Nicholas Deshais

There are only nine Stout Scarabs out there.

The political rhetoric from the far right is breeding homegrown dangers, and local police agencies are no more militarized than they’ve ever been. Those were the two main points from a speech Spokane County Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich gave Monday night, which was hosted by the Republicans of Spokane County at Central Valley High School in Spokane Valley.

Spokane County has been ordered to issue refunds to about 5,000 Spokane residents who paid higher taxes because of a street levy approved by city voters last fall. County Assessor Vicki Horton and Treasurer Rob Chase said they’re deciding whether to issue the refunds or appeal the ruling. Meanwhile, city officials accuse the county of creating the problem.

The Spokane Home Builders Association, a generally right-leaning organization, has endorsed Spokane Mayor David Condon and Council President Ben Stuckart for re-election, citing the need for "sustained leadership."

NEWPORT – Wind-driven waves on an ancient glacial lake beat against the rocky shore, slowly carving out what we call the Manresa Grotto. I was about 30 miles into my day’s ride, and the cool shade of the cave grotto was on my mind for the rest of the ride, as the sun beat harder and a wind urged my bike to slow despite my wishes.

IONE, Washington – When my day begins, I load my bike with eight liters of water in four different vessels. That’s almost 18 pounds.

COLVILLE – After I crested one of the highest strips of pavement in Washington, I descended into history. My speed reached 25 mph, 30, 35 mph, and I went back in time. First along the ancient footpath that transformed into a wagon train route and then today’s highway that I’m biking on. But I also went from the relatively recent destruction of a forest fire, to the recovery work of the Civilian Conservation Corps, to the days of the frontier when trees were first felled by industry.

The scorched lands around the road leading to Loup Loup Pass are a grim reminder that not even a year ago the Methow Valley was under siege by Mother Nature. Wildfires jumped rivers and highways – the same ones I crossed today. Houses and power lines fell to the flames, and the largest fire in state history threatened town after town, including Twisp.

As we climbed toward Rainy Pass, and then up to Washington Pass, Emma Koenig led the pack. The 21-year-old college student from Portland, Oregon, is riding her bike to Maine with three friends, and I was lucky enough to leapfrog up the mountain with them and their buoyant spirits.

On day one of his 416-mile journey across U.S. Bicycle Route 10, The Spokesman-Review's Nicholas Deshais works out his anxieties and enjoys the view.

Seeking to quell any more criticism over the handling of city money going toward the Davenport Grand Hotel, Spokane Mayor David Condon and City Council President Ben Stuckart announced Monday the creation of a program that would offer city incentives to developers in a “uniform and transparent way.” Condon noted that discussion for such a program has been happening at the city for a couple of years, but the issue came to the fore when the City Council pushed back against Condon’s informal agreement in 2013 offering Walt Worthy up to $2 million for environmental cleanup at his new hotel. Earlier this year, Worthy asked for $318,000 for pollution mitigation.