Bloglander

When protesters collide What happens when two groups of protesters on opposite sides of the political spectrum show up for the same event? Things get loud and awkward, Bush v. Gore style. At 8:30 pm, on Saturday, Spokane celebrated Earth Hour — where lights are turned off across the world to support energy conversation. Outside City Hall, however, candle-toting environmentalists met with let's-not-bow-to-the-U.N. global warming skeptics. Words were exchanged.

And then there's McKenna Meanwhile, in Olympia, Washington's Attorney General Rob McKenna got a vigil of his own, as 850 Tea Party protesters gathered to say "thank you" for joining several other states to file a lawsuit against recent national health care legislation. Protesters also gave gentle reminders to the federal government that, if there's one thing they hate, it's being tread on.

Take two aspirin and call next fiscal year With a $27 million budget deficit in Idaho's Medicaid program, their Department of Health and Welfare announced it would delay dispersing Medicaid payments until July.

New taxes, yes, but which ones? The special session in Olympia drags on despite Governor Christine Gregoire's hope it would end on Friday. The state House and Senate split on how, exactly, to raise sales tax to make up a $2.8 million deficit. The Senate wants to raise sales tax across the board, while the House and governor want to target taxes toward, specifically, things like bottled water and chewing gum.

Terrorism's long reach A subway bombing in Moscow, Russia, killed 12 commuters and injured hundreds. Two female suicide bombers are to blame, investigators say. The country has suffered a long string of terrorist attacks linked to Chechen rebels.

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Spokane police had been called out to a report of an armed man possibly intending harm to his family at a south side house at about 6:25 this morning. The man, identified by the Spokane County Sheriff's Office as 46-year-old Todd Ely White, opened fire on police and was mortally wounded in an exchange of gunfire.

"At 6:58 I was in the shower and my cell phone rang from police communications," Burns says. "I didn't hear it, because I was in the shower, but when I got out there was a message of a critical incident, an officer-involved shooting, and where it was. I received a follow-up call about 10 minutes later from Internal Affairs Sgt. Dave McCabe." ---

Burns was on the scene of the shooting, in the 4100 block of E. 36th by 7:30, he says. After investigators from Spokane police, the Sheriff's Office and Washington State Patrol cleared the crime scene, Burns was able to spend an hour walking the ground with detectives and Internal Affairs Lt. Craig Meidl, he says.

The ombudsman's role is somewhat peripheral. The primary investigation into the shooting will focus on whether the officers' fire was justified. Next, Spokane Police Internal Affairs will review the shooting to see if the events followed proper protocols. Burns will monitor this phase, he says.

"In theory, my role is to insure the Internal Affairs investigation is timely, thorough and objective. And in the bigger picture, look at the department's policies and procedures to make sure they are the best practices," Burns says.

A sheriff's press release said police were called to the neighborhood by a man who said White, the shooting victim, was his brother-in-law and that White had previously threatened him in a property dispute over firearms.

At last, we're "Popular."

Fourteen months from  now, Wicked will be "Defying Gravity" and then landing in Spokane. Those two weeks in May 2011, along with a single night next winter that marks the arrival of Spring Awakening, are the highlights of the Best of Broadway Spokane season announced yesterday.  Here's the line-up:

Oct. 6-9, 2010:  South Pacific

Oct. 18:  Liza Minnelli

Oct. 27:  The Capitol Steps

Nov. 5:  Stomp

Dec. 1:  Spring Awakening

Feb. 10-13, 2011:  Legally Blonde: The Musical

March 24-27, 2011:  9 to 5: The Musical

April 22-23, 2011:  Cats

May 15-29, 2011:  Wicked

Ten-to-1: That's the ratio of mainstream thinking to nonconformity here, apparently (given the number of performance days given over to the February-March-April shows to that solitary day in December).

And we're pretty sure they got the date and venue wrong for Liza Minnelli, because a couple of weeks from now at the Arena is that "Walking With Dinosaurs" thing. 

Remember when we told you all that's on the line for Spokane if you return your census? Well, way to go Spokanites. You are totally average when it comes to filling out the form (which takes all of 10 minutes) and mailing it (for free) back to the feds.

According the official census tracking Website, Spokane County has returned about 35 percent of its census forms, just above the national average of 34 percent and the state average of 31 percent. We're doing pretty well compared to King and Yakima counties (both at 29 percent) and Kittitas County (23 percent). As for Kootenai County? They've clocked in at 41 percent.

Of course, we're an embarrasement compared to Montana's 45 percent and North Dakota's 47 percent. Wowsers.

The No. 1 locale for return rates? Champ Village, Missouri, with 80 percent. Congrats.

Turns out this is one helluva weekend for music, friends. 

There's a Spokane punk rock documentary in the works and the filmmakers are shooting at a killer Cretin Hop show tonight: A Better Hope Foundation, Losing Skin, Reviver, Reason for Existence, Lobster Jaw, Ze Krau (a couple of them are a part of the film team) and the High Holies. This ain't no bar show — so get there early — meaning the whole thing will probably be done around 11 pm. Starts at 5 pm, $7. 

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Empyrean is cutting the ribbon, smashing champagne on the bow to celebrate their successful move to the Big Dipper building. The Little Engine that Could of Spokane's music scene, Empyrean is throwing three shows for the occasion. Tonight: Pegasus Dream, the Sassmatrons, the Toy Garden, Housefire. Saturday night: Damien Jurado, Wolfgang, Hannah Reader and Eric Regeleus. And Sunday: Kaylee Cole, the Maldives, Hey is for Horses and Pablo Trucker. All shows at 7 pm and are $8. 

The Blvd. delivers a one-two punch with Saturday's lineup. The early show (all-ages, 6 pm, $5) puts recent RAWK competitors, Jazz, on the bill with Cyrus Fell Down and Seattle's post-metal outfit, Into the Storm. Stick around for the late show (at 9 pm, $6, 18 ), a hip-hop showcase featuring locals Bela Union, the Box Cutters and, our personal favorite, Jaeda. 

Twista gives the Micro Machine man a run for his money. A few years back, the Guinness book proclaimed Twista was the fastest rapper in the world, spitting out 11.2 syllables per second. Dude, that's so fast. He'll play the Luxury Box (10512 E. Sprague) on Saturday night at 8 pm. It's 21 and will cost you $30 at the door. 

So get out there folks. Pleasure yourself this weekend — musically, of course. 

Each day this week, we’ve previewed bands playing at this weekend’s inaugural Birds on a Wire festival in Pullman. You can also check out our full story — featuring Rocky Votolato, Justin Townes Earle and Joe Pug — in yesterday's Inlander.

We've been largely paying attention to the Pullman and PDX bands that are playing this weekend's Birds on a Wire festival — so today is Seattle day! And, hell, we're gonna make this a double-post.

You'd be a foolish little folkie to miss out on the Moondoggies set tonight. The Seattle band is one of just a handful of band's on Sub Pop's offshoot indie imprint, Hardly Art — home to bands like the Dutchess and the Duke and Arthur & Yu. They blend genres — often building folk-rock (literally) masterpieces with songs like "Night & Day." That's a song that starts with quiet finger-picking and easy crooning, but continually undulates over seven minutes into a full-blown rock track. They're definitely a rootsy-folk band first and foremost — but they've got enough swagger in their back-pockets to convert your rock-centric friends.

And then there's the Final Spins — by far one of the most rollicking rock acts of the festival. The project of Zach Tillman (brother of the Fleet Foxes, J. Tillman) has caught on fast — their easy psychedelic/folk has been featured highlighted on KEXP as "music that matters." Occasionally loud but often simple and catchy 1990s-esque college rock, the band's stuff is quickly catching on with Seattle-ites after the band's in-store performances at Sonic Boom and such. 

Here's a video of their performance on KEXP.

Now quit reading this, get in your car and drive to Pullman. This might be the best festival our Inland Northwest has ever seen.

