Bloglander

Happy Monday, Web denizens! You're ready to fire up another week, we can tall from here. Maybe you've already researched our extensive events listings or Staff Picks to make a plan for the day. Good on ya!

If you haven't, we're here to help. Here's what we found of note in the events for Monday, Nov. 10: 

MUSIC | The Nate Ostrander Trio is hitting Zola tonight to bring some live music to Monday night, starting at 8:30 pm.

FOOD & DRINK | The folks from Napa Valley's Stag Leap Wine Cellars are in town to offer a tasting at Vino! A Wine Shop. 

WORDS | Love Manito Park? Then you'll want to drop by the South Hill Library tonight, where local author and historian Tony Bamonte will be reading from his new book about the place. 

HERE
Spokane County is facing the financial challenge of a cost-of-living increase for employees, depending on how sheriff's deputies bargain. (SR)

It looks like the class-size initiative is here to stay. (SR)

On Friday, a serial bank robber robbed a Spokane bank. (KREM)

Police investigate two shootings, one on the South Hill and the other in North Spokane. (KXLY)

THERE

Obama calls to protect Net Neutrality, by asking the FCC to reclassify the Internet as a utility. (NYT)

Too many drones flying over football games, the FAA says. (Washington Post)

Illegal drugs are a great investment. (Vox)


WHAT KIND OF SHOW HAS IT BEEN?

The third and final season of Aaron Sorkin's  cringeworthy The Newsroom launched last night. Here's that time it (basically) referenced the Inlander. 

FRIDAY
First off, tonight is First Friday. Check out all the art and live music happening all over Spokane. Many of the venues offer alcohol tastings and even some free nibbles. 

Trying to go out to Harrington, Wash., tonight? Tayla Lynn, Loretta Lynn’s granddaughter, plays the Harrington Opera House at 7 pm. And just like her legendary grandma, Tayla plays a fine blend of country and Americana music; just don’t expect the big-ass dresses on stage. Accompanying her is Grammy Award-winning guitarist Eric Tingstad. Tickets are $20.

SATURDAY
Every time you hear the local Americana act Marshall McLean Band you know you’re going to get a highly consistent set full of catchy, original music. Saturday, the act plays an all-ages show at the Bartlett at 8 pm. Tickets are $15 the day of. 


The rock group Tedeschi Trucks Band, which features Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeschi, was just here last December (read our story here). But the band is back again, this time at the INB Performing Arts Center. The show starts at 8 pm and is $35 and up.

The Hop! doesn’t have one show Saturday night, it has two! So much loud, hardcore music is about to be unleashed. Show up with $13 at 6 pm for the early show, then stay for the late show, which starts at 9 pm. As the Facebook event page for the event states: If you don't want to get hit, stay out of the pit.

EARLY SHOW: Desolated, Benchpress, Extortionist, Groundfeeder, Keep In Check
LATE SHOW: Lord Dying, Castle, the Drip, Mercy Brown



The Viking hosts the rock band Divides (the one from Portland, not the U.K.) and local acts Boat Race Weekend (although they’ve recently moved to Seattle) and Jordan Collins.

River protection advocates, recreational users and others have until 5 pm today to submit public comment on proposed instream flow minimums that could potentially impact wildlife habitat, fish spawning, paddling access and other important river functions.

The Department of Ecology released the proposed rules in September with flow minimums that closely reflect the minimums already agreed to in Avista Utilities’ 2009 federal license. Those allow a high-end minimum of 6,500 cubic feet per second during spring runoff from April to June.

But most advocates have voiced concerns about the low-end minimum of just 850 cfs in dry summer months from June to September.

The Center for Environmental Law & Policy released a series of side-by-side comparative photos yesterday to help illustrate the visual difference between 2,000 cfs and the lower 1,000 cfs.

We took an in-depth look at the water quality history of the Spokane River in October, noting many of the challenges facing fish and wildlife along its banks. Many agencies have worked to take on those issues.

Avista officials say the flow standards were carefully negotiated to protect fish spawning throughout the system, but advocates argue the minimum flows run too shallow for fish protection and consistent recreation.

