Inlander 08/12/2021

AUGUST 12-18, 2021 | JUSTICE FOR ALL

RENT HIKES

WHY THEY’RE SOARING ACROSS THE REGION PAGE 12

CATHEDRAL OF ROCK PRIMUS OPENS THE SPOKANE PAVILION PAGE 35

ARE YOU A JOY SUCKER? TAKE THE TEST AND FIND OUT PAGE 6

Why Washington is knowingly violating its own laws in the treatment of mentally ill suspects

BY SAMANTHA WOHLFEIL PAGE 14

2 INLANDER AUGUST 12, 2021

INSIDE

Here for family through every stage, at any age.

VOL. 28, NO. 44 | COVER ILLUSTRATION: MALACHY EGAN

COMMENT NEWS COVER STORY CULTURE

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FOOD FILM MUSIC EVENTS

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EDITOR’S NOTE

F

or this week’s cover story, staff reporter Samantha Wohlfeil dives deep into how Washington state continues to violate its own laws requiring evaluation and treatment of MENTALLY ILL criminal suspects; don’t miss her vital report on page 14. In Culture, contributor Carrie Scozzaro explores the ways that the Hive in Coeur d’Alene is connecting the region’s business-minded women (page 22). In Food, editor Chey Scott looks at this year’s huckleberry harvest amid the heat and drought (page 28). In Comment, contributor Michael Allen offers a test to determine if you, dear reader, are sucking joy out of the world (page 6). And in News, staff reporter Wilson Criscione unpacks the insane rental market (page 12) while Daniel Walters sizes up the big promise and, at times, unsightly reality of the Ridpath project (page 8).

— JACOB H. FRIES, editor

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COMMENT STAFF DIRECTORY PHONE: 509-325-0634 Ted S. McGregor Jr. (tedm@inlander.com) PUBLISHER

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HEATHER BIGGS: I’m pregnant, so I’m still wearing a mask. I probably would be regardless. Kids still can’t be vaccinated and there are some who can’t get the vaccine. I want them to be safe.

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JESS PONIKVAR: I’m mostly just staying away from my anti-vax friends. Which is easy because all of them listen to terrible music and have a hard time holding a conversation more than one level deep, so it’s cool.

WILMA MCMAHON: I never stopped wearing it inside. Wear it at church and in any store. My grandson is too young to get the vaccine and wears his mask everywhere.

MARY STOVER: My asthma hates masks, but the threat of the Delta variant is enough to willingly cope with a mask again. I’m definitely masking up in indoor public spaces.

PAUL BRIAN JACOB: Was a faithful mask wearer until I got vaccinated, now forget it! There’s now a vaccine for the vulnerable population; if they choose not to get vaccinated, that’s their choice/risk, like in Idaho if you choose to ride a motorcycle without a helmet.

DEENA MATTHEWS: Yes, me and my family have and will continue with masks. All vaccinated except my grandbabies; not risking them on other’s free rights.

JAMES FISHER: I never stopped wearing it. I won’t until this crap is over.

ALEX COX: No. I’m vaccinated. Let the great unwashed wear the masks of shame at work, or be fired. Let them have ICU beds at full price and go bankrupt. We owe them nothing.

SHERI CHIN: I never stopped. I don’t believe that all without a mask have been vaccinated. Our rates in the county are too low for that to be the case. Kept washing my hands and sanitizing, too. n

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COMMENT | CULTURE M A R T I N T H E A T E R

W O L D S O N A T T H E F O X

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Are You a Joy Sucker?

Take the test and find out Spokane Symphony

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BY MICHAEL ALLEN

T

hey are out there. They walk among us, and their numbers have accelerated over the past decade and especially since the beginning of COVID-19. You might even be one.

Joy suckers. If you have a locked-in opinion on everything and feel an obligation to share it, you are probably a joy sucker. Here is a quick guide to see if you are a joy sucker.  If you’re scrolling through your social media accounts and find an opinion, meme or joke you don’t agree with and then take the time to type out a response that was not solicited, you’re a joy sucker. Keep scrolling and keep it to yourself.  If you are so wrapped up in your political ideology that you must share it with everyone and you must correct anyone who doesn’t think the same or make sure they are canceled, you’re a joy sucker. Your willingness to lose family and friends over your self-righteousness is not only sad, but also shameful. What happened to you?

 If you must go back hundreds of years to find something to be angry about and make it your “cause,” you’re a joy sucker. You ignore all the gains that have been made so you can wallow in self-loathing and make sure everyone knows they should be self-loathing, too.  If you think getting a vaccine is some great conspiracy and your internet research can prove it, you’re a joy sucker. While I respect your right to choose, your choice is having an impact on lives and commerce. Sometimes we must do what is best for all of us.  If you’re driving down the road and accidently cut someone off and don’t acknowledge your mistake or if you’re the person who got cut off and you yell and give the one-finger salute,

If you won’t give someone a second chance, you’re a joy sucker. you’re a joy sucker. Since COVID began, I have seen folks losing their minds in traffic. It isn’t worth the anger; it resolves nothing and could escalate into something it should never have been.  If you won’t give someone a second chance, you’re a joy sucker. This concept of once someone gets canceled by the mob, they must be canceled forever is asinine. Everyone deserves a second chance.  If you are angry because someone has something you think you deserve but don’t have, you are a joy sucker. There are some strange thought processes working among generations right now.

One generation blaming another for something or for being something.  If you ignore the fact that there is something going on with our climate, you’re a joy sucker. Our human population didn’t reach 1 billion people until 1804. Now we are at 7.8 billion. Yes, climate change has happened many times over the earth’s existence, but in 40 years we have gone from predictions of the next ice age to record hot temperatures year after year.

If you suffer from any of the above, there is good news. You can change, keep an open mind and embrace even those you might disagree with. To start, turn off the national news broadcasts, limit social media exposure and learn to laugh at life and each other again. Life is too short to be a joy sucker. n Michael Allen, a business and entrepreneurship professor at Spokane Community College, is a former associate athletic director at Eastern Washington University. A longtime Republican, he previously served six years on the Spokane City Council.

AUGUST 12, 2021 INLANDER 7

Paul Mann isn’t just a co-owner of the Ridpath; he lives in a condo at the top floor. YOUNG KWAK PHOTO

DEVELOPMENT

THE FRUIT OF

THE RIDPATH The Ridpath block may finally be seeing its promised resurrection

BY DANIEL WALTERS

R

idpath co-owner Paul Mann has read years and years of newspaper articles with descriptions of the “troubled Ridpath project,” but today, as he sits in the high-rise’s sprawling lobby, he’s optimistic.

“All of the days of the troubles are mostly behind us,” he declares.

It took a full decade for the shuttered Ridpath Hotel to be transformed into the Ridpath Club Apartments.

And when the iconic downtown building at 515 W. Sprague Ave. finally reopened in 2018, it was thanks in part to the city of Spokane: The city had gone from frustrated observer of the project to an active investor in 2017, shelling out $1.75 million in leftover federal housing program funds to push the development over the finish line.

But three years after the Ridpath Club Apartments opened, the property has yet to turn a profit, and so the city hasn’t gotten a cent of its investment back. And some people have been questioning whether it’s worth it.

Before he resigned from the city in June, neighbor-

8 INLANDER AUGUST 12, 2021

hood services director Cupid Alexander wrote that he’d been uncovering the city’s “inability to recover nearly $1.5 million in HOME [Investment Partnerships Program] and Rental Rehab Funds due to an ill-advised development deal” with the Ridpath.

But Mann says the city wasn’t worried about being paid back quickly so much as creating more downtown housing and preventing an abandoned high-rise from spreading urban blight in the city’s core.

On one measure, the project is a clear success: The apartments are almost completely filled. But much of the complex still looks abandoned from the outside, like a victim of blight instead of a healer of it. Spaces envisioned for a coffee shop, a restaurant and a bar have remained empty shells. Plywood covers a broken window nearby.

And yet, even in the last month, there have been new signs that the block is beginning to experience exactly the sort of transformation that local leaders had been rooting for.

“Nothing has gone perfectly,” Mann says, “[But] I think we’re a great success story.”

F

ormer neighborhood services director Jonathan Mallahan, who helped make the Ridpath deal happen back in 2017, fervently disagrees with Alexander’s criticism.

“It was a great deal for the city,” says Mallahan, now vice president of housing at Catholic Charities.

Yes, the city is toward the back of the line when it comes to repayment — and it only starts getting paid back if the Ridpath property begins making a profit. But even if the city never gets a dime from the project, it was still worth it, he says.

After all, without the city’s help, it seemed like it would have been impossible for the project to get off the ground. A con artist — literally later sent to prison for fraud — had helped divide the hotel up into pieces before the Great Recession hit, attempting to sell it off bit by bit. ...continued on page 10

AUGUST 12, 2021 INLANDER 9

NEWS | DEVELOPMENT

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The Ridpath’s previous life as a hotel — and fire-resistant metal skeleton — meant that much of the tower could only be converted into small “microapartments” like this one. YOUNG KWAK PHOTO

“THE FRUIT OF THE RIDPATH,” CONTINUED...

For nearly a decade, the hotel and the block’s surrounding properties became a tug of war between teams of feuding investors, competing to see if anyone could snag enough pieces of the complex to make high-rise redevelopment worth it.

Ultimately, the city of Spokane threw its weight behind a team led by developer Ron Wells, a hero of downtown redevelopment who specialized in rehabbing historical buildings. But shortly after that, in late 2018, Wells was indicted on an unrelated insurance fraud scheme.

With the experienced Wells’ taken off the project, his business partner Mann was thrust into the driver’s seat.

“All of a sudden, I was making decisions and chairing the weekly construction meetings,” he says.

Meanwhile, the city’s money came with a catch: Of the 206 new small apartment units, the vast majority had to be reserved for affordable housing for the next four decades.

“We have 184 affordable housing spots in the heart of downtown. And that’s a huge achievement from a building that was a wreck,” Mann says. “If the objective of the city’s investment was to provide affordable housing in the downtown core, it’s obvious that we’ve accomplished it.”

Getting that many affordable housing units for only $1.75 million was an incredible steal, Mallahan argues.

“Show me any other project the city’s ever done where they’ve purchased 40 years of affordability for $10,000 a unit,” Mallahan says. “I guarantee you, you can’t.”

The apartments are far from perfect: Tenant advocates have raised concerns about bedbug infestations, broken air-conditioning units and other issues.

Mann acknowledges problems continue to crop up — the building had been mothballed for a decade, after all.

“But our experience is that our tenant population is genuinely grateful to have this place to call home,” Mann says.

E

ven now, however, the Ridpath project isn’t quite complete.

Former Spokane chef Jeremy Hansen ditched an agreement to turn two spaces on the Ridpath’s ground level into a bar and a highend restaurant in late 2018, telling the Inlander a few months later that the Ridpath had made conditions in the neighborhood worse instead of better. Mann is still tangled up in arbitration with Hansen over the dispute.

“Show me any other project the city’s ever done where they’ve purchased 40 years of affordability for $10,000 a unit. I guarantee you, you can’t.”

To complicate matters, right in the middle of a search for a new restaurant tenant, the world was hit with COVID-19, the virus that shut down downtown restaurants and the office highrise workers who patronized them.

Mann knows that the vacancy hurts more than his bottom line.

“That empty space doesn’t help the neighborhood,” Mann says. “It doesn’t lend itself to a

vibrant, active streetscape.”

One of the ground-floor spaces that Mann had been eying for a coffee shop also sits empty, partly because of Mann’s own security concerns. Mann wants to keep the Ridpath apartments’ lobby locked to non-residents, and the coffee shop doesn’t have an exterior exit.

But Mann notes that he doesn’t actually own some of the other vacant pieces that are associated with the Ridpath, like those in the Symons building to the west of the Ridpath Tower or in the Halliday building, in the eastern part of the Ridpath complex.

Meanwhile, Ann Cao, owner of the 7 Wonders beauty spa and salon, says that the spot in the Ridpath complex with the broken window covered in plywood had been purchased by her brother a few years ago, with plans to launch a new downtown salon.

But that project stalled, too. Part of it was COVID. But she also says her hopes that the Ridpath would quickly revitalize the area hadn’t come to pass.

“It’s really bad,” Cao says. “Homelessness, drugs — it’s just not very attractive.”

Last summer, when someone broke one of the windows, they put up plywood instead of replacing it with more breakable glass.

But now, she says, the project is moving forward again. With the closure of competing spas in Kendall Yards and on the South Hill, she sees more of a market for a high-end downtown salon to make an impact.

Even if the Ridpath wasn’t changing the neighborhood as fast as they wanted, other properties in the neighborhood such as the new Marjorie Apartments across the street and the revived and rebooted Wave sushi grill were generating excitement.

“We’re starting to see Spokane downtown coming together,” Cao says. “They’re trying to make it vibrant again.”

Just as blight and vacancy can spread, so can renovation and renaissance. At the Symons building next to the Ridpath, newly minted restaurateur Aaron Hein cites the Wave and the Marjorie Apartments as evidence that he made the right choice to open People’s Waffle in the part of LETTERS the old Observatory space this Send comments to year. editor@inlander.com.

“People are starting to take some risks,” Hein says. He’s getting ready to launch Emma Rue’s, a cocktail bar and coffee joint in the other half of the Observatory space.

A week later, a cleanup crew is tossing sheetrock and carpeting into a trailer — part of turning the office space in the upper floors of the Symons building into more much-needed residential apartments.

“This building is being revitalized,” Hein says. “I think creating a new energy in here is really changing the block. … I figure, the more we do that, it attracts others to do the same.”

Cao says she met with Mann recently and was enthusiastic about what the various Ridpath owners and neighbors could do if they combined forces and met together regularly.

“If we can fix up the main lobby to be nicer — have AC, and maybe just have new flooring and turn on [lights] to make it nice and brighter — you can attract some really good tenants in here,” she says.

Indeed, Mann says they’re using another boost from the city, a grant for projects of citywide significance, to boost the look of the Ridpath exterior.

“We’re looking at things like street trees, lighting, sidewalk enhancements,” Mann says.

Best of all, he says he finally found a new tenant to take over Hansen’s empty space.

“I signed a lease two weeks ago,” he told the Inlander last Thursday, though he declined to reveal details.

Kim Sample, the property manager for the Ridpath Club Apartments, indicates it will be leased through Craig Larsen, owner of Jimmy Z’s Gastropub & Red Room Lounge, and she credits Mann and his team with providing the rent abatement to make it happen.

“They want to see that area evolve,” she says. n danielw@inlander.com

AUGUST 12, 2021 INLANDER 11

NEWS | HOUSING

Priced Out Rent in the Inland Northwest is soaring, and tenants feel powerless to stop it

BY WILSON CRISCIONE

O

n July 1, Melody Deatherage arrived home after work to find a notice of rent increase on her door.

She’d been expecting a bump in rent, but this was far beyond what she’d imagined: an increase of over $500 a month, effective Sept. 1.

And if Deatherage, 65, refused to sign a lease under those terms, then Hilby Station Apartments would increase her rent again to $2,350 — double what she’s currently paying.

Deatherage, who works in human resources for a nonprofit agency, says it left her without options. She can’t move, since the vacancy rate in Spokane is so low.

But paying an extra $500 alone is a significant change.

“I liked my setup, my situation, my location. To be forced into potentially having to move or having to seek other kinds of housing solutions, it’s this huge disruption and stress imposed on my life,” she says.

