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As a college student who’s only been temporarily transplanted to the area for a few weeks, I completely understand that all of our Restaurant Week coverage has probably made your eyes glaze over more than a few times. You’re not “real adults,” you don’t want to spend your money at these overpriced restaurants. But that’s not how you should think about it! It could actually be a great addition to one of your nights out this weekend. A wonderfully prepared three-course meal from a restaurant you’ve never tried before could be exactly what you need to spice things up a little — make your weekend just a little less mundane. And to be honest, I’ve spent more for myself at Pizza Hut than I did at one of these restaurants (just to put things in perspective). There are more than 70 participating restaurants this year, and more than a handful I’m sure you haven’t tried yet. I already know the excuses you’ll try to make, but they won’t work and here’s why.

If transportation is an issue:

I’ve been in Spokane for about two months now and have done a pretty good job — I’d like to think — of getting around here without a car. It’s pretty simple, and one of the greatest things about participating restaurants this year is that they’re all over. They’re in CDA, they’re in Liberty Lake, they’re in Post Falls. They’re everywhere basically, so getting to one shouldn’t be an issue. And if you go to Gonzaga, EWU or Whitworth, a bunch of the restaurants are right in your neighborhoods, if you’d rather not travel far.

If money is an issue:

Every restaurant participating in Restaurant Week has fixed prices. Your three-course meal will either cost $18 or $28 per person, unless you order a drink (and please don’t forget to tip). So if you’re trying to limit your spending, go for one of the restaurants offering the cheaper meal. Take a look at the menus and make a choice. It can be hard to choose just one, so I’d suggest picking one you’ve been dying to try out but always thought was a little pricey or one you know you love but don’t treat yourself to very often. I totally understand the budgetary issues, I’m a broke student, too. But that’s why your one choice is so important, because it could potentially be your only Restaurant Week experience until next year.

If you’re a vegetarian:

Being a vegetarian should definitely not be a deterrent. Here at the Inlander we have quite a few vegetarians on staff and they’ve enjoyed Restaurant Week just the same. And some of the restaurants that haven’t been exclusively classified as vegetarian offer some great vegetarian dishes too.

If making plans for the rest of your night is an issue:

So many of the restaurants are in the downtown area, and there is so much to do around there at night. Especially during the weekend. Get warmed up at one of the participating restaurants (some of them have drink specials, too) and head out to your favorite bar or club. It’s best to drink on a full stomach, anyway.

There are no other possible issues. There are no other excuses. Get up and enjoy the last few days of Restaurant Week. And don’t forget to share photos of your gorgeous looking food (yes, we’ll happily accept all your foodstagrams just this once) on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Tag #INRestWeek, so we can all see what you’re eating because, of course, that’s the best part.

We all have a soft spot for those heart-wrenching stories of a helpless animal being rescued and brought to a better place in life — it's just part of our human nature. It's why many of the Internet's most recognizable cats have become famous too. Besides being incredibly cute, many of these celebri-cats came from pasts fraught with hardship or a lack of compassion. 

It's why kittens like Mercury and Frosty have emerged as viral stories of early 2014.

MERCURY

A terrible accident left Mercury with just two legs instead of four. Found when he was only a few days old, the kitten's front two legs had been severed in different places and he was missing all but one toe on a back leg. The family who took in the injured kitten to bottle feed and nurse back to health think he was the victim of a weed whacker accident.

Despite it all, Mercury defied the odds, which can be low for even a healthy bottle-raised kitten, let alone one that had sustained a life-altering injury in its first days of life. His rescuers, a family in Oklahoma City, have seen Mercury grow stronger every day, learning to move around on the two back limbs he has left. His chances of adapting to his condition were actually greater than if he had been a full-grown cat, because as Mercury grew, his rear leg muscles were able to gain more strength than a normal, four-legged cat. His owners report on his Facebook page that Mercury is able to play, climb stairs, jump, use a litter box and behave like an otherwise "normal" cat. 

As Mercury's story has spread across the 'Net in the past several weeks, he's gained tens of thousands of followers on Facebook, bringing smiles to our faces with his story of overcoming adversity and loving life the whole way.

