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Happy Friday, Spokane. In today’s edition: Fairer taxation priorities, Terrain’s BrrrZAAR, brunch with Santa, and more. Let’s get to it!
— Cait Baker
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📰 In the news
City advances equity-minded priorities: The Spokane City Council adopted a resolution outlining its 2026 state legislative and budget priorities, emphasizing fairer taxation, consumer protections, infrastructure and housing, and expected benefits for historically marginalized communities — read the full story.
How leaders plan investments: Spokane Valley’s City Council approved a $148.4 million 2026 budget in a 6-1 vote, prioritizing public safety, infrastructure and housing, with $47.9 million in capital projects largely grant-funded — see where the money goes.
Interagency rescue response underway: Spokane sent a six-member swift-water rescue team to Snohomish County after the state requested assistance amid flooding. Authorized by Mayor Lisa Brown, team arrived Wednesday evening and duration remains unclear — read the full story.
Compare rates for free: The national average for car insurance is around $175 per month. Paying more than that? Same, so I did some shopping around and ended up cutting my premium in half. If you haven’t checked in a while, you’re probably overpaying too — here’s the comparison tool I used.
Identity theft is up 25%: Last year, Americans lost $12.5 billion to ID theft & fraud, and the stories behind those numbers are brutal. My friend just told me his dad’s on his fourth replacement credit card. Other folks have woken up to empty bank accounts or their personal info dumped online after a breach. Aura catches these kinds of attacks early by monitoring for new accounts, weird money movements, leaked data, and other red flags so you’re alerted before things blow up — learn more about it here.
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🫶 We got your back
Cheerful community gathering: On Saturday, December 13, 9 am to noon, Spokane’s Breakfast & Photos with Santa serves up pancakes, eggs, and holiday cheer for all ages. Admission: free for 5 and under, $5 for ages 6-12, $10 for 13+. Pro photos on the spot, kids’ activities and gifts, $1 raffles, music, and free parking. See time, costs, and activities.
Fun for all ages: Riverfront Spokane is hosting a family-friendly New Year’s Eve at Riverfront Park on Wednesday, Dec. 31. Enjoy an early countdown at 8 p.m. with fireworks at 9 p.m., plus a separate midnight countdown for night owls. A low-stress way to celebrate together without keeping the kids up too late. Get all the event details.
Fresh cut, zero fuss: When your bangs stage a coup, The Studio Spokane is a collective of independent stylists offering thoughtful cuts, color, blonding, and extensions, plus lashes and skincare, inside a very pink storefront. Specialists for every hair goal, so you leave swishy.
Thinning hair? Same: I’ve been shedding a lot, and recently noticed my ponytail feeling thinner. After way too much panic-Googling, I decided to take Hers’ online quiz. They recommended a Biotin + Minoxidil green-apple gummy for regrowth and overall hair health. The whole thing was surprisingly easy: just verify who you are and a licensed provider signs off. Here’s the quiz if you want to check it out.
Makeup that actually works: My sister and I were talking the other day about how the makeup we used in our 20s… just doesn’t work now that we’re in our 30s and 40s. Laura Geller’s entire makeup line addresses this shift, with formulas that smooth, brighten, and actually stay put. If you’re in the same boat, their curated kits are worth a look.
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📆 Around town this weekend
All events are subject to change without notice. This is entirely outside our control. Please check official event pages and social media for the most up to date information.
Today
🎶 Kevin Shay | Fireside Dinner and Music Series @ Arbor Crest Wine Cellars | Friday (12/12) at 6:00pm – Trade the usual noise for a fireside dinner with Kevin Shay at the piano, serving up rockin’ oldies. Think warm plates, a crackling hearth, and tunes you actually know the words to. Bring your appetite, your inside voice, and your best under-the-table toe tap.
😂 Ha!!mark @ Blue Door Theatre | Friday (12/12) at 7:30pm – Blue Door Theatre whips up a Hallmark-style movie on the spot, complete with meet-cutes, suspiciously perfect snow, and a bakery saved by holiday spirit. It happens Friday nights in December, best enjoyed with a peppermint mocha, a sitter, and your most practiced eye roll.