Other renters in Spokane are seeing similar increases since Washington Gov. Jay Inslee lifted the eviction moratorium on June 30 that prevented it. Spokane has seen a 29 percent increase in median rent in the last year — the second-fastest increase in the country, according to a recent report by Apartment List.

Morgan Trau, a KREM TV reporter, said on Twitter that her rent at the Trestle Creek Apartments was being raised by $600, plus another $600 if she didn’t sign a new lease. Another Trestle Creek tenant, who requested anonymity for this article, tells the Inlander she is having her own rent increased by 50 percent, plus more if she

12 INLANDER AUGUST 12, 2021

Tenants at Trestle Creek, along with other properties owned by Greystar, are experiencing huge rent spikes. doesn’t sign a lease.

“It seems to me that either I pay this increase or I will be homeless,” the tenant says.

It’s a crisis likely leading to increased homelessness, and experts say it’s driven by a lack of housing supply and the unintended consequences of the eviction moratorium.

But right now, tenants and tenant advocates feel powerless to prevent it.

“The increases I’m seeing are perfectly legal,” says Terri Anderson, Spokane director for the Tenants Union of Washington State. “This can’t continue. But there’s nothing stopping it.”

WHAT HAPPENED?

Tenants thought things were getting bad in 2019.

At the time, rents had gone up by 45 percent since 2014, and the vacancy rate was only 1.8 percent, according to the Washington Center for Real Estate Research at the University of Washington.

Young says. “So that means they’re stuck in the rental market for longer. It increases the demand of the rental market because the units aren’t turning over.”

The eviction moratorium was another force keeping renters in their units. And while some new multifamily units are being built, the supply has not kept up with the demand.

The result? A vacancy rate this spring in Spokane of 0.5 percent.

That’s one part of the equation. The other is that landlords say the eviction moratorium resulted in losses that they need to recover.

“Housing providers have had to shoulder the burden of the pandemic for the last 16 months,” says Brett Waller, director for government affairs for the Washington Multifamily Housing Association.

They’ve still had to make mortgage payments even if renters can’t pay. Property taxes, insurance and utility costs have gone up, he says, and rental assistance has been slow to roll out in many cases. Even if one out of 10 renters isn’t paying rent, it can have a profound impact on a landlord, considering most of rent goes toward operating costs, Waller says.

Still, the rent increases of 50 to 100 percent aren’t representative of what’s happening with properties throughout the area, says Steve Corker, director for governmental affairs for the Landlord Association of the Inland Northwest. With some exceptions, he says most landlords aren’t raising rent by more than $100 — which can still be a significant burden for renters.

“That is not common within our membership,” Corker says. “For the renters who have been meeting the obligation, the last thing you want to do is slap them in the face.”

The thing is, the company controlling both Hilby Station and Trestle Creek, where tenants have seen $600 increases, is Greystar, a company with massive apartment complexes all over the area and the entire globe. If they’re raising rent that much, that can affect thousands

“This can’t continue. But there’s nothing stopping it.”

The pandemic — and the accompanying eviction moratorium — may have kept people from being evicted.

But in other ways, the pandemic contributed to the soaring rent that tenants are facing now that the moratorium has lifted.

“You’ve got a perfect storm for a crisis,” says James Young, director for the Washington Center for Real Estate Research.

For one, Young says the pandemic, work-from-home opportunities and early retirements may have accelerated movement to Spokane from more expensive areas like Seattle. He thinks that, combined with a lack of housing for new home buyers, has made it difficult for renters to transition into home buying.

“There’s no supply, and they’re getting outgunned,”

YOUNG KWAK PHOTO

of tenants. (Greystar did not respond to a message seeking comment for this article.)

Anderson, the tenant union director, suspects that if property managers are doubling the price for renters who won’t sign a lease, it may be a way around a new state law passed this year that requires a “just cause” to evict renters on month-to-month tenancy. A rental agreement on a fixed 6-to-12-month term requires 60 days written notice for eviction before the term ends, but does not require a just cause to terminate.

As for the initial rent spike, Anderson says it’s simple.

“I suppose they’ll charge what they think they can get,” she says.

WHAT HAPPENS NOW?

Jared Rountree, a phlebotomy supervisor for Providence Medical Group Laboratory, is worried he’s going to lose his employees.

One of them got a rent increase of about $200. Another, a single mom, got a rent increase of $500. And a third got notice of a $1,000 increase.

He’s tried to find assistance for them, but they can’t afford to pay that much and can’t find another place in Spokane to move. If they leave, he knows it will be difficult to hire replacements.

“If you start pulling really qualified people from the city, your medical field — how you get taken care of — is going to change,” Rountree says.

Anderson says stories like this illuminate the seriousness of the crisis.

“Normally we get calls from tenants that are already rent burdened, who may be disabled or low-income,” she says. “Now we are getting people who make $15-$20 an hour with livable wages, but these rent increases would put them into poverty. And if they don’t have a place to go, they will be unhoused.”

Short of rent control, however, Anderson says she doesn’t have many answers that would help them.

Patrick Jones, the executive director at the Institute of Public Policy and Economic Analysis at Eastern Washington University, says wages right now don’t come close to keeping up with rent increases — especially if there are increases of 30 percent.

These rent spikes, however, shouldn’t repeat themselves to this magnitude, Jones says. Permitting activity for multifamily housing right now in Spokane is “strong,” he says, and he anticipates that continuing.

“If prices are high, then that’s going to invite other suppliers into the market, and over time, those price increases will abate,” Jones says. “They won’t drop to zero, but they will definitely slow down.”

Young, from UW, says increasing housing supply is critical, but he stresses that there should be a variety of ownership options for those wanting to move out of the rental market and into ownership. That can mean building more condominium developments, for example.

If not, he argues prices in the entire rental market will rise. He describes it as a “ladder” — when a key segment of the market has a bottleneck, it hurts those down the ladder. At that point, building more low-income apartments, while necessary in the short term, becomes a game of “whack-a-mole.”

Waller, from the Washington Multifamily Housing Association, says that in order to create a better variety of housing in Spokane, the city needs to remove single-family zoning. It’s something housing advocates in Spokane have been calling for and a few City Council members may support.

“Single-family zoning is an exclusionary zoning policy that prevents the opportunity to create one duplex and one triplex in a neighborhood,” Waller says. “Removing it doesn’t mean they’re going to put a 25-story tower down the street.”

These solutions working long term is the best case scenario, however. In the coming months, it’s likely that renters like Deatherage will continue seeing rent increases, forcing them to scramble for ways to pay it or find a new place.

“You look around, and there’s nothing really to be had,” Deatherage says. “I work a full-time job. I don’t really have the capacity to make this my job — looking for affordable housing.” n wilsonc@inlander.com

AUGUST 12, 2021 INLANDER 13

STUCK I

n the early morning of June 10, 2015, Dennis Platz woke up to go open the gate to his Colbert property and let in his neighbor, Dan Carver, who planned to borrow a field sprayer.

Platz walked out of his camper trailer with his dog around 5 am and started walking toward the gate, but his dog noticed something under the porch of his house: a figure dressed all in black.

Carver would tell police that the figure came out from under the porch with a gun and shot Platz in the thigh. They fired toward Carver — he tells police he could smell gunpowder and feel the pressure wave of a bullet that missed him — and then stood over Platz, now spread out on the ground, and fired at his head, narrowly missing.

Doctors would find bullet fragments in Platz’s ear at the hospital, and police later found a bullet buried inches in the dirt near where his head would’ve been as he lay on the ground.

The person then ran off as Carver and Platz’s wife at the time, Gail, tended to his wounds and called 911.

Jennifer Anderson, Gail’s adult daughter, was arrested nearby on a country road where, court documents say, police found a .40-caliber Glock handgun on the ground nearby with an empty magazine and another full magazine. She was dressed in all black, and a car she’d borrowed from a friend the night before was later found

14 INLANDER AUGUST 12, 2021

parked in the area.

Anderson refused to speak to police without an attorney. At the request of jail staff, her mental health was questioned, ultimately sparking a years-long process of evaluations and hospitalizations.

Anderson and Platz had been involved in another incident earlier that year. Anderson had stabbed Platz several times, later telling police he attacked and choked her. After he was treated at the hospital, he was booked into jail on suspicion of domestic violence. But Platz maintained that he was the victim. After Platz’s house was shot up that April (no one was injured or arrested in that incident), and after he was physically shot that June, the charges against Platz were dropped.

Anderson was charged with first-degree attempted murder and first-degree assault.

Like many people before her, Anderson encountered unconstitutional months-long delays to get the courtordered services that are meant to stabilize behavioralhealth patients with medication and/or proper medical care.

During multiple forensic evaluations logged in court documents as part of the case, Anderson told doctors about several delusions, including that Platz was part of a mafia group due to his previous membership in the Teamsters union, that the Illuminati were out to get her, and that she had been kidnapped or forced at gunpoint to go to Platz’s house on the day of the shooting. She also described various traumatic events throughout her life.

Complicating matters, charges were dropped in 2017 when her mental health seemed poor, then refiled in 2018, prompting even more evaluations at Eastern State Hospital in Medical Lake.

Since the June 2015 shooting, more than 2,254 days have gone by without a resolution to the case, for either Anderson or Platz.

IN

LIMBO

“It’s wrong for both him and I to have to live under this thing that’s ongoing,” Anderson tells the Inlander. “I feel it’s a great injustice. I feel like mental health patients are invisible and that people think that we don’t matter.”

In a March 2019 forensic evaluation, the doctor who interviewed Anderson notes that there’s good evidence she may have been suffering from psychosis at the time of the shooting and over the course of the year before that.

But she also was noted to have responded well to treatment in the intervening years and appeared competent and able to understand her case and support her own defense by that point. The same doctor noted that Anderson appeared to have no issues at all for several months after her charges were dropped, and other doctors had previously questioned whether she was exaggerating some symptoms.

“Ms. Anderson is truly stuck between a rock and a hard place. On the one hand, she is potentially facing a trial that she stated she doesn’t think she can win,” forensic psychologist C. O’Donnell writes in the March 2019 evaluation. “On the other hand, she is potentially facing an extended hospitalization, which she also doesn’t want.”

But there isn’t a scenario in which neither is likely, the doctor notes.

“She can’t be so ill that she’s unable to be restored to competency on an attempted murder charge but then be so healthy that she doesn’t need psychiatric treatment,” O’Donnell writes. “Thus, I will defer my opinion regarding whether Ms. Anderson suffers from a mental disease to the trier of fact.”

TRUEBLOOD

As chance would have it, it’s also been six years since Washington state got a wake-up call: A federal court ruled the state was taking far too long to admit criminal

Why Washington is knowingly violating its own laws in the treatment of mentally ill suspects

BY SAMANTHA WOHLFEIL

defendants into state hospitals for mental health evaluations and treatment. If things didn’t change, the state would be fined for contempt.

In 2014, public defender Cassie Cordell Trueblood, along with other public defenders and mental health advocates, sued the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services and its two major hospitals on behalf of more than 100 defendants statewide who’d been languishing in jail while waiting weeks or months without treatment.

When someone’s mental health during and after an alleged crime comes into question, the state has to evaluate them for mental illness and ultimately decide whether they are able to assist in their own defense and are competent to stand trial. If they’re not competent, their case can be paused while they are treated at a state facility, where they may be “restored” to a point where they can understand the charges against them, get returned to jail or the community, and eventually go to trial.

For years, advocates had pointed out that jails rarely, if ever, offer the type of specialized care these types of defendants need, and folks may get worse while waiting in what’s often some form of isolation. In some cases people were spending more time waiting to be admitted for pretrial treatment than they would have even been sentenced to serve for their alleged crime.

After a civil trial in early 2015, a federal judge held that “jails are not suitable places for the mentally ill to be warehoused while they wait for services.” ...continued on next page

AUGUST 12, 2021 INLANDER 15

Dennis Platz says he struggles to understand how it’s taken so long for his case (involving Jennifer Anderson) to go to trial: “This nightmare just will never cease.”

YOUNG KWAK PHOTO

“STUCK IN LIMBO,” CONTINUED...

“Jails are not hospitals, they are not designed as therapeutic environments, and they are not equipped to manage mental illness or keep those with mental illness from being victimized by the general population of inmates,” the April 2, 2015, ruling from U.S. District Judge Marsha Pechman states.

The court ruled that the state needs to complete initial in-jail mental health evaluations within 14 days. Anyone whose mental competency is questioned after that evaluation needs to be admitted to a state facility within seven days if a court orders further evaluation and treatment.

But several years — and more than $85 million in contempt fines — later, the state still has yet to fix those waiting periods.

Significantly, Western and Eastern State Hospitals aren’t admitting people within anything close to a single week after receiving a court order to evaluate or restore someone.

How bad are they failing? During six different months in 2020, zero percent of cases were admitted to Eastern State within the court-ordered seven days for inpatient evaluations. At most, the facility hit 50 percent success during one month when they timely admitted one of only two individuals ordered there that month.

“We continue to fail the most vulnerable parts of the legal system,” says Kari Reardon, who served as a public defender in Spokane County for nearly 24 years and is now director of the Cowlitz County Public Defender’s Office. “These are people that desperately need help, and they’re not receiving it in a timely manner.”

16 INLANDER AUGUST 12, 2021

A 2018 settlement in the Trueblood case has helped fund community mental health investments that first came online in 2019 and 2020, and Spokane is among the first areas to see the products of those efforts. But it could take years to see if any of those mental health programs reduce the amount of time people are actually spending in jail, or whether they’re able to ultimately prevent people from entering the criminal justice system in the first place.

Until then, both people who are struggling with behavioral health issues and victims who may get caught in the crossfire during a state of crisis continue waiting through a system that’s slow moving and even slower to change.

FINES ARE NOT PERFECT FIXES

Anderson’s case was one of 25 Spokane cases around 2014 and 2015 that landed DSHS with nearly $200,000 in fines for taking too long to conduct inpatient services.

In October 2015, Anderson’s public defender at the time, Reardon, asked Spokane County Superior Court to find DSHS in contempt for failing to admit her under the newly enforced Trueblood standards that require admission within seven days of a court order for competency services.

At the time, DSHS said it had 42 people waiting to receive inpatient competency services at Eastern State.

Anderson was finally admitted to Eastern for the first time in December 2015, 95 days after the court said she should be and a full six months after the shooting.

HELP IS AVAILABLE

If you are experiencing a crisis and need to talk to someone, you can call the Frontier Behavioral Health crisis hotline at 877-266-1818.

If you are not currently in crisis but would like to learn more about community resources, you can dial 211 in Washington.

Her case and the others ultimately made it to the Washington Supreme Court, which found in early 2019 that Spokane’s Superior Court could fine DSHS $200 per day if it failed to meet admission deadlines.

In Anderson’s case alone, DSHS was ordered to pay $13,200 in contempt money, and overall the 25 Spokane cases smacked the state agency with a $197,600 fine. That money was paid to Spokane County in August 2019 to help fund the jail’s limited mental health services.

“Spokane County Jail has the unique situation that there’s an entire mental health unit that does what they can to assist people,” Reardon says. “But they’re not a hospital, and they cannot provide a hospital level of care.”

One of the hard things for Trueblood cases is that even when fines are ordered to fund services that would prevent other people from experiencing the same delays, that doesn’t often change anything for that person’s case, explains Kimberly Mosolf, director of the treatment facilities program for Disability Rights Washington.

