Doug Clark

All Stories

Opinion >  Column

Doug Clark: Bubblegum warrant beats getting chewed out by My Old Man

Thu., Jan. 15, 2015

So the Kootenai County prosecutor has admitted that putting a warrant out on a 9-year-old who’s accused of grabbing bubblegum from a grocery store was not, um, warranted. “I have concluded that my office’s request to have an arrest warrant issued was a mistake under the circumstances,” said Barry McHugh.

Opinion >  Column

Doug Clark: ‘8th Man’ not exactly City Council’s biggest fan

Tue., Jan. 13, 2015

Is the Spokane City Council ready for a brave new era of fan worship? The signs seemed to be there Monday night. For the second week in a row, City Hall was busier than a Nordstrom half-yearly sale.

News >  Spokane

Remembering Charlie with random acts of free speech

Sun., Jan. 11, 2015

Paris, if the Internet can be believed, is 4,872 miles away from Spokane.

Opinion >  Column

Doug Clark: Boisterous City Council meeting should boost ratings

Thu., Jan. 8, 2015

It’s only natural to be a bit nervous at the start of a new year, wondering whether the next 12 months will be a boom or a bust. But though 2015 is barely a week old, I will say with confidence that Spokane is in for a banner year, at least as far as City Hall is concerned.

Opinion >  Column

Doug Clark: Ragtag group in Paraguay receives Dutch’s instruments

Tue., Jan. 6, 2015

One last detail before we finally heave that last spade full of earth atop 2014: Those impoverished yet multitalented young members of Paraguay’s Recycled Orchestra finally got their much-needed instruments from Spokane.

Opinion >  Column

Doug Clark: Maybe those Sony hackers had a point about stopping ‘The Interview’

Sun., Jan. 4, 2015

I’d like to thank the scores of patriots who joined my recent crusade to get “The Interview,” a comedy about the assassination of North Korea’s Kim Jong-un, released to holiday moviegoers everywhere. Yay! Obviously, we succeeded.

Opinion >  Column

Doug Clark: Beware, the bestowing of the Budnicks begins

Thu., Jan. 1, 2015

Welcome, my manic minions, to the 27th airing of the Budnick Awards. 27th?

Opinion >  Column

Doug Clark: Treating Christmas fliers to random acts of kindness

Thu., Dec. 25, 2014

Cathy Parker, of Wichita, Kansas, gave me one of those raised-eyebrow looks. You know, the kind you’d normally give to an intrusive panhandler, pushy politician or a sidewalk preacher who wants to save your soul.

Opinion >  Column

Doug Clark: Yes, Virginia, Santa may be real, but better ask your folks

Tue., Dec. 23, 2014

To Santa … Or not to Santa?

Opinion >  Column

Doug Clark: Sony, give us back our Rogen-Franco Christmas

Sun., Dec. 21, 2014

I don’t believe for a nanosecond that a corporation like the great and all-powerful Sony would pull the plug on the Christmas Day release of the “The Interview” movie over fears about what North Korea might do. Sony, I believe, is way more afraid of what we moviegoers might do should any North Korean reprisals actually occur.

Opinion >  Column

Doug Clark: They’ll drive you to tears, fears – and gritted teeth

Tue., Dec. 16, 2014

Based on the caravan of emails that rolled in, I apparently hotwired a nerve last week by asking readers to send me their favorite tales about Spokane’s notorious bad drivers. “Wow, you sure do know how to up my pressure, white knuckle it and make me grit my teeth,” wrote Darlene Norton, who could have been sideswiped at a four-way stop thanks to an out-of-turn road hog.

Opinion >  Column

Doug Clark: Acceptance key to couple’s 70-year marriage

Sun., Dec. 14, 2014

The big December countdown has begun. We’re seven days away from the 70th wedding anniversary of Lonnie and Peg Roe.

