We explored the art of creative resistance with artist Nancy Rothwell, of Colfax, who devoted a series of watercolors to illustrating America’s health care crisis.
Most novel event: A Gathering of Nancys, in Moscow, invited all people with the name Nancy to meet at East City Park. Although Nancy is currently the 839th most popular name in the U.S., according to the Social Security Administration, it ranked in the top 50 most popular names for girls from 1928 to 1971, peaking at sixth in 1950. This means most Nancys are between the ages of 48 and 91. The gathering was just for fun, and the Nancys were not making plans to establish a Nancy-only community in the region, according to organizers.
Best 2019 public art project: Four wall-sized outdoor murals in Colfax.
We devoted entire issues to:
The fight against goathead thorn in the Lewiston-Clarkston Valley.
Cautionary tales of encounters with rattlesnakes.
The moon.
The ’90s, heralding the arrival of Vanilla Ice in Clarkston for Rockin’ on the River.
Inspired by the movie “Green Book,” we looked up a 1962 version of the travel guide that let black travelers know where they were welcome and found one listing for the region, the Lewis & Clark Hotel in Lewiston.
We made up “Seven crucial apps for life in the 1800s,” which included GoinCourtin, “When tragedy strikes and you’ve lost yet another wife to childbirth or husband to disaster, GoaCourtin searches for a new spouse for you so you can focus on what really matters, surviving. Listings are created by well-meaning relatives and neighbors and are broken down into the following categories: well-to-do bachelors, spinsters, recently widowed and girls whose parents or guardians have deemed them old enough for marriage.”
Inland 360’s 2019 contests:
Black and White photo contest
Can You Haiku?
Build a Peeps Diorama
Write a two-sentence Horror Story
Holiday Pie Championship Bracket
Finish the Holiday Letter
Most Popular Story: In “A Tale of Two Countries” the Murillo family shared their personal story of immigrating to Lewiston from Mexico 40 years ago, recounting the hard work, stereotypes, prejudice and racism they’ve faced while building a life here. It drew the most comments of any story this year.
We researched booze flows in Nez Perce and Latah Counties. According to 2018 statistics from the Idaho State Liquor Division, the top purchasers were:
Canter’s Inn in Lewiston, 6,811 bottles.
Mingles Bar and Grill in Moscow, 5,948 bottles.
Favorite reader photo from Share Your Snaps at inland360.com:
The photo titled “Snake River Pyramid with All-seeing Eye,” taken June 16 east of Silcot, Wash., by Dan Aeling inspired some social media conspiracy theories.
Some things people told us:
“The first thing that happens is that it tears you open. It is a good test of your own bravery. But the second thing that happens is that you realize it is like lancing a wound and the light and the air heal it, somewhat.Your choice is to choose bitterness and self-pity or to choose gratitude and trust.
— Everybody Reads author Luis Alberto Urrea on writing about personal suffering.
“... we know that one in every five multi-drug resistant infections is caused by germs coming from the food an animal industry. So, you eat an apple with antibiotic-resistant organisms on it: If those organisms are in your food, you may have antibiotic resistance in your system as well. You probably already have that, but as you get more and more, you may become more susceptible; you’ve built up your reserve of resistance.
— University of Idaho soil microbiologist Jane Lucas on how antibiotic-resistant microbes are affecting our food supply.
“...a lot of people believe (cannabis and THC) are nonaddictive, and that is false. … The estimates about the risk of addiction are about 9 percent. Of adults that begin using, about 9 percent will go on to develop compulsive cannabis use; the risk is 3 to 4 times higher if you start using regularly as a teenager. That is actually true of all drugs that have been looked at.”
— Rebecca Craft, who researches cannabis at Washington State University.
“It’s not just one or two drunks on a Friday night making these reports. These are test pilots, like me; astronauts, airline pilots; astronomers; guys running instruments on test ranges — these things are documented by some of the most credible observers you could ask.
— Dan Nims, chief investigator for the Mutual UFO Network in Washington, which often ranks among the top five states for UFO reports in the nation:
