Ed Condran

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A&E

The Stones roll on with ‘Goats Head Soup’ reissue

UPDATED: Thu., Sept. 3, 2020

"Goats Head Soup" might be held in greater regard if the Rolling Stones' 15th studio album wasn't released after what is arguably the finest run in rock history. As the Beatles were disintegrating, the Rolling Stones released "Beggars Banquet" in December 1968, which is the iconic act's first brilliant offering.

A&E

Who’s causing disruptive behavior at Priest Lake? Hint: ‘North America’s monkeys’

UPDATED: Tue., Sept. 1, 2020

What animal in the woods is disrupting the sleep of vacationers at the same time each morning? A bear? A deer? A moose? No! Note even Bullwinkle could pull off what a small rodent in Priest Lake is accomplishing each morning.

A&E

Dad Daze: Tattoos leave a lasting mark

Mon., Aug. 31, 2020

It wasn't surprising that my son Milo asked about tattoos. After arriving a few months ago from Philadelphia, we couldn't help but notice that the tattoo culture is much bigger in Spokane than it is back East. After a baseball tournament in Idaho last month, Milo, 15, told me that he and his teammates were discussing body art.

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News >  Spokane

Spokane artist Tom Bowman succumbs to heart attack at Colchuck Lake

UPDATED: Sun., Aug. 30, 2020

One of life’s great mysteries is innate ability. Graphic artist Tom Bowman waxed about that mysterious subject at the end of his biography on his website. “Art, to me, is a God-given gift,” Bowman wrote. 

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‘Spokane has come a long way, and so have I’: Cheney’s Andrew DeCesare is making his ‘Rogue’ mark in Hollywood

UPDATED: Fri., Aug. 28, 2020

Many fledgling filmmakers have big dreams. However, few have the gumption to make those fantasies a reality. The reason is often that the risk is huge, and giving up security is overwhelming. Cheney's Andrew DeCesare had doubts, but he never stopped while second guessing himself all the way to Los Angeles.

A&E

Spokane Comedy Club stays afloat by becoming Spokane Shake Co.

UPDATED: Tue., Aug. 25, 2020

It's not easy shaking off Gov. Jay Inslee's ban on live entertainment if you own a venue in Washington. Adam Norwest, who is the president of the Spokane Comedy Club, is doing what he can to keep the venue afloat after five dormant months courtesy of the novel coronavirus.

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Dad Daze: Spokane youth hockey is alive and well

UPDATED: Tue., Aug. 25, 2020

When I crafted my last column and noted that I was unable to find youth ice hockey options for my son, Milo, in Spokane, I was hit with welcome responses. I was hoping folks would provide leads, and they did just that.

A&E

Help (or not)! The beetles invade Priest Lake

UPDATED: Sun., Aug. 23, 2020

When the Beatles invaded America in 1964, they were greeted by onrushing fans. When the beetles invaded Priest Lake this past week, it had the opposite effect.

A&E

A nearby escape: Coeur d’Alene Resort offers amenities for singles and families

UPDATED: Sun., Aug. 23, 2020

When the blazing summer sun is drying off the droplets from the saltwater pool at the Coeur d'Alene Resort, it seems as if nothing has changed. The heated pool is a wonderful contrast from the brisk but refreshing lake, which is the centerpiece of the picturesque destination.

News >  Business

Spokane music venue the Pin announces closure

UPDATED: Sat., Aug. 22, 2020

The Pin has dropped from the ranks of Spokane’s music scene. The music venue’s owner, Chelsey Heidenreich, announced Friday afternoon via Facebook that the club at 412 W. Sprague Ave. has permanently closed its doors.

A&E

Coeur d’Alene Casino offers culinary, culture and activities

UPDATED: Thu., Aug. 20, 2020

The bright lime green and hot pink colors of the costumes worn by the indigenous dancers were a wonderful contrast to the high blue sky on a picture perfect night at the Coeur d'Alene Casino Resort Hotel. The dancers gyrated to the primal beat provided by local percussionists.

A&E

Bark, A Rescue Pub provides a tail-wagging dining experience

UPDATED: Tue., Aug. 18, 2020

Perhaps underselling the menu at Bark, A Rescue Pub, is a wise move. When Josh Wade, the owner of Bark, described the fare at his latest restaurant as "elevated pub fare," he failed to give the culinary delights their proper due.