“Trueblood does not get them individual fines,” Mosolf says. “[Fines] go to these programs that are hopefully going to keep other people from being in your situation, but I don’t know that I’d want to hear that as someone stuck in jail for two months.”

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“The number of folks being funneled into the criminal legal system with behavioral health issues was skyrocketing and continues to grow.”

In 2018, Disability Rights Washington, on behalf of behavioral health defendants accused of crimes who are now known as “Trueblood class members,” settled with DSHS. There was, in part, a recognition that at the same time the state was working to speed up the process, court orders for inpatient services were massively increasing. It’s possible that’s partly due to better access to health care under the Affordable Care Act, which may have helped identify more behavioral health patients. DSHS went from figuring out how to deal with 978 inpatient orders in 2013 to as many as 1,831 in 2019.

It became clear that simply investing in more beds and staff at hospitals wasn’t going to adequately address the issues, Mosolf says.

“The state essentially said, ‘We cannot build our way out of this problem,’” Mosolf says. “The number of folks being funneled into the criminal legal system with behavioral health issues was skyrocketing and continues to grow. There was a mutually recognized opinion that we needed to do something to try to stem the tide and turn that faucet off if we were going to make any longer term difference.”

Under the settlement, the state hired more forensic investigators to conduct in-jail interviews within the required 14 days, and brought on new forensic navigators to help guide people to services. The state would also help pay for new outpatient facilities in communities around the state.

“We don’t have a well-funded mental health outpatient service system, and our crisis system has a lot of holes in it,” Mosolf says.

“A lot of folks are unfortunately reaching crisis [level], and then we’re sending law enforcement, and they’re not mental health professionals.”

Since 2019, Trueblood-funded grants have gone through Disability Rights Washington to multiple organizations to fund everything from social workers who can tag along with police officers on behavioral health calls to crisis stabilization beds for those in mental health or substance use crises.

They’ll test whether hospitalizations and jail visits can be reduced, and whether people with behavioral health issues can be better helped before they hit the point where they are in crisis. ...continued on next page

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“STUCK IN LIMBO,” CONTINUED...

NORTHEAST WASHINGTON AMONG FIRST INVESTMENT AREAS

The Spokane area (including Adams, Lincoln, Ferry, Stevens, Pend Oreille and Spokane counties) is one of the first three areas targeted for investment under the 2018 settlement. The other two areas getting the first investments include Pierce County and Southwest Washington (Clark, Skamania and Klickitat counties).

By October, Pioneer Human Services, the city of Spokane and Spokane County plan to open a new crisis stabilization center, the newest of several community investments.

Construction on the new Spokane Regional Stabilization Center is just wrapping up this month. The facility will include 16 mental health crisis stabilization beds, 14 withdrawal management beds, and 16 co-occurring residential treatment beds, says Dan Sigler, Spokane regional director for Pioneer.

“A lot of times during the treatment process, people may have to go from one site to another due to other needs,” Sigler says. “To do this on one campus really minimizes the interruptions for people in crisis.”

In particular, the residential beds may come in handy for people who would otherwise be stabilized over the course of three to five days or so, but then returned to a situation where they don’t have anywhere to live, he says.

The residential beds can help bridge the gap for a few weeks, providing stability while their care team figures out a housing situation and/or health care treatment facility for them to move into.

For about two years now, one of the most active, on-the-ground solutions has been the co-responder

Eastern State Hospital still struggles to admit court-ordered patients within 7 days. YOUNG KWAK PHOTO

program. Several Spokane Police Department officers and Spokane County Sheriff’s Office deputies are deployed with mental health or substance use experts from Frontier Behavioral Health, who can help respond to calls and direct people to services in the moment they’re experiencing a crisis.

From 2020 to 2021, 76 percent of the team’s contacts with 3,915 different people resulted in something other than jail or a hospital visit.

The team has also helped accelerate the handoff to services. In the past, officers might have followed up a day or more later with someone to get them services, but by that point they may have changed their mind. Now the team can drop someone off for housing or treatment right away, explains Spokane Police Sgt. Jay Kernkamp, the supervisor of the program.

LETTERS Currently coSend comments to responder teams work editor@inlander.com.

Monday through Friday, 7 am to 10 pm, and the group is looking to expand from five co-deployed teams to seven, with Trueblood funding passed through a Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs contract.

Significantly, of the nearly 4,000 people contacted by co-responder teams in the last two years, only 33 were arrested, Kernkamp notes. More than 700 were detained under civil commitment laws, and the team took on more than 2,500 hours of calls that would’ve otherwise been handled by patrol officers. ...continued on page 20

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“STUCK IN LIMBO,” CONTINUED...

The team has been able to build a rapport with people who might contact 911 repeatedly or have multiple contacts with officers.

“What we’ve found is that by continually following up with them after that state of crisis — making sure they’re on their medication, getting food, getting housing, getting clothing, all the essentials they need to stay at a baseline behavior — we’re able to prevent them from decompensating and going into a state of crisis again,” Kernkamp says.

“I want my day in court over all this. They say you need closure. I can’t get any closure.”

The teams will also be able to take people to the new crisis stabilization center once that’s up and running.

Several other programs intended to address Trueblood class members also came online in the last year or so.

In March 2020, Frontier Behavioral Health started offering its Forensic HARPS and Forensic PATH programs.

The services are intended to get people into more stable housing situations (sometimes that means motel rooms or partner agency-owned apartments) and to connect people

Kari Reardon served as a public defender in Spokane for nearly 24 years and is now director of the Cowlitz County Public Defender’s Office. with stable treatment within the community.

In July 2020, Frontier also started offering outpatient competency restoration, under which the state has agreed to let some people facing low-level criminal charges receive their competency services while out of custody.

Most recently, Frontier just received a $6.8 million grant, along with Catholic Charities of Eastern Washington and Pioneer Human Services, to provide more apartments for behavioral-health patients, including 24 units to be newly built.

“If you don’t have housing, it is so much more challenging to just get through a day,” says Jan Tokumoto, chief operating officer for Frontier. “That is a huge resource that could make a difference for people.”

LONG ROAD AHEAD

Those investments are already creating measurable improvements in the Spokane area.

But experts say there’s still a long road ahead as communities around the state continue working to come into compliance by admitting people from jail into treatment facilities in a timely manner.

“I continue to be hopeful about the settlement and these programs,” Mosolf says. “But for those who are still waiting, it’s an incredibly frustrating situation to be in.”

In Anderson’s case, new trial dates have been set and postponed multiple times this year, partly because she received a new public defender in early 2021 who needs time to catch up.

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20 INLANDER AUGUST 12, 2021

YOUNG KWAK PHOTO

Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center & Children’s Hospital also ranked high performing in the following specialties and procedures: Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair; Aortic Valve Surgery; Heart Bypass Surgery; Congestive Heart Failure; Colon Cancer Surgery; Heart Attack; Hip Replacement; Kidney Failure; Knee Replacement; Lung Cancer Surgery; Pneumonia; Stroke; and Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement. Holy Family Hospital ranked high performing in Kidney Failure and Knee Replacement. Mount Carmel Hospital ranked high performing in Hip Fracture.

Anderson, 44, declined to comment on details of her case, noting that she’s been advised not to. But she says managing her mental health is the most important thing in her life now.

“You can medicate us mental health patients, that’s great, but that is not going to help you fix your processes as far as paranoia or seeing things in a way that the rest of the world might not see them,” Anderson says.

“Cognitive Behavioral Therapy has really been the most beneficial thing, and that is something that is the last thing that they turned to when it should be one of the first in my opinion.”

Platz, 69, says he’s suffered from PTSD and night terrors after the incidents in 2015 and it’s hard to heal and move on while the case lingers. He wants to be able to feel safe in his home and see the justice process play out.

“I want my day in court over all this,” Platz says. “They say you need closure. I can’t get any closure.”

From the time the case started, Anderson hasn’t been able to see her four children, who are now in their teens and early twenties. She hopes to see a resolution soon so she can rebuild her life.

“I’m not a monster like they’ve portrayed me to be,” Anderson says. “I would just like everything to be resolved so that I can move forward in my life and he can move forward in his life. You know, this still kind of

49 TH ANNUAL

ties us together, and I would like that untied and just for us both to be able to move on.”

In hundreds of other cases statewide, defendants continue to spend unconstitutional wait times in jail. DSHS has fairly successfully addressed in-jail evaluations, but hospital admissions remain an issue.

“DSHS has done a great job of getting more evaluators and getting evaluations done within 14 days and often less,” Reardon says. “Where the problem has come in is people are not admitted to the hospital in a timely manner, so they’re sitting in jail and getting worse or simply not receiving the treatment they need for a variety of reasons.”

Eastern State Hospital is now completing most in-jail evaluations within the required two weeks. At the start of the pandemic, Eastern was close to 90 percent compliance with the two-week window for completing those evaluations.

During the pandemic, that dropped to as low as ABOUT 58 percent of people getTHE AUTHOR ting their in-jail evaluation Samantha Wohlfeil covers the within 14 days of a court environment, rural communiorder. ties and cultural issues for the More recently, things Inlander. Since joining the have been better, explains paper in 2017, she’s reported Dr. Thomas Kinlen, direchow the weeks after getting tor of the Office of Forenout of prison can be deadly, sic Mental Health Services how some terminally ill Eastat DSHS, who focuses on ern Washington patients have Trueblood issues within struggled to access lethal the agency. For 2021 as medication, and other sensia year, Eastern has been tive investigations. She can be able to complete in-jail reached at 325-0634 ext 234 evaluations within 14 days or samanthaw@inlander.com.

in about 88 percent of cases, he says.

With the pandemic, many jails had to quickly set up video conferencing services, which actually helped with compliance, Kinlen says.

“One of the reasons we’re even that close is the continued ability to do these tele-evaluations, because COVID is still here,” Kinlen says.

As for admitting people within seven days who require it, that’s another story. At one point last year, the average wait to get into Eastern was 108 days.

“A year ago, it might’ve taken someone five months to be admitted to Eastern or Western State Hospital,” Kinlen says. “Now Eastern State Hospital is under 45 days for everybody, and most individuals tend to be under 10 days waiting to be admitted.”

In the meantime, folks in mental health crises aren’t likely to get the care they need while waiting in jail, Reardon explains.

“Honestly, unless you are harming yourself, it is extremely unlikely that you will be admitted to a facility within the appropriate time frame,” Reardon says.

The state Legislature recently agreed to build a new 350-bed facility at Western State Hospital with the hopes of further reducing wait times for Trueblood class members to receive treatment.

But advocates for those in the criminal justice system say the better investments are likely on the front end, where you can ideally prevent people from entering the system in the first place.

“We like better buildings, but that doesn’t solve the problem,” Reardon says. “The state has significantly more room for improvement for how we treat those with mental health issues in the legal system. We are failing our most vulnerable.” n

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WORK LIFE

Alternative

Approach Coeur d’Alene’s The Hive offers a new way to work and connect for the region’s business-minded women

BY CARRIE SCOZZARO

F

rom the sidewalk along Coeur d’Alene’s Fourth Avenue, The Hive looks like it might be a new coffee shop. Large plate glass windows showcase a bright, eclectic space with plenty of cozy nooks to curl up with coffee, work on your laptop or meet with a client.

The space is full of plants, funky artwork and furnishings, with an L-shaped kitchen with a reddish, ’50s-era refrigerator, lavender cabinets and peachy-colored walls.

But it’s not a coffee shop (even though local, womanowned Bee Kind Coffee is working on setting up a modest presence inside). Instead, The Hive takes the best that coffee shops offer to those in need of a place to connect — with co-workers, with clients, with classmates — and elevates the experience both aesthetically and conceptually.

As the second co-working space in the Lake City — the first was inside the Innovation Collective, aka The Den — The Hive has a decidedly different vibe and focus: females.

“This space is designed to empower women to develop into their own ‘queen’ capabilities,” explains Melinda Cadwallader, who opened The Hive with her husband, Michael, and her daughter, Delia, in March.

In addition to targeting entrepreneurs, students, instructors, performers, creatives and makers of all kinds, The Hive is geared toward anyone seeking “a nurturing launchpad where passion projects and grassroots movements can show up and get off the ground,” according to the membership page.

And the eclectic aesthetic is integral to their model, says Cadwallader, who designed the space to inspire innovation and encourage nontraditional thinking.

“Sometimes solutions come quicker when we get out of a familiar flow or step away from mundane visuals,” she says.

The artwork comes from an amalgam of sources: donated items, estate sales and thrift shops, like the simple yet elegant print of a Picasso line drawing, and Cadwallader’s personal stash, such as the print by Nani Chacone, an indigenous artist from the Indian Market the Cadwalladers visited in Santa Fe, New Mexico. ...continued on page 24

22 INLANDER AUGUST 12, 2021

The Hive owner Melinda Cadwallader KATHERINE VANDERGRIFF PHOTO

AUGUST 12, 2021 INLANDER 23

CULTURE | WORK LIFE

Local art is key to The Hive’s vibe.

KATHERINE VANDERGRIFF PHOTOS

“ALTERNATIVE APPROACH,” CONTINUED...

Some art is local.

Bre Gotham created a painting after one of the Hive’s “evenings of dialogue” where women gathered to talk about the work they do. And The Continuum is a collaborative string art piece by Chelsea Cordova and Kim Scoggins that has been displayed all over town, each time offering the community opportunity to add a string to it, says Cadwallader.

“It’s a continual art piece, a web-connecting individual women’s intentions to the community as a whole,” she says. “I love that it’s here; it’s exactly why The Hive exists, to connect.”

Cadwallader initially connected with another local businesswoman in 2019, with the intent of opening The Hive by early 2020. Neither the partnership nor the timeline panned out.

Their buildout took longer than expected and funding sources were much lower than expected, so as people moved, changed jobs, closed businesses, and otherwise reacted to the new normal brought on by the pandemic, The Hive had to adapt, too.

They’re still a remote workspace, Cadwallader says, with plans for some programming like the monthly writer’s group, open mic night and pop-up events related to everything from networking to wellness. During Covid, however, both the community and The Hive organization changed, Cadwallader says.

They simplified membership, for example. For $100/

24 INLANDER AUGUST 12, 2021

month (half that for students) or a day use drop-in rate of $25, members can access WiFi, the kitchen and various types of meeting spaces, participate in a growing number of Hive events, or host their own event, class or even a photo shoot throughout the 3,4000-square-foot space.

Carlynn Winkelman, founder of Aluna Wellness, utilizes many member benefits, including hosting a pop-up wellness event in July.

“I joined the Hive looking to connect with other female business owners, have a convenient location to meet clients, and have a central location to engage and create local community events,” Winkelman says. Her business offers nutritional health coaching, one-on-one cannabinoid therapy education and hemp educational seminars for businesses.

Another member benefit is the on-site broadcasting booth. That’s where Coeur d’Alene’s Arts & Culture Alliance produces its weekly podcast, the Ali & Callie Artcast, and Cadwallader and Tiana Simmons produce their Coeur d’Femme podcast.

Of course, members can also just chill, or borrow a book from Cadwallader’s fem-forward library, and recharge their creative energy.

As a grassroots organization, Cadwallader says, they keep pivoting to meet the needs of all comers.

Cadwallader is also personally adept at the pivot.

After working her way up from salon coordinator to director of a beauty school, she returned to college at age

40. She earned her associate’s degree in communications and media studies at North Idaho College, participating in theater and the college paper. While her husband practiced chiropractic medicine at their jointly owned business, Cadwallader started a small business facilitating apprenticeships.

