Inlander 12/27/2018

EASY EATS FOUR APPETIZERS FOR NEW YEAR’S PAGE 34

MUSIC OF THE YEAR OUR PICKS FOR THE BEST ALBUMS OF 2018 PAGE 40

POLICING THE POLICE OVERSIGHT IN SPOKANE HITS MORE SNAGS PAGE 20

DECEMBER 27-JANUARY 2, 2019 | FREE!

REWIND Jana Dietrich at the Women’s March in Spokane on Jan. 21.

2018 through the eyes of photographer young kwak PAGE 22

Season’s Greetings

2 INLANDER DECEMBER 27, 2018

INSIDE VOL. 26, NO. 11 | COVER PHOTO: YOUNG KWAK

COMMENT NEWS COVER STORY MILLER CANE

5 13 22 28

CULTURE FOOD FILM MUSIC

30 34 37 40

EVENTS 44 I SAW YOU 46 GREEN ZONE 48 ADVICE GODDESS 52

EDITOR’S NOTE

T

his isn’t hyperbole: Our staff photographer, YOUNG KWAK, is the best photographer at any weekly newspaper in America. In annual contests held by the Association of Alternative Newsmedia, his work has repeatedly come out on top; in the times when he’s placed second or third, I’d argue that the judges simply were mistaken or that they unwittingly took pity on those stuck in Young’s shadow. He’s that good, and we’re using this final issue of 2018 to feature some of his favorite images from the past year (page 22).

The job of a photographer is to be an eyewitness, and it’s a responsibility that takes Young all over the place — high and low, from river beds to mountaintops, from snow-covered football fields to smoke-choked skies — in search of the perfect pics to tell the story. When something beautiful, tragic or just plain interesting is happening, Young is there, his camera at the ready.

— JACOB H. FRIES, Editor

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WHAT’S YOUR WORST NEW YEAR’S EVE STORY?

PUBLISHER

J. Jeremy McGregor (x224) GENERAL MANAGER

EDITORIAL Jacob H. Fries (x261) EDITOR

Dan Nailen (x239) MANAGING EDITOR/ARTS & CULTURE

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SAMANTHA PERRY

My best friend’s grandma, she owns a limo service, and so she was working New Year’s Eve. Someone was drunk driving … they ended up getting in an awful head-on collision. She survived it. But at the same time that was terrifying.

How’s she doing now?

She’s alive and kicking and doing great. The limo business is still doing awesome.

Nathan Weinbender (x250)

ART DIRECTOR

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We were playing at a place called the Stockyards Inn and we were gonna do New Year’s Eve there that night and we went into the club and the ceiling had collapsed from ice and crushed all of our equipment. [When] we got there and everything was in water. It was awful. All the gear was destroyed. It was thousands and thousands of dollars.

PAT POTTER

I was playing at the Grand Hotel. We were taking a break and I was sitting down. This girl that was hitting on me all night comes over and sits on my lap. I had something in my pocket — it was really sharp. When she sat down on my lap, it poked [me] and I just reflexively jerked my leg and she fell onto the floor. Needless to say, she didn’t kiss me at midnight.

2019

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WESLEY MARVIN

I was supposed to play a house show — a big punk thing. All of us in the band, we were super stoked … but we got really drunk. We just started playing and then [we] forgot our songs and basically gave up halfway through the set. That was supposed to be our make-it-orbreak-it moment. We don’t really remember what happened after that but we sure as [hell] didn’t make it.

INTERVIEWS BY JOSH KELETY 12/20/18, THE OBSERVATORY

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BY MARY LOU REED

F

irst the butterfly, then the bee, now large portions of flying bugs in the whole wide world are going missing. The New York Times reports the insect apocalypse is upon us.

So here we are, facing a brand new year, 2019, and recognizing that bugs — those flying and flitting things that bite us and make us scratch, but also pollinate our world’s plants — are disappearing in our neighborhood and around the world at an alarming rate.

Most of the scientific data to back this up comes to us from Europe. There, Germany, Denmark and Great Britain can boast a cadre of entomologists, the elusive name for folks who specialize in studying insects, and an army of amateur naturalists who have pursued bugs out of their own curiosity. These record keepers tell us there has been a drop in the abundance of flying insects, the kind that hit your windshield, by as much as 75 percent in the last 27 years.

I think we can ask ourselves: Were we annoyed by mosquitoes on our skin in our walks through the woods last summer or the summer before? Or as we remember from our childhood?

I personally remember walking through what seemed like walls of mosquitoes at Diamond Lake in Southern Oregon in the 1940s.

The reality is, bugs are essential to our universe as we humans know it. The great naturalist and Harvard professor E.O. Wilson, who was fascinated by ants as a child, called insects “the little things that run the natural world.” Wilson is also quoted as saying, “Without insects and other land-based anthropoids, estimates are that humanity would last all of a few months.”

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lying insects carry pollen from plant to plant, and, at the same time, serve as a food supply for many birds. We learned recently that the populations of swallows have drastically dropped in numbers, dependent as they are on flying insects for food. Insects do double duties as pollinators and recyclers and serve as the base of the food chain. “By eating and being eaten, insects turn plants into protein.”

Beetles are a perfect example of essential insects that work hard out of our sight. We need to especially appreciate the dung beetle, which happily ignores our human skin and instead lives on cow and other animal dung.

The balance of nature on this Earth has evolved into millions of species of plants, animals and all forms of life on land, air and water. We humans have taken over the planet with such force that the world’s valuable diversity is seriously threatened. What would take on the task of the beetle if the entire world of beetles were to be eliminated?

My daughter, who has a degree in entomology, cautions that insects that bother people are doing fine because they’re able to use humans or human impacted space as a resource. So

mosquitoes and bedbugs and weevils are thriving.

In some way you could think of them as domesticated. So just as mammal species extinction doesn’t threaten dogs, cats, cows or pigs, so insect species extinction doesn’t threaten humandependent species or those dependent on our

pets, like fleas.

We don’t know what creatures will take the place of beetles, or any other species that is eliminated as a result of human activity. Maybe the prolific cockroach would fill the gap. Right now, hired human workers are trying to replace the missing bees and other pollinators at a cost to some apple, cherry and cashew nut farmers of millions of dollars. In Japan, cockroaches are being used to devour garbage.

What can we humans, who now rule the planet, do to prevent further elimination of insect species? We could quit calling all insects pests and drastically reduce the use of pesticides. Another obvious alternative is to encourage organic farming on a grand scale. That might help save friendly insects, but could also raise the cost of food in a world already loaded with hungry people.

W

e as a country, along with the largely neglected United Nations, should take action to protect insects helpful to humans. The reality is that most pesticides aren’t good for humans either. Sometimes common sense really does LETTERS prevail. ReSend comments to member DDT editor@inlander.com. was virtually eliminated in our country after Rachel Carson’s book, Silent Spring, caught the conscience of the country and, to a degree, the rest of the world.

If our country, led by President Trump, were to accept the reality that the human race is degrading the natural world of planet Earth, we could, in this new 2019, take all steps possible to correct the ongoing damages we humans inflict.

We should address the insect apocalypse, and at the same time work to save the oceans from acidification and overfishing, and eliminate plastic ending up in whales’ bellies, and even save the beetles, bees and butterflies.

With these words of hope, and after 105 columns spanning nearly nine years, I end my final column here in the Inlander. It’s been a distinct pleasure to write each month from my North Idaho perspective for this forward-looking publication. Happy New Year! n

DO SOMETHING!

Celebrate the New Year with your friends at Vino! come see our large selection of champagnes and sparkling wines YOUNG KWAK PHOTO

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COMMENT | HOLIDAYS

The Red Elf in Space

CALEB WALSH ILLUSTRATION

Inside the messages we send out into the world

BY AILEEN KEOWN VAUX

I

n the summer of 1977 NASA prepared to launch the Voyager Mission, two interstellar probes on a quest to travel beyond our solar system. The mission was a pursuit of scientific discovery, but it also acted as an intergalactic greeting card. Each spacecraft contained a single Golden Record, a copper phonograph plated in gold, that could be played by extraterrestrials on a parallel mission, should such beings exist and had the wherewithal to be equipped with a record player.

The Golden Records carried salutations in over 50 languages (including whale song), classical and traditional folk music, and the EEG of a woman in love. That woman was Ann Druyan, the creative director for the Golden Record project, who days before recording her brainwaves for posterity, got engaged to Carl Sagan, the popular astrophysicist who happened to also be the chairman of the Golden Record commission.

Druyan, by her own admission, said finding love with Sagan was a eureka! moment, an astounding discovery that a perfect match was indeed a possibility in the universe. For science, the Golden Record commission

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wanted to preserve that discovery and ship it out to aliens as representative of the human experience. The fact that aliens might not exist, to some degree, was beside the point.

I find the Golden Records a sweet reminder that humans often reveal themselves when trying to communicate with the unknown. The fact that aliens might not exist didn’t stop Sagan or Druyan from collecting samples of humanity — art, music, a simple hello — or from being deliberate when considering the impression humans would make in First Contact. I admire a project that many would consider frivolous, but is executed with an abundance of care by those responsible for the mission.

During the holiday seasons I often think about a different kind of message. For most of my childhood my grandfather wrote letters to my siblings and me in the days preceding Christmas. Written in a nearly illegible script, the letters were dispatches from the North Pole penned under the guise of “The Red Elf,” a character my grandfather invented one day in response to my challenging questions: How does Santa have time to deliver presents to all of the kids around the world? Who organizes the toy factory at the North Pole? Who helps Santa answer all of the Christmas letters?

Some kids accept the story of Santa without a second thought. I was not one of those kids. The Red Elf, my grandfather explained, was Santa’s right-hand-man, an essential part of the Christmas Industrial Machine. My grandfather graciously stepped in to take a frivolous inquiry very seriously.

My line of questioning, though, is not so different from what many of us do throughout our lives: Ask the adults around us a series of pestering questions to explain the confusing bits in the world. The letters my grandfather sent to us certainly extended the lifespan of the Santa story — they described a world of reindeer and workshops, snow drifts and elf labor unions. Ultimately, though, they described my grandfather, someone who wanted to create an elaborate fantastical world for his grandkids to inhabit.

It’s been nearly 20 years since my grandfather passed away, nearly 30 since he wrote his last Red Elf Letter, but the spirit of his message lives on when I think about the traditions I intend to create with the people in my life.

My hope for the end of the year is that all of us take the time to consider the messages we’re leaving behind, the dispatches that travel beyond our individual worlds for an infinite time in space. n Aileen Keown Vaux is an essayist and poet whose chapbook Consolation Prize was published by Scablands Books in 2018

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You’re so money. financial educ ation presented by stcu.

Death and stuff.

Purging belongings now can ease the burden later for loved ones.

H

e who dies with the most toys wins. Well, maybe. But the people they leave behind lose if they're stuck dealing with those toys. And let's face it ― the stuff most of us accumulate isn't fun toys. It's outdated furniture, kitchen gadgets and jars of nails.

And it's a lot to deal with on top of the grief of losing a loved one.

Based on her experience, Burtner has three tips:

"It was just absolute chaos," said Burtner, a community engagement officer for STCU. "We were making all these really hard choices at a time when we didn't need to be making those choices."

Respect the emotions. For you, a belonging may be just a thing. To the other person, it's a tangible link to their emotions. As Burtner and her mom were sorting things, there were three piles: get rid of it, there's no reason to keep but I can't let go of it yet, and keep. Eventually, all the can'tlet-go stuff migrated to the get-rid-of-it pile, but they had to allow time for that to happen.

It's that chaos that planning can help prevent ― including creating a will but also thinking through what will happen to your stuff ― to ease the burden for those left behind. That means deciding which of your belongings to keep – and, for some people, what to get rid of now.

Seize seasonal opportunities. Holidays and other seasons present an opportunity to assess what you're using and how you're using it. That snowboard that hasn't been used in three years? Find it a new home. Plus, dealing with stuff season by season makes the process less overwhelming.

In Burtner's case, her parents had lived in the same house for more than 20 years. They also had a shed and two storage units. They still had her grandmother's living room set, though neither Burtner nor her mother liked it. They had dishes to celebrate each holiday and a moving truck's worth of Christmas decorations.

Ask questions. Don't burden others with expectations about what they should keep. Instead, ask, "Do you want this?"

In asking, Burtner learned that what one of her kids really wanted from his grandpa was the box he kept his coins in.

So they kept that and got rid of the rest.

When Elizabeth Burtner's father died suddenly nearly three years ago, he hadn't done any estate planning.

Her father's death meant Burtner's mother would be moving in with her. So Burtner and her mom sifted through the stuff. They got rid of Grandma's furniture and kept favorite holiday decorations.

Burtner said her father’s death has made her much more aware of the “stuff” in her life ― and whether it’s truly important to her. And, after going through the purging process with her mother, Burtner and her family are down to just one storage unit.

Check out more practical financial tips at stcumoney.org. paid advertisement

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COMMENT | FROM READERS

Spokane Valley City Hall

CITY OF SPOKANE VALLEY PHOTO

Readers respond to an inaccurate article from the Seattle PI about the Spokane Valley voting to split Washington into two states (12/18/18):

SCOTT WILBURN: I’ve invested too much in the Spokane community to have us become the anti-gay Mississippi of the north.

Readers respond to an article on Inlander.com about a Texas judge ruling that the Affordable Care Act is unconstitutional (12/15/18):

ANGELA LALONDE: Universal health care. It’s time to completely decouple insurance from employers.

TERRY PARKER: Every county on the east side of the Cascades receives more money from Olympia than they supply in state tax revenues. Every one. Without King County, this side of the state is a third world nation. Or Idaho.

CHRIS WARREN: Do people around here actually think that if the Spokane Valley City Council voted on it, that would mean that it would happen...? Really...?

NATHAN LANSING: You’ll forgive us if we have difficulty believing that when the municipality in question helped elect Matt Shea. n

PATRICIA RUDINE: The only fix that will work is universal health care.

I’m for taking out the middleman insurance companies altogether.

Why should they get a cut every month for me to see my doctor once in a while?

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SARAH CHRISTINE: The epitome of activist judge. Really scary times we dwell in.

CHRIS JANSON / Feb 10

FRED DEFORD: The ACA was always about getting the “poor” and broke and low income folks’ vote. Democrat representatives know they can simply purchase votes by giving away tax dollars to greedy people that vote for their own personal best interests rather than the entire country’s.

MASTERS OF ILLUSION / Mar 14

STEVE BERDE: Best thing that could happen to insure health care for all.

If the Supreme Court hears the case and tosses it then, we’ll see a major move by Congress if they punt it over for the GOP to eliminate it. The public will demand a major overhaul for health care. n

EN BILL ENGVALL / Mar 10

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ENERGY

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With a major tax incentive about to sunset, experts say the time to buy into wind projects is now

BY SAMANTHA WOHLFEIL

A

cross hundreds of acres of flat, windswept farmland in southeast Washington, dozens of acre-sized lots wait ready to host towering wind turbines that will turn nature’s power into electricity while turning a profit for farmers, who can still till the surrounding earth.

Permits are in hand for this Rattlesnake Flat Wind Project in Lind — about 15 miles southwest of Ritzville — but if construction doesn’t start soon for projects like this, the benefits from a major federal tax incentive, set to expire after 2019, could be lost.

That means now is a key time to encourage largescale customers — think utilities or businesses that use a huge amount of electricity — to buy in and contract for power, so the project and others like it can start construction.

“I think it’s a great time to have a project that’s

virtually shovel-ready, to be able to find a good buyer to sell the energy to,” says Ben Fairbanks, senior director of development for Clearway Energy Group, the San Francisco-based company now behind the Eastern Washington project. “We’re optimistic that we’ll find the right contract to make the project work.”

Unlike, say, a Pizza Hut, the actual wind turbines in a $200 million to $300 million wind project like this one won’t be built on the assumption the market is ready to buy the power, Fairbanks says. They need customers to sign the dotted line to take the product first.

It’s taken about a decade, with a few dormant years waiting for the right market, to fully permit the project, which now has the OK to put in up to 90 turbines across land owned by about 25 different farmers, he says. The company already has a power agreement with Avista for ...continued on next page

DECEMBER 27, 2018 INLANDER 13

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transmission for its first 150 megawatts.

While overall project capacity is different from the actual power the project can put out, one average megawatt, measured as delivering one million watts 24 hours a day for a year, is enough to power about 800 Northwest homes for a year, according to the Northwest Power and Conservation Council. So this project could provide power for thousands.

It will be the second major clean energy project to go in at Lind, after the state’s largest solar farm, a 28-megawatt project, opened there in October.

A major incentive that helps wind projects like Rattlesnake Flat is the federal Production Tax Credit, which is set to expire for onshore wind projects that start construction after 2019.

Essentially, the credit of 2.4 cents per kilowatt hour can be sold to a company with a huge tax burden — say a major bank or technology company — and reduce the amount of taxes they owe, Fairbanks says.

Because many wind companies don’t have a large enough tax bill to use the credit, they’re allowed to sell it, usually for a lump sum, which can reduce the overall project cost and debt, Fairbanks explains. That in turn allows the company to sell its power even cheaper.

“It’s based on production, so if we don’t generate electricity, they don’t get a tax credit,” Fairbanks says. “To me, it’s a pretty productive way to incentivize renewable energy, because most of these projects are in fairly rural areas with little economic development. It’s hard to sometimes invest in those areas, just depending on the resources there.”

For projects that start work in 2019 but go into production in 2020, 2021, or 2022, the credit steps down in value by 20 percent each year, until it completely sunsets.

While there’ve been signs that some Demo-

crats want an extension of the Production Tax Credit to be included in an infrastructure package in Congress next year, there’s no promise that will happen.

But even with expiration of the credit in sight, it doesn’t mean wind projects are going away, says Sean O’Leary, communications director for the Northwest Energy Coalition, an alliance of environmental groups, businesses and utilities in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana and British Columbia.

“There certainly has been a scramble to get projects up and going,” O’Leary says. “What we’ve seen is an acceleration in anticipation of that end. Having said that, we’re not seeing an indication now that there’s going to be a major retreat on wind development.”

With a recent climate report from the United Nations spelling out just how devastating climate change impacts may be if serious action isn’t taken this decade, states and countries are scrambling to act, and Washington’s Gov. Jay Inslee is hoping to lead the charge.

I

n October, Inslee announced an executive order directing eight state agencies to buy more than 100 million kilowatt-hours of electricity per year from Washington state solar and wind projects by 2021, which is expected to save thousands of dollars per year and reduce emissions by 22,000 metric tons per year, according to the Governor’s Office.

Then, on Dec. 10, Inslee announced a huge package of climate-focused changes he and his allies will push during the 2019 session. Inslee plans to power Washington with 100 percent clean energy by 2045 and make “aggressive nearterm” changes to get the state on track to meet its 2035 greenhouse gas emission reduction goals, which were set by the Legislature in 2008.

“We know that more needs to be done.

There is a mighty chorus of people demanding climate action,” Inslee says during a press conference outlining his proposal.

“We know we have the responsibility of this more so than ever, because unfortunately we have climate denial ruling the roost on Pennsylvania Avenue. So we know we have to redouble our efforts to fulfill this destiny.”

On top of laying out the path to 100 percent clean energy, Inslee’s plan also includes investment in cleaner, more efficient buildings, introducing cleaner fuels and more electric cars for drivers, transitioning to electric vehicles for public transportation and eliminating the use of hydrofluorocarbon “super-pollutants” in the state.

It’s still unclear how much wind may play a role in Inslee’s plan, but it has been a major driver of renewable energy job creation in the state in recent years, and it’s a safe assumption it would play a role as utilities are forced to transition away from fossil fuels, energy experts say.

Still, wind is currently a distant second when it comes to providing renewable power in Washington, where hydroelectric dams provide about 90 percent of the state’s renewable energy, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. “[Inslee’s plan] will have an interesting challenging impact on utilities like Avista just to figure out how to replace that much energy in a short amount of time,” Fairbanks says. “But it definitely would create an opportunity for additional renewables.”

Environmental and renewable energy focused groups especially hope to push for wind opportunities.

Importantly, energy analysts for Lazard, a massive investment bank that tracks energy markets, now say that even unsubsidized wind can be competitive, explains O’Leary with Northwest Energy Coalition.

