The story: The Veterans Outreach Center and the Spokane Valley Fire Department bring 20 severely wounded combat veterans together to share their experiences during four days of healing at the Pinelow Retreat Center in Deer Lake, Washington.

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The story: Bragfest 2009 — The annual potluck for exotic bird lovers was held Saturday in Spokane’s Franklin Park. The event was sponsored by Pampered Parrots Avian Rescue.

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My week (and brain) has been filled with fairies, orbs, healers, telepaths and more fairies. Last week, Spokesman-Review writer Kevin Graman and I, headed to a scenic meadow nestled at the foothills of the North Cascades Mountains in Washington state. Here, 250 people gathered for the 9th Annual Fairy and Human Relations Congress—a workshop driven event—dedicated to connecting the human world to the fairy realm. OK, before you scoff, I was amazed at the dedication these people have towards their new age beliefs. Over four days, Graman and I kept an open mind as we attend workshops on “Getting in touch with the fairy mind,” and another on how to telepathically communicate with animals. The best part though, was the festival atmosphere. On Saturday night a grand fairy costumed parade made its way through the meadow. It ended at a bonfire with participants dancing and chanting: “Release, release, release your sexy beast.” God, I love my job sometimes.

The congress gave me the creative release I’ve been looking for. I only had two days to turn my four hours of raw video into a story. Graman wrote and voiced the narration. He has such a great voice. I keep telling him he should do voiceover work professionally.

The story: Reflections Med Spas of Spokane host Botox parties to entice woman to use their cosmetic services.

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Reflections Med Spas of Spokane host Botox parties to entice woman to use their cosmetic services.

The story: Rich Landers digs into the lure of backcountry skiing in the Purcell Mountains of British Columbia with features in Saturday’s news sections, Sunday Sports and this narrated slide show.

Rich Landers digs into the lure of backcountry skiing in the Purcell Mountains of British Columbia with features in Saturday’s news sections, Sunday Sports and this narrated slide show.

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The story: A look back at how the Great Depression affected Spokane.

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Produced by Colin Mulvany

Think things are bad now? In this narrated historical slideshow, Spokesman-Review's Jim Kershner recalls what the Great Depression was like in Spokane.

The story: In tiny Spirit Lake, kids troop downtown to meet Santa.

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Many small towns have Christmas traditions. In Spirit Lake, Idaho, the town throws a Christmas party for the students of Spirit Lake Elementary with cookies, Santa and Christmas music. This year, the event was Friday, Dec. 5, 2008. The Chamber of Commerce, the Fire Department, the food bank and some high school kids pitch in the make it happen.

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The story: Coeur d'Alene's popular seasonal celebration puts a shining star on "Black Friday."
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It was soggy, rainy and cold, but thousands turned out for the annual celebration in Coeur d'Alene Friday, Nov. 28, 2008. The lighted parade, the singing of carols and the fireworks show have become a tradition that folks don't want to miss on the day after Thanksgiving.

Read Meghann Cuniff's Nov. 29 story.

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The story: Middle and high school kids have a new after-school option.
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Founder Kitara McClure says people are waiting for federal or state funding to start helping teens, but her idea was for a place where teens and adult volunteers can help each other, and donations can cover the rest. She founded P.O.N.Y.T.A.L.E.S. Youth Services, which stands for Positive Outreach Navigating Youth Teaching Adolescents Leadership and Entrepreneurial Spirit, which led to the opening of the new center, a place for teens after school, where they can learn job skills, get tutoring, take a dance class or work in the recording studio.

Read the Nov. 27 story from Voices reporter Cindy Hval.

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The story: Winemakers in our region can brag about the quality of their Northwest wines.
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There are more than a dozen wineries in Spokane, double what was here a decade ago. The weekend before Thanksgiving is the annual Holiday Wine Fest, where you can taste a little wine and pick your favorites for holiday meals and gifts.
Northwest wines are a solid value, say the winemakers.

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The story: Spokanites protest Prop. 8 and in favor of gay marriage.
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Well over 100 people turned out with picket signs Saturday, Nov. 15, 2008 to let Spokane now how they feel about California's Proposition 8, which banned gay marriage, as well as laws in other states that limit gay rights.

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The story: Musicians, dancers and storytellers display their talents at the annual event at SCC
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Since 1996, the Spokane Folklore Society has put on the Fall Folk Festival, a cultural display of music and dance, where spectators can pick from a smorgasboard of entertainment over two days. On Nov. 8 and 9, 2008, 6000 entertainers and spectators flooded the Spokane Community College Lair building. Volunteer coordinator Mary Naber talks about the history of the event what it brings to Spokane.

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The story: The advent of electricity killed the windmill, but some locals are bringing it back.
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Hugh Grim, with the help of his friends, has erected two classic windmills, now in operable condition, in his yard on the western edge of Spokane. These photos show the mounting of his newest one, a 1933 model with a 12-foot fan. There's not much wind there, but he just gets a kick out of watching them spin. They harken back to his own early childhood in the 1930s, when windmills were used to pump water. When electricity arrived on farms, windmills were abandoned. He's saved three of them, two of them for his own enjoyment.

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The story: Local Rotary Clubs pitch-in to help food banks.
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Produced by Jesse Tinsley

Rotarians, Kiwanis and Lions picked apples side-by-side Saturday, Nov. 1, 2008 in the orchards around Green Bluff. Farmers donated the fruit that was still hanging on their trees at the end of the season and the volunteers made sure it got to Second Harvest, the food bank clearinghouse in Spokane.

The story: One of the region's premiere artists speaks about his work.

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Artist Harold Balazs just turned 80 years old and he continues to create a legacy of art, which includes dozens of works of public art. You might have seen his work on the Kingdome, the Lincoln Building, at North Idaho College or by the INB Performing Arts Center. His work is everywhere in Spokane and around the Northwest. He is best known for his enamels--metal panels coated with fired glass--and his sculptures in metal and concrete. His work is mostly abstract and whimsical and his fertile mind continues to fuel new work.