Inlander 09/29/2022

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EDITOR’S NOTE

Whenever I travel, I’m always torn. I both miss home, and never want my adventure to end. As a remedy, I think of the ways I can bring the world back with me. This week’s cover, BIKETOWN, comes from that effort. As anyone who’s read my journalism over the past decade or so knows, I’m into bicycles. It’s the best, the simplest and the most world-changing inven tion humankind has ever devised. Says me. So when I go abroad, I go by bike. Whether I’m in the two-wheeled utopia of northern Europe, the pollutionchoked climes of Mexico City, or on the Selkirk Loop just north of here, I’d prefer to be on a bike. And when I’m riding, the world passes by at a slower pace, allowing me to see the people, the architecture, the mountains and for ests, in a way you can’t otherwise. I’m filled with joy and hope. And I always think about home. Cynics may say Spokane can never be a city of bikes, but cynics generally don’t work to change the world. Instead, that work is left to people like bike advocate Katherine Widing, Gonzaga professor Rhonda Kae Young, and city planner Colin Quinn-Hurst. Read about their efforts to change Spokane for the better beginning on page 16. And go for a bike ride.

— NICHOLAS DESHAIS, editor

JOE BONAMASSA LIVE IN CONCERT Friday December 2 First Interstate Center for the Arts

TRANS-SIBERIAN ORCHESTRA: THE GHOSTS OF CHRISTMAS EVE Friday, November 25 Spokane Arena

THE SMASHING PUMPKINS WITH JANE’S ADDICTION Wednesday, November 9 Spokane Arena

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HOW OFTEN DO YOU RIDE YOUR BIKE IN SPOKANE?

SCOTT ROBERTS

About five times a week. I take him [baby in an attached bike carrier] out almost every day for an hour-and-a-half or two.

That seems like a pretty sweet ride. I got hurt in the Marines, so I had to get an e-bike because I can’t keep pedaling … I have 100 miles on it now … [the baby] likes getting out.

GIB HEINZ

We’re from Canada, so we just came down to spend a couple days

And how’s it been riding your bike in Spokane? We haven’t been anywhere else except the park. We think it’s a little crazy with the traffic, the business and all that. So we kind of stick with where it’s a little safer.

BRYAN BURKE

Every day.

Does Spokane feel safe to bike? No, but I do it anyway. I wouldn’t say safe, it doesn’t necessarily feel super dangerous either. You got to have your head on a swivel. I assume every car is going to hit me until it’s like 100 feet away.

LAUREN SCHUBRING

EVENT

Colleen Bell-Craig (x212),

Tom Stover (x265)

Bejjani (x242)

I just started riding a bike after I got an e-bike. It makes it a lot more accessible to ride to work and not get all sweaty. Now I ride my bike every day to work. I’m actually a planner, so I think a lot about transportation. My big goal … is to have Howard [Street] be a greenway.

Ali Blackwood (x228)

Derrick King (x238)

Todd Goodner (x231)

GRAPHIC

Dee Ann Cook (x211)

Kristin Wagner (x210)

RECEIVABLE

Frank DeCaro (x226)

CIRCULATION

Beck

MELANIE BERRY

Not as much anymore, I mostly rely on the bus now … It’s kind of sketchy when we don’t have protected bike lanes.

Would more bike lanes make it easier? Especially if there was protection so cars can’t get into it. Because I feel like if it is just a painted line that’s not safe. And it’s not great to ride your bike on the sidewalk.

INTERVIEWS BY NATE SANFORD 9/26/2022, RIVERFRONT PARK

Teach Our Children Well

As students settle into another school year, a reminder of the importance of history in making well-rounded American citizens

BY JOHN HAGNEY

As a high school history teacher lectures her students with George Santayana’s “Those who forget history…” some wisenheimer asks, “Will this be on the test?” The teacher invites questions, and another kid asks, “What time is lunch?”

Even on the best teaching days, impressing students with the gravitas of Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address can be the equivalent of herding cats when engaging 30 adolescent brains that default to impulse and daydream on more prosaic thoughts such as sex and lunch. Yet our children are also distracted by soaring rates of depression and anxiety caused by pandemic-fueled disrup tions and social media.

The best teachers till the oft-intractable soil of young minds composting with lessons that may

fertilize student imagination and curiosity. The most fruitful harvest is a child in spired to learn. Yet with the chilling climate of COVID and acerbic culture wars, teaching can be a Sisyphean task. Like Job, teachers are the believers who persevere even when others doubt.

s we mature and achieve a balance be tween the hormonal, the cerebral and the insatiable Siren seductions of commerce and our incomes, we may ask ourselves, like the Peggy Lee song, “Is That All There Is?” Aristotle taught that once we have acquired modest mate

Clio, Muse of History by Johannes Moreelse

Craig Mason

rial security, we naturally thirst for intellectual edification. Central to this quest was knowing human nature.

Usually we learn about human nature through experience. We can live long, but such evidence remains anecdotal. While the internet has broadened our experience, it has also wrought an insular tribalism and carnival mirror distortions of reality. We can, however, contextualize and expand our understanding of our shared timeless nature through the study of literature and history.

We read Shakespeare, Tolstoy or Gwendolyn Brooks because their characters reflect our rectitudes and foibles. Consider the human proclivity for power: It tragically corrupts in Macbeth, while, conversely, impotence causes Lear’s raging madness. Or how patriarchy suffocates women’s power in Anna Karenina, Ibsen’s Doll’s House and Alice Walker’s The Color Purple. Or how racism emasculates Black men in Raisin in the Sun.

And recall the ethically ambiguous characters who confound our yearning for a Manichaean moral universe in The Tempest’s Prospero, Prince Hamlet, Victor Frankenstein and Jay Gatsby.

While literature offers fictive exemplars of human nature, his tory recalls the realities of our nature — a little lower than angels and prone to Shakespeare’s “foul deeds” — of which literature is an imitator, art imitating life.

Some contend that the past is irrelevant to our seemingly unprecedented present or that exhortations to listen to the past are the banal platitudes of teacher homilies and bumper stickers. Others may use the past as an escape from the present — history as opiate. And some are chained to the amnesia of exceptionalist fairy tales. Yet as Jawaharlal Nehru cautioned, “You don’t change the course of history by turning the faces of portraits to the wall.”

While ostensibly history changes — its actors, settings, cul tures, costumes — our basic nature is unchanging. Our sometimes fatally flawed predecessors beckon us to learn from their crucibles and thereby perhaps avoid or mitigate civilization’s crushing cri ses. If we fail to heed their counsel, we are night driving without rear vision or headlights, blindly careening into the future.

History is the guide for us, the presently perplexed — the Virgil to our Dante. Our democracy imperiled, weary and wary about forever wars? Thucydides’ Peloponnesian War recounts how Athenian democracy perished and its military was squandered in imperial hubris. Exhausted by our fractured, polarized politics? Doris Kearns Goodwin’s Team of Rivals tells how despite violent, sanctimonious partisanship, Lincoln improb ably gathered his political adversaries in his Cabinet to restore the Union. Despairing that our tribulations are insurmountable? Consider Tim Egan’s The Worst Hard Time for inspiration.

Our most enduring documents are marinated in history. Our Founding Fathers modeled government on the Roman Republic, constructing a constitution that might avert Rome’s fate. Our checks and balances are derived from Newton’s Third Law of Motion. Lincoln’s template for his homage to the Union’s dead in Gettysburg was Pericles’ Funeral Oration to the Athenian warriors who perished in the Peloponnesian War.

Many high school students may never read historical nonfic tion, apart from expurgated, stultifying Texas-sanitized textbooks, even if their schools are able to resist the latest inquisition by the freedom-for-me-but-not-for-thee crowd. High schools and colleges have become supplicants to market gospel, prioritizing jobs rather than literate, well-versed, critically thinking citizens. Another clos ing of the American mind as the study of history is left behind in STEM-driven curriculums. Education’s place in our democracy’s social contract to produce a “well-rounded” electorate now can seem quaintly archaic.

Alas, despite these herculean obstacles, the goddess of history, Clio, has graced us with teachers who heroically coax us from the dark of Plato’s cave into the light of the past. And like ourselves, teachers are not gods but mortals endowed with the same beauti fully flawed natures. n

John Hagney is a retired history teacher, spending 45 years at Lewis and Clark High School. He was named a U.S. Presi dential Scholar Distinguished Teacher and published an oral history of Mikhail Gorbachev’s reforms that has been trans lated into six languages.

BY SAMANTHA WOHLFEIL

At first glance, the race for Kootenai County assessor appears settled. There’s only one candidate on the ballot, after all.

However, after accusations that he’s failed at the basic responsibilities of his job and created a hostile workplace, current assessor and incumbent Béla Kovacs — who was appointed to his job after the death of the previous officeholder — is facing a write-in candidacy by one of his lead appraisers, Bob Scott. Meanwhile, county leadership has asked Kovacs to resign and slashed his pay in half.

Since he was appointed by Kootenai’s three-member Board of County Commissioners in spring 2020, Kovacs has created a bad working environment, according to letters written earlier this year by his employees that were given to the commissioners and the Coeur d’Alene Press. They say that Kovacs has “unpredictable moods,” is “rude and demeaning to staff,” created an environment of “anxiety” and “fear of retaliation,” and is “disrespectful” to those he works with. He had similar issues when he worked for Spokane County, according to a former coworker.

In addition to the letters, before Kovacs ran and won against Scott in the May

2022

Appraising Failure

primary for the Republican slot in this November’s general election, 34 current and former staff signed a statement of no confidence in Kovacs.

Still, Kovacs beat Scott and secured his spot on the ballot. No Democrat is running for the office.

Kovacs’ office then failed to meet multiple statutory deadlines over the summer. Deadlines were missed in June, July and August to update the property rolls, according to county staff.

County leaders say that’s a big deal, because assessments are a key factor used to figure out property taxes. Idaho’s levy-based property tax system uses property values and budgets for each of the 60-plus taxing districts (think fire departments, schools, etc.) to calculate how much each property owner owes each year.

“You have to have good, accurate and timely assessments in order to levy a tax, and when that doesn’t happen that really impedes and puts in jeopardy the welfare of the people of the county,” says Kootenai County Commissioner Bill Brooks, a Republican who has been on the board for nearly four years. “The people who are doing these essential services, if their agencies don’t get the money in the right amount, or on time, it’s very serious.”

Brooks says the commissioners have received concerns from staff and other elected county officials, and they all agreed Kovacs should go.

“We’ve asked him politely to vacate that office, to resign, and he has adamantly and vehemently refused to even consider it,” Brooks says.

So in August, the commissioners cut Kovacs’ salary in half, from $90,000 per year to $45,000, effective Oct. 1.

“That’s the first time that’s ever happened in the history of Kootenai County,” Brooks says. “It’s kind of a last resort.”

Post Falls, inside Kootenai County, is one of America’s fastest-growing cities, making its property assessments a complex task. ERICK DOXEY PHOTO

After blown deadlines and accusations of hostility, the Kootenai County assessor faces a write-in opponent as bosses try to get him to quit

NEWS | TOPIC

“APPRAISING FAILURE,” CONTINUED...

Kovacs, who did not respond to multiple messages seeking comment for this article, remains on the job and in the race. Meanwhile, his opponent Scott (the only person to officially file a write-in candidacy) and other people who’ve worked with him are trying to inform the public about his unacceptable job performance.

“The bottom line is that the reason I’m running is because we need someone else in that leadership role,” Scott says. “He has proven himself to not be able to do the job.”

MISSED DEADLINES

Kovacs got the job in May 2020 after the death of asses sor Rich Houser. As outlined in state law, the county com missioners were presented with three candidates chosen by members of Houser’s party. In this case, it was up to the Kootenai County Re publican Central Committee.

Brooks says that his main concern was hearing how each of the three candidates would value property, one of the primary roles of the assessor’s office. Kovacs, who has worked as a real estate agent, was the only candidate who had a good explanation, Brooks says, outlining how he would look at comparable sale prices, income, and the cost to replace a structure if it were built new.

“What I didn’t see and couldn’t see, is there’s no

way to tell how a person works in a company situation with employees, his personality,” Brooks says, “and that’s where I think we began to have problems.”

Scott, who has worked in the assessor’s office for more than nine years and is one of several lead appraisers on staff, says Kovacs has a hard time making decisions and regularly declined to learn how things work when county staff offered to explain the process.

Multiple employees who had been in the office for decades planned to stay on for a few more years to ensure that new staff members understood how to do their work. But Scott says that they departed soon after Kovacs became their boss, leaving new staff members without much guidance or the experience of going through the one-year cycle of valuing properties and sharing information with other offices.

“He pushed those people away,” Scott says of the experienced employees. “He’ll point something out as being the cause of the problem, and never take responsibility for some of the basic issues, [including] his inability to motivate people or to work closely with them without offending them. He’s a micromanager.”

This year, many in Kootenai County saw their property values increase significantly, as assessments are based largely on recent sales in a particular area. Nearly 800 property owners appealed their assessed values, which was a significant increase from most years, when maybe 70 or 80 appeals would come in, Scott explains.

Simple communication could’ve prevented many of those appeals from being filed and enabled deadlines to be met, Scott says.

“He could’ve been proactive and educated folks,” Scott says. “If your value doubles or triples, your taxes are not going to double or triple, that’s not how it works.”

For example, Scott says one property owner he worked with saw their assessed value jump from about

$1.8 million to about $3.5 million this year. But their property taxes, which last year were about $17,000, are projected to go up to about $18,000 next year, Scott says.

“Educating the public, it’s one of my favorite things to do. We’re typically seen as the enemy, but we’re the furthest thing from it,” Scott says. “What we do is directly affected by home prices. When prices drop, your values drop. People forget that.”

Despite the blown deadlines and lack of leadership described by Scott and Brooks, Kovacs kept coming to the commission with asks. For instance, he wanted a minimum of $200,000 to contract for outside assessing services, Brooks says. Kovacs also wanted the commissioners to provide money for outside legal services, related to his salary cut. The commission refused the request for outside legal help, Brooks says.

“Béla has demonstrated with his actions that he lacks insight to evaluate his own performance,” Commissioner Chris Fillios said at the Aug. 31 meeting when he and his colleagues voted to cut Kovacs’ salary. Fillios added that Kovacs’ pay was cut because of his failure “to meet his statutory duties, including deadlines, and his refusal to take any responsibility for the performance of himself and his staff.”

BLAME GAME

At least one person who worked with Kovacs when he was the purchasing director for Spokane County de scribes a similar feeling of dysfunction in the office, with Kovacs blaming others for issues.

Bret Lancaster says he worked as a buyer in the Spokane County purchasing department for about 18 years, and Kovacs was his manager nearly the whole time he was there. Over time, Kovacs filed numerous complaints against Lancaster, who for several years was the union president for many county employees. Kovacs claimed Lancaster overused sick leave and created

Béla Kovacs

contract delays. Lancaster’s official filings with human resources showed that he maintained a positive leave balance while he was a single dad raising three kids, and proved through emails and documents that he did not create delays.

Lancaster says that Kovacs would often interrupt people and was difficult to work with.

“I averaged 140 to 150 open contracts at any given time,” Lancaster says. “Those projects would get flipped upside down because Béla would stick his nose in them and blame me or department heads.”

Lancaster says he had a heart attack in 2012 that he partly attributes to stress at work. He says he felt moved to share his experiences after learning about what’s happening in Kootenai County and believing a similar pattern of dampening morale is happening there.

At one point during their time working together, when arguing about a decision that Lancaster admits he told Kovacs was “stupid,” Lancaster says that Kovacs stood toe-to-toe with him and screamed while pointing his finger in his face.

In an official Loudermill response (a type of filing union members use to dispute potential disciplinary action) about the incident in March 2014, Lancaster wrote that “I felt very threatened and as Béla continued I lifted my left hand with my palm facing Béla and stated ‘this is not appropriate,’ which did nothing to stop his yelling.”

After things cooled down, Lancaster says he was thankful he had already applied for another job and was able to move to another department shortly after. Lancaster later went on to work with the city of Spokane to fix audit findings for them and now works for Washington state, but he laments not remaining in the purchasing office where he was proud to work on large projects that made a difference in the community.

“I’m proud of my history, but what hurts is I was meant to be in procurement, that was my craft, and it’s very difficult to get back into that,” Lancaster says. “Now he’s destroyed another public agency, and that’s dereliction of duty. You have a duty as an officer, elected or not, to do your job.” n

samanthaw@inlander.com

Sip and smokethe night away.