“Even unsubsidized wind power is now at or below, in some cases, the cost of natural gas,” O’Leary says. “The economics are still very much there for wind in that regard.”

“We know we have the responsibility of this more so than ever, because unfortunately we have climate denial ruling the roost on Pennsylvania Avenue.”

In areas of the country like Montana, where the coal-powered Colstrip plant that Avista has a stake in is set to sunset within a decade or so, there’s an opportunity for wind to step in and utilize transmission lines that are already in place, says Jeff Fox, who works on Montana wind policy for Renewable Northwest. The nonprofit advocates for renewable and sustainable resources.

“We’ve done a bunch of work to ensure wind energy and other renewables, but especially wind, have an opportunity to play in Washington and Oregon’s needs,” Fox says.

In general, Montana’s wind power is very, well, energetic — it’s some of the best in the U.S., Fox says.

“What makes it particularly valuable to Northwest utilities is it has a winter peaking profile,” Fox says. “We tend to produce our greatest numbers during the winter months, which tends to be when Washington and Oregon utilities see their peak power demands.”

That’s in contrast with Washington and Oregon wind, which tends to peak in spring, the same time of year that hydro tends to peak as well, Fox says.

Coupled with the fact the Production Tax Credit still available to take advantage of, the time is ripe, he says.

“I guess I’d say ‘Buy now … buy when the PTC is still here,’” Fox says. “Should [utilities] dally … wind technology overall is expected to continue falling in price, and may in the long run make up for the loss of the PTC and get reductions greater than what the PTC was providing. But in the short run, it might be a bit of a bumpy ride.” n samanthaw@inlander.com

“THE KALISPEL TRIBE HELPS EMPOWER WOMEN EVERY DAY.” Regina Malveaux, Chief Executive Officer, YWCA Spokane

Since opening Northern Quest Resort & Casino in 2000, the Kalispel Tribe of Indians has donated more than $18 million to local nonprofits in Spokane and Pend Oreille Counties – including YWCA Spokane, a valuable organization that has been providing hope and healing to victims of intimate partner violence and their children for 115 years. Each year, the YWCA assists more than 17,000 victims locally.

“Domestic violence is still the number-one cause of 911 calls in Spokane County,” says YWCA Chief Executive Officer Regina Malveaux. “We meet victims and their children at what is often the most traumatic time in their lives. Thanks to our partnership with the Kalispel Tribe, we can provide hope and healing through our safe shelters, counseling and legal assistance, children’s services and job readiness programs.”

“The Kalispel Tribe has been one of our largest long-term supporters,” added Malveaux. “We’re grateful for their support in our mission to empower women and eliminate racism in our community.”

If you’d like to help make a difference, learn more at www.ywcaspokane.org.

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DECEMBER 27, 2018 INLANDER 15

NEWS | DIGEST

ON INLANDER.COM

THE PROTECTORS It looks like the Environmental Protection Agency will approve the Kalispel Tribe’s request to have more restrictive protections on the air over its RESERVATION in northeast Washington. A little less than two years ago, the tribe started working on redesignating its air space as Class I, which under the Clean Air Act allows for the least amount of degradation due to pollution. The move came in response to the announcement that a Canadian company plans to build a silicon smelter near the reservation. While the site for the proposed smelter has been moved farther away, the tribe still emphasizes the air protections are necessary. (SAMANTHA WOHLFEIL)

FEATURING NATIONAL NEWS FROM THE NEW YORK TIMES

WSU VALIDATES GESSER ACCUSER Washington State University has found that former star quarterback Jason Gesser (above) violated the university’s SEXUAL MISCONDUCT policy when he forced himself on Alyssa Bodeau, a former WSU volleyball player, following a fundraising event in 2015.

Bodeau, whose maiden name is Alyssa Wold, made a formal complaint against Gesser on Sept. 17. She accused Gesser, then a WSU employee, of repeatedly trying to kiss her without her consent, then groping her under her dress despite her repeatedly saying “no.” The WSU investigation found that the conduct “meets the definition of sexual harassment and nonconsensual sexual contact.”

(WILSON CRISCIONE)

HE’D PREFER NOT TO In the Spokane City Council’s view, the pattern over the past year has gone like this: The council passes a big ordinance, like the one intended to combat climate change. The mayor vetoes it. The council overrides the veto. But it appears the mayor REFUSES to actually implement the new law, sending the council scrambling to try to find alternatives. In Mayor David Condon’s view, he isn’t being obstinate: He’s being prudent, objecting to what he sees as legally flawed ordinances that contradict the city’s strategic plan.

But as the council members have watched the mayor seemingly ignore some of the council’s most high-profile votes, their frustration has moved from a simmer to a boil. “It’s a pretty poor legacy he’s leaving,” City Council President Ben Stuckart says about Condon (above). “It seems like he’s spending more time ignoring the law, trying to thwart the law.” (DANIEL WALTERS)

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CONNELLY GOOFS On the afternoon of Dec. 17, longtime Seattle PI columnist Joel Connelly published an article claiming that the Spokane Valley City Council was going to vote on a plan to split the state of Washington along the Cascade mountain range — a favorite subject of state Rep. Matt Shea (above). But here’s the hitch: Spokane Valley elected leaders AREN’T planning on weighing in on such a plan. (They did, however, talk about holding such a vote in 2016.) In response, the Spokane Valley City Manager Mark Calhoun sent out a release titled “City of Spokane Valley Not Voting on Plan to Create 51st State” to set the record straight. After getting thoroughly dragged on social media, the PI posted a “corrective” on Connelly’s story, and the man himself wrote an apology note, claiming that he saw coverage from 2016 on the subject and mixed up the dates. He still took flak for lifting reporting from another outlet without attribution. (JOSH KELETY)

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f you call yourself an Inlander, you need to know the stories. Do you remember those ancient ivory tusks pulled from a farm down on the Palouse? What happened after fur trappers set up their first trading post on the Spokane River? Or how a local basketball team captivated the nation? What about “The Biggest Thing That Man Has Ever Done”?

A World’s Fair?

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Noted local historians Jack Nisbet, Robert Carriker and William Stimson join Inlander staff writers, including Sheri Boggs, Andrew Strickman and Mike Bookey, to take you on a tour of some of the most important moments in the region’s past. Collected together for the first time, Inlander Histories pieces together the tapestry of Eastern Washington and North Idaho culture, creating a rare document of life in the “inland” part of this corner of the continent. $14.95

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Before last week’s indictment, Ron Wells had lately been in the news for his work to redevelop the Ridpath Hotel.

Wells, Wells, Wells Developer Ron Wells and others indicted in insurance-fraud scheme

A

decade ago, a fraudster helped kill the Ridpath Hotel. In 2008, the complicated schemes of developer Greg Jeffreys contributed to the Ridpath not only closing, but being divided up into so many pieces that it was almost impossible to put back together again. In 2014, Jeffreys was sentenced to eight years in federal prison on wire fraud, bank fraud and conspiracy charges.

But last week, a federal indictment suggested the latest tragic twist in the Ridpath saga: The man who resurrected the Ridpath — against all odds and repeated setbacks — was also an alleged fraudster.

RON WELLS has been a widely respected downtown developer. In April, he was telling the Inlander about his plans to follow up the Ridpath apartment complex with a 40-story residential skyscraper downtown. But last week, a federal indictment alleged that he had been a part of a complicated insurance-fraud scheme.

Among the 17 counts against Wells: investigators suggest that on Oct. 16, 2016, a truck registered to Ron Wells was intentionally driven into a truck driven by a man named Christopher Frangella, towing a boat registered to suspected insurance fraud ringleader William Mize. Along with Mize’s wife, they all allegedly falsely claimed they suffered injuries in the accident, garnering nearly $340,000 in insurance settlement payouts from Safeco.

A press release from Kevin Curtis, Wells’ attorney, complicated Wells’ story even further: About two months ago, Wells had been put into a three-week medically induced coma after a surgery.

YOUNG KWAK PHOTO

Neither his attorney nor the federal government knew what had happened. As soon as Wells is able to, Curtis writes, he’ll help the federal government with their investigation.

“It is Mr. Wells’ sincere hope that the projects in which he is involved will not be jeopardized by his personal situation nor to detract from his numerous civic contributions over the years,” Curtis writes. (DANIEL WALTERS)

TECH GIANTS PAY UP

Google and Facebook have agreed to pay out over $450,000 to settle a lawsuit brought by Washington State Attorney General BOB FERGUSON who alleged that the two tech giants violated campaign finance laws while failing to record necessary information for paid political advertising on their platforms.

“Whether you are a small-town newspaper or a large corporation, Washington’s political advertising disclosure laws apply to everyone,” Ferguson says in a Dec. 18 news release.

The lawsuits, which were filed in early June, were prompted by enterprise reporting by Eli Sanders, an associate editor at Seattle’s alt-weekly the Stranger. In the winter of 2017, Sanders walked into the Seattle offices of Facebook and Google and presented a copy of state campaign finance laws — which have been on the books since 1972 — and demanded that they provide him information on their municipal political ad sales (e.g., who paid for which ads and for how much).

The companies didn’t provide the information and resisted efforts by the state Public Disclosure Commission to clarify that digital platforms must conform to state campaign finance laws. (Google did, however, suspend political ad sales in the state after Ferguson filed his lawsuits in June.)

But following the settlement, Facebook also announced that they will halt all political ad sales in the state by the end of the year.

Washington candidates and political committees reported roughly $5 million in payments to Facebook and $1.5 million to Google related to advertising over the last decade, according to the Dec. 18 release from Ferguson’s office.

In the event that either company violates state campaign finance law again in the future, Ferguson told the Stranger that they will “hear from us again.” (JOSH KELETY)

ELECTRIC FEEL

Spokane and surrounding communities will get new electric and low-emission buses with money from the state’s emissions settlement with VOLKSWAGEN. The car company used software that only reduced emissions on its diesel vehicles while they were being tested, allowing them to create more pollution during daily use than state or federal law allowed.

With $500,000 from the more than $28 million state settlement, Spokane Transit Authority (STA) will purchase its first electric bus, says Andrew Wineke, a spokesman for the Department of Ecology. The amount is expected to cover the cost difference between an all-electric bus and a standard diesel bus.

But it’s not clear yet when the electric bus might be purchased, as STA is in the middle of a study that will inform if and how its entire fleet can transition to zero emissions, STA spokesman Brandon Rapez-Betty says.

“It’s the first electric bus. However, we don’t really have a very specific date for procurement,” Rapez-Betty says. “Some agencies we learned from jumped into electrification right away, only to learn electric is a different world from diesel. For example, you cannot tow an electric bus, it has to be loaded on a trailer and hauled back. So we want to do a more conservative approach, then start to make decisions.”

The first electric bus would likely go into use on the MonroeRegal line that is supposed to launch next fall, he says.

Mead and Medical Lake will also get 10 new school buses between them using money from the settlement. Those lower emission buses may run on propane or newer diesel engines with better efficiency and emissions protections. “[Buses are] a good target because they have a big diesel engine in them, and you get some serious emission reductions,” Wineke says. “It’s a great opportunity to put this money to work and we’re pretty excited about it, especially in places like Spokane where it’s their first bus and they might not have been able to get the electric bus without some of this assistance.”

Even more electric transit vehicles may be purchased in 2019, when the state starts spending its share of the separate federal VW settlement, which gives Washington more than $112 million to work with. (SAMANTHA WOHLFEIL)

ALL IN A NAME

Once Spokane Public Schools builds the three new middle schools voters recently approved, the district will have another challenge: naming them.

State Senate Majority Leader Andy Billig (D-Spokane) has thrown in one suggestion for one of the middle schools. In a letter to the school board, he asks to have a middle school named after CARLA PEPERZAK, a teenage Jewish member of the Dutch resistance during World War II who rescued Jews during the Holocaust.

“I believe naming a middle school for Carla is appropriate to honor her heroism and service,” Billig writes.

Peperzak, who moved to Spokane in 2004, has estimated that she rescued 40 Jews from the Nazis during World War II. She’s a frequent public speaker in the community and educates students about the Holocaust. In 2015, the state Senate passed a resolution honoring her.

As part of the school bond the district passed in November, Spokane Public Schools will be constructing three new middle schools in the coming years — for now, they’re being called the Northwest, Northeast and South Hill middle schools. The district hopes to name the schools by spring of 2020.

Under the school district’s policy, names of schools can either be a prominent geographic feature, a “significant individual or event,” or some other logical association having to do with location or function.

Billig argues it makes sense to further honor Peperzak by naming a middle school after her.

“It is vital to continue to tell the story of the Holocaust to future generations and seems particularly fitting to tell that story to middle school students through the lens of a teenage hero who ended up living right here in our own community,” he says.

(WILSON CRISCIONE)

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NEWS | CRIMINAL JUSTICE

Freeze!

Why a dispute between Spokane police and the civilian ombudsman is at a standstill

BY JOSH KELETY

R

oughly a month after Spokane’s ombudsman commission — a five-member board intended to provide civilian oversight of city police — filed a formal complaint with Mayor David Condon alleging that the police department was interfering with the panel’s work, the issue remains unaddressed.

This has prompted some members of the Office of the Police Ombudsman (OPO) Commission to consider legal action in the courts to force SPD to cooperate with them.

“If the OPO Commission at some point feels that we have to take legal action, I don’t think we’re reluctant to do that,” Ladd Smith, chair of the commission, tells the Inlander. “That may have to happen.”

The recent spats between the police department and the city oversight body stretch back months, but came to a head in mid-November. In a scathing Nov. 13 letter against Spokane Police Chief Craig Meidl, the OPO commission argued that the department had violated city law and engaged in “continuous interference” with the “independence” of the OPO. The ombudsman, whose office was established in 2008, reviews police internal investigations of citizen complaints over alleged misconduct to make sure that the reviews are rigorous.

Specifically, the commission cited the law enforcement agency’s refusal to both provide case files on use-of-force incidents against people of color and grant ombudsman staff access to investigatory files compiled by internal affairs.

In response, Mayor Condon promised an investigation into the commission’s complaint conducted by the human resources department and the city attorney’s office. However, both Condon and Chief Meidl maintain that the issues raised by the commission should be worked out in the ongoing negotiations between the city and the Spokane Police Guild for a new contract. (The last police contract expired in 2016.)

“These issues are tied to current collective bargaining that is under way with the Spokane Police Guild,” Condon wrote to the commission on Dec. 4. “I am hopeful that many of these items will be resolved through the contract negotiation process.”

B

ut for both the commissioners and Police Ombudsman Bart Logue, the city’s holding pattern is frustrating. Citing a 2013 measure that strengthened the oversight powers of the ombudsman and established the citizen commission to oversee investigations into police misconduct — that voters overwhelmingly approved — they argue that city law and the previous police contract already grant them broad authority and that their requests shouldn’t be tabled while the contract negotiations are ongoing.

“In the last six to eight months it seems like more and more walls are going up and [there’s] less and less cooperation,” Smith says. “It seems to be that the guild is

20 INLANDER DECEMBER 27, 2018

Bart Logue, the Spokane police ombudsman, argues that the police union contract negotiations are impeding his oversight work. using these negotiations as a reason to not do anything.”

Chief Meidl tells the Inlander that, last summer, staff in the city attorney’s office requested that the issues raised by the commission with the police department get resolved in the contract negotiations. “The city folks have asked if we can please have this as part of negotiations,” he says. “I am honoring the request to fold these [issues] into ongoing negotiations.

“The OPO commission and the OPO doesn’t have to be concerned about labor law to the extent that I do,” Meidl adds. “All of these [issues] fall under some level of negotiations.”

Another sticking point between the department and its civilian oversight body involves an internal affairs case that Logue has refused to sign off as complete. Back in August, a participant in a July protest in Spokane against Republican Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers filed a citizen complaint about the demeanor of LETTERS an officer present at the Send comments to event. Logue initially editor@inlander.com. refused to certify the department’s internal investigation into the complaint — which found no misconduct on the officers part — arguing that they only interviewed the complainant (as opposed to, for example, also interviewing witnesses).

Eventually, the ombudsman commission sided with Logue and moved to send the complaint back to SPD for further investigation on Nov 13. In response, the Spokane Police Guild fired off a grievance letter to Chief Meidl, alleging that city is violating its previous collective bargaining agreement by allowing the commission to request that the department conduct an additional investigation into the summer protest incident. Additionally, the letter calls on the city to prevent the ombudsman from conducting his own investigations of the incident.

Meidl says that the additional review is also on hold, pending a huddle with the department’s legal counsel on how they should proceed and what the ordinance actually requires them to do.

“I don’t want to call it semantics, but I think there is a disagreement over what is an ‘investigation’,” Meidl says. “What are we obligated to do?”

I

YOUNG KWAK PHOTO

n response to requests for comment, city spokeswoman Marlene Feist points to the ongoing city investigation into the concerns raised by the ombudsman commission. “The mayor will be able to address these kinds of questions once that review is completed, and we have a full understanding of the concerns being raised and a legal review,” Feist writes in an email.

As for whether Mayor Condon will order SPD to reinvestigate the citizen complaint from the summer protest incident, Fiest writes: “In this era of unprecedented oversight of the Spokane Police Department by the OPO, demeanor complaints are appropriately under the purview of the chief to determine the best way to investigate.

The mayor will not intervene.”

For ombudsman commissioners, the spat over the protest incident is yet another example of SPD stalling oversight efforts. “It’s so symbolic of [SPD] not taking it seriously and not going through the proper protocol to try and do the right thing,” says Smith, OPO Commission chair.

Both Ombudsman Logue and Smith say that the city legal counsel for the OPO office has been reluctant to throw legal elbows on behalf of the office out of concern of jeopardizing the ongoing contract negotiations. “City legal on the OPO side seems reluctant to want to do anything other than lip service,” Smith says. “No action ever comes.”

On whether the ombudsman commission will pursue legal action through its own legal counsel, Smith says that it “could be a couple months” before any concrete decisions are made.

“We don’t want to wreck processes either,” Logue says of the contract negotiations. “But we also don’t want to give up our right and the authorities granted to us in the ordinance.”

Breean Beggs, a Spokane City Council member and local defense attorney, says that the city needs to clearly define what is and is not allowed under the current civilian oversight ordinance and act on it. “The city is going to have to decide whether they want to follow the plain language of their ordinance and risk a complaint [from the Police Guild] or just indefinitely put it on hold,” Beggs says. “That’s a decision the city needs to make.” n joshk@inlander.com

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22 INLANDER DECEMBER 27, 2018

YES E E H T H G THROU 8 1 0 2 T APHER A R G K O C T A O B H K P TAFF A LOO S ’S R WAK E K D G N N A U L O N Y BY OF THE I

pump up the volumE! Spokane’s Nat Park and the Tunnels of Love perform at the Washington Cracker Co. Building during Volume, the Inlander’s annual music festival.

man’s best partner FACING PAGE: Spokane County Sheriff’s Deputy Jason Hunt and his partner K9 Gunnar approach an unoccupied house during a training exercise.

neck deep Spokane Firefighter Cliff York, left, holds onto and guides Doug Kelley while practicing a tethered rescue during training at the Spokane River.

DECEMBER 27, 2018 INLANDER 23

TAKE

TWO hub for Hockey Buddy Richardson, right, pulls a beer for some hockey-loving fans who love the Hub Tavern.

spiked!

Eastern Washington’s Taylor Larsen, center, during practice at Reese Court.

on the picket line Sheridan Elementary School sixth-grade teacher Joe Kahovec, right, leads a rally of public school employees calling for better pay raises outside the Spokane Public Schools administration building on Aug. 23.

edible edits Celeste Shaw, owner of the west Spokane restaurant and bakery Chaps Coffee Co., was the guest editor-in-chief of Where Women Cook’s first ever holiday issue, a nationally distributed glossy magazine on stands through December.

24 INLANDER DECEMBER 27, 2018

Hunting and gathering Wandering Lemurian Herbs owner Aubrey Mundell harvests fireweed in Mount Spokane State Park.

the finish line One excited runner crosses the finish line during the Lilac Bloomsday Run on May 6.

