The Spokesman-Review from Spokane, Washington • 55

jj 0yylE'- rKiy'iri-V1 f1 -y jri--p ar-. lTiBiTlrlB'H 1,11 -'mgi I UMI-y" "(pl lpiieHI Jf -tiTiy ET yp rrywjMiwa Sunday, August 11, 1996 Page E3 4 Spokane, WashVCoeur d'Alene, Idaho The i Cold turkey has got me on the John LennonPlastic Ono Band (1969) By Jim Sullivan Tile Boston Globe eroin. Its the grim glue that binds the Scottish layabouts in "Trainspotting, book and film. Its the curse and sometimes the muse of Seattle rockers. It recently killed Jonathan Mclvoin, touring keyboardist with the Smashing Pumpkins, and resulted in the arrest of drummer Jimmy Chamberlin and the bands sacking of him.

Actor Robert Downey Jr. keeps getting busted for it, going into rehab, running away and getting busted again. Its said to hover around the cmaeiated waif-model look associated with Kate Moss. USA Today, in a typical burst of alliterative glee, teased a recent story on heroin by calling it hip, horrible and making headlines. You want to hear about how one junkie existed? I Ieres Steve Jones, Sex Pistols guitarist, about his long, slow danee with heroin after the Pistols fell apart, and he found himself penniless, at the end of the bands American tour in early 1978: The appeal for me is it totally made me not have to feel about anything, and thats what was great about it.

It checks you out. Its not a social drug. I didnt have the suss to go any other way, really. I stole everything off people who put me up on their couches, Going out and breaking into houses, finding some way to make the money, going to score, enigh, It killed me. That was my life.

I did it for 10 years. I was sick of not anywhere to live. I Ieshot up after his ex-bandmate, Sid Vicious, overdosed and died. Didnt that have any effect? It doesnt matter, says Jones. Ive seen people die in front of me, OD and all that, but that dont stop you.

Youve got to get to the place where youre ready to stop yourself. You can tell some person till youre blue in the face that this drug is gonna kill you and itll put you down the toilet. But theyre not gonna listen. I dont preach to no one. I talk and share my experience of what drugs have done to me.

Jones wonders about the new generation of heroin users, especially the rockers with big incomes. A lot of these bands that got loads of money, he i i i i i i i i Continued. HerolnE4 i Spotlight Help for their hearing Opera House other venues offer assistive listening devices Wynonna plans an Arena show ByJitn Kershner Stuff writer Looks like another big name is coming to the 1 Spokane Arena: Wynonna. Yes, that's right, we're talking about the Judd with the big hair and the big voiec. Word is out that she will appear Sept.

20 at the Arena, along with Bltickl lawk. As somebody who caught her act several years ago at the Spokane Interstate Fair, I can vouch for the I fact that she puts on a great show. She is known as a 1 country singer, but she also is one of the great blues-1 belters around today. Tickets are not on sale yet, but look for an announcement this week. Hello, Young lovers The following tip is more tentative than the one above, but I offer it as a tantalizing possibility: Nell Young at the Gorge, Sept.

14. Keep an eye out to see if this booking is confirmed. i KSVY vandalized Classical music lovers who keep their radios tuned to KSVY-AM, 1550, have been getting nothing but static since July 18. Vandals broke into the stations transmitting i station ut the noon hour that day und destroyed $32,000 worth of electrical equipment. Station manager Dick Wright said that the loss I should be covered by insurance.

I lowevcr, it will take three more weeks to complete the repairs. Nat Park remembered i KSPS-7 has a local documentary coming up that I attended the Tour of World Figure Skating Champions show on June 23. Centa finds it extremely frustrating not to be able to hear whats going on, especially if there is an assistive hearing system in place. Without the system, background noise overwhelms the sound he wants to hear, and all he can hear are faint echoes, he says. You dont need to hear to understand skating, Centa says, but it was still frustrating.

When he really needs to hear to know what is going on, the lack of a system can be downright maddening, he says. Kevin Twohig, Arena general manager, admits a mistuke was made thut night, but points out that the show brought its own sound equipment and the Arena crew did not have total control. The Arena staff has handled 140 shows without incident and mistakes sometimes happen, he says. Twohig has implemented some suggestions Centa made in addition to sending him a written apology. Originally only set up with car pieces, 10 neck limps have now been ordered for the system.

A sign in the guest services office now advertises the availability of the system. The system hasnt attracted many users, Twohig says, but that muy be because the shows at the Arena and Opera I louse are different, and word isnt out yet about the availability of the hearing system. The receivers are available in the guest services office free of charge. By Nina Culver Staff writer For people like John Centa, attending a Broadway play isnt as simple as buying a ticket and getting dressed up. Profoundly hard of hearing, he cant hear a word of the action without help.

About eight years ago, the Spokane Opera House installed an infrared assistive listening system, partly at the suggestion of Centa, regional coordinator for the Self Help for Hard of Hearing People. In reeent years, assistive listening systems have been installed in other area venues, such as the Spokane Arena, The Met and the Ag Trade Center. Centa, a resident of Hayden, Idaho, says hes pleased that hard-of-hearing people are now receiving more Unfortunately, 95 percent of the hearing impaired in Spokane dont know it (help) exists, Centa says. The system in the Opera House works by transmitting sound carried by infrared light to receivers worn cither in the ears or around the neck. The neck receivers plug into a hearing aid.

Every seat is covered by the system, says Mike Kobluk, the director of the citys entertainment facilities. The system is popular, particularly for Broadway shows, Kobluk says. Problems have only occurred when a receivers battery is low or if the main receiver is accidentally covered up. To use the system, patrons should call ahead and reserve the type of receiver they want. Portable systems are also available on request for the Ag Trade Center and the Convention Center.

Centa also had suggestions about the FM assistive hearing system in the new Arena. Its similar to the infrared system in the Opera I louse, but uses FM signals instead. I le wrote the Arena to complain that the system wasn't working when he urge you not to miss. Its called Remember When: Nat Park," and it chronicles the history of Natatorium Park, which holds a special place in the hearts of many Spokanites. Natatorium Park was more than just a swimming pool: It was an amusement park, dance hall, casino, baseball park, race track and picnic ground for generations of Spokanites.

It was Spokanes version of Coney Island. Producer Tom McArthur has done a fine job of researching the parks history and of collecting outstanding historic photos and home movies. Remember When: Nat Park" airs Saturday at 4:30 p.m. and will be repeated Aug. 23 at 7 p.m., Aug.

31 at 8 p.m. and Sept. 10 at 8 p.m. KSKN owner passes away Mol Quorlo, 65, the majority owner of KSKN-22 in Spokane (airing the Home Shopping Network) died in Chico, last week of congestive heart failure. Querio, a 43-year veteran of broadcasting in northern California, owned KSKN along with several local investors.

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