Sheriff Sweeps

Also, kudos for tax credits; and local political mapmaking

BY INLANDER STAFF

Spokane County Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich is standing behind his plans to remove the Camp Hope homeless encampment in East Central Spokane by mid-October. The county prosecutor’s office, Knezovich says, is working on a warrant of abatement for the camp that should be completed in about 20 days. Some conservatives, including two on the Spokane City Council, have voiced support for the sheriff’s plan, but many progressives have raised concerns about the moral, legal and logistical implications of forcibly displacing more than 600 homeless people in a city without adequate shelter space. State agencies have said they also want to see the campers moved but need more time to make sure each camper is placed in safe and secure housing — a process that could take months. The sheriff — who has not been to Camp Hope himself — says he would be fine holding off on the sweep if state agencies pledged to move every camper within a month. But two months? No way, Knezovich says. (NATE SANFORD)

LOW-INCOME LAURELS

Downtown Spokane’s Ridpath building won national recognition last week for its use of a federal program that encourages affordable housing in historic buildings. The former hotel, first opened in 1952, then closed in 2008, struggled for years under shady financiers and dubious plans, but opened in 2018 with 184 units of rent-controlled workforce housing developed using a variety of public funds, including housing tax credits. The apparent success of the project led the Affordable Housing Tax Credit Coalition to award the Ridpath the 2022 Charles L. Edson Tax Credit Excellence Award for historic preservation. U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., praised the win. “In the face of a serious homelessness and housing affordability crisis, the Ridpath Club Apartments have provided relief to renters in Spokane who’ve struggled to make ends meet,” she said in a statement. It’s not perfect. The building has struggled to find commercial tenants for its ground floors, and residents have complained about safety. (NICHOLAS DESHAIS)

Loans

BORDER CONTROL

In last year’s race for Spokane City Council, progressive Zack Zappone beat conservative Mike Lish by only 262 votes — a little more than a single percent. But if one of the city’s Redistricting Board local gerrymandering proposals shown to the public last week goes through, Zappone’s reelection could be a bit easier. By putting the deep blue Browne’s Addition neighborhood into Zappone’s northwestern District 3, the map is a boon to Democrats. That map would have boosted Gov. Jay Inslee’s margin in 2020 in that district by 1.5 percentage points. So who designed that map? None other than Councilmember Zack Zappone. Pressed by the Inlander, Zappone swears he wasn’t trying to give himself an advantage. Instead, he says he was merely trying to design a map that didn’t split up existing neighborhood council districts. What do you think? Zappone’s map — Map #2 — is one of four proposals on the city’s website, awaiting public comment. Go to my.spokanecity.org/bcc/boards/city-council-districting-board for more information. (DANIEL WALTERS)

The region’s largest multimedia art & music event is back!

The projected deficits for the city of Spokane are calculated the year before the budget year. By state law, the city must balance the budget before Dec. 31; for 2023, the figure is an estimated range. (No data was available for 2007-2009, or 2014-16).

The Gap Strikes Back

The city’s deficit has been resurrected. Who’s to blame?

BY DANIEL WALTERS

Publicly, Spokane Mayor Nadine Woodward’s administration doesn’t sound particularly panicked about the budget this year.

“It’s going to be tighter than in previous years,” says Chief Financial Officer Tanya Wallace. “We’re still showing some pretty good revenue growth, even though the market is contracting.”

So it’s striking that City Council members left and right, along with former city budget officials, are hammering the alarm button.

Matt Boston, the council’s budgeting manager, says the city’s own optimistic numbers from August show that city projects raising $13.7 million less next year than it’s proposed spending. The administration’s “PR spin” on the budget gap, he argues, is like a pilot telling passengers “don’t focus on that wing that just fell off.”

Council President Breean Beggs says the city potentially faces a $30 million deficit. And conservative Councilman Michael Cathcart’s deficit estimate is even more dire: up to $40 million.

“The public has zero understanding of how bad our budget is right now,” says Cathcart, adding that he’s proposed a 15 percent cut to the city budget.

In this strange new post-pandemic economy, Spokane may have already reversed one of the previous mayor’s biggest achievements. David Condon, mayor from 2012-19, was cheered for finally fixing the city’s “structural budget gap”

— chanting a 3 percent mantra of growth, and hammering down city spending until it fell in line with the city’s revenue.

But Boston and council members say the gap is back. For the foreseeable future, our costs are growing faster than the money we’re taking in.

“A year ago we said, ‘We are going toward a cliff,’” says Boston. “I had many direct conversations saying we need to worry about this.”

THE BAD TIMES

Few people recall 2004 or 2005 as an economic disaster in Spokane, but it was in Spokane City Hall.

Back then, the Inlander referred to the structural gap problem as the city’s “dirty little secret for decades.”

The city’s expenses were growing nearly twice as fast as its revenue. A projected $6 million deficit in August 2004 had doubled by October. And since the city can’t legally run a deficit, out came the ax.

“One hundred fifty-two full-time equivalents eliminated,” says Gavin Cooley, who was the city’s CFO for 17 years, including under Condon. “Brutal.”

But the cuts were just triage. They hadn’t cured the disease. With costs still increasing faster than revenue, another round of brutal cuts were inevitable.

“Psychologically, it’s devastating.” Cooley says. “And the minute you’re done with it, the

CFO walks up and says, ‘Guess what? We have another deficit next year.’”

It wasn’t until Condon, who could not be reached for comment, was elected that the budget gap was finally solved. Through negotiations with the local unions, City Hall capped salaries and benefits from growing much faster than 3 percent a year, the longterm average of the city’s revenue growth.

But that victory was tenuous.

“Gavin used to say, ‘You’re one bad labor contract away from a structural gap again,” says Tim Dunivant, the budget director under Condon.

A MILLION LITTLE THINGS

To be clear, there’s a lot of reasons that the city’s finances have been having problems.

The pandemic. Inflation. Gas price hikes. Using one-time funds for ongoing expenses, like when the city tapped into COVID relief funds to cover the new Trent homeless shelter’s operating costs.

But the biggest issue budget hawks are watching is the latest round of union contracts.

Instead of holding the unions to the Condon administration’s 3 percent mantra for wage bumps, the city has increased salaries for the major unions — from the fire union to the police guild to the thousand-city-employee-strong Local 270 — by closer to 5 percent, according to city data.

By the time the city shells out the $9 million in back pay owed to the unions, it will have blown through over 80 percent of its general reserve funds, leaving the rainy day fund almost completely dry.

Boston’s worried it could harm the city’s bond rating, which can hinder the city’s ability to get favorable loan terms for things like street and park improvements.

While Wallace, the city’s CFO, doesn’t agree that union negotiations broke the city’s budget, she says the city “did not anticipate the labor market that we experienced at all.”

Cooley agrees. During a labor shortage, labor has the upper hand.

“They are dealing with a competitive marketplace that I never had to deal with,” Cooley says. “That would have been very difficult to hold to that principle, with current market conditions.”

But some also sees strategic mistakes. Ben Stuckart, who was criticized for being too cozy with the fire union during his tenure as council president, describes grabbing beers with his firefighter friends in the union as they crowed about what a great deal they got.

“Halfway through the conversation they said, ‘Did you hear about that contract?’” Stuckart says. “‘You never would have voted for that shit. We got things we never would have gotten from you!’”

The key to previous union negotiations, Cooley says, was sitting down with labor and putting the city’s six-year financial projections “front and center.”

But while Wallace says the city kept those projections in mind, they were not “necessarily used in the detailed negotiations.”

There might’ve been a good reason for that. Condon’s 3 percent mantra came at a cost: You can only run departments so lean before they begin starving.

Randy Marler, president of the fire union, suggests past contracts were “short-term fixes” that have damaged the city over time.

“Our ability to recruit and attract high-quality employees has suffered,” Marler says. “We’ve been way too lean for way too long.”

From Community, Housing & Human Services to human resources to the fire department, low staffing levels in recent years have either sent employees fleeing for the exits or sent overtime costs careening out of control.

Wallace says that the city is choosing its employees over other investments that could be made. She adds that the concept of a structural gap is “constantly evolving. And we’re going to evolve with it.”

Predicting exactly what is going to happen in the future, Wallace suggests, is impossible. But that’s why folks like Boston and Dunivant say it’s important to be conservative.

Dunivant, for one, is not above predicting: “The economy’s coming to a screeching halt here pretty soon.” n

danielw@inlander.com

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CITY OF BIKES

The future belongs to the bicycle, in Copenhagen, Mexico City, Portland — and Spokane

Iwas in middle-of-nowhere Holland when a Dutchman praised Spokane.

Specifically, I was in Linden, a suburb of Cujik, itself in the hinterlands of Nijmegen, the 10th-largest city in the Netherlands, when Sjors van Duren began interrogating me about my origins.

“The U.S.,” I said.

“Yes,” said van Duren, an internationally known bicycle planner. “Where?”

“West Coast.”

“Yes, where?” he said, his impatience with my gener alities building.

“Washington state,” I said. “Not D.C.” “Yes, yes,” he said.

“Spokane.”

Recognition hit his face. “Lovely city,” he said. “I’ve been. There’s a very cool bar by the railroad tracks.”

He grabbed his phone from his pocket. “Steel Bar rel,” he said. “Oh, it’s closed.” (The location is now home to Golden Handle Brewing Co.)

From there we were off. He praised Spokane’s beauty and suitability for bicycling infrastructure. We got on our bicycles, and spoke more as we rode on the many things he’s brought to the Nijmegen region since begin ning his career in 2008. The Fietsbrug Mook, a bicycle bridge over the Meuse River. The bicycle highway that takes commuters from the small towns in the Dutch countryside to the city’s university, historic center and the stadium in Goffertpark, where this weekend the German metal band Rammstein would play to 50,000 people two nights in a row, many of them pedaling to see the theatri cal, pyrotechnical mayhem.

Not me. I was on a monthlong tour of Denmark and the Netherlands this summer, studying bicycle planning and culture, meeting experts and advocates, and gener ally having my mind blown wide open to the possibili ties of urban cycling. It wasn’t my first trip abroad on two wheels. In recent years, I’ve ridden bikes on four continents — in Europe, Asia, South America and all over North America.

On nearly every street and bike path, and in every town and city I visited, I thought, “Could this work in Spokane?” More often than not, the answer: Definitely.

Clearly, there are hurdles, beginning with the finan cial advantages our government doles out to automobiles and roadbuilding, a fact on display in this year’s Inflation Reduction Act, the single-largest climate policy invest

ment in U.S. history that has not one single mention of bikes or transit, but shovels gobs of money toward electric cars. And in last year’s infrastructure act, which invests a record $1.4 billion in “alternative transporta tion,” a number swamped by the $350 billion going to highways.

Still, there are ways to transform Spokane’s urban transportation system into one of green simplicity, where commuters won’t find themselves stopped in traffic on the Monroe Street Bridge or Interstate 90, but flowing like water on two wheels. Where everyone feels safe riding, including children, and knows they can get where they need to go, and with little effort.

But how? Here are five ways we can make Spokane one of the best cities in the world for people on bikes.

BIKE HIGHWAYS

As van Duren and I rode into Nijmegen, we rolled through forests and pastures. We went over canals and under commuter rail lines. When we did cross the occasional road, drivers yielded.

We were on one piece of infrastructure that van Duren had helped bring to his hometown: an unimpeded bike highway.

At least that’s what we call it in English, but its Dutch name — doorfietsroute — sug gests its true purpose. It means the “keep cycling” route. The word “highway” sug gests speed. The Dutch moniker doesn’t. It’s a matter of convenience, rather than pace.

I don’t know what I was expecting when I heard I was going to ride on a bike highway. Maybe a Tour de France-style peloton of close proximity and racing speed. Not this. This, I said aloud to myself from the saddle, was just like the Centennial Trail.

Spokane, I realized, has a bike highway. Our very own doorfietsroute. Like Nijmegen’s path, our route converges on the city center, offering the possibility of drawing commuters from as far as Coeur d’Alene or Nine Mile.

But there are major gaps, dashing the idea of “keep going.” While there are magnificent unencumbered stretches, there are also major points of danger and confusion. Riding along Upriver Drive in the Minnehaha neighborhood is fine if you think a thick line of white

BY NICHOLAS DESHAIS

paint will protect you. But good luck getting across Argonne Road in Millwood, or through the bewildering route of Post Falls.

But van Duren, who traveled to the University of Oregon earlier this month with people from the Dutch Cycling Embassy and Urban Cycling Institute to lead a series of “ThinkBike” workshops, says the Centennial Trail is the foundation of our future city of bicycles.

“It can function as your backbone,” he said over Zoom from his hotel in Bend. “The problem with the Centennial Trail is it doesn’t really connect to anything. You’re missing the last few 100 feet. And certainly, if you’re scared as hell to go three blocks downtown in Spo kane, then it’s not being used functionally, just leisurely. If you want to develop your network, stop working away from the Centennial Trail’s great connection.”

As we spoke, my mind flashed back to a trip I took to Taipei, Taiwan, in 2016. I rented a bike near my Airbnb and rode along the Tamsui River Cycle Path.

I used the route as a tourist — leisurely — riding to the waterfront where I felt like I was in an Oregon coastal town, snacking on stinky tofu instead of saltwater taffy. But it was clear this path was primarily for commuters, the working people in the island’s capital city. Every mile or so, a cafe would appear on the trail, with grab-and-go dan bing egg crepes and hot soy milk for those “func tional” riders.

The initial pavement of what is now the 40-mile Centennial Trail was laid in 1989 to commemorate the state’s first 100 years. YOUNG KWAK PHOTO

“CITY OF BIKES,” CONTINUED...

Once I was off the trail, however, it was like riding in Spokane — if Spokane had 2.6 million people and about a quarter of the commuting population traveled by moped. It was intense, but I knew then as I do now what van Duren was saying. A bike highway is great, but it needs to be complete, let people ride with little or no places to be hung up or confused, and connect to a network of safe bikeways.

That’s what the Centennial Trail needs. That and more cafes for the morning commute.

SEPARATED BIKEWAYS

James Thoem works spreading the good word of Copen hagen, Denmark. That word is: “Copenhagenize.”

In fact, that’s the name of Thoem’s company. As I sat in the Copenhagenize Design Co.’s offices, just a few min utes from the twisting and flying Bicycle Snake Bridge, I knew he was right. When it comes to bicycles, any city in the world can do like the Danish capital.

I spent nine days in Copenhagen riding everywhere I went, including to do laundry at a diner in the Østerbro neighborhood. What I experienced can be replicated in any city with a road. Just add a bike lane between the sidewalk and street that’s not on the same level as either. It’s a little lower than the sidewalk, and a little higher than the road.

Though the exact design varies from city to city, these “separated” bikeways are beginning to take over the world. Bogotá, Colombia; Ljubljana, Slovenia; Xiamen, China; Vancouver, British Columbia; and Lagos, Nigeria, have them. And, wait for it, Spokane is building one as you read this, downtown on Riverside Avenue.

“This is the first,” says Colin Quinn-Hurst, a planner with the city who spends part of his time focusing on bike infrastructure, as we stand next to the partially completed bikeway. “It took awhile to design. It was new for us. But

we’re excited to see how people use it.”

It’s coming together well, with green lanes to notify motorists of people on bikes, and parking between much of the bike and car lanes, providing not just a steel wall of protection, but a known method of getting people to drive more carefully.

As Quinn-Hurst notes, it may be new to Spokane, but 130 American cities have similar bikeways. They’re build ing them not out of blind bike love, but for safety.

A 2019 study looking at 13 years of data in 12 Ameri can cities showed that separated bike lanes actually make the streets safer for everyone — whether they’re on bike, foot or driving.

Portland, one of the cities, shows just how power ful safe bikeways can be when it comes to saving lives.

SPOKANE’S (UNFINISHED)

BIKE SPOKANE’SNETWORK (UNFINISHED) BIKE NETWORK

Between 1990 and 2010, the proportion of overall trips taken in separated lanes increased from 1.2 percent to 6 percent. During the same period, the road fatality rate dropped by 75 percent.

“It’s better for everyone,” QuinnHurst says.

But, count it, it’s just one protected bike lane in all of the city. We need more.

As Copenhagen’s network of protect ed bikeways has grown, it’s used more and more. In 1994, when the city really began investing in its network, about 30 percent of people rode their bike to work or school. Now, less than 30 years later, that rate is 62 percent.

It’s a wonder to witness. One June morning, on Thoem’s suggestion, I sat on the east end of Queen Lou ise’s Bridge watching morning commuters stream by, just a fraction of the 48,000 bikes that cross the bridge every day. Every 45 seconds the signal on the bridge’s east end would turn green, and the river of people on bikes would flow, only to be dammed by a red light, packing riders densely on the bikeway, waiting for the next 45-second cycle.

It’s an unambiguous example that bikes are the most efficient way for a city to move. A standard bike lane can move 6,000 people every hour, according to the National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO). In a car lane, that number drops to 1,300 people an hour.

A CITY NETWORK

As I stared at the river of Danish commuters, my American eyes disbelieved what they saw. Yet there was something they found familiar. Cars. There are still many cars in Copenhagen, and every street still accommodates them. They simply now share the space they had unilat eral access to for decades.