DECEMBER 27, 2018 INLANDER 25

TAKE

TWO

getting snowed Washington State running back James Williams runs over Washington defensive back Taylor Rapp during the first half of the Apple Cup in Pullman Nov. 23. UW won 28 to 15.

getting frisky Anya Spielberg pets her 1-year-old serval Boomer in his enclosure at Savannah Exotics in Oakesdale, Wash.

26 INLANDER DECEMBER 27, 2018

fire and smoke The view from Mount Spokane State Park during a smoke-filled day in August.

bugging out A Smerinthus opthalmica (western one-eyed sphinx) moth stands on Carl Barrentine’s hand after Barrentine released it at his house in Spokane. He captured the moth earlier in the morning. Barrentine, a retired biologist and professor, captures and identifies moths.

miss shifters Jessica Boller sits in her 1967 Chevrolet Camaro before the first Powder Puff elimination round on July 14 at the Spokane County Raceway.

we live in water Margo Hill, a Spokane Tribe judge, Eastern Washington University professor and contributor to Paul Lindholdt’s book The Spokane River, poses for a photograph west of the Sandifur Bridge near the confluence of Latah Creek and the Spokane River.

DECEMBER 27, 2018 INLANDER 27

PREVIOUSLY…

Miller Cane flees over the North Cascades, heading east in his motor home with 8-year-old Carleen. Miller’s been taking care of the girl while her mother, Lizzie, is in jail for shooting Connor, her estranged father. Connor suddenly came back into the picture after learning that Carleen will inherit a massive family fortune that Connor believes is rightfully his. Miller, who lately had been making his living conning the survivors of mass shootings, has a new job: keeping Carleen safe. His plan: Take the girl on America’s open roads while he returns to an old writing gig penning biographies of historical figures under the heading, “Hero or Villain?” But first they’re going to stop in Spokane to check on Miller’s ailing mother.

CHAPTER 4, PART 1

T

he plan was to shop for a Barbie castle, then meet the realtor and swing by Fairhaven in the afternoon.

They’d arrived at his sister’s house in Spokane the night before and now it was too early to be awake.

But they were awake, Miller at the kitchen table with a newspaper, Carleen beside him painting a domestic scene in watercolors — a house with a door, four windows, a chimney under rising curlicues of smoke, a cat in a tree, six seagulls, a sun and a rainbow and three tiny tornadoes. “What about people?” Miller said, and Carleen said, “The people are next.”

Dena came in from the raised beds out back wearing a particulate respirator and carrying a basket of heirloom tomatoes, red and orange and yellow and pink.

ABOUT THIS PROJECT

Miller Cane: A True and Exact History, a new novel by Samuel Ligon, is being published for the first time in the pages of the Inlander.

The latest installments of the book will always appear in print first, then on the web the following Wednesday MADE POSSIBLE BY and then on Spokane Public Radio, which is broadcasting audio versions of each installment.

Visit MillerCane.Inlander.com for more details.

28 INLANDER DECEMBER 27, 2018

You never would have guessed looking at them that the air outside was poison. Baxter whined and slobbered as Dena pushed him back with her knee and closed the door behind her.

“It’s godawful out there,” she said, pulling off her mask.

Miller poured another cup of coffee. The newspaper headline on the table said, “Air Quality Improves to Unhealthy.”

“An otter at the aquarium has asthma,” Miller said, “which nobody’s ever heard of.”

“But she’s getting medicine,” Carleen said, “and feeling better.”

“That’s good,” Dena said, grabbing a mixing bowl from the cabinet.

Carleen rinsed her paintbrush and dabbed it in black, then painted a crooked man beside the house, giving him a beard, a bowtie, a stovepipe hat.

“Lincoln?” Miller said.

Carleen nodded. “Mom says he’s our greatest president — because he freed the slaves and kept the country together and was probably bi.”

“Bi?” Miller said.

“Sexual,” Dena said.

“Right,” Miller said. “But what difference does that make?”

“It makes a difference to bi people,” Carleen said, and Dena said, “Exactly.”

Carleen painted a bird on Lincoln’s shoulder, then dipped her paintbrush in the water again. “Mom says a lot of people are bi — maybe everyone — whether they know it or not.”

“Which is just fine,” Dena said, pulling eggs from the fridge.

“Of course it’s fine,” Miller said. “Nobody’s saying —” “But I don’t have to be anything,” Carleen said. “If I don’t want to be.”

“No you don’t,” Miller said.

“Except yourself,” Dena said.

Baxter whined.

Carleen dabbed her paintbrush on a paper towel and walked across the kitchen to grab a bag of baby carrots from the fridge.

Dena cracked eggs into the bowl and whisked them, adding salt and pepper and ranch dressing, her secret ingredient. “The tomatoes are slowing down,” she said, “all that smoke blocking the light. The AQI was 350 yesterday.”

Besides, who cared if Lincoln was gay or bi or trans — besides Lincoln himself, and he hadn’t cared for a long time either.

“AQI?” Miller said. It was one thing to feel left behind by Carleen, but Dena was six years older than him and had no right to be speaking in code. Besides, who cared if Lincoln was gay or bi or trans — besides Lincoln himself, and he hadn’t cared for a long time either. It was hard to imagine him in bed with Cump Sherman or wearing a ball gown like Caitlyn Jenner, dreaming of a day when surgery and hormones would set him free. But maybe he’d done exactly that, or something equally unimaginable, the sex lives and gender wishes of our historical darlings as difficult to imagine as the erotic spankings of our grandparents. And while 21st century concepts of gender and sexuality might have been incomprehensible to Lincoln, they might just as well have been enlightening. Still, if we discovered that Robert E. Lee, say, was genderqueer, it was hard to know how that information would change our thinking about Pickett’s Charge or Second Manassas or Lee as a general, an American, a statue. Whatever we discovered, the biography would be inadequate, and most of the time far worse — reducing the person to a thesis, a distilled essence evaporating into

THE STORY

A fraudulent historian who makes his living conning the survivors of mass shootings returns home to save the young daughter of the woman he loves, taking her with him on his roadshow across the worn-out heart of America, staying one step ahead of what’s after them.

MAIN CHARACTERS

Miller Cane: A fraudulent historian, who’s been making his living conning and comforting the survivors of mass shootings.

Carleen Callahan: The 8-year old daughter of Lizzie James and Connor Callahan. Has no idea she’s

nothing.

“Everyone’s become fluent in these numbers is what I’m saying,” Dena said.

Miller imagined another thread for the book to complement his Hero Villains: “Lincoln’s Gown” it could be called, subtitled, “Exploring the Gender and Sexual Identities of our Founding Mothers and Fathers and Nonbinary Progenitors.” The research potential was limitless, and no matter what conclusions you drew, the dramatic bits would remain the same — Preston Brooks caning Charles Sumner nearly to death on the floor of the Senate, John Brown raging at the Pottawatomie massacre, John Wilkes Booth shooting Lincoln in the head before leaping to the stage at Ford’s Theatre, Ford himself hustling a very young Bonnie Parker away from the assassination in a tricked out Model T. “Are you even listening to me?”

Dena said, and Miller said, “Yes,” and Dena said, “The radio actually told people with heart conditions to get out of town yesterday, as if they could just leave.”

Carleen fed Baxter a carrot. He gobbled it, whining by the door.

“I even ordered a mask for Baxter,” Dena said.

“You did?” Miller said.

“I know,” Dena said. “Can you imagine what Grandma Cane would say?”

“He’s an animal,” Miller rasped. “Stop babying him!”

“He should be EUTHANIZED is what,” Dena said, imitating their grandmother, and Miller said, “He should have been euthanized before he was BORN is what!”

Dena put a cast iron skillet on the stove and turned up the heat.

“We killed animals all day every day on the farm,” Miller said, and Dena said, “We’d wring the chickens’ necks, and then we’d wring the donkeys’ necks.”

“And then we’d machine gun the horses!”

Connor Callahan: Son and grandson and great grandson of money, which somehow skipped him, going to his daughter instead.

recently become an heiress or that her mother has shot her father.

Lizzie James: An artisan jewelry maker, and a baker at the Mount Vernon co-op, currently in Skagit County jail for shooting her estranged husband, Connor.

ON THE WEB

Binge, catch up or revisit the first three chapters of Miller Cane: A True and Exact History, posted online at millercane.inlander.com.

George Sampson: Miller’s editor, who works for a textbook publisher in Texas.

“We were DEATH FARMERS is what,” Dena said, and Carleen said, “But did you really shoot the horses?”

“Oh, no, sweetie,” Dena said.

They’d forgotten Carleen by the door with Baxter.

“Our grandma was just crazy.”

“Not that we ever said that word,” Miller said.

“And not like our other grandma,” Dena said, “who was really crazy. Or our mom. Grandma Cane was just mean.”

Baxter whined.

“Can Waffles get a mask?” Carleen said.

“Cats won’t wear them,” Dena said, pouring eggs into the pan. “But we’ll keep him inside today, out of the smoke.”

Carleen handed Baxter another carrot. “Can I get a mask?” she said “Sure you can,” Miller said. “We both will — after we do the dishes and call my mom.”

But his mom couldn’t come to the phone, and the hardware store on Lincoln was out of masks. So was the one on 29th. At the Country Store on Division, the kid working the floor talked into a tiny microphone at his throat and listened through headphones. “Chip doesn’t think there’s a respirator in town,” he said to Miller, “but we’ve got paper masks in aisle four.”

“Are they any good?”

“Not for smoke,” the kid said.

“What about surgical masks?” Miller said, and the kid said, “You need a respirator — an N95 or a hundred.”

“What about — ” “Bandanas won’t work either, or wet towels.”

“What about a gas mask?” Miller said, and Carleen said, “What about a cat mask?”

“No such thing,” the kid said, “but we do have an AR90 Riot Control Mask, which is probably too much for our situation here. Hang on,” he said, holding up a finger. “Chip says we’re getting more respirators tomorrow, if you can swing by in the afternoon.”

“Okay,” Miller said, “thanks,” and they walked back into the toxic air. Summer used to be the best season in Spokane — hot days and cool nights and swimming at the lake or pool, eating and drinking on porches and patios and decks. Now you couldn’t even go outside.

Miller started Dena’s Subaru and turned on the air.

Carleen let out a deep breath.

“You can stare directly into the sun,” she said, “through the smoke,” and Miller said, “But don’t.” You could stare directly into the sun — it was dull and flat and pinkish red.

Miller’s phone buzzed with a text from Dena.

“I think Waffles and Baxter will become friends,” Carleen said, “if we stay long enough.”

“Mom’s gone,” the text read.

Miller put the car in park and called Dena, who didn’t answer.

“Waffles is not always friendly with other animals,” Carleen said.

“What do you mean gone?” Miller wrote back.

Was she dead? That seemed impossible, for all the usual reasons.

And likely, for all the usual reasons.

“But I think he might like Baxter,” Carleen said. “If he’ll come out from under the bed.”

Miller’s phone buzzed with another text from Dena.

“I’m on the phone with them right now,” it said.

“But is she okay?” Miller said.

“He can bully dogs sometimes,” Carleen said.

“She broke out of Fairhaven,” Dena said.

“And of course he would eat a bird or fish.”

“Broke out?”

“Or a ferret or hamster.”

“Or a gerbil,” Miller said.

“Or a mouse or rat,” Carleen said.

Another text dinged Miller’s phone.

“She took off,” Dena wrote.

“Or a rabbit,” Carleen said.

Miller’s mom was on the lam. n

MILLER CANE CONTINUES IN NEXT WEEK’S INLANDER

Thur 12/27, Inlander

FRED MEYER

COEUR D’ALENE CASINO

CALENDAR GIVEAWAY

BUCK NIGHT & RALLY TOWEL GIVEAWAY

FRIDAY 12/28 vs. EVERETT SILVERTIPS

SATURDAY 12/29 vs. TRI-CITY AMERICANS

The first 3,000 fans will receive a 2019 Chiefs calendar courtesy of Fred Meyer.

$1 hotdogs and Coca-Cola products all night long, plus the first 5,000 fans receive a rally towel courtesy of Coeur d’Alene Casino.

Sponsored By:

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For Tickets Call 509.535.PUCK

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Game Times:

7 PM DECEMBER 27, 2018 INLANDER 29

Gritty: Nice guy or nightmare?

ALI BLACKWOOD ILLUSTRATION

SPORTS

EMBRACE THE ICE How to fall in love with hockey

BY MELISSA HUGGINS

T

here’s a sound of polite surprise people often make when they learn I’m a hockey fan. Perhaps it’s because they know me as an arts advocate or aspiring writer, or because my hobbit-like physique doesn’t exactly scream former athlete. But as it turns out, having wildly disparate interests is part of being human! You know, containing multitudes?

I’ve loved hockey since I was tiny. I grew up in a house where my dad loved the sport and played it recreationally, so we had a backyard rink of sorts with a full-sized net where my sister and I shot pucks at my dad under the pretense of helping him practice. As an adult, my basement walls are covered in hockey memorabilia, including a poster commemorating the Seattle Metropolitans, the first U.S. team to win the Stanley Cup in 1917.

The recent announcement of a Seattle-based NHL team (to begin play in 2021) means my home state team will compete again for a chance to hoist the cup.

Anticipating the future team, and for those unacquainted with hockey, here’s a primer on how to fall in love with the greatest sport on earth:

30 INLANDER DECEMBER 27, 2018

GO TO A GAME

Put simply: You can’t truly experience hockey until you see it in person. Television can’t do it justice. The strength, conditioning, skill and mental toughness the sport requires is stunning, and even the fundamental ability to balance on a thin metal blade while alternating between sprints and sudden stops on a sheet of ice is impressive. Seriously, have you gone skating lately? Try that but also put on 10-20 pounds of equipment, carry a stick and have the hand-eye coordination to pass and shoot a small rubber disk while skating, knowing that while you have the puck, another player could legally check you at full speed. Oh, and be ready to skate backwards on defense and throw your body in front of a 110-mph slapshot. For context, imagine voluntarily placing yourself in front of a Serena Williams’ serve but at much closer range and with the object hurtling at you FROZEN SOLID. One local point of entry is the Spokane Chiefs. The games are loose, fun, family-friendly and affordable, plus you get to see some incredible players before they make it big. Many former Chiefs currently play in the NHL, including Derek Ryan (Cal-

LACE ’EM UP If you’re interested in playing but don’t know where to start, Spokane has recreational leagues for all ages and a wide range of abilities. You can choose your own level of competition and most are non-checking leagues, like Spokane Women’s Hockey, which fields four rec teams who play Friday nights as well as in tournaments. If you have interested kids between the ages of 5-18, look up the Spokane Americans Youth Hockey Association, better known as the Spokane Jr. Chiefs. They can suggest where to get skating lessons, help you understand what equipment is needed, where to snag gear that other kids have outgrown and more.

gary Flames), Tyler Johnson (Tampa Bay Lightning), Jared Spurgeon (Minnesota Wild), Kailer Yamamoto (Edmonton Oilers) and others. Sit next to me and I’ll explain the rules, but if you make any cracks about halftime, I’m prepared to take a two-minute penalty for cross-checking you into the boards.

CHOOSE A MASCOT AS YOUR GUIDE The only choice is Gritty, the Philadelphia Flyers’ new mascot.

Gritty is everything. Gritty is the blank canvas upon which all humans project our sincerest hopes and deepest fears. Even Philly fans love Gritty, a plot twist I never would’ve expected from the people who once booed Santa Claus then pelted him with snowballs (true story). Let’s hope old St. Nick is ready to let bygones be bygones, because I’m hoping to find Gritty’s googly eyes peering out of my stocking on Christmas morning.

VISIT THE HUB TAVERN

This is a place I refer to as heaven on earth. The warm, friendly staff with a sense of humor, the regulars who know everyone’s names and team affiliations, and did I mention there’s popcorn?

For a truly next-level experience, stop by on Jan. 1 to watch the Winter Classic, the NHL’s annual outdoor game played every New Year’s Day. This year’s tilt features the Boston Bruins versus the Chicago Blackhawks, played at Notre Dame’s football stadium at 10 am on NBC. There’s no better way to kick off a new year.

WHAT TO WATCH

If you’re not quite ready to jump the boards and blast a slapshot yourself, ease into learning the sport through film. The Mighty Ducks and Slapshot are two favorites, along with Miracle on Ice, the story of the ragtag 1980 U.S. The Spokane Chiefs’ next men’s hockey team who dehome game is Saturday, feated a seemingly unbeatable Dec. 29, at 7:05 pm vs. the Soviet Union team and went on Tri-Cities Americans. Visit to win Olympic gold. Miracle On spokanechiefs.com for Ice is a solid sports movie, but if tickets and information. you’re interested in the collision of history, politics and sport, don’t miss Of Miracles and Men, an ESPN 30 for 30 documentary which examines the same events from the perspective of the Soviets. If you like those, keep the streak going with Red Army, another documentary on Soviet hockey, produced by Werner Herzog.

U.S. WOMEN WIN GOLD

Earlier this year, 38 years to the day after the U.S. men defeated the Soviet Union team, the U.S. women’s team defeated Canada to win the gold medal at the PyeongChang Olympics. The game was one of the most thrilling, beautiful games of hockey I’ve ever seen, and if you missed it, go watch the entire thing right now. Seriously. It had everything: a classic rivalry, the backstory of how the U.S. women spent the prior year fighting for pay equity, plus overtime, a shootout, a game-winning goal scored using a triple deke (the move made famous by The Mighty Ducks) and finally a clutch save by the U.S. goalie to secure the win. I get chills thinking about it.

H

ockey contains everything you may already love about sports — the unpredictability and excitement, stories of human triumph over adversity, a community of fellow fans — but adds the greatest trophy in the world, announcers sporting mullets in the year 2018 and the Canadian national anthem. Honestly, need I go on?

If you’ve ever held your breath waiting for a Zags shot teetering on the rim or shouted at a quarterback to throw the stupid ball; if you can quote every line of A League of Their Own, or if you still feel the distant ache of losing the Sonics, I promise you won’t regret giving hockey a chance. Offering your optimistic-yetalso-cynical fan heart to Seattle’s future NHL team will be better than anything you’ve ever rooted for, because it’s hockey. As The Mighty Ducks’ coach Bombay told my childhood crush Charlie Conway, “Look around. Who ever thought we’d make it this far?

Take your best shot. I believe in you.” n

DECEMBER 27, 2018 INLANDER 31

CULTURE | DIGEST

READY, SET, BAKE! Another season of The Great British Baking Show has dropped and I haven’t been able to get anything done since. Watch in awe as 12 of the best amateur bakers in the U.K. battle it out for the title of best amateur baker in all the land. There’s a good chance you have never heard of any of the desserts or breads, but nevertheless, it’s exhilarating. Yes, you heard me, baking can be exciting. I’ve managed to suck my family into watching it, even though each time it is on the TV my grandpa says “ah, we’re still in Britain watching people bake.” Watch the latest season, and the six other seasons available, streaming now on Netflix. (MICHAELA MULLIGAN)

Records for Dummies

V

BY MICHAELA MULLIGAN

inyl is back baby! For people of my generation — millenial/Gen Z — records are something of a bygone era where you couldn’t just skip to the songs you liked and actually had to listen to the whole album. Sigh! As the proud owner of a record player and someone who listens to a lot of “oldies,” I am all for the resurgence of this vintage medium.

Some ask, “What’s the difference from listening to the same songs on Spotify?” There’s a lot of differences, actually. There are different speeds that different records run on that affect how the music sounds. With old records there’s the slight crackle of the needle running along the vinyl that adds a realness to the sound.

THE BUZZ BIN

MR. ED The pollstar.com list of the biggest money-making concert tours of 2018 is out: 1. ED SHEERAN: $432 million, 4.86 million tickets sold 2. TAYLOR SWIFT: $345 million, 2.88 million tickets sold 3. BEYONCE & JAY-Z: $254 million, 2.17 million tickets sold 4. P!NK: $169 million, 1.29 million tickets sold 5. BRUNO MARS: $168 million, 1.29 million tickets sold

32 INLANDER DECEMBER 27, 2018

In the year that I have had a record player, I’ve learned a few tips and tricks for finding the best records at the best prices.  If you like newer music and want it on vinyl, be prepared to pay a pretty penny. New records for artists like Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran cost around $20 apiece.

