A&E

James Lowe, music director and conductor of the Spokane Symphony, left no doubt as to the effect he wished the orchestra’s seventh “Masterworks” concert to have on its audience: It was to feel the joy, the energy, the sense of renewal that comes with the arrival of spring. Thus, he used the Italian word for spring, “Primavera,” to name the program, and then built it up by selecting three works full of warmth, color and energy.

Washington’s own Benson Boone is backflipping his way to his home state for a show in Spokane this summer.

With “Seasons of Glass & Iron: Stories,” Canadian author Amal El-Mohtar has created a florilegium: a gathering of flowers, or in her case, the gathering of award-winning poetry and fiction she’s published between 2008 and 2023.

For Reinaldo Gil Zambrano, the Spokane Print and Publishing Center co-founder and board member, Spokane Print Fest is about all creating awareness of printmaking.

Late on a September afternoon, as the sun warmed the surrounding mountains, I paddled my surfboard past a green sea turtle riding the currents. When I turned around to catch a wave of my own, a spotted eagle ray leaped out of the water, putting an exclamation point on the day.

Flex spaces, those multiuse areas that bend and grow to accommodate the disparate and changing needs of a household, took off during the pandemic. We had to get creative about how we used space when we were home 24/7, making room for work, school, hobbies, fitness and, well, everything else. But they’re still very much a part of how we live now.

Dear Doctors: How do I cleanse my pancreas of parasites?

Dear Annie: This situation has been bothering me for four years and is much more complicated, but I’ll try to be brief. I’m a horticulturist and plant collector and have lived in my home for 38 years. I’ve put my extra time and money into my perennial flower beds, and some of the plants in my collection are worth as much as $200.

Savannah Guthrie is returning to "Today." Viewers of NBC's morning program learned Friday that Guthrie will be back to her hosting duties at the network's Rockefeller Plaza studio in New York on April 6. Guthrie, 54, has been absent from "Today" since Feb. 2, the day after learning her mother Nancy was abducted from her Tucson, Arizona, home. She appeared on the program this week in a taped ...

Few things upset Merlin the pig more than being denied a treat. He will press a purple button with his nose that says “I’m mad” aloud. Sometimes he will walk into the laundry room and angrily shut the door with his snout.

DEAR MISS MANNERS: We have a recurring monthly dinner date with another couple at restaurants mutually agreed on. She is a vegan zealot, and this was not a problem until she converted her husband, who previously considered deli meat eaten over the sink to be a delicacy.

Bill Maher, the comedian and longtime political talk show host, will receive the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts announced Thursday, following aggressive denials from the White House that Maher had been chosen for the honor.

Dear Doctors: In regards to the phenomenon of music and cognition, multiple studies show folks who dance are less likely to develop dementia. This presumably takes the music component and adds memory, movement and doing something to a beat. Every time I see an article on dementia, they neglect to mention dancing.

Dear Annie: My younger sister is turning 30 and has planned a birthday dinner at a trendy rooftop restaurant where the tasting menu is $165 per person – not including drinks, tax or tip. She also wants us to split the cost of a professional photographer.

1 Pullman Market on Main – A space where local entrepreneurs grow, neighbors connect, and the downtown area thrives. Experience small-town smiles, big flavors, amazing artisans, and kid-friendly fun. 10 a.m. Saturday. Pullman Market on Main, 300 E. Main St., Pullman. Admission: Free.

The past couple of weeks I’ve written about bulk materials to improve your soil. This week I want to tell you about the macro- and microcomponents or nutrients that might need to be added to your soil.