Apple Cider by April Terry

On a beautiful fall, October day in Spokane, WA, a neighborhood gathered together to make some fresh, homemade apple cider.

There were so many apples to make cider because everyone brought some to throw in the apple press.

Everyone even pitched in to help make the cider. The first step in making the cider is washing the apples.

Next, someone needed to cut the apples in have so they could be grounded up easier.
Several people then tossed the apples into the hole as young and old took turns, turning the wheel to grind the apples into small chunks.

After the bucket is full of apple chunks, then you put the lid on and turn this vice script down to press all the juice out of the apples. The juice then pours into pitchers to be heated up and drank.

Everyone was able to take at least one gallon of apple cider home to share with his or her families. Everyone had so much fun being in community together and cannot wait to this again next year.

Riverfront Park by April Terry

The Garland Fire by April Terry

On September 25th, 2011, around 8:45pm, I hear 3 fire trucks scream by my house on Garland Ave. This isn't an unusual event because many fire trucks, police cars, and ambulances use Garland as a thru way going East and West in Spokane. Little did I know that on this particular night, two neighborhood favorite restaurants, Ferguson's diner and The Milk Bottle, just a few blocks down the road had just burst into flames.

Roughly 8 -10 fire trucks responded to the scene and over 50 firefighters worked together to put out this raging fire. Policemen lined the streets in order to keep spectators from crossing the yellow tape and getting to close to the action.

The fire was so extreme they had to use fire retardant foam to help contain the fire so it didn't spread to other local businesses.

After several hours, the fire was finally put to rest, and s0 was Ferguson’s and The Milk Bottle. The whole roof to Ferguson's was now sitting on the diner's tile floor.

Crews have been working hard the last couple weeks to get the rubble picked up, but for now, the walls stay boarded up and neighbors dream of once again eating breakfast at Fergusons and enjoying a milkshake at the Milk Bottle.