Thursday, July 18, 2013

Posted By on Thu, Jul 18, 2013 at 10:11 AM

Who do you think is making our community a better place? 

It's time for The Inlander's annual philanthropy issue — "Give Guide" — where we highlight people who are making things better here in the Inland Northwest. But we need your help.

We're in search of people to showcase in the issue, and for nominations for our annual Peirone Prize, a monetary award recognizing people who are passionate about generating change in our community.

From education, youth and social action to the environment, animals or community gardening, there are tons of areas where local people are working hard to make our world better. Tell us who they are, what they do and why they deserve our support!

We know people of all ages are working hard to make a difference, but we want to encourage young people to get involved and stay involved, so we're especially looking for people 35-ish and younger.

Last year's winners were Jamie Borgan, Kat Hall and Mary Charbonneau. In 2011, we recognized Bart Mihailovich, Amy Hendricks and Korrine Kreilkamp

Please send names of individuals you'd like to nominate, their ages if you know them, and a sentence or two explaining why you think they deserve recognition to giveguide@inlander.com by no later than next Thursday, August 1.

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Monday, July 15, 2013

Posted By on Mon, Jul 15, 2013 at 2:21 PM

Nathan Brand’s latest short documentary for The Inlander tells the story of Sidney Sloane, a Spokane youth who killed his father with an axe in 1906. His trial was sensationally covered by all the newspapers, and after he was released at age 40 he went on to become a well-known artist. 

After Brand wrote about the story in this week’s issue, we asked him some questions about the making of this video. (See his earlier documentaries on Liberty Park and the Park Inn here.)

How did you first hear about Sidney Sloane? Did you already know how the story ended?

I’m interested in murders that have occurred in my neighborhood. I was researching a man named Reno Hutchinson who was killed on Seventh and Howard in October of 1906. He was the general secretary of the YMCA, and his murder was never solved. I was browsing a Spokane history book and Sidney’s story was in the next paragraph. It was infinitely more interesting than Reno Hutchinson, so I changed my focus.

I knew he was released around 1929 because that was one of the first articles that I found. I had no idea what his life was like after his release. I saw in the 1930 census he was listed as an “artist” and living with his mother, and I assumed that he wasn’t very successful at his craft.

Looking through all the newspaper coverage from the time, how does it compare to modern media coverage of murders and trials?

There seemed to be no official rules back then on what was allowed into print. For instance, today the identity of jury members is not allowed to be published while the trial is going on. In the Sidney Sloane trial, they printed all of the jurors’ full names and professions. They also reported on which jurors looked sick, exhausted or overcome with emotion.  

The media was given access to visit Sidney’s cell whenever they wanted. Today someone like Clay Starbuck, who was recently convicted of murdering his wife, could easily just ignore the media’s request for interviews and stay isolated in his cell. Sidney didn’t have that choice. He was viewed by hundreds of people like a circus animal.

How did you choose to film reenactment scenes for some of the action? Do you consider those challenges before choosing a topic?

Most of the history projects I’ve done recently involve a lot of newspapers slowly moving left or right. It's not super exciting for the audience to look at. I like having the chance to inject a something a little more exciting every once in a while. I’ve done a lot of really bad short films and web shows in the past. My friends and I have a lot of the equipment already. I storyboarded everything the night before. My friend Matt owns a crane. We shot in his basement. I had an actor I knew named Jason Young play Sidney’s father, and I had scheduled another actor to play Sidney, but since he overslept, I ended up doing it.

I try and pick projects that have a lot of strange and interesting elements. I want a few twists and turns. I think of the most dynamic and impactful telling the story, then make myself miserable for weeks trying to schedule and finish everything.

Were there any people or parts of the story you had to leave out?

Sidney had a little brother named Lloyd who led an incredibly interesting life. He visited Sidney in the cell after the crime and cried for his brother. Lloyd fought in World War I and ended up staying in France. He became an international businessman in Paris and married a woman there.  They had two children, Jacques and Robert. When WWII broke out, the family narrowly escaped the Nazis. The Spokesman-Review interviewed the children about their dangerous journey to Spokane. They visited their Uncle Sidney and their grandmother. The two boys apparently loved Comstock pool. The family then moved to Mexico City. Jacques is still alive and living in Barcelona. I did contact some of the descendants of the Sloane family, but they’d prefer not to shine a light on this dark area of their family history.

