Court-Com

 

TRACK:

 

I’m here with Mike Keopha who was born and raised in Alaska. I am going to ask him a couple questions about what he loves most about Alaska.

 

“So Mike, what is your favorite part of living in Alaska?”

“It’s got to be the ice fishing for sure”

“What else is there to do?”

“It’s beautiful here, you can go on plenty of hikes.”

 

TRACK:

 

SOT: There are an abundance of different hiking trails and places for you to explore no matter where you are in Alaska. There are many national parks, forests, mountains and other scenic places to check out.
TRACK:

 

SOT: If you are looking for somewhere new to travel and love the outdoors then Alaska needs to be next on your list of adventures. With all of the beautiful snow capped mountains, fishing, wildlife and an amazing community of people who love the Alaskan Spirit, there is something for everyone here.
TRACK:

 

References:

https://www.bensound.com/

www.king5.com

 

Barrel racing is a sport in rodeo where you must run a cloverleaf pattern around three barrels in the fastest amount of time without penalty. Knocking down a barrel adds 5 seconds to your time. This sport, especially at the professional level, is incredibly competitive and it can come down to hundredths or even thousands of a second between the winner. While it may seem easy to some, there is so much more to the sport than what appears. And for the cowgirls that compete, it is more than just a sport. It is a way of life – and I wanted to share a piece of my life with everyone as barrel racing and rodeo is my passion and is what fuels my fire. Here is a slideshow that gives a quick glimpse on what barrel racing means to me and the girls I compete with.

 

Montana is the “treasure state” and is full of adventure. From its big blue skies, beautiful lakes and rivers, lush national forests and parks, snow capped mountains and endless wildlife, there is a little something for everyone. Montana’s beauty is often understated and more people should explore the state to see everything it has to offer.

(The infographic and video are made with pictures and videos I took on my most recent trip to the Lolo National Forest.)

 

By: Courtney Crace

September 24^th, 2018

Brittany Whipple is a young local artist with amazing artistic ability. The 18 year old Spokane native has been drawing art since she was a child. “My mom always supported my creativity and hung up anything I ever created for her. I started showing a real interest for art and drawing starting in middle school”, Brittany said. Although Brittany’s mom had passed away when she was young, she still holds onto many of the pictures and birthday cards she created for her mom over the years. “My mom was my biggest encourager and she herself was very creative; hair, nails, makeup, jewelry- you name it, she dabbled in it. It made for a special bond between us when we could do artistic things together and she really enjoyed it.”

The recent Rogers High School graduate gave special tribute to her favorite teacher for being there for her when she needed it most. During her senior year of high school, she made an amazing three foot portrait of Bono from U2 made with black ink and fingerprints. “It was given to one of the teachers I had for all four years of high school who was a huge encouragement to me whenever I stumbled or felt like I needed someone to lean on. He was very encouraging and always pushed me to do my best, yet didn’t get mad at me or make me feel bad for when I struggled. He was like this for a lot of kids and it was his last year teaching at the high school before moving to a different school so in order to make him feel appreciated, I painted this for him to take wherever he went. Bono is his favorite singer.”

Brittany has only taken two art classes her entire life, with one class being in seventh grade and the last class being a basic art class during her senior year of high school (where she made the Bono picture). “As much as I love art, I found out that I really don’t like having to create specific pieces with specific requirements. Art is what I create when I am inspired by something or need to get away from the moment to relax. I appreciate the art classes for making me get out of my comfort zone though.”

So how did a high school senior with only two art classes under her belt design such a stunning and realistic portrait? Natural talent. “It’s funny really because my senior year was the only time in high school that I took a basic art class. Due to my busy schedule, I wasn’t able to take AP Art however when the teacher realized my artistic ability, he actually let me work on advanced art in the class while everyone else did other project” she said. “The Bono portrait was actually a project from the AP class where students were able to pick any person they wanted but had to use finger prints. Paint brushes, pens, pencils, and other tools were not allowed. We were given a black bottle of ink and had to use our fingertips to create the image.”

Mike Keopha, a fellow classmate of Brittany’s, said her natural ability is unheard of. “Brittany is an amazing artist. Everything she creates is so cool because of the time and energy she puts in to designing everything from scratch. She is so creative and can draw or make anything she sets her mind to.” Mike also shared Brittany would often doodle pictures to give to friends just for fun. “She also made a really cool picture for a friend’s baby shower that they are going to hang in the nursery.”