FROSTY

Though she's not gained nearly as much recognition as Mercury, this little kitten overcame some pretty rough odds, too. 

It's been a harsh winter in the Midwest, and Frosty almost didn't make it through one of the deeper freezes that hit the region right before New Year's. The 10-week-old barn kitten was discovered near Sullivan, Wisc., nearly frozen to death. She barely made it through the first days of her rescue — dehydrated, malnourished and sick with pneumonia and a secondary infection.

It was touch and go through the first days and weeks, but Frosty has come back from it all, and so far seems to have recovered from her semi-death. Although her rescuer was criticized for trying to nurse the nearly-dead kitten back to health — she's had several other scares since her initial recovery, requiring emergency trips to the vet — her determination and will to live speaks for itself. And one look at the fluffy orange kitten wearing a little pink sweater, with her wide green eyes, is enough for anyone to fall in love with Frosty.

Frosty's owner has set up a Facebook page, Amazon wish list and a YouCaring fund to pay for her past and ongoing medical expenses.
 

Like last year, the Inlander and Visit Spokane invited a handful of local public figures to dine out for Inlander Restaurant Week and tell us about the experience. Read more responses and stories here.

The biggest change to Inlander Restaurant Week after its inaugural year in 2013 was the expansion into Idaho to include Post Falls and Coeur d’Alene. Two of our celebrity diners went to restaurants on the Idaho side of the border, and answered questions about the experience.

Musician Sammy Eubanks and his wife dined at Satay Bistro in Coeur d’Alene. Eubanks says that with a little research, it’s easy to find the amazing restaurants in the area, and the cost is more reasonable that you’d expect.

What kinds of food did you love as a kid, and what kinds of restaurants and cuisines do you prefer today?

Normal kid stuff: burgers, fries, fast food type meals. Today I like a real good sit down meal with my wife. Tastes vary from BBQ to steakhouse fare.

What did you and/or your dining companion choose from the pre fixe menu?

My wife had the Filet Mignon, and I had the Chilean Sea Bass. We both started with Korean Chicken Lettuce Wraps, which were unbelievable. (In larger portions would be a great entree.) The taste and presentation was outstanding. For dessert she had the Mousse Trio, and I had the Bread Pudding. Both were very good.

How would you describe Restaurant Week to your friends and family?

A great way to find and enjoy restaurants in our area that we might not otherwise think of. There were several other restaurants on the list we had to choose from that we will be trying as well.

What was your favorite thing about your Restaurant Week dining experience?

Being with my wife, of course, and trying something new. I learned there are more options than I realize. It’s going to be longer than a week for us.

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Actress Ellen Travolta Bannon dined at Beverly’s with her husband, Jack Bannon, and her visiting brother, Sam Travolta. She praised the atmosphere and wine selection, as well as the food.

What did you and/or your dining companion choose from the pre fixe menu?

Sam and I started with the Lobster Corn Dogs. Wow, just fabulous. Jack loved the Caesar Salad. Jack and I had the Chicken Mushrooms and Truffles — we are big mushroom fans, so our palates were very satisfied. The Creme Brule, rich yet light, and the Chocolate Molten — mmmmm, warm cake, chocolate oozing out, with a scoop of cold vanilla ice cream. Just right.

It is hard to beat the ambience at Beverly's high above Lake Coeur d’Alene — what a view. The restaurant is well appointed, first class, and the service is just wonderful. We had a grand evening. We are planning on visiting other restaurants this week and feel Restaurant Week is a must.

Two and a half years after opening as a year-round indoor farmers and local artisan market place, the Spokane Public Market announced it's closing for business at the end of the day next Friday, March 7.

Board President Torie Foot told the Inlander the market just couldn't financially sustain itself over the long term.

"It was a difficult decision and it made everyone really unhappy," Foot says. "That wasn't our intention and people worked hard to figure a way out of it... We needed more support from the community than we were getting."

The market's 20 produce, food, art and artisan/craft vendors plan to offer discounts on their goods before vacating the space next weekend, and Foot hopes to see a good turnout so the market can finish paying its outstanding bills.