Spokane, whose downtown streets have been de scribed as wide enough to “shoot a cannon down,” has space to share.

Rhonda Kae Young, a civil engineering professor at Gonzaga University who sits on the city’s Bicycle Advi sory Board, has already shown Spokane how that can be done by helping bring the Cincinnati Greenway to the Logan neighborhood. Logan parallels the car-busy Ham ilton Street along leafy neighborhood roads. Major cross ings, such as on North Foothills Drive, are eased with a pedestrian signal triggered by the touch of a button.

Everyone wins. Bikes stay off the car street, and cars generally stay off the greenway. When the residents drive on the street, it’s at a slow, safe speed. To borrow a Dutch term, the traffic has been “disentangled.”

“Too much of the conversation has been framed around which mode wins. If there’s a winner, there must be a loser,” says Young. “It’s not about forcing anyone out of their car. In a system that works well, if someone rides a bike it helps you” as a motorist, pedestrian, transit rider or anyone else.

Spokane’s first protected bikeway is taking shape on downtown’s Riverside Avenue. ERICK DOXEY PHOTO

CENTENNIAL TRAIL NON-MOTORIZED PATHS

GREENWAYS

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Nicholas Deshais is editor of the Inlander. The bicycle has been his primary mode of transportation since 2001, and he’s been writing about bikes for nearly as long, beginning with a newspaper internship 15 years ago when he wrote about Portland’s struggles to regulate fixed-gear bikes. Since then, he’s written about bikes for weeklies, newspapers and magazines, and studied transportation planning at the University of Michigan, UCLA and the University of Oregon.

As I saw in Denmark and even in Amsterdam, cars go everywhere. So do trains and buses and pedestrians. When I was in northern Europe, I struggled with the American idea of “freedom” and how at odds it is with our transportation system. We’re generally given one choice on how we’re going to get anywhere: the car. Liberty literally means the power, right and opportunity to choose. I guess the liberty-loving Scandinavians and Dutch have us beat.

Still, choice is something we should demand. And to make bicycling a viable option, a robust and connected bike network is necessary. As it is, we have a lot of bikeway frag ments that don’t link together.

“When I think about the big picture things, it’s the con nectivity,” Young says. “We’re really good at having these high-quality destination trails, but it’s the pieces. We need connectivity between jobs and housing. It’s such a low-cost way to handle transportation.”

Which is where River side’s new bikeway comes in.

When complete in the spring, Riverside will act as the “missing link” for the cen tral city’s numerous trails, says Quinn-Hurst, the city planner. With this one refurbished road, people on bikes will more easily ride between the Centennial, Ben Burr and South Gorge trails. QuinnHurst is also working on a connection from the Gorge trail — which loops around Peaceful Valley, Kendall Yards and Riverfront Park — to the Fish Lake Trail and Cheney.

A humble beginning of what could be a vast urban bike network, and it was an add-on to a needed, already-on-the-books road construction project. What’s more, people in cars won’t see a change in their com mute times. Not until the network grows and more people are riding and not driving. But to get there, the network must grow, something Young, Quinn-Hurst and others are working on.

The city has funded projects in the works to build greenways on Pacific Avenue through downtown from Browne Street to Sherman Avenue, and on Cook Street in northeast Spokane. Work is underway building a biking and walking path on Illinois Avenue. And, after a lengthy application and interview process, the city just joined NACTO, a federally recognized coalition of cities that provides support and research about how to solve the complex transportation issues of the 21st century.

SLOW STREETS

I had emerged from Utrecht’s Wilhelmina Park and was heading southeast toward the Dutch city’s university on a treed street lined with homes and parked cars. I passed a sign that read, Fietstraat Auto te gast. Bicycle street. Cars are guests.

Ahead of me three boys, maybe 10 or 11, rode side by side, acting like boys do. Oblivious to the world around them. A car slowly drove behind them, not too close. Three or four blocks passed. More people on bikes and a handful of cars came from the other direction. Seeing their chance to pass, the motorist gained a little speed and passed the boys at a safe distance, still going a comfortable pace of 30 kilometers per hour — 18 mph.

I couldn’t believe it. The boys showed no sense of impending danger or fear they were in the way. The motorist wasn’t aggressive.

Still, most Americans probably share my initial thought: This is not safe. A fear not misplaced. Every single day in America, 22 children are struck by cars, ac cording to the National Highway Traffic Safety Adminis tration. Those kids, a number equivalent to a kindergar ten class, are lucky. They survive. In 2019, 221 children who were either walking or riding a bike were killed by drivers in the U.S.

What makes this senseless loss even harder to accept is the fact that pedestrians once had free rein to the street.

“Around 1910 or so, you would’ve seen people walk ing all over the street. You would see streets being used like public spaces,” says Peter Norton, a transportation historian at the University of Virginia, in the new PBS documentary, The Street Project

In his book, Fighting Traffic, Norton describes the scourge on American streets 100 years ago, when cars appeared and motorists blazed through neighborhoods. In 1921 alone, 1,054 kids were struck and killed in New York City.

Cities erected monuments memorializing the dead children and passed laws to control speeding drivers. The auto industry and automobile clubs pushed back, lead ing systematic campaigns to stigmatize how people had always used the street. They even coined the new term “jaywalker,” which basically said only country bumpkins — “jays” — didn’t know how to cross a street.

It worked. In the end, the car won and now most of us simply accept that our streets are for the exclusive use of autos.

And overall road fatalities continue, a sad tally that reached 46,000 dead in the U.S. last year. Data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and Na tional Safety Council shows that Washington state traffic fatalities continue to climb, with an increase of 31 percent this year over last.

Calling all of this murder is a bridge too far for most Americans, but it was such directness in language that led to change in the Netherlands 50 years ago.

Through the 1950s and ’60s, Dutch city planners followed the American mode of knocking down neigh borhoods in favor of highways. But when the child of a journalist named Vic Langenhoff at the newspaper De Tijd was struck and killed by a motorist, Langenhoff began writing a series of columns.

The first was headlined, “Stop de Kindermoord.” Stop the murder of children.

Spokane Summer Parkwayshas become the bike eventof the year. YOUNG KWAK PHOTO

BIKE LANES

PROTECTED BIKEWAY

BIKEWAYS

For an interactive Spokane Regional Bike Map, visit SRTC.org

“CITY OF BIKES,” CONTINUED...

His writing galvanized the city. Parents, children, activ ists and politicians banded together. In 1970, the Netherlands experienced 245 traffic deaths per million people, a number equivalent to the current U.S. rate of 257 per million. Now, the country sees 34 deaths per million — 70 percent lower than the fatality rate here in America.

What can be done? Look to Copenhagen, which like Spokane is a city of parks.

For instance, there’s the Trafiklegespladen — the Traffic Playground. Here, children as young as two learn how to ride a bike in traffic. They’re given whatever two-wheeled machine they can handle — pedal-less balance bikes all the way to standard models — and let loose. In a tiny model cityscape, complete with traffic signals, yield signs, bike lanes. To learn on their own. They end up getting it, simply through play.

It gives the people of Denmark mobility and independence early in life. In Odense, the nation’s third-largest city, 5-yearolds ride their bikes to school. Parents who do drive their kids are warned that they’ll be ticketed if they park in front of the school.

There, four out of five children bike or walk to school — a situation not unlike in the U.S. not that long ago. In 1970, half of American elementary and middle schoolers walked or biked. Now, only 11 percent of children walk or bike, according to the Na tional Household Travel Survey.

It’s a shame, too. As any Dutch or Danish citizen will say, the bike gives children a sense of freedom. And responsibility. And exercise.

We don’t have that here, but we do have Spokane Summer Parkways, where once a year 4 miles of streets on the South Hill are closed to cars, allowing any kind of human-powered transpor tation.

Katherine Widing’s been at the helm of the solstice event since 2010. A native of Australia, Widing has lived in Spokane for nearly 40 years and made a career out of writing bicycling guidebooks for Holland, France, Belgium and around Washington state.

So she knows good places for bikes when she sees them. This year, she saw it.

“This year, we had 3- to 4,000 people,” she said of Sum mer Parkways, the largest number yet for the event. “The atmosphere was just amazing.”

The idea is simple. Close the streets to autos, and let people come out and enjoy the shared, public space. People on bikes, roller skates, skateboards, walking.

“Our reward is seeing happy people,” Widing says. “See ing a little girl with butterfly wings and pink tutu riding a pink bike makes it all worth it.”

But Widing wants more, and she has some ideas. Namely, ciclovías.

CICLOVÍAS

When a guy on a skateboard being pulled by his dog flew by El Ángel de la Independencia, I knew I was seeing something special.

It was a Sunday, and like every Sunday on Avenida Paseo de la Reforma in Mexico City, this major road of the capital was closed to autos. It was a festival, a fair, a party, a massive picnic. It was ciclovía, a weekly event that regularly draws 50,000 people.

Spanish for “cycleway,” ciclovías began in Bogotá in 1974, when the pollution-choked and traffic-jammed Colombian capital banned cars from some of its major roads in an effort to curb pollution and traffic. Two generations of Colombians have grown up with the event, and running it — closing streets, ensuring it’s safe — is part of the city’s official duties.

That’s what Widing thinks should happen here.

“It takes a lot of work. It’s a big event,” she says, noting that she and six other volunteers have made Summer Park ways happen for more than a decade. “It doesn’t have to be a big event. But the city has to be involved.”

Widing sees a future where it becomes an official city event, like ciclovías are in dozens and dozens of other cities around the world. Because the biggest cost and headaches of Summer Parkways, she says, come with securing the proper permits and ensuring police are on hand to route auto traffic.

With the city running the show, the event could happen multiple times a year, and in different locations. Imagine a sun ny Sunday riding around the Altamont Loop and down South Perry Street with the district’s many restaurants and stores do ing sidewalk business. Or on Garland Avenue. Around Corbin Park. North Market Street. Even Northwest Boulevard.

MORE WAYS TO KEEP THE WHEELS TURNING

MORE BIKE PARKING. There’s nothing worse than getting a bike stolen. The city should create lots of safe and secure bike parking facilities. In Holland, municipal garages, staffed or locked at all times, allow people to store bikes free for the first 24 hours.

BUS-ONLY LANES. Give STA the ability to provide frequent and reliable service with a network of lanes reserved for buses. This allows local bike travel shorter than three or so miles to be supported by transit for longer trips.

ELECTRIC CARGO BIKES FOR LOCAL DELIVERY. Enough with the massive trucks parking in the street with their engines running. Encourage in-town delivery to happen on e-cargo bikes, which are capable of holding up to 550 pounds.

ELECTRIC BIKE VOUCHERS. People in cities and states all over the U.S. — from Vermont to Texas — have access to hundreds of dollars in rebates if they buy an e-bike, many times through their electric utility. Washington state almost passed a similar program, and it was nearly included in the recent Inflation Reduc tion Act. Call Avista and your representatives and demand it.

MORE POLITICIANS ON BIKES. We need to see our elected officials getting around on two wheels.

COMMUTER RAIL BETWEEN THE AIRPORT AND IDAHO. When Mayor Nadine Woodward was running for office, she said Spokane should emulate Portland’s light rail system and build a line from Spokane International to Coeur d’Alene. She was right.

BETTER COMMUNICATION — ESPECIALLY FROM THE CITY — ABOUT TRAFFIC SAFETY. And how bikes make our streets safer for everyone

I experienced just such a rotating ciclovía in Los Angeles, where I spent the last year studying urban planning. First, we rode downtown, into Chinatown and around MacArthur Park. A few months later, we were in South LA, cycling on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and by the Memorial Coli seum. Then, this summer, we rode on Hollywood Boulevard.

Each time, I thought of Spokane’s different neighborhoods and celebrated business districts. And I wondered, could Spokane do it?

“Yeah, definitely,” said van Duren, the Nijmegen planner, when I asked if Spokane could be a place where bicycles are a major part of life. “Amsterdam wasn’t always Amsterdam.”

Spokane, van Duren said, has the advantage of being a medium-sized city that’s relatively dense — thanks to our history of streetcar suburbs and booming before the advent of the car — that’s relatively flat, and that still has local politics.

“If they want to act, they can be quite effective,” he said of city officials. “Enjoy that. Use that and see what you can do. Because, yeah, it is definitely possible. But it’s not an overnight thing. And you should not try to sell it as an overnight thing. It isn’t. It just takes work.” n

WINTER MAINTENANCE. Wintery cities around the globe ride all year, from Minneapolis to Calgary to Oslo. The city needs to invest in plows that can maintain bikeways.

INCREASE DENSITY. The open spaces of the central city need to be filled in with destina tions closer to where people live.

BETTER FLOWING ARTERIALS. It may seem counter-intuitive, but with autos and bikes disentangled, traffic should flow better. Create fewer stops for cars, do away with block after block of red lights. They won’t be going at a faster speed. But with better flow, fewer lanes are needed, allowing street to be shared by all.

FIETSER NOT CYCLIST. Google fietser, and you’ll see men and women, young and old, riding bikes. Google “cyclist” and you’ll see a middleaged man in lycra. Let’s be fietsers

The east end of Copenhagen’s Queen Louise’s Bridge,which 48,000 bicycles cross every day. NICHOLAS DESHAIS PHOTO

AWARDS WINNERS

Misty Grace

James Pakootas recipient of the Karen Mobley

LEAVING AN IMPRINT

Spokane artist Chris Bovey opens Vintage Print + Neon storefront, studio and workshop in the Garland District

BY CHEY SCOTT

Chris Bovey’s new shop on Garland Avenue isn’t technically open on Tuesday, but it’s too enjoy ably warm and sunny on a late September after noon to keep the roll-up door along the sidewalk closed.

Bovey’s here to meet with me for this story, but he doesn’t turn away the half-dozen or so customers who wander in while we chat. They browse for a bit before purchasing T-shirts, posters and coffee mugs featuring his recognizable artistic odes to the Inland Northwest.

The space as a whole is an eclectic homage to local history, art and design. Among Bovey’s own art and artmaking tools — he moved his screenprinting studio from his Medical Lake home — are remnants of retro advertis ing signage, salvaged industrial fixtures and neon-lit signs.

At the back of the store, a magnetic wall displays dozens of Bovey’s place-specific designs for his popu lar 13-by-19-inch poster series, including old, new and perpetually popular tributes. Behind the counter are the Vintage Print archives, containing all that’s currently in stock of the more than 500 or so designs he’s created.

I first met Bovey when I started at the Inlander over a decade ago. He was the paper’s art director, but left in 2014 to focus on his increasingly popular art venture. While designing the Inlander’s covers and editorial layout,

he’d work on his hand-pulled screen prints of local land marks as a side hobby. Whenever a new design was ready, he’d hang it up in his cubicle and many Inlander staffers, myself included, would drop off $20 to grab his latest homage to an iconic locale or history: Manito Park, Expo ’74, Dick’s Hamburgers, The Shack and many more.

“It was sustaining itself when I left there, which I didn’t know if it would or not,” Bovey recalls.

“It’s consumed most of my time” in the years since, he adds.

Still, he was nervous about opening a permanent location, even after having much success selling prints and other merchandise online, at local events, and retail locations like Atticus Coffee & Gifts.

Any latent fears subsided when Bovey connected with Katherine Fritchie, who owns the building Vintage Print now calls home, along with the historic Garland Theater just a couple doors west. Bovey initially contacted Fritchie to inquire whether a space connected to the theater was available. Though she told him it wasn’t, she had another spot in mind.

“She said, ‘I’ve got this place two doors down that’s been sitting vacant for years, and I’ve been waiting for the right person to come along,’” Bovey says. “She was amaz

ing because she talked me through it.”

Bovey realized the chance to be in the historic Gar land District, a place highlighted in many of his designs, was a sign things were meant to be.

Even better, Bovey says, is Garland’s connection with his other focus of the space: vintage neon signage. Gar land is one of the city’s few historic, commercial pockets with a proliferation of original, neon-gas-illuminated sig nage, such as at The Milk Bottle, Ferguson’s Cafe, Brown Derby tavern and the Garland Theater.

“This is the only place in Spokane that has a whole bunch of neon like this concentrated into one area,” he says. “It seems like a perfect fit. It’s so locked in time, and is such a cool piece of history that’s been preserved.”

Bovey’s dive into the world of neon signage began in 2020, when he suddenly acquired the massive metal sign from an old Wolffy’s Hamburgers, saving it from the scrapyard. He wasn’t sure what he’d do with it but had the space to store it on his property.

Word soon got around town that Bovey was inter ested in restoring and saving old neon.

“A sign company reached out to me and said, ‘Hey, we’ve got an old hotel sign, do you want it?’ And I put

Chris Bovey has launched his creative hub in the heart of the Garland District. YOUNG KWAK PHOTOS

that on my property,” Bovey says. Then he bought neon-bending equipment from a shuttered business.

