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     Using my Flip Video camera at the Spokane Arena on Saturday night.  Chiefs win 4-2! The Chiefs were 5 players short, lost temporarily to the Junior World Championships.  They’ll be back.

FLASHBACK. Chiefs return home after winning the Memorial Cup! I was there in the Arena when the boys returned and still have my shirt.

I was also lucky to have my picture taken with the Ed Chynoweth Cup.

Highlights from the Chiefs victory vs. Kitchener for the cup.

The Free Life - Helping you stress less, live better and enjoy life.
 

Japanese Lecture Series - Tonight 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. Looking to expand your mind? The seventh annual free lecture series on topics of Japanese culture is tonight, presented by Mukogawa students. Hosted at the Mukogawa Fort Wright Institute, Kusaka Memorial Library, 4125 W. Randolph Road, Spokane. Admission is free. For more information call  (509) 328-2971 or visit: http://www.ilovemfwi.com/home/Discover_Japan.html.

I’m always looking to share the best free things in and around town. Got ideas or know of some hidden gems? Send me an e-mail at taniad@kxly.com.
 

1) First pictures taken of planet outside the solar system - Click on the slide show where it reads  “The Hubble telescope celebrates its 18th birthday”

2) U.S. Blocks Chinese Foods - Imports Containing Milk Will Be Halted on Melamine Worry -  (Full Article)

3)  1,500 honor slain Tuba Man in Seattle - (Full Article)

4)  He’s having another baby! Pregnant man Thomas Beatie is expecting again - (Full Article)

5)  Painless ways to cut down your trips to the ATM - (Full Article)

6)  Three ways to build a lean body around the clock - (Full Article)

I was extremely surprised to see several emails today saying we should stop talking about Barack Obama’s race. “He’s just a man, it doesn’t matter. Stop talking about it,” said one comment. I could not disagree more. Obama’s race is still VERY significant - and, worth celebrating for at least a little while longer.

It seems some people in this country have forgotten about the history of race relations in this country. Only 44 years ago, the Civil Rights Act was passed. It was 1956 (after both my parents were born) that Rosa Parks was arrested for refusing to give up her seat on a bus to a white woman. It was 1963 - still in our very recent past - that Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his “I Have a Dream Speech” from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. And, just five years ago - right here in the Inland Northwest - I interviewed Aryan Nations leader Richard Butler when he decided to run for mayor. I knew that day racism was alive and well in this country; I stared it right in the face. And, don’t forget… there are people in this country who are just a generation or two removed from relatives who were brought to this country chained to the bottom of ships; brought here as slaves from their homes in Africa. Electing a black president is a very big deal.

I’m not saying any of us should carry any amount of guilt for the racism that has existed in this country. Unless you are racist yourself, you should not be held accountable for the actions of ignorant people. But, to say race does not matter - that we should “stop talking about it” misses the point of this historic day. Yes, eventually we will see Obama as just another president. But, for now, he is a symbol of how far we’ve come as a nation.

Today’s the last hurrah for the men and women of the 81st Heavy Brigade Combat Team, who wrapped up their pre-deployment training today at Ft. McCoy with a send-off ceremony. After that they’ll be packing up their gear and getting on planes and headed east to the sandbox for another 12 months.

The brigade’s clenched fist is the Spokane-based 1st Battalion, 161st Infantry, which has armories all across Eastern Washington including Pullman, Moses Lake, Pasco, Wenatchee and right here in town.

Now for the unitiated, the infantryman is the guy that holds the key ground on the battlefield. In combat you’re either Infantry or you’re Infantry support.

Now if you’re a tanker, cannon cocker, bulk fuel specialist or supply clerk, before you get your dander up, for those of you that haven’t read this blog before (that means all of you except for my bosses, my wife and a handful of friends of mine) I make that claim because for most of my adult life I was an infantryman. I was an infantryman in the Marine Corps. I was a Mechanized Infantryman in the Army Guard.

There’s a special, albeit dark and cold, place in my heart for 1-161. It was my battalion and Moses Lake was my armory. Many of the guys over at Ft. McCoy right now spending their last days and hours in the United States before going to Iraq are my friends who I pushed hot steel downrange with last go-around.

At first when I heard they were heading back I had survivor’s guilt. I was neck deep in the you-can’t-say-that-in-your-blog with the battalion last time around. I spent a year camped out in the Green Zone running combat patrols outside the wire with them. I was there for the IED strikes, rocket and mortar attacks, firefights and for the memorial services.

