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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Kids’ Fish-In at Clear Lake

Bretwood “Hig” Higman pulls “packraft” sleds near the conclusion of a 4,000-mile hike/raft/ski trek from Seattle to Unimak, Alaska, in 2007-2008 with his wife, Erin McKittrick.Courtesy of Erin McKittrick (Courtesy of Erin McKittrick)

OUTCAST – An annual spring fishing event for kids is set for May 1 at Clear Lake in Spokane County.

For $5, kids age 5-14 will get a T-shirt plus a rod and reel to take home. Then the kids get a 45-minute shot at catching rainbow trout stocked off the beach at the Fairchild Air Force Base recreation facility.

The 2010 Kids’ Fish-In is sponsored by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife with generous help from five area sportsmen and fishing clubs, the White Elephant stores and fishing manufacturers.

Volunteers will rig rods for up to 1,000 kids who will fish in smaller groups assisted by their parents or guardians and event volunteers.

Preregistration required before the April 15 deadline. Obtain forms at Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Office, 2315 N. Discovery Place in Spokane Valley or download at www.gopaw.org

Couple recounts epic Seattle-Alaska trek

OUTBACK – Erin McKittrick, author of “A Long Trek Home: 4,000 Miles by Boot, Raft and Ski,” will be in Spokane and Sandpoint this week with her husband to present a multimedia program on their 2007 pioneering adventure from Seattle to the Aleutian Islands.

The couple coined the term “packrafting” as they carried inflatable rafts to make the many stream and bay crossings.

When the season turned cold on their yearlong adventure, they donned skis and used the rafts as sleds to haul gear.

The couple’s expeditions and environmental efforts have been featured in the New York Times.

The programs are set for:

•Wednesday, 6 p.m., at the Sandpoint Community Hall, sponsored by Friends of Scotchman Peaks Wilderness.

•Thursday, 7 p.m., at Gonzaga University’s Jundt Art Museum, two blocks south of Desmet Ave. on Pearl Street.

Info: www.groundtruthtrekking.org

Gentle creatures can’t weather cold

OUTCRY – Unusually cold winter weather in Florida has taken a high toll on manatees, the big but gentle aquatic mammals with hippo-like snouts and bodies that taper to a flat, paddle-shaped tail.

Since Jan. 1, state biologists have documented at least 431 manatee carcasses in state waters. Most of the deaths are linked to cold stress.

The recent three-month death toll exceeds the record yearlong death count of 429 manatees in 2009.

Wilderness supporters feature film fest

OUTSHOW – The Telluride Mountain Film Festival road show is coming to Moscow and Sandpoint as a fundraiser for the Selway-Bitterroot (Wilderness) Foundation.

The festival features films of adventure, mountaineering, remarkable personalities and important environmental and social messages.

Tickets: $13 or $11 for students. Local microbrews will be served at 6 p.m. Shows run 7 p.m.-10 p.m.:

Saturday, Kenworthy Performing Arts Centre, 508 S. Main St., in Moscow.

Next Sunday, Panida Theatre in Sandpoint.

Info: www.selwaybitterroot.org.