“I’m starting to accumulate a collection,” he says. “Maybe it would be helpful to start learning how to bend neon just so I can keep this stuff going.”

Since then, Bovey’s neon “Boneyard,” as he’s dubbed it, has grown to include familiar relics of local business history. He’s added Italian Kitchen’s pan-flipping chef, and marquees from the defunct Geno’s Pub, Rocky Rococo, The Blackbird, Luigi’s and The White Elephant. National Geographic even came out earlier this year to interview him about it all for a potential TV series.

Bovey hopes to eventually open the Boneyard to the public a few times a year, but some of the smaller signs he’s saved are displayed at the Garland shop.

Outside, a swooping, yellow arrow of incandescent bulbs on top of the building points down to Vintage Print’s entrance, along with a green-and-purple neon “IN” sign with chasing arrows.

“It’s a labor of love, bringing them out to my property and investing in the structure and restoring the glass and everything like that,” he says. “But they all light up every single night.”

Saving these signs quickly became a creative calling for Bovey, who says Spokane’s cityscape was once filled with these colorful, retro advertisements and wayfindings.

“There’s a lot of focus that goes into preservation of build ings, but there’s not much with signs,” he says. “Like when you look at old shots of Riverside or something like that, it’s all neon and it looks like New York City or Chicago. And you don’t see it anymore because it all ended up in a scrap heap somewhere.”

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hile Bovey hopes to someday offer visitors the chance to observe the art of neon sign making at his new shop, the space is currently focused on screen printing, with several hands-on opportunities.

One of those is a monthly Print ’n’ Pint Night. For $35, at tendees can create a print themselves on a T-shirt, tote or poster paper while enjoying a pint of beer.

Customers can also print their own T-shirt or hoodie with a pre-selected, rotating design any time the shop is open. Bovey hopes to invite schools for field trips to teach kids about printing and design. A partnership with the Garland Theater for its throwback movie night series, Totally Tubular Tuesdays, is also in the works.

“My challenge is to try and constantly think about the customer’s experience, and not reinvent the store, but just keep it fresh,” he says.

The mid-September grand opening was an early indication that many people support Bovey’s landmark-focused art. Art, I tell him, that’s on the walls of countless homes and businesses near and far.

“It’s weird for me to think that I, or at least my work, has an impact on so many people’s lives, you know?” he says. “I try not to think about it too much, but it’s just cool, because a lot of people will come in here, like they did last weekend, and say, ‘Thank you so much for what you’re doing.’ I’m just making something that makes me happy.” n

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Vintage

• 914 W. Garland Ave. • Open Thu 11 am-6 pm, Fri-Sat 11 am-7 pm, Sun 10 am-6 pm • facebook. com/vintageprint.us • 509-217-8453

PLAYOFF PANIC MODE

The Seattle Mariners should’ve had an easy path to the playoffs… but they never make things easy for their fans

BY SETH SOMMERFELD

Just when you think something good might possibly happen, the Seattle Mariners remind you they’re the Seattle Mariners.

Two weeks ago, the Mariners were cruising to their first playoff appearance in 21 years. Not only were they tied atop the American League Wild Card standings, they were entering the cakewalk portion of their schedule. While all other teams in the Wild Card race had tough opponents left, the Mariners only had the worst teams in the league to contend with — Angels, A’s, Royals, Rangers,Tigers — all teams at least 19 wins below .500.

But as Mariners fans know, this organization will do everything in its power to make you feel like a braindead idiot for believing in them.

The Mariners promptly lost series to the Angels and A’s, before really upping their game by blowing an 11-2 lead in Sunday’s matinee versus the Royals to lose that series, too.

But perhaps even more concerning than the onslaught of losses has been the rash of injuries. The Mariners new superstar center fielder, Julio Rodriguez, had his back go out on him. Slugging third baseman Eugenio Suarez fractured the tip of his index finger. Those two had been largely carrying the Mariners’ offense, and their sudden trips to the Injured List sent the lineup reeling.

All signs point to one thing for Mariners fans: It is time to panic.

And while it’s been the most frustrating stretch for the Mariners in decades, I would caution fellow Mariners fans that the sky isn’t falling (at least not yet).

Despite the horrific swoon, the Mariners sit in a favorable position to make the playoffs. At the time of

writing (Sept. 26), the Mariners still have a four-game cushion on the Baltimore Orioles for the last playoff spot. The O’s have only gained 1.5 games in the Wild Card chase during this abominable M’s stretch, and still have series against the Yankees and Blue Jays. Conservatively, if the Mariners go 5-5 in their final 10 games, they’ll almost assuredly to make it into the Wild Card playoff round.

There are also actual on-field reasons for optimism. The Mariners pitching roster is still formidable with Logan Gilbert, George Kirby, Luis Castillo and Robbie Ray. And both Rodriguez and Suarez should be able to return to the lineup before the regular season ends (fingers crossed).

But more than anything, Mariners fans should remember this: Baseball playoffs are extremely dumb and random.

Compared to the NFL or NBA, an overmatched MLB playoff team can win it all just by a few guys ran domly getting hot for two or three weeks. Take a team like the San Francisco Giants, who won three World Series in the 2010s despite not being top three in the league in regular season wins in any of those seasons. They just had elite starting pitchers who went on a tear and often had random guys hit clutch home runs. The Mariners are actually set up to fit this blueprint.

It is perfectly acceptable to yell and vent and feel agony and post mean tweets in response to the putrid Mariners of late. They’ve been hot garbage. They deserve the criticism and should feel the pressure.

They’re Mariners, damn it, and they need to weather this storm or go down with the ship! The hull may have sprung a leak, but the ship hasn’t sunk yet. Keep calm and sail on. n

THE BUZZ BIN

CH-CH-CH-CH-CHANGES

Of all the rock stars, David Bowie might be the one most worthy of big screen spectacle. MOONAGE DAYDREAM delivers that. The new film by director Brett Morgen isn’t so much a traditional documentary as it is a collage of Bowie exploring his thoughts on art and existentialism. Using archival footage and interviews, Morgen quilts together a portrait of a reflective creative mind who was always in touch with the beauty of life. Bowie often muses on chaos, and the documentary can feel like a cacopho nous wall of noise scoring a two-hour music video at times. But that captures the fervor the man inspired, and Bowie’s everevolving aesthetic eye and artistic perspective make it worth getting lost in this daydream. (SETH SOMMERFELD)

FABULOUSLY FREE

Imagine you’re leaving the Flour Mill or Riverfront Park and you hear music. Good music. Hey, is that Frank Sinatra? Nope. It’s Jim Swoboda and MASTER CLASS BIG BAND, one of Spokane’s favorite musical ensembles that pairs top professionals with local students in an ever-changing lineup of talent. The band’s home base is 540 W. Cataldo Ave., so when weather permits, they hold practice out doors, typically on Thursday evenings. Also typically a small group gathers — some bring lawn chairs — for what amounts to a fab free concert. Cool, right? Visit facebook.com/masterclassproductions for updates on future performances. (CARRIE SCOZZARO)

THIS WEEK’S PLAYLIST

Noteworthy new music arriving in stores and online Sept. 30:

YEAH YEAH YEAHS, COOL IT

DOWN. Nearly a decade since the release of its last record, YYYs return with more fierce Karen O crooning over atmospheric artpunk backing.

BJÖRK, FOSSORA. The Icelandic art pop icon’s 10th studio album attempts to get earthy and organic with an avant-garde “biologi cal techno” sound.

PIXIES, DOGGEREL. The loud-quiet-loud alternative rock trailblaz ers still can turn out raw, growling tunes more than three-and-ahalf decades after hitting the scene. (SETH SOMMERFELD)

The Mariners’ home field: Site of fall festivities or continuing drought? IAN DEWAR PHOTO

Confluence of Culture

How a local artist and wilderness skills teacher recreated historical murals at the Spokane House Interpretive Center

BY CARRIE SCOZZARO

There is a special place north of Nine Mile Falls Dam at the confluence of the Spokane and Little Spokane rivers that represents the best and worst of what can happen when cultures convene. Now under the purview of Riverside State Park, the area is known as Spokane House, the name British Canadian fur trader and explorer David Thompson gave the trading post he helped establish in 1810 on land where the two rivers meet.

What makes Spokane House so special? That depends on one’s perspective. Tribal members’ ancestors first gathered and fished there, but were ultimately pushed out by Whites. Some modernday groups, meanwhile, are keen on conveying the legacy of early fur traders and working to ensure the area’s continued preservation.

What they share is the commitment to telling the story of Spokane House, including through its modest interpretive center, where a confluence of cultures recently worked to repaint historical murals on the building’s exterior.

The original murals were painted in 2005, but were in disrepair, prompting Riverside State Park ranger Paul Neddo to seek artists to fix the paintings as early as 2018.

“The east wall mural has a synopsis on the site’s significance and it was becoming illegible,” Neddo says. “When the interpretive center is closed and visitors walk onto the grounds, that synopsis is a valuable interpretive communication tool as it shows the connections of the Spokane Tribe, the natural resources, and the fur traders to this important historical locale.”

Neddo worked with the Friends of Spokane House, the park, and Spokane Tribal members to get the project going in early 2020.

“The mural project on the Spokane House Interpretive Center was a collaborative effort by many,” says Spokane Tribal member Warren Sey ler, who facilitated communications with tribal members throughout the two-year-long project.

Shaun Deller, a member of Friends of Spokane House historical reenactment group, volunteered to help.

“In my 20s, I became fascinated with survival skills and Stone Age technology,” says Deller, who lives in a cabin he’s restoring in Priest River, Idaho, and also teaches woodworking at Sand point Waldorf School.

“Around eight years ago, my interests in art, survival skills and local history started to blend together, and I found that I really enjoy study ing about the early 19th century fur trade in the Pacific Northwest and doing living history interpretation,” Deller says.

With his background in history and art — he attended Pennsylvania College of Art and Design and Maryland Institute College of Art — includ ing a fascination with copying Old Masters’ paintings, Deller was an ideal choice.

“Early on there was some discussion that the painter should be a tribal person,” says Seyler, adding that the idea didn’t gain traction because of timelines, lack of funding, and other factors.

Despite pandemic-related delays, Seyler adds, “Shaun Deller was very committed to getting [the murals] as historically accurate as possible.”

To do that, Deller immersed himself in historical source material like David Thompson’s journals and Eastern Washington University pro fessor John Alan Ross’ tome, The Spokan Indians Deller worked with Seyler and other Spokane Tribal members, including Jennifer Lebrett and Joshua Flett, as well as Shawn Brigman, from whom Deller also took a tule mat tipi workshop.

The final murals balance historically accurate imagery with details Deller felt would help bring history alive for viewers, showing more facial expressions, for example, or clothing detail like beadwork.

“I just put a lot more people in [the murals], and a lot more diversity,” Deller says, adding that he incorporated images of more women and children in the current scenes.

“I wanted it to kind of have a feel of like, this is a village,” he says. “This wasn’t just a few Native people that happened to meet here with some traders.” n

Visit friendsofspokanehouse.com for more information about Spokane House, the mural project or to donate to pay for the artist’s time.

Shaun Deller restored this interpretive mural. CHIANA McINELLY PHOTO

GOLD SPONSOR

From the Outside

Discover how chef Ian Wingate views food, flavor and farm-to-table dining at his new restaurant, Outsider

BY CARRIE SCOZZARO

Asingle dish can put a chef on the culinary map.

For chef Ian Wingate, that dish has varied over his 24-year career, starting with the meatloaf at his first restaurant, Moxie, a word meaning courageousness, perseverance and skill. In 2009, Wingate’s signature dish was the chipotle fish tacos at Agave Latin Bistro, the now-defunct Tex-Mex restaurant he developed with Sergio DeLeon of De Leon Foods. And at Outsider, Wingate’s newest venture, his signature dish is rotisserie cauliflower ($16) that evolves as you eat it, like petals unfolding.

“It’s our No. 1 seller,” says Wingate, who opened Outsider after nearly a two-year, pandemic-related delay.

The vegetarian meal starts with a large head of cauliflower made tender in the rotisserie, a technique Wingate perfected at the former Harry O’s, his first Spokane fine dining job after relo cating from Hawaii in the late ’90s. The cauliflower’s exterior then goes into Outsider’s wood-fire oven, which he also uses to make pizza, like the prosciutto ($20) with San Marzano tomatoes, asiago cheese, basil-dressed arugula and country olives.

Although cauliflower is milder, nuttier and sweeter than its bras sica brethren — mustard, cabbage, Brussels sprouts — the char from the oven adds an interesting texture. A slight caramelization balanc es the dish’s bold accompaniments like lime aioli, chili arbol sauce and toum, which resembles mayonnaise and is a Lebanese staple that Wingate makes by emulsifying oil, garlic, salt and lemon.

Cut the cauliflower like a steak, and use a spoon to bathe it in more of the not-too-spicy broth (or slurp it up like soup). The base of toasted bread, rather like Texas toast, softens a bit as it sits in its flavor pool, making for the perfect bite of tender cauliflower, chewy bread and various sauces.

“There’s a lot of love that goes into that cauliflower,” Wingate says.

Many of Outsider’s dishes have the potential to become fan favorites, each containing clues to Wingate’s per sonal and professional journey.

The rib eye poke ($21) with Walla Walla sweet onions and local tomatoes is a nod to Wingate’s Hawaiian upbringing, featur ing Aloha Shoyu soy sauce and faintly salty sea asparagus, also known as sea beans.

The guanciale pizza ($19) is Wingate’s ode to Italy — he trav eled there and to France some years back — with Castelvetrano olives, Calabrian peppers, buttery Fontina cheese and guanciale, an unctuous, salty, cured meat similar to bacon but more nuanced.

Outsider’s Ribeye poke

PHOTO

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“FROM THE OUTSIDE,” CONTINUED...

Hearth-baked feta ($16) was a popular dish at Moxie, and Wingate has updated it with garlic confit, olives and zhoug, a spicy Middle Eastern condiment similar to chimichurri, but using cilantro.

“I just want to cook what I like to cook and what I’ve grown up learning to cook and what I’ve cooked for customers over the years that they like,” says Wingate, who returned to Spo kane from western Washington to open Outsider in January 2020, and to reconnect with custom ers for whom he’d cooked over the years.

In addition to Moxie (1998-2012) and Agave (2009-2013), for example, Wingate also created the Japanese-inspired Blue Fish (2004-2010). And he did stints with Adam Hegsted at Wandering Table and for Gloria Waterhouse at Sandpoint’s Inn at Sand Creek. In 2004, Karen and Walt Worthy tapped Wingate to open Palm Court Grill, then again in 2012 to create the Davenport Grand’s Table 13.

Often, Wingate ran several places simultane ously, which impacted his health.

“I was just working too much and stressed out,” Wingate says, clarifying that he didn’t have a heart attack. “I was just beat down.”

Fortunately, his partner at Blue Fish was also his cardiologist, who prescribed time off and a change in lifestyle, which Wingate still dutifully follows.

“I’ve learned to delegate more,” he says, adding that he tries to maintain a good work-life balance. To that end, Outsider has yet to an nounce a grand opening. And with just four staff members, Wingate has kept the menu and hours modest, with a two-hour break between lunch and dinner service. He hopes to add coffee and morning treats soon, too.

Outsider is a reflection of Wingate’s varied experiences, including three years he spent at Table 47, the Gig Harbor restaurant created by former Starbucks’ COO Troy Alstead, and whose team recruited Wingate in 2017 while he was still at The Davenport.

“It just kind of fell in my lap,” says Wingate, who had an affinity for farm-to-table cooking as far back as Moxie, where he championed local

companies like Small Planet Tofu.

Table 47 advocated for full-scale environ mental responsiveness, explains Wingate, from non-GMO items and single-strain DNA meats, to composting bathroom waste into a worm farm in the restaurant’s basement. It also treated farmers and other purveyors as partners in the culinary process, which resonated with him, Wingate says.

Wingate learned that if the people who work on the farm are happy, “the outcome of the produce is completely different,” adding that he’s doing that as much as possible at Outsider, like sourcing tomatoes from Jackson Farms’ Dan Jackson (formerly of LINC Foods).

Outsider is the first of three proposed eateries to occupy the Papillon building near Riverfront Park (Downriver Grill’s Juli Norris plans to open Kasa Restaurant & Taphouse, as well as Lorèn, a jazz bar, later this year).

Formerly an office space with a drop ceiling and cubicles, Outsider is a bright, welcoming spot with large arched windows overlooking the Flour Mill and Spokane Arena. One wall inside is original brick, while two others have been painted; one teal, one auburn. Urban touches in clude drop lights with a geometric, white-painted design, and mixed wood seating. Sit underneath the windows or along the open kitchen counter and watch as Wingate works his magic with the oven and an assortment of cast iron pans.

When it came to choosing a name for his latest restaurant venture, Wingate returned to a similar sentiment he had when naysayers advised him not to open Moxie in a strip mall.