All provided valuable insights into what would eventually become The Hive, which Cadwallader hopes will also help address the local youth gap.

“As a tourist and hospitality town, there is a constant need for youth as employees,” she says, noting that they’re mostly in the service industry, like food and beverage or retail. What’s more, she says, her conversations with business owners have revealed a heartbreaking trend to limit advancement for these types of jobs.

“The creativity and ambition here is high,” says Cadwallader. “We just don’t nurture it well, which means we don’t value it highly enough.”

Cadwallader wants to change that.

“Think like a leader,” she advises young people, especially women. “Act like your business is a new life you were called to steward; take ownership of your own life and make something out of it, something beautiful, something wild and free from the template created by those who never designed it with women in mind.” n The Hive • 400 N. 4th Street, Coeur d’Alene • thehivecda.com

CULTURE | DIGEST

THE BUZZ BIN

DEEP AND DISTURBING The ongoing public fascination with Adolf Hitler is obvious to anyone who grew up with the History Channel or who now finds themselves scrolling through myriad titles related to Nazi Germany on streaming outlets. New documentary The Meaning of Hitler, opening this weekend at the Magic Lantern, aims to explore just why people remain mesmerized by the 20th century’s most awful human being. Filmmakers Petra Epperlein and Michael Tucker travel through nine countries, visit Hitler haunts, and talk with a slew of thoughtful Hitler and fascism experts in this exhaustively reported work. Unfortunately, the film is less than the sum of its parts, and only the most dedicated history buffs will find the series of talking heads compelling. More about current threats of authoritarianism would have helped, too. (DAN NAILEN)

Summer views aren’t what they used to be.

BURNOUT

WILSON CRISCIONE PHOTO

The suffocating loss of summer

BY WILSON CRISCIONE

I

was lying on a paddleboard at Lake Pend Oreille, and I couldn’t quite relax. All I could think of were the mountains across the water, now hidden behind the smoke.

I told myself not to worry about it. I had a beer in hand and friends nearby. I dipped my fingertips into the cool water and felt the sun on my skin. It was a perfect summer day, other than the smoke.

Something kept nagging at me, like the tickle in my throat from the smoky air itself. It didn’t used to be this way. I grew up staring at these mountains every summer, out at the lake with my family. I could spend hours wondrously admiring them. I could see the trees and the rock formations on the slopes and marvel at the shadows formed on the water. It looked so close that I imagined swimming across.

But now, the smoke was thickening, and there was nothing I could do to stop it.

It’s the feeling of helplessness that permeates the sky each passing summer. Some summers will be worse than others, and some might not even be smoky at all. Still, no matter what, those smoke-free days, due to climate change, will become rarer and rarer.

There’s seemingly no avoiding it. And every time the wildfire smoke blows in, erasing entire landscapes in the distance, it’s a literal reminder of an inevitable

reality: We’re slowly losing our summers in the Pacific Northwest.

That takes something away from you. The reward for suffering through a brutal winter in the Northwest was always a beautiful summer, and that’s no longer a trade-off you can trust. Summer trips in August may not be worth planning anymore if they’re outside. The health issues caused by the smoke itself may cause new suffering that we don’t entirely understand yet.

That’s why, sipping a drink on a hot summer day at the lake, I felt suffocated. It wasn’t because of the smoke closing in on me. It was the loss of possibilities.

I once imagined a future not controlled by wildfire smoke. But as I slowly lost sight of the mountains, then the other side of the bay, then the sun itself, I realized that future didn’t seem possible anymore. The smoke robs the world of its color as it closes in on you. At its thickest, it’s the only thing that’s there. You and the smoke and nothing else.

Maybe there’s a way out of it. Maybe there’s a way to get to the mountains on the other side of the lake.

But I couldn’t see it anymore.

I tilted my head back and finished the last of my beer. As the carbonation traveled down to my stomach, that nagging feeling went away, if only for a moment. n

BOOKS, GUNS, AND BADASS LADIES In the new action movie Gunpowder Milkshake (available on Netflix) viewers follow Sam, a hitman for a powerful crime organization, as she ends up with dozens of goons out to get her after she fails a job in order to save a young girl. Right about the point when you start to groan at the total cornball cheesiness of it all, the movie all but turns and winks at you with some “we know, it’s intentional!” humor. Take the invitation to lean into the cheese, appreciate the fairy tale-like gun-dealing librarians, and enjoy the female star power in all its glory. (SAMANTHA WOHLFEIL) THIS WEEK’S PLAYLIST There’s noteworthy new music arriving in stores and online Aug. 13. To wit: THE KILLERS, Pressure Machine. The pop-rockers’ latest, inspired by Brandon Flowers’ small Utah hometown, is quieter than the typical bombast of a Killers album.

WATCHHOUSE, Watchhouse. The duo formerly known as Mandolin Orange returns from pandemic silence with a new name.

JENNIFER HUDSON, Respect. The Oscar winner takes on the daunting task of becoming Aretha for this soundtrack of classics. (DAN NAILEN)

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WILD RIDE

This year’s huckleberry harvest was hit by heat and drought, but local berry producers are powering through

BY CHEY SCOTT 28 INLANDER AUGUST 12, 2021

ven though they only grow in the primitive mountain landscapes of the Pacific Northwest, at cooler and wetter elevations than most of the region’s domestic agricultural crops, huckleberries, too, aren’t unscathed by this year’s unprecedented heat and drought conditions.

Companies in the Inland Northwest that rely on wild huckleberries’ harvest to make popular products like beverage mixes, jams and more have been anxiously watching this year’s picking season unfold as high temperatures have lingered in the upper 90s for weeks, and wildfires rage across some areas.

Shaver Farms in Hayden, which uses huckleberries to make several products from jelly to barbecue sauce for its Wildbeary brand, is not expecting to get many — if any at all — berries this year from its independent pickers. Huckleberries the company usually buys from a major food service supplier are also in very limited supply.

“We were informed by our berry broker that the berries just aren’t there,” says Shaver Farmers co-owner Charlene Shaver. “So what we’re having to do is just use what we have. The last two years have been sparse.” ...continued on page 30

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Last year, Shaver Farms supplied Dry Fly Distilling with huckleberry juice used in its new huckleberry vodka, as well as its huckleberry lemonade canned cocktails, but won’t have enough to do so this year. Shaver says the distillery’s owners told her, however, that they’re optimistic they’ll have enough juice left from last year to get by until next year’s berry season.

But even if this winter and next spring are wetter and cooler, helping wild huckleberry bushes recover and produce a more normal crop, both in quantity and berry size, the shortage could impact companies at all stages of commercial production for years to come, Shaver worries.

“A lot of these manufacturers are going to run into problems next year due to the lack of berries now,” she says. “They won’t have a surplus for next year. We are used to starting to fill orders in early spring, and well, we might not have any berries at all next year. If this is the new norm, it’s going to be tough on huckleberries.”

Shaver Farms is fortunately positioned to make it through this year’s “huckleberry drought,” however, because the Wildbeary brand doesn’t solely feature the foraged berry. Its fruit spreads also include flavors like cherry pie, peach cobbler, raspberry mango, strawberry rhubarb crisp and more. The company also co-produces and co-packages various products, like barbecue sauce, for other small, local food companies in its commercial kitchen.

“We started to see [the huckleberry problems] coming two to three years ago,” says co-owner Thomas Shaver, Charlene’s son. “That’s why we do other fruit spreads. You have to be flexible in this business.”

W

hen you go out and order a huckleberry mojito at Tomato Street, or a huckleberry milkshake at Silverwood Theme Park, you’re enjoying a beverage made with Wild Huckleberry Magic.

The Coeur d’Alene-based company makes and sells a proprietary drink mix concentrate.

While its concentrate can be enjoyed as a syrup or sauce over pancakes, desserts and more, it’s also sold to dozens of local restaurants and used in all manner of delightful huckleberry dishes.

Wild Huckleberry Magic was started by a bartender at Elkins Resort up on Priest Lake in the early 1990s, says current co-owner Mark Miller, who runs the company with business partners Bob and Melissa Lamorandier.

“He was tired of making hundreds of huckleberry daiquiris a night, so he created a recipe and was able to basically scale up in bulk and started to make it and sell it around town,” Miller says.

Miller says Wild Huckleberry Magic buys 1,200 to 1,300 gallons of locally foraged huckleberries each year to fill orders for all of its clients.

Once cooked down, sweetened and pasteurized, that volume of berries equates to about 2,500 gallons of Wild Huckleberry Magic concentrate.

“It can be used to make anything huckleberry, whether drinks, barbecue sauce, ice cream, pancakes, vinaigrette — it basically makes anything and everything,” Miller says.

Unfortunately for huckleberry lovers cooking or bartending at home, the concentrate isn’t sold as a consumer product. But Miller ticks off a list of places where, if you order a huckleberry item on the menu, it’ll almost certainly contain the magical elixir.

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In Spokane it’s used at the Davenport Hotel Collection restaurants, Clinkerdagger, Mustard Seed and Tomato Street. In North Idaho, you’ll find it at Belle’s Brunch House, The Porch Public House, Tito’s Italian Grill, Cricket’s Oyster Bar & Grill, The Coeur d’Alene Resort and Silverwood. In total, Miller says the company sells to about 50 restaurants and bars across the region.

The quantity each of these venues buys from Wild Huckleberry Magic varies, but Miller says as an example that Silverwood goes through 20 to 25 gallons of the concentrate a week durR E S TA U R A N T ing summer’s peak. One gallon FINDER wholesale sells for $40.

Looking for a new place to So far, Miller says he and eat? Search the region’s his partners aren’t overly most comprehensive bar concerned about the weather’s and restaurant guide at impact on this year’s berry harInlander.com/places. vest. He says the pickers who the company buys the bulk of its inventory from are finding a decent crop in areas of Northeastern Washington. But he does expect the picking season won’t last as long as usual at higher elevations.

Most “decent years,” the company buys berries between midJuly and early October, Miller says. “This year, unfortunately, I don’t think that’s going to happen,” he adds. “We’re worried about the late-season bushes not producing because of the heat.”

If the region’s huckleberry crop from this year to next doesn’t catch up, consumers and commercial producers can expect prices to skyrocket for both raw berries and anything containing them.

And if those prices get too high, companies like Shaver Farms and the businesses they supply could gradually stop offering huckleberry goods.

“I’m hearing rumors of what retail is going to be,” says Thomas Shaver. “At the farmers market it’s $15 to $16 a pound, but it could be as much as $75 to $80 a gallon. If things stay this way, it’s going to go up even more.” n cheys@inlander.com

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REVIEW

Game Over Free Guy brings dopey comedy and superficial musings to its video-game world

BY JOSH BELL

T

here are a lot of surprisingly heady sci-fi ideas thrown around in Shawn Levy’s dumb action comedy Free Guy, but the movie never seems to know what to do with them. It starts with a fun sketchcomedy premise: Guy (Ryan Reynolds) is a nonplayable character (or NPC) in the open-world video game Free City, a Grand Theft Auto-style online multiplayer game full of destruction and mayhem.

As a background character, Guy does the same thing every day, waking up in his nondescript apartment, putting on his generic outfit and going to his job at the bank, where he endures multiple armed robberies daily. He and his best friend, security guard Buddy (Lil Rel Howery), know that the “sunglasses people” (the players) can do anything they want, while Guy and Buddy have to stay in the background.

But Guy wants more out of life, especially once he spots a woman he believes is the girl of his dreams. She’s an avatar for game designer Millie (Killing Eve’s Jodie Comer), who’s exploring Free City trying to find evidence that douchebag gaming mogul Antwan (Taika Waititi) stole her code. During one of the many robberies at the bank, Guy makes a move, stealing the player’s sunglasses and discovering that he can now see all the power-ups

and onscreen instructions that make up the game.

So the NPC becomes self-aware, and he falls in love with the woman who designed him. It’s a cute (if logistically dicey) idea that Levy and screenwriters Matt Lieberman and Zak Penn struggle to fully explore, especially as the movie gets bogged down in the minutiae of the legal battle between Millie and Antwan in its second half. There are some amusing (if dated) sendups of video games at first, and Reynolds is an amiable presence as the clueless but enthusiastic Guy, who sometimes comes off like a sunny, optimistic version of Reynolds’ signature role as fourth-wall-breaking superhero Deadpool.

But as Guy becomes increasingly proactive in the game, messing with the players’ nihilistic activities and growing closer to Millie during their virtual time together, his function in the plot gets confused, often overtaken by Millie’s objective of proving that Antwan ripped her off. There’s far too much backstory about Millie and her former partner Keys (Stranger Things’ Joe Keery), who now works for Antwan’s company but still sympathizes with Millie’s cause. Comer, such a fierce presence on Killing Eve, is

more subdued here, overshadowed both by Reynolds’ wide-eyed goofiness and by Waititi’s remarkably annoying flamboyant villainy.

The world of Free City looks gorgeous, even if it never quite looks like a genuine video game, but it feels limited, antithetical to the kind of expansive exploration that games like this provide for players. The filmmakers borrow from video game-themed movies like Tron and Ready Player One as well as philosophical sci-fi films like The Truman Show and Her, but the more that Guy’s existence raises existential questions, the more the movie sidesteps them in favor of generic personal empowerment and a corny love story. Levy substitutes mildly amusing cameos (including from many real-life video game streamers) for character depth.

The humor also gets weaker as the plot mechanics take over, and the jokes at the expense of video-game obsessives living in their parents’ basements are stale and obvious. Instead of finding innovative ways to employ video-game aesthetics (in the vein of Edgar Wright’s Scott Pilgrim vs. the World), Levy sticks with a broad, basic template, which is recognizable to a wide audience but as empty as Guy’s repetitive, preprogrammed catchphrases. n

FREE GUY

Directed by Shawn Levy Starring Ryan Reynolds, Jodie Comer, Joe Keery

32 INLANDER AUGUST 12, 2021

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AUGUST 12, 2021 INLANDER 33

FILM | SHORTS

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OPENING FILMS ANNETTE

A musical directed by Leos Carax and created by the band Sparks, the story revolves around a stand-up comedian (Adam Driver), an opera singer (Marion Cotillard) and their special child. At the Magic Lantern. (DN) Rated R

DON’T BREATHE 2

A sequel to the surprise 2016 hit about home invaders encountering surprising

resistance takes place a few years later as the Blind Man lives with his past misdeeds. (DN) Rated R

FREE GUY

Ryan Reynolds and Jodie Comer (Killing Eve) star in this action comedy about a video game background character taking charge of the game’s narrative. (DN) Rated PG-13

THE MEANING OF HITLER

This documentary explores the ongoing fascination with the 20th century’s worst human being. At the Magic Lantern. (DN) Not Rated

RESPECT

Aretha Franklin gets the biopic treatment she’s long deserved, with Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson in the title role.