She says the vendor stall rental fees just weren't enough to keep the market in the space, which it rented from building owner Pacific Bridge Properties. Original plans when the market opened were for the nonprofit to purchase the building sometime this year as part of a 15-year lease agreement.

When she took over as board president about a year ago, Foot says she realized that the nonprofit's books were disorganized. A new accountant put things in perspective.

"We were all shocked at the bills and it just became really clear we don't have enough volume to keep up, so we met two weeks ago and realized this was really the best option," Foot says. "It's not our favorite, but [it is] the most honest."

Vendors were informed at that time of the decision to close the market.

Foot says foot traffic slowed down significantly during the winter months, and even more so when neighboring sustainable living business Sun People Dry Goods Co., which occupied the westernmost end of the building, moved out in early February. Sun People is relocating to a currently under construction space at 19 W. Main, which was the former home of Merlyn's before owner John Waite moved the business to an adjacent space at 15 W. Main. It's been confirmed that Black Label Brewing Co. is also moving into the shared business space being renovated by the Community Building and Saranac's owner Jim Sheehan.

The public market's historic brick building on the corner of Browne and Second has two other remaining tenants: a new painting and wine-tasting venture called Pinot's Palette and the yet-to-open Tinbender Craft Distillery.

Foot says the building's owners have indicated they want to retain the Spokane Public Market name, but the nonprofit venture that oversaw the market is dissolving. There aren't any plans to relocate the nonprofit market to a smaller or more affordable space.

Like last year, the Inlander and Visit Spokane invited a handful of local public figures to dine out for Inlander Restaurant Week and tell us about the experience. Read more responses and stories here.

Dave, Ken, and Molly, of 92.9 ZZU fame, split up to cover more Restaurant Week Ground. In order, here’s where they went and what they had to say.

Dave Sposito went out to Spencer’s for Steaks and Chops.

What did you and/or your dining companion choose from the pre fixe menu and why? How did you like it?

My friend and I both chose the petite fillet from Spencers... it was fantastic. It was really nice how the server explained in great detail how the steaks would be prepared. If ever a steak could be perfect, this was it!

How would you describe Restaurant Week to your friends and family?

I love Restaurant Week! I have been talking about it every morning and people have actually been teasing me about it. I like eating out and I think it’s a great idea to get people out to enjoy all the different restaurants our town has to offer.

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Ken Hopkins dined at Downriver Grill with his wife, Trish, and they both chose the Flat Iron Steak for the entree.

Did any particular ingredient or presentation stand out to you?

I really liked the adobo sauce. The dinner came with their signature DRG Signature Salad, gluten free, which was a bonus. It was hard to beat the Bananas Foster Bread Pudding for dessert!

What was your favorite thing about your Restaurant Week dining experience?

Not only were we excited about dining, the restaurant and staff seemed excited, too. It's great to see places bustling.

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Molly Allen went to Casper Fry, where she ordered the Shrimp and Grits and her husband ordered the Flat Iron Steak. She also recommends the Vieux Carre cocktail.

How would you describe Restaurant Week to your friends and family?

Restaurant Week is a great way to experience what Spokane and Coeur d' Alene have to offer in a really affordable way. There is a huge buzz, the city is out checking out the culinary scene for sure.

I think that we have the best collection of restaurants that any town our size could hope for. We are so lucky!

As Colorado reports higher than expected tax revenue from the sale of recreational marijuana and Washington prepares to start issuing licenses in the coming weeks, it's clear the brave new marijuana world is on its way. But there's still plenty of clarification to come, and advertising is the latest area of dispute.

Both Colorado's and Washington's rules surrounding recreational marijuana include strict regulations about how growers, processors and sellers can advertise their businesses. In Colorado, businesses are allowed to advertise in adult publications: "A Retail Marijuana Establishment shall not engage in advertising in a print publication unless the Retail Marijuana Establishment has reliable evidence that no more than 30 percent of the publication’s readership is reasonably expected to be under the age of 21."