“I always feel like I went against the grain,” Wingate says.

Although “outsider” can mean different things, he says, it’s something everyone can relate to.

“I always think outside the box. I try to do stuff differently.” n

Outsider • 908 N. Howard St. • Open TueWed 4-8 pm, Thu 11:30 am-2 pm and 4-8 pm, Fri-Sat 11:30 am-2 pm and 4-9 pm • outsiderpnw.com • 509-315-5442

Chef Ian Wingate is back in Spokane for his new restaurant, Outsider. YOUNG KWAK PHOTO

Mythical Marilyn

Andrew Dominik uses Marilyn Monroe as a vehicle for stylistic excess in the misguided Blonde

BY JOSH BELL

For a movie that spends nearly three hours plumbing the depths of its main character’s psyche, Andrew Dominik’s Blonde offers a remarkably superficial take on what drove Marilyn Monroe (Ana de Armas). Based on Joyce Carol Oates’ 2000 novel, a fictionalized account of the life of the legendary actress, Blonde reduces everything in Monroe’s life, from triumph to tragedy — although it’s mostly tragedy — to daddy issues.

ALSO OPENING

BROS

The first major studio gay romcom with a full LGBTQA primary cast, the Judd Apatow-produced Bros finds Billy Eich ner playing a neurotic museum curator who falls for a man who’s his buff, macho polar opposite. Rated R

THE GOOD HOUSE

Born Norma Jeane Mortensen, she’s initially raised by her mentally ill mother, Gladys (Julianne Nicholson), who shows young Norma Jeane a photo of a handsome man Gladys claims is Norma Jeane’s father. Both Norma Jeane and the film then fixate on that mythical man, constantly returning to his image and Norma Jeane’s search for him over the course of the lengthy running time. If Dominik is aim ing to bolster Monroe’s troubled reputation and legacy, all he’s done is turn her into a passive victim with little agency or understanding of her own motivations.

white, frequently within the same scene. Those visual transitions lose their ability to signify anything important when they’re used so regularly, relegated instead to slightly annoying background details. The editing blurs the lines between what’s actually happen ing to Norma Jeane and what she’s envisioning in her increasingly drug-addled mind, and that allows for some striking juxtapositions, although Dominik’s shot composition often seems designed for shock value. The vaginal point-of-view shots during multiple abor tion procedures are mostly just grotesque, cheapening the trauma that the movie is attempting to convey.

BLONDE

Rated NC-17

Directed by Andrew Dominik

Starring Ana de Armas, Adrien Brody, Bobby Cannavale

Streaming on Netflix

As a film, Blonde is a chaotic, impressionistic odys sey through Monroe’s life, with only cursory nods toward providing context and historical details. Characters come and go without the movie defining their relationships to Norma Jeane or even, often, their names, and only viewers with existing knowledge of Monroe’s life will be able to identify the significance of some of the people onscreen. Biopics don’t have to play out like Wikipedia entries — and are generally better when they don’t — but Blonde circles around the same basic themes again and again without insight or emotional engagement. Poor Norma Jeane is horrifically mistreated by nearly everyone in her life, and it makes almost no impact.

Instead, Dominik offers showy visuals that distance the viewer from Norma Jeane rather than bringing her closer. The movie is constantly switching aspect ratios and between color and black and

Through it all, de Armas makes a valiant effort to hold onto Norma Jeane as a person, although her default expression remains dazed and uncertain. In one scene, as her film career is taking off, Norma Jeane makes an assertive play for compensation equal to co-star Jane Russell’s on 1953’s Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, and that single moment affords the character more energy and independence than the entire rest of the movie. With all of her romantic interests, in cluding her husbands Joe DiMaggio (Bobby Cannavale) and Arthur Miller (Adrien Brody), Norma Jeane merely floats along, subject to their whims and abuses. Dominik’s graphic depiction of Norma Jeane’s liaison with President John F. Kennedy (Caspar Phillipson) is crude and ugly, only adding to the humiliation she experiences.

While men boss her around, Norma Jeane longs for a child, which Dominik depicts via laughable scenes of CGI fetuses (includ ing one that talks to her in voiceover) during Norma Jeane’s ill-fated pregnancies. It’s another misguided bit of stylization that hammers home simplistic themes at the cost of character development and narrative coherence. Blonde doesn’t need to be a dry history lesson, but it should have something more interesting and valuable to say underneath its distracting barrage of questionable imagery. n

A New England real estate agent (Sigour ney Weaver) must wrestle with her pen chant for over-drinking as she sorts out her relationship with her daughters and rekindles things with an old flame (Kevin Kline). Rated R At AMC River Park Square

PADDINGTON 2

One of the best movies of the last decade finds everyone’s favorite polite young bear in prison after being wrongly ac cused — by a dastardly actor (Hugh Grant) — of stealing a valuable pop-up book. Will his family be able to clear his name, or will Paddington have to find other means of escaping his caged con fines? Rated PG At Regal Cinemas

SMILE

When a psychiatrist’s patient dies bru tally in front of her after a mental break, she grows increasingly paranoid of a supernatural presence trying to kill her, which manifests in others’ creepily smil ing faces. Rated R

VIKRAM VEDHA

A Hindi remake of a 2017 Tamil hit, this action-packed neo-noir follows a detective whose binary perception of good and evil is challenged when a gangster tells him three stories that aren’t so black-and-white. Not Rated At AMC River Park Square

Style trumps substance in Blonde

Still Not Magical

Hocus Pocus 2 effectively captures the irritating cacophony of the original

BY JOSH BELL

When Hocus Pocus was released in theaters in 1993, it barely made an impression, opening in fourth place at the box office and losing money for Disney. It would have been deservedly forgotten, but relent less Halloween-season airings on Disney-owned TV channels and strong home-video sales put it in front of a generation of kids who responded to its hyperactive plotting, loud characters and treacly message of family togetherness. Nearly 30 years later, the debut of Hocus Pocus 2 on Disney+ is a major event, anticipated by its fans with as much fervor as a new Marvel or Star Wars release.

The trouble is that all the nostalgia in the world can’t make Hocus Pocus any good, and it can’t turn this decades-later sequel into a worthwhile endeavor. Hocus Pocus 2 basically just rehashes the underwhelming plot of the first movie, with slight variations. The Sanderson sisters, evil witches who’ve returned from the dead after 300 years, are the Hocus Pocus characters who’ve infiltrated pop culture, but they’re not actually the protagonists. In the original movie, the main characters were a trio of kids who had to defeat the Sanderson sisters before they could devour all the children of Salem, Massachusetts. They’re not important or memorable enough to be included in the sequel, though, since what’s essential is get ting Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy to return as the Sanderson sisters.

about the power of friendship, but the main focus is on Midler, Parker and Najimy shrieking their way through tired jokes and a couple of listless musical numbers. Director Anne Fletcher started her career as a choreographer, but there’s no spark to any of her musical staging here.

HOCUS POCUS 2

by Anne Fletcher

Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, Kathy Najimy

An extended prologue adds a new nemesis for the Sanderson sisters in Father Traske (Tony Hale), whose descendant (also Hale) is now the mayor of Salem. Since the Sanderson sisters have become so popular, they can’t be entirely evil anymore, and screenwriter Jen D’Angelo gives them an unconvincing redemption arc that robs them of their minimal transgressive fun. Mayor Traske isn’t a villain either, nor is magic shop owner Gilbert (Sam Richardson), who takes his interest in the history of the Sand erson sisters a little too far. Both Hale and Richardson are talented comedic performers, but they have to settle for slightly off-kilter line deliveries because the screenplay is devoid of clever humor.

Disney+

So there are some new forgettable kids to take on the Sanderson sisters, who are once again sum moned from the afterlife after the inadvertent light ing of a magical candle by a virgin. They terrorize Salem (in a family-friendly Disney way) on Hal loween night, as teens Becca (Gossip Girl’s Whitney Peak), Izzy (Belissa Escobedo) and Cassie (Lilia Buckingham) try to figure out how to stop them. There are more half-hearted lessons, this time

Somehow the special effects look worse than the effects did in the 1993 original, and the whole production has a flat, empty made-for-streaming look. There’s extensive product placement for Walgreens and a shout-out to fellow Disney property Good Morning America, surely every teen’s favorite network news program. Peak, Escobedo and Buckingham are likable enough as the new leads, but they’re most ly just killing time in between Sanderson scenes. Fans should be happy to see Midler, Parker and Najimy enthusiastically slip back into their roles, which means they’re just as grating and unpleas ant as they were the first time around.

It’s tough to argue with warm childhood memories, and Hocus Pocus 2 seems designed not to mess with this inexplicably beloved phenom enon. It’s garish, hokey and obnoxious — just like it’s supposed to be. n

EMO FOLK PUNK

From the Bottoms of Your Heart

Finding art in vulnerability with the Front Bottoms

BY SETH SOMMERFELD

If we’re being honest, many of our emotions aren’t the pretty ones. Yes, there are plenty of moments of joy and love that fill us with warmth, but a lot of us tend to let those be flashes of fleeting joy while spending more time stewing with the ugly ones. The sadness. The pain. The frus tration. The grief. The anger.

It makes sense that people use music as an escape from the ugly emotions — people with pitch-perfect vocals crystaliz ing the good feelings as a comforting audio blanket. But that clean veneer can often glisten with too much of a sheen, and sometimes folks just want to lean into exasperation to musi cally vent and release their inner steam.

The Front Bottoms exist for those people. Brian Sella, the singer/guitarist for the New Jersey emo folk punk band, doesn’t so much sing his angsty tales of love and loss as he yelps them out. There’s an inherent urgency in every line delivery, like he’s gotta get his thoughts out ASAP for fear of them building up a pressure that would make him explode from the inside. At times he can seem petulant, silly, hostile, snotty and heartbroken within the span of verse, but you believe the urgency because there’s a non-polished character istic of his voice that’s inherently and immensely relatable in

a way that vocal powerhouses with their unattainable skill simply cannot capture.

That relatable vulnerability is The Front Bottoms’ super power.

“Vulnerability is a really incredible word,” says Sella. “That’s the word for sure.”

“The human aspect of it is something that I’ve kind of realized is important,” Sella continues. “When people put a song on, and they can hear the guy singing and are like ‘Oh, OK, I could see this guy singing’? That is the Front Bottoms. I’m trying to always create that, like: Let’s lean into the fact that I can’t hit any of these notes.”

“Back in the day when we were making those songs, I was so f---ing high strung. I was frantically on edge, because it was like, every single one of these lyrics is like, gonna be the last lyric I sing. And now that I’m a little bit older, it is a little bit more relaxed. I’m not screaming the songs because I’m so stressed, I’m screaming them so that they sound good now. So obviously, that original feeling of hysteria, it’s kind of hard to recreate that because I’m not 20 years old anymore, but I can lean into other developments and other techniques and stuff.”

Proof that The Front Bottoms (Sella & Uychich) can smile.

MARK JAWORSKI PHOTO

The Front Bottoms came up through the New Jersey scene with a folk-punk, scrap py underdog sound centered on Sella’s anxious vocals and acoustic guitar fretting and Mat Uychich’s drumming, and built up a follow ing through self-released albums and MySpace.

The aforementioned extreme vulnerability might turn off certain sects, but it also the type of thing that can build a niche fanbase that’s super passionate. And that audience grew exponen tially with the release of their stellar first two “official” LPs, The Front Bottoms and Talon of the Hawk. While it’s hard to top the raw emotional impact of those records, the band has continued to evolve and expand sounds into a bit more fleshed-out rock sounds on the full-lengths like Back on Top, Going Gray and, most recently, 2020’s In Sickness & In Flames. Sella is conscious that the group couldn’t dwell in that realm of oversharing youthful zeal forever.

“I think I know where the [oversharing] line is,” Sella says. “It is definitely tough now, though, with the internet. If I sing a song about beating my dad to death with a baseball bat (“Father”)... when we put that song out, nobody was listening to the song. So now, everybody could listen to the song. You even don’t need to buy the record, it could be on your Instagram feed or whatever.”

“If I make a song, and there’s like a lyric that’s a little bit too intense, Mat will say, ‘Hey maybe we chill that one out,’ you know?” Sella continues. “Like we went into the label the other day and played some songs. And there were

definitely a few titles and a few lyrics that were making everyone uncomfortable, for sure. And I’m like, ‘That’s cool! That’s what this is. This is art.’ I have no problem changing things, because it really is about the vulnerability for me. And you can’t be more vulnerable than if somebody’s like, ‘Oh, you should change this. That’s a little too intense.’ And I’m like, ‘OK, I will change it.’ It’s an important part of the process.”

“Vulnerability is a really incredible word.”

For the latest Front Bottoms release, the EP Theresa, the band mixes a little of the old with a little of the new. Theresa is the latest entry in the Front Bottoms’ Grandma series (following 2014’s Rose and 2018’s Ann), a collection of EPs dedicated to their beloved elders, which finds the band properly releasing polished renditions of tunes from the early days that only existed via rough live versions that became cherished gems among diehard fans.

“We would record demos and put them out on the internet that night. The recording process of the songs was never important,” says Sella. “Before this, it was really just songs that we’d play live. Kids would yell them, and then I would forget how to play them. There was a lot of — excuse the term — magic in those recordings

“FROM

that people definitely really connected to. And those still all exist. This is just a new sort of way that we could give them an official release.”

For Sella, the Grandma EPs don’t exist just to rehash the old while peppering them with new techniques and skills he’s picked up. In his mind it’s an art project, one which gives fans a deeper Front Bottoms well to draw from.

“When I go in and approach these Grandma series, I’m es sentially relearning the songs and like adding 10 years of life to it,” he says. “I definitely want to be like a catalog band. Where it’s like, ‘Oh man, I found this one song that I like and then I went back and found that they had like 250 songs, and all these differ ent EPs, and different versions.’ I kind of like that feeling in terms of a career.”

Expect a slew of those formerly live show-only tunes in the set when the Front Bottoms swing through Spokane alongside the tremendous Welsh melodic shoegaze band the Joy Formidable. It should be a terrific, varied combo as the Joy Formidable’s shred ding sound falls on the other end of the polished rock spectrum compared to the Front Bottoms.

Unlike many performers who often struggle with being away from home during the grind of tour, the communal vulnerability of Front Bottoms shows actually invigorates Sella. It’s an escape from the fraught thoughts that swirl throughout Sella’s head and spill into his lyrics. Fittingly for this tour, those sweaty clubs packed with kids and young adults singing along to his miseries are a true place of joy for Sella.

“It is such an escape to go on tour,” Sella says. “Like, it solves all my problems.” n

The Front Bottoms, The Joy Formidable, Mobley • Fri, Sept. 30 at 8 pm • $30 • All ages • Knitting Factory • 919 W. Sprague Ave. • sp.knittingfactory.com

SYNTH POP CHVRCHES

Thursday, 9/29

ARBOR CREST WINE CELLARS, Christy Lee

J J BING CROSBY THEATER, Joe Satriani

BRICK WEST BREWING CO., Kyle Richard CHECKERBOARD TAPROOM, Weathered Shepherds

J KNITTING FACTORY, Toadies, Reverend Horton Heat

THE MASON JAR, Brendan Roof

MYRTLE WOLDSON PERFORMING ARTS CENTER, The Dip NORTHERN QUEST CASINO, Pat & Evan

PINE STREET PLAZA, Scott Thompson

J QQ SUSHI & KITCHEN, Just Plain Darin

RED WHEEL BAR AND GRILL, Kosh

SOUTH PERRY LANTERN, Keanu

STEAM PLANT RESTAURANT & BREW PUB, Sam Leyde

ZOLA, Desperate8s

Friday, 9/30

J THE BIG DIPPER, Everyone Loves A Villain, Alive In Barcelona, Ligature Marks

BOLO’S BAR & GRILL, Dangerous Type

BORRACHO TACOS & TEQUILERIA, Kyle Swafford

CHAN’S RED DRAGON ON THIRD, Bobby Patterson & the Two Tones

COEUR D’ALENE CASINO, Nate Ostrander

COEUR D’ALENE CASINO, Royale CURLEY’S, Haze

IRON HORSE (CDA), Rock Candy

J J KNITTING FACTORY, The Front Bottoms, The Joy Formidable, Mobley

MICKDUFF’S BREWING COMPANY

BEER HALL, Son of Brad

MOOSE LOUNGE, Heather King Band

J PEND D’OREILLE WINERY, Ponderay Paradox

THE RIDLER PIANO BAR, Just Plain Darin

We all went to some dark places in COVID times, but few artistically utilized that mindset like Scottish synth-pop trio CHVRCHES. The group made its excellent 2021 album Screen Violence at a pandemic distance, but the band’s haunting melodic melancholy and youthful yearnings feel fully cohesive. Singer Lauren Mayberry’s fears of a world centered on screens and the alienation that fosters are laid bare over an ar ray of catchy pop tracks. Expect a jubilant — if slightly dark — dance party when CHVRCHES holds mass at the Knitting Factory.