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Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Posted By on Wed, Jul 10, 2013 at 2:20 PM

Paul Quam was a manager at Spokane-area drive-ins and the Garland Theater. Read Mike Bookey’s related cover story on the final summer of the region’s last drive-in movie theater here.

My Life at the Drive-In: True tales of an outdoor theater manager
The East Sprague Drive-In.

I met Joe Rosenfield of Favorite Theaters, a company that operated several Spokane-area drive-in theaters, in 1964 to ask him about an item he had that I wanted to buy. After 10 minutes of talking, he asked me if I would work for him at the West End Drive-In. He said I would be an assistant manager, and we agreed that I’d start out at the West End soon thereafter.

But six days later, he transferred a manager from the Auto Vue Drive-In to the East Sprague Drive-In, and the manager I was training with moved to The Auto Vue. Just like that, I became the new manager of the West End Drive-In.

Eventually, Mr. Rosenfield decided to retire and sold Favorite Theaters to Sterling Recreation Organization (SRO) out of Seattle, but I stayed on at the West End for another 10 years. Expo ’74 came alive downtown and I ventured into indoor theaters.

Later, I was asked to manage the East Sprague Drive-In, which had Spokane’s best drive-in scene.We tried something there we’d heard was working well in Seattle and Tacoma — a “swap-o-rama”where people could set up tables and sell “stuff.” We did it for one year and it failed. I tried to convince SRO that it could work, but to no avail.

Finally, it was time for me to move inside. I became manager of the Lincoln Heights triplex, then later the Garland Theater, where I worked until I retired in 1998.

Looking back, I learned that operating drive-in theaters is not a huge moneymaker. Back then, both the East Sprague and North Cedar theaters operated in the winter and offered free use of electric heaters so people wouldn’t idle their cars to stay warm. It cost a lot just to remove the snow. When the snow was falling, the picture appeared on the snowflakes, but often never reached the screen. Fog was another enemy.

The West End was the first to close, in 1983. A year later the East Trent Motor Inn followed in its wake, along with the Autovue on North Division. The “Y” showed its last movie in 1985 before becoming a car lot. That year also saw the last of the Starlight Drive-In on the Newport Highway. Both the East Sprague and North Cedar Drive-Ins closed in 1993, ending an era loved by thousands of families and those who dated under the stars.

These days, the film industry has realized that handling 35mm movie film is labor-intensive and expensive. The digital format saves millions, but that savings isn’t passed on to the patron. Soon movies will appear in our homes off a satellite, with commercials running during the film itself. Maybe kids today are used to that.

But I know my kids, and many others over 40, have fond memories of going to the drive-in to see movies that families could all watch together. Drive-ins — the movies under the stars — are gone from our region, but they are not forgotten.


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Friday, July 5, 2013

Posted By on Fri, Jul 5, 2013 at 8:42 AM

This week, Mike Bookey writes about the rise and fall of drive in theaters. The photos below give a glimpse into life at the Auto Vue Drive In theater in Colville, which will close at the end of the summer. The theater was showing a double feature of Fast & Furious 6 and The Purge that evening. Photos by Young Kwak.


Bobbi, left, and Gary Ebel wait for the box office to open. 

Employee Stephanie Clark makes popcorn before customers arrive.

Assistant Manager Laura Martin sells tickets at the box office. 

Employee Caitlyn Beatty, left, takes a drink order from Grant Swim, with his 9-year-old son Wyatt and 8-year-old daughter Aramay. 

Manager Ben Rochon threads film into an XH-4000 projector.

Hannah Grimm, 16, prepares to jump off a platform holding a couch on a truck. She and her friends watch the movies from the back of the truck. 

Adam Chavez and Alexandria Rushton wait for Fast and Furious 6 to start.

Josh Cournyer, right, makes sure his (left to right) 6-year-old son Zadin, 9-year-old son Tyler and 4-year-old daughter Cassidy are comfortable in the bed of the family truck. 

Manager Ben Rochon, right, and employee Stephanie Clark pour drinks for customers.

