Carrie Thomson holds a picture of her son at the intersection where he was killed in 2014
For the second year in a row, Carrie Thomson is organizing a fundraiser and helmet safety awareness event in honor of her son, Ryan Holyk.
Holyk was 15 when he died of head injuries in June 2014. He was riding his bike with a friend in Spokane Valley, and at the same time he began crossing the intersection at Sprague and Vista Road, Deputy Joe Bodman's patrol SUV came hurtling toward him at over 70 mph without lights or a siren.
Multiple investigations have concluded that Bodman missed hitting Holyk by about a foot and a half despite the presence of Holyk's DNA on the SUV's front bumper and Bodman's initial statement to dispatch as he came to a halt: "I just hit a pedestrian." Bodman was given a written reprimand. No criminal charges were filed against him.
The second annual fundraiser and helmet safety awareness event, known as Ryan's Ramble, will take place May 14 at Daley's Cheap Shots (6412 E. Trent Ave.). Proceeds from the evening's hot dog fundraiser and silent auction will go toward Marissa's Lids for Kids. The event lasts from 3-6 pm and will feature a cornhole tournament, DJ, silent auction and T-shirt sale.
For much of last year, the city's plans for the move to the Intermodal Center were plagued by chaos and contradiction.
Internally, city officials last year repeatedly stressed the importance of providing clarity as to what would happen with the Intermodal Center and the downtown police precinct located in the Peyton building near the STA Plaza.
Instead, confusion and contradiction reigned into the fall, frustrating city leadership, Spokane Transit Authority staff and the Downtown Spokane Partnership. Crucial questions involving contracts and partnerships went unanswered amid the fallout from the Sept. 22 ouster of the police chief.
City officials have claimed that, since at least March of 2015, the plan had been to completely transfer the downtown precinct officers from Peyton building to the Intermodal Center. The move finally took place in December.
"My understanding was the plan was always to vacate the Peyton [Building] and move to the Intermodal [Center]," Public Works Division Director Scott Simmons told the Inlander earlier this year. "In my mind, we were not doing both."
You want to be worried about a crisis in Idaho? Rep. Luke Malek says don't worry about Islamic law — worry about suicide.
Toward the end of my interview with Luke Malek for this week's story on the comparatively moderate Idaho Republican's clash with the Idaho Freedom Foundation, I asked a question that may seem like it came out of the blue to a reader who hasn't been paying attention to North Idaho Politics:
But this wasn't just a random oddball question. Malek's fellow Rep. Vito Barbieri told The Inlander that there's no question that Islamic law is a "threat" to Idaho.
"Islam is at the door," Barbieri wrote on his Facebook page. "But it isn't knocking."
And the first bill proposed by freshman Rep. Eric Redman (R-Post Falls) aimed to ban recognition of Sharia law in Idaho courts. The bill, according to John Rusche, D-Lewiston, including documents showing "severed hands and calling] the Prophet Mohammed a pedophile.”
But Malek's views show that he's a different sort of Republican from his peers.
Posted
ByLaura Johnson
on Fri, May 6, 2016 at 12:15 PM
TONIGHT
At this point, it’s kind of a joke that we’re mentioning independent rapper Tech N9ne (aka Aaron Yates) is coming through the Knitting Factory again, because it seems like the guy is always in Spokane. While we dispelled the rumor that he has a Spokane home in an interview last year, it’s clear why the Kansas City-based artist continues to tour through here — he’s beloved. The Juggalo community’s support is a huge part of his success, but Tech’s dark and familiar music has plenty of other fans, too. Mainstream rappers 2 Chainz, Lil Wayne and Eminem even collaborated on his most recent album, 2015’s Special Effects. As usual, this show is already sold out. For those with tickets, everything starts at 8 pm, and with five openers don’t expect Tech on stage until at least 11:30 pm.
Back to the rooftop with you! One of the coolest downtown Spokane music venues opens up tonight as the publicly funded KYRS radio station kicks off its summer concert series on the glorious Saranac rooftop. With Spokane/Coeur d’Alene blackened hardcore acts East Sherman, Phjior and Déformer playing up a storm, the music is sure to raise a few eyebrows from passersby below. Each band plays perilously loud and fast, conjuring up a raging sound that reverberates through your rib cage and skull. This isn’t some garden party; instead, expect to rock hard into the night, and perhaps plan on bringing the earplugs. The show starts at 7 pm and is $5.
