Hello and welcome to the April edition of Northwest Profiles, the longest running feature program on Spokane television.

How about that?

I'm Tom McArthur.

Very happy to be your host.

We take off tonight aboard an aircraft high above the plains of eastern Washington.

We're guests of Skydive West Plains, just outside of Ritzville.

We experience the thrill of jumping from an aircraft, the peacefulness of soaring above the clouds.

And we'll take a closer look at the community of people who call themselves skydivers.

Skydiving.

It's about more than jumping from an airplane.

It's about trust, overcoming fear and creating community.

My name is Kara Menke.

I have been here at Skydive West Plains for basically my entire life.

My dad has been running this business for about 38 years.

We're going.

Skydiving is putting your trust in one of our experienced instructors, who have gone through the certification process and made hundreds of jumps.

Were on our way to the plane.

How are you going?

Feelin good.

You ready for this?

Ready as I'm ever going to be.

You're getting in a beautiful aircraft and going up to 13,000ft.

Everything changes when the door opens.

You strut up to the door and stand at the edge of the door and think.

How the heck did I get here?

And then we push you out.

You're in freefall for about 6 to 7000ft.

And then we pull the parachute out and all of a sudden, everything slows down.

Wow!

Oh my God!

Yeah, buddy.

That was incredible!

My god.

You go from the rush and the thrill of going 120 miles per hour in freefall, to this peaceful, beautiful scenery under canopy where you just get to soar around with your instructor.

And then you come in to land on our soft green landing area and realize that you just had the time of your life, and you can't wait to do it again.

Skydiving.

It was my 65th birthday.

I decided I wanted to do something that was way out of my comfort zone.

Hi, I'm Gary Stokes.

President and general manager of KSPS television.

When you're going up, everything is running through your head.

Once you get to that spot where you've got that person behind you saying, okay, here we go.

You go out and there's that rush.

Everything that you would normally think about is gone.

Your world will change.

The people who are there and who are making sure that you're going to have a good time.

But they're also thinking about safety.

I trust the people there.

And as long as they continue to do what they do, I'm going to keep coming back.

Safety is the top priority in skydiving.

Every parachute is carefully packed and inspected, with all reserve chutes being packed by FAA certified riggers.

Tandem instructors must complete rigorous training, logging at least 500 jumps and earning their certification from the United States Parachute Association.

Modern skydiving gear includes automatic activation devices that deploy parachutes if needed.

And while skydiving will always carry inherent risk, the advancements in training and technology have made skydiving safer than ever.

You're going to be afraid of your first skydive.

Even the most bold human is going to stand at that door and have that moment of, “Oh my God, how did I get here” But pushing past that fear to get to experience this incredible thing is what it's all about.

Being able to watch what others are doing.

You get a sense of, okay, so this is how it works.

I'm not worried about this because the person you're with wants to make sure that we're both enjoying the ride.

There's a lot of people that come out for the thrill of the skydive and then realize that it's really the community of people that keep you in this sport.

It's really interesting to watch people develop these relationships here, because we're all going through similar things in life, just going about it, different ways.

We decided to do this because it was a bucket list thing for us, and it was jumping out of an airplane.

Amazing.

Yeah, we did it for our 17th wedding anniversary.

There's a suspense that builds in your chest the whole way up.

It was awesome.

It was a blast.

It was great.

By the time you get to the ground, it's the most exhilarating thing you've ever done.

I say the word “extraordinary” a lot about skydiving, because it's just the truth.

The feeling of stepping out of an aircraft is bizarre, when you first think of it.

There's just so many different aspects of it that you can't replicate anywhere else.

Yeehaw!

Ha ha ha!

That feeling of kind of being, you know, super human.

Where else are you going to get it?

It's emboldening.

It makes you feel alive like nothing else in the world.

And that joy is irreplaceable.

It's just it's too cool.

If you or someone you know is curious about trying skydiving, visit Skydive West plains.com to learn more.

And if you're not ready to take the plunge, Kara and her team say you are welcome to sit at one of their picnic tables and watch the fun.

Yeah, that'll be me.

Here's a story that'll give you a lift.

It's about three brothers who came to the Spokane area years ago.

They made their mark by building and running a company that played an important part in the community's growth for many years.

You've probably seen, perhaps even ridden on their work.

If it wasn't for a home built years ago, perched on a cliff for all to see, interest in their past would have surely faded.

Take a trip back with us to see how the story unfolds.

