LILACS to all the kind people who have come out in droves to support their friends and neighbors during the COVID-19 situation. We read daily of helpers extending grace and kindnesses to others. We feel for those in need and those who aren’t sure if their businesses will recover. It’s small condolence now, but we do think when this ends, there will be a rush for shopping and dining again and commerce will explode. In the meantime, it’s a chance to catch up on all those little things and perhaps reflect on what’s important.

LILACS to the City of Spokane for helping downtown restaurants that choose to offer take out food by giving the restaurants two parking spaces near their front doors for quick 10-minute orders. We applaud that kind of nimble thinking. 

LEMONS to the hoarders who continued to wipe store shelves clean of toilet paper and hand sanitizers long after it was stated there is no national shortage and that stores will continue to be stocked. It makes it difficult for those on fixed incomes to get what they need. 

LILACS to the grocery stores that set aside special shopping times for seniors to buy essentials.

LEMONS to the conspiracy theorists who are blaming COVID-19 on far fetched political gainsayers on either side. Minimizing the seriousness of the epidemic is dangerous, not fun.

LILACS to TDS Metrocom for bringing cable and internet to Spokane. We love that there will at long last be a second provider here. Competition is nearly always good for the consumer, and with hundreds of choices in toothpaste, shampoo, and beer, it seems strange that for 40 years we’ve had only one choice for cable. We don’t all want to cut the cord; we just want more cord choices. 

LILACS to Mayor Woodward for signing a lease on a new downtown police precinct across from the STA Plaza in the former Umpqua Bank building. She got a fair deal for 6,800 square feet on the ground floor and we feel it will more than pay for itself in increased tax revenues from businesses that will move in on either side for several blocks out. Cops walking beats and helping the disenfranchised find solutions as sort of street counselors—while making citizens feel more safe—sounds like a double win.

LILACS to Spokane Valley for moving on a significant land purchase along the north side of the river between Sullivan and Barker Road. Large chunks of land (45 acres) along the river is hard to come by and may not come again during our generation. Parks are great for locals, and beautiful parks along rivers are great for tourism as well. Our grandchildren will thank us (well, when they get older they might!).

LEMONS, reluctant ones, to the City of Spokane for placing heavy fines on Lime Scooter scofflaws. We absolutely agree that $15 fines for carelessly leaving them in the middle of downtown sidewalks makes sense, but fining people $118 for merely RIDING on the sidewalk is punitive. Make that fine $15 as well. Some downtown areas are simply too busy on the streets, and some sidewalks are fairly dead. Let’s try to fix poor behavior, not take people off Limes entirely, as they are doing us a favor when they are displacing cars and not taking up parking spaces or creating emissions.

LILACS to Innovia Foundation for changing their policy and not funding donor requests to groups that foster hate. Even though past such donations were at the behest of donors, they were essentially being used to let anonymous individuals fund hate groups. They didn’t fund such groups from their general fund, but they were being used, and have changed their policy. Their reputation is too good to let it get sullied by cowards who don’t wish to make direct donations.