The SPACE SHUTTLE COLUMBIA exploded Feb. 1, and Spokane's own astronaut Michael P. Anderson was among seven crew members killed. In April, scientists completed the HUMAN GENOME PROJECT, an effort to understand human DNA composition. SADDAM HUSSEIN was captured in Iraq, and ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER was elected California governor. Apple launched iTUNES, forever changing the music industry, and THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RETURN OF THE KING finally brought Peter Jackson's Rings trilogy to a close.
PICKY EATERS
Our July 17 cover story, "FOOD FIGHT," tackled genetically modified agriculture. The story went in depth on everything from the safety of these "new" foods to battles over labeling GM foods (or, conversely, labeling that your product is free of any genetic monkey business) to the importance of patenting on GM crops. Read the story today, and it's striking how most of the issues covered are still being argued about.
TUNING UP
In our Feb. 6 issue, we took on "the state of the scene" with a LOCAL MUSIC ISSUE that looked at Spokane's tunes from all angles. Too Slim & the Taildraggers graced the cover with a photo at the long-gone B-Side, but some of the other bands listed feature names not heard in a spell: Girls With Moustaches, Honest Abe and the Gettysburg Addresses and Ronnie James Trio. CD reviews intermingled with profiles of bands like rap duo OutSpokane. And writer Clint Burgess wrote of one memorable Tuesday night that February when he visited "Spokane's biggest-drawing live act," Five Foot Thick, as they played all-ages club Real Soda and Myles Kennedy (then of the Mayfield Four) joined them on stage, while at Fat Tuesday's controversial Miami rap crew 2 Live Crew were entertaining all the Lilac City's "super freaks."
NEW CITIES, FAMOUS FACES
TONY SHALHOUB (Monk) dropped by Spokane to introduce Made Up, an indie film he directed, at River Park Square 20 (Sept. 11). SPOKANE VALLEY underwent growing pains as it transitions into being its own city (Nov. 20). A profile of ST. GERTRUDE'S MONASTERY near Cottonwood, Idaho, delved into living a monastic life "in an era of do-it-yourself sexuality, sexual liberation and rampant materialism" (March 20).
THE PEOPLE WE MET
Spokane's DOUG BEANE shared harrowing tales of working with Afghan refugees fleeing the war that erupted post-9/11 in our Jan. 9 issue. Spokane Mayor JOHN POWERS sat down for a long conversation with the Inlander in our March 20 issue as he sought a second term (he didn't get it). CATHY ROGINSKI told us about her career as a "graveside hostess" helping families cope with death in our Last Word feature on June 26.
