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The Spokane police department released enforcement statistics on the city’s sit-lie ordinance earlier this week that reveal how the controversial law is being applied.

The sit-lie ordinance makes it illegal to sit or lie on city sidewalks. In December 2013, Spokane City Council voted to expand the hours the ordinance is in effect from 7 am and 9 pm to between 6 am and midnight.

Proponents of the the law say that it keeps downtown orderly and helps direct homeless people toward services. Opponents say it effectively criminalizes homelessness, and could put the city at risk of losing federal funding.

Here’s what the new numbers reveal.

Fewer people are being cited or booked under the ordinance
In 2014, police cited and/or booked 59 people. In 2015, that number dropped to 15. This year, there’s been just two.

Brad Arleth, downtown precinct police captain, says that when the ordinance was put into effect, officers handed out thousands of fliers to people letting them know what to expect from the new law.

As for the falling number of people being booked or cited under sit-lie, Arleth says it’s proof that the law is deterring people from sitting or lying on the sidewalk. He says that officers will issue a warning to someone in violation of the law first, and, if they’re homeless, they’ll refer the person to resources for shelter.

Following up on last year's presentation by bestselling memoir author Cheryl Strayed during the annual Women of Achievement Luncheon, the YWCA of Spokane has booked actress and humanitarian Ashley Judd to keynote 2016's event.

The 34th annual luncheon, on October 7, recognizes local women leaders for their contributions to making the community a better place for all to live and work.

A call for 2016 nominees will go out sometime in May, with multiple award winners to be honored at the October luncheon.

Since the first Women of Achievement Awards were presented in 1982, more than 200 local women have been recognized for their leadership and contributions.

The event also raises funds to support the domestic violence victim support programs overseen by the YWCA of Spokane.

While many may recognize Judd's name for her on-screen celebrity and her relation to country singers Naomi (her mother) and Wynonna Judd (her sister), the actress is also heavily involved in global humanitarian and political activist work. Most recently, Judd has focused on the need for girls worldwide to have equal access to education.

“Ashley Judd has given a voice to the voiceless, raising awareness and making change,” says Regina Malveaux, CEO of YWCA of Spokane, in a press release about the 2016 luncheon.

“Her message inspires everyday people to take action against injustice and provides hope for those who need it.”

Jon Moog, the recently hired Riverfront Park director, wasn't a controversial pick for his job. Neither was Fianna Dickson, the recently hired Division Communications Manager.

But the journeys to picking them? Now, those were controversial. 

In fact, last October, when Park Board President Chris Wright wanted to talk about his feelings about how the city administration was handling hiring, he intentionally avoided speaking about it in front of the entire board, worried his statements would be too inflammatory.  

Instead, he brought it up at October's Park Board Finance Committee meeting. "We've had two instances this year the 'exempt' process was being used by this administration to serve some agenda that I think is not in the best interest of the citizens of Spokane or the Parks Department," Wright said. “The administration’s conduct this year on hiring has been disingenuous at best." 

Let's take each controversy separately. 

CREATING DIVISIONS

First, some context. Spokane Parks and Recreation is unique in a weird way. Three independent governing bodies — the city administration, the City Council and the Park Board — control the Parks Department. As a result, the direction can sometimes turn into a three-way tug of war. 

Years ago, Chris Wright opposed turning the Parks and Recreation Department into a “division,” handing the city administration broader powers to hire and fire. 

First things first: Gonzaga plays Syracuse in the NCAA Tournament tonight at the United Center in Chicago at 6:40 pm on CBS. That tip time could be moved back if the game prior goes over, so keep that in mind.

Here are some other things to know. 

• Gonzaga played its best basketball of the season last weekend, despite getting a seemingly low 11 seed. Here's more on that. 

• Syracuse just barely made the tournament. But as a 10 seed, they got the benefit of playing Middle Tennessee State, who beat Michigan State. Syracuse then demolished MTSU.

• Last year, Syracuse sat out the NCAA tournament as punishment for a long habit of breaking NCAA rules. This year, legendary coach Jim Boeheim was suspended for nine games for that malfeasance. So, if you need some moral high ground going into this game, there's that.

• Syracuse plays a tough zone on defense and a lot of teams struggle with that. Gonzaga's Josh Perkins and Kyle Wiltjer are apparently not scared of said zone.

• People the world over are doing something called "The Few" to show support for the Zags. It's basically a handstand, which is what coach Mark Few has performed as a locker room celebration after a few big wins. Here's a lot of people who love to #DoTheFew.

This video should get you pumped up — as well as well-informed — for tonight's game:

Here are the three music venues hosting killer shows this weekend. Of course they aren’t the only places putting on live shows. Check out the Inlander’s full weekend music listings right here.