(DN) Rated PG-13

Don’t Breathe 2

NOW PLAYING AILEY

This documentary on dance pioneer Alvin Ailey shines the spotlight on how his choreography reflected his Black American experience. At the Magic Lantern. (DN) Rated PG-13

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A flashback in the Marvel Universe in which the title character (Scarlett Johansson) is overshadowed by her spunky sister (Florence Pugh) in an action-packed affair. (DN) Rated PG-13

ESCAPE ROOM: TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS

The original Escape Room movie was a lot less fun than actually going to an escape room, but was enough of a hit to warrant watching six new contenders try their luck. (DN) Rated PG-13

F9 THE FAST SAGA

The long-awaited ninth episode finally hits theaters, bringing Vin Diesel’s Dom back into action to foil a plot hatched by his long-forsaken brother Jakob (John Cena). (DN) PG-13

THE FOREVER PURGE

On the morning after the annual bloodletting purge, a masked gang attacks a wealthy ranch family in Texas, and the family of ranch hands who work for them, forcing the two families to band together and fight. (DN) Rated R

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34 INLANDER AUGUST 12, 2021

DOWNTOWN SPOKANE AT MAIN & POST

THE GREEN KNIGHT

Dev Patel stars in a twist on King Arthur’s story as the nephew who adventures to confront a giant green-skinned knight and prove his character. (DN) Rated R

THE HITMAN’S WIFE’S BODYGUARD

Ryan Reynolds and Samuel L. Jackson are an odd couple hitman and bodyguard combo back for another actionpacked adventure, this time with Salma Hayek in the mix as a world-class con artist. (DN) Rated R

JUNGLE CRUISE

Disney taps Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt for a river adventure based on the famous ride in which they journey down the Amazon and search for an ancient tree with healing powers. (DN) Rated PG-13

NINE DAYS

Winston Duke stars as a mysterious figure tasked with determining which souls deserve a trip to live on Earth.

(DN) Rated R

NO ORDINARY MAN: THE BILLY TIPTON DOCUMENTARY

This documentary explores the complex life of Spokane jazz musician Billy Tipton, a trans pioneer whose life was largely misrepresented after his death revealed he was born a woman. At the Magic Lantern. (DN) Not rated

OLD

M. Night Shyamalan is back, this time with a tale of a secluded beach that makes its visitors age rapidly, reducing their entire lives to one day. (DN) Rated PG-13

PIG

Nicolas Cage plays a truffle hunter who

has to leave the wilderness and head to Portland to find the person who stole his beloved pig. A recipe for some John Wickish fun. (DN) Rated R

A QUIET PLACE PART II

A sequel to the hugely popular 2018 horror hit, following the original film’s family as they continue to evade monsters with hypersensitive hearing. (NW) Rated PG-13

SNAKE EYES: G.I. JOE ORIGINS

Henry Golding plays a loner who finds a home in Japan, where he learns the ways of the ninja, only to have his past catch up with him, potentially costing him everything he’s found in his new home. (DN) Rated PG-13

SPACE JAM: A NEW LEGACY

Hey look, it’s another reason for people to argue over who is better, the Michael Jordan of the original Space Jam or Lebron James in this new version. (DN) Rated PG

STILLWATER

Matt Damon plays a working-class Oklahoman who has to travel to France in hopes of exonerating his daughter from a murder charge while navigating the obvious cultural barriers. (DN) Rated R

THE SUICIDE SQUAD

Director James Gunn (Guardians of the Galaxy) takes the realm of this team of violent ex-con supervillains including Harley Quinn, Bloodsport, King Shark and more on a mission to save the world. (DN) Rated R n

TRIBUTE

LOUD PRAISE

Primus knows how to dress for summer.

Primus opens the new Spokane Pavilion with a tribute to their prog-rock heroes in Rush

BY HOWARD HARDEE

L

es Claypool may be one of the most accomplished rock bassists on the planet, but he was once just another progressive-rock fanboy in the crowd. He recalls “urinating in my drawers” as his 14-year-old self witnessed the legendary Canadian progessive rock band Rush performing “Cygnus X-1,” a 10-minute track off its 1977 album A Farewell to Kings.

It was his first-ever concert experience and an introduction to the sort of technical music he’d make as the frontman and bassist for Primus. Rush remains a source of personal inspiration for Claypool decades later.

“My hero was Geddy Lee,” he says of Rush’s singer and bassist. “In terms of tonality, one of the greatest [bass] tones ever is Geddy Lee on those old records.

We’re always searching, trying to find that tonality.”

Excluding a hiatus here and there, Primus has been producing off-kilter, bass-poppin’ prog-rock since

the mid-1980s, maintaining an unlikely international fan base, playing major festivals and whipping mosh pits into a frenzy with 1990s cult classics such as “My Name is Mud,” “Too Many Puppies” and “Wynona’s Big Brown Beaver.” In the early years, the musical tastes of Claypool and his longtime bandmates — drummer Tim Alexander and fast-shredding guitarist Larry “Ler” LaLonde — varied greatly, but they shared an adoration of seminal progressive rock bands Rush and King Crimson.

“When we first got together years and years ago, that’s what we did; our common ground was jamming on Rush tunes, but more of bits and pieces rather than full arrangements,” Claypool told the Inlander from his home in Northern California. And more recently, revisiting that material has been cathartic: “It’s been good for us, especially after all the shit that’s been going on the past

few years, to get in a room and hammer things out with the guys.”

Primus will break in the brand-new Spokane Pavilion in Riverfront Park on Friday, Aug. 13, by playing Rush’s 1977 album A Farewell to Kings from end to end. For years, Claypool and his bandmates joked about playing a full Rush record during a Primus set, but they got more serious about the idea after Rush’s longtime drummer and lyricist Neal Peart died of brain cancer in early 2020.

Claypool says the band recently wrapped up rehearsing for its upcoming 46-date A Tribute to Kings Tour, and that tackling such an ambitious album after a long, pandemic-related layoff has represented a challenge for the trio. With Covid-19 forcing Claypool to take last summer off touring for the first time in 30 years, he totally lost his motivation to make music. ...continued on next page

AUGUST 12, 2021 INLANDER 35

MUSIC | TRIBUTE “LOUD PRAISE,” CONTINUED...

“You would think with all the craziness in the world — whether it’s the pandemic or political elements — that there would have been a lot of fodder for creativity, but it killed me,” he says. “I didn’t go into the studio and barely picked up my bass. I ended up buying an old excavator and clearing fire trails on my property, because of course on top of everything I’m living on the match tip of the world on the California coast.”

Besides moving dirt, Claypool found a creative release by picking up painting for the first time, taking several months to regain an interest in music. Now, he’s stepping into the shoes of Lee — a world-class multitasker known for simultaneously singing, playing complex bass patterns and triggering keyboard sequences with a foot controller. It’s a daunting task even for Claypool, who is generally recognized as one of the most innovative and technically proficient bass players alive.

“It’s Rush, after all,” he says. “I have to play these incredible bass parts and try to sing in a register that most human beings can’t sing in, and then play keyboard.

There’s a lot of fancy footwork going on. … It’s been a lot of work, but I think we’re ready for prime time here.”

The similarities between Primus and the now-retired Rush are easy to spot. Both outfits are virtuosic prog-rock trios that make more noise than should be physically possible, feature drummers rocking comically enormous kits, and found lasting commercial success despite generally being weirdos with obscure influences. And Claypool’s connection with Rush’s music has only become more personal over the years as the two bands toured together on several occasions.

In fact, he performed a decidedly strange cover of “The Spirit of Radio” when Rush was inducted into the

Primus is playing this album, Rush’s A Farewell to Kings, as part of their show Friday.

Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2010 — and made another reference to the band’s tendency to make him lose control over his bodily functions.

“If you’d told me when I was 16 years old that I would be friends with the guys in Rush and would be involved in an event such as this, I probably would have soiled myself,” he told the audience.

While the Rush tribute will be central to Primus’ upcoming gig in Spokane, A Farewell to Kings is only 36 minutes long, so Claypool promises that fans who want to hear Primus originals will not go home disappointed.

Additionally, the show will feature 3D elements designed by his son. “We’ve got some surprises up our sleeves in terms of the visuals,” he says.

Claypool doesn’t know what’s next for Primus fol-

SEPTEMBER 15

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NATHANIEL RATELIFF & THE NIGHT SWEATS DELTA SPIRIT

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BILLY STRINGS SEPTEMBER 26

AUGUST 21

PORTER ROBINSON

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ATMOSPHERE / CYPRESS HILL AUGUST 25

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AUGUST 28

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36 INLANDER AUGUST 12, 2021

Primus: A Tribute to Kings, with Battles • Friday, Aug. 13 at 6 pm • $40 • All ages • Spokane Pavilion in Riverfront Park • 574 N Howard St. • spokanepavilion.com • 888-929-7849

AUGUST 13

PRIMUS – A TRIBUTE TO KINGS

Spokane is eager to welcome over 1,500 riders for the

lowing the completion of the A Tribute to Kings Tour, though he hinted that a collection of live Primus records could drop sometime soon, and that he’ll likely revisit his massively underrated psych-rock side project with Sean Lennon, The Claypool Lennon Delirium.

For now, he’s focused on getting back on the road, playing world-beating bass for throngs of drunk and sweaty people, and paying homage to the band that inspired him to pick up the instrument many years ago.

“We’ve got some catching up to do on many levels.” n

MY MORNING JACKET DURAND JONES & THE INDICATIONS

OCTOBER 12

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OCTOBER 15

JIMMY EAT WORLD / TAKING BACK SUNDAY THE BEACHES

UPCOMING SHOWS BALTO, THE HOLY BROKE Fri, Aug. 13, 7 pm Lucky You Lounge Free

ATMOSPHERE, CYPRESS HILL AND DJ Z-TRIP Sat., Aug. 21, 6 p.m.

Pavilion at Riverfront $40

DANCING PLAGUE, DJ MIRROR MIRROR Fri, Aug. 13, 9:30 pm Berserk $5

MAMA DOLL, WINDOE Sat, Aug. 21, 8 p.m.

Lucky You Lounge $8

NATHANIEL RATELIFF & THE NIGHT SWEATS WITH DELTA SPIRIT Sun., Aug. 15, 7 p.m.

Pavilion at Riverfront $49.95-$55 NICOLE ATKINS Thu, Aug. 19, 8 p.m.

Lucky You Lounge $18

MODEST MOUSE Wed., Aug. 25, 7:30 p.m.

Knitting Factory $49.50 BRETT DENNEN Wed., Aug. 25, 5 p.m.

McEuen Park, Coeur D’Alene $20

PAM TILLIS, LORRIE MORGAN Thu, Aug. 19, 7 p.m.

Coeur d’Alene Casino $20-$40 COLLECTIVE SOUL, BETTER THAN EZRA, TONIC Fri, Aug. 20, 7:30 p.m.

Northern Quest Resort & Casino $39/$49/$69/$89

Collective Soul

COEUR D’ALENE ARTISTS

VIP Shuttle Bus

EXPERIENCE $45

day t, each fas

ak es bre osas includ im m & lunch

10 am - 5 pm Sat, Aug 28 Sun, Aug 29 RIDE IN STYLE WITH YOUR FRIENDS

Act fast, only 24 seats available!

Enjoy mimosas while learning fun facts about the artists on this guided tour right to the door of each studio. Lunch both days catered

by Greenbriar Catering at one of the studios.

Sign up for one day, or make it a weekend adventure.

SATURDAY: NIne Coeur d’Alene studios SUNDAY: Seven Hayden, Athol and Rathdrum studios Visit the website to view the map and meet the artists.

INFORMATION AND TICKETS ONLINE AT

artsandculturecda.org/artists-studio-tour AUGUST 12, 2021 INLANDER 37

ALICIA HAUFF PHOTO

MUSIC LIVE SHOWS MEOW!

Nothing like a massive entertainment shutdown to make you appreciate all the cool things the Inland Northwest has to offer as things like music clubs come gingerly back to life. Every announcement of a show by a familiar local favorite is pretty damn exciting right now, and you can add this gig at the Big Dipper as a cause for celebration. Itchy Kitty (pictured) are Spokane’s favorite feline punks, and while they made some appearances via video during the pandemic, the opportunity to see them do a full-blown show on stage is one worth grabbing. They’re joined by punky party crew Gotu Gotu and the gloriously greasy Dilrods for a show that should make for one sweaty blast.

— DAN NAILEN Itchy Kitty, Gotu Gotu and Dilrods • Sat, Aug. 14 at 8 pm • $10 • All ages • Big Dipper • 171 S. Washington • bigdipperevents.com

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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.

38 INLANDER AUGUST 12, 2021

COMMUNITY ROCK & ROLL STYLE

Local boutique Atomic Threads was Spokane’s first pin-up, rockabilly and alternative style clothing shop, and the grand reopening of the store in its new location is cause to celebrate. Atomic Threads strives to be inclusive, offering a wide range of clothing sizes, and also features handmade items from local designers and artists. The grand reopening event inside a new space just feet from its former features live music from local performers like Touch of Evil and Molly Starlite and The Sputniks, plus live entertainment indoors from the Bombshell Revue (21+ and $15 ticket required).

There’s also a parking lot car show from 11 am to 2 pm, organized by the Miss Shifters Car Club. The grand reopening will have signups for upcoming classes at the boutique as well as information on what customers can expect to see at the shop in the future.

— LILLIAN PIEL Atomic Threads Boutique Grand Reopening • Sat, Aug 14 from 11 am-4 pm • Free • Atomic Threads Boutique • 1905 N. Monroe St. • facebook.com/atomicthreadsboutique

ARTS ART BY THE BEACH

The Pend Oreille Arts Council is putting on its 49th annual Arts and Crafts Fair in Sandpoint, featuring artist booths, food vendors and a youth art arena. There’s tons of options to browse and admire, including ceramics, fiber, jewelry, home goods, glass, paintings and drawings, photography, and wood and metal art. Proceeds from the fair help support the Pend Oreille Arts Council’s visual and performing arts education programs. The organization also puts on events and presentations throughout the year related to the arts.

The Pend Oreille Arts and Crafts Fair is the perfect way to spend a summer day browsing art of various styles and enjoying the food offered by vendors, so head on up to Sandpoint to find some local treasures and support the arts.

— LILLIAN PIEL Pend Oreille Arts Council Arts & Crafts Fair • Sat, Aug 14 from 9 am-5 pm and Sun, Aug 15 from 9 am-4 pm • Free • Downtown Sandpoint • Second Ave. and Main St. • artinsandpoint.org

PRESENTEDPR BY ESENTED

BY

BENEFIT TING

THANK YOU COMEDY HAIL THIS CAT

No way when folks saw Bobcat Goldthwait howling through his role as part of the Police Academy movies in the ’80s that they could have foreseen the long, impressive career ahead of him. But even back then, anyone who saw him do standup knew he was a sharp comedic mind with a wealth of incisive material that took on politics and social issues. In the years since he first appeared on Letterman as a 20-year-old new comedian, he’s gone on to act in roles both absurd and serious, and to direct a series of well-received features and documentaries including Call Me Lucky and World’s Greatest Dad. He’s also directed a series of specials for his fellow standups like Patton Oswalt, Marc Maron and Iliza Shlesinger, so he’s never been too far from a comedy stage. A chance to see him in Spokane is a real treat.

— DAN NAILEN Bobcat Goldthwait • Fri-Sat, Aug. 13-14 at 7:30 pm (18+) and 10:30 pm (21+) • $20-$28 • Spokane Comedy Club • 315 W. Sprague • spokanecomedyclub.com • 509-318-9998

TOGETHER, WE RAISED OVER $6 MILLION. (AND COUNTING!)

PRESENTEDPRE BYS E NTE D

BY

BENEFIT TING

BY BENEFIT TING partners and our Thanks to PRESENTED the generous support of our community, we raised over $6 million this year to fight cancer in our region; bringing the total monies raised from this event to over $23 million in seven years.