In Washington, print advertising will be even more restricted. Here's what the code says:

No licensed marijuana producer, processor, or retailer shall place or maintain, or cause to be placed or maintained, an advertisement of marijuana, usable marijuana, or a marijuana-infused product in any form or through any medium whatsoever:

(a) Within one thousand feet of the perimeter of a school grounds, playground, recreation center or facility, child care center, public park, library, or a game arcade admission to which it is not restricted to persons aged twenty-one years or older;

(b) On or in a public transit vehicle or public transit shelter; or

(c) On or in a publicly owned or operated property.

That bit about the so-called "thousand-foot rule" is key. That rule also governs where marijuana businesses can be located. In this context, it's limiting because publications are virtually unable to guarantee that they wouldn't be distributed within 1,000 feet of places like schools and parks and because newspapers are offered for free inside of libraries.

If that does away with print media advertising, what about local news or radio stations? Brian Smith, a spokesman at the Washington State Liquor Control Board, which is regulating the new market, says that since TV and radio are regulated by the FCC and the drug remains federally illegal, it's likely we won't see pot advertising there either.

"I don't see a channel," he says in an email to the Inlander.

The law does allow businesses to advertise on their premises as long as they follow certain size restrictions and don't appeal to children. Off-site, they're required to follow the rules above. So, a marijuana store could advertise on a billboard, for example, as long as they followed the thousand-foot rule and, again, didn't appeal specifically to minors.

Violating advertising rules in Washington can result in fines and, if repeated, potential license cancellation, as seen below.

Keep in mind this doesn't affect medical marijuana businesses, which are not (at least not yet) regulated by the LCB and which already advertise in newspapers in the state. It also doesn't cover third parties, like head shops, marijuana lawyers or events like Seattle's Hempfest.

If this whole thing leaves you with First Amendment questions, you're not the only one. While Washington's experience remains to be seen, Colorado's rules have already sparked a lawsuit. Marijuana magazine High Times and Denver's alt-weekly, Westword, are suing the state of Colorado, arguing that magazines are “chilled from soliciting advertisements from prospective clients and prevented from making revenue from clients who wish to engage in advertising concerning marijuana-related products and services,” reports the Denver Post. Another case in the state won a similar argument when the state's Marijuana Enforcement Division decided a rule requiring marijuana magazines to be kept behind the counter at stores that sell them was unconstitutional.

Meanwhile, with the onus to follow the rules on the advertiser, not the media, Westword shows no signs of slowing down in carrying ads for recreational marijuana businesses, which have been open in Colorado since the new year. Here are a few pages from their latest issue:

Seven nights down, three to go for this year’s Inlander Restaurant Week. (Yes, it’s technically 10 days.) And we’ve been flipping through the menus and planning nights out just like many other diners in the Inland Northwest. Here’s some of what we’ve tried so far:

EUROPA (menu)

Europa’s bakery is front and center in their IRW offerings, especially in the Fried Flatbread (First Course). Light and fluffy and covered with pull-apart pork and big mushrooms — yum. The Braised Lamb with Goat Cheese Gnocchi (Second Course) is as rich as it sounds — although the arugula cuts through that a bit — and it's a great example of comfort food for a cold night.

EPIC (menu)

Watching the Zags on a TV the size of a cement truck is, well, pretty Epic. And watching while you sample their IRW choices? Even Epic-er. They don’t skimp on the shrimp in the Shrimp Tacos (Second Course), and the bowl of fresh melon is a nice touch. The Peanut Butter Pie (Third Course) is kind of like a Kevin Pangos three-pointer — perfect.

— TED S.McGREGOR JR.

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SARANAC PUBLIC HOUSE (menu)

Saranac doesn’t brand itself as a vegetarian restaurant, but it’s always offered a solid amount of options and a willingness to hold the bacon, please. (This can be a bigger deal than it should be at some places. “So you don’t want, like, any meat on that?”) So, I trusted they’d have a good pairing of meatless options on their Restaurant Week menu. The first-course Lentil Cakes set things off to a good start and were served with an agave lime slaw that helped balance the cayenne in the cakes. But the second course took no such pity on me. The Curried Tofu was pan seared to perfection and beautifully presented, but in the end it was just too spicy. If you’re into that sort of thing, order this and enjoy. If you’re like me, get a to-go box and move on to the real star of this whole thing: the Vanilla Bourbon Stout Pudding. This is exactly what it sounds like: one of Spokane’s best beers turned into chocolate pudding, then topped with whipped cream and a brown sugar cookie. It made up for everything. In fact, Saranac offers its restaurant week menu a la carte, so if you really want my advice, just go with three orders of the pudding.

