted with the parts of this piece of land. Which ones are 5 degrees colder than the others? Where will the wildflowers pop first? Where do the different species of birds like to hang out in different parts of the forest? Observing and watching, while I’m making my own 12-inchwide paths of compacted earth — following along where the deer told me to walk,” Von Till says.“How that’s impacted my music is that I’ve had space to breathe out of the beehive. Space to become what I’m supposed to become. Or at least begin to. And specifically on this record, there’s

one song [“Old Bent Pine”] I wrote the words for while walking with the dogs around the property in the morning — it’s kind of my ritual.”

The penultimate track of Alone in a World Full of Wounds, “Old Bent Pine,” opens with occulted moans weaving beneath the substratum of synthesized bass lines before Von Till enters with more tree imagery: “I lean my back on an old bent pine / I left my worry in a burned out stump.” The track, filled with strange buzzing and off-putting harmonies, seems to search for release and revelation: “Sometimes peace of mind comes without the lightning and the flood.”

“I don’t even know what you call this music,” Von Till says. “Is it a rural psychedelia? Gothic Americana? Is it singer-songwriter? What is it? I don’t know. And that’s cool — that means I’m heading in the right direction.”

“I want to sing into these landscapes. I want to sing into these complex things that pulls something new and challenges me. And it’s ironic. It’s at a time when I’m having vocal challenges. Physically, my range is getting narrower. I’m losing my lower voice — I feel fatigued. I’ve had to work hard and seek help to even preserve what I have. That’s pulled out another layer of emotion out of me — something has opened in these last couple of records. I’m more emotionally sensitive than I’ve ever been.”

“Without my roots so firmly planted, a life to wander / Face toward the moon, I’m standing here, beyond the ground / The hunter’s moon stares me down.” (“River of No Return”) By way of parting, I asked Von Till about his seemingly unbreakable spirit — his refusal to settle on a single sonic tapestry and his willingness to perpetually explore the new, at an age where many musicians — especially those as accomplished as he is — might rest on their laurels.

“That’s multilayered. I never feel good enough. I never feel satisfied. I always think the best is yet to come. I’m still seeking that sonic holy grail. I’ll never find, but I’m going to die trying,” Von Till says. “I can honestly say, I feel more inspired now at 55 than I’ve ever felt in my life.”

That sense of perpetual inspiration awe — from the land, from the subtle energies that connect all living things, and even from that terrifying beast always looming on the edge, threatening to devour it all — is at the pulse of Alone in a World Full of Wounds

The new LP features eight stunning tracks — and it’s not hard to see the lure of these synthesized, sonic landscapes Von Till has found himself in. The track I find myself gravitating toward the most is the lone guitar-focused track on the record, the album closer “River of No Return.” The track calls to mind the slowcore somniloquies of Songs: Ohia (aka Jason Molina) and the downtempo triphop ponderings the equally long-laden and vibrato-drenched “Roads” by Portishead. It’s a fitting title for the last leaf on this tree.

I’m not sure that’ll be enough to get to the root of human suffering, but we can hope Alone in a World Full of Wounds will help keep the beast at bay. n

ZEPHYR FOLK FESTIVAL

J = THE INLANDER RECOMMENDS THIS SHOW

J = ALL AGES SHOW

Thursday, 6/5

ARBOR CREST WINE CELLARS, Lyle Morse

GARLAND DRINKERY, Speak Easy: Open Mic Night

THE LODGE AT CARLIN BAY, Kosh

NASHVILLE NORTH, Chancey Williams

J QQ SUSHI & KITCHEN, Just Plain Darin

RED ROOM LOUNGE, Thurrsdays EDM Night

SPOKANE TRIBE RESORT & CASINO, Bubble & Squeak

J STELLA’S ON THE HILL, Theresa Edwards Band

J TRUE LEGENDS GRILL, Ron Criscione

ZOLA, X24, Deb the Wolf

Friday, 6/6

AK ASIAN RESTAURANT, Steve Schennum LIVE

J THE BIG DIPPER, The Royals, Fortis, Quicksilver, Velocirockers

BOLO’S BAR & GRILL, Haze

THE CHAMELEON, Patio Theory

CHINOOK STEAK, SEAFOOD & PASTA, Keanu

DRY FLY DISTILLING,Son of Brad GARDEN PARTY, Storme

J THE GRAIN SHED, Haywire

GREEN CITY SALOON, DJ KJ

J HAMILTON STUDIO, Shannon Curtis: 80s Kids

J HOTEL MCCOY, Dave Long

J KNITTING FACTORY, Kayzo

J LATITUDES, Just Plain Darin

THE LODGE AT CARLIN BAY, Just Plain Darin

MOOSE LOUNGE, Sonic Groove

MOOSE LOUNGE (NORTH), Laketown Sound

Long gone are the days of hearing the tired complaint that Spokane’s music scene is dwindling or not up to snuff with other cities. The recent success of new events like Boomjam Festival and Brickfest Music Festival (see page 41) have set the stage for more musical opportunities in our area. Now, Cam Joslyn, the local artist manager and talent buyer at The Chameleon, is adding another festival to the growing list. Zephyr Folk Festival takes place at Liberty Lake’s picturesque Zephyr Lodge, catering to those among us who prefer a mellow, lakeside hang to a rowdy, crowded pit. The lineup boasts local artists such as The Bed Heads, The Holy Broke, Lucas Brookbank Brown, Tristan Hart Pierce, John Wayne Williams of Timeworm, Karli Fairbanks and Matt Mitchell Music Co. Out-of-towners include Seattle folk powerhouse Amelia Day, Nashville’s BabyJake, Eel Sallad, Jacob Miller, Racoma, Small Paul and rising singer-songwriter Pictoria Vark.

— MADISON PEARSON

Zephyr Folk Festival • June 6 & 7; Fri from 3-10 pm, Sat from 3:30-10 pm • $40-$60 • All ages • Zephyr Lodge •1900 S. Zephyr Road, Liberty Lake • zephyrlibertylake.com/folk-festival

SINGER-SONGWRITER BEN RECTOR

J NEATO BURRITO, Dairybaby, Jubotron, Darsh NIGHT OWL, Four On The Floor Fridays

PEND D’OREILLE WINERY, Weibe Jammin’

J REPUBLIC BREWING CO., Dani Bacon, Clarence Gallagher and Friends

THE RIDLER PIANO BAR, Just Plain Darin

J SPOKANE TRIBE CASINO, Air Supply

THE GOODY BAR AND GRILL, Midnight Open Mic

THE YARD BIRD TAVERN, Nate Stratte

J TRUE LEGENDS GRILL, Gil Rivas

TRVST, KosMos The Afronaut

J J ZEPHYR LODGE, Zephyr Folk Festival

ZOLA, Starcourt, Rōnin

Saturday, 6/7

BOLO’S BAR & GRILL, Haze

THE CHAMELEON, 2 Fast 2 Fiesta

CHINOOK STEAK, SEAFOOD & PASTA, Keanu

THE DISTRICT BAR, Daft Punk Night

J INDABA FLAGSHIP CAFÉ, Rosethrow & Spro

J JAGUAR ROOM AT CHAMELEON, Seance Audio

J KNITTING FACTORY, Livingston

MOOSE LOUNGE, Sonic Groove

MOOSE LOUNGE (NORTH), Laketown Sound

J PEND D’OREILLE WINERY, Suspicious PKG

J PONDEROSA BAR AND GRILL, Just Plain Darin

J J SPOKANE TRIBE CASINO, Ben Rector

J BEARDED GINGER BAR & GRILL, Jason Lucas

Though Ben Rector’s album The Richest Man In The World was released only a week ago, it evokes an overwhelming nostalgia for the style of songs that came out of the early 2010s: piano-driven pop with bright vocals, earnest lyrics and dreamy bridges bursting with emotional intensity. The Nashville-based singer treats music more like a hobby than a profession, writing classic ballads about how much he loves his wife and kids, professional golfers missing their shot at eternal glory and feeling like a young John Cusack. Rector’s relatable approach to his profession will get toes tapping and smiles plastered on the faces of the crowd when he rolls through Spokane Live at Airway Heights’ Spokane Tribe Resort & Casino. — MADISON PEARSON

Ben Rector, The National Parks • Sat, June 7 at 8 pm • $63 • All ages • Spokane Tribe Resort & Casino • 14300 W. SR Hwy 2, Airway Heights • spokanetribecasino.com

THE GOODY BAR AND GRILL, Midnight Open Mic

TRVST, Jersey

J J ZEPHYR LODGE, Zephyr Folk Festival

ZOLA, Blake Braley, Aspen Lockwood

Sunday, 6/8

ARBOR CREST WINE CELLARS, Kevin Shay Band

J HAMILTON STUDIO, Clive Carroll

J SPOKANE TRIBE CASINO, Blind Melon

J TRUE LEGENDS GRILL, Steve Starkey

Monday, 6/9

J THE BIG DIPPER, Planet of the Little Green Men, Timeworm, Jumbotron, Fossil Fire Fossil Blood RED ROOM LOUNGE, Red Room Open Mic

J STELLA’S ON THE HILL, Nate Ostrander

ZOLA, Nate Stratte

Tuesday, 6/10

J THE BIG DIPPER, Hippies & Cowboys

J OSPREY RESTAURANT & BAR, Osprey Patio Concert Series

J PEND D’OREILLE WINERY, John Firshi

SWING LOUNGE, Swing Lounge Live Music Tuesdays ZOLA, Zola All Star Jam, Cory Phillips

Wednesday, 6/11

J THE BIG DIPPER, Wayne Hancock, IV And The Strange Band

THE DRAFT ZONE, The Draft Zone Open Mic

J IRON HORSE (VALLEY), Just Plain Darin

J OSPREY RESTAURANT & BAR, Osprey Patio Concert Series

J PEND D’OREILLE WINERY, Peter Lucht

RED ROOM LOUNGE, Red Room Jam

J TIMBERS ROADHOUSE, Cary Beare Presents TRVST, The TRVST Open Decks ZOLA, Akifumi Kato

Just Announced...

J THE CHAMELEON, Lemon Boy, June 21.

J THE BIG DIPPER, Unlikely, June 22. BERSERK, Jenny Don’t & The Spurs, June 27.

J THE BIG DIPPER, Saintbreaker, June 27.

J MIKEY’S GYROS, Slumbering Sun, June 27.

J THE BIG DIPPER, Igor & The Red Elvises, June 29.

J SPOKANE TRIBE CASINO, Lanie Gardner, July 13.

J THE BIG DIPPER, Dance Myth, July 22.

J J THE BIG DIPPER, Skating Polly, July 24.

J FIRST INTERSTATE CENTER, The Oak Ridge Boys, July 29.

J SPOKANE TRIBE CASINO, Ashley McBryde, July 31.

J KNITTING FACTORY, Rio Da Yung OG, Aug. 2. THE DISTRICT BAR, The Brudi Brothers, Aug. 5.

J THE PODIUM, Upchurch & The Dixielanders, Aug. 28.

J SPOKANE TRIBE CASINO, Darius Rucker, Sept. 20.

J KNITTING FACTORY, Citizen Soldier, Sept. 27. THE DISTRICT BAR, Harf., Sept. 28

THE DISTRICT BAR, Carbon Leaf, Oct. 7

J THE BIG DIPPER, Leather Strip, Oct. 10. THE DISTRICT BAR, Martin Sexton Abbey Road Show, Oct. 10.

