Bloglander

Posted By Daniel Walters on Sat, Jan 31, 2015 at 11:49 AM

In August of 2013, when the high end women's clothing retailer Anthropologie announced on Twitter, they were coming to Ann Arbor, Michigan, Twitter user Alyse Neal responded with a request:  "@Anthropologie next stop... Spokane, WA! #pleeeeease???"

A year and a half later, it looks like Neal's about to get her wish. 

A lot of speculation has floated around about the Cowles company plans for several of their downtown properties, with Urban Outfitters and Anthropologie leading the speculation. Yesterday, a permit was issued for tenant improvements (TI) to the Mobius Science Center space in order to do demolition work for a job called "TI for Anthropologie,"

That's about as close as we're going to get until Official Press Releases are issued. 

Anthropologie is a yard stick by which other boutiques are measured by.  In 2010, we praised Lolo Boutique in our Best Of issue by saying "Lolo has all the taste and artsy flair of ultra-trendy Anthropologie, minus the elitist attitude and exorbitant price tags."

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Tags: Development , Anthropologie , Mobius , News , Shopping , Image

Posted By Daniel Walters on Fri, Jan 30, 2015 at 1:28 PM

This week, we tackled the strange slot/horse machine hybrids used to help bolster the dying horse racing industry. Legislators and Idaho's Indian tribes didn't raise much skepticism in 2013 when Idaho State Racing Commission director Frank Lamb described how the machines would allow bettors to view information on historical horse races, bet on winning horses, and then make money off of those bets. 

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Frank Lamb, who championed legalizing machines like these, to help save Idaho's struggling horse-race industry, has retired.

But when the machines began showing up at tracks, full of spinning cherries and animated treasure chests, and horse race information typically hidden deep behind multiple menu screens, eyebrows went up everywhere. To the Coeur d'Alene tribe, it they looked like slot machines that didn't even bother to describe themselves as slot machines. 

While Lamb has insisted he wasn't a cheerleader for the machine, we noted how Lamb, a regulator, championed what the machines could do. 

"I can tell you since the inception of this in Arkansas, it has turned things around for Oaklawn Park," he testified in 2013. "It is amazing, the transformation. I believe it can do the same thing here."

Plenty had been written about Lamb's past on the Wyoming Pari-Mutuel Commission in 2003, when the Wyoming state supreme court ruled that similar machines were illegal. (The legislature later changed the law to legalize the machines.)

What wasn't known was that he was simultaneously being paid to lobby for a track in Wyoming, including advocating for instant-racing machines, while talking up the machines as commissioner in Idaho. The Idaho Statesman revealed that on Wednesday. 
 
Today, the Statesman reported, he abruptly retired from the position.

Teresa Baker, spokeswoman for the Idaho State Police, confirmed the story. She says that in August, Lamb announced his retirement, and had planned to retire at the end of 2014. But he agreed to stay through the legislative session and help find his replacement. This week, as he and the Racing Commission were hit by controversy, he decided to retire immediately instead. 

"He decided that it was getting to be a bit much," Baker says. "He doesn’t want anything to cast a shadow on anything the racing commission or the Idaho State Police does." 

While a nationwide search has already been conducted for his replacement, a successor has not yet been chosen, and nobody is holding his seat in the interim. 

Lamb's cell number, which had been working last week, has been disconnected. 

Tags: Greyhound Park; Casinos; Gaming , News , Image

Posted By Trace William Cowen on Fri, Jan 30, 2015 at 12:28 PM

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Before you snuggle into a cocoon of booze and chips on Sunday in honor of the Seahawks, Katy Perry, or both, you should probably consider putting your team spirit to logical use. You'll likely remain buried in various Seahawks paraphernalia all weekend, so why not be rewarded for your supportive garb? Sadly, there are far fewer financial incentives for wearing Katy Perry merchandise, but please don't let that stop you from doing so.