PR E S E N T E D BY

E L I T E PA R T N E R S

ELITE PAR T NERS

E L I T E PA R T N E R S

P L ATPLATINUM I N U M PA R T N E PAR RS T NERS P L AT I N U M PA R T N E R S

M A RL E ON C A P I T A L M A RL E ON C A P I T A L

MUSIC A RIVER RUNS THROUGH IT

Pack up a picnic basket and head to the cool, green lawn of Olmsted Green park on Kendall Yards’ far west end for a free performance that melds jazz, opera and theater to tell a very Spokane-inspired story. Postponed from earlier this spring, Music Valley comes from the minds of local musician Madeline McNeill and former Spokane poet and writer Ellen Welcker, who recently moved out of the area. The setting of their fictional, collaborative work is, just like the performance’s real-life setting, bisected by a river. On one side is Music Valley, a home to artists. Across the river is Builder’s Ridge, a place of tools, technology and machine-like thinking. Two friends, one from each of these disparate communities, must together face major changes, and a strange sickness. The one-night performance features an all-female ensemble of singers, plus double bass, marimba and dance.

— CHEY SCOTT Music Valley • Sun, Aug. 15 at 6:30 pm • Free • Olmsted Brothers Green • North Nettleton and Summit Parkway, Kendall Yards • spokanearts.org/ events/music-valley

LEADER IN ROBOTICS AND UV-C DISINFECTION

LEADER IN ROBOTICS AND UV-C DISINFECTION

TE NR ER G OGLODL D PAPA R TRN SS

TO G E T H E R , W E A R E

L E A RN MORE AT

COMMUNIT YCANCERFUND.ORG

AUGUST 12, 2021 INLANDER 39

pf flyers. I generally do not experience such nervousness. We made eye contact several times, and I debated saying hi, however concluded it was too late by the time your friend showed up. I did not want to be annoying. So if you want to meet an anarchopunk, a response would be a pleasant break from my vacuous life. Or just go to Facebook and search for local anarchists; you’ll find me.<333

I SAW YOU

I SAW YOU FOX LOOKING FOR HER BIG BOSS You tried to hide in a box during my patrol, but I could hear your dummy thicc cheeks clapping from a mile away. I think I even caught a glimpse of a sexy eye patch and the grizzled beard of a man who’s lived a long life for himself and cannot be copied.

I’m in love! The girly magazine was a nice trick to try to distract me, but I really wanted to meet YOU, not just any other Snake in a suit. Hit me up on the codec and I promise — I’m a Phantom Pain you’ll never forget!

CUTE MUSICIAN AT SUMMIT CHURCH You played piano today (8/8) but you usually sing. You are so talented! I really like your style. Today it was a red buttondown with black joggers and black vans. I saw you in the lobby before church; I was getting cold brew, and you smiled at me. My heart stopped. I wanted to talk to you after service, but I didn’t see you in the lobby. Let me know if you want to grab coffee… soon.

SHORT ADORABLE PUNK I saw you several times downtown at riverfront. You had on black jeans, black platformlike shoes, tanktop and black hair. You with your friend who was also quite into punk anesthetics. I had on blanat far left, anarchist/anti-capitalist slogans and images on my shirt, political theory and philosophy badges on my pack and hat, enby colored bracelets, and black pants with black

RODNEY CARRINGTON NORTHERN QUEST You seen me sitting at a blackjack table at Northern Quest. You were there to Rodney Carrington and had an extra ticket. You and your friend asked me if I wanted to join you, but I said no because I was in the middle of winning. I regret saying no because I thought you were very pretty. I even tried to look for you after the show but couldn’t find you. If you’re reading this please contact me @ Moseman74@me.com. I know this is a long shot but worth a try. Hope to hear from you.

CHEERS PEOPLE CAN BE NICE My wife and I were bartending for an LG event at Thrifty Supply last week, and a guy smashed out my windshield. Needless to say, I was pissed off. A bunch of the people there for the event tipped well because they felt bad for me, which was super nice! One of you went above and beyond and tipped us $100 to put toward a new windshield. My wife & I never caught your name, but we just wanted to say thank you! You were the bearded guy wearing a True North Heating & Cooling shirt and had your wife and 11-month-old child with you. We just wanted to say thank you! It helped out a bunch, and we appreciate it.

If anybody knows this guy, buy him a beer, or 10. Cheers.

EL CAMINO To the baby blue El Camino...I probably spelt it wrong...but I want you to know...that when I see your car...I feel feelings I HAVEN’T...ever felt. FOR A FEW DECADES. BEAUTIFUL. THANK YOU...

BEAUTY

JEER: CATHY MCMORRIS ROGERS AND HER FAKE TOWN HALL (AUG 5-11) Cheers to the person who jeered CMR after they attended her town hall. You are spot on about that traitor. The Proud Boys were probably there to make sure she didn’t say anything bad about der fuhrer Trump.

I imagine she was just reading a script

“

WHY DOES AMELIA CLARK STILL HAVE A JOB? Yet again Amelia Clark’s illegal and even childish behavior has been put on display. An email from Michelle Fossum to board members states the Dr. Lutz was fired without a vote. As the health district’s lawyer, did she not know the law? Are we all supposed to believe that

these gentlemen address this and take this as constructive criticism.

CREEPY GUY CLAIMING TO BE A STANDUP COMIC Guy downtown who claims to be a volunteer firefighter and stand-up comedian. Frankly you are one of the most annoying people I’ve ever met. The

“...You went above and beyond and tipped us $100 to put toward a new windshield.”

and not doing any real representing of her constituents. She’s just a spineless Trump sycophant now.

LOVE OF MY LIFE Cheers to my man for being so strong and wonderful. You’re so handsome with your chocolate skin and honeysuckle eyes. I miss you so much and can’t wait for you to come home. Life isn’t the same without you, Papa Bear!

FIREFIGHTERS ARE HEROES A big thankyou to all the firefighters from the West Plains, as well as the multiple surrounding communities and states for responding to the Andrus fire and saving our homes. I cannot put into words how thankful I am for all the hard work you are putting in this summer. You are truly heroes.

JEERS ALL HOT AIR ALL THE TIME Now our local news and weather guys and gals talk about smoky air just like they “reported” on raging wildfires and disastrous drought and record high temperatures — without ever connecting the dots to climate change. What will it take to make them say the words? When will they screw up the courage to tell us not just what’s happening where, but why? Until then their breathless, at times even cheerful chatter about this week’s weather is nothing more than a bunch of empty sound bites signifying nothing.

Amelia knows how to manipulate the narrative to benefit her, but didn’t know the appropriate actions to follow? This email went to ALL the board members. Why aren’t the elected officials who stated he wasn’t fired being held accountable for their blatant lies? A letter from a 30-year employee upon retirement detailed Amelia’s unprofessional and childish actions, and was given to board members.

They scrambled into executive session and haven’t addressed it publicly. Seems like an attempt to hide the truth. Not a single board member has reached out to employees. How many of you reading this would still have a job with a state investigation against you for illegal actions?

The whole board of health needs to be replaced. A new lawyer hired, and Amelia along with a few other key officials all need to be shown the door. Demand MORE from those we have elected and cut out the cancerous individuals destroying the health district!

”

first time we met, you grabbed my shoulder from behind to bother with me your incredibly sexist joke you plagiarized. The second time, you snuck up from behind again! Even though I told you I was on the phone and clearly had a facial expression and tone of voice that read go away! You didn’t until I finally had to be rude and more forceful than I like being. I am aspie and I have been mugged on the street.

I have PTSD and I don’t want to talk to creepy men who follow me around and refuse to leave me alone until I listen to their jokes. You are not funny, you have no respect for peoples private space. I hope I never am so unlucky to ever see you again. n

PODCAST BUMMER I was listening to the newest episode of my favorite locally recorded podcast and noticed that one of the young men has been progressively becoming more negative and vulgar and has side conversations that make it hard to focus. There was a lovely young woman as a guest, and I couldn’t believe the way he spoke in front of her. Admittedly this podcast has had its share of raunchy moments, but this is incredibly noticeable that it’s becoming progressive. This kind of takes away from the appeal. I hope

THIS WEEK'S ANSWERS E R I C H O B B I T E W E

SOUND OFF

1. Visit Inlander.com/isawyou by 3 pm Monday. 2. Pick a category (I Saw You, You Saw Me, Cheers or Jeers). 3.

Provide basic info: your name and email (so we know you’re real). 4. To connect via I Saw You, provide a non-identifying email to be included with your submission — like “petals327@yahoo.com,” not “j.smith@comcast.net.”

G iv eGu ide PEOPLE NATURE COMMUNITY HEALTH

40 INLANDER AUGUST 12, 2021

L E C H

M A Y O

S I M C I O T T T A Y O X O D I L O N E D C G E V E N A R S L S E

T C A R S I O L A D I E M P P I H I G E D A R U Z T S T U I A L L E

B R A T

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E C O O N A O T H E A T

E S S O

B W O E S E C O V O L I I L E N S N S V O I S D E T D R E D N U O C S K

Y A L E A L U M N I

L E T S E C T I E D O N

E N D I N G

O T H O

U S E R

T O R T

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

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This annual issue highlights many of the region’s non-profit organizations, and the difference they are making in our community.

GET YOUR NON-PROFIT NOTICED! Reserve your Give Guide listing by August 19th

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EVENTS | CALENDAR

BENEFIT

2BU YOUTH RANCH ANNUAL BARN DANCE Put on your dancing boots for a night of music, dinner, dancing and a live auction. Meet the horses before you enjoy a meal of pulled pork or brisket, salads and dessert. Drinks available for purchase. A live band plays a mix of country and bluegrass with some surprises thrown in. The dance floor is outside under a tent with great views of the valley below. Aug. 14, 5-8 pm. $25.

2BU Youth Ranch, 17412 E. Foothills Rd. 2buyouthranch.org (509-922-1981) CUTTER THEATRE ANNUAL AUCTION Between dinner (5:30 pm) and the live auction, bid on the “arted” shingles from the old cedar roof in a special silent auction. Family friendly. Aug. 14, 6 pm.

Cutter Theatre, 302 Park St., Metaline Falls. cuttertheatre.com

COMEDY

BOBCAT GOLDTHWAIT Goldthwait is no stranger to entertainment and is one of the most recognizable comedians in show business today. Bobcat’s stand up features hilarious riffs on politics, divorce and his career as a writer and director of film. His show is a wild ride of fun finding the funny no matter what the situation. Aug. 13 and 14 at 7:30 & 10:30 pm. $20-$28. Spokane Comedy Club, 315 W. Sprague. spokanecomedyclub.com HALF & HALF This show is a great introduction to improvised comedy, as it’s a perfect mix of short and long-form improv that’s fun for the whole family. Join the BDT Players as they switch between

fast-paced games and longer scenes that tell a story. Rated for general audiences. Fridays at 7:30 pm in August. $8.

Blue Door Theatre, 815 W. Garland Ave. bluedoortheatre.com (509-747-7045) SAFARI Blue Door’s version of “Whose Line,” a fast-paced improv show with a few twists and turns added. Rated for mature audiences/ages 16+. Reservations recommended. Saturdays from 7:30-9 pm. $8. Blue Door Theatre, 815 W. Garland Ave. bluedoortheatre.com DUSTIN NICKERSON A Seattle native now suffering in Southern California, Nickerson is an in-demand comic on the rise. He’s currently touring the country and was recently featured by Kevin Hart on Comedy Central’s Hart of the City.

Aug. 15, 7:30 pm. $20. Spokane Comedy Club, 315 W. Sprague. spokanecomedyclub.com (509-318-9998)

COMMUNITY

BIRDS OF A FEATHER DAY A special summertime family day at the MAC, with programming in support of the museum’s current traveling exhibit “American Original: The Life and Work of John James Audubon.” Activities include a live falcon presentation, bird sketching with artist Megan Perkins, and information on local birds from the Spokane Audubon Society. Aug. 12, 11 am. $5-$12. Northwest Museum of Arts & Culture, 2316 W. First Ave. northwestmuseum.org WALLACE HUCKLEBERRY FESTIVAL The annual community festival celebrating all things huckleberry includes a 5K fun run, vendor fair, live music, activities, a pancake breakfast, pie eat-

ing contest and more. Aug. 13-14. See website for complete schedule. Wallace, Idaho. wallacehuckfest.com BASH ON ASH Hosted by the Shadle Park Boosters, the Bash on Ash (21+ for beer garden entrance) and golf tournament continue to bring generations of Highlanders together each year. On Friday night, the Cronkites play. There’s also a “Last Inning” farewell to Coach Brooks at Al K Stadium. Aug. 13, 5-10 pm and Aug. 14, 8:30 am-1 pm. $25.00.

Shadle Park, 2005 W. Wellesley Ave. shadleparkboosters.com/bash-on-ash/ 90S/Y2K MURDER MYSTERY When the clock strikes midnight at the turn of the millennium, experts have warned that computers will misread the year and kill us all – or at least something along those lines. Tensions are high, moods are foul, and the end of the world might be on the horizon. Optional social hour at 5 pm. Aug. 14, 6-10 pm. $29-$79. Crime Scene Entertainment, 1701 N. Fourth St., Coeur d’Alene (208369-3695) POAC ARTS & CRAFTS FAIR This twoday event occurs during one of the busiest weekends of the year in Sandpoint, concurrent with the Festival at Sandpoint concert series. Artwork exhibited includes sculpture, ceramics, metal, fiber, photography, paintings, mixed media, wood, crafts and more.

All proceeds directly support POAC’s programs in visual and performing arts and art education for the benefit of our community. Aug. 14 from 9 am-5 pm and Aug. 15 from 9 am-4 pm. Free.

Downtown Sandpoint. artinsandpoint. org/arts-crafts-fair BONNER COUNTY FAIR Attractions of

this year’s fair include a concert by the Copper Mountain Band (Aug. 19), the Challenge of Champions Bull Riding (Aug. 20), a demolition derby (Aug. 21) and traditional events including ag displays/competitions, vendors, food and more. Aug. 18-21. Free admission; $3 parking. Bonner County Fairgrounds, 4203 N. Boyer Rd, Sandpoint. bonnercountyfair.com (208-263-8414) PEND ORIELLE COUNTY FAIR “Sew it, Grow it, Show it” is the theme of the 2021 fair, offering traditional events and exhibits in agriculture, food, crafts and more, along with vendors, entertainment, a rodeo and other attractions.

Aug. 19-22 Pend Oreille County Fairgrounds, 419152 State Route 20., Cusick. pocfair.com (509-445-1367) THE FARM CHICKS VINTAGE & HANDMADE FAIR The annual, two-day curated market offers hundreds of curated vendor booths selling antique, rustic, salvaged, vintage and handmade items, including home decor, clothing, textiles, jewelry, garden items, furniture, art and much more. Aug. 21 from 9 am-6 pm and Aug. 22 from 9 am-4 pm. $10/day.

Spokane County Fair & Expo Center, 404 N. Havana St. thefarmchicks.com UNITY IN THE COMMUNITYThe region’s largest multi-cultural family friendly event offers free school supplies and bike helmets to kids in grades K-8 (children must be present; while supplies last). Other activities include the Cultural Village, entertainment, career and education fair, youth area, health fair, senior resources and general vendors. Riverfront Park, 507 N. Howard St. Aug. 21, 10 am-4 pm. Free. nwunity. org

COLLECTIV SOUL E BETTERRA THAN EZ The ’90s alt-rock, post-grunge revival is alive and well this summer at Northern Quest. Don’t miss this blast from the past when the Just Looking Around 2021 tour hits our outdoor stage.