BABY BAR
Friday (as in tonight), the burrito joint/tiniest bar is hosting a late and early show with five bands in all. Get there by 8 pm for a full evening of punk, grunge and rock.The early show gets girly with Seattle punk rockers Mommy Long Legs and then manly with Seattle pop rockers Boyfriends (also playing Treefort this weekend), while the late show brings in locals Jan Francisco and the Smokes. Portland's own pop rockers Honey Bucket conclude the evening. Then Saturday, Texas-based the Rich Hands (also playing Treefort) headline the Baby Bar. Locals Jan Francisco and Trancine open. Get there around 9 pm. Naturally, these shows are all free.
THE BARTLETT
The Round music and arts series is still running merrily along. Tonight, the Bartlett hosts the 17th edition of the show, this time with local folk acts Perenne, Feral Anthem and Jacob Jones getting everyone in touch with their emotional sides. And for a perfect sound to close out Easter Sunday, the Bartlett welcomes the noise-rock, psychedelic punk and grunge sounds of Sub Pop’s own So Pitted. The show also features Diarrhea Planet and Music Band. Cost is $10 and the show starts at 8 pm.
MOOTSY’S
The famed yellow-doored establishment is finally old enough to drink this weekend. To celebrate the joyous occasion, the downtown watering hole is putting on two back-to-back shows full of some of the best local acts around. Friday night, it’s Von the Baptist, Pine League and Cursive Wires providing the soundtrack; on Saturday, it’s Six State Bender (an on-and-off-again band that has songs called "Tits" and "Spokane Drunk City"), Fun Ladies, Dark White Light and Foxy Sluts. Shows start at 9 pm and cost is $5. Get there early as these shows are sure to be at capacity. 

LOOK AHEAD TO MONDAY: The Sword plays the Pin! The Blind Pets cut the crap and play Baby Bar. Both shows are going to be off-the-chain wild.  

Washington State University's Board of Regents has chosen a new president to replace Elson Floyd. 

Kirk Schulz, Kansas State University president since 2009, was unanimously chosen by the board Friday morning out of three finalists to be WSU's 11th president. Schulz is also chair of the NCAA Board of Governors.
 
Floyd died of complications from colon cancer last June at the age of 59. Mike Worthy, a member of the Board of Regents who led the presidential search advisory committee, called Floyd a "visionary" following his death. 

A pool of 200 candidates to take the job had been narrowed down to three by Friday. The identities of the candidates was kept a secret so that more quality candidates would apply without jeopardizing their current jobs. That decision troubled many faculty members who wanted more say in the process, the Spokesman-Review reports. 

Schulz wrote a message to Kansas State University shortly after the announcement from WSU, saying he will transition to WSU in June: 

Earlier today, I accepted an offer to serve as the next President of Washington State University. 

I will continue to serve as K-State President through mid-May, and will transition to Washington State in mid-June. The Kansas Board of Regents will conduct a search for an Interim President as soon as possible. 

Noel and I have thoroughly enjoyed our 7 years at Kansas State — it has been an exciting time to be a Wildcat and a part of the K-State Family. Being part of transforming our multiple campuses has been the highlight of my career in higher education. 

I will continue to communicate monthly with the K-State community with Letters to Campus as we finish up the 2016 Spring Semester. 

With Purple Pride,
Kirk

Also at the meeting, the Board of Regents approved a new cultural center named after Floyd. 

ON INLANDER.COM

NEWS: Last April, police chief told city the plan was to keep police stationed near STA plaza
MUSIC: Early Bird tickets available for first ever Unifest
NEWS: BlueStar's Erick Hansen pleads guilty to conspiracy to commit fraud
NEWS: Spokane feels the Bern one more time


Democrats split on presidential candidates
A new Bloomberg poll has found that 49 percent of Democrats support Sen. Bernie Sanders as their first choice for president. Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is preferred by 48 percent of Democrats polled. 

Genocide conviction reached
A United Nations tribunal convicted former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity for targeting civilians during a civil war that tore apart former Yugoslavia. 

Closing the gap at City Hall
A task force released a report finding that women working at the city lag behind their male counterparts. The report also found that the city typically hires men and few people of color.

Idaho House faces critical vote on healthcare
The Idaho Senate has voted to ask the federal government for a waiver to redesign its Medicaid program. Lawmakers have been criticized for not expanding the program under the Affordable Care Act. 

ISIS second in command killed
The Pentagon says that it has killed a high-ranking leader of the Islamic State in a raid. 

Garry Shandling has died
Comedian Garry Shandling, who influenced comedy with cringe-worthy style, has passed away at 66. 

