Cherry Picker’s Trot So Much Fun You’ll Want To Spit

One of the few long-distance races where runners are urged to spit before they run begins Thursday at the Green Bluff Growers Cherry Picker’s Trot.

Kicking off the popular annual Cherry Festival on the orchard-covered hill 15 miles north of Spokane is the cherry pit spit at 5:30 p.m., followed by the trot for kids and adults, and a hamburger dinner.

Growers offering cherries, raspberries, live music, pets, crafts, and face painting, will continue the festival Saturday and Sunday, and the weekend of July 26-27.

For more information, call 238-4902, 238-6242 or 238-4346.

In other events this week:

Today

Spokane business leaders celebrate the start of renovation of the downtown WestOne Bank Building into a new Spokane Regional Business Center, where the Spokane Area Chamber of Commerce, Spokane Area Economic Development Council and Spokane Area Visitors and Convention Bureau will be housed this fall.

Spokane City Council discusses developer Harlan Douglass’ plan to change 46 industrial development acres to low-density residential housing at Crestline Street and Lincoln Road at 6 p.m. at City Hall, 808 W. Spokane Falls.

City of Millwood scheduled to hold public hearing on land-use plan at 6 p.m. at the Millwood Town Hall.

Traffic impact meeting for the proposed Gonzaga University law school and renovation of U.S. Post Office center begins at 7 p.m. at GU’s Schoenberg Conference Center, 200 E. Cataldo.

Tuesday

Washington State University Cooperative Extension conducts a winter wheat tour in Colton with wheat breeder Steve Jones and plant pathologist Tim Murray at 6 p.m. at the Mike Becker Farm on Kopf Road. Call 509-397-6290.

International Auctioneer Championship opens in Nashville, through Saturday.

Intel releases second quarter earnings.

U.S. Department of Commerce releases retail sales for June.

Wednesday

Washington State Commission on Pesticide Registration meets in Richland. Call Catherine Daniels at 509-372-7492.

Commerce Department releases business inventories for May.

U.S. Department of Labor releases consumer prices for June.

Thursday

Business After Hours begins at 5:15 p.m. at the Spokane Airways flight center across the field from the Spokane International Airport. Cost: $5. Call 459-4111.

Friday

George Scott of Intalco Aluminum in Ferndale, Wash., speaks about attaining the ISO 14001 environmental management status at 1 p.m. at Gonzaga University Foley Library. Cost: $25 to members of Associated Industries; $40 nonmembers. Call 326-6885.

Saturday

John Travolta chairs benefit auction for Museum of Flight in Seattle.

Environmental Protection Agency administrator Carol Browner releases pollution control restriction rules.

, DataTimes MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: On the shelf Business Week, July 14: Inside story shows how former Spokane landlord Kerry Killinger has directed Washington Mutual Inc.’s buying binge. Fortune, July 10: Inside story reveals why the real money in professional sports comes from gleaming new stadiums and arenas. Air quality The best airlines in the industry, ranked by Fortune magazine for quality and service, are: 1. American Airlines 2. Alaska Airlines 3. United Airlines 4. Delta Airlines 5. Northwest Airlines 6. Southwest Airlines 7. America West Airlines