Perched high on a bluff in the Spokane Valley, sits a remarkable home conjured equally by nature, wealth and imagination.

Inventor and mechanical innovator Royal Riblet built this place as his residence in 1924.

This Florentine styled home just turned 100.

Iowa native Royal and his oldest Walter followed their brother Byron, who came to the northwest in 1885.

After graduating from the University of Minnesota's civil engineering program.

That same year, >>Byron Riblet came here first.

He was working for the Northern Pacific Railroad at that point and other railroads back east, but as it expanded, came to Spokane.

And anybody with a lot of talent, with civil engineering or whatever, pretty soon you're doing other things.

He plotted out some of the early, electric rail lines here and then, platted out some of the early additions to the town.

He was a hydraulic engineer.

He engineered the upriver dam in the 1890s for the city and other ones, across the state to >>Founded in Spokane, Washington, in 1908.

The rebel, a tramway company, grew to be one of Spokane's largest, creating an economic ripple effect, producing jobs up and down the line for businesses that produced wares for the company.

>It was a big company in Spokane So it actually, you know, helped a lot of other businesses as well.

You know, a big, big economic booster for the town.

Riblet first started off basically as an engineering company to, to draw out the plans for these things.

They didn't actually make them themselves.

And, so they they supported the other businesses in the area.

Originally, they started with, mining tramways because in the 1890s, a lot of these Spokane people that were here were wealthy mine owners.

He went up into Canada first and started designing tramways to get the, the minerals out.

>>with Byron, the brains behind the rebel tramway business, and his brothers as salesmen.

The riblets business grew worldwide until the late 1920s, when the company was forced to restructure as tramway orders declined, with the impending stock market crash of 1929.

In the 30s, the ski industry was kind of just coming around.

Actually, the story is Byron Riblet was talked into doing these ski lifts by, a guy that worked for him.

So, and he thought it was just kind of a play toy.

But then after they got into it, he could see that this could become something big.

And it did, you know, basically saved the company.

>>In 1933, Royal was disassociated with the company but retained his shares.

His brothers, Byron and Walter operated the business into the future.

>>I think Royal and Byron, there was probably a split in the 20s.

So both of them kind of invested in other other companies as well.

So maybe that they put a wedge in between.

But in the mid 30s they had some issues and apparently they never talked again.

So even though, royal still owns 40% of the company, he probably just got a paycheck.

And he actually, started his own company to kind of to go in, you know, against, the other firm.

So, but it didn't really pan out for Royal in that regard.

>>The first Riblet chairlift was built in 1939.

The lifts grew to become a major part of their business, with installations worldwide.

One such installation was at the International Exposition in Spokane in 1974.

One lift was designed to move people over and across the Expo grounds, while another tram was an enclosed gondola that traveled over the Spokane Falls.

>>You know, that was one of the biggest things at Expo was those rides, you know, as far as profitable and everybody rode them, you know, so it was, it was a big draw to have the, Riblet tramway company go in and put those in >>The connection of the Riblet organization with the Spokane area and the very visual home in the Spokane Valley both help tell the story of the brothers who built a business that, in turn, put the Spokane area on the map in the tramway business.

With the purchase of an 83 acre tract of land, Royal decided to build his home on the solid basalt rock cliff on the property.

He worked with Spokane architect George Keith, and in 1925 fashioned a place that would get people's attention.

>>Well, of course it made the newspapers and it a lot of visitors, thousands of visitors went there.

Everybody could see it, obviously, you know, from, the valley below.

So made him look kind of like a king, I suppose.

You know, he had a pretty big ego.

He was flamboyant, so he wanted to be seen.

Obviously.

>>Two years after constructing the home, he built a gas powered tramway that spanned from the cliffs to the north side of the Spokane River.

Well, I think just another one of those things to kind of show maybe who he was.

You know, it wasn't really practical, but a lot of people over the years said that, you know, he every day went to work, that he got on that thing and he went down and, you know, drove to town, kind of like it was the only way to get up there.

But it wasn't like it was the only way to get there.

It was more of a, I would say a prop, you know.

So, and it was built a couple years after the house was put in.

So maybe he was trying to promote the company too.

>>The tram, some would say of dubious quality was removed in 1956.

In 1945, Walter dies.

In 1952, Byron dies.

And in 1960, Royal dies.

Three brothers collectively leave a company and a legacy that has lasted well over 100 years.

Royal's home, originally named the Eagle's Nest or Tramway Hill, sells in 1984 to Arbor Crest Winery to become the Arbor Crest Cliff House, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

It's very impressive.