These records are commonly found at places like Urban Outfitters and Barnes & Noble.  Finding a good old record is like a treasure hunt.

You search through a lot of useless stuff before you find one you really want. This means hunting through bins of Barry Manilow albums before you find that Fleetwood Mac album you were looking for.  When you’re on the hunt for some sweet vinyl, always slide the record out of the sleeve to check for scratches. They may look like they won’t make much of a difference, but when you’re listening to a record and it skips over the entire chorus of a song, you’ll notice the difference. It may be $1, but the sucky sound isn’t worth it.  Spokane has quite a few record shops that stock good quality vinyl for decent prices. Check out 4000 Holes, Groove Merchants, Resurrection Records and Go! Records. You’ll be sure to find some burning incense and classic rock playing in the background.  Thrift shops can sometimes have good records at dirt cheap prices, if you’re willing to get your hands dirty and search for a bit. One of my favorite places to look is Boulevard Mercantile (OK, upscale thrift) where I have found ABBA records for $5 (“Dancing Queen” is my anthem) and a Benny Goodman Sing, Sing, Sing album for $3. Other good places to look include Goodwill and Global Neighborhood.

Happy listening! n

WISCONSIN OVERRUN The tale of how Wisconsin went from being a bastion of progressive politics and good governance — the nation’s first progressive income tax and workplace injury compensation law were born in Wisconsin — to a state Donald Trump won in 2016 is as infuriating as it is fascinating. In his book The Fall of Wisconsin, Dan Kaufman uses extensive reporting in his home state to dissect how corporate interests coordinated with Wisconsin Republicans like Gov. Scott Walker to divide the local labor movement, demonize teachers and environmental conservation and, ultimately, make state government work for the private sector at the expense of the citizenry. You’ll walk away feeling both informed and depressed. (JOSH KELETY)

LIGHT IT UP Just because there’s no First Night in Spokane doesn’t mean you’ll go wanting for New Year’s Eve fireworks. At 9 pm, Riverfront Park will set off its annual explosion of sound and color. And if you’re over Coeur d’Alene way, 9 pm is when Coeur d’Alene Resort will launch its own fireworks extravaganza.

(DAN NAILEN)

ALAN ARKIN, NATIONAL TREASURE The Kominsky Method is getting some hype out of the fact that Michael Douglas, Hollywood royalty, is actually acting in a sitcom. The Netflix show created by Chuck Lorre (Big Bang Theory, Two and A Half Men) is about an aging acting coach (Douglas) who navigates all the things that aging brings (dead friends, troubling prostates and, in this case, dating much younger women).

And while the show has its moments, the best reason to watch is Alan Arkin, the brilliant comedic actor who plays Douglas’s agent and seemingly only friend. Virtually every laugh in the first few episodes comes via Arkin’s deadpan line readings and way with a cutting barb at his friend’s expense. (DAN NAILEN)

CULTURE | CLASSICAL

Mountain Songs How better to ring in 2019 than with the “Mount Everest” of the symphonic repertoire?

BY E.J. IANNELLI

A

t the 1824 premiere of his Ninth Symphony, the story goes that Beethoven — almost completely deaf — was unable to hear the audience’s exultant applause. With his back to the Viennese concertgoers, consumed with the music audible only in his mind, he continued conducting for several measures after the orchestra had finished playing and the audience was midovation. It’s said that the young singer Caroline Unger had to spin him around to face the acclaim.

Like many other ninth symphonies, this was fated to be the composer’s last, so it’s fitting that it should form the entirety of the final New Year’s Eve concert for outgoing music director Eckart Preu, who’s leaving the Spokane Symphony at the end of the season. He’s held the role for 14 years.

It’s also fitting that Beethoven’s Ninth should serve as a valediction for 2018. This was, even by objective measures, a year defined by increasing factionalization and rancor across the globe. The paramount wish for 2019 might be therefore found in the symphony’s famous “Ode to Joy” finale, when the chorus sings of freude — that is, joy — succeeding in bringing together “what custom has sternly divided” so that “[a]ll men shall become brothers.”

“Be embraced, you millions!” they implore, singing in Friedrich Schiller’s original German verse. “This kiss is for the whole world!” The gushing exuberance of those lines might seem hokey to a jaded ear, but the willingness to love mankind with such abandon is something to admire. That might explain why composer Michael Kamen archly wove the symphony’s fourth movement throughout the score of the Christmas-backdropped action film Die Hard.

“Many books have been written about the Ninth Symphony, with most of them just trying to get past scratching the surface,” says Preu. He splits the continued appeal of Ninth Symphony into two parts, one intellectual and the other emotional.

“First of all, there’s the idea of the piece, the overarching narrative. It addresses social issues and concepts like brotherhood, friendship, survival, God. That’s why it’s a universally relatable symphony, because it’s really a piece that deals with mankind, our hopes and dreams,” he says.

“And then there’s the musical part, which is very visceral and direct. There’s something about the music that shoots straight into your heart somehow. That’s why, 200 years later, it’s still here, still fresh, still challenging.

The impact of Beethoven’s music is pretty much unlike anything else.”

Joining Preu and the Spokane Symphony for the New Year’s Eve performance is Kala Maxym, a Los Angelesbased soprano. She’ll be performing alongside fellow soloists Amanda Glover (alto), Christopher Pfund (tenor) and Steven Pence (bass) as well as the Spokane Sympho-

Beethoven’s Ninth deals with “our hopes and dreams,” says Spokane Symphony’s Eckart Preu. ny Chorale to realize Beethoven’s masterwork.

Although she and her three counterparts are billed as soloists, Maxym says the Ninth is a musically collaborative piece that “is very much a conversation between the four voices” with vital augmentation by the chorus and orchestra.

“For me, this is such a musical–technical exercise, and because the quartet sings a very short amount of text, I feel like my sense antenna are listening to my other singer colleagues and making sure that we blend and that we’re communicating musically in the same way,” she says.

“And I feel like that’s quite unique to this piece.

There are two sections that are maybe a minute to a minute-and-a-half each, and they are the most full-out singing that you can possibly do. You say a big thing and you’re done. It’s the choir that has the poetry. Honestly, at the end, they should get the bow before the soloists.”

The Ninth can be “extremely taxing” for all of its performers, Maxym says, yet that’s exactly what makes it so

worthwhile. “It’s unforgiving in the best way,” she says.

At the same time, she urges first-time listeners to peer beyond those “bombastic moments” and the “famous, big melodies” for the subtleties that give the piece its texture.

“There are these dynamic mood changes throughout, from very lyrical, soaring melodies to these sort of quiet, almost sinister-sounding patterns. Listen for those. Close your eyes and be in those moments. You can find beauty in all of it.”

Preu agrees, noting that the demands and rewards of the fourth movement apply to the symphony as a whole.

“This is the biggest mountain in the symphonic repertoire,” he says. “If there’s a Mount Everest of classical music, this is it.” n Beethoven’s Ninth on New Year’s Eve • Mon, Dec. 31 at 7:30 pm • $13-$52 • Martin Woldson Theater at the Fox • 1001 W. Sprague • spokanesymphony.org • 624-1200

DECEMBER 27, 2018 INLANDER 33

COOKING

Year-End Entertaining Four easy recipes from Inlander writers to help your New Year’s Eve party or bowl game bonanza go smoothly

D

on’t want to brave the bar crowds or the cold?

Didn’t make dinner reservations in time? Don’t stress, we’ve got you covered this New Year’s Eve with four super easy (some ridiculously so) options for noshin’ in the new year, whether you’re having a small get-together with friends and family, or hosting a house full of football fans the next day. A couple of these dishes are so last-minute friendly, you probably have everything you need already. Cheers!

FETA-STUFFED DATES, WRAPPED IN PROSCIUTTO

Don’t get me wrong, it’s not like I go to formal dinner parties on the regular. But whenever I’m asked to bring a nice snack to a get-together, my absolute favorite thing to make is this recipe for tasty stuffed dates. Copied from a friend who copied from a restaurant that copied from… well, you get the idea, it’s a popular dish with lots of iterations, and for good reason. With each delectable bite, the combination of prosciutto, dates, goat cheese and balsamic reduction plays off every taste bud in sweet, sour, salty, savory harmony. It’s darn near a perfect bite, making these a smash hit every time.

YOU’LL NEED: 4 ounces goat cheese 16 to 20 dates 1 package prosciutto Balsamic glaze or homemade balsamic reduction 1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Pit the dates and use a spoon to fill each with goat cheese.

2. Wrap a strip of prosciutto around each stuffed date to seal in the cheese and then arrange them on a baking sheet about an inch apart.

3. Bake for about 10 minutes until the prosciutto is just starting to get crispy and the cheese and dates are warm.

4. Remove and drizzle with balsamic reduction, then return to the oven for another five minutes.

Serve with toothpicks and/or napkins available, as the drizzle and date combination can make these treats very sticky. Tip: If you don’t want to buy a balsamic glaze, you can make your own reduction by simmering balsamic vinegar with a little honey in a skillet over medium-low heat until the mixture reduces into a thick, syrupy consistency, which may take 15 to 20 minutes.

Enjoy! (SAMANTHA WOHLFEIL)

34 INLANDER DECEMBER 27, 2018

CURRIED PEA SALAD

Don’t let mistletoe be the only form of greenery during your holidays. This easy curried pea salad only looks fancy and will make you the darling of your vegan friends, all from ingredients you may have on hand. When the garden is going, you might use spring peas, but frozen peas are actually ideal for this recipe.

YOU’LL NEED: 1 bag frozen peas, thawed at room temperature 1 cup smoked almonds* or cashews, rough chopped 1 can water chestnuts, drained and rough chopped 4 green onions, greens only, chopped 2 teaspoons yellow curry powder 1/4 to 1/2 cup mayonnaise Salt to taste (*smoked almonds add salt)

These stuffed dates look fancy, but are super easy to make. YOUNG KWAK PHOTO

FOOD | OPENING Mix peas, nuts, water chestnuts and green onions in a nonreactive bowl. Mix half of the curry into half of the mayo; taste and salt as needed and mix into peas. Repeat with remaining mayo to desired salad consistency, adding more curry as needed. Serve as a dollop on crisp toast or crackers, spoon into bibb lettuce cups or, better yet (and more fun to say), endive.

You can even garnish with a little sliver of tomato if you want a little red accent to all that greenery. (CARRIE SCOZZARO)

SUN-DRIED TOMATO CREAM CHEESE DIP

I think my family originally found this recipe on Pinterest, or maybe a cream cheese package, and the rest is lost to time. The result, however, is way better than it sounds — much to the prejudgement of fellow Inlander staffers when I told them about this last-minute family favorite. Seriously, though, any time we’ve made this for a large gathering, it’s instantly devoured.

Plus, it goes well with almost any dipping vehicle; just make sure you use sturdy crackers versus chips (I like Wheat Thins or Triscuits), since it takes some force to get a good scoop.

YOU’LL NEED: 8 ounces (1 package) cream cheese 1/4 to 1/2 cup sour cream 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, drained and softened in water 5-10 minutes before chopping 1 clove garlic, minced 1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped 1/2 cup black olives, pitted and chopped into small pieces 1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper Salt, to taste What makes this dip so great is how easily it comes together and how customizable it is. You can substitute or omit ingredients to please a range of palates. Also, you don’t have to use sun-dried tomatoes; even canned diced tomatoes will work on the fly if drained well and chopped into small pieces.

ENTRÉE To make, first mix together Get the scoop on local the sour cream and cream food news with our weekly cheese, then add all the Entrée newsletter. Sign up chopped ingredients, salt and at Inlander.com/newsletter. pepper. After mixing together in a large bowl, the result is a pretty pink-tinted spread. To allow for the flavors to infuse into the base, chill for a couple hours before serving. (CHEY SCOTT)

VELVEETA SALSA DIP

When it comes to party foods, I demand only the least classy snacks imaginable. That’s just how it has to be. Here’s the super easy and low-rent — yet still delicious — dip that I’ve brought to end-of-the-year parties since time immemorial.

YOU’LL NEED: 32 oz (1 package) Velveeta cheese 1 jar of mild Pace salsa 2 bags of Frito Scoop chips So obviously I’m not a gourmet, but I’m telling you: This dip is always a crowd pleaser. I’m not totally sure what Velveeta is even made of — I think it’s mostly oil, but I wouldn’t dare look up the actual ingredients — but I do know that I couldn’t imagine a Super Bowl shindig without it.

Slice that Velveeta brick up into segments and melt it in the microwave (or in a Crock-Pot if you wanna be fancy about it).

Once it’s significantly gooey, crack open a jar of Pace salsa and stir in as much as your palette desires. Microwave a little bit longer until your concoction is totally liquified. (Now, I know that Pace is just the worst — it’s weirdly sweet, and only a few meager spices away from being just a jar of diced tomatoes — but it’s the only brand I ever use for this particular snack.) Serve the dip with Fritos Scoop chips, which are the perfect vessel. Those ingredients might seem questionable on their own, but they work in perfect harmony when thrown together in the minutes before your guests arrive. (NATHAN WEINBENDER) n

3Ninjas’ steak banh mi.

Three’s Company

YOUNG KWAK PHOTO

3Ninjas expands its Asian fusion food truck and catering business with a tiny storefront in Kendall Yards

BY CHEY SCOTT

S

teven Kitchens describes the new, nonmobile location of 3Ninjas as “a tiny home with food,” and he’s not exaggerating.

At 315 square feet, however, the restaurant is still larger than 3Ninjas’ food truck and mobile catering kitchen inside an 8-foot by 20-foot trailer.

Perhaps most importantly, the new space has heat, running water and a dishwasher.

“The little things make us happy after living on a food truck for five years,” Kitchens says.

3Ninjas, which debuted in the midst of Spokane’s food truck boom about five years ago, opened the new storefront at the beginning of December in a space that formerly housed Solace, a cider and mead tasting room. Fans of 3Ninjas’ bright green food truck, which specializes in fish tacos, rice and noodle bowls, will find a different menu, but familiar flavors, ingredients and service.

“The food truck is going to keep its traditional Asian fusion format, and this is more like if you want contemporary fusion,” Kitchens explains.

The Kendall Yards menu features a trio of options for tacos (three for $10), wraps ($10), sandwiches ($10-$13) and salads ($11-$12). House favorites are the “fire” wrap, with chicken, habanero jelly, cabbage, cheese, onion, jalapeno mix and habanero aioli. The Thai lemongrass tacos, with tofu or chicken, are another standout, along with 3Ninjas’ take on the classic Thai banh mi sandwich, served with steak and pickled veggies. Any item on the menu can be ordered with vegetarian or gluten-free ingredients.

Sides are chips and salsa ($5), a salad ($5) and hummus with veggies ($7). Kids have their own $5 menu of mini corn dogs, grilled cheese and a quesadilla.

At the new spot, 3Ninjas also sells its three housemade hot sauces ($5/each), which aren’t used in dishes at the restaurant, though often feature in its catering: mango habanero, smoke jalapeno and “Sweet Melissa,” a Jamaican style pepper sauce.

3Ninjas is owned by Kitchens and two other

business partners and longtime friends, Tymen Hofmann and Michael Anderson. The three met while working in various other food service positions and decided to team up to open a food truck and catering company back in 2014. They’ve since been hired to cater weddings, office parties, music festivals at the Gorge Amphitheatre and even a wild divorce party.

The trio was approached by Kendall Yards developer Greenstone this past spring with a proposal to move into the then recently vacated space on Adams Alley, just around the corner from Summit Parkway. Greenstone’s staff had gotten to know 3Ninjas as regular vendors during summer’s Kendall Yards Night Market. Kitchens says they immediately agreed, but first wanted to focus on getting through their busiest season before getting deep into renovation and rollout.

“Kendall Yards is a hotspot in Spokane and the foot traffic is huge. Even being off the beaten path we know we’re going to do well,” Kitchens says.

“We have a great following, and the community has received us so well.”

The trio of “ninjas” plan to operate their food truck and mobile catering as before while getting established in the new spot this winter. Currently they’re the only three employees, but that number will grow when it warms up next spring. Nice weather will also bring plenty of outdoor seating, as currently the tiny space has just two bar-height tables for eat-in customers.

Kitchens foresees that each venue will help grow the other.

“The food truck will be out and about and we’ll be talking about the location here,” he says.

“As to here, almost every person who comes in asks about the truck.” n cheys@inlander.com 3Ninjas Curbside & Catering • 1198 W. Summit Pkwy. • Open daily, 10:30 am-7 pm • Facebook: 3ninjas Curbside and Catering • 768-3613

DECEMBER 27, 2018 INLANDER 35

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family owned and operated for 37 years

A New Era

Chef Jeremy Hansen has a new concept for Santé’s space.

YOUNG KWAK PHOTO

Pioneering Spokane restaurant Santé to close after a decade of fine dining

BY CHEY SCOTT

I

THE INLANDER’S WEEKLY EMAIL FOR FOOD LOVERS Subscribe at Inlander.com/newsletter

36 INLANDER DECEMBER 27, 2018

t’s the end of an era for one of Spokane’s most celebrated restaurants. A little more than a decade after debuting as one of the most innovative dining experiences the region had ever seen, owners Jeremy and Kate Hansen plan to close their acclaimed flagship restaurant in the spring. The decision to do so wasn’t taken lightly, chef Jeremy Hansen tells the Inlander.

“When we finally decided we were going to do this, it was very sad and in fact it took me like three days” to officially announce, Hansen notes.

“And when I did, my heart kinda sunk, like ‘Man, that’s it; it’s out there, it’s over.’ And we could keep it going, but I don’t want to force it.”

The couple’s reasons for closing Santé are many, but largely center on slower sales, paired with the fact that the chef’s attention is now divided between numerous restaurants, among them the experimental small plates spot Inland Pacific Kitchen, along with Common Crumb Bakery (currently closed and being redeveloped) and Biscuit Wizard, both inside the Saranac Commons. Hansen also cites the rising cost of quality ingredients and wages, and a need to focus on family and a new baby at home.

“Another reason is that Santé isn’t as approachable to all of Spokane, which I really wanted it to be since day one,” he says. “I don’t want Santé to try to be what it’s supposed to be when it really can’t be anymore.”

The couple won’t leave Santé’s home inside the historic Liberty Building entirely behind,

however, and plan to launch a new restaurant there after its closure.

To be called Smoke and Mirrors Saloon, the new eatery will serve more casual, approachable fare, with all menu items under $20, including gourmet burgers, meatballs and other housecured meats, a remnant of Santé’s whole animal butchery program. Craft beer and cocktails will be a major focus, too.

“I think it’s good for the location and for downtown and for us and the community,” Hansen notes.

Until then, Santé will remain on its regular schedule as it goes out in style with several lasts, including the upcoming New Year’s Eve dinner, and Valentine’s Day. Starting in R E S TA U R A N T FINDER January, guests Looking for a new place to can relive an eat? Search the region’s updated vermost comprehensive bar sion of Sante’s and restaurant guide at very first openInlander.com/places. ing menu. For the restaurant’s last run in Inlander Restaurant Week (Feb. 22 to March 3), he’s planning a preview of Smoke and Mirrors. After Restaurant Week, Sante’s 60th and final menu will be served for about a month.

“It’s exciting and fun to look at those old menus,” Hansen reflects. “The things we were doing back then are cool now, and we were doing it 10 years ago. That is crazy.” n

YOU DON’T KNOW DICK Adam McKay struggles to understand Cheney in Vice

BY JOSH BELL

W

hen Adam McKay made The Big Short in 2015, he used his comedy background to bring some energetic humor to an important subject (the 2008 financial crisis) that many people found both boring and difficult to follow. It was a tough balancing act that the movie didn’t always pull off, but when it worked, it brought an exciting new perspective to the ripped-from-the-headlines feature film. McKay attempts that same balancing act again with Vice, his satirical biopic of former Vice President Dick Cheney, but the results are less effective this time around.

For starters, the characters in The Big Short were sort of lovable scoundrels, even if their activities were doomed to plunge the country into financial ruin. Vice’s Cheney, as played by Christian Bale in his latest irritatingly showy transformational performance, is just an unpleasant sourpuss, someone who seems to take no pleasure in anything he does, whether nefarious or otherwise. McKay doesn’t have to sympathize with Cheney in order to make an interesting movie about him, but Vice has virtually no insights about its title character, and after spending two hours with him, the audience is no closer to understanding his motives or desires.