Left to right, 9-year-old Robbie Adam, his father Phil, 4-year-old brother Cody, mother Sheely and 5 1/2 month old Mallorie Sells wait for Fast and Furious 6 to start. 

Moviegoers watch a screening of Fast & Furious 6

John and Arden Kaliman, both 4, watch a screening of Fast & Furious 6.  

Customers watch a screening of Fast & Furious 6.

Left to right, Destiny Burpee, Tifanny Kinghorn and Heather Bishop watch a screening of Fast & Furious 6.

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Wednesday, July 3, 2013

Posted By on Wed, Jul 3, 2013 at 3:29 PM

For this Fourth of July, there are a lot of events you could go to. Here's a few that we'd like to highlight: 

Fourth-a-palooza

Coeur d’Alene does Fourth of July right with not just one, but two days of events. Festivities kick off with the annual Kids’ Parade on July 3, and this year’s theme is “Celebrating Ironman” (the triathlon, not the movie). Kiddos strut their stuff through downtown Coeur d’Alene on foot, bikes and floats donning costumes and with pets in tow. A second patriotic parade begins downtown July 4 at 11 am. The party continues with live music, food and games in the City Park all day long. Lounge on the city beach or take your boat out on the water to watch the fireworks display over the lake, ending the day with a bang.  

Kids’ Parade, July 3 at 10 am; Fourth of July Celebration, July 4 from 10 am-dusk • Coeur d’Alene City Park • 115 NW Blvd. • cdachamber.org • (208) 292-1635

Fourth of July Celebration

To some, there’s arguably no better way to celebrate ’Merica than in small town ’Merica. The Sandpoint Lions Club hosts its annual Fourth of July party starting at 9 am in Sandpoint’s cozy downtown. After you’ve had your fill of patriotic floats, grab family and friends and head over to City Beach. Take a dip in Lake Pend Oreille or spend the day on the beach catching rays while listening to live music and joining in games. At the end of the day, snuggle into a blanket while lying back in a chair to watch the firework show beginning at dusk. 

July 4 from 9 am-dusk • Downtown Sandpoint • sandpointlions.org • (208) 263-4118

Independence Day Festival

The people at Riverfront Park must bleed red, white and blue because they make Fourth of July one of the biggest events of the year. Jam-packed with festivities, the park offers a bouncy castle, live music, performers, food and beer gardens. Plus, all of the usual games and rides in the Pavilion amusement area are at a discounted price. Discounted ($10) tickets, which also include IMAX exclusives and access to mini-golf, will be available from 10 am to 1 pm. For the kids, performances by Magician Dick Frost and Spokane Area Square Dancers can be found in the Children’s Meadow, and the Spokane Jazz Orchestra will headline the day’s musical entertainment. Make sure to stake out a spot to watch the park’s always spectacular fireworks display at dusk.  

July 4 starting at 11 am • Riverfront Park • 808 W. Spokane Falls Blvd. • spokaneriverfrontpark.com • 625-6601

Fireworks Extravaganza

Nothing quite beats a community barbecue and fireworks display to raise patriotic spirits. At Pullman’s Sunnyside Park, all-American grub will be served starting at 5 pm in the park shelter. Live music starts at 5:30 pm featuring the Pullman Community Band, and folksinger Dan Maher, and The Fabulous Kingpins take the stage at 7 pm to rock your socks off with classic rock ’n’ roll hits. The city of Pullman promises this year’s fireworks will be substantially larger than last year. The bigger, better, booming fireworks take off at 10 pm. Pullman Transit is offering free rides to and from the park, so skip the hassle of parking and take the bus. 

July 4 at 5 pm • Sunnyside Park • Old Wawawai Rd., Pullman • pullmanchamber.com • 334-3565

See our full July 4 events calendar here.

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Monday, July 1, 2013

Posted By on Mon, Jul 1, 2013 at 2:23 PM

The weather forecast is predicting highs of 100 degrees this week. Not only will this summer be the best ever, but it also could very well be one of the hottest ever. So what do you do when you want to get out of the house, but you don’t want to die of heat exhaustion? Here are our picks from Summer Guide of things to do when it is just too hot outside to do anything else.  

1. Head to a museum like the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture (MAC) where you can explore the ongoing art exhibits while enjoying the cool AC. 