Yes.

So that's a that's a great view.

You go up there and you can see the whole valley, and you can imagine in the 20s looking down and seeing everything, wide open with the farms and the settlements right down there.

And that's a beautiful view.

So that helps tell the Riblet story, the whole story, you know, because you see the house and then you kind of want to know who built it.

Why they built it, how they had the money to do it.

My hope is that the Riblet story, especially with the house on the hill there, that people see that and it drives them to want to know more.

The Arbor Crest tasting room and estate are open daily, free to the public from noon to 5 p.m..

Guests 21 and over.

What started as a backyard pastime has exploded into one of the region's most popular sports.

And right at the center of it is the Spokane Pickleball Club.

By providing spaces to play, this club is uniting players of all ages.

I fell in love with pickleball, along with millions of Americans after the Covid pandemic.

Realized, though, that we needed a lot more courts.

They just weren't many places to play in Spokane.

And that really was the impetus to say we need a group that can collectively work towards this goal to get more public pickleball available, And so that's kind of where it started.

Mike Johansen, Im the founder of the Spokane Pickleball Club.

It's the one where you don't have to belong to a facility.

So it's held and hosted at parks all throughout our city.

So it's really a community and a public group.

So, Spokane Pickleball Club, we're, member supported And the most important thing about that is that when we're applying for grants we can point to the number of members that we have, because a lot of the courts that we're trying to build are in public parks and whatnot.

And so it's really important to show that there's public, support behind it.

When Ken and I started playing, we barely could get eight people to play.

And within six years, which is about the time that we've been playing, there's been 40 people showing up to play, which was a huge increase.

And so what we're hoping is with the Spokane Pickleball Club, we can grow spaces for people to actually play.

[Very good.

Very good.

Very good.]

[Good job.]

[Nice serving.]

When we were founding the Spokane Pickleball Club, Sherran and Ken had been out on the courts at Comstock taking care of things, taping lines on their own, helping take care of the nets, organizing play.

[Ken: Court nine:] [Ken: Dale, Susan H., Brenda, and Cher.]

It was just incredible to see, um, I think of Sherran as kind of the Queen of Comstock.

Seeing that and the work that they were doing in the way that it was supporting the whole community who played there, that's one of the reasons why we started the club.

You don't have to be a part of the Spokane Pickleball Club.

In order to play, we've been using an app called Play Time Scheduler.

And then we've decided, that we didn't want to limit it to how many people just if you want to come play at any level, if you're a beginner up to a competitive, come play with us.

I'm Julie Humphreys, and I've been playing with this group for about a year and a half, and I hadn't played ever and hadn't played much tennis, and there was a group of three people playing and they needed a fourth.

They said, get in here.

I don't know what I'm doing.

but they were so welcoming.

And that's what I find about pickleball in general.

[Oh, good shot.

Good one!]

There are people who love playing pickleball and who just want to go and hit the ball and have fun, and hit and giggle, as we say.

And then there's people who really want to compete.

And, I just love the fact that it kind of appeal to both.

I used to think it was a kid's game.

You know, oh, kids play that.

Well, when I got involved and found out, well, you know, there's a little more to it than that.

It does take a little bit of skill.

But it's not so hard that you can't learn it very easily.

And, once you start playing it, you do get hooked.

It's just very addictive.

[Laughs] [Providing some pickleball tips and tricks.]

Everybody at one time picked up the pickleball paddle for the first time.

So we've all been there and people are very gracious about saying, you know, here's the rules, which is one of the hardest things to get.

What number are you on?

And learning about the kitchen.

But people are willing to work with people who are just starting.

[Great instructor.]

It really encourages kind of the soft shots.

And so, that also allows players of different levels to have fun playing together.

Because even if I was playing with a straight beginner, rather than focused on the power side of my game, I can focus on the soft side of the game, which still I use in that upper level play.

But it allows you to have fun with a variety of levels and a lot of sports, It's really difficult to do that if you have mixed levels.

As a retired Parks and Recreation professional, it's the ideal sport or activity, when you're looking for something for people to do, and you want to be inclusive of all ages; This is the sport.

I love being a member of the Spokane Pickleball Club, because it is something that allows us to come together and say, this is what we care about, and it empowers people to make change in their community.

Especially when it comes to something like pickleball, which is silly to say, but it can be life changing for people.

It's clear the Spokane Pickleball Club is more than just a place to play.

It's a growing community with a passion for the game.

If you're looking to get in on the action, grab a paddle.

