Lights, Camera, Action! - The rolling hills of the Palouse set the stage for a locally produced film about a feuding family finding peace in the midst of tragedy.

The movie is called "The Merry Graingers" and its been a labor of love for Serena Belsby who wrote the script after a family member died a few years ago. 

According to Belsby, the movie opens with the Grainger family preparing for their father's funeral.  As the film progresses, relationships change and they begin to enjoy each others company.

"We take the ride with them and see a bit of ourselves in them," writes Belsby

"It ends on an upbeat note and we realize they are going to be okay and they are going to start to accept one another warts and all. The film is about hope and acceptance."

With an Independent Film Project sponsorship, Belsby has had enough money to shoot the movie but now she needs help finishing it.

With a strong tail wind, 62-year old Darby Roach and his best friend Mike Mann, cruise into Airway Heights on two wheels.  If you've driven Highway 2 in the past three days you may know who I'm talking about.  They're the two guys on loaded down bicycles, with the sneaky smiles and gusto of young men on an adventure of a lifetime.

Roach and Mann are on a mission to first bike across the United States and then the world.  The pair left Wenatchee Sunday morning and arrived in Spokane Wednesday night. In all, they've logged about 140 miles so far. Their goal is to get to Boston by the end of the Summer.  From there, Roach will fly solo to Europe where he plans to spend the next 3 years seeing the world. From the narrow streets of Paris to the snow covered peaks of Chile, Roach plans to pedal every mile of the way. 

What? Is he crazy? Who would do such a thing? All questions that ran through my mind when Roach told me about his ambitious goal. To understand this wild dream, you have to understand the wild man on the bike.  I don't think he'll mind my choice adjective, he raised me after all.

It's time for the kids to sharpen their colored pencils. The 2012 Kids' Art Contest is underway. The winner of this competition will have their work displayed on 3.5 million voter pamphlets sent to people across the State.

The Office of Secretary of State is hosting the contest asking 4th and 5th graders to enter their best work. "If I Could Vote" is the theme for this year. The State says the contest is a chance for Washington's youngest citizens to get involved with the elections process.

The winner's work will be featured on Washington State Voter's Pamphlets and will receive a surprise visit from Secretary of State Sam Reed at school.

Students can enter their work here. Good luck! Artists have until April 16th to submit their entries.