October 2017 Splash

PRSRT STD ECRWSS U.S. Postage Paid Permit #010 ZIP CODE 99019

OCTOBER

2017

City of Liberty Lake Position 6

City of Liberty Lake Position 4

2017 Voters Guide

page 21

NORTH FIELD – DESIGN OPTIONS

(Boone Avenue Site)

This Project would:

 Meet the demand for Sport Field Reservations and General Use

 Provide increased Parking during events

 Provide Frontage Improvements/Sidewalks along Boone Avenue

COMMUNITY RALLIES AROUND FREEMAN PAGE 47

RESIDENTS CONCERNED WITH POOL DESIGNS PAGE 10

Option

Description

Project Cost

A

Pool & Sport Field

$4,100,334

B

Pool, Sport Field, Parking Lot

$4,189,994

C

Pool, Sport Field, Parking Lot

$4,189,994

Image

Option

Description

Project Cost

Image

D

Pool, Sport Field, Parking Lot

$4,242,892

E

Sport Field & Parking Lot

$ 629,834

F

No Build

$ 0

Page 1 of 1

LAKEFRONT ACCESS WITH COMMISSIONERS PAGE 9

2 • OCTOBER 2017

NEWS

many teachers also live here. Liberty Lake had a small-town feeling with a proud past. I can remember coming out here to the county park and Sandy Beach. Many seemed to want to keep developers away to preserve that small-town feeling.

When Hewlett Packard moved in, there was a vision for working and living within the community. Some of the people I met came here at that time and have become dear friends. Of course, the inevitable happened and the open spaces began to fill. I was glad we moved here before the meadows filled with houses. There is still a core of people who had moved here before us who worked for the good of the community and I was privileged to be included.

The Park Bench

A Lesson in Civics – Zilka teaches community involvement by example

By Craig Howard Splash Editor Last year, Leslie Zilka knocked diligently on doors across Liberty Lake to rally voter support for a community center at Town Square Park. Nearly two decades earlier, she was part of an ambitious campaign to approve funding for a trails network envisioned by residents.

While one initiative fell short and another passed with flying colors, Zilka’s enthusiasm for her adopted community has never failed.

A native of the Bay Area, Zilka and her husband Nick have called the Inland Northwest home for the past 48 years. The couple – who met as students at the University of California-Davis – moved to the Liberty Lake area from Spokane Valley in 1993, settling in a home they built in the emerging Meadowwood neighborhood.

It didn’t take long before Zilka was immersed in civic causes.

The discussion about trails began in 1995 and culminated with a ballot measure in the fall of 1999 that earned nearly 70 percent of vote. The successful campaign meant that Zilka – who served as secretary of the trails committee – and her fellow residents had formed the state’s first Transportation Benefit District (TBD), a selftaxing mechanism that generated $650,000 over the years while leveraging outside funds to forge a trail system valued at $2.5 million.

“Once I moved to Liberty Lake volunteering became a priority in my neighborhood and the community at large,” Zilka says.

As walkers, joggers and cyclists, Leslie and Nick have been avid enthusiasts of the trails they and other residents helped to build. The couple also stays active golfing and traveling to places like Switzerland and Sri Lanka. Leslie also traveled extensively with her mom, a

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Leslie Zilka has been a resident of the Liberty Lake area with her husband Nick since 1993. The former teacher at Greenacres Elementary has contributed to a variety of community causes including the campaign to build the trail system and Friends of Pavillion Park.

Photo by Craig Howard retired travel agent, with countries like Iceland and Cuba among their many destinations.

In the spring and summer, Zilka can be found gardening while winter finds her gliding through the snow on cross country skis.

Trails are not the only outdoor amenity that Zilka has contributed to during her tenure in Liberty Lake. As a member of the Friends of Pavillion Park (FOPP), the volunteer organization that has turned the community’s central greenspace into a regional destination point, Zilka rallied awareness and support for causes like the annual Summer Festival. She served as president of FOPP in the early 2000s.

Over the years, even obscure causes seemed to find Zilka’s name attached to them. When several recipes from the “Liberty Lake Community Cookbook” were selected for inclusion in the “Best of the Best of Washington Cookbook” in 2002, Zilka was part of the allstar culinary lineup with fellow residents like Ann Tichy, Thelma Knudsen and Margaret Barnes.

While meandering trails and the greenspace sprawl have defined Zilka’s terrain during her time in Liberty Lake, she grew up near waves and coastline. Born in San Francisco as a second child, she moved frequently growing up. The family home was always close to an ocean, either in California or Hawaii.

“Living in land locked Eastern Washington is a definite contrast,” Zilka says. “Our vacations are frequently associated with ocean

locations.”

Encouraged by her parents, Zilka was the first in her family to earn a college degree. After UCDavis, Leslie and Nick moved to Pocatello, Idaho for Nick to pursue an advanced degree in geology. By the time the diploma was secured, a new baby daughter, Sonya, was part of the family.

A move to Spokane soon followed.

Zilka worked a couple of parttime jobs while Sonya was growing up and later went back to school with a goal of becoming a teacher.

After earning a degree from Eastern Washington University, she taught at North Pines Middle School in Spokane Valley before transitioning to Greenacres Elementary as a fourth-grade instructor.

Zilka would remain at Greenacres for 21 years until her retirement in 2006. Along the way, she obtained another degree, this one a master’s in gifted education.

The Splash recently caught up with Zilka, now a grandmother of two, to talk about trails, parks, schools and the future of volunteerism in the community she has helped transform.