I did my time. I did my part. I pushed my fair share of bullets downrange.

I shot this video below the last time we were in-country. Many of the guys in this video are out of the Guard now. Many of them are going back to Iraq within a matter of days. While I’m glad I’m not going (My wife is glad, too) with them deep down inside I feel guilty because I’m not.

Good luck Highlanders. Unleash hell and return home with honor. We’ll have plenty of beer chillin’ and BBQ grillin’ for you guys when you get home.

     What a great way to open the season at home for the Chiefs by beating the Tri City Americans 4-0.  It started out slow but picked up on scoring in the second and third periods.  Surprisingly, there were no fights.  Here’s looking forward to a great season: Go, Chiefs, Go!

    The opening ceremony which included displaying the championship banners also included lowering both the Memorial Cup and the Ed Chenoweth trophy above the ice.  You can’t quite see it but the spotlight above is on one of the cups being lowered from the rafters.

Here’s the sold-out crowd celebrating after one of our 4 goals against the Americans.

Tonight at 6:30, we’re airing the story I shot a couple days ago about 2 year old Annah Ward. She’s the little girl I wrote about a couple days ago who has leukemia and has very few days left. Tonigh, I hope you’ll watch the story and see why this little girl is so special. I hope her story touches you as much as it touched me. She’s a sweet angel who has lived most of her short life in and out of hospitals. Her family is preparing to say good-bye, as she could pass away any day now. This weekend, they’re building a memorial garden, along with state social workers who helped with her case. Below, I’m posting a list of what they need to get it done. They also need help putting it all together Saturday morning. If you can help in any way, please email me at MelissaL@kxly.com.

They need:

-A pond (and a company to put in the pond - this is VERY important to Annah’s grandmother - Annah loves fish!)

-A couple trees and bushes with color (maybe two)

-Brick edging

-Top soil (not too much)

-3 small pumpkins

-2 bonsai trees (these are important: Annah’s grandfather says the trees are like Annah: they’ll grow, but they’ll never get bigger)

We’re still just a couple days from our profile of Annah Ward. She’s a two year old girl with leukemia who has very little time left. I met her yesterday and wrote her story today. Typically, it takes awhile to write a news story (maybe it takes 45 minutes to write a story that will be a minute and a half in length). Today, it took me less than a half hour to write Annah’s story - and, the story is about three and a half minutes long! Sometimes, it’s just easy when you feel so strongly about what you’re writing. Annah’s story will stick with me long after the story airs Thursday night.

We’re doing the story because Annah’s family and social workers want to build a memorial garden for her at the family’s home in east Spokane. The social workers are kicking in a LOT to get this done Saturday, but they need help. When you see Annah’s story Thursday, I’m pretty sure you’ll want to help - and, they don’t need much. Here’s a list of what they need - if you want to donate or if you want to go out and help Saturday, let me know. I can give you the contact information. Again, you can see Annah’s story Thursday on kxly4 HD News at 6.

 They need:

-A pond (and a company to put in the pond - this is VERY important to Annah’s grandmother - Annah loves fish!)

-A couple trees and bushes with color (maybe two)

-Brick edging

-Top soil (not too much)

-3 small pumpkins

-2 bonsai trees (these are important: Annah’s grandfather says the trees are like Annah: they’ll grow, but they’ll never get bigger)

I just met an absolutely amazing family. We shot a story about them today and plan to air it Thursday night. But, I can’t leave here today without sharing Annah Ward’s story with you. That’s because Annah may not be around to see the story we do on her Thursday night. Her fight is almost over.

Annah just turned two and, for the first time in her short life, has been able to spend the last few weeks living like most other kids. She’s been to the fair, her grandpa got her a pet rabbit and she’s looking forward to wearing a brand new Tinkerbell dress. But, in recent days, Annah has spent most of her time sleeping or in the arms of her family. The leukemia Annah’s been fighting for more than a year has taken over. Annah has very little time left. And, as her family struggles to make her last days as happy as they possibly can. Beyond that, they’re working on a way to remember her and honor her forever - and they need your help.