J KNITTING FACTORY, Pecos & The Rooftops, Oct. 11.

J SPOKANE ARENA, Halestorm, Lindsey Stirling, Oct. 11.

J BING CROSBY THEATER, Jim Brickman, Nov. 23.

J J KNITTING FACTORY, The Mountain Goats, Dec. 10.

J FOX THEATER, Tommy Emmanuel, Apr.. 10.

Coming Up...

J STELLA’S ON THE HILL, Kosta La Vista, June 12, 5:30 pm.

J THE BIG DIPPER, Loin Hammer, Goblet, Toxic Vengeance, Cult of Suffering, June 12, 7:30 pm.

J TOMBSTONE RANCH, Better Daze Festival, June 13 & 14, 4-11 pm.

J PEND D’OREILLE WINERY, Jake Robin, June 13, 5-8 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

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

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

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.

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

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

GARDEN PARTY • 107 S. Madison St. • 509-389-5009

THE GRAIN SHED • 1026 E. Newark Ave. • 509-241-3853

HAMILTON STUDIO • 1427 W. Dean Ave.. • 509-327-9501

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

IRON HORSE (VALLEY) • 11105 E. Sprague Ave., Spokane Valley • 509-926-8411

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

KENWORTHY PERFORMING ARTS CENTRE • 508 S. Main St., Moscow • 208-882-4127

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

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

MIKEY’S GYROS • 527 S. Main St., Moscow • 208-882-0780

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

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

MOOSE LOUNGE NORTH • 10325 N. Government Wy, Hayden • 208-518-1145

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

NEATO BURRITO • 827 W. First Ave. • 509-847-1234

NITE OWL • 223 N. Division St., 509-309-2183

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

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

PACIFIC PIZZA • 2001 W. Pacific Ave • 509-440-5467

PANIDA THEATER • 300 N First Ave., Sandpoint • 208-263-9191

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

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

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

TRVST • 120 N. Wall St.

ZOLA • 22 W. Main Ave. • 509-624-2416

FOOD BITES ON THE BRIDGE

Enjoy the sunshine and a delicious lunch from a collection of local food trucks when Riverfront Eats, downtown Spokane’s annual food truck extravaganza, makes its way back to Riverfront Park this summer. Every Tuesday through mid-August, you can take your pick of yummy lunch options from food trucks parked on the orange Howard Street bridge, this year including staples like Jerusalem Middle Eastern Cuisine, MacDaddy’s, Madfire Kitchen, 509 Dine and more. Offering a wide variety of foods from sweet to savory, it’s a perfect way to spend time with friends and family or soak up the summer sun alone in the park. Either way, you’ll leave with a full stomach and a smile on your face.

— MARTA

SYMANSKA

Riverfront Eats • Every Tuesday through Aug. 19 from 11 am2 pm (except June 24 and July 1) • Free • Riverfront Park • 507 N. Howard St. • riverfrontspokane.com

MUSIC CARROLL OF THE STRINGS

Sometimes, all it takes to create a magical evening is a hushed room, a master musician and their instrument. Such is the case when Clive Carroll takes the stage. As one of the world’s best fingerstyle guitar players, he’s able to create lush sonic landscapes with his dexterous digits nimbly sweeping over the strings. Stylistically touching on everything from original jazz compositions to Renaissance-era lute tunes, it’s not always clear where Carroll will take each sonic journey, but his precision keeps concertgoers on the proverbial edge of their seats to watch his wizardry in action. Expect the room to be locked in when English guitar ace makes a stop in Spokane for an intimate gig at Hamilton Studio.

— SETH SOMMERFELD

Clive Carroll • Sun, June 8 at 6 pm • $39 • All ages • Hamilton Studio • 1427 W. Dean Ave. • hamilton.live

COMMUNITY HEN-CREDIBLE FINDS

Whether you are an old soul, enjoy giving new life to pre-loved items or want to support small businesses, stop by The Farm Chicks Vintage & Handmade Fair this weekend. With hundreds of specially curated vintage and handmade vendors, there’s a treasure to be found around every corner. And, booths are restocked throughout the two-day event, so the options change each time you pop in! Get some food at the Fairgrounds Plaza or grab one of the many sweet treats scattered among this year’s vendors. Having grown from a small barn sale in 2002 to a nationally recognized event, the Farm Chicks isn’t an affair to pass up.

— BEE REISWIG

The Farm Chicks Vintage & Handmade Fair • Sat, June 7 from 9 am-6 pm and Sun, June 8 from 9 am-3 pm • $10 weekend pass (12 and under free) • Spokane County Fair and Expo Center • 404 N. Havana St. • thefarmchicks.com

GET LISTED!

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

VISUAL ARTS JUNE TOO SOON!

It’s already the sixth First Friday of the year! Where did the time go? At the year’s halfway point, local First Friday showcases are booming with local art, and with the weather warming up, there’s no excuse not to go check out all of the local galleries in town. Trackside Studio features the ceramic sculptural and functional work of J. Casey Doyle, professor of art and design at the University of Idaho. The Liberty Gallery above Auntie’s Bookstore boasts a collection of watercolor paintings by members of the Spokane Watercolor Society (painting by William Okazaki pictured above), while the adjoining Pottery Place Plus features hyperrealism paintings by Bernadette Beeman and photography by Charles Ayars. Head to Inlander.com and find our monthly First Friday blog for more artful offerings.