McKay starts the movie with Cheney as a directionless young man in his home state of Wyoming, working manual labor jobs and getting in bar fights, after having dropped out of college. Why is young Dick so angry?

There are brief moments featuring his volatile father, but otherwise the movie never bothers exploring his emotions, and as soon as his girlfriend Lynne (Amy Adams) gives him an ultimatum about shaping up if he wants to marry her, he turns his life around seemingly overnight.

Soon he’s a political operative working in the Richard Nixon administration, alongside up-and-coming Rep. Donald Rumsfeld (Steve Carell). He joins the Republican Party apparently on a whim, and simply follows Rumsfeld’s lead on whatever policies ought to be implemented.

McKay often just relies on a slightly goofy tone for what passes as comedy in these early scenes, and Carell brings

an amoral glee to Rumsfeld that doesn’t necessarily resemble the real person’s public image, but can be a lot of fun to watch.

McKay fast forwards through most of the middle of Cheney’s political career, including his time as a congressman and working in the first George Bush administration. The movie picks back up with the older Cheney (Bale now distractingly overweight and bald), out of the political spotlight for a number of years, recruited by George W. Bush (a well-cast Sam Rockwell) to become Bush’s running mate. It’s here that McKay really turns up his political ire, even as he remains at a distance from Cheney as a person. There’s even a scene between Cheney and Lynne, when Cheney is deciding whether to join the Bush ticket, in which McKay explicitly tells the audience that it’s impossible to know what transpired in Cheney’s private interactions.

Why did Cheney execute such a forceful power grab as Bush’s VP and push so strongly for war in Iraq? The movie doesn’t have answers so much as it has smug, half-hearted jokes, including a ridiculous, heavyhanded twist regarding the apparent everyday nobody (Jesse Plemons) who’s been narrating the movie.

The final stretch is a barrage of recriminations and accusations that might as well have been lifted from a Michael Moore documentary.

McKay’s strength in The Big Short was that he was a better storyteller and a better comedian than Moore, better at drawing in an audience with engaging characters and clever jokes. With the limp, unfocused Vice, he’s lost whatever edge he had. n

VICE

Rated R Directed by Adam McKay Starring Christian Bale, Amy Adams, Steve Carell, Sam Rockwell

DECEMBER 27, 2018 INLANDER 37

FILM | SHORTS

+

Bumblebee

NOW PLAYING AQUAMAN

Now on Inlander.com: National and international stories from the New York Times to go with the fresh, local news we deliver every day

The half-man, half-fish superhero gets his own vehicle, in which he inherits the Atlantean throne and fights with his evil brother. It’s got some crazy visuals and hammy performances but still manages to be kind of a slog. (JB) Rated PG-13

BUMBLEBEE

Early word suggests this is the best Transformers movie. Or, rather, the only decent Transformers movie, an ’80s-set origin story of the VW bug that’s more than meets the eye. (NW) Rated PG-13

CREED II

The Rocky saga continues with Adonis Creed preparing to fight the son of

38 INLANDER DECEMBER 27, 2018

Ivan Drago, who killed his father in the ring all those years ago. It hits all the plot points you expect, but the formula still works like gangbusters. (NW) Rated PG-13

THE FAVOURITE

In 18th-century England, two women jockey for a position of power within the coterie of an ailing Queen Anne. A lacerating, cutthroat dark comedy with great performances from Olivia Colman, Rachel Weisz and Emma Stone.

(SS) Rated R

GREEN BOOK

A white driver (Viggo Mortensen) ferries a black jazz pianist (Mahershala Ali) through the American South in the 1960s. Its racial politics are undoubt-

edly simplistic, but its central performances more than make up for it. At the Magic Lantern. (MJ) Rated PG-13

CRITICS’ SCORECARD THE INLANDER

HOLMES & WATSON

Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly team up again to play literature’s most famous detective duo, bumbling through a murder case at Buckingham Palace.

(NW) Rated PG-13

INSTANT FAMILY

Mark Wahlberg and Rose Byrne play a childless couple who adopt a tenacious teenager and her two younger siblings, experiencing all the pains and joys of parenthood. (NW) Rated PG-13

MARY POPPINS RETURNS

METACRITIC.COM (OUT OF 100)

FRI, DEC 28TH – THURS, JAN 4TH TICKETS: $9

OPEN CHRISTMAS

NOW SHOWING THE FAVOURITE GREEN BOOK FREE SOLO

AQUAMAN

55

CREED II

67

THE FAVOURITE

91

MARY POPPINS RETURNS

65

COLD WAR MARY, QUEEN OF SCOTS

RALPH BREAKS THE INTERNET

71

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SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE

87

VICE

59

DON’T MISS IT

WORTH $10

In this long-awaited sequel to the Disney classic, the magical nanny lands again in London to again help out the Banks children, now adults and with kids of their own. A slab of candy-coated excess that laboriously tries to copy the original’s charm. (JB) Rated PG

Short is another experimental dark comedy, this one following the career of Dick Cheney (an unrecognizable Christian Bale). The gimmicks and gags feel limp and unfocused this time around. (JB) Rated R

MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS

WELCOME TO MARWEN

A study of the personal relationship and professional rivalry between the dethroned Mary Stuart and the steely Queen Elizabeth I. Saoirse Ronan and Margot Robbie star. (NW) Rated R

NEW YORK VARIETY (LOS ANGELES) TIMES

NTERN THEAT GIC LA ER MA

Inspired by the documentary Marwencol, the victim of a head injury escapes

WATCH IT AT HOME

COMING SOON

MagicLanternOnMain.com 25 W Main Ave #125 • MagicLanternOnMain.com

SKIP IT

into elaborate miniatures of a made-up WWII town. Because it’s directed by Robert Zemeckis, expect a lot of CGI. (NW) Rated PG-13

ZERO

Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan plays a super-short rich guy who falls in love with two women from very different social strata. (NW) Not Rated n

STD Testing Is Health Care.

MORTAL ENGINES

The writers of the Lord of Rings films adapt Philip Reeves’ futuristic novel in which all the world’s cities are now steampunk behemoths on wheels. (NW) Rated PG-13

STD Testing

THE MULE

Treatment

Clint Eastwood squints and scowls his way through this thriller, inspired by the true story of a WWII veteran transporting cocaine for a Mexican drug cartel.

(NW) Rated R

HIV Testing

ONCE UPON A DEADPOOL

Not a new film, per se, but a slightly sanitized, PG-13 version of Deadpool 2, with new narrative interstitials parodying The Princess Bride. (NW) Rated PG-13

Schedule online at ppgwni.org, or call 866.904.7721

RALPH BREAKS THE INTERNET

This animated sequel finds Wreck-It Ralph exploring the vast unknown of the internet in an attempt to stop the shutdown of his friend’s video game.

When it isn’t retreading the original, it relies on pop culture references that already feel dated. (JB) Rated PG

SECOND ACT

Through a series of comic misunderstandings, a blue-collar college dropout (Jennifer Lopez) fudges her way into a high-profile job on Madison Avenue.

(NW) Rated PG-13

SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE

Spider-Men from various dimensions converge in the world of a teen web slinger, and they help him find his powers. A brilliant and funny animated feature that looks and feels like a comic book come to life. (SS) Rated PG

VICE

Adam McKay’s follow-up to The Big

NOW STREAMING HEREDITARY (AMAZON PRIME)

In Ari Aster’s impressive debut, a family recovering from a tragedy discovers their fate may be controlled by sinister forces related to a dead matriarch.

Stylish, surprising and brutal, and held together by Toni Collette’s masterful, wounded performance. (NW) Rated R

DECEMBER 27, 2018 INLANDER 39

BEST OF

Superlative Sounds We pick our favorite albums of 2018

H

ere at the Inlander, we love a good list, and the end of the year is prime list-making time.

We’ve polled some of our regular music writers about the albums that most blew them away in the last 12 months, and have compiled their choices here. There’s hardly any overlap in our picks — I count just five albums that appear on multiple lists — which is either a testament to our writers’ eclectic tastes or the sheer breadth and quality of 2018’s music. Or maybe it’s both.

Obviously there’ll be oversights — cue refrains of “How could you forget [insert album name here]?” or “You call this music?” — but hopefully we can point you toward sounds both new and wonderful. (NATHAN WEINBENDER)

NATHAN WEINBENDER, MUSIC EDITOR 10. Superchunk, What a Time to Be Alive 9. Courtney Barnett, Tell Me How You Really Feel 8. Vince Staples, FM! 7. Anderson .Paak, Oxnard 6. Neko Case, Hell-On 5. Pusha T, Daytona 4. Robyn, Honey 3. Janelle Monáe, Dirty Computer 2. Mitski, Be the Cowboy

1. KACEY MUSGRAVES, GOLDEN HOUR In which an alt-country darling (above) goes pop and delivers one of the most consistent, confident, uplifting and empowering singer-songwriter albums of recent years. Every song on Golden Hour is a little masterpiece of melody and feeling, of sweeping declarations juxtaposed with lived-in personal moments, and they’re consistently shapeshifting between genres. Appropriate, then, that it’s a glittering testament to the metamorphic power of budding romance, and one of its central images is a butterfly emerging fully formed from its chrysalis. It’s not all rose-colored, though: Musgraves finds everything from liberation to self-doubt to domestic boredom in her new love, but she isn’t boxed in or defined by her relationships. “All I need’s a place to land,” she assures us. “I don’t need a Superman.”

DAN NAILEN, CULTURE EDITOR 10. The English Beat, Here We Go Love 9. Loretta Lynn, Wouldn’t It Be Great?

8. Noname, Room 25

40 INLANDER DECEMBER 27, 2018

7. John Prine, The Tree of Forgiveness 6. Anderson .Paak, Oxnard 5. J Mascis, Elastic Days 4. Parker Millsap, Other Arrangements 3. Snail Mail, Lush 2. Superchunk, What a Time to Be Alive

1. JANELLE MONÁE, DIRTY COMPUTER The potential for an album as good as Dirty Computer lurked in Monáe’s earlier work, hidden by her “android” Cindi persona and sci-fi tropes she leaned on to avoid revealing too much of herself. While Dirty Computer is another concept album of sorts, it offers much more of the warm, living, breathing artistry that’s obvious when you see Monáe perform live. It’s a more commercial approach, but Monáe shows that killer R&B, funk, soul and hip-hop can joyfully coexist on pop radio with far less imaginative artists. Joined by guests like Brian Wilson and Stevie Wonder, and clearly indebted to her hero Prince (another master of mixing the delicately beautiful and overtly sexual), Monáe remained firmly in charge of her vision and new direction. In doing so, she delivered the best album of the year.

C.A. COYLE, CONTRIBUTOR

10. Power, Turned On 9. The Nerve Beats, New Essentials 8. Sick Thoughts, Sick Thoughts 7. Cosmic Psychos, Loudmouth Soup 6. The Phone Jerks, The Phone Jerks 5. The F---ing Eagles, Beak and Destroy 4. Les Lullies, Les Lullies 3. Hot Snakes, Jericho Sirens

2. Drunk Mums, Urban Cowboy

1. REVEREND BEAT-MAN & NICOLE IZOBEL GARCIA, BAILE BRUJA MUERTO For the sake of inclusiveness and diversity, I forced myself to decide between the two different albums released this year by Switzerland’s infamous gospel-punk Reverend Beat-Man. His label, Voodoo Rhythm Records, first gave us the LP Blues Trash — an album backed by his quartet the New Wave — as well as Baile Bruja Muerto, a collaboration with fellow New Wave member Nicole Izobel Garcia. The latter is a raw, Gothic collection of organdrenched, haunting, gritty blues. While the album further exposes the brilliance in Reverend Beat-Man’s ability to captivate us with raw, minimalist punk voltage, it more importantly showcases Garcia’s gripping and astonishing voice. The Reverend’s unmistakable deathly howl offers a stupefying contrast to Garcia’s rich, omnipotent vocals throughout the entire record.

CONNOR DINNISON, CONTRIBUTOR

10. Elysia Crampton, Elysia Crampton 9. Mark Renner, Few Traces 8. Sam Wilkes, WILKES 7. Mark Kozelek, Mark Kozelek 6. Animal Collective, Tangerine Reef 5. Melody’s Echo Chamber, Bon Voyage 4. Adrianne Lenker, abysskiss 3. Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Sex & Food 2. Connan Mockasin, Jassbusters

1. JONNY GREENWOOD, PHANTOM THREAD: ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE SOUNDTRACK In his fifth (and best) collaboration with director Paul Thomas

Anderson, Radiohead guitarist and sonic manipulator Jonny Greenwood ditches his modular synths and noise boxes for sweeping baroque strings and haunting jazz piano in Phantom Thread, a singular score to rival the Debussy, Brahms and Schubert excerpts that together paint a dream-like world of sound for actor Daniel Day-Lewis’ curtain-call performance as a neurotic London fashion patriarch. At times wistful and grand, eerie and melancholic, yet interminably romantic, the record is both a testament to Greenwood’s genius and an homage to the majesty of a forgotten age. It makes the film.

HOWARD HARDEE, CONTRIBUTOR 10. Conner Youngblood, Cheyenne 9. Young Fathers, Cocoa Sugar 8. Bad Bad Hats, Lightning Round 7. Dog Party, Hit & Run 6. Atmosphere, Mi Vida Local 5. Shakey Graves, Can’t Wake Up 4. Eminem, Kamikaze 3. Kerala Dust, Francesca’s Frames 2. Beach House, 7

1. MUSE, SIMULATION THEORY Laptop jockeys have risen and overthrown rock bands as the dominant force in popular music, but the British power trio Muse keeps melting faces off at festivals the old-fashioned way — by playing instruments. On their eighth album Simulation Theory, the lads engineer a sound-world that is both retro and futuristic: 1980s synths and space-age, pitch-shifting guitar effects abound, and the drums are cranked up to stadium-stomping status.

The way frontman Matt Bellamy delivers his shrill, operatic vocal hooks will stick with you, as will the impression that rock music is very much alive in 2018.

BEN SALMON, CONTRIBUTOR

10. (tie) Kelly Moran, Ultraviolet / Ruston Kelly, Dying Star 9. The Breeders, All Nerve 8. U.S. Girls, In a Poem Unlimited 7. Illuminati Hotties, Kiss Yr Frenemies 6. Brandi Carlile, By the Way, I Forgive You 5. Mitski, Be the Cowboy 4. The Beths, Future Me Hates Me 3. Cardi B, Invasion of Privacy 2. Kacey Musgraves, Golden Hour

1. JAX DELUCA, ORGANS IN THE WIND It takes an extraordinary kind of emotional resonance for music to communicate profound feeling without using a bunch of words. That’s the beauty of Organs in the Wind, the 2018 album from Washington, D.C.based musician Jax Deluca, who unfurls an hour’s worth of slo-mo ambient drones that drift and churn like pretty fog settling in over empty city streets. Built mostly from keyboards, effects pedals and Deluca’s distorted voice, the five tracks on Organs — which stretch from five to 24 minutes long — hum with a quiet but intense melancholy, whether they’re gently pulsing into eternity (“OITW”), marching along to moody piano chords (“TMH”) or stretching lovely melodies across the void (“AHYS”). Piece it all together and you’ll find yourself enveloped in a remarkable work of wordless catharsis.

JORDAN SATTERFIELD, CONTRIBUTOR

10. F---ed Up, Dose Your Dreams 9. Rosalía, El Mal Querer 8. DJ Koze, Knock Knock 7. Sophie, Oil of Every Pearl’s Un-Insides 6. Rival Consoles, Persona 5. Daughters, You Won’t Get What You Want 4. Earl Sweatshirt, Some Rap Songs 3. Low, Double Negative 2. Kali Uchis, Isolation 1. THE ARMED, ONLY LOVE A freakish Brundlefly of noise-punk, post-hardcore and black-metal, the Armed’s latest and greatest runs the gamut from pummeling to occasionally kind of sweet, but its biggest strength lies in the steam it picks up by reveling in its own joyous confusion. With Converge’s Ben Koller taking a celeb shot on the drums, the Armed have never been so tight, hooky and infectiously chaotic. They’ve also never faced their nihilistic inclinations so lucidly, and this twisted love child of shameless tonal anarchy and rapturous melodic nirvana is almost as confounding as it is rewarding. n

DECEMBER 27, 2018 INLANDER 41

MUSIC | SOUND ADVICE

NEW YEAR’S EVE RINGING IN 2019!

Bad Motivator THE BARTLETT 228 W. Sprague Spokane’s Super Sparkle is an ideal band for New Year’s Eve festivities. They’re glittery — both literally and figuratively — and they bring plenty of flair to the stage. They’ll be supported by rock trio BaLonely, which just released its terrific debut album Stories. 9 pm, 21+, $20.

THE HIVE 207 N. First, Sandpoint Sandpoint’s premiere live music venue always throws a killer New Year’s Eve party, and this year they’ve got high-energy San Francisco funk collective Afrolicious, a regular presence on regional stages. Private VIP booths are available. 9:30 pm, 21+, $25-$35.

J = THE INLANDER RECOMMENDS THIS SHOW J = ALL AGES SHOW

Thursday, 12/27

J THE BARTLETT, Hannah Siglin, Gabriella Rose, Meghan Long, Jacob Maxwell BERSERK, Vinyl Meltdown J BOOTS BAKERY & LOUNGE, The Song Project J BUCER’S COFFEEHOUSE PUB, Open Jazz Jam with Erik Bowen CRUISERS, Open Jam Night DARCY’S RESTAURANT & SPIRITS, Dance and Karaoke w/DJ Dave THE JACKSON ST., Zaq Flanary and the Songsmith Series J LAGUNA CAFÉ, Just Plain Darin

42 INLANDER DECEMBER 27, 2018

HOUSE OF SOUL 25 E. Lincoln Ring in the new year with the sounds of Motown, provided by R&B band Nu Jack City. VIP rooms are available. 9 pm, 21+, $20.

THE OBSERVATORY 15 S. Howard There’s no better entertainment than free entertainment, which is what the Observatory offers. A bonus: Their NYE roster features some terrific local rock bands, including Mini Murders, Laminates and Bad Motivator. 9 pm, 21+, free.

NIGHTHAWK LOUNGE (CDA CASINO), PJ Destiny J THE PIN, Best Songs of 2018 Drag Show THE RIDLER PIANO BAR, Dueling Pianos feat. Christan Raxter & Steve Ridler THE ROXIE, Cassandra Wheeler & Eric Patton ZOLA, Blake Braley

Friday, 12/28

219 LOUNGE, The Zach Cooper Band ARBOR CREST WINE CELLARS, Son of Brad J J THE BARTLETT, Bad Penmanship 15 feat. BITWVLF, Wrist$, Dungeon Loud, Dru Religion and more BOOMBOX PIZZA, Karaoke CEDAR STREET BRIDGE, Meg Turner &

Chris Lynch CORBY’S BAR, Karaoke COSMIC COWBOY GRILL, Pamela Benton CRUISERS, Karaoke with Gary DARCY’S RESTAURANT & SPIRITS, Karaoke and Dancing w/DJ Dave FARMHOUSE KITCHEN AND SILO BAR, Tom D’Orazi and Friends HILLS’ RESTAURANT & LOUNGE, The Brent Edstrom Trio IDAHO POUR AUTHORITY, Browne Salmon Truck J IRON GOAT BREWING CO., Nick Grow THE JACKSON ST., Vern and the Volcanoes JOHN’S ALLEY, The Intentions J KNITTING FACTORY, Zoso: The Ultimate Led Zeppelin Experience LEFTBANK WINE BAR, Sadie Sicilia

ALICIA HAUFF PHOTO

THE ROXIE 5201 N. Market Relive the roaring ’20s or the tubular ’80s at the Roxie. An ’80s dance party starts at 4 pm, with golf and shuffleboard tournaments; no cover. Or check out the Gatsby-themed flapper party, featuring music from swing band the Atomic Jive. Cover charge starts at $40. theroxiespokane.com ZOLA 22 W. Main One of Zola’s regular in-house bands, DragonFly, takes the stage with a wide roster of colorful covers. Champagne toast at midnight.