SATURDAY
After you’ve gotten your Kentucky Derby/Gonzaga Graduation/Donald Trump rally on, it’s time to check out the following music events Saturday night:
Other than bassist Scott Smith, who disappeared at sea in 2000, the 1980s rock band Loverboy is still intact and they’re hitting up the Northern Quest Resort & Casino Saturday (when singing their seminal hit “Working for the Weekend” will have an even more electrifying effect). The show is sold out, so hit the internet if you still hope to go.
Alt-rockers the Helio Sequence roll through Spokane this weekend, playing the Bartlett with opener Nick Jaina. They’re touting a recent self-titled record that took them only a month to write, read all about that in our story from this week. The show is $15 and starts at 8 pm.
Feel free to get a little jazzy and funky over at the Palomino with Philadelphia group the Dirk Quinn Band, Ragtag Romantics and Mary Chavez. The dance show starts at 7 pm and costs $10 at the door. 18+ show.
Meanwhile the Baby Bar brings the electronic goodness in from local acts Summer in Siberia and the Dancing Plague of 1518 as well as Bombshell Nightlight out of Montana. Basically, this free show is all about letting go. Get there by 9 pm.
Cynthia Nunley is a single mother, a special education teacher and a foster parent of four kids. For Nunley, paying for their college education is a challenge.
But thanks to a scholarship through the Inspire Awesome campaign at Eastern Washington University, Cynthia's 18-year-old daughter, Tabitha Nunley, can go to college without worrying about paying tuition or room and board.
Cynthia Nunley, left, and her daughter Tabitha on The View
On Friday morning, the family appeared on ABC talk show The View as part of a Mother's Day special. Mike Westfall, the EWU Foundation executive director, presented the scholarship to the family.
"EWU is absolutely thrilled that you will be attending our university and that we can help you achieve your life goals," he said.
Tabitha plans on studying pre-med at EWU once she starts this fall. The scholarship is worth up to $10,000 next year and can be renewed for three additional years.
"I had no idea, and it's so — it's just such a relief," Cynthia said.
• A former head of Washington state's Republican Party and candidate for the state's U.S. Senate says he won't vote for Trump.
• U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan says he's "just not ready" to back Trump.
• Cathy McMorris Rodgers, the fourth highest-ranking House Republican, says she's not ready to endorse Trump, either.
County prosecutor backs inmate reduction plan
Larry Haskell says that he's on board with an ambitious plan to reduce the county's jail population by 21 percent as part of a MacArthur Foundation grant.
Washington state Supreme Court rules on jurisdictional toss-up
What happens if an Idaho resident is pulled over by an Idaho trooper in Washington and wants to sue? What state has jurisdiction? Washington's top court has determined that the case can go forward in either state.
Warplanes strike refugee camp in Syria
Thirty people were left dead after an airstrike hit a camp for people displaced by the country's civil war.
Weak jobs report released
A new monthly report on employment has found that the economy is adding fewer jobs and there are fewer people seeking them.
A Spokane County Sheriff's deputy was fired today for having sexual relationship with a high school student while he was serving as a school resource deputy.
Former Deputy Cole Speer had been with the Sheriff's Office for 10 years, and worked as a school resource officer since at least 2011. The relationship began during the student's senior year, after she'd turned 18, Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich says, and continued until February 2016, eight months after she graduated.
"Deputy Speer was charged with watching over one of the greatest assets and treasures that our community has — our children," Knezovich says. "In no way can that type of activity ever be condoned."
Speer, who is married with kids, was put on administrative leave back in February and it wasn't until the Sheriff's Office finished its investigation that he admitted to the relationship, Knezovich says. Part of that investigation included text messages exchanged between Speer and the student.
The Washington State Patrol conducted a criminal investigation that currently awaits a decision from the Spokane County Prosecutor's Office. Knezovich says WSP made no charging recommendations because neither Speer, nor the student, were willing to cooperate.
"He has disgraced not only his community, his agency, his peers and entire profession," Knezovich says. "He will never wear a badge in the state of Washington if I can ever have anything to say about it."
Spokane County Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich is frustrated. For about 10 years now, he's harped on the lack of resources for people who struggle with mental illness but don't get treatment. They fall through the cracks, he says, and often the ones there to catch them are officers on the street.