This weekend
❄️ Terrain’s BrrrZAAR @ River Park Square | Saturday (12/13) at 10:00am – Clear your trunk and wander River Park Square’s three floors for BrrrZAAR, a locally packed holiday bazaar with 70+ vendors and thousands of swoon-worthy gifts. Expect live music, kid-friendly distractions, and plenty of gift options under $100, which pairs nicely with supporting our makers.
🛍️ International Winter Bazaar @ Woman’s Club of Spokane | Saturday (12/13) at 11:00am – Craving a little world tour without the TSA stare? This winter bazaar packs a global marketplace, international bites, and cultural performances, plus family activities that keep the kids busy while you haggle for something handmade, sip something warm, and pretend you travel light.
🐴 Horse & Carriage Rides @ Riverfront Park | Saturday (12/13) at 12:00pm – Two decades strong, downtown is going full Currier and Ives with free horse and carriage rides through Riverfront Park, courtesy of Wheatland Bank. A cozy tradition with clip-clops, twinkle lights, and just enough nostalgia to make the kids behave, and the adults breathe.
🥞 Brunch with Santa on the River @ Ruby River Hotel | Sunday (12/14) at 9:00am – Nothing beats holiday brunch by the water, especially when Santa is the guy photobombing your eggs Benedict. Bring the kids, the in-laws, and your festive patience, then settle in for a proper feast, hot coffee, and a little sparkle on the river.
🧘 A Morning for Your Soul: Soulful Sunday| Sunday (12/14) at 10:00am – Soulful Sunday is easing you in with candlelit yoga, a soothing sound bath, mini massages, and a very respectable charcuterie spread. It’s self-care with snacks, the kind that hushes your inbox, your errands, and that squeaky ceiling fan for a minute.
🧶 Yarn Gnome Ornaments @ Liberty Park Library | Sunday (12/14) at 2:30pm – If your tree needs less glitter and more personality, come make a yarn gnome, customize it, and take one home. It is a low-stress, hands-on craft session where snipping, looping, and laughing are strongly encouraged, patience optional, perfection overrated.
Next week
⛄ Snowman Science for Kids @ Hillyard Library | Tuesday (12/16) at 4:00pm – Your kids get to make fake snow, melt a snowman, and call it science, you get to sip coffee without refereeing a snowball fight. It is hands-on, messy, and oddly satisfying, like winter fun without the drive, the gear, or the soaked socks.
👢 Kinky Boots @ First Interstate Center for the Arts | Tuesday (12/16) at 7:30pm – Think your job’s been chaotic? Try inheriting a failing shoe factory, then saving it with help from Lola, a fabulous entertainer who needs sturdier stilettos. This feel-good musical brings big hearts, bigger heels, and plenty of laughs, so bring your loudest applause, not your spreadsheets.
Wanna see more? Browse our full events calendar →
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🎶 Live music & entertainment
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🏠️ Price is right – Spokane edition
How it works: We’re going to give you some facts about a home for sale, including a picture of the outside, the kitchen, and one additional room. Your job? Guess how much it’s listed for (preferably before you click to find out).
Listed by: Terry Lipe (Coldwell Banker Tomlinson)
Set on 5 private acres, this 8,289-square-foot stunner pairs 24-foot ceilings with intricate custom woodwork and a wrought-iron staircase that steals the show. A chef-forward kitchen brings a Sub-Zero fridge, induction cooktop, a walk-in pantry with coffee bar, and cabinetry for days. Formal rooms mingle with multiple flexible entertaining zones.
Main-floor primary suite goes grand with a cathedral ceiling, marble bath, and an oversized shower. Multiple decks catch morning light, the theater playroom combo handles late nights. Indoor garden room, 3-plus car garage with lower-level access, and ADU potential round out the estate.
Make your guess, then (and only then)… see how much it costs →
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