— SETH SOMMERFELD

CHVRCHES, Cafuné • Sun, Oct. 2 at 8 pm • $33-$35 • All ages • Knitting Factory • 919 W. Sprague Ave. • sp.knittingfactory.com

METAL GWAR

Saturday, 10/1

J THE BIG DIPPER, River City Roots

BOLO’S BAR & GRILL, Dangerous Type

CHALICE BREWING CO., Son of Brad

CHAN’S RED DRAGON, The Longnecks

COEUR D’ALENE CASINO, Nate Ostrander

COEUR D’ALENE CASINO, Royale CURLEY’S, Haze

DAHMEN BARN, The Hankers

J GORGE AMPHITHEATER, Rüfüs Du Sol

IRON HORSE (CDA), Rock Candy

J KNITTING FACTORY, Matt Nathanson

J KROC CENTER, Sam Leyde Band

J LAKE CITY CENTER, An Evening with Hank and Patsy

J LEBANON RESTAURANT & CAFÉ, Safar

LUCKY YOU LOUNGE, Hot Club of Spokane

LUCKY YOU LOUNGE, Stop Light Observations

MOOSE LOUNGE, Heather King Band

OSPREY RESTAURANT & BAR, Jonathan Arthur

J PEND D’OREILLE WINERY, Ben Vogel

J SNOW EATER BREWING CO., Just Plain Darin

J THE PODIUM, In This Moment, Nothing More, Sleep Token, Cherry Bombs

ZOLA, Blake Braley

Sunday, 10/2

CURLEY’S, Steve Livingston & Triple Shot

J J KNITTING FACTORY, CHVRCHES, Cafuné

J MARTIN WOLDSON THEATER AT THE FOX, Ashley McBryde, Tigirlily

NORTHERN QUEST CASINO, Sawyer Brown

When you’re known for spewing fake bodily fluids as part of your nightly concerts, a pandemic isn’t exactly ideal times. But that hasn’t stopped GWAR. The iconic thrash metal band/performance art project has been donning elaborate costumes of disgusting and hellish sci-fi nightmare crea tures for nearly 40 years now, and it doesn’t look like their grotesque headbanging ways will peter out anytime soon. This month saw the release of The New Dark Ages, the group’s first new album since 2017, which boasts a companion graphic novel (emphasis on the graphic). If you’re willing to buy into GWAR’s absurdly over-the-top aesthetic, the band’s famed live sets offer a fun, dumb, horrific and silly spectacle that is certainly more memorable than the run-of-the-mill rock shows.

— SETH SOMMERFELD

GWAR, Nekrogoblikon, Crobot • Tue, Oct. 4 at 8 pm • $30-$35 • All ages • Knitting Factory • 919 W. Sprague Ave. • sp.knittingfactory.com

Coming Up ...

J SOUTH HILL GRILL, Just Plain Darin

SPOKANE ARENA, Casting Crowns, Cain, Anne Wilson

Monday, 10/3

RED ROOM LOUNGE, Open Mic Night

Tuesday, 10/4

J J UNDERTOW HOUSE SHOW, Rocky Votolato

J J KNITTING FACTORY, GWAR, Nekrogoblikon, Crobot

LITZ’S PUB & EATERY, Shuffle Dawgs

LUCKY YOU LOUNGE, Yellow Ostrich, Katie Von Schleicher

ZOLA, The Night Mayors

Wednesday, 10/5

J KNITTING FACTORY, Tyler Rich RED ROOM LOUNGE, The Roomates ZOLA, Runaway Lemonade

J LUCKY YOU LOUNGE, Matt Mitchell Music Co.: ‘Ramona’ Album Release Show, Oct. 8, 8 pm.

J J THE PODIUM, A Day to Remember, The Used, Movements, Oct. 14, 6 pm.

J J THE BIG DIPPER, The Queers, Teenage Bottlerocket, Scatterbox, Oct. 18, 7:30 pm.

J J THE BIG DIPPER, Nixon Rodeo 10 Year Anniversary, Oct. 21, 8 pm.

J LUCKY YOU LOUNGE, MAITA, Nov. 4, 8 pm.

J J SPOKANE ARENA, The Smashing Pumpkins, Jane’s Addiction, Poppy, Nov. 9, 6:30 pm.

J J KNITTING FACTORY, Phantogram, GLU, Nov. 12, 8 pm.

J J KNITTING FACTORY, The Flam ing Lips, Nov. 13, 8 pm.

J J SPOKANE ARENA, Iron Maiden, Trivium

MUSIC | VENUES

219 LOUNGE

219 N. First Ave., Sandpoint

208-263-5673

ARBOR CREST WINE CELLARS

4705 N. Fruit Hill Rd., Spokane Valley • 509-927-9463

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

BLACK DIAMOND

9614 E. Sprague Ave. • 509891-8357

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

MOOTSY’S

W. Sprague Ave.

NASHVILLE NORTH

208-457-9128

NORTHERN

NYNE BAR

509-838-1570

Seltice Way,

509-474-1621

PEND D’OREILLE WINERY

208-265-8545

THE PODIUM

The team at Feast World Kitchen.

FOOD FILLING & FULFILLING

Fun. Free. Food. And prepared by all female chefs from around the world. Sounds fabulous, right? It’s Feast World Kitchen’s first-ever FeastFest, a block-party made possible by funding from a City of Spokane cultural event grant, and the hardworking, community-focused folks at Feast. Ethiopian food? Maybe. Goodies from Jordan? Probably. And bites from China, Ukraine, Venezuela and Egypt, just a few of the countries represented by Feast, the innova tive, nonprofit restaurant featuring an ever-changing array of foods prepared by Spokane’s dynamic community of former refugee and immigrant chef-entrepreneurs. The festival is also set to include global music, kids activities, a raffle and more.

— CARRIE SCOZZARO

FeastFest 2022 • Sun, Oct. 2 from 1-5 pm • Free • All ages

• Feast World Kitchen • 1321 W. Third Ave. • feastworld kitchen.org • 509-608-1313

BENEFIT A MISSION YOU CAN’T DESSERT

In 2007, four volunteers from Spokane traveled to Kopanga, Kenya, to provide medical relief to the region. This trip ignited a passion, and by 2008, the group established a nonprofit the community has come to know as Partnering for Progress, or P4P for short. In a continued effort to support Kopanga, P4P hosts its annual auction to raise funds for medical and educational trips to the area. Throughout the evening, enticing desserts are up for auction, along with an assortment of other items. Feast on authentic African cuisine, socialize, and enter a raffle for the chance to win a wine tree, all in the name of sweet, sweet charity! Visit the link below to buy tickets for this worthy local event.

—

Into Africa

Fri, Sept. 30 at 5:30 pm

HOLM

MUSIC JAZZ HANDS

Live music is one of life’s greatest treasures. It’s truly awe-inspiring to watch musicians perform on stage, knowing that they’ve worked extraordinarily hard to get to that point. Jazz music is a whole other beast. Funky rhythms and odd time signatures? That’s noth ing that the Spokane Jazz Orchestra can’t handle. These musicians go with the flow and make it look as easy as riding a bike without training wheels. In the jazz world, no two concerts are ever the same. Kicking off the orchestra’s 2022-23 season is “Groove Sum mit II,” featuring SJO’s own pianist Brent Edstrom and organist Don Goodwin. If you’re down for multiple nights of groove, check out the other performances SJO has lined up at the Bing this season.

— MADISON PEARSON

$75

CenterPlace

2426 N. Discovery Place, Spokane Valley • partneringforprogress.org/into-africa-auction

Regional Event Center

Spokane Jazz Orchestra

• Sat, Oct. 1 at 7:30 pm

• $19-$32 • Bing Crosby Theater • 901 W. Sprague Ave. • spokanejazz.org • 509227-7638

GET LISTED!

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

WORDS LET’S TALK ABOUT IT

There are some conversations that are tough to start, but usually those con versations are the most important ones to have. Ijeoma Oluo is the author of So You Want to Talk About Race, a book about the complex reality of today’s racial landscape. The book was chosen as the University of Idaho’s 2022-23 Common Read, and Oluo is delivering a keynote address in honor of the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Women’s Center on campus. The goal of the Common Read is to engage the university and Moscow community in a unified intellectual activity, and Oluo’s book accomplishes that perfectly by bridging the gap between people of color and White Americans struggling with race complexities. You won’t want to miss this speech, which could be life-changing.

MADISON PEARSON

An Evening with Ijeoma Oluo • Wed, Oct. 5 at 7 pm • Free, pre-registration required • Idaho Central Credit Union Arena • University of Idaho, Moscow • uidaho.edu • 208-885-2777

OCTOBERBREASTNOVEMBERLUNG

SEPTEMBER IS CHILDHOOD CANCER AWARENESS MONTH

No One Fights Alone

As Childhood Cancer Awareness Month comes to a close, the fight does not end here. The fact remains that in the United States, every day of every month of every year, the equivalent of a classroom of children are diagnosed with cancer; 36 families face the fight of their life.

Your donations help us make a positive impact for these patients and their families battling this horrible disease. Since inception in 2014, Community Cancer Fund has committed over $7.3 million in direct funding to help pediatric cancer patients in our region, which includes:

A $3 million endowment for Camp Goodtimes at YMCA Camp Reed, a free summer camp for children affected by cancer.

COMMUNITY DIG IT!

Let’s face it, we’ve all dreamed about how cool it would be to be paid to dig in the dirt in far-flung locales around the world, trying to piece together the remnants of ancient history. While most of us (sadly) won’t become professional archaeologists, we can live that fantasy just a little at this daylong family-oriented event. Spokane Archaeology Day, hosted inside and outside the MAC, consists of scholarly lectures, hands-on activities and more. Universities, tribal groups and stage agencies are among the organizations participating in this year’s event. Get to work at a mock excavation site, try your hand at flintknapping, using stone tools, identifying fossils, conducting an archaeological survey and much more. Lecture topics on the day’s sched ule include underwater discoveries, ancient plant food diversity, radiocarbon dating along the Columbia River and uncovering regional Indigenous history.

— CHEY SCOTT

Spokane Archaeology Day

Sat, Oct. 1 from 10 am-3 pm

Northwest Museum of Arts & Culture

northwestmuseum.org

2316 W. First Ave.

509-456-3931

Free

All ages

A $3 million gift to Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Inland Northwest for the construction and completion of the new $14.5 million North House on their Spokane Campus.

Over $160,000 to assist American Childhood Cancer Organization Inland Northwest’s unique mission to help patients and families cope with life during childhood cancer treatments.

Thank you for continued support of our fight against across the Inland Northwest. Whether it’s a financial contribution, a share, a like, a comment - we see it all and are so grateful. Together, we will continue to make a difference.

LEARN MORE AT COMMUNITYCANCERFUND.ORG

I SAW YOU

JEERS TO LONG DRIVES To build a relationship is to build a kingdom. And, at first, it’s a wild, thrilling frontier. Every question uncovers new sights. Every conversation is an act of exploration. Every date is an expedition. You two grab your machetes and plop on your pith helmets and set out onto an expedition to map this new land. You’re driven positively giddy by the delight of the new.

SHOULDA SAID HI Shoulda said Hi! Sept. 1st, downtown Spokane, O’Doherty’s Irish Grille, we were on the patio, you at the NE end table. Across the street from Riverfront Park. It happened to be Pig Out in the Park time. You were dining with two elderly people who both had walkers. I was dining with a lady “friend.” About 2:30-4. You caught my eye! You were wearing a knee-high, lighter-colored dress, sandals (I think). Your hair was short and grey. You looked great. You carried yourself well. I am intrigued to say the least. I wanted to say hi and slip you a note. But… It sounded like they called you, perhaps visiting, and you made a special trip to join them for lunch. I’d like to say, “Hi”, and go from there. pnwgrowers@gmail.com

HOT FIREMEN I was returning to work

from lunch and had to stop because there was a fire truck on 18th Avenue along with an ambulance. As I was waiting, a fireman ran to the side of the firetruck and started taking off his clothes, all the way to his underwear and dawning on his fire suit. I was in a trance watching. I didn’t want to watch, but I couldn’t help myself. As I’m watching this, two more firemen run to the truck and start doing the same thing, undressing right in front of me and donning on their fire outfits. The whole thing lasted maybe three minutes, but I got the show of a lifetime. Thank You, Firemen. Thank You, thank you, thank you.

I SAW YOU

UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN Even when your courage has a touch of foolhardiness, even when your quest for adventure makes you a bit reckless, you can be resourceful enough to avoid dicey consequences. Maybe more than any other sign of the zodiac, you periodically outfox karma. But in the coming weeks, I will nevertheless counsel you not to barge into situations where rash boldness might lead to wrong moves. Please do not flirt with escapades that could turn into chancy gambles. At least for the foreseeable future, I hope you will be prudent and cagey in your quest for interesting and educational fun.

CHEERS

SHOUT-OUT FOR WELL BALANCE Thanks to you, to date more than 500 older adults in this area have taken steps to prevent falls and their consequences! While falls are the leading cause of injuries for adults ages 65 and older, falling is NOT a normal part of aging and most falls can be prevented. A Matter of Balance, a free program older adults can attend to empower themselves to reduce falling risks and increase their activity levels, relies on volunteer coaches and guest health care professionals to encourage participants to start where

they are and do what they can to identify and eliminate falling hazards and be safely involved in activities they enjoy. Cheers to Aging & Long Term Care of E. WA for offering this program in its

T. SMILEY OK, you don’t want a federal ban on abortion. Well, there never has been. But you do support every state banning it. What a misleading load of crap.

freeway. I’m talking about the chance that, in the gap between getting behind the wheel at noon and finally turning off the ignition at 5, you become someone else. Your journey isn’t just physical. It’s

five-county service area! For information about this program, please call 509-4582509 or email action@altcew.org.

THANKS, CITY/COUNTY WORKER To the city/county employee who cut the tree branches by the Upriver Dam around Sept. 7th, thank you, makes it so I don’t have to duck as I go through on my e-scooter.

JEERS

REALLY Public Employee Nepotism: Now the educational demographic most likely to not buy in to the value of learning, get a hoax. No formal educational background, an emergency valid teaching license, no animation software expertise, and the only reason he was selected was due to exploitation of a legacy system of hiring. His aunt feels he is a good fit, not the other thousands of educators in the nation who would relish the opportunity. Same old, same old still holds, not what you know…

MCMORRIS ROGERS To Cathy for the enormously misleading advertising. Spending? Nobody has added to the debt more than Republicans in the last 70 years. #1 R. Reagan and #2 George W. Bush. Energy dependence? We don’t rely on any energy from Russia or China. Not sure we ever have. Inflation? Nothing to do with politics. Geez, what a load of crap.

RE: GUY AT 1ST AVE COFFEE SHOP Wow! The arrogance of the Spokane simpletons is simply amazing. In last week’s “Jeers” section was a person (loosely defined) who complained that someone “made” them take their headphones off to ask a “stupid” question about “my tattoos.”

First, it doesn’t sound like anyone “made” you do it. How could they?

Second, if you don’t want your tattoos to be noticed, what about covering them up? Oh wait... how silly. People ONLY get tattoos for themselves rather than for people to notice. It seems like more and more appearance and demeanor seem to say “look at me. Notice me.” This is true even when people have very poor tattoos designed by very poor artists (very common). You’re fortunate that anyone has any interest in you at all. Wait until you’re the same age as the person you called “weirdo, creepy, d bag.” Then nobody will be interested in you (especially with the old looking silly tattoos). What comes around goes around. Just wait. Duh! Duh! Dumb!

JEERS TO LONG DRIVES A long drive is a dangerous thing. Especially if you’re driving alone. You know, of course, that with a little inattention or distraction you could veer off a guardrail, merge into the path of a logging truck, or spin on black ice toward a charter bus. But that’s not the type of danger I’m talking about. I’m not talking about becoming a flaming wreck on the side of the freeway. I’m talking about becoming a flaming emotional wreck on the side of the

psychic. There are few distinct stretches of time more transformative than five hours stuck alone in your car on the road. And that’s what makes it so exhausting.