For the Spokane Chiefs fans, you'll want to display your Seahawks pride at the ticket office to receive their special offer of $12 tickets, in section 112. The Chiefs will duel with the Victoria Royals on Friday and the Medicine Hat Tigers on Saturday.

The Harlem Globetrotters are also offering a special $12 ticket deal for select games. Time is very much of the essence, though, as the Globetrotters deal only runs for 12 hours - starting today at 10 am and ending swiftly at 10 pm. The $12 deal includes certain tickets to specific games only, so be sure to check their site and use the code TWELVE when ordering tickets.
Should the sweet tooth start nagging you, be sure to grab a scoop (or 12) of Brain Freeze Creamery's limited "12" flavor — a classic blueberry flavor paired with white chocolate chips and cake mix ice cream. Pints are 2 for $12 through the end of the game.

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Claiming that "someone deflated their prices," Silver Mountain Resort in Idaho is offering $12 lift tickets on Sunday from 8:30 am to 3:30 pm. They will also be screening the big game for all guests.

If a literal high on the slopes isn't exactly your bag, then maybe get a bit more metaphorical by stopping by Cinder. On Saturday and Sunday, you'll get 12% off your greenest possible purchase just by wearing some Hawks gear. Pair your greenery with a bag of Anthony's SeaChips (pictured above), available at De Leon Foods.

Tags: Seahawks , Sports , Weed , Chiefs , Deals , Weekend , For Fun! , Katy Perry , Image , Video

Posted By Laura Johnson on Fri, Jan 30, 2015 at 11:32 AM

Tags: This weekend in music , Nappy Roots , So Pitted , football , Skull Fist , G. Love & Special Sauce , Music , Image , Video

Posted By Trace William Cowen on Fri, Jan 30, 2015 at 11:00 AM

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If you've ever found yourself slothed out in front of the Roku box watching Bill Murray commentate the movements of a groundhog named Phil and thought if only I were drinking, then you should certainly join many others who have shared this sentiment at River City Brewing this Saturday, Jan. 31, from 3-9 pm, for their second-annual Groundhog Day Prediction Party. With drink specials aplenty, your only job is to wear your predictions on your sleeve — i.e. dress for the season you believe the tricky Philster is most likely to reveal with the presence or absence of his portly shadow.

If summer's your game, maybe you should dig up that cut-off Bon Jovi T-shirt and pair it with those cargo shorts that seem to have too many pockets and some canvas sneakers. If you're pulling for winter (what's wrong with you?), then maybe you should just wear what you were already wearing, only with more scarves and some touchscreen-friendly gloves.

River City will be tapping two kegs of Midnight Marmot Imperial Stout (one poured through the Randall) and one keg of Oako-Coco Nitro for the festivities, in addition to $3 pints and $10 growlers all day. They also have kegs on sale ($39 for a 1/5 barrel...crazy). The festivities kick off at 3 pm and wrap up around 9 pm.

For general Punxsutawney-based inspiration, we of course recommend a bit of Bill Murray circa the 1993 ultra classic Groundhog Day.

Tags: River City Brewing , Beer , Groundhog Day , For Fun! , What's Up? , Image , Video

Posted By Kaitlyn Anson on Fri, Jan 30, 2015 at 10:05 AM

Tags: sports , stringtown press , choose to lose , What's Up? , Image

Posted By Daniel Walters on Fri, Jan 30, 2015 at 9:42 AM

Tags: Morning Briefing , News , Image

Posted By Daniel Walters on Fri, Jan 30, 2015 at 6:41 AM

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Spokane County Sheriff's Deputy Brian Hirzel

Last week, Spokane County Sheriff's Deputy Brian Hirzel was fired for improper personal use of county-owned vehicles, the Sheriff's office announced Wedneday. He had been disciplined for similar issues last year.