Brittany’s teacher could not be reached for an interview but she said still gets to see him a few time a year because he is a customer where she works. Brittany hopes to eventually sell some of her art pieces or display them at art galleries in the future. “Art is my passion and I am thankful to have had great support and mentors throughout my life.”

 

Historic railcar turned diner is a Spokane staple for amazing Homestyle food

Monday, Sept. 10^th 2018

The original Frank’s Diner in Downtown Spokane (Retro Roadmap)

 

By Courtney Crace

Courtney_crace@wsu.edu

 

In the heart of downtown Spokane, there is a famous train car that sits on the bustling corner of 2^nd Avenue and Walnut. The bright red railcar, which is home to Frank’s Diner, always has a full parking lot and is impressively ranked #2 out of 762 restaurants in Spokane according to TripAdvisor.

Frank’s Diner serves up breakfast, lunch and dinner with delicious menu items ranging from its secret 100 year old pancake recipe to Homestyle favorites including turkey pot pie and chicken fried steak.  A Spokane staple, Frank’s Diner is truly one of the best places to get food whether you are a local or a lucky visitor to Spokane. The diner, which is most popular for breakfast, serves up 30,000 eggs and two and a half tons of fresh hash browns every month according to their website.

What is even more intriguing about Franks Diner aside from their culinary expertise is the extensive history behind the name. Spokane used to be a major stop on the Northern Pacific Railway and had a large railroad infrastructure running through the city. In 1906, Barney Smith had manufactured a railcar to be used as an observation car after attempting to rule the elegant retail car business. The newly designed railcar remained for sale until 1909 until it was purchased by the Northern Pacific Railroad. The railcar, NO. 1787, was then remodeled and converted to fit the needs of the president of the railroad as his private car.  The car served as the presidential car for 22 years until being replaced. In the height of the Great Depression, Frank Knight bought the retired presidential car and converted it into a diner in 1931. Alas, Frank’s Diner was born.

Last Sunday, I went to Frank’s for breakfast with my husband. I ordered the Blueberry Muffin French Toast with a side of bacon and it was to die for. The French toast had the texture and flavor of a blueberry muffin but was prepared and cooked like French toast. The thick, savory bacon was some of the best I have ever had. My husband ordered the Country Benedict which is loaded with homemade biscuits, sausage gravy, eggs and hashbrowns. Along with their 100 year old pancake recipe, their homemade biscuits are a top contender for being a fan favorite.

The community of Spokane raves about Frank’s diner, not only for the food but for the experience. Dannon Bullert, a Spokane native said “I love the feeling of sitting in an old traincar. It’s like you are sitting in a piece of history or going back in time. And the food is amazing!” .Dannon’s favorite menu item is their ‘Original 1886 Hot Cakes’ with fresh local Idaho huckleberries on top. Cameron Hegwald, another Spokane local, gushes over the Chicken and Waffle, which features crispy chicken, a pecan infused waffle and rich caramel syrup on top. “Every time I go to Frank’s, I have to get the Chicken & Waffle. Everything I have ever had there is good, but I always revert back to getting that. It’s seriously the best I have ever had.”

Frank’s website boasts many awards, including being voted the best breakfast in Spokane for 18 years straight by the Inlander’s People’s Choice Awards. You can visit Frank’s original location at 1516 West 2^nd Ave in downtown Spokane or their Northside location located at 10929 North Newport Highway, seven days a week.

Inside the historic traincar at Frank’s Diner in Downtown Spokane (Tripadvisor.com)

           

 

 

 

Sources:

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g58759-d413499-Reviews-Frank_s_Diner-Spokane_Washington.html

http://franksdiners.com/history/

https://www.retroroadmap.com/spot/franks-diner-spokane-wa-an-authentic-railroad-car-for-realz/

Dannon Bullert, local Spokane Resident

Cameron Hegwald, local Spokane Resident

Hello! I’m Courtney and am a senior at WSU (graduating December 2018!).  This site will be used for my ComJour333 class. A little about me – I am 27, own a small farm with the love of my life, raise horses and compete in professional rodeo! Looking forward to graduating this fall and starting my MBA in the spring to further my career in the credit union industry.