RE:RE HAVE RESPECT To the classy individual who is new to Spokane and was offended by the moronic and cacophonous behavior of uncivilized mouth breathers at the Spokane Symphony at Comstock Park, I want to compliment you on your unabashed smugness. Our great city of Spokane has been lacking smugness, and we owe it to bougie sophisticates like you to class up this town filled with idiot native crybabies who complain about Spokane turning into another metropolitan nightmare. I’m so sorry you were inconvenienced while trying to listen to the Spokane Symphony at a popular park that children and their families go to. How rude of them, you have every right to be offended by this classless behavior. Please teach us your smug ways, so that we can learn to enjoy the smell of our own farts too. n

BENEFIT

INTO AFRICA AUCTION This annual auc tion features drinks, appetizers, a dessert dash and more. Sep. 30, 5:30-8 pm. $75. CenterPlace Regional Event Center, 2426 N. Discovery Place Dr. partneringfor progress.org (509-720-8408)

BACKSTAGE WITH THE BAND The auction and concert features musical headliners Golden Boy, and benefits the theater. Oct. 1, 7 pm. $25-$50. The Ken worthy, 508 S. Main St. kenworthy.org

PEOPLE WHO CARE Transitions’ biggest fundraiser of the year. This year’s theme reflects the key values of growth and wholeness. Get a glimpse into the world of Transitions, hear inspiring stories from the community and help support their mission. Oct. 6, 12-1 pm. Free. The Centennial Hotel, 303 W. North River Dr. help4women.org/pwc2022

HOEDOWN FOR HOPE A gala benefit ting deaf and hard-of-hearing children and their parents. Oct. 7, 5:30 pm. $80. Spokane Convention Center, 334 W. Spo kane Falls Blvd. spokanehope.org

TUCKER’S CANINE THERAPY FOUN DATION FOUR MAN GOLF SCRAMBLE

This four-man scramble benefits Tucker’s Canine Therapy Foundation. Golfers and spectators are invited to golf, enjoy food vendors and participate in a silent auction. Oct. 8, 10 am-3:30 pm. $110$500. Liberty Lake Golf Course, 24403 E. Sprague Ave. spokanecounty.org/1210/ Liberty-Lake (509-255-6233)

WALK TO END ALZEHIMERS Held an nually in more than 600 communities nationwide, the Walk to End Alzheimer’s is the world’s largest fundraiser for Al zheimer’s care, support and research. Oct. 8, 10:30 am. By donation. Riverfront Park, 507 N. Howard St. alz.org/walk

COMEDY

JOHN CRIST A stand-up comedian most well known for a slew of viral videos including “Honest Football Coach” and “Every Parent at Disney.” Sept. 29-Oct. 1, Thu at 7:30 pm, Fri at 7:15 pm and 9:45 pm and Sat at 6 pm and 8:30 pm. $35-$45. Spokane Comedy Club, 315 W. Sprague. spokanecomedyclub.com

SAFARI A fast-paced, short-form come dic improv show. Saturdays from 7:30-9 pm. $8. Blue Door Theatre, 815 W. Gar land Ave. bluedoortheatre.com

SOPHIE & BRIA: THE TRANS COMIC FRIENDSHIP TOUR Sophie Labelle (As signed Male Comics) and Sabrina Sym

ington (Bria Comics) talk about their work as cartoonists and transgender online creators. Oct. 1, 6:30 pm. Free. Community Building, 35 W. Main Ave. spokanepride.org (509-232-1950)

NEW TALENT TUESDAYS Watch come dians of all skill levels work out jokes together. Tuesdays at 7 pm (doors at 6 pm). Free. Spokane Comedy Club, 315 W. Sprague. spokanecomedyclub.com

DAVID CROSS Emmy winner and twotime Grammy nominee David Cross is a performer, writer and producer on stage and screen. 21+. Oct. 5, 8 pm. SOLD OUT. Lucky You Lounge, 1801 W. Sunset Blvd. luckyyoulounge.com (509-474-0511)

OPEN MIC STAND-UP Wednesdays at 7:30 pm. See website for sign-up de tails. Free. Spokane Comedy Club, 315 W. Sprague. spokanecomedyclub.com

CHRIS FRANJOLA Chris has his own podcast, Cover to Cover, and has regu larly appeared on Chelsea Lately. Oct. 6, 7:30 pm, Oct. 7-8, 7:30 & 10 pm. $20-$28. Spokane Comedy Club, 315 W. Sprague. spokanecomedyclub.com

NURSE BLAKE: PTO COMEDY TOUR Blake is a registered nurse who’s worked in various healthcare roles and applies comedy to his work life. Oct. 6, 7:30 pm. $40-$50. Knitting Factory, 919 W. Sprague Ave. sp.knittingfactory.com

NO CLUE! Follow the mayhem of being trapped in an inn full of quirky charac ters. When the evening is over you de cide who is responsible for all the dead bodies. Oct. 7-28, Fri at 7:30 pm. $8. Blue Door Theatre, 815 W. Garland Ave. blue doortheater.com (509-747-7045)

SCOTT BAIO: HOW DID I GET HERE?

Baio is most well-known for playing Cha chi Arcola on the sitcom Happy Days. Oct. 7, 7 pm. $75-$175. The Coeur d’Alene Re sort, 115 S. Second. cdaresort.com

COMMUNITY

AMERICANS & THE HOLOCAUST This traveling exhibit from the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum examines the mo tives, pressures and fears that shaped Americans’ responses to Nazism, war and genocide in Europe during the 1930s and 40s. Located on the third floor of the Fol ey Center Library. Mon-Fri from 3-8 pm and Sat-Sun from 1-5 pm through Oct. 6. Free. Gonzaga University, 502 E. Boone Ave. gonazga.edu (509-328-4220)

EARTH EXPLORERS: NATIVE PLANTS

Learn about native plants and their roles in our local ecosystems. Ages 6-12 and their caregivers. Sep. 29, 4-5 pm. Free.

Liberty Park Library, 402 S. Pittsburgh St. spokanelibrary.org

LIBRARY CARD DRIVE September is Na tional Library Card Signup Month. Get a new library card or renew an old one and get a free book. Through Sep. 30. Free. Coeur d’Alene Public Library, 702 E. Front Ave. cdalibrary.org (208-769-2315)

MWPAC BLOCK PARTY A pre-show par ty before The Dip concert. Includes food trucks, drinks and music. Sep. 29, 5-7 pm. Free. Myrtle Woldson Performing Arts Center, 211 E. Desmet Ave. gonzaga.edu/ mwpac (509-313-2787)

THE RUM REBELLION: PROHIBITION

IN NORTH IDAHO Featuring historical photographs, newspaper articles and artifacts including a moonshine still, this exhibit tells the story of how the Idaho Panhandle was anything but dry during the nationwide Prohibition. Through Oct. 29, 11 am-5 pm. $2-$6. Museum of North Idaho, 115 Northwest Blvd. museumni. org/whats-on (208-664-3448)

WASHINGTON BIKE, WALK, ROLL SUMMIT An online and in-person work shop dedicated to learning, sharing and exploring ways to expand and improve equity and active transportation for all. Online summit takes place Sept. 28-30, Wed-Fri from 8:30 am-5 pm; in-person summit t Oct. 3 from 8 am-5 pm. $10$100. Spokane Community College, 1810 N. Greene St. cascade.org/summit

CENTRAL AMERICA INDEPENDENCE DAY Celebrate Central America’s inde pendence day with music, cultural activi ties and a potluck. Sep. 30, 5-9 pm. Free. Latinos en Spokane, 1502 N. Monroe St. latinosenspokane.org

EARTH EXPLORERS: NATIVE PLANTS Learn about native plants and their roles in our local ecosystems. Ages 6-12 and their caregivers. Sep. 30, 4-5 pm. Free. Shadle Library, 2111 W. Wellesley Ave. spokanelibrary.org (509-444-5390)

FALL FESTIVAL OF HOMES The largest new construction home showcase in the Inland Northwest features design in prai rie, farmhouse contemporary styles and more at newly-constructed homes across the Spokane area. Sept. 23-25 and Sept. 30-Oct. 2, Fri-Sun from 10 am-5 pm. Free. fallfestivalofhomes.com

GEM STATE TATTOO CONVENTION This fist annual convention features vendor booths and regional guest tattoo artists. Sept. 30-Oct. 2, Fri from 2-11 pm, Sat from 11 am-11 pm, Sun from 11 am-8 pm. $20$45. Kootenai County Fairgrounds, 4056 N. Government Way. gemstatetattoocon vention.com (208-765-4969)

HUB FAMILY FUN FESTIVAL Celebrate the HUB’s 15th birthday with an evening of fun activities and games for the fam ily. Activities include pickleball, corn hole, martial arts and more. Sep. 30, 4-7 pm. Free. HUB Sports Center, 19619 E. Cataldo Ave. hubsportscenter.org

MASTER GARDENER’S OF SPOKANE

FALL BULB SALE Choose from a wide selection of bulbs for your garden. See website for full list of bulbs offered and pick-up locations. Sep. 30-Oct. 10. mgfsc. org/bulb-sale

509 XLAB KICKOFF TO WINTER Meet pro athletes, enter in winter sport gear giveaways and enjoy food trucks at this kickoff party. Oct. 1, 3-7 pm. Free. 509 Xlab, 2818 N. Sullivan Rd., Spokane Val ley. ride509.com/kickoff

CHILDREN BOOK ARTS FAIR Includes free workshops, live music, vendors, ice cream from The Scoop, the center’s Book Bus and more. Oct. 1, 12-4 pm. Free. Cen ter for Children’s Book Arts, 628 N. Mon roe St. theCCBA.org

CUSTER’S ANTIQUE COLLECTOR’S

3:45 pm. By donation. Auntie’s Book store, 402 W. Main. auntiesbooks.com

OPEN HOUSE AT THE LAB Celebrate the Lab’s fifth anniversary and discover what’s currently offered in the space. Oct. 1, 2-5 pm. Free. North Spokane Library, 44 E. Hawthorne Rd. scld.org (893-8350)

SHRED DAY Protect yourself from iden tity theft with free professional docu ment shredding. Shredding is limited to two banker boxes per household. At the North Spokane and Spokane Valley branches. Oct. 1, 10 am. Free. scld.org

THE SMALL BIZ SHOPPE GRAND RE OPENING Celebrate the store’s new lo cation on the second floor of River Park Square at the top of the escalators. Oct. 1, 10 am-8 pm. River Park Square, 808 W. Main Ave. riverparksquare.com

SALE

The two-day show features over 150 vendors selling antique and vintage goods. Sat, Oct. 1 from 10 am-6 pm and Sun, Oct. 2 from 10 am-4 pm. $7. Spo kane County Fair & Expo Center, 404 N. Havana St. custershows.com

DROP IN & RPG Stop by and explore the world of role playing games. Build a shared narrative using cooperative prob lem solving, exploration, imagination and rich social interaction. On the first and third Sat of the month from 1-3:45 pm. Free. Spark Central, 1214 W. Summit Pkwy. spark-central.org (509-279-0299)

FALL FEST This annual event spans mul tiple downtown businesses and includes a petting zoo, live music, beer gardens and more. Activities take place in River front Park as well as in River Park Square. Oct. 1-2, 11 am-5 pm. Free. Downtown Spokane. downtownspokane.org

GARLAND MERCANTILE PUMPKIN PATCH A pumpkin patch and other ac tivities. Every Saturday and Sunday in Oct. from 10 am-5 pm. Garland Mercan tile, 823 W. Garland Ave. (509-315-4937)

HARVEST FESTIVAL CRAFT FAIRE A craft fair held in conjunction with the annual Green Bluff Harvest Festival. The fair includes arts and crafts vendors, food trucks and more. Oct. 1-16, Sat-Sun from 10 am-4 pm. Free. Green Bluff Grange, 9809 Green Bluff Rd. greenbluffgrowers. com (979-2607)

ISAAC’S BOOKSHELF BLOOD DRIVE Donate blood or a new book. Oct. 1, 12-

be In the know

SPOKANE ARCHAEOLOGY DAY Experi ence methods archaeologists use to learn about the heritage of the Inland North west. Visitors can conduct an archaeo logical survey and a mock excavation, learn how to identify historic artifacts, make a tool through flint knapping, prac tice zooarchaeology by studying animal bones and more. Oct. 1, 10 am-3 pm. Free. Northwest Museum of Arts & Culture, 2316 W. First Ave. northwestmuseum.org

HOWL’OWEEN ON THE BLUFF This event features a dog costume contest with various prizes, SPD K9 demos, a pumpkin patch, local wine and beer, a vendor fair and live music. Oct. 2, 10 am-5 pm. Free. The Farmhouse on Green Bluff, 8515 E. Green Bluff Rd. thefarmhouseon greenbluff.com (509-342-8928)

PET SAVERS TESTICLE FESTIVAL This event offers free neutering services to cat owners in order to control feline popula tions. Register by Sept. 30 to secure your spot. Oct. 4. By donation. Pet Savers, 7525 E. Trent. petsaversspokane.org

FILM

FRANCISCAN FILM FESTIVAL This inau gural festival features independent films oriented around the three core tenets of St. Francis’s Rule: creation care, justice and compassion, and joyful and simple living. See website for full schedule. Sep. 29-Oct. 1, 6-9 pm. Free. West Central Ab bey, 1832 W. Dean. westcentralabbey.org

HARRY POTTER FILMS SPECIAL SCREENINGS Screenings of all eight Harry Potter films at Spokane and Coeur d’Alene Regal Cinemas locations. Times and locations vary, see website for de tails. Through Sep. 29. $5.25. regmovies. com

EVENTS | CALENDAR

VIDEODROME Moscow Film Society presents Videodrome as part of its Cronenberg vs Lynch series. Sep. 29, 7-9 pm. $5. The Kenworthy, 508 S. Main St. kenworthy.org (208-882-4127)

TOTALLY TUBULAR TUESDAY A weekly screening of a throwback film. Check the website for each week’s film. Tuesdays at 7 pm. $2.50. Garland Theater, 924 W. Garland Ave. garlandtheater.com

MULHOLLAND DRIVE Moscow Film So ciety presents Mulholland Drive as part of its Cronenberg vs Lynch series. Oct. 6, 7-9:30 pm. $5. The Kenworthy, 508 S. Main St. kenworthy.org

FOOD & DRINK

NATIONAL COFFEE DAY Local roaster DOMA presents on how coffee is grown, processed and roasted. Sep. 29, 11 amnoon. Free. Coeur d’Alene Public Library, 702 E. Front Ave. cdalibrary.org

WHISKEY BARREL WEEKEND A week end centered around the 2022 Resort Blend: The Boardwalk Bourbon. Activi ties include a grand whiskey dinner, an open golf event and tasting events. Sep. 30, 6:30-9:30 pm and Oct. 1, 10 am. $85$150. Coeur d’Alene. cdaresort.com

CLASSICAL MEDITERRANEAN MUSIC, DANCE & DINNER A Lebanese dinner show with classical Mediterranean/Egyp tian music by Raqs Sharki. First Sat. of ev ery month from 6-8 pm through Dec. 31. $10-$20. Lebanon Restaurant & Café, 707 W. Fifth. lebanonrestaurantandcafe.com

GERMAN-AMERICAN SOCIETY OKTO BERFEST An Oktoberfest celebration featuring live music, traditional German food and beer. All ages. Oct. 1, 4 pmmidnight. $10. German American Hall, 25 W. Third Ave. (509-954-6964)

HIGHLAND PARK UNITED METHODIST

FALL BAZAAR Drop by and choose from a variety of food options to take home. Entree options include a beef bowl, vegetarian pancit, and pork udon. Inari zushi and senbei are also available for purchase. Cash only. Oct. 1, 11:30 am. $8. Highland Park United Methodist Church, 611 S. Garfield St. (535-2687)

LANTERN OCTOBERFEST An Oktober fest-themed party in the Perry District. Oct. 1, 4 pm. Free. South Perry Lantern, 1004 S. Perry St. lanternspokane.com

OKTOBERFEST AT ARBORCREST This event features live music, a Germaninfluenced food menu and brews from Square Wheel Brewing. Oct. 1,-2, 12-5 pm. Free. Arbor Crest Wine Cellars, 4705 N. Fruit Hill Rd. arbocrest.com

ALL YOU CAN EAT PANCAKE BREAK FAST A pancake breakfast with eggs, sausage, homemade apple sauce and orange juice. Children five and under are free with a paying adult. Oct. 2, 9 and 23 from 8-11 am. $5-$10. Green Bluff Grange, 9809 Green Bluff Rd. greenbluffgrowers. com (509-979-2607)

FEASTFEST 2022 A block party and food fest with free samples by Feast’s female chefs from around the world. Oct. 2, 1-5 pm. Free. Feast World Kitchen, 1321 W. Third. feastworldkitchen.org

NOVA KAINE’S “DON’T TELL MAMA”

CABARET & DRAG BRUNCH Various In land Northwest drag performers take the stage and perform pieces choreographed by Troy Nickerson. First and third Sun of every month, 11 am. Highball A Modern Speakeasy, 100 N. Hayford Rd. northern quest.com (877-871-6772)

TAKE OUT APPLE DUMPLINGS Drive up and grab some apple dumplings with vanilla sauce. Oct. 1-16, Sat from 10 am-4 pm and Sun from 12-4 pm. $5. Green Bluff United Methodist Church, 9908 E. Greenbluff Rd. (509-979-2607)

ITALIAN WINE DINNER Gander & Rye grass teams up with ANW Distribution for this five-course meal where each dish is paired with an Italian wine. Oct. 6, 4:30-9 pm. Gander & Ryegrass, 404 W. Main Ave. ganderandryegrass.com

