Near-deadly asteroid sparks gathering tonight

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A giant space rock passing near Earth today in a cosmic near-collision has sparked — naturally — plans for happy hour.

If you didn't get to participate in Carmageddon, Snowpocalypse, or any other recent atmospheric or man-made excuse to socialize, head to the Red Lion River Inn tonight at 5:30.

There, Lance Kissler and other area social-media denizens will hang out, shoot the (universal) breeze and talk shop.

"Social media chat, maybe some space, asteroids, astronomy, maybe some talk about aliens, I don't know," Kissler says. "Maybe we'll talk about the elections, too."