LILACS to Washington Governor Jay Inslee for signing the toughest distracted driving law of any state in the nation. As a compulsive cell phone texter, I know this law will save lives and I know that some of us need the force of the law to curtail our behavior. The best solution is to put the phone AWAY so you aren’t tempted to check it or answer it until the car is turned off.

LEMONS to City Councilman Michael Fagan for wasting time with his ridiculous notion that chemtrails from jet airliners are a huge conspiracy to release biological or chemical agents into the air in an attempt to (take your pick) slowly poison us, change our behavior, or modify= us into zombie-like automatons. Even if any of that were true, it’s not Spokane’s purview, it’s the EPA’s bailiwick.

LILACS to the Paulsen Center for hiring a pro firm to thoroughly hose down the sidewalk in front of the entire block at least once a week. And lilacs to all the other building owners doing the same. I just happened to notice the Paulsen since we have the Paulsen Penthouse, and I wondered one day why the streets and sidewalks were so wet on a sunny day. I got my answer when I walked by first thing in the morning and I saw them hosing. My guess is that little details like this is why the Paulsen is near 100 percent occupancy in a market with plenty of extra office space.

LILACS to Kim Ashbaugh, the angel of Tubbs Hill in Coeur d’Alene, who picks up trash in the entire park nearly EVERY DAY. She usually fills several large garbage bags, all for a love of the hill and her neighborhood. She would be aghast if first time visitors encountered unsightly litter from party-goers who so thoughtlessly leave their trash. What if all of us would care so much about our own neighborhoods and parks? Could we all make it a mission to bring just one garbage bag with us next time we take a walk and see what kind of dent we can make? Just stash a spare in the car. Let’s clean up Spokane.

LEMONS to those who leave children and pets in their cars on hot summer days. If you’re just popping in to grab a quick item from the grocery store, it’s no big deal, but anything more than five minutes should be punishable by law, especially in cases where the driver decides it’s time to visit a local watering hole to have a beer or three and forgets about the pets or the children. I’d like to see the police summoned after 10 minutes so they can write a ticket on the spot, and if necessary, break a window.

LILACS to Ron Wells for persevering and untangling the complicated ownership mess that kept the Ridpath Hotel in ruins for a decade. A bright shining apartment building will be opening in about a year. And we can ALL visit, because the ground floor will have a French Brasserie as well as the Octopus Gin Bar, both open late at night for after-theatre and after-concert crowds, and both developed by Jeremy and Kate Hansen. If Spokane had its own currency, I’d put Ron Wells on the $100 bill. Baker Construction is doing the remodel and if you haven’t met owner Barry Baker, you haven’t met one of the nicest guys in town. Bravo all around.