Voices

All Saints School will host a holiday bazaar Dec. 5 and Dec. 6 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in St. Peter’s Gym, 3504 E. 18th Ave. The bazaar will include a book fair and Advent items from Kaufer’s Religious Supplies. A Christmas store will feature items for crafts, holiday decorations, garlands, ornaments and more.

The fourth annual Bluegrass Concert will be at The Jacklin Arts and Cultural Center at The Old Church, 405 William St. in Post Falls, on Dec. 13 and 14 at 7 p.m. The event features the Spokane-based Bluegrass band Columbia.

Kootenai County Arthur Scarcello, Rathdrum, commercial, barn, valued at $16,466.

Business and property owners in the city of Cheney may form a Business Improvement District to pool their resources and improve things like cleanliness, safety, promotions and parking. “We’re here to talk about the process of creating a Business Improvement District for Cheney,” said Spencer Grainger, the interim director of Pathways to Progress.

It’s November 16th. Richard and I are perusing the lunch menu at the Spokane Valley Red Robin restaurant. Once we’ve placed our orders and have relaxed, our attention is suddenly caught by the music drifting through this bustling place’s usual noise. And what to our wondering ears … it’s a power-ballad version of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.” We stare at each other, stunned.

It’s November 16th. Richard and I are perusing the lunch menu at the Spokane Valley Red Robin restaurant. Once we’ve placed our orders and have relaxed, our attention is suddenly caught by the music drifting through this bustling place’s usual noise. And what to our wondering ears … it’s a power-ballad version of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.” We stare at each other, stunned.

It’s November 16th. Richard and I are perusing the lunch menu at the Spokane Valley Red Robin restaurant. Once we’ve placed our orders and have relaxed, our attention is suddenly caught by the music drifting through this bustling place’s usual noise. And what to our wondering ears … it’s a power-ballad version of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.” We stare at each other, stunned.

Airway Heights’ budget for the coming year has cuts of $625,000. “That’s a direct reflection of the economy,” said City Manager Albert Tripp. In December, the City Council will vote on the budget, which estimates revenue of $4.38 million.

Attendant Care Registry – Free service matching disabled adults and children with personal-care providers; sponsored by Coalition of Responsible Disabled; 326-6355. Change Point! program – Ideal for women who are separated, divorced, or widowed, have a disability, or who have been incarcerated; provides free training in computers, resume preparation, job interviewing, communication skills, and conflict resolution techniques; sponsored by the Washington State Displaced Homemaker Program; contact Denise McKinnon at 279-6065.

There’s a new twist in the continuing controversy over McGlades Bistro and Wine Bar. The Spokane County Commission was asked by the state Liquor Control Board to give its support or objections to issuing another liquor license to the north Spokane County restaurant, currently at the center of a messy zoning dispute.

Today Free Thanksgiving Dinner - Sponsored by Sodexho Campus Services, Gonzaga University and St. Aloysius Church. Noon-2 p.m., Gonzaga University, Cataldo Hall, 429 E. Boone Ave. Free. 276-7121.

Despite the eroding economy, food banks in Athol, Spirit Lake and Rathdrum say donations are holding steady and they believe they have the resources to meet the needs of the communities they serve during the upcoming holiday season. “I’ve been amazed,” said Sharon Dillon, manager of Rathdrum’s Food Bank and Thrift Store. “I thought there would be a lot more need this Thanksgiving, but so far it’s normal. We have been receiving donations from individuals – people I’ve never heard of before,” she said. “Even in this economy, they are still being extremely generous.” Athol and Spirit Lake food bank managers agreed.

The Hannah Montana “Rock the World” Party scheduled for Saturday has been moved to a new date. All the fun will take place on Valentine’s Day, Feb. 14. The party will be at the Southside Senior Activity Center, 3151 E. 27th Ave., from 1 to 3 p.m.

Holiday Hoopla kicks off with Breakfast with Santa at 9 a.m. at Willow Springs in Cheney. Plates are $6.75. The arts and crafts fair at Cheney City Hall begins at noon. Also during this time is the Kris Kringle treasure hunt for children, who can visit downtown businesses in search of tree ornaments.

Manito United Methodist Church, 3220 S. Grand Blvd., will host “Voices of Thanksgiving – An Interfaith Service,” today at 10 a.m. The service will feature music from the Unity Church Choir and a Native American flute player. There will also be blessings from the Jewish, Sufi and Baha’i communities and chanting from the Hindu and Buddhist communities.

I want to talk about beauty to kick off this Thanksgiving Huckleberries. Or rather I want to introduce you to Berry Picker Toadman, who wrote a beautiful post to beauty in his Synaptic Disunion blog. He began by telling of the beauty he has seen: “I’ve stood at the edge of the Rift Valley in East Africa, and taken in the vastness of the plane below. I’ve stood on Kilimanjaro and watched the sun rise in the east over the Indian Ocean. … I’ve seen the terrifying beauty of an erupting volcano on the big island of Hawaii and walked on frozen lava flows.” He goes on to say that he’s seen the beauty of women, too: “I was stricken by the beauty of a girl in Kenya in 1990, an Ethiopian with small features and skin so dark and smooth that it was magnificent to behold.” But for Toadman nothing compares to a love that is true, real and dedicated. He closed his post by dedicating these wonderful lines to his wife: “For 15 years, I’ve been an imperfect lover to the love of my life. I’ve made mistakes, taken advantage, and taken for granted, what it is I have, right in my own home ... a help mate ... a beauty more wonderful than anything I’ve seen in all the world around me ... a mother to my children and a wife to me. A woman who accepts me, faults, failures, mistakes, and all, for who I am ... and more importantly, who I can be. I love her. … I always will.” Now, what – or make that who – are you thankful for? ‘Idaho’s’ True Meaning

Noah Bratcher, a senior at Mead High School, was recently selected to be a member of the second annual U.S. Army All-American Marching Band. He will join other musicians selected to perform in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl halftime show on Jan. 3 in San Antonio. The All-American Bowl celebrates the top 97 high school senior marching musicians from across the country. It also features the nation’s top 90 high school football players. The event will be broadcast live on NBC.