Wednesday, March 29, 2017
Tuesday, Spokane Valley City Council unanimously passed a resolution affirming it as an "inclusive city" where discrimination is not tolerated.
The resolution received support at the meeting from Spokane NAACP President Phil Tyler and members of the Spokane County Human Rights Task Force. The resolution declared that "discrimination of any form is not and shall not be tolerated," and that "all individuals, families, and businesses are welcome so that they may flourish and prosper within its boundaries."
This comes two days after the city of Spokane approved a human rights ordinance. But Spokane's ordinance is different than Spokane Valley's resolution. Spokane's ordinance is more comprehensive, including updates to its own rules and outlining protection and enforcement of civil rights under municipal code. Spokane Valley's resolution, on the other hand, mostly re-affirms Washington's nondiscrimination law, the state constitution, and the Valley's commitment to inclusiveness.
Spokane Valley councilman Ed Pace says that's not insignificant.
"It's not trivial, what we did," Pace says. "It's us standing up and saying, 'we really believe this stuff.'"
Tags: Spokane Valley , nondiscrimination , Spokane , Ed Pace , News , Image
The ski area expansion at Mt. Spokane is another step closer to reality after a court decision Tuesday.
It was okay for Washington state to designate a portion of Mount Spokane for recreation, which will allow for a new ski lift and runs, according to a 2-1 Court of Appeals decision posted on Tuesday.
In 2014, the state Parks and Recreation Commission found that part of an 800-acre site on the northwest side of the mountain could be used for recreation, a portion could be used for things like backcountry skiing, hiking and other activities already taking place, and protected a portion as natural forest area. New ski runs would go on a portion of the 279 recreation acres.
In Tuesday's decision, two Washington State Court of Appeals Division II judges found, as did a superior court judge, that the Commission did not act arbitrarily or capriciously in classifying that portion of the mountain as recreation land.
Those appealing the Commission's decision, including the Lands Council and environmental groups, with support from the Spokane Tribe, argued that the classification went against the Commission's own policies, "ignored the evidence of the area's natural resource value," and ignored the cultural resources guidance of its policies, but the court disagrees, according to the decision.
Tags: Mt. Spokane , ski expansion , Mount Spokane , Washington state , tribe , environmental , News , Image
ON INLANDER.COM
MUSIC: Fleet Foxes are back (minus Father John Misty) and they're coming to Spokane.
NEWS: The Pullman branch of Spokane Falls Community College will move onto Washington State University's campus next week, leaving its space at the Gladish Community Center in order to save on rent.
MUSIC: Some big names across genres will hit the local stage as part of Northern Quest's 2017 summer concert schedule: Willie Nelson, Flo Rida, Alice Cooper, Toby Keith and more.
IN OTHER NEWS
It's time for a divorce
Just as couples who divorce have to figure out who gets what, and how much money they each walk away with, the United Kingdom and European Union have started a two-year break-up process, and money could be a central part of the fight, the Associated Press reports. (AP)
An object in motion stays in motion
While President Donald Trump signed an executive order that could shelve the Clean Power Plan put in place under former President Barack Obama, Washington state is likely to move forward in meeting or exceeding the goals put forth under that plan. (Seattle Times)
Helping those who refuse help
Los Angeles social workers are trying to figure out how to help people with severe mental illness get off the streets and into treatment, but there are strict rules for involuntary treatment, and sometimes people claim they've got a place to stay or someone coming to help them, even when they don't. (Los Angeles Times)
Uber organization
Union leaders are trying to organize Uber drivers in Seattle, but court cases could soon decide whether independent contractors are even allowed to unionize under federal law, The Seattle Times reports. (Seattle Times)
MUSIC: Fleet Foxes are back (minus Father John Misty) and they're coming to Spokane.
NEWS: The Pullman branch of Spokane Falls Community College will move onto Washington State University's campus next week, leaving its space at the Gladish Community Center in order to save on rent.
MUSIC: Some big names across genres will hit the local stage as part of Northern Quest's 2017 summer concert schedule: Willie Nelson, Flo Rida, Alice Cooper, Toby Keith and more.