It's only fitting that the lyrics "Burn Baby, Burn" from The Trammps' "Disco Inferno" was blaring over the loud speakers as Bernie Sanders' supporters filed into the Spokane Arena this morning. Thousands of supporters came for the second installment of Sanders in Spokane. Sunday's rally attracted more than 9,000 people, only 1,000 of which were actually able to see him speak. This go-round, Sanders filled up about half of the arena, which holds 14,000 people.

Once it hit noon, hundreds of supporters had already staked their claim on the floor or in the bleachers surrounding the stage. College students Vanessa Beach and Carlie King had been there since 6 am, even though the arena didn't open its doors until 9. And yes, their signs are homemade.

King and Beach looked energized and excited despite the early morning they had. King mentioned that although she had to work Sunday and missed the first rally, she was ecstatic to have another chance to see him speak.

"I really like that he's bringing all groups of people together," King said. "There's a lot of hateful rhetoric going on out there right now, and I like that he has a positive message. He's very consistent in what he says."

It's all over but the sentencing. 

In a plea agreement, BlueStar Digital Technology's Erick Hansen pleaded guilty in federal court to Conspiracy to Commit Mail and Wire Fraud. He'll be sentenced on June 22 in Spokane, the city that once bought hook-line-and-sinker into his promises of economic transformation.

Before accusations of fraud flooded in, multiple Spokane mayors had praised BlueStar, and Greater Spokane Inc. even submitted the deal to bring BlueStar to Spokane as the 2007 "Economic Development Deal of the Year."

In February of 2014, after an FBI raid of BlueStar, the Inlander uncovered an insane tale involving wild promises, angry investors, two separate evictions, bedbug-infested apartments, a failed 'university,' Michael Jackson's dad and a bikini contest in the Bahamas. 

Hansen repeatedly made claims about deals that had been made when they hadn't, that contracts had been signed when they weren't and that investors were going to be rich when they sure as hell weren't. Instead, Hansen spent lavishly on hotel rooms ("Buy Rolex" read one item of a "To Do" list of Hansen's that the Inlander obtained.)

We reached out to Ed Franapfel, one of the unlucky investors who'd invested in BlueStar. He was a bit reticent to comment — he doesn't want to be associated with Hansen — but sent over this statement: 

"It is unfortunate that these individuals and their associates had the opportunity to [defraud] the local officials, investors and many other people who lost fortunes on the merits of people's words. I certainly hope there is no leniency," Franapfel says. "His choice to wait so long to plead to something that he knew he did, further cost the taxpayers of Washington and the US substantial funds. The stealing never stops. I am certainly glad this chapter can end in my and my family's lives."

A whole new arts and music festival is coming to downtown Spokane on Saturday,  May 14. Called Unifest, the Washington Cracker Co. building-housed event brings together local and regional artists, musicians and dancers to celebrate creativity and collaboration. And if that sounds pretty vague, you’re not alone.

“A lot of people are asking me what this event is all about,” says Unifest founder Matt Bogue. “Even with a website it’s hard to explain all of the elements happening within Unifest.”

Bogue, who has been working on the festival since October, says what differentiates his event from other large-scale arts shows like Terrain or ArtFest is that it brings together everything already happening in the community, for one night.

Broken into three sections, the show goes from 5:30pm to 1:30 am. Here’s what the festival looks like so far:

Draw Off – This drawing battle event has been around for some time, but will only be one element of Unifest. Accompanied by live music, three head-to-head rounds feature eight artists from around the Pacific Northwest crafting huge murals within a certain timeframe.

Artist Marketplace – Think of an artist pop-up shop with this, similar to what you may find at Bazaar. Expect some of the best artists and artisans from the area to be selling their goods. A screen print artist will also be on hand to press fresh Unifest T-shirts.

Dance Dome – This is the piece that Bogue says is often left out of other music and arts festivals around town. Set up in the parking lot, performance artists and dancers (fire, belly and more) will entice festival-goers through movement. Live music will also be a part of the dome. When the Draw Off has concluded, the dancing portion moves inside, and people are allowed to join in.

Unifest ticket holders will also be privy to wellness specials with three downtown fitness studios — Coil, the Union and Spokane Barre. Bogue says there will be more surprises, so look out for announcements to come. 

Tickets are currently $10 online, with an Early Bird special. By April 1, that price moves up to $15. You can also get a discount by buying group tickets — $50 for five individual tickets. As the event is not based on donations, the ticket price goes towards the running costs.

The website can be somewhat confusing to find just using Google. Unifestnorthwest.com is the correct address for this specific event. Checkout the Facebook page here.