The Moondoggies play tonight at the Gladish Auditorium from 11 pm to midnight. The Final Spins play tomorrow at the Gladish Gym from 10 - 11 pm. Tickets are $45. For more info go here. 

Zehm's History Records of Otto Zehm's stay at Eastern Washington Hospital were made available yesterday to the lawyers of the police officer who killed Zehm four years ago. A federal judge will rule later on whether they can use those records in court.

The Cold War is Ending! After a year of negotiations, the Obama Administration and Russian President Dmitri Medvedev put the finishing touches on a new arms control treaty today. Deployed warheads will be reduced by a quarter and the number of missile launchers will be cut in half. Which still leaves plenty of room for Armageddon. Thanks post-Cold War world leaders!

On Another Front Residents at the Spokane Valley Senior Center want their ping pong or it's "war," according to KXLY and KREM. Officials at the center decided to take away the game after a woman broke her arm playing. (Residents are busy stockpiling missing Russian nuclear warheads.)

Play Nice After the Washington state Senate rejected the House's tax package yesterday, the two legislative bodies decided to set up a committee to work everything out. Six legislators — three from each body — will sit on the committee. Six people responsible for taxes... good luck with that.

No More Teachers, No More Book Idaho state legislators are pushing hard to adjourn this year's session, and burned the midnight oil last night. A couple hang-ups: a plan to manage the Eastern Snake River Plain Aquifer and a few unfinished budget bills. According to House Speaker Lawerence Denney there are only 40 bills to get through. 

Washington's governmental family feud is making rounds in the national media today, thanks to this lovely video.

It may not be huge news to those of us in the Evergreen State, but here's Gov. Chris Gregoire tearing Attorney General Rob McKenna a new one over his decision to join a multi-state lawsuit challenging the federal government's health care overhaul.

"I don't know who he represents. He doesn't represent me," she says in the beginning of the video, adding that she's already consulted her counsel, who told her "the legal theories upon which they're filing is highly questionable."

Most of the good gubernatorial zingers come near the front end of the video but here are a couple other good shots: 

At about 1:30, she describes her time as attorney general and the decisions she made. And how she was way better at that job than McKenna. 

And, at 4:40, she says, "He may represent the people of Florida, but not on the dime of the taxpayers of the state of Washington." 

The kitchen staff look like they’ve also had better sleep, with energy drinks stacked on kitchen racks and hands rattling nervously. “I’m so excited to work here in this kitchen. The cooks here know food, and they’re buying the best products I’ve seen in Spokane,” says cook Russ Seaman (pictured).

While the U.S.D.A prime beef — aged to tender perfection — has stayed the same, they’ve added a few new additions and made a few omissions. The grand piano is gone because Alles says his customers thought it made the place too formal. They’ve added wine lockers and a lounge extension with leather chairs, couches and a big screen TV. In the bar, woks are set up for cooking oysters and other light appetizers.

Alles wouldn't say much, but he also hinted that they might be putting in a speakeasy. 

Churchill’s is open for dinner every day of the week. Entrees start at $19.

The newest issue of Budget Travel has named Sandpoint, Idaho, among the 21 coolest small towns in the nation. The magazine, which also gave props to Sisters, Ore., and Red Lodge, Mont., specified its criteria as such:

The town must have a population under 10,000 — we're talking smalltowns, not big cities. It's also got to be on the upswing, a placethat's beginning to draw attention — and new residents — because of thequality of life, arts and restaurant scene, or proximity to nature. Andcool doesn't mean quaint. We want towns with an edge, so thinkavant-garde galleries, not country stores.

"Sandpoint is cool and people like to write about us," he said in an email, citing — just for example — a recent New York Times piece in which columnist Frank Rich lumped the town in with the Patriot movement, the Tea Party movement, the Oklahoma City bombing and other touchstones of right-wing hysteria.

"Hopefully Frank Rich from the New York Times will read [the Budget story] and realize that maybe he ought to come check out our thriving arts and music scene, growing local food movement, historic downtown ...excellent local events and incredible parks system," he writes, "before he libels us again in his column."