"You can provide all the CIT training in the world," Knezovich says referring to crisis intervention training for law enforcement. "On the street, when you're dealing with these types of situations, it never goes well. The street is not the place for mental health treatment."
Spokane Police Law Enforcement Director Jim McDevitt echoed Knezovich's frustration, pointing to the three officer-involved shootings within the past week. The victims in each of those incidents had run into the mental health system at some point, he says.
"Our officers are not social workers, they're not mental health workers," McDevitt says.
• As heroin and opioid dependency occupies much of the public discussion around drug abuse, meth is making a comeback.
• Staff writer Dan Nailen chatted with Spokane's poet laureate about weed, G.I. Joes, his two '69 Cameros and, of course, poetry. Check it out.
• Chris Hansen started writing to students at Adams Elementary when he was first deployed to Afghanistan in 2013 and has maintained that pen pal relationship ever since. Recently, Hansen returned to meet with the kids.
IN OTHER NEWS:
• The family of the man shot by Spokane police for a second time in less than three years searches for answers. (Spokesman-Review)
• The City of Spokane is set to replace its lead pipes. (KXLY)
• E-cigs, hookah tobacco, cigars and pipe tobacco are now under the watchful eye of the FDA.
• An Army officer is suing President Obama over the legality of the deepening war against the Islamic State. Capt. Nathan Smith says he supports the efforts, but argues that Obama needs authorization from Congress. Smith's challenge comes as Obama has expanded the number of ground troops in Syria.
• The Department of Justice is NOT happy with North Carolina and its law banning transgender people from certain bathrooms. In a letter to Gov. Pat McCrory, the agency threatened a lawsuit and denial of millions in federal funds.
• The Last Phone Call: A multi-part, graphic journalism project, inmates document their time on death row, revealing the "complexity of American notions of justice, guilt and punishment."
Ben Harper plays the final dance show at Festival at Sandpoint.
Festival at Sandpoint is everyone's favorite outdoor summer concert music series in North Idaho that allows concertgoers to bring in alcohol and picnic baskets while enjoying top national talent. It may also be the only festival around to meet those qualifications, but still. This year's lineup, running Aug. 4-14, may not be as cutting-edge as years past, but certainly older generations will be pleased with fine acts like Emmylou Harris and Bruce Hornsby coming in to play. Meanwhile, Ben Harper is a festival darling and is sure to put on an amazing set. Still exciting: The event continues to support regional musicians, as well as classical music.
AUG. 4 - Bruce Hornsby and the Noisemakers
Kicking off the festival, the singer-pianist is known for his improvisational shows that flow between nearly every musical genre. Openers are Sandpoint Americana act Bridges Home.
AUG. 5 - Railroad Earth
Here's a band with a bluegrass sound, and big band feel. The group's jam band aesthetic has garnered them a dedicated fan base — known as Hobos, so watch out. Bellingham bluegrass act Rabbit Wilde opens. The show is a dance show, meaning the middle-front section nearest the stage is open to people standing and dancing.
AUG. 6 - Emmylou Harris
The Grand Ole Opry member and singer-songwriter is a living legend, and her show will reflect that. The Bros. Landreth and the Powers open up for her.
AUG. 7 - The annual Family Concert
The show features a performance of Peter and the Wolf by the Festival Community Orchestra and Sandpoint’s Studio One Dancers.
AUG. 11- Angelique Kidjo
This queen of African music is sure to make you want to get up out of your seat, too bad this isn't a dance show. The indie-Afro band Afrosonics, out of Boise, open.
AUG. 12 - Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
As part of their 50th Anniversary Tour, this California-based country-ish band will certainly make you want to go fishin' in the dark. Luke Bell opens.
AUG. 13 - Ben Harper & the Innocent Criminals
Playing the final dance show of the event, Harper is one of the most engaging festival artists out there. Local singer Sadie Wagoner opens.
Aug. 14: Festival Finale, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”
The final show features the Spokane Symphony Orchestra, jazz pianist and composer Vadim Neselovskyi and Sandpoint natives Jason Moody on violin as wells as singer Hailey Fuqua. Expect fireworks here, literally.
Season passes are already sold out, but the individual concerts run from $43-$70. You can purchase tickets right here.