— HEIDI GROOVER

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BISTANGO MARTINI LOUNGE (menu)

Downtown’s Bistango Martini Lounge serves food. I know, I thought they only served high-falutin cocktails as well. But earlier this week I went out with a bunch of ladies to sample the joint’s Restaurant Week menu, mostly to be able to drink my dessert — the third-course options are all sugary martinis. Under the made-to-look-like-a-starry-night-sky ceiling, we all enjoyed our three delicious courses. I had the Hummus Plate to begin. The pillow-like pita was so warm and I practically jammed the whole thing in my mouth. Next came the perfectly-cooked Roquefort Steak that included cheese and onion crumbs on top with a piled-high side of fries. Last, but certainly not least, was my Lemon Meringue Pie Martini, which I wouldn’t have minded a refill of. All this for $18? Beautiful. Call 624-8486 for more information.

— LAURA JOHNSON

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CHAPS RESTAURANT & CAKE BAKERY (menu)

I’ve long been wanting to try out this quaint, comfort food spot since I first heard about it years ago. But you know how that goes… Oh, we should try that place sometime, and you keep saying the same thing yet never seem to make it to said place. But hey, Restaurant Week is all about trying new places, so here was my perfect opportunity to try Chaps. Since my date and I planned to go the first night of Restaurant Week last Friday, I made a point to call ahead that morning to make reservations… and then found out Chaps doesn’t take reservations. So my advice is to get there early or be OK with waiting a bit. Even on a Friday night, we didn’t end up waiting more than 10 minutes for a table. Since it was busy, we expected our food to take a little longer than usual to come out. This was true, but it was well worth the wait. The portions are generous, and by the time our desserts arrived we were forced to share the delicious Affogato al Caffe, (ice cream with an espresso shot poured over) and take our Peppermint Chocolate Mousse Cake home for later. We had already filled our bellies full with appetizers — we’re cheese freaks so we got both the hot Cougar Gold Crab and Artichoke Dip and the cheese board. Both are perfect share-with-the-whole table dishes, even if it’s a table of two. For our entrees, we tried one of each of Chaps’ choices: the Maple Glazed Salmon and Flat Iron Steak. If you’re a salmon-lover like me, the first dish is a must-try — salmon wrapped in bacon. It was basically my dream dish, and even though the combination of soft salmon with chewy bacon is a little funky, the salty, savory flavors paired perfectly with the sweet maple glaze. If you end up having to wait a bit to get a table at Chaps, I also advise a stop at the bar for pre-dinner drinks. The wine pours are quite generous, too.

— CHEY SCOTT

TONIGHT

Friday night, man. Thank goodness it’s here!

Keith Roberts will be the first to tell you that his band Young Dubliners is not just some Irish band. Yes, Roberts is from Ireland, but the rest of the Dubliners are veterans of the Los Angeles rock scene and the band’s sound reflects that. Roberts’ accent adds an authenticity to the Celtic element that the band — which just released its ninth studio album, appropriately titled 9 — uses as the fuel for its straight-ahead bar rock. There are no gimmicky drinking songs: This is like a pint of honest rock music with a shot of Irish flair dropped in for extra kick. If you’re ready to get St. Patrick’s Day started early, here’s your chance when they come to Knitting Factory Friday. The show starts at 8 pm and is $14. (MIKE BOOKEY)

Some fine folk will be coming out of Mootsy’s tonight when the Pine Hearts, Cold Mountain Yeti and the Holy Broke hit the intimate stage. Show up around 9 pm for the $5 show.

Also of note:

It’s indie duo/trio night at the Bartlett tonight with & Yet, Cedar & Boyer and Adam & Olive. The show is $7 and starts at 8 pm.