— MADISON PEARSON

First Friday • Fri, June 6; receptions typically from 5-8 pm • Free • Downtown Spokane • Locations vary • firstfridayspokane.org

FESTIVAL BRICK BY BRICK

After putting on a rollicking first edition in 2024, Brickfest Music Festival returns to kick off another summer with a day of brews and free local tuneage at Brick West Brewing Co.’s downtown HQ. Apart from a set by energetic Seattle rock trio Beverly Crusher, the bill — spread across two stages — focuses entirely on Inland Northwest artists, providing a cost-effective way for the whole family to check out locals you may have missed. The loaded lineup includes the Spokane rap standouts Exzac Change & Matisse, indie rock via Vika & the Velvets, the calming one-man band instrumentals of August to August, folk from The Walleye Band, and an array of top-flight singer-songwriters (The Holy Broke, Helmer Noel, Jojo Dodge, Kyle Richard, Tomboy). So grab a beer (or an RC Cola), and spend a (hopefully) sunny day taking in the warm musical vibes.

— SETH SOMMERFELD Brickfest Music Festival • Sat, June 7 from 1-10 pm

CHEERS

LESTER MY LOVE It’s only been a short time since Celeste arrived in my life — wideeyed, full of wonder (and maybe caffeine), ready to take on the world of children and office soda runs — but already, I can’t imagine my days without you. From the moment we first shared awkward small talk in the alcove, I knew I was in trouble. You had that certain sparkle — the kind that made me think, “I must protect this one at all costs.” Like a new parent staring down at their adopted baby, I felt this overwhelming urge to make sure you were fed (snacks from my drawer), cared for (by reminding you to log off at a reasonable hour), and never left alone to do NP swabs on babies (because even I wouldn’t wish that on anyone). Honestly, I beam with pride. You’ve made this place softer, warmer — and a little more chaotic in the best way. So yes, I may refer to you as “our sweet little workplace baby,” but the truth is, you’ve become something more. You’re the bright spot in my 8-to-7, (at least when you’re here from 2-7), the smile I look for in a sea of blinking notifications. I might be joking when I say I’ve adopted you — but my heart, well, that part’s serious.

DIRT BIKES & ELEVATOR MUSIC There’s this man, when asked what he’s thinking, says dirt bikes or elevator music. A man who manages to make me feel like both the open road and the reason he takes the long way home. When we first started… whatever this is, I said I wanted something casual. Wind in my hair, no strings attached kind of thing. And I meant it. Sort of. Okay, maybe more like I mean “just one drink” on

a Friday night. But the more I’ve gotten to know him and the way he moves through the world, the more I realized I don’t want to just be a summer ride. Instead I’ve fallen. And not gracefully, more like skidding around a sharp corner without a helmet. I’m not trying to define what is undefined or put a title on what we are. I’m not asking for handlebars or hard turns, just leaving this here, quietly, like a note on the kitchen counter. I just needed to say it out loud. Because this ride? It’s been unexpected and beautiful.

INFRINGEMENT Bill Bryant is spot on with his article on the knee-jerk gun law just signed into law. The panic stricken left has again launched an attack on our rights and passed a law that will do nothing to stop gun crime. While I agree that a brand new gun purchaser who has no experience should get training, someone with two carry permits and a safe full of every weapon imaginable (me) should be able to walk into a gun store and buy whatever he or she wants without any encumbrances. Never forget: the keeping and bearing of arms is an enumerated right. How about making people take a serious driving test when it’s renewal time, including skid pad and panic stops in a turn between cones. Better still make people prove their mental state and citizenship before they can vote. That would go a long way toward keeping idiots out of Olympia and the governors mansion.

RE: PATHETIC LOSERS Dear Inlander: “I beg of you” to continue to print jeers about the pathetic losers who choose to ignore paying for license tabs in Spokane. If someone doesn’t pay for tabs, they shouldn’t drive. Just yesterday, I was behind a car who had tabs that were expired from 2021. Can you even imagine? I’m sure many agree with the other more intelligent jeer “More Tab Stuff” in which the writer quotes the Bible “render unto Caesar that which is Caesar’s...” Are people in Spokane really such losers that they seriously can’t afford car tabs? Wow! Why keep living?

THE LITTLE PEOPLE VS. DEVELOPERS Kudos to my neighbors in our Audubon/Downriver neighborhood who fought (for almost 2 years) against a major developer trying to squish 20 single-standing homes on 1.3 acres on a basalt cliff. We appealed their plat drawing & won thanks to a hearing examiner who “got it.” Now, the developer is trying to overturn this decision! Not on our watch! We believe in development but not 20 houses on 1.3 acres!!! City of Spokane

-– stop coddling to these developers!

CROSSWALK SAFETY Cheers to pedestrians who make eye contact with each driver just before you walk in front of their car. Cheers to drivers who, before pulling forward, look both ways AGAIN for pedestrians who can arrive at an intersection while you’ve focused on watching traffic. Stay safe everyone. Thank you!

have adequate clothing for the weather as well as lifesaving supplies, provide harm reduction interventions through sunscreen, aloe, hygiene, and Narcan. Thank you to all the Homeless Outreach workers who have administered Narcan more times than they can count to save lives. You are all appreciated and seen, and thank you all so very much!

ALWAYS LOTS OF FUN To a friend who always has a cheerful demeanor, positive attitude, uplifting stories to share, and great recommendations for new places to find tasty treats in Spokane. I really enjoyed our bump-set-spike (albeit short session) and hike this weekend up to the summit of Antoine Peak!

THE BACKYARD IS STUNNING Blaska Landscaping, we’re thrilled with the backyard, but also really impressed with how smooth the process was to go from idea to reality with you! The hydrangeas are happy, the yard drains so well, and the big ol’ slab of concrete for our patio has already served as a perfect foundation for meals with friends. Thanks for your expertise, your helpful and thorough approach, and thank you for your hard work.