7 pm, 21+, $10.

— NATHAN WEINBENDER

MARYHILL WINERY SPOKANE, Gil Rivas MASSELOW’S STEAKHOUSE, Tom Pletscher MAX AT MIRABEAU, Laffin’ Bones MICKDUFF’S BEER HALL, The Other White Meat MOOSE LOUNGE, Last Chance Band MULLIGAN’S BAR & GRILLE, John Keith Walton NASHVILLE NORTH, Ladies Night with Luke Jaxon and DJ Tom NIGHTHAWK LOUNGE (CDA CASINO), JamShack NORTHERN QUEST RESORT & CASINO, Tom Pletscher J OUTLAW BBQ & CATERING MARKET, Songsmith Series PEND D’OREILLE WINERY, Chris Murphy

J THE PIN, Bonita Sarita, Anthem, Alex Allison, Rotti Adams, Tyler Rose RED ROOM LOUNGE, River City Roots, Tyler Alai Band, Real Life Sound THE RIDLER PIANO BAR, Dueling Pianos feat. Christan Raxter & Steve Ridler SILVER MOUNTAIN SKI RESORT (NOAH’S), Echo Elysium ZOLA, DragonFly

Saturday, 12/29

219 LOUNGE, Devon Wade J THE BARTLETT, Marina Obscura, Light in Mirrors CEDAR STREET BRIDGE, Jake Robins COSMIC COWBOY GRILL, Christy Lee IDAHO POUR AUTHORITY, John Hastings

THE JACKSON ST., Karaoke LEFTBANK WINE BAR, Dario Re MARYHILL WINERY SPOKANE, Dave McRae MASSELOW’S STEAKHOUSE, Tom Pletscher MAX AT MIRABEAU, Laffin’ Bones MICKDUFF’S BEER HALL, Right Front Burner MOOSE LOUNGE, Last Chance Band MULLIGAN’S BAR & GRILLE, Kicho NASHVILLE NORTH, Ladies Night with Luke Jaxon and DJ Tom NORTHERN QUEST RESORT & CASINO, Tom Pletscher PACIFIC PIZZA, The Longnecks PEND D’OREILLE WINERY, Mostly Harmless J J THE PIN, Those Damn Kids, Ghostdivorce, Crusty Mustard, Skunktopus, Why Did Johnny Kill POST FALLS BREWING COMPANY, Sam Leyde THE RIDLER PIANO BAR, Dueling Pianos feat. Christan Raxter & Steve Ridler THE ROXIE, The Sock Puppets SILVER MOUNTAIN SKI RESORT (NOAH’S), Just Plain Darin STORMIN’ NORMAN’S SHIPFACED

GET LISTED!

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SALOON, Karaoke THREE PEAKS KITCHEN + BAR, Nick Grow WESTWOOD BREWING CO., Rusty Jackson ZOLA, DragonFly

Sunday, 12/30

THE BLIND BUCK, Show Tune SingAlong Sundays CRAVE, DJ Dave DALEY’S CHEAP SHOTS, Rev. Yo’s VooDoo Church Jam GARLAND PUB & GRILL, Karaoke IRON HORSE (VALLEY), Kosh LINGER LONGER LOUNGE, Open Jam MARYHILL WINERY SPOKANE, Mark Holt MASSELOW’S STEAKHOUSE, Tom Pletscher

MATCHWOOD BREWING CO., Ken Mayginnes NORTHERN QUEST RESORT & CASINO, Tom Pletscher O’DOHERTY’S IRISH GRILLE, Live Irish Music PEND D’OREILLE WINERY, Piano Sunday with Dwayne Parsons STORMIN’ NORMAN’S SHIPFACED SALOON, Karaoke ZOLA, Lazy Love

Monday, 12/31

219 LOUNGE, Miah Kohal Band J THE BARTLETT, NYE with Super Sparkle, BaLonely, DJ Darrien BERSERK, Nausoleum Dance Party THE BULL HEAD, Songsmith Series J CALYPSOS COFFEE & CREAMERY, Open Mic CHECKERBOARD BAR, Open Mic Night CRAVE, DJ Dave EICHARDT’S, Monday Night Jam with Truck Mills EICHARDT’S, John Firshi J THE HIVE, New Year’s Eve Ball with Afrolicious J HOUSE OF SOUL, Motown New Year’s with Nu Jack City THE JACKSON ST., Steve Livingston, Nathan Chartrey, Meghan Sullivan, Darren Eldridge, Sovereign Citizen and The Non Prophets JOHN’S ALLEY, DJ Miles LAGUNA CAFÉ, Diane Copeland LEFTBANK WINE BAR, Carey Brazil MASSELOW’S STEAKHOUSE, Tom Pletscher MAX AT MIRABEAU, Rocking Blues Party with Bobby Patterson Band at the Max NORTHERN QUEST RESORT & CASINO, Tom Pletscher; The Funky Hippeez J THE OBSERVATORY, Mini Murders, Laminates, Bad Motivator, DJ Unifest OMEGA EVENT CENTER, A Motown New Years Eve with Nu Jack City PACIFIC PIZZA, Nat and the Slugs THE PIN, Ignite NYE PLAYERS & SPECTATORS EVENTS CENTER, New Years Eve ft. Ryan Larsen Band POST FALLS BREWING COMPANY, Kicho RED ROOM LOUNGE, Open Mic with Lucas Brookbank Brown

J THE ROXIE, New Year’s with Atomic Jive SILVER MOUNTAIN SKI RESORT, Son of Brad (at Noah’s); DJ Zesh SPOKANE VALLEY EAGLES, Stagecoach West ST. MARIES EAGLES LODGE, JamShack STIX BAR AND GRILL, Roundabout J ZOLA, DragonFly

Tuesday, 01/1

219 LOUNGE, Karaoke with DJ Pat THE RIDLER PIANO BAR, Country Swing Dancing ZOLA, Dueling Cronkites with Greg Mahugh

Wednesday, 01/2

219 LOUNGE, Truck Mills & Denis Zwang CRAVE, DJ Dave CRUISERS, Open Jam Night Hosted by The Jam Band GENO’S TRADITIONAL FOOD & ALES, Open Mic with Host Travis Goulding IRON HORSE (COEUR D’ALENE), Open Jam THE JACKSON ST., Karaoke J THE LOCAL DELI, Devon Wade LUCKY’S IRISH PUB, DJ D3VIN3 NORTH SPOKANE DANCE CENTER, Learn to Square Dance POOLE’S PUBLIC HOUSE (SOUTH HILL), Justin James J RED DRAGON CHINESE, Tommy G RED ROOM LOUNGE, Blowin’ Kegs Jam Session THE RIDLER PIANO BAR, Dueling Pianos feat. Christan Raxter & Steve Ridler ZOLA, Cruxie

Coming Up ...

J THE PIN, New Years Artist Festival feat. YoungSmoke, Crashed Satellite, Datboyrob, Pro Gucci Heem and more, Jan. 4 THE OBSERVATORY, Dancing Plague, Portable Morla, Moonchyld, Jan. 4 J THE BARTLETT, Bob Riggs Album Release Show with Kevin Morgan, Jan. 5

MORE EVENTS Visit Inlander.com for complete listings of local events.

MUST BE 21 YEARS OR OLDER I.D. REQUIRED CASH BAR AVAILABLE

NEW YEAR’S EVE ROCKIN’

BALLROOM BASH 2019!

HOSTED BY DEAN JAXON OF KEY 101FM MORNING SHOW

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INCLUDES: PARTY FAVORS, RAFFLE PRIZES, NACHO BAR, DANCING & CHAMPAGNE TOAST AT MIDNIGHT

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Room Packages starting at

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FOR RESERVATIONS: 509-924-9000

MUSIC | VENUES 219 LOUNGE • 219 N. First, Sandpoint • 208-2639934 315 MARTINIS & TAPAS • 315 E. Wallace, CdA • 208-667-9660 ARBOR CREST WINE CELLARS • 4705 N. Fruit Hill Rd. • 927-9463 BABY BAR • 827 W. First Ave. • 847-1234 BARLOWS • 1428 N. Liberty Lake Rd. • 924-1446 THE BARTLETT • 228 W. Sprague Ave. • 747-2174 BEEROCRACY • 911 W. Garland Ave. BERSERK • 125 S. Stevens • 714-9512 THE BIG DIPPER • 171 S. Washington • 863-8098 BIGFOOT PUB • 9115 N. Division St. • 467-9638 BING CROSBY THEATER • 901 W. Sprague Ave. • 227-7638 BLACK DIAMOND • 9614 E. Sprague • 891-8357 BOLO’S • 116 S. Best Rd. • 891-8995 BOOMERS • 18219 E. Appleway Ave. • 755-7486 BOOTS BAKERY & LOUNGE • 24 W. Main Ave. • 703-7223 BUCER’S COFFEEHOUSE PUB • 201 S. Main, Moscow • 208-882-5216 BUZZ COFFEEHOUSE • 501 S. Thor • 340-3099 CALYPSOS COFFEE & CREAMERY • 116 E. Lakeside Ave., CdA • 208-665-0591 CHATEAU RIVE • 621 W. Mallon Ave. • 795-2030 CHECKERBOARD BAR • 1716 E. Sprague Ave. • 535-4007 COEUR D’ALENE CASINO • 37914 S. Nukwalqw Rd., Worley, Idaho • 800-523-2464 COEUR D’ALENE CELLARS • 3890 N. Schreiber Way, CdA • 208-664-2336 CRAFTED TAP HOUSE • 523 Sherman Ave., CdA • 208-292-4813 CRAVE• 401 W. Riverside • 321-7480 CRUISERS • 6105 W Seltice Way, Post Falls • 208773-4706 CURLEY’S • 26433 W. Hwy. 53 • 208-773-5816 DALEY’S CHEAP SHOTS • 6412 E. Trent • 535-9309 EICHARDT’S PUB • 212 Cedar St., Sandpoint • 208-263-4005 THE FEDORA • 1726 W. Kathleen, CdA • 208-7658888 FIZZIE MULLIGANS • 331 W. Hastings • 466-5354 FOX THEATER • 1001 W. Sprague • 624-1200 THE HIVE • 207 N. First, Sandpoint • 208-457-2392 HOGFISH • 1920 E. Sherman, CdA • 208-667-1896 HOLLYWOOD REVOLVER BAR • 4720 Ferrel, CdA • 208-274-0486 HOUSE OF SOUL • 120 N. Wall • 217-1961 IRON HORSE BAR • 407 E. Sherman Ave., CdA • 208-667-7314 IRON HORSE BAR & GRILL • 11105 E. Sprague Ave., CdA • 509-926-8411 JACKSON ST. BAR & GRILL • 2436 N. Astor St. • 315-8497 JOHN’S ALLEY • 114 E. Sixth St., Moscow • 208883-7662 KNITTING FACTORY • 911 W. Sprague Ave. • 244-3279 LAGUNA CAFÉ • 2013 E. 29th Ave. • 448-0887 THE LANTERN TAP HOUSE • 1004 S. Perry St. • 315-9531 LEFTBANK WINE BAR • 108 N. Washington • 315-8623 LUCKY’S IRISH PUB • 408 W. Sprague • 747-2605 MARYHILL WINERY • 1303 W. Summit Pkwy, Ste. 100 • 443-3832 MAX AT MIRABEAU • 1100 N. Sullivan • 924-9000 MICKDUFF’S • 312 N. First Ave., Sandpoint • 208)255-4351 MONARCH MOUNTAIN COFFEE • 208 N 4th Ave, Sandpoint • 208-265-9382 MOOSE LOUNGE • 401 E. Sherman • 208-664-7901 MOOTSY’S • 406 W. Sprague • 838-1570 MULLIGAN’S • 506 Appleway Ave., CdA • 208- 7653200 ext. 310 NASHVILLE NORTH • 6361 W. Seltice Way, Post Falls • 208-457-9128 NECTAR CATERING & EVENTS • 120 N. Stevens St. • 869-1572 NORTHERN QUEST RESORT • 100 N. Hayford Rd., Airway Heights • 242-7000 NYNE • 232 W. Sprague Ave. • 474-1621 THE OBSERVATORY • 15 S. Howard • 381-5489 OMEGA EVENT CENTER • 25 E. Lincoln Rd. O’SHAY’S • 313 E. CdA Lake Dr. • 208-667-4666 PEND D’OREILLE WINERY • 301 Cedar St., Sandpoint • 208-265-8545 THE PIN! • 412 W. Sprague • 368-4077 RED LION RIVER INN • 700 N. Division • 326-5577 RED ROOM LOUNGE • 521 W. Sprague • 838-7613 REPUBLIC BREWING • 26 Clark Ave. • 775-2700 RIDLER PIANO BAR • 718 W. Riverside • 822-7938 RIVELLE’S • 2360 N Old Mill Loop, CdA • 208-9300381 SEASONS OF COEUR D’ALENE • 209 E. Lakeside Ave. • 208-664-8008 THE SHOP • 924 S. Perry St. • 534-1647 SOULFUL SOUPS & SPIRITS • 117 N. Howard St. • 459-1190 SPOKANE ARENA • 720 W. Mallon • 279-7000 THE THIRSTY DOG • 3027 E. Liberty Ave. • 487-3000 TIMBER GASTRO PUB •1610 E Schneidmiller, Post Falls • 208-262-9593 ZOLA • 22 W. Main Ave. • 624-2416

DECEMBER 27, 2018 INLANDER 43

SPORTS BREAKFAST BALL

Keeping the family entertained during the holidays can be a challenge, especially during the week between Christmas and New Year’s when there’s no more shopping to be done.

The WSU Cougars are here to help with their annual basketball pilgrimage to Spokane Arena. This year, coach Ernie Kent’s charges take on a foe familiar to Gonzaga fans, the Santa Clara Broncos, a team that recently took out a full-page ad in Spokane’s daily newspaper to declare themselves up to the task of competing with the Zags. They’ll have to knock off the Cougs first, and with tickets as cheap as $10, it won’t break the bank to take the whole family.

— DAN NAILEN

Viont’e Daniels, left, and Robert Franks

WSU vs. Santa Clara • Sat, Dec. 29 at 11 am • $10-$60 • Spokane Arena • 720 W. Mallon Ave. • spokanearena.com • 279-7000

GET LISTED!

PRESENTED BY DOWNTOWN SPOKANE

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.

First and for most.

COMEDY NOT THAT BAM BAM

A few years ago, and against my better judgement, I started watching Sex&Drugs&Rock&Roll, a sitcom about an old rock band reuniting and starring Denis Leary. It turned out to be a fun if silly bingeable show, in no small part thanks to stand-up comic Robert Kelly. Kelly played the band’s sensitive drummer-turned EDM DJ-turned playwright. That’s some range! In his standup, Kelly is a joyfully foulmouthed everyman who turns his thoughts on eating healthy, overweight riot police and late flights into comedy gold that’s made him a stagemate of folks like Jim Norton and the late Patrice O’Neal, and as a great talk show guest when he’s not hosting his own podcast You Know What Dude?

— DAN NAILEN Robert Kelly • Dec. 27-29: Thu-Sat at 7:30 pm, Sat at 10 pm • $8-$22 • 21+ • Spokane Comedy Club • 315 W. Sprague • spokanecomedyclub.com • 318-9998

There’s nothing quite like a First Friday.

On Friday, January 4th, head downtown to celebrate the creativity of local artists and enjoy free refreshments while you mingle with friends old and new. Find participating locations at downtownspokane.org, and make plans to see it first, hear it first, and taste it first.

MUSIC FULLY LEDDED

There’s only so much Christmas music a person can handle during December.

You reach a breaking point and need an aural cleanser to get your brain right from all the saccharine-sweet holiday music you’ve been inundated with for weeks, maybe even months. Consider Zoso your cleanser this year. The Led Zeppelin tribute band has performed thousands of shows since forming 23 years ago, and the pomp and bombast inherent in the mighty Zep’s songs should help you push all the Little Drummer Boys and Frosty the Snowmen out of your head for another year. Opening the show are Spokane rock groups Dawn of Life and Children of Atom.

— DAN NAILEN

DON ’ T MIS S THE NEXT FIRST FRIDAY:

—

JANUARY 4TH , 2019

—

January Featured Poster Artist: Ryker Murdock

For event listings visit: firstfridayspokane.org Most venues open 5-8pm

Zoso: The Ultimate Led Zeppelin Experience • Fri, Dec. 28 at 7:30 pm • $20 • All ages • Knitting Factory • 919 W. Sprague • sp.knittingfactory.com

DECEMBER 27, 2018 INLANDER 45

W I SAW YOU

S S

CHEERS JEERS

&

I SAW YOU SEEKING ICE CREAM LOVER I saw you Wednesday the 19th at noon at the DQ on Sprague in the Valley. I was in ordering a cake for Christmas and you were having lunch with a large group. We smiled at each other, then your friend came up to the counter and I did not come over to say hi, I screwed up. You are very attractive and were wearing stylish earrings. This is the second time I have seen you there, and both times I did nothing. We are not spring chickens and I don’t want to miss a chance so can I buy you some ice cream or better yet dinner?

PEAS IN A POD To a woman that makes my heart beat again, my best friend, my greatest love, & cuddle buddy :) We are so much alike, we have overcome so much of the same pains in our lives.

And to think we prayed for exactly the same things, at probably the same time. It is no wonder we were led to be together forever! We love the same things, we think alike, we read each other’s thoughts, and love like nobody else. A little sweet, a little stubborn, and a little ornery, we are a perfect match... imperfectly. And I will love you though all we go through, faithfully, deeply, with laughter, and the tears through all the days we have left. To be marrying you soon is to have a final dream come true, and with that I will stand by your

side Always, and vow to never leave you! P.S. You are my greatest Sous Chef too!! Love Your Best Friend JUPITER Like swirling clouds of gas at the edge of the solar system, there’s always something lonely about following the path designated by forces we don’t quite understand. That’s the thing about human ingenuity; never content to let far-flung corners of the universe stay out of our reach. The curiosity rover sang itself a song on its birthday, millions of miles from home. Inevitable.

Like the orbit of the plants around the sun. I’ll always come back to you.

CHEERS LOVE IS STILL THICKER THAN BLOOD Cheers to my first grandchild. Because of you, I became a gramma 10.8 years ago. I miss you, your humor, your love, your inquisitive mind and I love you more every day. This time of year is hard without you. Know that this gramma loves you unconditionally and misses you immensely and will forever wait for you with open arms.

JEERS RE: GUNS VS VIOLENCE I don’t even know why I’m replying to this, because it seems such a waste of time.... BUT.....

I can obviously assume you not only don’t own a firearm but unlikely carry mace, a whistle or anything else to protect yourself. Maybe if you’re a man you might carry a leatherman or a pocket knife. But I AM, a woman and I’m also an assertive sort as well. I’ve been a rape victim, then a survivor I’ve got hypervigilance triggers from it and I’ve taken martial arts, weapons training, dogs, mace and yes a firearm that I carry most the time, especially taking the bus and being downtown.

It occurs to me that you’ve probably read fewer articles about how armed and prepared civilians have protected themselves, others around them & also

assisting & saving police. Mainstream media posts much less on it then mass shooting tragedies & what guns they used. Most firearm owners are very responsible and alot of us taking both basic and tactical classes because, like

“

Top Prices - Honest Weight

WE PAY FOR: Aluminum Cans & Scrap y Copper y Brass y Radiators

Insulated Copper Wire y Stainless y Gold y Silver y & much more!

you said it’s not the movies. Yes I’ve watched movies and tv and most are very inaccurate and blatantly irresponsible to show such types of bad firearm practices. Seeing people on the screen stuff guns in pants or boots with no holster- something that causes many negligent discharges in real life, clearing building inaccurately, fingers on trigger, shooting people in the knees or trigger finger.. Etc... Truth is, the only people who are mimicking movies and tv are kids and adults who have not been properly trained in firearm basics nor see the foresight in putting forth effort into training because, “how hard can it be?” Well, it’s 1 thing to stand and shoot a gun at a range... Much different when you’re scared, adrenaline is going, people are panicked and scattering... People hurt, needing medical help.. Etc... Many situations in Spokane, Seattle, Portland, and all over that this happens. High crime rates, active shooter issues etc. An armed civilian single, married with kids etc.. Should know not just how to point and shoot but real life scenarios and problems.