Middle Class Rut, Brick+Morter, Dinosaur Pile-Up and the Nixon Rodeo claim space on the Hop!’s stage tonight. Cost is $15 and starts at 7:30

SATURDAY

Vince Neil is hitting the Northern Quest Casino. Yup, he’s still rockin’ and rollin’. Check him out here before his band Mötley Crüe comes through the Spokane Arena in November. Tickets are $35 and up and is all-ages. Starts at 7:30pm

Downtown Moscow is celebrating Mardi Gras early this Saturday. Food events and a parade will happen all day but live music will start at 9 pm. Bands include: Sweatshop Union, Soul Siren, McTuff, Bare Wires and the Fabulous Kingpins.

The Viking is hosting a fundraiser Saturday evening to help raise money to fix the marquee signs outside of the bar. The lineup include, the Lion Oh My, Death By Pirates and Thunder & Lightening. There will be a silent auction and raffle items.

TUESDAY

Around this time last year, Chicago post-metal outfit the Atlas Moth posted online that they would stop in Spokane for a last-minute show — and the hesher elite rallied the troops and threw the guys a great time. When that happens, awesome bands come back here knowing that Spokane is a remarkable place to play. The Atlas Moth has been said to be “militantly adventurous” in their experimentation — drawing from both doom and blues to create a sound that is theirs alone. It’s just as much black metal with a groove as it is rock music with a bloody edge. It’s weird and creepy and totally familiar all at once. Kind of like Spokane. Maybe that’s why they liked us so much. (LEAH SOTTILE) They come back Tuesday night playing the Hop! at 7 pm. Cost is $8.

And last, but not least. Tool is coming to the Spokane Arena Tuesday! Doors open at 8 pm and tickets start at $49.50.

Like last year, the Inlander and Visit Spokane invited a handful of local public figures to dine out for Inlander Restaurant Week and tell us about the experience. Read more responses and stories here.

Author Jess Walter recently pointed out how much the Spokane dining scene has changed in the past few years in his update to Statistical Abstract for My Home of Spokane, Washington. For Restaurant Week, Walter dined at Clover and offered this description of the experience:

The service was great, as usual — beginning with Cameron the bartender, who makes a terrific Manhattan and an even better Bobby Burns, the hostess, who indulged us wanting to swap tables, and the courteous, efficient wait staff.

After the shitake mushroom soup and the Clover salad, we had the wild Alaskan halibut (the mango salsa was especially good) and the grilled pork chop, which was perfectly prepared and was paired with a wonderful red-pepper gastrique. (I once drove a '78 Gastrique, which got terrible mileage.) For dessert we had the orangesicle cake and the salted caramel and chocolate tartlet. (I once drove a '81 Tartlet. It had bucket seats.)

All in all it was a great meal, a great night out and a reminder that while downtown still has great restaurants, the exciting thing about Spokane these days is the way the neighborhoods have become such great destinations for dinner (South Perry, West Central, Gonzaga, Garland, etc …)

HERE

Newly released dispatch recordings give some sense of what information Spokane deputies had prior to fatally shooting Jedadiah Zillmer near the Spokane Valley Mall. (S-R)

Fugitive sex offender possibly spotted in Cheney, EWU students warned to watch out. (KHQ)

New DNA evidence strengthens suspect ties to multiple 1990 killings. (KXLY)

Looff Carrousel and Imax theatre also reopen for the season this weekend in Riverfront Park.

THERE

North Idaho man killed in logging accident identified after being killed by falling section of tree. (CDA Press)

Seattle Mayor Ed Murray sends out memorial condolences for former city director who happens to still be alive. (Seattle Times)

Ferries cancelled for the day due to short staffing and labor disagreements. (WSDOT)

State Supreme Court rules privacy expectations apply to text messages, tosses convictions. (AP via Olympian)

ELSEWHERE

Several workers exposed to radiation at New Mexico nuclear waste dump site. (NPR)

Luxury carjacking ring stole vehicles from New York and shipped them to West Africa. (NJ.com)

Ukraine says Russian troops have taken over airports in Crimea. (WaPost)