HOMELESS OUTREACH WORKERS

Cheers and gratitude to those wonderful humans who spend their days working with individuals living in the shadows of society to bring life to those many have forgotten. Homeless Outreach workers in this community spend days working to bring dignity, worth and hope to our folks living homeless. These dedicated individuals take the time to hear, heal and offer hope to many marginalized individuals. We have a wonderful team of Homeless Outreach advocates who work to ensure our homeless are fed by providing sandwiches and snacks, are hydrated by providing water, are getting their basic medical needs taken care of through street medicine, who ensure folks living outside

JEERS

LOCAL FUEL COMPANY After installing a new furnace, cost $7,000, techs forgot to light pilot light, called the furance and fuel company to light the pilot next day when we discovered no hot water. Tech came out, lit pilot and then billed us $250 for a service call. It gets better. After speaking to someone at the company about getting a new valve replaced on a propane bottle for a BBQ, brought the tank in. After two hours, returned to the business to hear the following, “we checked it over, re certified it and it is working fine.” Took tank home, hooked it up, same problem. No gas comes out of the valve. That’s quite a certification process they use. Hope the furnace job passes final inspection!

I DON’T GIVE A HOOT... I don’t give a single, gosh-darn hoot about fentanyl or people stealing from the Apple store. The cops need to do something about these illegal, obnoxious-ass mufflers. I can’t sleep, listen to music, read a book, or have a conversation in public without being interrupted by some jackass whose whole identity is making loud noise. Help us out here popo. Those mufflers have BEEN illegal. How did you all let it get SO bad that 10% of the vehicles have one? It could only happen because the law hasn’t been enforced in a long time. I know it’s not as sexy as drug busts, but eliminating unnecessary disturbances like excessive traffic noise would go a long way to improve the quality of life for every citizen in Spokane. Thanks, I’m out.

WELCOME TO THE FUNHOUSE The dizzying carnival ride we’re on, thanks to the TACO clown and his clown car full of minions, won’t end anytime soon. Up, down, round and round we go, terminally nauseated and numb, dangerously close to comatose. Step right up, folks, and watch the carnage! Cruel cuts to vital services for the poor and elderly and veterans, crude amputations of lifesaving research programs, the gutting of environmental protections that might have saved us from extinction — the clowns are up to their elbows in blood, and this circus isn’t leaving town anytime soon.

ROAD CONDITIONS I’ve been on smoother motocross tracks when compared to your streets. I’m really tired of having to get my wheels aligned after visiting the city. How about putting the money you waste on a bunch of drug-soaked bums towards making your roads passable. The people that drive to work and pay the freight around here should at least have roads that don’t destroy their vehicles. I’m sending the invoice for my next wheel alignment to city hall.

LAST WORD ON CAR TABS I just paid $87 for my $30 car tabs. Remember when the cost for tabs went down each year? But then the people in Olympia said hey we are losing money, so let’s place other taxes to offset the loss. The public won’t be able to complain and if they do, we can explain the extra taxes. Like winter coats for squirrels. But the most obscene tax is the $20 for road improvement which every city in Wash. charges. You have to be kidding! No vote and no way to fight the tax. I’ve had three alignments in two years, and the holes in the roads just keep getting deeper. We are one of the highest taxed state and there is nothing we can do. And Olympia will continue to tax us just as the people we voted for continue to lie just to be elected. Save the squirrels!!! n

BENEFIT

CATHOLIC WOMEN’S LEAGUE SPRING

RUMMAGE SALE

This annual sale benefiting the St. Mary’s Women’s League featuring furniture, books, music, games, clothing and more at various prices. June 6, 4-7 pm and June 7, 8-11 am. St. Mary’s Parish Family Center, 618 E. 1st St. stmaryspokane.org (208-882-4813)

FELTS FIELD SKY QUEENS KICK OFF

PARTY A night of fundraising for the Felts Field Sky Queens as they prepare for the Air Race Classic. Enjoy, live music, food and a screening of the SAS film Breaking Glass. June 7, 6-10 pm. $50. Historic Flight Foundation, 5829 E. Rutter Ave. instagram.com/feltsskyqueens

FRIENDS OF THE DEER PARK LIBRARY

SUMMER BOOK SALE Peruse thousands of gently-used books of all genres including mystery, sci-fi, romance, non-fiction, biography and more. Plus, tables full of movies, music, puzzles and games. All proceeds support Deer Park Library. The second Friday and Saturday of each month 9 am-4 pm through Sept. 14. Reilly Family Storage, 2405 E. Crawford St. scld.org

COMEDY

THE DOLLOP The Dollop is a comedy podcast hosted by Dave Anthony and Gareth Reynolds. Each episode highlights a historical event or person, chosen

for its absurdity or humor. June 5, 7:30 pm. $32-$94. Bing Crosby Theater, 901 W. Sprague Ave. bingcrosbytheater.com

FUNNY FUNNY FUNNY JOKE JOKE

JOKE A comedy experience that combines stand-up comedy, live sketches and other comedic bits with a rotating lineup of comedians. This month features Erik Escobar. Hosted by Josiah Carlson. June 5, 7:30-9 pm. $15. Garland Theater, 924 W. Garland Ave. garlandtheater.org

MICHAEL PALASCA: Palascak is known for his stand up performed on The Late Show, The Tonight Show and Last Comic Standing. June 5, 7 pm. $20-$25. Spokane Comedy Club, 315 W. Sprague. spokanecomedyclub.com (509-318-9998)

HOOPPROV This improv show celebrates the camaraderie, competition and sheer joy of the biggest 3-on-3 basketball tournament on the planet. Every Friday in June at 7:30 pm. $9. Blue Door Theatre, 319 S. Cedar St. bluedoortheatre.org

K. TREVOR WILSON K Trevor has performed on Jimmy Kimmel Live, Comedy Central’s Roast Battles and multiple times at the Just For Laughs festival as well as the Moon Tower Comedy Festival and Oddball Comedy Festival. June 6-7, 7 & 9:45 pm. Spokane Comedy Club, 315 W. Sprague. spokanecomedyclub.com

LATE LAUGHS Each show features a rotating lineup of performers from independent troupes to new voices performing 20-minute sets that push boundaries,

test new formats and take creative risks. Every First Friday of the month at 9:30 pm. $6. Blue Door Theatre, 319 S. Cedar St. bluedoortheatre.org (509-747-7045)

EXPEDITION A family-friendly improv show featuring the Blue Door Theatre players playing a variety of improv games with audience suggestions. Every Saturday at 7:30 pm. $9. Blue Door Theatre, 319 S. Cedar St. bluedoortheatre.org

KEVIN JAMES THORTON Thorton is a TikTok star with over 700k followers where he posts heartfelt and cringey moments of self-reflection. June 8, 7 pm. $30-$40. Spokane Comedy Club, 315 W. Sprague. spokanecomedyclub.com

Seats on sale now.