SPECIAL GUEST

TONIC

ENTER TO WIN

AUG 20 TH

1 PAIR OF TICKETS TO SEE

BECU Live at Northern Quest Resort & Casino ENTER AT Inlander.com/freestuff

AUGUST 12, 2021 INLANDER 41

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EVENTS | CALENDAR

FILM

ROADRUNNER: A FILM ABOUT ANTHONY BOURDAIN A documentary about Anthony Bourdain and his career as a chef, writer and host, revered and renowned for his authentic approach to food, culture and travel. Aug. 12-14 at 7 pm, Aug. 15 at 4 pm. $3-$7. The Kenworthy, 508 S. Main St. kenworthy.org MOVIE NIGHT IN CITY PARK: FERRIS BUELLER’S DAY OFF Bring a blanket or chair and join the Museum of North Idaho at City Park for a showing of Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, sponsored by TDS Fiber. The 2021 summer movie series is aligned with the museum’s featured exhibit “Hollywood of the North: North Idaho and the Film Industry.” Find out the connection between this movie and North Idaho inside the museum. Aug. 13, 8-10 pm. Free. Coeur d’Alene City Park, 415 W. Mullan Rd. museumni.org/ exhibits-tours-events/events/ (208664-3448) MOVIES IN THE PARK A family-friendly event every Friday, June 25-Aug. 27, in Sally’s Park. All movies begin at sundown. Bring blankets and lawn chairs and enjoy the outdoors with safe distancing. Snacks and drinks available for a modest price, with all proceeds benefiting The Salvation Army’s local youth programs. Free. The Salvation Army Spokane, 222 E. Indiana Ave. salvationarmyspokane.org VANDAL SUMMER CINEMA SERIES Classic throwbacks, suspenseful action and comedies are center stage for the University of Idaho’s Summer Cinema series. Half of this year’s movies are part of the Screen on the Green series on the Theophilus Tower Lawn; the other half are at the Moscow DriveIn at the ASUI-Kibbie Activity Center parking lot (Lot 57). Each movie starts at approximately 9 pm, primarily on Fridays through Aug. 20. Free. uidaho. edu/summercinema PAVILLION PARK SUMMER FEST: AVENGERS ENDGAME Liberty Lake’s annual summer event series, with weekly outdoor movies at local parks; starts at dusk. Aug. 14. Free. Pavillion Park, 727 N. Molter Rd. pavillionpark. org (755-6726) THE GREEN KNIGHT A fantasy re-telling of the medieval story of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Showing Aug. 1921 at 7 pm, Aug. 22 at 4 pm. $3-$7. The Kenworthy, 508 S. Main St. kenworthy. org (208-882-4127) DRIVE-IN MOVIE NIGHTS: DIRTY DANCING The HUB’s outdoor drive-in movies run through the fall. Admission is per car, and local food trucks will also be on site selling snacks and concessions. See website for complete schedule and COVID-19 safety policies.

Aug. 20, 10:30 pm. HUB Sports Center, 19619 E. Cataldo Ave. hubsportscenter. org (509-927-0602)

FOOD & DRINK

CHEERS FOR KIDS A four-course beer pairing dinner to raise funds for Vanessa Behan, a safe shelter for kids who are in crisis situations. This year’s event has transformed from an in-person gathering into an at-home tasting experience complete with a gourmet four-course meal and 32-ounce beer “crowlers.”

The meal is a collaboration by local restaurateur Ricky Webster of Rind &

42 INLANDER AUGUST 12, 2021

Wheat, Noreen Hiskey of Inland Curry and Sysco’s culinary expert Dane Rice.

Each course is paired with local brews from Perry Street Brewing. The event begins with curbside meal pick-up at 2230 E. Sprague Ave., in the Vanessa Behan parking lot. Aug. 12. $75-$100. vanessabehan.org/cheers PARTY ON THE PATIO Monthy summer parties on the patio, co-hosted by the Inlander and Three Peaks Kitchen with live music, lots of food and drink specials, giveaways and more. Aug. 12, from 5-8 pm. Free. Three Peaks Kitchen + Bar, 14300 W. SR Highway 2. inlander. com/PartyonthePatio (509-818-1547) FOOD TRUCK FRIDAYS Downtown Spokane is shutting down Wall Street every Friday this summer to offer a variety of local food trucks and entertainment. Appearances by: Mixed Plate, Skewers, Crate, One Night Stand, D. Lish’s, Mangia, Mac Daddy’s, Toby’s BBQ, Tacos Camargo, Crepe Cafe Sisters, Daily Bread, Farmer’s Daughter, Ben & Jerry’s and Bombshell Sweets.

Fridays from 11 am-2 pm through Sep. 24. Downtown Spokane. downtownspokane.org HILLYARD FOOD TRUCK PAVILION: FRIDAY NIGHT MARKET & OPEN MIC The weekly market features area food trucks on site, along with an opportunity for local musicians to sign up for an open mic session. Also includes lawn games, crafts, and other allages activities. Fridays from 5-9 pm through Sep. 24. Free. Hillyard Food Truck Pavilion, 5108 N. Market St. facebook.com/Hillyard-Food-Truck-Pavilion-100232218924654 RIDE & DINE Every Friday in July and August, enjoy a scenic gondola ride, live music and a savory mountaintop barbecue. Lift ticket is included in the price; also includes an option to mountain bike back down the mountain.

Menu consists of huckleberry barbecue ribs and rotating chicken, fish and seafood options paired with classic summer side dishes. Fridays from 3-7 pm through Aug. 27. $8-$55. Silver Mountain Resort, 610 Bunker Ave. silvermt. com (208-783-1111) YOGA & MIMOSA A guided yoga and pilates class with local instructor Sara Randall. Open to all skill levels, bring your own mat. Tickets include bottled water, keepsake glass and one mimosa.

Pre-registration required. 21+. Aug. 15 and Aug. 29 at 10 am. $38. Arbor Crest Wine Cellars, 4705 N. Fruit Hill Rd. arborcrest.com/class-and-a-glass (509927-9463) RIVERFRONT EATS FOOD TRUCK SERIES The outdoor food truck series in the park (on the orange bridge) happens Tuesdays through Aug. 31 from 11 am-2 pm. Each week features a new lineup of locally owned food trucks; see complete schedule at link. A portion of the proceeds support free and low-cost community programming in Riverfront Park. Riverfront Park, 507 N. Howard St. my.spokanecity.org/riverfrontspokane (509-625-6600)

MUSIC

BROWNE’S ADDITION SUMMER CONCERTS: THE RISING W/ SEAN OWSLEY A series of three summer concerts in Coeur d’Alene Park, presented by the Browne’s Addition Neighborhood Council. Aug. 12, 6-8 pm. Free. Coeur d’Alene Park, 300 S. Chestnut St. facebook.com/BrownesAddition

MUSIC ON MAIN Music on Main happens in Pullman’s Pine Street Plaza each Thursday evening from 6-8 pm through September. Enjoy local artists and bands; follow the Pullman Chamber’s Facebook page for updates. pullmanchamber.com ROCKIN THE RIVERS Known as Montana’s “Homegrown Rock Festival,” Rockin the Rivers has brought hard hitting rock to fans across the West for 20 years. Reformatted to a Thursday through Saturday festival, the 2021 line up includes rock legends .38 Special, Candlebox, Skillet, Lit, Black Label Society, Black Stone Cherry and more.

Aug. 12, noon, Aug. 13 and Aug. 14, 4-2 am. $80+. The Bridge, 1487 Montana Highway 2. rockintherivers.com (406285-0099) THE KELLEY HUGHES BAND DINNER CONCERT FUNDRAISER Grab your cowboy hat and join 3Cs (Cancer & Community Charities) for a fun-lovin, boot-stompin’ country music dinner fundraiser featuring The Kelly Hughes Band. Doors open at 5:30 pm for social hour and a barbecue buffet with live music and dancing to follow. Aug. 13, 5:30-9:30 pm. $60. Best Western Coeur d’Alene, 506 W. Appleway Ave. facebook.com/events/347078883599378 LORRIE MORGAN & PAM TILLIS Pam Tillis and Lorrie Morgan are delighting old and new fans across North America on their highly successful Grits and Glamour Tour. Veteran recording artists and performers, they grace the country format with style, flair, and undeniable talent that is captivating and timeless.

Formed in 2009, the Grits and Glamour tour is a “together is better” event. The show is only loosely scripted. Good-natured ribbing and off-the-cuff remarks are just part of the fun. Aug. 19, 7 pm. $50+. Coeur d’Alene Casino, 37914 S. Nukwalqw. cdacasino.com (1-800-5232464)

SPORTS & OUTDOORS

RIVERFRONT MOVES: YOGA IN THE GARDEN Join BEYOUTIFUL Hot Yoga in the Sister Cities Garden (NW of the orange Howard St. bridge) for their free Yoga series in Riverfront Park. Thursdays from 8:30-9:30 am through Aug. 19. Free. Riverfront Park, 507 N. Howard St. riverfrontspokane.com (509-6256600) SPOKANE SHOCK VS. ARIZONA RATTLERS Arena football. Aug. 13, 7:05 pm. $8-$58. Spokane Arena, 720 W. Mallon Ave. thespokaneshock.com (279-7000) SPEELYA TOURNAMENT AT CIRCLING RAVEN GOLF CLUB The two-day Speelya Tournament includes tee prizes, Saturday and Sunday dinner, two rounds of golf, use of a golf cart with GPS and full use of our practice facility. $100 cash for Sunday and Sunday Side Games. Aug. 14 and Aug. 15. $300. Circling Raven Golf Course, 27068 S. Highway 95. cdacasino.com/event/speelyatournament WEDNESDAYS IN THE WOODS A six-week series of outdoor learning events hosted by the Riverside State Park Foundation, including sessions on hiking in the Inland NW (Aug. 18) and music and horses in the park (Aug. 25).

Wednesdays from 6:30-8:30 pm. Event locations vary, details and registration at rei.com/learn. A Discover Pass is required to visit the park.

RELATIONSHIPS

COUPLES DATE NIGHT Tee up for date night with an option to stay the night at the resort and play again on Saturday.

Come early to hit some balls and stay late for dinner. Space is limited. Aug. 20, 5 pm. $100. Circling Raven Golf Course, 27068 S. Highway 95. cdacasino.com SPOKANE TO SANDPOINT RELAY A two-day, 200-mile relay adventure for you and 11 friends! The course starts at Green Bluff before descending to the Spokane River, cruising nearly the full length of the Centennial Trail to Coeur d’Alene, and finishing on the beach of Lake Pend Oreille in Sandpoint. Don’t let the distance dissuade you! S2S is meant to be enjoyed by runners of all types from the couch-to-5k newbie to the hard core elite. Aug. 20-21. $500$1650/team. spokanetosandpoint.com FULL DRAW FILM TOUR The archery film tour offers a wild ride of adventure across North America. Aug. 21, 7 pm. $10-$19. Bing Crosby Theater, 901 W. Sprague Ave. bingcrosbytheater.com SPOKANE SHOCK VS. LOUISVILLE XTREME Arena football. Game also scheduled to air on radio, TV and YouTube. Aug. 21, 7:05 pm. $8-$58. Spokane Arena, 720 W. Mallon Ave. thespokaneshock.com (279-7000)

THEATER

A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM Spokane Parks & Recreation is partnering with the Spokane Shakespeare Society (S3) to bring the inaugural season of Shakespeare in the Park to Riverfront this summer, featuring free, familyfriendly performances. Shows are Aug. 6-29; Thu-Sat at 6:30 pm and Sun at 2 pm. Seating begins 30 minutes prior to showtime. Free. Pavilion at Riverfront, 574 N. Howard. spokaneshakespearesociety.org MUSIC VALLEY A new musical with jazz and opera by Madeline McNeill and lyrics by Ellen Welcker. Bring a picnic to Olmsted Brothers Green in Kendall Yards. The story is set in a land with a river running through it. On one side is Music Valley where artists live. On the other is Builder’s Ridge, a neighborhood of tools and technology. Aug. 15, 6:30-7:30 pm. Free. Olmsted Brothers Green, N. Nettleton St. and Summit Pkwy. spokanearts.org SHAKESPEARE IN THE PARKS: CYMBELINE Montana Shakespeare in the Parks’ performance of Cymbeline is free; gates open at 3 pm. Guests are encouraged to arrive early with lawn chairs, blankets and picnics to enjoy this year’s pre-play performances and events. Cymbeline, also known as The Tragedie of Cymbeline or Cymbeline, King of Britain, is William Shakespeare’s play set in ancient Britain, based on legends that formed part of the Matter of Britain concerning the early Celtic British King Cunobeline. Aug. 21, 6 pm.

Free. Lakeview Park, 901 Ontario St., Sandpoint. shakespeareintheparks.org

VISUAL ARTS

GLEN ALPS: FROM THE COLLECTION Glen Alps was a printmaker and educator credited with having developed the collagraph. The Jundt has 174 holdings of Alps, the bulk of which was gifted to to it in 2004 by a relative. This exhibition includes 37 prints, numerous

plates, matrices and proofs. On display through Aug. 13; open Mon-Sat by appt. only. Jundt Art Museum, 200 E. Desmet Ave. (509-313-6611) POAC ARTWALK Local artisans, galleries and business owners throughout downtown Sandpoint collaborate each summer for an event designed to showcase local artists and encourage all ages to explore this free city-wide event.

Maps of the walking tour are available throughout downtown and online. Continues through Sept. 3. Free. Downtown Sandpoint. artinsandpoint.org/artwalk TRACY POINDEXTER-CANTON The acclaimed local artist presents an imaginative collection of new mixed media works using collage, assemblage and reinterpreted objects to examine Black American identity, melding literary imagery with visual art. View Tracy’s artwork at the Liberty Gallery, above Auntie’s throughout August, daily from 10 am to 7 pm. Free. Liberty Building, 402 N. Washington. spokanelibertybuilding. com (509-327-6920) WHAT WE MAKE: NATURE AS INSPIRATION Delve into the vital relationship between makers and nature. Discover how the landscape inspires art-making through the works and relationship of Northwest artists Wesley Wehr and Joseph Goldberg. Explore the natural motifs, tradition and importance of beaded bags in the plateau cultures. Investigate the use of natural materials in millinery and its many different forms.

Through Jan. 9, 2022; Tue-Sun 10 am-5 pm. $5-$12. Northwest Museum of Arts & Culture, 2316 W. First Ave. northwestmuseum.org SARANAC ART PROJECTS PRESENTS: TOBE HARVEY WITH SHANDA LEE STINEBAUGH AND JOSH HOBSON A showcase of recent works by Tobe Harvey with guest artist Shanda Lee Stinebaugh. Tobe’s art reflect his personal experiences, experiments and attempts at transcendence. Also featured is Josh Hobson’s “Sun Salutation: New Photographic Works.” These new works include lumen prints, cyanotypes, archival pigment prints, and lens-based sculpture. Closing reception Aug. 27 from 5-8 pm; gallery open Fri 4-8 pm and Sat 12-8 pm through Aug. 28. Free.

