By early March, the charm of Inland Northwest winters has passed. Any snow that fell and stuck has been transformed into mud that clings to shoes and tires. Cabin fever has visited many homes, and spring seems a distant hope, and on some gloomy March days, an impossible one.

The State B basketball tournament, held for nearly 50 years in March in Spokane, has always delivered on the hope of brighter days. People step into the Arena during B week and see the electric school colors, and the paint on the faces of eager fans. They hear the boom-boom of school bands and the squeaky shoes of players. Forget dour March. The party is on.

Perhaps the last big B party will be celebrated this March. In 2007, the B tournament will be split in two. The smaller schools, the 1Bs, will decide their champions at a tournament in Yakima. The larger of the B schools, now called the 2Bs, will still come to Spokane.

The Washington Interscholastic Activities Association voted last week to divide the tournaments. The organization had logical reasons to do so. The Arena’s busy 2007 schedule is part of the reason. And Yakima will certainly appreciate the economic boost these tournaments bring to any community.

But logic does not take into account the emotional and psychological ramifications of messing with community traditions. We’re talking nearly 50 years here. The March trek to Spokane is on the calendar of homes throughout the Inland Northwest. Parents of players who participated years ago still come, often rooting now for their grandchildren or their neighbor’s grandchildren. Some of the smaller towns practically close down during tournament time.

And the young people who participate get their chance to shine in front of others — whether competing on the court, cheering from the sidelines or playing in the bands. Students meet students from towns smaller — and much larger — than theirs.

Another tradition that’s bidding adieu to Spokane is the annual meeting of the Northwest Mining Association. The group, which has gathered in Spokane for more than a century, has chosen Reno for its 2006 meeting. Organizers hope to boost attendance by holding the meeting in Reno, where there is a large concentration of mines, and by the attractions of Lake Tahoe and the ubiquitous casinos.

Organizers say the annual mining meeting will return in 2007 and possibly in 2008 and 2009. Meanwhile, the discussions will continue about the best places to hold the mining meeting and the B tournaments in the future.

It’s a shame to let either tradition depart from Spokane. These traditions take away with them much more than just their economic impact. They take away from the spirit of the place, and the hope for bigger and brighter days to come.