IN OTHER NEWS
It's time for a divorce
Just as couples who divorce have to figure out who gets what, and how much money they each walk away with, the United Kingdom and European Union have started a two-year break-up process, and money could be a central part of the fight, the Associated Press reports. (AP)
An object in motion stays in motion
While President Donald Trump signed an executive order that could shelve the Clean Power Plan put in place under former President Barack Obama, Washington state is likely to move forward in meeting or exceeding the goals put forth under that plan. (Seattle Times)
Helping those who refuse help
Los Angeles social workers are trying to figure out how to help people with severe mental illness get off the streets and into treatment, but there are strict rules for involuntary treatment, and sometimes people claim they've got a place to stay or someone coming to help them, even when they don't. (Los Angeles Times)
Uber organization
Union leaders are trying to organize Uber drivers in Seattle, but court cases could soon decide whether independent contractors are even allowed to unionize under federal law, The Seattle Times reports. (Seattle Times)
Tags: morning headlines , news , trump , sfcc , ccs , mental health , homelessness , brexit , Image
Tuesday, March 28, 2017
It sure seems like we've been dropping an awful lot of local concert announcements lately, and here's another: Fleet Foxes, the critically adored alt-folk outfit from Seattle, are scheduled to play one of their first shows in six years at the Knitting Factory on May 16, and tickets go on sale tomorrow.
The band first rose to prominence with its 2008 self-titled debut, which was named best album of the year by Pitchfork, Mojo and Billboard. After touring with their Grammy-nominated sophomore LP Helplessness Blues, Fleet Foxes went on hiatus in 2013, and frontman and songwriter Robin Pecknold went back to college at Columbia.
(And for those who are curious, former Foxes drummer Josh Tillman, better known as the pop provocateur Father John Misty, will not be returning to the lineup.)
Now the band's back together, and they've announced a new album titled Crack-Up, which is set for release in June. The first single, the complex, nine-minute-long "Third of May," picks up where the last record left off, continuing the band's penchant for strummy, intricately-harmonized Americana.
The Foxes' upcoming tour kicks off in Missoula on May 15 and continues with a handful of concerts in mid-size Pacific Northwest theaters. Prices for their Spokane show have yet to be announced, but you can snatch up a ticket tomorrow morning at 10 am.
Tags: Fleet Foxes , Knitting Factory , concert announcement , Music , Image
From classic rock to country legends to hip-hop heavyweights, there's a little something for all tastes at this year's summer concert series at Northern Quest Resort & Casino.
Here's a breakdown of all the summer has to offer (although the resort could always add some shows at a later date):
ALICE COOPER, June 18, $45/$55/$65, on sale April 1. The shock-rock legend puts on a great live show, and you might be able to catch him golfing somewhere earlier in the day if you can recognize him without his makeup.
SAMMY HAGAR AND THE CIRCLE, June 30, $65/$75/$85, on sale April 1. The longtime lead singer for Van Halen and solo artist brings a band that includes former Van Halen bassist Michael Anthony, drummer Jason (son of John) Bonham and guitarist Vic Johnson to delve into all eras of Hagar's career, plus a few Zeppelin covers.
SUBLIME WITH ROME AND THE OFFSPRING, July 6, $44/$65/$85, on sale April 1. Two of the biggest bands of the '90s on tour together and delivering hits like "What I Got" and "Keep 'Em Separated."
DONNY AND MARIE, July 16, $55/$65/$85, on sale April 1. They've performed together on Las Vegas and toured separately for years, but this show is the rare treat when the two '70s icons hit the road together for a show.
Starting Monday, Spokane Falls Community College students will move to the Washington State University campus for classes, allowing SFCC to maintain its branch in Pullman while modestly cutting costs.
Last year, Community Colleges of Spokane Chancellor Christine Johnson said the SFCC Pullman would remain in some capacity, but CCS was looking at a way to keep it there affordably. CCS, at the time, was looking to trim its budget by up to 10 percent. By June, CCS announced that it was in talks with WSU to move the Pullman branch from the Gladish Community Center starting in January.
The move took longer than anticipated, but last week WSU and CCS announced it was happening.
"Washington State University has always been a strong partner to our community colleges," SFCC President Janet Gullickson said in the news release. "Moving our Pullman operations onto their campus takes that partnership to a whole new level and allows us to greatly enhance the educational opportunities for our students."
Tags: Spokane Falls Community College , Community Colleges of Spokane , Washington State University , News , Image
INLANDER.COM
MUSIC: Did you catch Social Distortion while they were in Spokane over the weekend? Here's our review.
NEWS: After a botched euthanasia of a dog, a man is suing Washington State University and the state in a case that could set a new legal precedent.
MUSIC: Coming soon to Spokane, relive the '90s with Matchbox Twenty and Counting Crows.