Photo by Julieta Cervantes

Photo credit: Matthew Murphy.

Photo by Manuel Harlan

Photo by Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman

FATHER’S DAY DAD JOKE CONTEST

Submit your best (or worst) dad joke at the bar anytime Saturday or Sunday. Each person who enters a joke bets $5 off their first beer. Finalists will be selected and the champion announced on Sunday evening. June 14-15; Sat from noon-10 pm, Sun from noon-7 pm. June 14, 12-10 pm and June 15, 12-7 pm. Free. Natural 20 Brewing Company, 1303 N. Washington St. natural20brewing.com

COMMUNITY

LOVE AND MODEMS: THE EARLY INTERNET & LGBT COMMUNITIES Gonzaga professor Avery Dame-Griff explores how members of early digital LGBTQ+ communities used computers to explore their identity, find love and get resources for people living with AIDS. June 5, 6-7 pm. Free. South Hill Library, 3324 S. Perry St. spokanelibrary.org (509-444-5300)

PRIDE HISTORY & REMEMBRANCE

EXHIBIT An exhibit featuring gowns, archival photographs and rarely seen artifacts from the LGBTQIA2S+ community, showcasing the rich and diverse culture of Spokane over the decades. June 1-30, daily from 10 am-5 pm. Through June 30, 10 am-5 pm. Free. Central Library, 906 W. Main Ave. spokanelibrary.org

2025 IDAHO STATE BUTTON SHOW & SALE A button show featuring programs, collecting opportunities, educational displays and vendors. June 6, 10 am-4 pm and June 7, 10 am-4 pm. $3. Red Lion Hotel Templin’s on the River, 414 E. First Ave. facebook.com/IdahoStateButtonSociety

BRICK FEST 2025 An outdoor music festival featuring 10 live acts from Spokane

and the greater Pacific Northwest, spanning rock, hip hop, indie and alternative sounds. Enjoy craft beer, local vendors, food trucks and more. Artists include Beverly Crusher, Exzac Change & Matisse, Vika and the Velvets and more. June 7, 1-10 pm. Free. Brick West Brewing Co., 1318 W. First. brickwestbrewingco.com

THE FARM CHICKS VINTAGE & HANDMADE FAIR One of the largest vintage, antiques, and handmade markets in the USA. Featuring more than 300 spaces set up as hundreds of little shops, curated by juried collectors and makers. June 7, 9 am-6 pm and June 8, 9 am-3 pm. $10. Spokane County Fair & Expo Center, 404 N. Havana St. thefarmchicks.com

LILAC CITY COMICON A pop culture convention featuring panels, activities, a vendor hall and special guests such as Rodger Bumpass, Ryan Drummond and many more. June 7-8; Sat from 10 am-6 pm, Sun from 10 am-4 pm. $13-$35. Spokane Convention Center, 334 W. Spokane Falls Blvd. lilaccitycon.com

CDA4PRIDE 2025: PRIDE IN THE PARK

Coeur d’Alene’s annual pride celebration featuring food, entertainment and an area for community resources and local businesses to share information with the community. June 7, 10 am-3 pm. Free. Coeur d’Alene City Park, 415 W. Fort Grounds Drive. nipridealliance.com

REARDAN MULE DAYS A summer celebration featuring a car show, a parade, children’s activities, vendors, a beer garden and more. June 7, 9 am-5 pm. Free. Reardan. reardanmuledays.com

QUEER PROM A prom for members of the queer community featuring DJ Asher

St Mars, live tattoos, an Electric Photoland photobooth, drag performances and live music from Starcourt, Saffron City and Abyss. June 13, 9 pm. $20-$25. The Chameleon, 1801 W. Sunset Blvd. chameleonspokane.com

SPOKANE PRIDE Spokane’s annual celebration of the LGBTQIA+ community features five stages with various performances, 100+ vendors, activities and more. This year’s theme is “Here To Stay.” June 13, 12-9 pm. Free. Riverfront Park, 507 N. Howard St. spokanepride.org

FILM

KUBRICK FEST: PATHS OF GLORY Stanley Kubrick’s Paths of Glory is a powerful antiwar masterpiece, with Kirk Douglas commanding as a French colonel challenging military injustice. June 5, 7-9 pm. $8. The Kenworthy, 508 S. Main St. kenworthy.org (208-882-4127)

SENSORY RELAXED MOVIE SCREENINGS Screenings of various movies showing at the Garland with slightly brighter lights, lowered volume and designated areas to move around, walk or sit. Second Tuesdays (PG 13 movies) at 6:30 pm, second Saturdays (all ages movies) at 11:30 am. $5. Garland Theater, 924 W. Garland Ave. garlandtheater.org

FOOD & DRINK

SUSHI CLASS: NIGIRI TRADITIONAL, & TAMAKI Get hands-on experience making your own sushi as instructor Rui guides you through preparing these

three rolls: hand-pressed salmon nigiri, smoked salmon sushi roll, tamaki roll. June 6, 5-7 pm. $90. The Kitchen Engine, 621 W. Mallon Ave. thekitchenengine.com

COMICON DISCOUNT WEEKEND Show your weekend pass to Lilac City Comicon and receive 10% off all food and drinks all weekend long. June 7, 12-10 pm and June 8, 12-7 pm. Natural 20 Brewing Company, 1303 N. Washington St. natural20brewing.com (509-919-3595)

A WORLD OF ROSÉ: A SOMMELIERGUIDED SIP & LEARN An opportunity to sit, sip and learn about rose with an expert sommelier. June 8, 1-3 pm. $60. Cellar & Scholar, 15412 E. Sprague Ave. cellarandscholar.com (509-218-6226)

RIVERFRONT EATS A lineup of local food trucks serve up savory dishes, sweet treats and everything in between on the orange Howard Street bridge in Riverfront Park. Every Tuesday from 11 am-2 pm. Riverfront Park, 507 N. Howard St. rivefrontspokane.com (509-625-6600)

MUSIC

A VETERANS SALUTE IN SONG AND STORY A performance of songs and stories by local celebrities and a childrens choir in honor of local veterans. Proceeds from ticket sales benefit Newbyginnings, a veteran support organization. June 5-8; Thu-Fri at 6:30 pm, Sat-Sun at 2 pm. $15. Lake City Playhouse, 1320 E. Garden Ave. lakecityplayhouse.org

TRADITIONAL BLUEGRASS JAM Jam with a group of bluegrass musicians. Every month on the second and fourth Wednesday at5:30 pm. Free. The Jacklin

THE FESTIVAL AT SANDPOINT

Arts & Cultural Center, 405 N. William St. thejacklincenter.org (208-457-8950)

SPORTS & OUTDOORS

SPOKANE INDIANS VS. HILLSBORO HOPS Regular season home games. Promotional schedule includes: Hawaiian & Pacific Islander Night (June 5), Storybook Princess & Fireworks Night (June 6), Rosauers Family Feast Night (June 7) and Ballpark Bugs ‘N Stadium Snakes Day Game (June 8). June 5, 6:35 pm, June 6, 7:05 pm, June 7, 6:35 pm and June 8, 1:05 pm. $11-$30. Avista Stadium, 602 N. Havana St. spokaneindians.com (535-2922)

SOVREN SPOKANE FESTIVAL OF SPEED This event features two days of high-octane, vintage racing from racers from across the Pacific Northwest and Canada. June 6-8; Fri-Sat from 8 am-7 pm, Sun from 8 am-4 pm. $5-$10. Qlispe Raceway Park, 750 N. Hayford Road. spokanefestivalofspeed.org (509-468-1237)

THE GREAT INVASIVE WEED PLUCK AND NATURE DAY: A field day at Lincoln Park featuring a weed pull, nature walk, bird walk and more featuring local naturalist Jack Nisbet. June 7, 8 am-noon. Free. Lincoln Park, 2300 E. 17th Ave. piccolo-calliope-xryg.squarespace.com

DAD’S DAY DASH A family-friendly 5k and 1-mile run/walk around Manito Park that celebrates Father’s Day while supporting Spokane Neighborhood Action Partners (SNAP). June 14, 9 am-noon. $32 -$35. Manito Park, 1800 S. Grand Blvd. snapwa.org/ddd5k

THEATER & DANCE

12 MINUTES MAX SPOKANE 2025

Dance artists from the Inland Northwest Region converge to present 12 minutes or less of their groundbreaking material. June 5, 7-8 pm. $18-$22. Hamilton Studio, 1427 W. Dean Ave. kindlingdanceproductions.com

THE BOOK OF MORMON The adventures of a mismatched pair of missionaries, sent halfway across the world to spread the Good Word of the Book of Mormon. June 5-7; Thu-Sat at 7:30 pm, Sat also at 2 pm. First Interstate Center for the Arts, 334 W. Spokane Falls Blvd. broadwayspokane.com

MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING Misunderstandings, wit, hilarity, and a touch of treachery all come together in Shakespeare’s best-loved comedy. June 6-8; Fri-Sat at 7 pm, Sun at 2 pm. $10-$33. Kroc Center, 1765 W. Golf Course Rd. shakespearecda.org

LAVENDER MENACE: A PRIDE BURLESQUE AND CABARET A burlesque show featuring drag performances by local performers. June 13, 9-11:30 pm. $27. Berserk, 125 S. Stevens St. facebook.com/AVaudeVillainsProduction

50 SHADES OF GOTH: A SAPPHIC BURLESQUE SHOW Join six sapphic burlesque dancers in celebrating Pride at this pop-up burlesque show with six queer performers bringing their own takes to the theme, “50 Shades of Goth.” June 14, 8 & 9 pm. $15. TRVST, 120 N. Wall St. facebook.com/AVaudeVillainsProduction (208-827-6847)

VISUAL ARTS

BERNADETTE BEEMAN & CHARLES

AYARS Bernadette Beeman showcases watercolor, pencil and arylic artworks while Charles Ayars displays photographs of natural landscapes. Daily from 11 am-7 pm through June 29. Free. Pottery Place Plus, 203 N. Washington St. potteryplaceplus.com

SPOKANE WATERCOLOR SOCIETY

SIGNATURE MEMBERS SHOW A collection of paintings from the Signature Members of the Spokane Watercolor Society. These senior members have a strong grasp of the medium and the ability to express themselves through it. May 25-June 28, daily from 11 am-7 pm. Through June 28, 11 am-7 pm. Free. Liberty Building, 203 N. Washington St. spokanelibertybuilding.com (509-327-6920)

FIRST FRIDAY: SONNY AND LISA

MOECKEL Meet Sonny and Lisa Moeckel, a married artist duo who collaborate and paint on the same canvas by combining their abstract and realistic styles to create expressionist paintings. Also includes live music by Jonathan Nicholson. June 5, 3-7 pm. Free. Avenue West Gallery, 907 W. Boone Ave. avenuewestgallery.com

