YOUTUBE was founded this year, planting the seeds of today's social media landscape. HURRICANE KATRINA ravaged New Orleans, and KANYE West famously said George W. Bush "doesn't care about black people." STAR WARS EPISODE III, REVENGE OF THE SITH is released. Oh, and probably Spokane's scandal of the decade unravels when the Spokesman-Review reveals that Mayor JIM WEST used his office to lure young men he was interested in, leading to his eventual recall.
MURDERED IN JAIL
In the June 16 issue, writer Leah Sottile tells the tragic story of CHRIS RENTZ, a 21-year-old sent to jail, where he was murdered by a cellmate who was a six-time felon. Why was Rentz there at all? Because his mother couldn't pay $23 in gas and Rentz allegedly slapped the gas attendant's hand away. The story explores Rentz' life and investigates why someone with a minor charge like Rentz would be put in a cell with mentally ill and violent criminals. Sheriff Mark Sterk and county leaders grapple with jail overcrowding and the mental health of inmates, and Rentz's family grapples with how Chris fell through the cracks.
HEALTH TO HOME
One of the Inlander's most popular sections used to be called "Healthy Living." In 2004, the Inlander took it a step further and put an insert into the paper called "InHealth." That was a hit, and in 2005 the Inlander launched INHEALTH as a bimonthly magazine. The first issue ever had stories looking into how to get enough vitamin D, how to manage stress through meditation and what stem cells can offer. This year, we opted to transition InHealth to our bimonthly HEALTH & HOME, with more of a focus on, you guessed it, the home.
THINGS WE'RE NOT PROUD OF
Cuba Gooding Jr. was in Spokane to film END GAME, a movie that has obviously been quickly forgotten. You may remember the Jim West scandal, but do you remember the controversy over the SPOKESMAN-REVIEW hiring a consultant to pretend to be a 17-year-old boy and flirt with West. And the Inlander dedicated one issue to answering one of those tough questions all good reporters ask: Why is Spokane SO BROKE?
WHAT BROWN DID FOR US
At the height of his powers, we talked to Gonzaga star ADAM MORRISON about what it's like to shoot himself with insulin. We met musician ANDREW BIRD before it was cool. And we decided to follow then-state Senate Majority Leader LISA BROWN in Olympia for a day.