MUSIC

I WRITE THE SONGS A celebration of great composers of the past and song writers of today. The event features a silent auction and diverse musical en tertainment. All funds raised support the library. Oct. 1, 6 pm. $50. Coeur d’Alene Public Library, 702 E. Front Ave. cdali brary.org (208-769-2315)

SPOKANE SYMPHONY POPS 1: CLAS SICAL MYSTERY TOUR The program showcases the best of The Beatles with the addition of a symphony orchestra. Oct. 1, 7:30 pm. $47-$100. Martin Wold son Theater at The Fox, 1001 W. Sprague Ave. spokanesymphony.org

SPOKANE JAZZ ORCHESTRA: GROOVE SUMMIT II The SJO season kickoff perfor mance includes solos and improvisation from local musicians and guest artists. Oct. 1, 7:30 pm. $27-$32. Bing Crosby Theater, 901 W. Sprague Ave. bingcros bytheater.com (509-227-7404)

WELCOME TO (NEW) AMERICA The symphony performs Stravinsky’s Fire bird Suite, Bernstein’s West Side Story and selections by Aaron Copland. Oct. 1. $10-$25. Schuler Performing Arts Center, 1000 W. Garden Ave. cdasymphony.org

SPIRIT OF SPOKANE CHORUS A fourpart harmony barbershop chorus. Re hearsals are held every Tuesday from 6:30-9 pm. Free. Opportunity Presbyte rian Church, 202 N. Pines Rd. opportuni typresbyterian.org (509-924-9750)

WSU SYMPHONIC BAND & SYMPHONIC WIND ENSEMBLE The band/ensemble’s first concert of the 2022-23 school year features works by Yo Goto, Julie Giroux, Dwayne Milburn and John Philip Sousa. Oct. 5, 7:30-9 pm. Free. Bryan Hall The atre (WSU), 605 Veterans Way. wsu.edu/ music (509-332-9600)

A CONCERT WITH LARRY UNGER The Spokane Folklore Society hosts an eve ning of finger-style blues guitar and old-time banjo from Larry Unger of Mas sachusetts. Oct. 6, 7-9 pm. $15-$20. Sinto Activity Center, 1124 W. Sinto Ave. sinto center.org (509-838-2160)

GUEST ARTIST: STEPHEN CLARK Ste phen Clark performs a recital of works by Borne, Clarke, Linthicum-Blackhorse, Mouquet and Rocherolle with WSU School of Music faculty member Dr. Yoon-Wha Roh. Oct. 6, 5:10-6 pm. Free. Bryan Hall Theatre (WSU), 605 Veterans Way. wsu.edu/music (509-332-9600)

NORTH IDAHO PHILHARMONIA: BRAN DENBURG CONCERTOS The complete Brandenburg Concertos by J.S. Bach, presented by the North Idaho Philhar monia under the direction of Jan Pellant. Oct. 7, 7:30 pm and Oct. 8, 2 pm. $15-$30. Panida Theater, 300 N. First Ave. sand pointconservatory.org (208-263-9191)

AUBIN & KUBO This program from the Washington-Idaho Symphony spotlights guest conductor Matthew Aubin and guest soloist Mitsuru Kubo, viola. Oct. 8, 7:30 pm. $10-$25. Pullman High School,

510 NW Greyhound Way. wa-idsympho ny.org (509-332-1551)

SPORTS & OUTDOORS

COLVILLE CORN MAZE & PUMPKIN PATCH Navigate a 12-acre corn maze, choose a pumpkin from the patch or pur chase an array of fresh-picked fall pro duce like sweet corn and winter squash. Sept. 24-Oct. 31, daily from 11 am-7 pm. $6-$8. 73 Oakshott Rd., Colville. colville cornmaze.com (509-684-6751)

GUIDED WALKING CITY TOUR This tour includes a local guide giving a new per spective of the city: past, present and fu ture. To register, send an email with your name, number in the party and the date. Sep. 30, 11 am-1 pm, Oct. 2-4, 11 am-1 pm. Free. Riverfront Park, 507 N. Howard St. wanderspokane.com (509-625-6600)

BACK TEE CHALLENGE This two-person scramble offers a challenge for even the most skilled golfers. Oct. 1, 11 am-8 pm. $200. Circling Raven Golf Course, 27068 S. Highway 95. cdacasino.com

MOTORTOPIA TRUCKFEST PNW This one-day event features live dyno runs, axle articulation demonstrations, a truck and Jeep show and more. Oct. 1, 10 am-6 pm. $18-$73. Spokane County Fair & Expo Center, 404 N. Havana St. motorto pia.com (509-477-1766)

NPOV LIONS CLUB RAILRIDERS Enjoy the unique experience of a four-seated, pedal-powered, railroad bicycle along the scenic Pend Oreille River in Ione, Washington. Rides offered Oct. 1-2 and Oct. 8-9. $12/$24. lionsrailriders.com

SPOKANE CHIEFS VS. KAMLOOPS BLAZERS Includes Bud Light opening night and a pre-game party. Oct. 1, 7:05 pm. $12-$30. Spokane Arena, 720 W. Mallon Ave. spokanechiefs.com

SPOKANE CHIEFS VS. EDMONTON OIL KINGS Promotional events include the Numerica magnet schedule giveaway. The first 1,000 fans through the gates re ceive a magnet schedule. Oct. 7, 7:05 pm. $12-$30. Spokane Arena, 720 W. Mallon Ave. spokanechiefs.com (279-7000)

USWNT VS. ENGLAND WATCH PARTY This soccer watch party event includes food trucks, swag and a special an nouncement by Justin Papadakis and Amanda Vandervort. Oct. 7, 11:30 am. Free. Brick West Brewing Co., 1318 W. First Ave. brickwestbrewingco.com

THEATER

ADMISSIONS A no-holes-barred look at privilege, power and the perils of hy pocrisy. Thu-Sat at 7 pm and Sun at 2 pm through Oct. 2. $25. Stage Left Theater, 108 W. Third Ave. stagelefttheater.org

SIGNIFICANT OTHER Jordan Berman would love to be in love, but that’s easier said than done. Until he meets Mr. Right, he wards off lonely nights with his trio of close girlfriends. Thu-Sat at 7:30 pm, Sun at 2 pm through Oct. 16. $10-$25. Spo kane Civic Theatre, 1020 N. Howard St. spokanecivictheatre.com

THE WIZARD OF OZ Follow the yellow brick road in the stage adaptation of L. Frank Baum’s beloved tale, featuring the iconic score from the MGM film. Thu-Sat at 7:30 pm, Sun at 2 pm through Oct. 16. $10-$35. Spokane Civic Theatre, 1020 N. Howard. spokanecivictheatre.com

THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST A classic Oscar Wilde satire about the

story of two bachelors who create alter egos named Ernest. Sept. 30 and Oct. 1 at 7 pm. Panida Theater, 300 N. First Ave. panida.org (208-263-9191)

NT LIVE: HENRY V Kit Harington (Game of Thrones) plays the title role in Shake speare’s thrilling study of nationalism, war and the psychology of power. Oct. 2, 12-3 pm. $10-$12. The Kenworthy, 508 S. Main St. kenworthy.org (208-882-4127)

TOO MUCH LIGHT MAKES THE BABY GO BLIND This Chicago theater tradition features 30 plays in 60 minutes. Oct. 6-9, Thu-Fri at 7 pm and 8:30 pm, Sat at 6 pm and Sun at 2 pm. $10. Gonzaga University Magnuson Theatre, 502 E. Boone Ave. gonzaga.edu/theatreanddance

VISUAL ARTS

VOICES, VIBRANCE, VISION Artists Sh antell Jackson and Tracy Poindexter-Can ton have joined creative forces to present new works inspired by Black contempo rary novelists and poets. Through Oct. 29. Free. Liberty Building, 402 N. Washing ton. spokanelibertybuilding.com

CHAD “LITTLE COYOTE” YELLOW JOHN: MASKED PRESERVATION Chad Yellowjohn comes from Shoshone-Ban nock/Spokane ancestral line. Through his art and activism, he shares inspiration and awareness of the issues Indigenous people face today. Mon-Fri from 8:30 am-3:30 pm through Oct. 25. Free. SFCC Fine Arts Gallery, 3410 W. Whistalks Way. sfcc.spokane.edu

DANCING WITH LIFE: MEXICAN MASKS: Through humor and subversion, Mexican mask makers respond to the social and political circumstances of contemporary life. Tue-Sun from 10 am-5 pm through April 16. $7-$12. Northwest Museum of Arts & Culture, 2316 W. First Ave. north westmuseum.org (509-456-3931)

EMILY SOMOSKEY: SURFACING This exhibition features large-scale paint, col lage and mixed media abstractions by Emily Somoskey. Mon-Fri from 9 am-5 pm through Nov. 3. Free. EWU Gallery of Art, Cheney. emilysomoskey.com

RESOLVE BY TEASCARLET A solo show ing of the acrylic paintings of Teascarlet. Visitors can meet the artist, purchase artwork and enjoy complimentary wine. Sep. 30, 5-7 pm. Free. Columbia Bank Community Plaza, 414 Church St. artin sandpoint.org (208-263-6139)

SHANTELL JACKSON Jackson explores the human condition contemporarily and historically through her ink draw ings and paintings. Oct. 1-30, daily from 11 am-7 pm. Free. Liberty Building, 402 N. Washington. spokanelibertybuilding. com (509-327-6920)

FALL NATURE ART WORKSHOP Learn the simple art of creating with nature with The Botanical Alchemists. Oct. 1, 1-4 pm. Free. Minnehaha Park, 4001 E. Euclid Ave. thebotanicalalchemists@gmail.com

MEL MCCUDDIN The late Mel McCuddin’s final exhibit features new paintings and more. Oct. 1-31, Wed-Sat from 11 am-6 pm. Free. The Art Spirit Gallery, 415 Sher man Ave. theartspiritgallery.com

DIWALI RANGOLI ART WORKSHOP Learn freehand Rangoli techniques to celebrate Diwali, a festival of lights. Oct. 2, 1-4 pm. Free. Central Library, 906 W. Main Ave. spokanelibrary.org

THE MAGICAL REALM OF MUSHROOMS

IN FELT Explore the world of mushrooms and felting. Ages 16+. Oct. 2, 11 am-4 pm. $70. Spokane Art School, 811 W. Garland Ave. spokaneartschool.net

ARTIST WORKSHOP: COLBY CHAR PENTIER & MEGAN THOMAS The two artists present a demo of their art tech niques. Artist talk to follow. Oct. 6, 9:30 am-2 pm. Free. Jundt Art Museum, 200 E. Desmet Ave. gonzaga.edu/jundt

TERRAIN PREVIEW NIGHT A chance for a more intimate Terrain experience. Skip the line beat the crowns and buy art before other attendees. Oct. 6, 6-9 pm. $25. Jensen-Byrd Building, 131 E. Main. terrainspokane.com

WORDS

AUTHOR TALK: HERNAN DIAZ In this online lecture, Diaz discusses his new novel, Trust, is set in the 1920s. Sep. 29, 6-7 pm. Free. scld.org

PIVOT: ON THE ROAD This storytelling event features speakers Stephanie Vigil, Elissa Ball, Avant Grant, Nick Franco, Sam Schneider and Michael Schneider dis cussing themes of starting over, adven ture, discovery and more. Sep. 29, 7 pm. By donation. Washington Cracker Co., 304 W. Pacific. pivotspokane.com

THERESA CAPUTO The star of the TLC show, Long Island Medium, shares per sonal stories about her life and explains how her capabilities work. Sep. 29, 7:30 pm. $55. Martin Woldson Theater at The Fox, 1001 W. Sprague Ave. foxtheaterspo kane.org (509-624-1200)

CLAIRE WILSEY LECTURE Wilsey shares the inspiring story of her late father, who was a liberator of and physician for the people of Dachau Concentration Camp. Sep. 30, 10-11 am. Free. Gonzaga Univer sity Hemmingson Center, 702 E. Desmet Ave. gonzaga.edu (509-313-6942)

EWU MFA VISITING WRITER SERIES: PETER MARKUS Over the course of two decades and six books, Markus has been making fiction out of a lexicon shaped by the words brother and fish and mud. Sep. 30, 7 pm. Free. Auntie’s Bookstore, 402 W. Main Ave. auntiesbooks.com

AN EVENING WITH OLGA CUSTODIO Custodio is the first Latina to complete U.S. Air Force Undergraduate Pilot Train ing with a fighter qualification to fly the T-38 as an instructor pilot. She shares es sential life insights and perspectives that have allowed her to achieve many firsts during her career. Oct. 4, 12-8:15 pm. Free. Myrtle Woldson Performing Arts Center, 211 E. Desmet Ave. gonzaga.edu

WSU VISITING WRITERS SERIES: ROGER REEVES Reeves is a poet whose work largely explores the intersection of politics, aesthetic and race. Oct. 4, 6 pm. Free. Washington State University, 2000 NE Stadium Way. english.wsu.edu

AN EVENING WITH IJEOMA OLUO A keynote address by Ijeoma Oluo, com memorative speaker for the Women’s Center’s 50th anniversary celebration and author of the University of Idaho’s Common Read for 2022-23. Must pur chase book to attend. Oct. 5, 7 pm. $17. Idaho Central Credit Union Arena, Mos cow. bookpeopleofmoscow.com

GRAND GRANDEST COULEE LECTURE Dr. Gene Kiver shares how Grand Coulee relates to the Ice Age and the Missoula floods. Oct. 5, 4-5:30 pm. Free. The Hive, 2904 E. Sprague Ave. iafi.org

ALEXANDER HEFFNER: OPEN MIND PBS programmer Alexander Heffner gives a lecture concerning civil discourse and civic engagement in our contempo rary moment. Oct. 5, 7 pm. Free. Whit worth University, 300 W. Hawthorne Rd. whitworth.edu (509-777-1000) n

Cut-rate Cannabis

It’s possible to buy the best of the best without breaking the bank

BY WILL MAUPIN

When it comes to cannabis, the products avail able on the market are diverse. They can also be quite expensive, which can make expand ing your purview cost-prohibitive. Fortunately for the budget-conscious among us, local dispensaries offer a wide range of deals that allow curious consumers access to products that might otherwise be outside their price range.

Almost every dispensary in the region offers alwaysalliterative daily deals that open up new areas of the mar ket to consumers. You’ll often see “Munchie Monday,” “Wax Wednesday” or “Shatter Saturday” at dispensaries around the city. Those deals offer consumers a way to try products outside their comfort zone at a discounted rate. They’re far from the only savings regularly available, though.

By and large, better cannabis is more expensive than low-quality cannabis. As with most things, the better stuff just costs more. Fortunately for shrewd consumers, many dispensaries offer discounts on high-quality cannabis. You just need to know when, and where, to find it. If you’re looking to up your cannabis game, these deals are worth seeking out.

Multiple dispensaries around the region offer some thing along the lines of “Top Shelf Tuesday” — many market it as that, while some offer effectively identical deals on different days of the week. These sales allow consumers to try the best of the best when it comes to cannabis, but at a below-market-rate price.

Among the best are at Greenhand, The Green Nugget and TreeHouse Club, all of which offer 20 percent off top-shelf cannabis on Tuesdays. Spokane Green Leaf on

Country Homes Boulevard and Primo Cannabis in Otis Orchards both offer 20 percent off as well, but on Friday and Saturday respectively. Cinder’s three locations around the region offer 15 percent off top-shelf products on Tues days, while Lucid’s two locations offer 10 percent discounts.

Additionally, good value can be found if you know of a quality brand. Green Light in the Valley offers 20 percent off all Phat Panda products on Fridays, and 20 percent off all NorthWest Cannabis Solutions products on Saturdays.

As is the case with almost all products available in a free market, there is a difference between the best and the worst when it comes to quality, and that difference is often reflected in cost. If you’re a smart shopper, though, you can buy top-shelf cannabis without emptying your wallet. n

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

NOTE TO READERS

Be aware of the differences in the law between Idaho and Washington. It is illegal to possess, sell or transport cannabis in the State of Idaho. Possessing up to an ounce is a misdemeanor and can get you a year in jail and up to a $1,000 fine; more than three ounces is a felony that can carry a five-year sentence and fine of up to $10,000. Transporting marijuana across state lines, like from Washington into Idaho, is a felony under federal law.

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 intox icating effects; there may be health risks as sociated 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.

WARNING: This product has intoxicating affects and may be habit forming. Smoking is hazardous to your health. There may be health risks associated with consumption of this product. Should not be used by women that are pregnant or breast feeding. Marijuana products may be purchased or possessed only by persons 21 years of age or older. Marijuana can impair concentration, coordination and judgement. Do not operate a vehicle or machinery under the infl uence of this drug.