J. CASEY DOYLE: MANY Sculptural and functional work by J. Casey Doyle, a professor of art and design at the University of Idaho. June 6-27, Wed-Fri from 11 am-5 pm. Free. Trackside Studio, 115 S. Adams. tracksidestudio.net

FIRST FRIDAY Art galleries and businesses across downtown Spokane and beyond host monthly receptions to showcase new displays of art. Fri, June 6 from 5-8 pm. Free. Spokane. firstfridayspokane.org

JENENE GRANDE AND KELSEA ROTHAUS: NATURE’S DANCE Painter

Janene Grende explores a variety of techniques in her artwork. Kelsea Rothaus specializes in ink wash techniques that celebrate nature and the complexities of life and death. First Friday: June 6 from 5-9 pm. June 6-28, Wed-Sat from 11 am-5 pm. . Free. New Moon Art Gallery, 1326 E. Sprague Ave. manicmoonandmore.com

MARGARET MOUNT: NAVIGATING CURRENTS New textile works by artist Margaret Mount comprised on handstitched quilts made from recycled materials found at thrift stores. June 6-30, daily from 11 am-6 pm. Free. Entropy, 101 N. Stevens St. instagram. com/entropygalleryspokane

KJ POTTERY SECONDS SALE KJ Pottery’s bi-annual sale of fully functional ceramic pieces with minor imperfections. Bring your own box or bag to carry your pottery home. June 7, 9 am-noon. $15-$50. KJ Pottery, 5509 N. Market St. kjpottery.com

WORDS

DROP IN & WRITE Aspiring writers are invited to be a part of a supportive writers’ community. Bring works in progress to share, get inspired with creative prompts and spend some focused time writing. Hosted by local writers Jenny Davis and Hannah Engel. Thursdays from 5:30-7 pm. Free. Spark Central, 1214 W. Summit Pkwy. sparkcentral.org (509-279-0299)

3 MINUTE MIC Auntie’s Bookstore’s long-running first Friday poetry open mic where readers may share up to 3 minutes worth of poetry. June 6, 7-8:15 pm. Free. Auntie’s Bookstore, 402 W. Main Ave. auntiesbooks.com

WRITE TOGETHER: A COMMUNITY

WRITING SESSION Bring your current writing project and your favorite writing tools and prepare to hunker down and write. Local novelist and Writing Education Specialist Sharma Shields will write alongside of you and provide prompts and advice if needed. June 6, 10 am-noon. Free. South Hill Library, 3324 S. Perry St. spokanelibrary.org

FORAY FOR THE ARTS: A CELEBRATION OF PRIDE A collective space where artists, writers, musicians, and creatives of all kinds come together to showcase their work, share their stories, and support one another. This event features artists and performances celebrating the LGBTQIA+ community. June 7, 6-9 pm. Free. Lunarium, 1925 N. Monroe St. foray4thearts.org

NORTHWEST PASSAGES: SO FAR GONE BY JESS WALTER An event with Jess Walter, author of The Cold Millions, Beautiful Ruins and The Zero, celebrating his newest release. So Far Gone follows a reclusive journalist who has to rescue his kidnapped grandchildren. June 10, 7 pm. Sold out. Myrtle Woldson Performing Arts Center, 211 E. Desmet Ave. auntiesbooks.com

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

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

EDUCATION

High Class

A

cannabis-focused learning academy provides professional industry education in partnership with a Seattle college

BY VICTOR CORRAL MARTINEZ

Istate department of health in the country.

f you’ve ever considered working in the cannabis sector, there are educational pathways to build knowledge and become certified for jobs in the industry. As states continue to legalize medical and recreational cannabis use, it has legitimized the profession — moving past the days of basement grows and sales between friends at a frat party. Now, cannabis courses offer expertise in everything from growing plants to helping health care professionals learn how they can help their patients.

The passage of the Cannabis Patient Protection Act in 2015 had a major impact in allowing Washington state’s Department of Health to adopt rules for training and certification of medical cannabis consultants, and product compliance.

In 2015, Trey Reckling founded the Academy of Cannabis Science and began offering online and in-person courses for their medical cannabis consultant’s certification, which is recognized by the Department of Health.

The online course offers 20 hours of webinars, including 10 hours of live discussions with leading cannabis professionals ranging from doctors to farmers. Students can expect to learn how to answer questions about legal medical cannabis and help patients select products, understand the risks and benefits of cannabis use, and learn how to properly use products.

Reckling says the academy partnered with Seattle Central College in 2015, a first for a higher ed institution and the first recognized partnership by a

To be certified as a medical cannabis consultant with the Seattle Central College course, you must be 21 or older and have resided in Washington for six months prior to applying.

The certification course costs $399, and other courses, like the budtender certification, cost $249. Reckling says the courses offered are some of the most affordable higher education courses available and scholarships are available for those previously charged or incarcerated for cannabis related crimes.

“The bar for entry is pretty accessible to most folks, and we also help provide scholarships to an organization called Last Prisoner Project,” Reckling says. “We’re really proud to have committed thousands of dollars worth of scholarships to that organization for people who are formerly incarcerated for nonviolent cannabis offenses.”

The academy has trained thousands of students, from those with no prior higher education to those with advanced degrees, but all courses are done in plain language for all to understand the topics, Reckling says.

The success of the academy has allowed it to partner with more institutions like the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and Century College in Minnesota, and there are plans for a California program.

Reckling says the diversity of students participating in the various courses includes people from all backgrounds and is a testament to the plant itself.

“Cannabis users reflect people of all ages, of all religions, of all ethnographic backgrounds, and we just want to reflect the spirit of the plant,” Reckling says. n

Learn more at academyofcannabisscience.com

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