Three things we’ll be talking about this week

1. As 2009 comes to a close, we’ll be looking back at some of the people who made the year memorable. Beginning Thursday, The Spokesman-Review will revisit some of the most popular stories of the year in a series called “Checking In.”

2. For some people, it just isn’t Christmas without a trip to the movies. This year, film fans will have some tantalizing options that day, including Robert Downey Jr. in “Sherlock Holmes,” Meryl Streep in “It’s Complicated,” Daniel Day-Lewis in “Nine” and George Clooney in “Up in the Air.”

3. The Washington State University men’s basketball team heads to Seattle for the final game of the preseason. The Cougar Hardwood Classic will pit the 9-2 Cougs against the 8-2 Tigers of Louisiana State at Key Arena. The Cougs will then take a break before Pac-10 play, hosting Oregon on New Year’s Eve.