Chances are there's a game waiting for you.

Back in the early 1900s, a three block area of downtown Spokane had a thriving international district.

Yeah, it was comprised of Italian, Irish, German, but mostly Japanese and Chinese residents.

The bustling area had many businesses and hotels.

Now gone, but not forgotten.

We take a look back at a neighborhood called Trent Alley.

Long ago, Spokane was home to a vibrant Asian community made up largely of Chinese and Japanese immigrants, centered in what was known as the International District Do This community began forming in when Chinese and Japanese men arrived to work on the railroads and the nearby mines.

Many of them settled in a compac three block area of courtyards and alleys, an enc that became known as Trent Alley Japanese Alley, or simply Chinat The area scattered with gambling bars, opium dens, and bordellos was consider a slum until 1900.

By 1910, workers began to bring over wives and re which in turn made the area thri with hotels, boarding houses, fish markets, restaurants, barbe shops, billiard halls and laundr Soon, the community grew to over a thousand residents with more J than Chinese, but also Italians, Germans, Irish, Greek and others Well, I would say it was a community for them.

So when they came and had that area to go to and that was their life, and at least they had that right Yeah.

So they supported each oth They helped each other, you know, they got work for each other in lots of ways.

That's how communities are built with d Nationalities, right?

It was a thriving Japanese busin area down there.

The optometrists, there was dent there was a pharmacy.

So it was a very strong, tight c Trent Alley began to decline in as Japanese immigration slowed and was eventually banned.

The Great Depression severely impacted the area, and by 1935 only 385 people rema But then the neighborhood saw a during World War Two as Japanese-American families escaped the internment camps.

Before the war, there weren't th Japanese at all that lived in Sp After the war and after Japanese got released from internment camp, that's whe But when people were left camp, they didn't know where to go.

And so they really traveled by word of mouth.

That's how my mom ended up in Tr Alley as well, is because they knew one person who come live here.

And Trent Alley became that plac It was not a glamorous place by I mean, I think the general publ in Spokane thought of it as Skid but Japanese weren't allowed to live in many places.

I don't think they were allowed to live above Ninth Avenue.

So there was a place of congrega there.

There was a place of community t 98 year old Kazuye remembers coming to Spokane after high sch I didn't go to school in Spokane because I graduated from Heart M Relocation Center in 1945.

When we first came out from camp my dad knew the owner.

I don't think the Japanese owned anyway in those days, but he knew the man that ran the Clem hotel on Trent Avenue.

Trent Alley was mostly people fr that came there to live.

So there was a lot of Japanese that moved to Spokane.

And my dad, he ran a pool hall on, I think it was Trent and Ber What we pretty much knew about Trent Alley was from stories pas you know, and our parents, they were Nisei.

So second generation.

So we really heard the good part of Trent Alley, because really, it was their parents Isseis that struggled, especially those who came after when they had nothing and they really weren't from Spo So starting over and not having I think would be unimaginable.

As I've gotten older, I've heard of how awful it was to live in a downtown hot to not have a bathroom, to not have a kitchen, to be at of kind restaurant owners or kind people, to let them show Who had one.

Discrimination barred Asian immi from many parts of Spokane socie Residents often lived where they Renting back rooms are flats above their busi which made for a strong communit and Trent Alley until the 1950s.

When I was in high school, I had several classmates that lived downtown, whether they owned a laundry or The families lived behind their but they'd never tell their Caucasian friends.

To them, it was embarrassing because they didn't own a home.

But back in those days, Japanese-Americans, they were not allowed to own a h above Ninth Avenue.

Sisters Karla, Marcia and Rhona didn't l Trent Alley, but had fond memori of visiting the area with their I did not, go to Trent Alley ver We went to a pharmacy and they had a lot of knickknack so we got to look at those thing And then there was a fountain, and we went there for Kintokis.

And it's an ice cream, shredded ice and beans.

Going to the fountain was our tr The fountain had a big ice block that they would shred right ther Plus a canary bird in a cage.

And that was kind of special.

And then also North Coast Supply which was the only grocery store that had Japanese food and gift That was about the only place yo if you wanted Japanese food.

Very little remains of Trent All and you would not know that it even had existed, except for recently installed at the Sarana dedicated to the Japanese and others that lived in the are Every time we get together and t because now it's a subject that we bring up because we know we're the elders, so we hold the most information.

So it is an opportunity for us to share and to talk about it, to connect I think there's some dots that are missing.

And every time we meet, I learn something new.