You can read existing comments, and contribute your own with this online form. Commenting closes at 5 pm today.

Congrats, you made it to the weekend. Hopefully you've taken the time to peruse our incredibly diverse array of event listings and carefully considered Staff Picks. If not, we're here to help with some suggestions. 

Here are a few things that jumped out at me for Friday, Nov. 7: 

FOOD & DRINK | Think you love chocolate? I mean, really love chocolate? Then nine hours of non-stop indulgence might be just the thing for you at the Decadence Chocolate Festival starting at noon today. 

FOOD & DRINK | A fine way to follow up that chocolate affair? How about the Wine Tasting Gala at Lincoln Center, featuring about 25 wines from around the region?

THEATER | The Stage Left is hosting the Hit & Run VIII Play Festival, an excellent primer on local theater talent, from directors to writers to actors. 

FOOD & DRINK | Of course, top of the list is a pair of events from the Inlander, as both the PowderKeg Inlander Brew Festival and Snowlander Expo full of winter gear and sports vendors of all stripes both start today at 4 pm.

VISUAL ARTS | It's First Friday, so there are all sorts of worthy art openings and showcases around town — you can find a detailed list of options right here. Among them are the book release party for the Mixology: the Art of Classic Cocktails book by local artist Sheila Evans we wrote about last week. 

MORNING BRIEFING

HERE

Kimball International is moving its office furniture manufacturing plant out of Post Falls, costing the area 260 jobs. (S-R)

A long line of Spokane Catholics and community members sent Bishop Cupich off to Chicago Thursday. (KXLY) Read our story about the big move here. (Inlander)

One Spokane District Court race is still too close to call three days after polls closed. (KHQ)

THERE

Statewide, several too-close-to-call races show Republicans might gain more ground in the legislature. (Seattle Times)

Two National Guard pilots died in a helicopter crash outside Boise. (Idaho Statesman)

The Navy SEAL who shot Osama bin Laden went public, and he's a Montana man. (Missoulian)

ELSEWHERE

Unemployment is down, job growth is up, according to the most recent data. (New York Times)

International law enforcement agencies teamed up for a major crackdown on so-called "dark sites" on the Internet. (BBC)

Those murder-for-hire charges against AC/DC's drummer? Yeah, never mind. (AP)

It was 11 years ago when I made the shift from a "real" job to working in the mountains. I left a good, consistent paycheck, great health insurance and a desk job.

At this time 11 years ago, I was one month into my new life, adventuring the streets of Sydney, Australia, with my 10-year-old niece, who is now in her junior year at Gonzaga. She was showing me the best places to get good sushi, cheap. And I was taking her to midnight showings of haunted IMAX films.

Upon my return to the states, I started my mountain-girl lifestyle as Base Area Manager of the Selkirk Powder Company at Schweitzer Mountain Resort. My life was surreal. I drove more hours on a snowmobile than in a car. I used a chairlift to commute to work. I was new to powder skiing, yet had access to as much of it as I wanted. I lived in ski clothes. I purchased my first pair of Carhartt’s.

It wasn’t until one late afternoon that I realized the magnitude of the decision I had made. It was after dark in mid-December. I was descending by snowmobile from the mountaintop operations center for SPC. As per normal operating procedures, I made the call on my radio, “This is Jen with Selkirk Powder Company, descending from the Great Escape Quad, down the Great Divide to Down the Hatch to the cat-track to the village.” Once I heard the acknowledgement and the response on the other end to continue with my descent, I started up the snowmobile and started to make my way.

As I started down the Great Divide, I stopped immediately. The sheer beauty that surrounded me in every direction captivated me. While it was dark outside, the sun, as it was setting far to the west, was illuminating the sky. The moon was rising to the east, Lake Pend Oreille was covered by a low layer of clouds and was lit up by the brightness of the moon, sun and stars above.

I stopped to take in the moment.

I realized as I sat there, in that quiet moment, surrounded by natural beauty, how this was as real, if not more so, than any desk job.