I’ve taken classes up through building clearing, low light issues, high stress drills, battle buddy drills with signifi-

ing. Yes, armed civilians have actually stopped more crimes as either self defense or defending someone else. As a woman, I’m called obsessed, intense and weird for needing to train & know how to protect myself and others. I know women in both straight and gay relationships who are or have been victims of sexual abuse and domestic abuse. They deserve to be able to carry whatever they need to protect themselves as well. Firearms are an equalizer for us women & I am a proud protector of others, a proud firearms owner and yes a proud Christian Conservative woman too.

JEERS ON ME Calling myself out and hoping you see this.. Early morning of 12-20 (maybe like 5 am) on the South Hill. I didn’t make a hard enough stop at a stop sign, and that was on me as I thought you had a stop sign as well.

But I don’t think you did and we crossed hairs a little too closely. You had a bigger truck of some kind. Possibly company truck as it has a logo on it? I just got off work and I was pretty tired and I send my sincere apologies as I’m sure I pissed you off and started your morning off wrong! Hopefully the day went

SEE HOW MUCH WE PAY AT:

HOT SAUCE

509-483-4094

* In accordance with WA state law

46 INLANDER DECEMBER 27, 2018

911 E Marietta Ave • Spokane WA

South of Foothills Dr. / East of Hamilton

$

RE: RE: COWS ETC To the person who wrote the jeers about cows etc., who obviously is very well educated and brilliant, did you really mean to com-

5

”

pare humanity to a nice steaming pile of cow shit? That sounds so crass from someone so smart. In terms of offering someone else to take a big bite, feel free to begin yourself. You sound like you could use a nice helping of cow feces yourself. Perhaps you could show others the proper way to eat a pile of cow dung. Once you get half the pile properly swallowed and get your lips properly dried off, let others know how it tastes so they can make up their minds if they enjoy your referenced excrement pie. You’re such a brilliant expert on humanity, I’m certain you’d be able to show the world how to properly eat crap. Enjoy it for your Xmas dinner. n

THIS WEEK'S ANSWERS T G I F W A S I O M A R E S E G U T R A P O R R R O T H M R H Y B P A I R H A T O E N O O N D U K E P T S D

A W A S H A T T W O S H A R I F T S I N F S U G A E M O M S D A D S A R I I R A F A D D E S O R C S O C K E Y U S E O B A D H A A N O U K N A M E S

N O R T H S E A

A M E R R I U C T A H N S P W I W H E W E I R D E A S N

Y A D I G

A N I G H

S N A I L

E A T U P

A Y V E A P

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

Bring that 3 Ninjas flavor home with you

www.actionrecycling.com

better than dealing with my dumbass.

Calling myself out and hoping you see this...

Early morning of 12-20 (maybe like 5 am) on the South Hill. I didn’t make a hard enough stop at a stop sign, and that was on me...

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

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

Got Scrap? Get Cash y FASTy

cant others who also carry, medical training on how & when to use tourniquets etc. Even having self defense insurance and legal classes. No, it is not like the movies. They are the most irresponsible in teaching firearm train-

PER BOTTLE

New Location 1198 E SUMMIT PKWY | KENDALL YARDS

EVENTS | CALENDAR

BENEFIT

BREAST INTENTIONS BRA DRIVE The boutique is collecting donations for Breast Intentions’ future fitting events for women in need. Those who donate receive a 15% off coupon. Through Dec. 31; Tue-Sat, 10 am-8 pm. Atomic Threads Clothing Boutique, 1925 N. Monroe. bit. ly/2DGqRxd (509-598-8755) STEAK AND BAKE FUNDRAISER The monthly fundraiser includes live music from Diminishing faculties and a dinner menu of steak, salad, baked potato and garlic bread. Monthly on the last Friday from 5-7 pm. $10. VFW Post 1435, 212 S. David St. (535-9315) CHRISTMAS TREE RECYCLING Donate your tree to the Ferris High School Treecycling event. Drop off at Ferris or call to schedule pick-up. Proceeds benefit the Ferris Senior All-Nighter, a fun and safe event the night of graduation.

For more info or to schedule pick-up call Paul at 981-9371 or Dave at 414-731-1690.

Dec. 29-30 and Jan. 5-6 from 10 am-4 pm. $5-$10. Ferris High School, 3020 E. 37th Ave. ferrisallnighter.com PUTTIN’ ON THE RITZ The annual NYE gala benefits the Spokane Symphony Orchestra and features a three-course dinner, dessert, no-host bar, dancing to the MasterClass Big Band, midnight toast and more. Black tie/formal attire requested.

Dec. 31, 9 pm. $130. Davenport Hotel, 10 S. Post St. spokanesymphony.org

COMEDY

2.0PEN MIC Local comedy night hosted

by Ken McComb. Thursdays, from 8-10 pm. Free. The District Bar, 916 W. First Ave. facebook.com/districtbarspokane/ GUFFAW YOURSELF! Open mic comedy night hosted by Casey Strain; Thursdays at 10 pm. Free. Neato Burrito, 827 W. First Ave. (509-847-1234) ROBERT KELLY Besides being a fixture on Comedy Central, Robert plays Bam Bam in Denis Leary’s FX show “Sex&Drugs&Rock&Roll,” whose second season will air this summer. Dec. 27-29 at 7:30 pm, Dec. 29 at 10 pm. $8-$22. Spokane Comedy Club, 315 W. Sprague. spokanecomedyclub.com (509-318-9998) LATE LAUGHS An improv show featuring a mix of experiments with duos, teams, sketches and special guests. Events on the first and last Friday of the month at 10 pm. Rated for mature audiences. $7.

Blue Door Theatre, 815 W. Garland Ave. bluedoortheatre.com (747-7045) REMIXMAS CAROL Ever wonder what would happen if the Grinch, Frosty the Snowman, Mrs. Claus and the Little Drummer Boy were all in the same story?

The BDT players take elements of favorite holiday stories and re-mix them to create something brand new. Fridays at 8 pm in December. $7. Blue Door Theatre, 815 W. Garland. bluedoortheatre.com STAND-UP COMEDY Live comedy featuring established and up-and-coming local comedians. Fridays at 8 pm. No cover. Red Dragon Chinese, 1406 W. Third Ave. reddragondelivery.com AFTER DARK A mature-rated version of the Blue Door’s monthly, Friday show; on the first and last Saturday of the month, at 10 pm. $7. Blue Door Theatre, 815 W. Garland Ave. bluedoortheatre.com SAFARI A fast-paced improvised show relying on audience suggestions to fuel each scene. Saturdays at 8 pm. $7. Blue Door Theatre, 815 W. Garland Ave. blue-

doortheatre.com (747-7045) CHAD DANIELS Chad has received numerous awards, and has appeared on the Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien, the Late Late Show and more. Dec. 30 at 7:30 pm and Dec. 31 at 8 pm. $10-$30. spokanecomedyclub.com (509-318-9998) THE DOPE SHOW! A comedy showcase where comedians joke, then toke, the joke some more! Presented by Tyler Smith, featuring nationally touring comedians with various tolerances to marijuana. Last Sunday of the month at 8 pm. $8-$14. Spokane Comedy Club, 315 W. Sprague. spokanecomedyclub.com THE SOCIAL HOUR COMEDY SHOWCASE Featuring comics from the Northwest and beyond, and hosted by Deece Casillas. Sundays, from 8-9:30 pm. Free.

The Ridler Piano Bar, 718 W. Riverside Ave. socialhourpod.com (509-822-7938) OPEN MIC A free open mic night every Wednesday, starting at 8 pm. Doors open at 7 pm. Free. Spokane Comedy Club, 315 W. Sprague. spokanecomedyclub.com FIRE BRIGADE IMPROV The theater’s in-house, family-friendly comedy troupe performs monthly. Upcoming shows: Jan. 6, Feb. 3, March 3 at 7 pm. $5. Ignite!

Community Theatre, 10814 E. Broadway Ave. igniteonbroadway.org (795-0004)

COMMUNITY

COOL CAMP An extension of the City of Spokane Valley Parks and Recreation’s summer day camp program. Each day has a fun theme and inside/outside games and activities. Sign up for one or all days. Ages 6-11. Dec. 27-28 and Jan. 2-4 from 7:15 am-5:45 pm. $35/day. CenterPlace Regional Event Center, 2426 N. Discovery Place Dr. spokanevalley.org/ coolcamp (720-5200) FRIENDS OF MANITO HOLIDAY LIGHTS The Gaiser Conservatory is decked out for the Friends of Manito’s annual holiday lights display. Through Dec. 31 from noon-3:30 pm. Free, donations accepted.

Manito Park, 1800 S. Grand Blvd. bit. ly/2zMVE7o (456-8038) GET MESSY WINTER DAY CAMP Kids (ages 7-12) can get messy at the museum with hands-on art, including printing, painting and clay molding. Dec. 27, 9 am-2 pm. $45-$55. Northwest Museum of Arts & Culture, 2316 W. First Ave. northwestmuseum.org (509-456-3931) HOLIDAY LIGHT SHOW + LAKE CRUISES Take a cruise across the lake to view more than 1.5 million twinkling holiday lights and visit Santa Claus and his elves at his waterfront toy workshop. Fortyminute cruises depart daily, through Jan. 1, at 5:30, 6:30 and 7:30 pm. $22.25/ adults; $21.25/seniors 55+; $7.50/ages 6-12; free/ages 5 and under. The Coeur d’Alene Resort, 115 S. Second. cdaresort. com (855-379-5478) SHOWING UP FOR RACIAL JUSTICE Join PJALS and members of the community to continue our work fighting white supremacy, supporting racial justice organizing led by people of color, and deepening our understanding of race locally. Meets second and fourth Thursday of the month, from 5:30-7 pm. Community Building, 35 W. Main Ave. pjals.org DROP IN & RPG If you’ve ever been curious about role-playing games, join us to experience this unique form of game-playing, and build a shared narrative using cooperative problem solving, exploration, imagination, and rich social interaction. Priority seating provided for

age 17 or younger. Held on the second and fourth Friday of the month, from 4-7 pm. Free. Spark Central, 1214 W. Summit Pkwy. sparkwestcentral.org CHRISTMAS TREE RECYCLING Boy Scouts Troop 400 is recycling natural Christmas trees with two Spokane Valley drop-off locations: Central Valley and University High Schools. All proceeds support scout troop activities, service projects, supplies and more. Home pickup available. Dec. 29-30 and Jan. 5-6, from 9 am-3 pm. $5/drop-off; $10/pickup. Central Valley High School, 821 S. Sullivan Rd. troop400.net/trees (927-6848) INVENTION CONNECTION Drop in and play with paper circuits, Little Bits, LEGO bricks and more. No pre-registration needed. This is a family programs, so parents, please plan to stick around and invent alongside your kids. Grades K-6.

Dec. 29, 10 am-noon. Free. Spark Central, 1214 W. Summit Pkwy. spark-central.org/ events/2018/8/5/invention-connection NOON YEAR’S EVE PARTY! A SPECIAL FAMILY CELEBRATION A special celebration of the New Year without having to stay up late, offering crafts and a snack. For families and kids of all ages.

Young children should be accompanied by a caregiver. Dec. 29, 11 am-noon. Free.

Indian Trail Library, 4909 W. Barnes Rd. (509-444-5300) RAILROAD OPEN HOUSE View more than 800 feet of HO track, featuring tunnels, a large rail yard, cityscape, bridges and more. Dec. 29, 5-9 pm. Free. Evergreen Model Railroad Club, 18213 E. Appleway Ave. (939-5845) WINTERFEST NEW YEAR TRADITIONS View display tables representing how other cultures ring in The New Year. Also includes live performances and samples of traditional New Year’s food and beverages from the participating cultural organizations. Dec. 29, 1-4 pm. Free. Downtown Spokane Library, 906 W. Main Ave. bit.ly/2L94iSZ (509-928-9664) JOYA-E BUDDHIST SERVICE: “BELL OF THE LAST NIGHT” Everyone who attends will get to ring the Japanese Kansho bell.

This service is known as the “last-nightgathering” and is when we reflect upon the past year and recognize all the causes and conditions that allowed us to make it through the year. Dec. 31, 7-7:30 pm.

Free. Spokane Buddhist Temple, 927 S. Perry St. SpokaneBuddhistTemple.org NOON YEAR’S EVE PARTY! A SPECIAL FAMILY CELEBRATION A special celebration of the New Year without having to stay up late, offering crafts and a snack. For families and kids of all ages.

Young children should be accompanied by a caregiver. Dec. 31, 11 am-noon. Free.

South Hill Library, 3324 S. Perry. Also at Shadle Library, 2111 W. Wellesley. spokanelibrary.org LEVEL UP CREATIVITY Join Spark for daily activities to ignite your creativity, innovation and imagination with science, writing and art projects. Wednesdays at 3:30 pm. Free. Spark Central, 1214 W. Summit Pkwy. sparkwestcentral.org FORENSIC SCIENCE MYSTERIES Solve the mystery with forensic science techniques by testing strawberry DNA, analyzing fingerprints and creating different “blood” spatter patterns. Kids program; ages 8+. Jan. 3, 4-5 pm. Free. Airway Heights Library, 1213 S. Lundstrom St. scld.org (893-8250) WINTER BREAK CAMP: STORYTELLING FOR VIDEO GAMES! Learn the elements of different video game storylines and types, and how to develop characters.

Come up with stories and a world for your very own video game. Sign up online. For grades 4-7. Jan. 3, 10-11:30 am.

Free. Spark Central, 1214 W. Summit Pkwy. sparkwestcentral.org (279-0299) FORENSIC SCIENCE MYSTERIES Solve the mystery with forensic science techniques by testing strawberry DNA, analyzing fingerprints and creating different “blood” spatter patterns. Kids program; ages 8+. Jan. 8, 4-5 pm. Free. Argonne Library, 4322 N. Argonne Rd. scld.org PROTECT YOUR CREDIT SCORE Learn how a credit score is determined, how to earn and maintain a healthy credit score, and where to go for help. Registration required at stcu.org/workshops. Jan. 8, 6-7 pm. Free. Argonne Library, 4322 N. Argonne Rd. (893-8260) UNACCOMPANIED REFUGEE MINORS INFORMATION NIGHT An information night for anyone interested in becoming a foster family for refugee youth. LCSNW is looking for families who want to provide a loving and caring environment for these refugee youth coming to the U.S. Second Tuesday of the month, from 5:30-7:30 pm. Free. Lutheran Community Services, 210 W. Sprague. lcsnw.org/program/foster-care/ (381-4945) CREATIVE STUDIO FOR VARIOUSLYABLED ADULTS People of all abilities are invited to gather for social interaction and the chance to explore creative interests on the second Wednesday of each month, from 10-11 am. Free. Spark Central, 1214 W. Summit Pkwy. spark-central. org (279-0299)

FILM

FANTASTIC BEASTS: THE CRIMES OF GRINDELWALD The next installment of the Harry Potter cinematic universe sees Grindelwald escapee from custody; now Dumbledore and Newt Scamander must stop him. Showing Dec. 27-30; times vary. $3-$7. The Kenworthy, 508 S. Main St. kenworthy.org (208-882-4127) WELCOME TO MARWEN From the director of Forrest Gump is this true story of a victim of a brutal attack victim, played

by Steve Carell, who finds a unique and beautiful therapeutic outlet to help him through his recovery process. PG-13.

Showing Dec. 23-Jan. 4; times vary. $5-$7. Panida Theater, 300 N. First Ave. panida.org (208-255-7801) FREE SOLO National Geographic Documentary Films presents “Free Solo,” which follows rock climber Alex Honnold as he becomes the first person to ever free solo climb Yosemite’s El Capitan Wall with no ropes nor safety gear. PG-13.

Showing Dec. 28-30; times vary. $5-$8.

Panida Theater, 300 N. First Ave. panida. org (208-255-7801) BEAUTIFUL BOY Based on the bestselling pair of memoirs from father and son David and Nic Sheff, Beautiful Boy chronicles the heartbreaking and inspiring experience of survival, relapse, and recovery in a family coping with addiction over many years. Jan. 3-6. $7. The Kenworthy, 508 S. Main St. kenworthy. org/calendar (208-882-4127) BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY Chronicling the years leading up to Queen’s legendary appearance at Live Aid (1985), and the life of the band’s extraordinary lead singer, Freddie Mercury (Rami Malek). PG-13.

Showing Jan. 4-6; times vary. $5-$8.

Panida Theater, 300 N. First. panida.org CRUNCHYROLL MOVIE NIGHT The first Movie Night of the new year offer fans an exclusive sneak peek of the first episode

of “Mob Psycho 100 II” (season two), before the episode airs in Japan. Jan. 5, 12:55 pm. $13. Regal Cinemas, 4750 N. Division. fathomevents.com (482-0209)

FOOD & DRINK

CHINOOK: STEAK & BAKE DINNER Savor a 10 oz. Angus premium baseball cut sirloin from Northwest Cattle Company grilled over mesquite wood and finished with alder smoked sea salt. Pair it with a loaded baked potato or a Caesar salad.

Thursdays in December from 5-9 pm. $23. Coeur d’Alene Casino, 37914 S. Nukwalqw. cdacasino.com (1-800-523-2464) CREATOR IN RESIDENCE: CATEE NG Catee is a self-taught baker and decorator, and now teaches classes at local libraries and other venues. Dec. 27 from 6-8 pm.

Free. North Spokane Library, 44 E. Hawthorne Rd. scld.org (893-8350) SCOTCH & CIGARS Select a flight of whiskey, scotch or bourbon paired with a recommended cigar during an event on the outdoor patio. Thursdays from 6-10 pm. $15-$25. Prohibition Gastropub, 1914 N. Monroe. facebook.com/Prohibition.

Gastropub.Spokane1 (474-9040) THURSDAY WINE SOCIAL The weekly complimentary wine tasting event features different wine themes and samples of the shop’s gourmet goods. Thursdays, from 4-6 pm. Free. Gourmet Way, 8222 N. Government Way. (208-762-1333) 49° NORTH ICE LOUNGE HAPPY HOUR Participants receive one free raffle ticket with every happy hour drink purchased, with two winners each week receiving a pair of 49° North lift tickets. Winners do not have to be present to claim their prize. Event for ages 21+; Sky Ribbon Cafe is open to all ages. Fridays from 5-8 pm through Feb. 22. Riverfront Park, 705 N. Howard. my.spokanecity.org/riverfrontpark (625-6600) WINE TASTING Sample wine from Planeta of Sicily. Includes cheese and crackers. Dec. 28, 3-6:30 pm. $10. Vino!

A Wine Shop, 222 S. Washington St. vinowine.com (38-1229) SIP & SAMPLE The market’s weekly afternoon tasting, featuring 1-2 wines and something to munch on. Saturdays from noon-4 pm. Petunias Marketplace, 2010 N. Madison St. petuniasmarket.com WINE TASTING Sample wines to celebrate the New Year! Includes cheese and crackers. Dec. 29, 2-4:30 pm. $10. Vino! A Wine Shop, 222 S. Washington St. vinowine.com (509-838-1229) INTERNATIONAL FLAVORS BUFFET Take a culinary trip around the world and feast on Swedish meatballs with egg noodles, Italian-style Tuscan salmon, manicotti with alfredo, chicken pad thai, sweet and sour pork, Mexican taco bar, New England style clam chowder and more. Sundays from 4-8 pm. $22. Coeur d’Alene Casino, 37914 S. Nukwalqw. cdacasino.com (800-523-2467) MOCHI FEST Around the start of the New Year, many Japanese households take part in the annual tradition of mochitsuki.

Mochi is pounded sweet rice that can be eaten in a sweet or savory dish. Also includes an “Osoji,” or ritual cleaning of the with items for sale. Proceeds benefit the temple’s minister assistants’ education.

Dec. 30 from 11:30 am-12:30 pm; Dec. 31 from 7:30-8:30 pm. $6-$10/food. Spokane Buddhist Temple, 927 S. Perry St. spokanebuddhisttemple.org (534-7954)

DECEMBER 27, 2018 INLANDER 47

POLITICS

It’s Happening!