2. See a summer blockbuster at the movie theater, check out the IMAX, or watch an indie hit at the Magic Lantern while snacking on popcorn and sipping on an ice-cold Coke.

3. Go to Lake Coeur d’Alene for the day and rent a stand up paddleboard. Coeur d’Alene Paddle Board Co. rents out surfboard-like boards and paddles by the hour or for a full day.

4. When it gets toasty outside, the last thing you want to do is stand in front of a hot stove and cook. Check out a local restaurant and grab a bite to eat or go out for drinks with friends. At Boots, downtown on Main Avenue, they’re serving up a cocktail of gin and Method’s cucumber juice.

5. Here in Eastern Washington, it can get pretty hot. So get out of town and road trip over to the cooler (temperature-wise) west side. Take I-90 to Seattle, or go through the Tri-Cities and head to Oregon for scenic roads, national parks, and maybe a stop in Portland.

6. Cool off in the pool at any of Spokane’s six public aquatic centers. Get there early to save lounge chairs in the shade.

7. For the kids, Mobius Science Center is a great place to go for some fun—and some air-conditioning. The different activities provide hours of entertainment while actually learning something.

8. Get a slice of culture while watching a performance in a cool, dark theater. Check out our summer guide calendar for theater performances throughout this summer.

9. For some peace, quiet, and AC, the public library can be a great place to relax and catch up on reading or flip through picture books with the kids. 

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Sunday, June 30, 2013

Posted By on Sun, Jun 30, 2013 at 3:11 PM

This week, Chey Scott explores the history of the Moore-Turner Heritage Gardens on the South Hill. Lost for decades, parts of the gardens were discovered after the ice storm in 1996. After a 10-year restoration, spearheaded by then Corbin Art Center Director Lynn Mandyke, the gardens were open to the public. Photos by Young Kwak.

A walkway that once gave residents of the South Hill access to downtown runs along the entrance of the garden.

The carriage road circles parts of the lower areas of the gardens.

Various flowers grow in the carriage road garden.  

A staircase leads to the pond at the top of the gardens.

The pond area at the top of the gardens gives an uninhibited view of downtown.

Lynn Mandyke speaks under the restored pergola in the pond area.

A detail of the pergola is photographed. 

The tea house also gives a view of the downtown area.

Trails lead visitors from one area of the gardens to another.

One area that couldn't be restored was the conservatory and greenhouses. Detailed plans could not be found for that area, so it remains an empty plot of land.

Irises are in bloom at the gardens.

The gardens provide many views of downtown.

The Mask of Pan fountain can be seen in the middle of the gardens.

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Friday, June 28, 2013

Posted By on Fri, Jun 28, 2013 at 1:40 PM

Pacific Northwesterners are known for their love of the outdoors, and here in Spokane the options of trails for hikers, bikers, and those who just want to go for a walk or run are seemingly endless. From the Centennial Trail, stretching west to east, to the Columbia Plateau trail, going north to south, we have our bases covered. The Spokane Regional Trail Plan Update begins this summer, and you can help.

The Inland Northwest Trails Coalition, along with other outdoor organizations, requests that we, the trail users (and wannabe trail users) give them our thoughts on the existing trails through a super quick, easy 10-question survey. Why, you ask? Well, they are updating the trails to better suit the public. The main goals of the plan are to create a comprehensive trail system between all of the different trails, maintain those trails, and create standards that will make the trails overall better for public use.

The survey asks about your current use of the trails, your biggest concerns and what you would like to see in the future.

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Thursday, June 27, 2013

Posted By on Thu, Jun 27, 2013 at 2:55 PM

After five years filling a unique niche in Spokane nightlife, the MarQuee Lounge is closing.

The club announced the news today, citing the end of the lease agreement. Earlier this year it was voted Best Dance Club by Inlander readers in the annual Best Of poll. Tonight is its last-ever Thursday night party.

Here's the full news release/obituary: 

MarQuee Lounge, age 5 years and 2 months, will pass away peacefully in its sleep (due to the completion of its lease agreement) at 2:00am on the morning of July 1st in the year of our lord 2013.

The lovechild of local entrepreneurs Jeremy Tangen and Matt Goodwin, MarQuee Lounge was born into the open arms of a city that desperately needed an outlet for late night entertainment, dancing and questionable decision making. 