IN OTHER NEWS
Idaho farmer lived secret life as Florida man
A North Idaho farmer just wanted to live a simple life in the country, but after 17 years, his other life, as a felon in Florida, finally caught up with him. (Spokesman-Review)
Back to work
The days are getting longer, the snow has melted, and the grass is growing. That's right, Spokane: It's construction season. (KXLY)
It's wet outside
If it seems like this March has been rainier than usual, you are correct. Already, this has been the fourth wettest March on record in Spokane. (Spokesman-Review)
Nunes asked to recuse himself
House Democrats want Rep. Devin Nunes, the Republican chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, to recuse himself from the investigation of possible Russian interference with the 2016 election. Democrats say his relationship with President Trump means he can't be impartial. Nunes has rejected the idea.
Pressing on
After "the longest prayer we've ever had," House Republicans say they're not giving up on repealing Obamacare just yet. (CNN)
Monday, March 27, 2017
Kaisa was not supposed to wake up. The grey and white Alaskan malamute was diagnosed with cancer, and veterinarians gave her only months to live. Her owner, Rob Repin, made the difficult decision to have her put down.
What was supposed to be a peaceful goodbye to Kaisa, Repin's sole companion for the past 11 years, quickly turned into a torturous ordeal. Nearly five years later, it's not over.
Repin sued Washington State University and Washington state in a case that raises issues never before considered in courts throughout the country, according to a Washington State Court of Appeals commissioner's ruling. Repin, a reclusive gold prospector who lives in a 420-square-foot cabin that he built himself, is asking for compensation for the emotional distress caused by his dog's botched euthanasia.
If successful, his lawsuit could break new legal ground for pet owners in Washington. His claim focuses on the debate between the role of a pet. Was Kaisa "just a dog?" A piece of Repin's property? Or was she, as Repin describes, his family?
Tags: Washington State University , Rob Repin , News , Adam Karp , Image
The Spokane Arena continues to bulk up its upcoming concert schedule with an impressive roster of names.
The big announcement of the week is that '90s hitmakers Matchbox 20 and Counting Crows will kick off a co-headlining tour in Spokane on July 12. The tour coincides with the 20th anniversary of Matchbox 20's breakthrough album Yourself or Someone Like You (doesn't that make you feel old?), a blockbuster LP that spawned the Top 40 singles "3 A.M.," "Push," "Back to Good" and "Real World." Counting Crows have been around even longer, best known for the alt-rock radio staples "Mr. Jones" and "A Long December."
Tickets for the show range from $35 to $85, and they go on sale Fri, March 31, at noon through TicketsWest.
And on Oct. 12, the Piano Guys will return to the Arena after playing there last May. Best known for imaginative YouTube videos featuring instrumental renditions of everything from Justin Timberlake's "Can't Stop the Feeling" to "Let It Go" from Frozen, the Utah-based quartet recently released its sixth studio album, Uncharted.
Tickets start at $29.50 and run all the way up to $179.50; they're available at 10 am this Friday through TicketsWest.
Tags: Matchbox 20 , Piano Guys , Counting Crows , Music , Image
Dan Nailen
Social Distortion got the packed Knitting Factory into a sweaty mess within a couple songs.
Social Distortion is one of those bands whose fans can genuinely count on to deliver what they know and love every time the group records new songs or hits a concert stage. And what they deliver is a winning blend of punk attitude and retro-rock riffage.
The audience? Predominantly hot-rodders and bikers, old punks and Bettie Page fashionistas, although Social D had enough time in the major-label spotlight and on rock radio that plenty of decidedly un-punk souls join the mob to hear leader Mike Ness's raspy roll through hits like "Ball and Chain" and "Story of My Life."
"Mob" is a bit of an understatement for the crowd at the jam-packed Knitting Factory show on Saturday night. It was tough to find any room to move around, whether on the main floor, in the bar area or upstairs; it was wall-to-wall and instantly sweaty when Social Distortion took the stage and lit into the barreling "So Far Away" and "Bad Luck," a worthy one-two punch of a show opener that got the mob to at least move forward and break into a pit in front of the stage.
A few songs in, after watching the, um, aggressive reaction to the band's tunes in that pit, Ness implored the crowd to mellow out a little. "Let's all get out of here alive, okay?" he asked, grinning.
Moonshine: Artisan Night Market & Moonlit Movie @ Commellini Estate
Wednesdays, 5:30-10 p.m. Continues through Aug. 27
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