Opinion >  Column

Doug Clark: Spokane Standoff leads to Road Rage Confidential

Thu., Dec. 11, 2014

Found myself facing one of our most treacherous civic situations the other night: a four-way stop with all lanes occupied, otherwise known as... A Spokane Standoff.

Opinion >  Column

Doug Clark: Bad news isn’t always ahead, Spokane; savor the moment

Tue., Dec. 9, 2014

The weather outside is anything but frightful. Gas prices are no longer spiteful. My Eagles are winning.

Opinion >  Column

Doug Clark: Blythe Thimsen’s ‘Spokane’s Stories’ delves into local lore

Sun., Dec. 7, 2014

Considering the sad state of print these days, I’m probably lucky that Blythe Thimsen hasn’t sued me for helping jump-start her journalism career. Au contraire. Thimsen, editor of Spokane Coeur d’Alene Living magazine for the last 10 years, gave me an appreciative shout-out in a recent issue.

Opinion >  Column

Doug Clark: Let me count the ways list lunacy is driving me batty

Thu., Dec. 4, 2014

Three reasons why an online fad threatens normal discourse between human beings and will lead to the decline of civilization as we know it: 1. The Internet is overrun with writers who apparently can no longer communicate unless it’s in the form of a catchy list.

Opinion >  Column

Doug Clark: Professor Pilgrim talks Thanksgiving dinner and Grumpy Cat

Thu., Nov. 27, 2014

Why let a turkey into the band? Cuz of the drumsticks, man.

Opinion >  Column

Doug Clark: New grandpa has this gift thing in the (plastic) bag

Tue., Nov. 25, 2014

SAN FRANCISCO – The Clarks arrived here Monday morning bearing gifts for the new child. As I mentioned several columns ago, my beautiful daughter, Emily, recently brought into the world a healthy, sweet 7-pound baby girl, our first grandchild.

Opinion >  Column

Doug Clark: Right time, right place, right man for the job

Sun., Nov. 23, 2014

A million-plus Americans have heart attacks each year. Bob Rowles joined these sobering numbers on a hard court about 11:30 a.m. on Nov. 14.

Opinion >  Column

Doug Clark: Humble picker changed Spokane music scene

Thu., Nov. 20, 2014

Frank Wagner called JayDean Ludiker last Sunday night with instructions. “You’re in charge of the music at my service,” the dying man told his longtime friend, adding that they would get together later this week to go over tunes.

Opinion >  Column

Doug Clark: The true meaning of ‘Couged’ and other juicy Washington facts

Tue., Nov. 18, 2014

Like anyone with an email address, I get a lot of garbage mail from people I barely know. For some reason, people think it’s cute to send me corny jokes or touching stories or notices of late payment on my Visa bill.

Opinion >  Column

Doug Clark: Spokane contestant deserves comedy crown

Sun., Nov. 16, 2014

A herd of traveling comics stampeded into the Bing Crosby Theater the other night and, boy, were their feet sore. Sorry. With material that lame, it’s obvious I wasn’t participating in this Spokane leg of the 35th annual Seattle International Comedy Competition.

Opinion >  Column

Doug Clark: Planning director’s plight not at top of my mind

Thu., Nov. 13, 2014

Spokane may never get the straight skinny behind last week’s forced resignation of city planning director Scott Chesney. Some mysteries (i.e. Jimmy Hoffa, Amelia Earhart, KFC’s secret spices …) are probably better off unknown.

Opinion >  Column

Doug Clark: Veteran’s last wish granted by anonymous donor

Tue., Nov. 11, 2014

This old soldier didn’t quite make it to Veterans Day. Jim Ayers’ failing heart gave its final beat Aug. 7.

Opinion >  Column

Doug Clark: South Hill attic held doctor’s century-old papers

Sun., Nov. 9, 2014

A chest filled with lost pirate plunder would’ve been more of a National Geographic discovery, to be sure. Ditto for a bag of D. B. Cooper’s missing cash.