A&E

Barks and bites: New Bark, A Rescue Pub features food (for humans) and animal adoptions

Mon., Aug. 17, 2020

Animal lovers are looking for a different type of bite at Bark, A Rescue Pub, one of the world's first restaurants that allows dog and cat adoption. The barks go right along with the bites at the pub, which officially opened Thursday.

A&E

Dad Daze: My kids have embraced skateboarding at Riverfront Park

UPDATED: Tue., Aug. 18, 2020

"Don’t focus on what you lack, focus on what you possess" is what my father told me after I complained as a teenager. I dusted off that phrase when my son Milo recently asked about club and school ice hockey in Spokane.

A&E

Who is the latest mega-star getting ‘Good Vibrations’ in Coeur d’Alene?

UPDATED: Mon., Aug. 17, 2020

Kim Kardashian, Shaquille O'Neal and Wayne Gretzky are among the rich and famous who have vacationed recently in Coeur d'Alene. The latest superstar who breathes rarified air and who has decided to take a hiatus from Hollywood to hang in Northern Idaho is Mark Wahlberg.

A&E

Summer of safety: Whitewater rafting and rappelling are less risky outdoor options for travel

UPDATED: Mon., Aug. 17, 2020

The compulsion to embark on a vacation is understandable, but this is the summer of safety first. Families want to take a trip, but there is a great deal of uncertainty with the novel coronavirus. 

A&E

From the heart: Bryan White headlines virtual MultiCare cancer benefit with Wade Hayes, Craig Campbell

UPDATED: Sat., Aug. 15, 2020

Live performance is like walking for Bryan White, who normally is on the road at least 200 dates a year. However, White has only had two shows since the pandemic changed everything in March. The country singer-songwriter performed in Panama City, Florida, and Dallas in June.

A&E

Teacher and saxophonist David Larsen is driven to keep alive legacy of jazz great Gerry Mulligan

UPDATED: Thu., Aug. 13, 2020

David Larsen sported an ear-to-ear grin when he jammed with the Gerry Mulligan All-Stars in January at Spokane Falls Community College. The baritone saxophonist was living out a fantasy performing with grizzled but gifted musicians such as pianist Bill Mays, drummer Ron Vincent and bassist Dean Johnson.

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Health at home: Exercise helps alleviate students’ anxiety as online learning is on the horizon

UPDATED: Sat., Aug. 15, 2020

"The impact on children who exercise at least an hour a day is huge," Darius Howard, district manager of Spokane's MUV Fitness, said while calling from his North Spokane home. "Exercise is a form of stress. But it's a good form of stress."

A&E

Catch of the day in Priest Lake: an orange bowling ball?

Mon., Aug. 10, 2020

Hannah Opal wasn't sure what was bobbing on the surface of Priest Lake on a picture-perfect Sunday afternoon. Was it a severed ginger head a la Ed Sheeran or an optical illusion?

A&E

Dad Daze: To reside in seller’s market Spokane or our very own private Idaho?

Mon., Aug. 10, 2020

If it were up to my son Milo, we would be living in our own private Idaho. Relocating and starting a search for a home just as a pandemic commenced has been as difficult as you can imagine.

A&E

‘I have different dialects with music’: Spokane scene is home for singer-songwriter Olivia Brownlee

UPDATED: Fri., Aug. 7, 2020

Garrin Hertel can be pretty persuasive. When the Spokane musician was chatting up vocalist-multi-instrumentalist Olivia Brownlee about philosophy and pop culture during a phone chat in 2017, Hertel asked an innocent question that changed her life.

A&E >  Music

Paul McCartney is on fire with ‘Flaming Pie’

UPDATED: Thu., Aug. 6, 2020

Death can be one of the best career moves for a rock star. Jimi Hendrix, Kurt Cobain and Amy Winehouse kept ascending as recording artists when they passed. Each remains on a pedestal.

A&E

Dad Daze: Seeing Spokane through my children’s eyes

Mon., Aug. 3, 2020

When I signed on with The Spokesman-Review in March, my timing was impeccable. It was just a week before the novel coronavirus changed everything. What an unusual way to become acquainted with a city that basically shuttered shortly after I arrived.

A&E

Lollapalooza 2020 goes on as a virtual event

UPDATED: Thu., July 30, 2020

Lollapalooza 2020 is one of the many mega music festivals that canceled ticket sales this year due to the novel coronavirus. However, the show, which was slated for this weekend, will go on, albeit in a virtual manner.