OUTLANDER serves as a weekly round up of Inland Northwest outdoor recreation and natural resources news. This feature will highlight a wide variety of issues and events, ranging from camping stories to national environmental disputes. We’ll also try to include some scenic photos. Feel free to pass along suggestions or curiosities. The Inlander looks forward to sharing and celebrating the Great Outdoors.

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First off, the Inlander will host its annual Snowlander Expo this weekend with dozens of exhibits, gear booths and the PowderKeg brewery showcase. The event will include a Rail Jam ski and snowboard competition on Saturday. (Inlander)

Local conservation programs looking for volunteers this weekend for Dishman Hills trail expansion work. (S-R)

EPA accepting public comment on updated clean up plans for Midnite Mine until Nov. 10. (TASC)

Meanwhile, thousands of abandoned mines continue leaching toxins and heavy metals into public lands decade after decade. (CIR)

Unnamed sources indicate dead wolf found in Central Washington was shot. (NWS/KING 5)

Meanwhile, a hunter has been cleared of wrongdoing after shooting at a wolf during a tense confrontation in Stevens County. (S-R)

DSLR camera silencers offer ability to photograph wildlife without spooking them. (Outdoor Photographer)

Strong coho season delighting anglers from coast up into Idaho. (Columbian)

State officials extend shoreline restrictions near damaged Wanapum Dam into mid-January. (WDFW)

Idaho Fish and Game Commission will hold its quarterly meeting in Post Falls on Nov. 12-13. (IDFG)

Idaho officials emphasize illegally shooting at game from roadways is not hunting. Don't be an idiot. (IDFG)

U.S. Senate's top committee position on environmental issues likely to fall to prominent climate change denier. (The Guardian)

How the rest of the midterm election results may impact conservation efforts in the West. (HCN)

U.S. Forest Service Chief reinforces policy that journalists do not need permits to film in wilderness areas. (Oregonian)

Antarctic islands now added to Google Street View. (Outside)

Discovery Channel to air "Eaten Alive" show in which man gets consumed by massive anaconda snake. (HuffPo)

Barreling into a weekend full of good things to do, there's good reason to get it started early. Several, in fact, judging by our event listings and Staff Picks. We've perused the activities slated for today, and here's what we found worth noting for Thursday, Nov. 6: 

MUSIC | Top of the list clearly is the show at Knitting Factory featuring Deltron 3030 and turntablist extraordinaire Kid Koala — who is both opening the show and part of the headlining trio. Deltron 3030 collects three regular contributors to the Gorillaz in producer Dan the Automator, rapper Del Tha Funky Homosapien and DJ Kid Koala, and collectively they've made one killer of an album in Event 2. Here's a little taste of their sound: 


FILM | Gonzaga is hosting a screening of Pretty Faces, a documentary about women who thrive in all manner of snow sports. Consider it a must-see for ski-flick fans — boys and girls, men and women. Here's a look: 


WORDS | Aspiring young writers unite! Here's the perfect opportunity for sixth-graders on up: The Teen Writers of the Inland Empire, or T.W.I.N.E., are holding their monthly meeting tonight at the Spokane Valley Library. 

HERE

Spokane's planning director resigned on Wednesday, and some believe he was pushed out of the office. (Inlander)

The VA hospital is limiting the hours it will keep its emergency room open. (KXLY)

A Spokane teacher is the only one in the state of Washington to win a prestigious Milken Award. (S-R)

THERE

Washington's U.S. senators Murray, Cantwell have new committee assignments coming. (Seattle Times)

Idaho's GOP seems pretty much invincible despite numerous campaign gaffes in 2014. (Idaho Statesman)

The state is still counting votes in the class-size initiative, and it's not quite dead yet. (Seattle Times)

ELSEWHERE

The Monday morning quarterbacking for the Democrats after their disastrous election season got off to a fine start. (Washington Post)

ISIS is working in less high-profile ways. (New York Times)

Will immigration reform actually happen now that the election is over? (Al-Jazeera)

WHA?

Dirty deeds done dirt cheap, and for real? AC/DC drummer Phil Rudd was arrested for trying to set up a murder-for-hire. (AP)