Send a Friend a Goat week is more than just a fun practical joke for the office, it is one of the Wishing Star Foundation's largest fundraisers. Lat year they were able to grant four wishes from this fundraiser alone.

Why goats? It all started when a friend told Director Paula Nordgaarden about someone he knew who was sending goats out as a fundraiser. Nordgaarden thought it was a joke and when she brought the idea to her fund raising coordinator the wheels started turning. They decided to host the event in April as part of National Child Abuse Awareness Month and Spokane Produce quickly jumped on board as sponsor.

“At first it was an honor to receive a goat,” said Nordgaarden. Wishing Star would select people that had been involved with children and their organization. But now it's become a fun break in the office for goat recipients, Nordgaaden says, “We just create so many smiles, giggles and laughs.”

Spokane's Walk in the Wild Zoo may have closed 16 years ago, but visitors to Mirabeau Point Park in Spokane Valley can still take a wild walk down memory lane.

The Inland Empire Zoological Society opened the Walk in the Wild Zoo to the public in early 1974. Annual attendance peaked in early 1990's with 100,000 annual visitors. The zoo closed at the end of 1995 due to finical issues following some particular hard winters and the high cost of feed. The animals went to other zoos or private owners.

The walking trail around the park is the same trail from when animals occupied the area. The Spokane Valley Parks and Recreation Department provides a trail map that shows where animal habitats were once located in relation to the current set up of the park. Mirabeau Springs was once home the Bengal Tigers, Lilly and Kasey. The lions called the rocks near the YMCA home.

Bloomsday is just around the corner and even though the road race isn't until May competitors in the Cooperate Cup competition are already racing...at least for the title of best team name.

Bloomsday sponsors and organizers announced this year's top team names today. They have shortened the list from 300 to 25 with the top three slated to be announced after Bloomsday in the Inlander Souvenir Results Booklet. The first place team receives a plaque and will be honored guests at the annual awards luncheon. The Spokane Fire Department won last year's battle of wits sporting "Feeling the Burn" as their team name.