Finding its way in mid 2008, MarQuee quickly became well known for its chiseled good looks, top of the line sound system, incredible laser and light shows, popular music, and bottle service that was not not be found anywhere else in the city. 

As the years went by, MarQuee aged with with the grace and poignancy of a true dignitary. New VIP sections were added, the 2nd floor was completely remodeled, there were continuous upgrades to the sound and light features, and of course, there were the parties.... and oh my, how MarQuee loved to party. 

People traveled from great distances to spend the evening with MarQuee; dancing, drinking, laughing, and getting weird. Lines of freshly pressed button-ups and father-not-approved mini skirts stretched around the block on many nights as anxious hoards of Spokane's party goers waited to enjoy MarQuee's warm embrace. 

While there were certainly a fair share of tears shed, they pale in comparison to the overwhelming amount of joy, love and general happiness that MarQuee was able to generate for its lucky guests. All of whom, MarQuee loved in return.

MarQuee was an active member in the Spokane community as a member of the Downtown Spokane Partnership and Greater Spokane Incorporated, while also hosting events for the city's many businesses and organizations on a regular basis. 

Countless awkward/memorable/beautiful moments during various parties can be attributed to MarQuee's ability to allow all of its guests to temporarily suspend the tedious and monotonous reality that has become their day-to-day life. MarQuee was in fact, a breath of fresh air for Spokane's overworked and under-loved blue and white collared workers alike. 

MarQuee Lounge is survived by a talented and hard-working staff of 32 incredibly diligent (and painfully beautiful) bartenders, cocktailers and security. It also leaves behind a laundry list of thousands of satisfied customers, a staggering amount of started relationships, and 5 years of awards and acclaimations for being Spokane's favorite night club as voted by you, the ones MarQuee must sadly leave behind.

Arrangements have been made to celebrate the life of MarQuee Lounge throughout the course of the weekend. To pay your respects, or gather a few last precious memories, please feel free to visit 522 W. Riverside.

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Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Posted By on Wed, Jun 26, 2013 at 2:30 PM

There are some pretty smart cities on the Palouse, according to a new study that ranks cities by intelligence. Pullman came in No. 10 of 478 urban areas, and Moscow came in No. 29. (The combined Spokane-Spokane Valley, on the other hand, just barely made it into the top half, at No. 227.)

The whole thing is based on Lumosity games, which are described as workouts for your mind — they’re designed on the somewhat controversial notion that people can improve their intelligence through conditioning. Anyone who went online and played a certain number of games was geolocated by IP address and tallied in the group score, with a total sample size of more than 3 million users, the report says.

In some ways it’s not surprising to see Pullman and Moscow near the top — all the highest-ranked places are distinct college towns: Cornell, Penn State, Purdue, etc. They also tend to have large graduate student populations and an emphasis on engineering or high-tech industries.

An Atlantic post quotes a Lumosity data scientist explaining the college association this way:

“College towns tend to do well because education is correlated with cognitive performance. We've seen in our other research that those with advanced degrees tend to perform better cognitively throughout the lifespan.”

That post is written by well-known demographer and urban expert Richard Florida, which lends some credence to the study itself. Because it’s not totally clear who plays these games — are students playing these games for class? Is it just a fun thing to do after studying every night? Are some people trying harder than others? Are the people who are drawn to academia also drawn to little brain puzzles?

Lumosity actively promotes its games for use in elementary, middle and high schools, and with advertisements promoting the “amazing benefits of brain training.”

The company also did rankings last fall specifically for the smartest colleges. Spoiler: Neither Washington State nor University of Idaho are on that list.

But if the Lumosity rankings are not exactly consistent or transparent, it’s at least something new. The study makes a good point that we don’t have a very good system for measuring community intelligence — we mostly rely on “socioeconomic variables like income and education levels” that correlate with intelligence but don’t actually measure it. 

The real lesson here is that if you’re now thinking about checking out those games, and you're not sure if you'll score so well — don’t. We obviously can’t afford to have any newbies bringing down our collective score.

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Moonshine: Artisan Night Market @ Commellini Estate

Wednesdays, 5:30-10 p.m. Continues through Aug. 27
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