A BEER FOR THE PEOPLE
In April, New York-based Other Half Brewing Co. launched a worldwide collaboration beer to support local hospitality industries. The project, All Together, provides breweries a hazy IPA recipe paired with the name and artwork for free. Spokane breweries Whistle Punk Brewing, Humble Abode Brewing and Lumberbeard Brewing have all brewed the beer — the latter joined by Hello Brew Co., Project Craft Brewing, River City Brewing, For the Love of God Brewing and YaYa Brewing Company. All Together is now available in cans from all of the above breweries with proceeds benefiting various groups. (DEREK HARRISON)
A LITTLE SELF-LOVE
We're not above letting readers know when our staff's work has been recognized for kicking ass. In last week's Society of Professional Journalists Region 10 awards announcement (which covers papers in Washington, Oregon, Montana, Idaho and Alaska), our in-house Inlanders were honored among the small newsrooms (15 newsroom employees or less) for outstanding health and science reporting; arts, entertainment and lifestyle reporting; feature photography; and print page design. It's nice to get a "nice job!" now and again. (DAN NAILEN)
NEW STATION, OLD-SCHOOL SOUNDS
It's a real treat when a "new" radio station pops up and fills an obvious void. If you wander to 101.5 FM these days, you'll find an I Heart Radio station outlet billing itself as "Hooptown 101.5" (yes, it's affiliated with the crew behind Hoopfest). More important than the name is what it's playing: lots of TLC, Jay-Z, OutKast, Snoop Dogg and the like. You know, stuff you rarely hear on Spokane radio. Tune it while it lasts. (DAN NAILEN)
WATER WORLD
Post-apocalyptic dystopian reads might not be everyone's cup of tea amid a global disaster, but the genre offers some comfort in a "we got this" kind of way. That's the feeling I had reading Kassandra Montag's 2019 debut After the Flood, set 100 years in the future on an Earth transformed into a global ocean where only the highest mountains are still dry. Myra and her young daughter Pearl traverse this world on a small boat, fishing and trading to survive. They're also looking for Myra's older daughter, Row, taken by Row's father as the waters rose. The mother-daughter pair eventually join a ship of ragtag refugees searching for new life while battling disease, raiders and each others' betrayal. It's a riveting read that puts little struggles into perspective through characters who've overcome serious hardship, yet remain hopeful. (CHEY SCOTT)
THIS WEEK'S PLAYLIST
Some noteworthy new music hits online and in stores May 29. To wit:
Lady Gaga, Chromatica. I, for one, am curious to hear her first album since movie stardom struck with A Star Is Born.
Kip Moore, Wild World. The country cat and regular Spokane visitor delivers a stripped-down (and aptly titled) fourth album.
Jimmy Buffett, Life On The Flip Side. Buffett's not my thing, but a little escapism is welcome right about now. (DAN NAILEN)
Release dates based on latest information available at press time.