Annah’s life has not been easy. She was born when her mother was just 26 weeks pregnant and weighed one pound, 11 ounces. She spent the first four months of her life in the hospital. She was released - only to return with mysterious bruising eight months later. Doctors feared - then, confirmed - the worst. Annah had leukemia - two different types. The outlook was not good. Annah’s grandparents gained custody of her and the fight for her life was on. Fast-forward six months: Annah is at Children’s Hospital in Seattle, awaiting a bone marrow transplant. They soon determine, though, that her cancer is no longer in remission. She cannot get that bone marrow transplant. Instead, Annah gets a stem cell transplant from her mother and it does not do what Annah needs it to do. Annah’s grandmother packed her up and they left Children’s Hospital. They cried and waved good-bye to the doctors and nurses - and, the doctors and nurses cried, too. There was nothing left to do for Annah. The best thing now is to take her home and let her live out her days with her family by her side.

When I talked to Annah’s grandmother about this story Friday, she inspired me in just a few moments of conversation. She told me doctors gave Annah six moths to live. She said any day they get with her is a gift. She talked about Annah’s smile and how, no matter how sick she is, she still smiles and brightens up a room. I spent the weekend thinking about how I could tell this story - and, capture that smile for everyone who would never meet Annah. Then, I met Annah this afternoon and everything changed.

Annah had some blood work done today and the news was not good. Her white blood cell count is off the charts. Annah is a lot sicker than anyone thought. They now give Annah a couple weeks, at best. Her grandparents say it could be any day now. In the few minutes I spent with Annah, it wasn’t hard for me to see why her family says she’s so amazing. I can’t imagine the pain and discomfort this little girl is in. She’s being fed intravenously and her life is slipping away. Yet, she managed to smile as she played with her grandpa’s cell phone. She lit up (like every other kid) when she saw herself in the monitor on our camera. Even between coughs, she managed to smile at and engage with the family who dotes on her every facial expression.

I’m sharing too much already, but I really am blown away by this family and this little girl. She truly is a fighter, though her fight is almost over. The social workers who have helped Annah’s family are helping them with a permanent memorial to Annah, even while she’s still alive. This weekend, they’re building a garden and pond in their yard that will serve as their constant reminder of the little girl who changed their lives. They need help - and, if you want to help, contact me and I’ll tell you what they need - or where you can go to help build this memorial.

Annah deserves it. And, so do the grandparents who gave up their lives to care for her. You can see the full story and meet Annah Thursday on kxly4 HD News at 6.

Remember the Alamo.

Remember the Maine.

Remember Pearl Harbor.

Remember 9/11.

It’s been seven years since that last rallying cry became a part of our country’s collective consciousness, the latest in an all-too-familiar string of attacks on either our national interests, national pride or our sovereignty.

In the seven years since the deadly attacks against Washington and New York City, 9/11 has become a political football much in the same way the powers that be assessed blame for the attacks on the Pacific Fleet lying at anchor in Pearl Harbor and the sinking of the USS Maine in Havana’s harbor.

What’s long since been forgotten by the pundits and politicians is that in those terrible minutes after airliners were intentionally rammed into the Pentagon and World Trade Center thousands of American lives were lost.

September 11th is a day to remember those lives lost seven years ago as much as we will pause on December 7th to remember the lives lost over 60 years ago in Hawaii.

It shouldn’t be about politics.

It should be about the people our country lost that fateful day seven years ago Thursday.

It should be about Mothers and Daughters. Fathers and Sons. Sisters and Brothers. Grandparents. Husbands and Wives. Police Officers and Firefighters. Soldiers and Airmen. Sailors and Marines.

That’s what “Remembering 9/11” is really about.

NOTE: And to the vandals who defaced Coeur d’Alene’s 9/11 Memorial overnight. There are probably quite a few firefighters and police officers in North Idaho that would love to make your acquaintance. If you have any information on who defaced the memorial to honor our nation’s fallen, please call the Coeur d’Alene Police Department at 208.769.2320.

The Department of Defense announced today the death of a soldier who was supporting operation Iraqi Freedom.

Spc. Carlo E. Alfonso, 23, of Spokane, Wash., died on Aug. 26 of injuries sustained when his vehicle struck an improvised explosive device in Sadr City, Iraq. He was assigned to the 40th Engineer Battalion, 2d Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, Baumholder, Germany.

NOTE: Alfonso’s wife, Rosemarie, contacted us last week with the news of her husband’s death. Alfonso -pictured on the left above - is scheduled to return home later this week for his funeral and memorial service. Full story on SPC. Alfonso’s death here.