Saranac Art Projects, 25 W. Main Ave. (509-350-3574) SECOND FRIDAY ARTWALK Every second Friday of the month, from 5-8 pm, join the community to stroll the streets of downtown Coeur d’Alene and enjoy locally and nationally acclaimed artists, along with local shops, restaurants and businesses. Aug. 13 from 5-8 pm. Free.

(208-415-0116) DRAWING HANDS WITH TOM QUINN The hand is one of the most difficult parts of the human body for the artist to master. In this workshop, we’ll cover the anatomy of the human hand, including bones, muscles and blood vessels. After drawing skeletal hands, we’ll be drawing the hands of a model in different poses and situations. Students will take turns as the model. Aug. 14, 9 am-11 pm. $40. Spokane Art School, 811 W. Garland Ave. spokaneartschool.net (509-325-1500) SECOND SATURDAYS On the second Saturday of every month, downtown Palouse features local culture and welcomes visitors to enjoy its community, shops, restaurants, and shady park. This monthly event is an opportunity for safe gathering, live music, celebration, shopping, and socializing. Second Sat-

urday of the month (Aug. 14) from 10 am-2 pm. Palouse, Wash. visitpalouse. com ARTISTS IN THE GARDEN Regional artists fill the garden and share their talent in visual arts, fiber arts, cutting boards, micro greens, cards, art glass, hand-turned wooden bowls and more.

Coffee, tea, refreshments and conversation abound. Aug. 19, 10 am-1 pm. Free.

Create Arts Center, 900 W. Fourth St., Newport. createarts.org/ (509-4479277) INTRODUCTION TO ENCAUSTIC W/ KAREN MOBLEY Learn the basics of preparing encaustic materials and create a small work of art using encaustic.

Students (ages 16+) should have some experience painting in another medium such as oil or acrylic. Aug. 19, 10-2 am. $145. Spokane Art School, 811 W. Garland Ave. spokaneartschool.net

WORDS

QUARANTINE LIFE FROM CHOLERA TO COVID-19 For this virtual event with local author Kari Nixon, we’ll be discussing her book “Quarantine Life from Cholera to Covid-19: What Pandemics Teach Us About Parenting Work, Life, and Communites from the 1700’s to today.” Register online. Aug. 12, 7-8 pm. Free. auntiesbooks.com (509-8380206) THE HAND OF THE SUN KING BY J.T. GREATHOUSE A virtual event celebrating the release of J.T. Greathouse’s debut novel, The Hand of the Sun King.

He’ll be discussing his life and his work with Ben Cartwright. “An original fantasy filled with magic and culture, the story of a character torn between two names, two loyalties, and two definitions of good and evil.” — Kevin J. Anderson, New York Times bestselling author. Register online. Aug. 14, 7-8 pm.

Free. auntiesbooks.com EVERYBODY LOOK, IT’S MY FAVORITE BOOK This weekly meeting of young, growing minds is an opportunity for little ones to share their favorite books with a group of similar aged young children (ages 3-5). Mondays from 2-3 pm through Aug. 30. Free. Spark Central, 1214 W. Summit Pkwy. spark-central.org WHY DENY SCIENCE? In this talk, philosopher Michael Goldsby sorts through the tactics and reasons many people use to argue against scientific claims.

Though science is far from perfect, science denialism can have far-reaching impacts, especially in an era of critical issues like global warming and vaccines. Discover how to discuss scientific issues without being dismissive and learn about the richer discussions one can have when science, philosophy, and logic intersect. Aug. 17, 6:30 pm. Free.

Online at humanities.org/event/onlinewhy-deny-science BOOK-TALK TEASERS Need good book recommendations? If you love to talk about what you’re reading, this book-talk session is for you! We’ll read chapters aloud and have book cage matches. Which book will come out on top? Ages 13+. Registration required.

Aug. 18, 1-2 pm. Free. Online at scld.org BROKEN MIC Broken Mic, Spokane’s longest-running weekly poetry open mic, makes its live return to Neato Burrito. All ages, however, this is a free speech event. Food and drink specials available. Weekly on Wednesdays from 6:30-9 pm. Free. Neato Burrito, 827 W. First Ave. (509-847-1234) n

Advice Goddess LIAR DRILL

I’m a guy, and a female friend asked me to objectively rate her looks on a scale of 1 to 10. She has a very high opinion of her looks, but she insisted she wanted the truth, so I told her I’d put her at a 5.5 or 6. Afterward, she sent me a text about boundaries and said she’s cutting me out of her life — for being honest like she asked me to!

—Burned

AMY ALKON If there were a class in “how to be a heterosexual man,” lesson one would be how to answer a woman’s questions about her appearance. She’ll insist you give an honest answer to the classic gotcha question: “Do I look fat in this dress?” Always lie. Well, unless you are held at gunpoint or threatened with disemboweling with a steak knife or rusty pliers. In which case, also lie.

Admittedly, this advice is at odds with the black-and-white notions of honesty and deception drilled into us from an early age: Honesty, good! Lying, evil! If we lie, terrible things will happen to us — such as cancer of the nose (as seen in that liearrhea-prone puppet, Pinocchio) or pants that spontaneously explode into flame.

“For centuries, philosophers and ethicists have railed against deception,” note business school professors and researchers Joseph Gaspar and Maurice Schweitzer.

The belief that deception is always evil and harmful was preached by the Christian bishop St. Augustine, “who claimed that ‘every lie is a sin.’” Philosopher Immanuel Kant “argued that ‘The greatest violation . . . is lying.’” These beliefs are baked into our culture and “permeate modern thinking.”

Gaspar and Schweitzer define deception as “the transmission of information that intentionally misleads others.” That sounds pretty awful. However, they suggest, “Think about what you should do when your grandmother asks if you enjoyed her meatloaf” or “your friend asks if you enjoyed her wedding reception.” In situations like these, lying “might be the exactly right thing to do”(tempting as it might be to tell your friend you wish you’d been given a choice: attending the reception or or being repeatedly electrocuted via a car battery attached to your nipples).

These feelings-preserving falsehoods are “prosocial lies.” “Prosocial” is psych professor-ese for “intended to help other people.” Prosocial lies mislead but also benefit the person we’re lying to, explain Gaspar and Schweitzer. It’s basically benevolent deception: deception in service of kindness and even respect. For example, when a friend fails to show up at your party, “they might (respectfully) cite an illness” instead of admitting that they stayed home to binge-watch season seven of “Bosch.”

Reflecting on the merits of prosocial lying, they argue that “deception has been unfairly disparaged” because “scholars have conflated deception with the pursuit of self-interest.” Schweitzer, in “Friend & Foe” (co-authored with fellow Bschool professor Adam Galinsky), advocates that the truth be judiciously told — or withheld. The bottom line: “Is it ethical to tell prosocial lies? Our answer is yes. And we’d even take this claim a step further.” Instead of telling our kids never to lie, “we should teach them the guiding principle of benevolence” and advise them to make “careful — and deliberate — choices when they face a conflict between telling the truth and being kind.”

“For tasks that really matter for future success, honesty may be the best route to take,” advise Schweitzer and Galinsky. For example, taking a junior colleague aside and being gently but painfully honest — telling them how their performance fell short — can be prosocial, helping them in the long run by alerting them to corrections they need to make. “But when a task really doesn’t make much difference — like your grandmother’s meatloaf — prosocial lies can be just the right thing.”

The same goes for situations that no amount of honesty can change. Take your friend asking you where she lands on the 1-to-10 hotitude scale. She probably believed she was seeking an honest review, and it’s reasonable that you took her at her word. However, she was probably fishing not for the truth but for reassurance that she’s pretty.

Judicious honesty is the right amount of honesty at the right time. For a personal example, I’m pretty slim, but there is no pair of skinny jeans in which I do not look like a redhead stuffed into a sausage casing. There’s a time to gently hint that I might put a pair of skinny jeans out to pasture, and it’s not moments after I strut into a party all Alkonwursty but in the cold light of several days afterward. You’ll be doing your sworn job as my friend, looking after my interests, but in a way that allows me to enjoy myself at the party instead of hiding under a parked car with the cat till it’s over. n ©2021, Amy Alkon, all rights reserved. • Got a problem? Write Amy Alkon, 171 Pier Ave, #280, Santa Monica, CA 90405 or email AdviceAmy@aol.com (www.advicegoddess.com)

AUGUST 12, 2021 INLANDER 43

NEWS

Cannabis Creep From Carolina Cherokee lands to Texas and BuzzFeed in the West, weed marches toward normalcy

BY WILL MAUPIN

C

annabis continues to expand across the country, with new jurisdictions opening up regulated markets, new products finding their way onto shelves and massive companies getting in on the action in unexpected ways.

CHEROKEE MOVE ON MEDICAL

BuzzFeed’s weed

44 INLANDER AUGUST 12, 2021

On Aug. 5, the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians approved the creation of a legal medical marijuana market on their lands in western North Carolina. This comes two months after the tribe decriminalized possession of up to 1 ounce of cannabis on tribal lands. ...continued on page 46

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“The Council’s approval of a medical marijuana ordinance is a testament to the changing attitudes toward legal marijuana and a recognition of the growing body of evidence that supports cannabis as medicine, particularly for those with debilitating conditions like cancer and chronic pain,” Principal Chief Richard Sneed said in a press release.

At the state level, both medical and recreational cannabis remain illegal in North Carolina, making the tribal lands the only part of the state where cannabis restrictions have been loosened.

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Loopholes and workarounds are everywhere in the patchwork world that is cannabis policy in the United States, and another just opened up in Texas. As reported by Hemp Grower, an appeals court in Texas struck down the state’s prohibition on the sale of “smokable hemp” products.

Hemp was legalized federally with passage of the 2018 Farm Bill, and Texas added its own state regulations a year later. Legally, hemp is cannabis that contains less than 0.3 percent THC by dry weight. Any more THC, and it becomes illegal cannabis. However, there are no restrictions on the CBD content of hemp. Smokable hemp products include flower and oil consumed for its CBD content, but with a THC content so negligible that consumption does not produce any intoxicating effects.

BuzzFeed is known simultaneously for its vapid, clickbait quizzes and serious, hard-hitting, Pulitzer Prize-winning news reporting. If you thought the massive content company couldn’t get any more all over the place with its offerings, think again.

Last week Forbes reported that BuzzFeed is expanding into cannabis. Not reporting on cannabis or creating quizzes about cannabis — they already do both — but rather producing and selling cannabis. The new media behemoth has partnered with a California cannabis producer and will be rolling out its own line of cannabis products in the Golden State.

The line of products are part of the company’s Goodful brand and, for better or worse, not called BuzzWeed. n 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.

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DOWN 1. Apt name for a middle American?

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21. Completely clear 22. Hollywood’s Ken and Lena 25. Like bibs and aprons 26. Hollywood ____

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AUGUST 12, 2021 INLANDER 47

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BUYING Estate Conte nts Household Goods / See abesdiscount.com or 509-939-9996

LOCAL, INDEPENDENT AND FREE SINCE 1993!

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MANITO 2021

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TheFriendsOfManito.org

EARLY EDITION

Wed. Aug 18th Indians vs.

Hillsboro Hops

Get your Inlander one day early...

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

17

18

19

21

28

29

DOWN 1. Apt name for a middle American?

2. ‘90s Polish president Walesa 3. The M in a BLT, perhaps 4. Video game series since 1989 5. Transistor’s forerunner 6. Condominio, por ejemplo 7. Obnoxious tyke 8. Symbol at the head of a musical staff 9. Chocolate syrup brand since 1928 10. Destructive beetles 11. George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, for three 12. 4G ____

25

38

39

42

41

43

45

44 48 51

46 50

49 52

53

54

59

60

61

62

63

64

65

66

57

58

13. Key to quitting?

21. Completely clear 22. Hollywood’s Ken and Lena 25. Like bibs and aprons 26. Hollywood ____

THIS W ANSWE EEK’S I SAW RS ON YOUS

26

35

37

47

13

32

31

34

40

12

22

30

36

11

24

33

62. “Regrettably...”

63. Earthy pigment 64. When all ____ fails 65. Jared of “Dallas Buyers Club” 66. Hybrid tennis garment

10 16

27

37. Greeting given to a bunch of hired toughs?

39. Year that Michelangelo started “David” 40. Word with able or full 42. Part of USNA: Abbr.

43. “____, you noblest English”: “Henry V” 44. Massey of old films 45. Floor arrival sound when riding Elisha’s invention?

47. He was called “Lucifer in the flesh” by former House speaker John Boehner 50. Liftoff approx.

51. In classic ads, what Visine does (and a hint to 20-, 27-, 37- and 45-Across) 57. Neck and neck 59. 180s 60. Bonkers 61. General interests?

9

15

23

1. 1428 ____ (horror film address): Abbr.

6. NYC punk club from 1973 to 2006 10. “ER” actor Noah 14. Show on TV again 15. West Coast gas brand 16. Wolfs down 17. Texter’s “This might have gone unnoticed ...”

18. “Do the Right Thing” pizzeria 19. The “E” in PG&E: Abbr.

20. Sheltered shoreline spot in Hershey, PA? 23. Dictator Amin 24. Produce greenery 27. Southwest city that’s got all its air conditioners humming?

32. “You Be ____” (1986 rap hit) 33. “The Little Rascals” assent 34. Part of an Insta story 35. Came after 36. Go a round

8

14

20

ACROSS

Available after the game at ballpark exits

27. Fictional figure whose name means “hole dweller” 28. Eight-time Best Actor nominee Peter 29. Targets of IRS audits 30. “Charlotte’s Web” animal

55

56

“VISINE”

31. Affordable, in brand names 35. Jealous person 37. Shape of Twitter’s “like” button 38. Kind of milk 41. Holy smoke 43. Unusual sort 46. Some office workers on “Mad Men” 48. Customary 49. Scrabble 10-pointer 52. NBA team with fire in its logo 53. Classic gas station brand 54. Roman emperor who overthrew Galba

55. Manipulative sort 56. Legal wrong 57. She may be sheared 58. Congresswoman Demings

AUGUST 12, 2021 INLANDER 47

Play where the big winners play.

Donate $5 Cash, Get $5 Extra Play Cash AUGUST 2 ND – AUGUST 31 ST Donate $5 in cash and get $5 Extra Play Cash. Plus, for every 7,500 Coeur Rewards Points donated, a child will receive one backpack filled with supplies.

See Coeur Rewards booth for details. Limit two EPC offer redemptions per Coeur Rewards member.

180 Winners over Six Dates!

THURSDAY, AUGUST 12 TH – SATURDAY, AUGUST 14TH THURSDAY, AUGUST 26 TH – SATURDAY, AUGUST 28 TH 7PM Coeur d’Alene Casino is heating up the winnings with our $90,000 Hot Summer Knights Giveaway!

Play your favorite video gaming machines starting Sunday, August 1ST to earn entries into the giveaway. Get one entry for every 500 points earned with your Coeur Rewards card.

Thirty lucky winners will walk away with $500 on each of the six

Coeur Rewards Club

giveaway dates in August! Half of each prize will be paid out in cash and the other half in Extra Play Cash.

NEW MEMBERS GET $10 EXTRA PLAY CASH! Join the rewards club that gives you more! New members get $10 Extra Play Cash just for signing up.

See the Coeur Rewards booth, CDA Casino app or cdacasino.com for promotional rules.

Visit the Coeur Rewards booth to sign up and start getting rewarded today!

Visit cdacasino.com for more details.

W E LC O M E H O M E .

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SPA

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CHAMPIONSHIP

GOLF

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