Hemp is getting legalized; why that’s good for cannabis

BY TUCK CLARRY

I

t wasn’t supposed to happen. No way cannabis supporters would advance their cause with Donald Trump in the White House and Jeff Sessions leading the Justice Department.

Hooray for hemp!

But here we are. Sessions is out, and Mitch McConnell, of all people, the Senate Majority Leader, helped to add hemp legalization in the latest Farm Bill, which was signed into law by Trump last week. Granted, hemp is

SAMANTHA WOHLFEIL PHOTO

the nonpsychoactive sister plant of cannabis (hemp plants are classified as having no more than .3 percent of THC), but the federal approval of the plant could drastically ...continued on page 50

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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.

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STARTTALKINGNOW.ORG DECEMBER 27, 2018 INLANDER 49

GREEN ZONE

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POLITICS

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You can thank Mitch McConnell, of all people.

“IT’S HAPPENING!,” CONTINUED... change the view of the latter over the coming years.

For one, legal hemp means legal studies on the value and attributes of CBD, a compound extract that can be made from hemp and cannabis alike. Now that hemp is no longer considered a Schedule I drug, there is a newfound gray area when dealing with research of CBD. Federal law currently only permits cannabis-based research to be conducted with the use of cannabis from the Marijuana Program at the University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy’s National Center for Natural Products Research, the only such provider.

It probably doesn’t hurt that McConnell’s home state of Kentucky is one of the largest growers of hemp in the country.

And the fact that the crop is nonpsychoactive helped negate much of the War on Drugs’ political fears that marijuana likely would have brought.

According to the Hemp Business Journal, hemp product sales were at an estimated $820 million, with CBD accounting for 23 percent of those sales. A major reason for the inclusion and LETTERS legalization in the Farm Bill Send comments to language was the increased editor@inlander.com. competition from a now legal Canadian marketplace, which has eaten up much of the hemp production in previous years.

For the uninitiated, hemp-based CBD is a great option for those who work for an employer that drug tests for THC. Hemp goods — be it CBD, food or health products — are not allowed to test positive for THC. With increased implementation, normalization and even more federal language that creates contradictory gray areas for the legal system, the legalization of hemp only brings cannabis legalization closer to the goal line. n

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

DECEMBER 27, 2018 INLANDER 51

RELATIONSHIPS

Advice Goddess FIFTY SHADES OF GO AWAY

I’m the female author of a funny memoir about sex addiction and relationships. Unfortunately, I now have male readers asking me on dates via email, even if they don’t live in this country! To put it politely, few are men I’d ever be interested in. Also, it feels creepy to be asked out because somebody read all about my sex life. How do I kindly turn them down? —Disturbed

AMY ALKON

Some will say you should be flattered that these men are showing interest. These people don’t quite get that men hitting on you because they read your sex addiction memoir are appealing on the level of a barista who hits on you by drawing a penis and a question mark in your latte.

As for your observation that most of these guys are attempting to date out of their league, men actually seem to have evolved to try to do that — to be all “As I see it, those Victoria’s Secret Angels just haven’t met the right chronically unemployed, creatively hygienic neckbeard who still lives with his mother.”

This seemingly delusional overconfidence in men on the prowl aligns with how evolutionary psychologists Martie Haselton and David Buss observe that both men and women seem to have evolved to sometimes perceive the world inaccurately — seeing our opportunities or potential danger in beneficially distorted ways. This sometimes involves over-perception — erring on the side of seeing more than what’s actually there — and it sometimes involves under-perception, seeing less than what’s actually there.

Because, for a woman, having sex can lead to nine months of soccer ball-like ankles and other pregnancy fun, plus (eventually) a child to feed, women seem to have evolved a protective bias toward underperceiving men’s level of commitment. Men, on the other hand, have a chance to pass on their genes every time they have sex. So they tend to have a sexual-overperception bias — seeing signs of mere friendliness or even utter apathy as “This babe wants me! Yepperoo. Hot for bridge troll!”

That’s probably what’s going on here — men erring on the side of “ya never know!” Let them down with dignity. Treat them as if they have value as men and human beings, with something like “I wish I could, but I’m sorry to say, I have a firm policy that I never date readers.” But perhaps a better first option would be to answer only the part of the email about the book, totally ignoring the part where they gracefully ask you out: “I really enjoyed your book, and now I’d like to enjoy you!”

REMORSE CODE

Could you please educate me in the nuances of “I’m sorry”? My girlfriend sometimes says my apologies don’t count because of the tone of voice I use when I say “I’m sorry.” She said I sound “resentful instead of apologetic.” Shouldn’t she just accept the apology and not split hairs like this?

—Man In Apology Doghouse Ideally, your tone of voice in apologizing simply communicates “I’m sorry” and not “I’m sorry you’re such a total idiot about this.”

Whenever you speak, the emotional packaging — your tone and attitude — is an integral part of the message. That’s because, as evolutionary psychologist Laith Al-Shawaf and his colleagues explain, one function of human emotions is to act as signals, broadcasting our feelings, perceptions, and intentions. Accordingly, an apology in a snarly package — words of regret delivered in a resentful tone — reads not as an apology but as an evasion of responsibility in an apology suit.

For an apology to count for us psychologically -- allow us to let go of our hurt and anger and move on -- it needs to be backed with sincere remorse. This isn’t to say you have to throw yourself weeping at a person’s feet because you left the toothpaste cap-free for the 500 millionth time. Your tone just needs to translate to a sort of pledge to try to do better -- which suggests that you value the person and the relationship, which allows them to trust you going forward.

But let’s say you’re snarling “sorry!” because you feel whatever was expected of you (that you fell short of) was ultimately unfair. In that case, it’s better to instead say, “I see you’re feeling upset” or “hurt” — “...and I think there’s a misunderstanding here that we need to discuss.” If things are too heated in the moment, you can ask to talk in a few minutes or an hour or whatever. This tack is sure to have a far better outcome than the classic unapologetic apology — “I insincerely apologize for the thing you say I did” — which tends to be met with “I’m so sorry you’ll be taking this mildewy army blanket and going out and sleeping on the lawn chair...indefinitely.” n ©2018, Amy Alkon, all rights reserved. • Got a problem? Write Amy Alkon, 171 Pier Ave, #280, Santa Monica, CA 90405 or email AdviceAmy@aol.com (www.advicegoddess.com)

52 INLANDER DECEMBER 27, 2018

EVENTS | CALENDAR COMMUNITY COOKING CLASSES The Kitchen at Second Harvest provides nutrition information, scratch cooking skills, budgeting, and more. Free hands-on cooking classes in the kitchen teach low-income families how to prepare nutritious meals while making optimal use of their limited resources. See website for dates and times; typically meets Tue and Wed from 5:30-7 pm.

Free. Second Harvest Food Bank, 1234 E. Front Ave. secondharvestkitchen.org (252-6249) SIP OF BEVERLY’S An introductory wine class and tasting event with Beverly’s Sommelier Trevor Treller. Interactive sessions include appetizers and featured wines at discounted bottle prices. First Saturday of the month, at 3 pm. Ages 21+. $25. Beverly’s, 115 S. Second St. beverlyscda.com CHEF BATTLE SPOKANE Local chefs battle to create the best dish in one hour. General admission tickets include live entertainment, samples from chefs, voting ballot for crowd’s favorite.

Guests 21+ receive two sponsored drink tickets. VIP tickets receive reserved seating and four sponsored drink tickets. Partial proceeds benefit the Golden Rule Charity Special. Jan. 6, 1-5 pm. $40-$80. CenterPlace Regional Event Center, 2426 N. Discovery Place Dr. bit. ly/2SHF5Sf (773-828-9282) SPOKANE CULINARY ARTS GUILD 1ST ANNUAL AWARDS GALA The first annual awards gala celebrates previous and current award winners for 2017 and 2018, respectively. Includes dinner, drinks, live music, keynote talks on issues affecting the local hospitality industry and the honoring award winners. Jan. 8, 6 pm. $99. Max at Mirabeau, 1100 N. Sullivan Rd. spokaneculinaryartsguild.com

MUSIC

SPOKANE SYMPHONY SPECIAL: BEETHOVEN’S NINTH ON NYE Hail the new year in all its glory and end with triumph and jubilation. Beethoven’s Ninth is an exhilarating testament to the human spirit. This production will feature more than 150 performers on stage, including four guest vocalists and the Spokane Symphony Chorale, directed

by Kristina Ploeger-Hekmatpanah. Dec. 31, 7:30 pm. $13-$52. Martin Woldson Theater at The Fox, 1001 W. Sprague. foxtheaterspokane.com (624-1200) WEDNESDAY NIGHT CONTRA DANCE The Spokane Folklore Society’s weekly dance, with music by the River City Ramblers and caller Emily Faulkner.

Beginner workshop at 7:15 pm. Jan. 2, 7:30-9:30 pm. $5/$7. Woman’s Club of Spokane, 1428 W. Ninth. womansclubspokane.org (838-5667)

SPORTS & OUTDOORS

EAGLE WATCHING CRUISES Every year, 100s of American Bald Eagles visit Lake Coeur d’Alene on their annual migration. In December and January, these birds congregate at the lake’s northern end to feed on lake-bound salmon. For an up-close look, take a cruise to Wolf Lodge Bay. Dec. 26-Jan. 1 from 10 am-noon and 1-3 pm. $18.25$26.26. The Coeur d’Alene Resort, 115 S. Second. bit.ly/2IzdDlD (208-765-4000) THURSDAY THEME NIGHT Come dressed to impress in themed attire for

a $1 discount off admission; includes food specials, music and more. Thursdays, from 5-9 pm through Feb. 28. See link for theme night details. Riverfront Park, 705 N. Howard. my.spokanecity. org/riverfrontpark YOUTH WINTER ADVENTURE CAMP Kids (ages 9-12) learn to ski at Mt Spokane’s Selkirk Nordic Area and how to snowshoe at 49 Degrees North. Transportation, snowshoes, skiing equipment, trail passes and instruction provided. Offered Dec. 27-28 and Jan. 3-4 from 9 am-4 pm. $69. Mountain Gear, 2002 N. Division. spokaneparks.org SPOKANE CHIEFS VS. EVERETT SILVERTIPS Promo: Fred Meyer calendar giveaway. Dec. 28, 7:05 pm. $11-$25.

Spokane Arena, 720 W. Mallon Ave. spokanearena.com (279-7000) CROSS COUNTRY SKI LESSON Learn to cross country ski and tour the trails of 49 Degrees North Nordic Area with certified instructors. Includes equipment, trail pass, instruction, and transportation. Additional information emailed after registration. Ages 13+. Offered Dec. 29; Jan. 26 and Feb. 3 from 8 am-4 pm. $49. 49 Degrees North, 3311 Flowery Trail Rd. spokaneparks.org FREE ICE SKATING LESSONS Join experienced instructors for beginning skating lessons on the ribbon every Saturday and Sunday from 11:30 am1:30 pm. Ages 5+. Come early to the Sky Ribbon Café to reserve your spot.

Skates and helmets provided; open to 15 guests per 30 min. slot. Free.

Riverfront Park, 705 N. Howard St. my.spokanecity.org/riverfrontpark SNOWSHOE TOUR MT. SPOKANE Learn the basics of snowshoeing during a guided hike on snowshoe trails around Mt. Spokane. Includes snowshoes, instruction, walking poles, trail fees, guides and transportation (from Yoke’s in Mead). Ages 13+. Dec. 29; Jan. 6, 12 and 26; Feb. 23 and March 3, from 10 am-2 pm. $29. spokaneparks.org SPOKANE CHIEFS VS. TRI-CITY AMERICANS Promo: Coeur d’Alene Casino “buck night” and rally towel giveaway. Dec. 29, 7:05 pm. $11-$25.

Spokane Arena, 720 W. Mallon Ave. spokanearena.com (279-7000) WSU MEN’S BASKETBALL VS. SANTA CLARA Dec. 29, 11 am. $10-$60. Spokane Arena, 720 W. Mallon Ave. spokanearena.com (279-7000) CROSS COUNTRY SKI LESSONS Learn the basics of cross-country skiing at Mt. Spokane Selkirk Nordic Area, taught by certified instructors.Includes skis, boots, poles, ski area fees, instruction and transportation (departs from Yoke’s in Mead). Additional information emailed after registration. Ages 13+. Offered Dec. 30; Jan. 5, 6, 20 and Feb. 9, 23 and March 3 from 9 am-3 pm. $49. spokaneparks.org (755-2489) FREE STATE PARK DAYS The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission is offering two free days in January, when visitors to state parks will not need a Discover Pass for day-use visits on Jan. 1 and 21. Includes access to Mt. Spokane, Riverside and Palouse Falls state parks. Free. parks.state.wa.us SNOWSHOE HEADLAMP HIKE WITH TRANSPORTATION Watch the glimmer of your headlamp illuminate the snowy trails as we hike through the quiet forest of Mt. Spokane. Snowshoes, guides, walking poles, headlamps and transportation (from Yoke’s in Mead) provided. Ages 15+. Jan. 4, Feb. 1 and March

1 from 6-9 pm. $23. spokaneparks.org SPOKANE HEALTH & FITNESS EXPO Get inspired to accomplish your New Year’s fitness resolutions at this expo showcasing fitness classes in pilates, barre, yoga, jazzercise, climbing walls, aerial silks, ninja obstacles, disc golf and more. Jan. 5 from 10 am-6 pm and Jan. 6 from 10 am-4 pm. $5-$8. Spokane County Fair & Expo Center, 404 N. Havana. spokanehealthfitexpo.com

VISUAL ARTS

20TH ANNUAL SMALL ARTWORKS INVITATIONAL The gallery’s 20th annual invitational, featuring works from artists across the region that are measure around 12x12x12 inches. Through Jan. 5; Wed-Sun from 11 am-6 pm. Free admission. Art Spirit Gallery, 415 Sherman Ave. theartspiritgallery.com ALL MEDIA JURIED EXHIBITION 2018 An exhibition showcasing work by 36 artists in the Inland Northwest, curated by guest curator Mason Miles.

Featured artists include Larry Ellingson, Tom Quinn, Deb Sheldon, Reinaldo Gil Zambrano, Rick Davis, Travis Chapman, Megan Perkins and more. Through Dec. 28; gallery hours Mon-Fri 8 am-5 pm.

Free. Chase Gallery, 808 W. Spokane Falls Blvd. spokanearts.org AS GRANDMOTHER TAUGHT: WOMEN, TRADITION AND PLATEAU ART The exhibition celebrates the work of three Plateau women alongside historic material from the museum’s permanent collection, associating the makers and their work with traditional forms and linking the past to the present.

Through December, Tue-Sun 10 am-5 pm. $5-$10. The MAC, 2316 W. First Ave. northwestmuseum.org (456-3931) IL•LU•MI•NA•TION GALLERY SHOW Using interactive projections and audio recordings, artists Shantell Jackson, Roin Morigeau, and Asia Porter have rendered their individual work into imagined digital topographies. Through Dec. 29; Thu-Sat from 6-8 pm. Free.

Terrain, 304 W. Pacific. bit.ly/2L7k5BP MODERN MASTERS: GROUP F/64 Nearly 50 works from five of Group f/64’s members, now known as some of the most influential artists of the twentieth century: Ansel Adams, Imogen Cunningham, Willard Van Dyke, Brett Weston and Edward Weston. Through Feb. 3; Tue-Sun 10 am-5 pm; until 8 pm third Thu. $5-$10. The MAC, 2316 W. First. northwestmuseum.org

WORDS

BROKEN MIC Spokane Poetry Slam’s longest-running, weekly open mic reading series, open to all. Wednesdays at 6:30 pm. Free. Neato Burrito, 827 W. First Ave. spokanepoetryslam.org DIVERSE VOICES WRITING GROUP A writing group for all experience levels that supports and elevates diverse voices. First Thursdays at 5:30 pm. Free.

Spark Central, 1214 W. Summit Pkwy. spark-central.org/events FABULOUS ENGLISH GARDENS Local garden columnist, author and blogger Susan Mulvihill recently led a tour of some of the best gardens in England, as well as a visit to the Chelsea Flower Show. Join Susan as she shares the high points of the trip. Jan. 3, 6:30-8:30 pm.

Free. CenterPlace Regional Event Center, 2426 N. Discovery Place Dr. tieg. org n

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36. Nest egg named for a Delaware senator 38. One-named singer whose real first name is Robyn 39. Robert Louis Stevenson title character 40. Man buns and the Mannequin Challenge, e.g.

41. One way to stand 42. Some gas stations 43. Wolf riders in “The Lord of the Rings” 44. Popular gaming console that sounds like two pronouns 45. Table game in a rec room 48. Young seal

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5. Up to one’s neck (in) 10. Evian competitor 14. “What ____ thinking?!”

15. When clocks are set back for the end of daylight saving time 16. Gulf state 17. Oscar nominee for “Lawrence of Arabia” 19. Commercial prefix meaning “convenient to use” 20. Uranians and Neptunians 21. Like Beethoven’s Symphony No. 6 22. Pre-calc course 23. “Anyhoo,” e.g.

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DECEMBER 27, 2018 INLANDER 53

COEUR D ’ ALENE

visitcda.org for more events, things to do & places to stay.

Ring in the New Year Here

Coeur d’Alene caters to all ages with a huge range of options for celebrating 2019

S

tart 2019 with a view to remember at SILVER MOUNTAIN RESORT. Come for the day and ski, board or tube to your heart’s delight during extended hours, then pop into Noah’s for a buffet dinner and stay for the party (cover $10) or join the family celebration at Silver Rapids Waterpark.

Looking for more places to play? Bring the whole family to TRIPLE PLAY (3play.com) for full access to the waterpark, ropes course, and more — including a $5 arcade credit — from 6-10 pm ($24.95). For late-night fun — the waterpark is open until 10 pm and other attractions like the bumper cars, bowling and rock climbing wall until 1 am — get the all-day pass ($65.90). Stay overnight with all-inclusive room packages the whole family will appreciate.

There’s always room at the BEST WESTERN PLUS COEUR D’ALENE INN (cdainn.com).

Find a sitter for the kiddos and treat yourself to a fun, affordable night out at Mulligan’s Sports Bar for the New Year’s Eve pre-party, then get ready to rock out with Haze ($15).

Breakfast is on the house if you stay over, so be safe and make a reservation (from $79).

C O E U R

The COEUR D’ALENE RESORT (cdaresort.

D ’A L E N E

Upcoming Events

COEUR D’ALENE

Torchlight Parade DECEMBER 31

Celebrate New Year’s on the slopes at Lookout Pass. The torchlight parade will wind its way down the mountain starting at 4:30 pm.

New Year’s Eve at Schweitzer DECEMBER 31

There are all kinds of ways to celebrate the New Year at Schweitzer Resort, from the family-friendly tubing party (tickets

com) is your destination for closing out 2018 in style and boy, do they have options! For families, board the 8 pm cruise boat and get great seats for the 9 pm fireworks and still have time to get home before midnight ($24.50). The Dessert Cruise includes a champagne toast and a sampling of the resort’s yummy sweet treats, from 10:30 pm to just past midnight ($40.50 adults; $38.50 ages 55-and-up; $30.50 ages 3-12). Ready to rock? Board the Party Cruise boat at 9 pm and make some noise with a live DJ and complimentary champagne toast ($30, ages 21-and-older only). Does getting gussied up feel like a better fit for your New Year’s plans? Reserve your spot at the Resort’s DIAMOND SOIREE, including a fabulous buffet dinner, costume contest, live entertainment and a complimentary champagne toast at midnight. Of course, you’ll have an amazing view of both the 9 pm and midnight fireworks shows ($79 adults in advance/$100 at the door; $25 ages 6-12, until 9 pm only). Their generous overnight stay packages include two allaccess tickets to the night’s festivities starting at $174 per person so you can wake up refreshed for whatever adventures 2019 has in store.

Polar Plunge JANUARY 1

Be bold and start the New Year by racing into the chilly waters of Lake Coeur d’Alene. This beloved tradition takes place at noon along Sanders Beach.

$40/person) from 9:30-11:30 pm to the epic party at Taps ($50-$125/person). See visitcda.org for details.

visitcda.org for more events, things to do & places to stay.

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DECEMBER AUGUST 24, 27, 2018 2017 INLANDER 55