But most in Spokane County know Hirzel for different reasons — he's been involved in two separate officer involved shootings. The first was on Aug. 25, 2010, when Hirzel, responding in an unmarked patrol car to a vehicle prowling report, confronted Pastor Wayne "Scott" Creach. In a recorded statement, Hirzel claimed Creach had a gun and refused to drop it or get on the ground. After Hirzel hit Creach in the knee with his baton, he said, Creach reached for a gun and Hirzel shot him. 

It took longer than the required 72 hours for the Sheriff's office to release Hirzel's name.

But it was almost a full five days before he was identified as the shooter and it was made public only after questions were raised about why officials were slow to provide details of the fatal encounter.

Meanwhile, Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich fumed over the media leaks concerning the incident. Sheriff's spokesman Dave Reagan inflamed matters when he said, of the slain pastor's son, "I’ve never seen a non-witness be treated so much like an eyewitness. He’s looking at adding zeroes to his check.”

For Prosecutor Steve Tucker, the Hirzel question became a key issue in his 2010 reelection campaign. 

If ever there were a lose-lose choice for Prosecutor Steve Tucker, it is deciding the fate of Brian Hirzel, the deputy who shot and killed an elderly Spokane Valley pastor in August.

If Tucker charges Hirzel with a crime, he risks losing the support of cops and law-and-order types right before the election. If he rules Hirzel did nothing wrong in shooting 74-year-old Wayne Scott Creach, Tucker may add to suspicions that he's too cozy with police and won't hold them accountable.

Tags: News , Image

Posted By Laura Johnson on Thu, Jan 29, 2015 at 4:21 PM

Tags: Neko Case , Bing Crosby Theater , Americana , Music , Image , Video

Posted By Mike Bookey on Thu, Jan 29, 2015 at 4:09 PM

You should bring something to drink to that Super Bowl party on Sunday. That's just what you do, because if you're old enough to drink, you're old enough to realize that when someone invites you to their home to watch a game as enormous as this, you bring something to drink. Those are the rules.

Thankfully, there is no shortage of entrepreneurs looking to set you up to sip your way to a Seahawks victory. Here's a quick guide to the possibilities.

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THE 12TH CAN: HILLIARD'S BEER
This Seattle brewery does some excellent brewing across the board, but caught our attention last season with their 12th Can. It's a pale ale brewed with delicious Cascade hops that's extremely session-able (that means you can have more than one) with a 4.5 percent ABV. Get these 16-ounce cans cold, like really cold, in a cooler pre-game and it will reward you throughout the contest.

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12 MAN PALE ALE: DICK'S BREWING CO.
Available in six packs of 12-ounce cans, there's a cool story behind this beer, brewed by Dick's Brewing in Centrailia, Wash. The guy who came up with the idea for the beer is former Seahawks kicker (1982-1990) Norm Johnson. It's a little lighter in flavor than most pales and the ABV of 4.5 percent is equally tame, but it's another solid game beer and available in most grocery stores.

12TH MAN GROWLER: GROWLER GUYS SOUTH HILL

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You don't need to settle for one of these beers if you'd rather get a harder-to-find, draft-only brew for the game. Just put it in one of these special 12th Man growlers currently available at the South Hill location of Growler Guys, the new beer filling station we told you about a couple weeks ago. They are also giving away a Marshawn Lynch jersey to one lucky customer, so get in there. If you need some ideas as to what to put into that growler, here's a list of beers currently available.

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BATCH NO. 12 VODKA, BOURBON AND RYE WHISKEY: HERITAGE DISTILLING CO.
If the first half is anything like the NFC Championship, you might need something a little stronger than beer to keep your nerves at bay. This Gig Harbor-based distiller is in its second year of distributing its Batch No. 12, a collection of three different craft spirits. There's a bourbon, a rye whiskey and a vodka. Heritage even gives you instructions on their website on how to make Skittles-infused Vodka, on honor of Marshawn Lynch's favorite "power pellets." It's not the complicated. You basically just put the skittles in the bottle and shake it.

Tags: Seahawks , Super Bowl , 12th Man , For Fun! , Image