Q. When you and your husband first moved to Liberty Lake in 1993, what were some of your initial impressions of the community and those who lived here?

A: Having taught many of the children of Liberty Lake before Liberty Lake Elementary was built, I already had a base of friends and acquaintances. You will find that

Q. You were part of the Transportation Benefit District (TBD) that was the catalyst for the world-class trails system we see in Liberty Lake today. What are some of your recollections of that effort?

A: The community involvement started with a small group of people who had a community with no sidewalks. They saw a need for recreation and safety. A weekend charette was created that was open to the entire community. It included landscape architects, national park employees and other professionals.

There was a lot of brainstorming. In the end, there were drawings and plans. The two highest priorities were a trail around the lake to the county park and safe passage to the other side of the freeway. Of course one was accomplished but the other was impossible due to the narrow road. Once the TBD was created, we started addressing one trail after another as money – taxes and grants – became available. I served on that board from beginning to end.

Q. That self-taxing initiative in 1999 for trails passed with nearly 70 percent of the vote.

Why do you think the TBD campaign was so successful while the three capital facility bond votes for a community center since 2008 have fallen short of a supermajority?

A: Once again it goes back to that small-town feeling. We were one community in the county.

Neighbors talked to neighbors. One selling point was that the tax was akin to the price of a pizza. When put in those terms it seemed like a no brainer. Once the city was formed there became a “we versus them” mentality. We lost many of the core that had made the trails system and Pavillion Park a reality.

See ZILKA, Page 3

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ZILKA

Continued from page 2

The library had become a reality and was housed in the Greenstone Building. There was an obvious need for space but many seemed to think that the design of the community center was too grand for our little community. The 2016 campaign seemed to fit the needs better and an attempt was made to provide for the current and future needs of Liberty Lake. The price was cheaper and passed with 57 percent approval. I wish a survey had been conducted before the 2017 (Town Square) campaign.

Personally I am baffled but this has been a very negative year politically and maybe it spilled over into our local issues.

Q. Speaking of grassroots causes, you contributed to the Friends of Pavillion Park (FOPP) group for years and served as president at one time. What parallels do you see between the rally to build a community park and the participation that went into establishing the trails?

A: There is an obvious connection. Pavillion Park was literally a grassroots cause and the majority of the crusaders lived south of Sprague. Land was donated by the Schneidmiller family. That land was formerly commercial grass fields. Jim Frank of Greenstone donated labor and equipment. Individuals pledged labor. All of that was leveraged to obtain grants from the state. The trails committee was a committee within the Friends of Pavillion Park.

What changed was the funding of the trails. Once the initiative of 1999 passed, the Spokane County Commissioners created the TBD. In January of 2000, seven citizens of Liberty Lake were appointed by the county commissioners to serve on that board. The county and their engineer oversaw all of our activities. Tom Specht, our chairman, reported all of our activities to the FOPP. Q: Do you get the feeling that some residents of Liberty Lake perhaps don't fully appreciate the civic involvement that went into causes like the trails and Pavillion Park?

A: Absolutely! The history of these efforts lies with those who moved here 20-plus years ago.

I am sure that because many moved here after the formation of the city they assume that the city provided both. After all, they see city workers maintaining them and making the reservations for park use. Not only were people

OCTOBER 2017 • 3

not here to see the development of the trails and park but the demographics are different. Many of the volunteers who worked on the creation of the parks and trails are retired and many of the worker bees are retired from volunteer projects. It's time for the young families who use the parks to lobby for and possibly raise funds for improvement to the trails and parks. For example, I think we should have a splash pad in Rocky Hill Park. Rather than waiting for the city to install one, it would be more meaningful if the neighborhood could raise funds and apply for matching money.

This is the kind of thing that happened in the past. It also gives the neighborhood ownership.

Q: What sort of impact can an elementary school teacher have on students as far as their current and future educational perspective and priorities?

A: Teachers do so much to motivate and inspire students.

They also provide the building blocks for future development. As a past president of FOPP, I read many scholarship applications.

What happens between elementary school and graduation is phenomenal. I had a former student from North Pines approach me once to tell me he was taking astro-physics at a prestigious university. Did my teaching have any influence? Perhaps a small part. I believe the parents provide much of the incentive to succeed.

Liberty Lake is also blessed with many well-educated parents.

Those parents who are involved and set high standards create those successes. I am not talking about college bound students either but all students developing a good work ethic.

Q: In what ways has Liberty Lake changed for the better in the 24 years you've lived here? Are there ways that it has changed that are not as positive?

A: There have been many improvements in 24 years. The first and most important change was the addition of a grocery store.

Since then, we have gained many services within our boundaries.

The trails, parks and schools have helped to build community. The addition of a police force has been great. Our town is unfortunately bisected by a freeway. Now we have pockets of development that are not connected. When we reach the projected 25,000 people that will not be the case. I know however that many old timers resent the traffic jams and the loss of the small-town feeling.

The Power of Partnership The Greater Spokane Valley Chamber plays a key role in the community vitality and economic prosperity of our region.

Waste Management is a proud member, and grateful for Chamber staff and local business leaders whose dedication helps make our community strong and healthy. Thank you!

Join the neighborhood conversation about recycling and WM in the community

ThinkGreenSpokaneValley

Learn about local recycling and garbage services:

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Photo: Celebrating our nomination for a 2016 Gem of the Valley award—Chamber Board Chair Greg Repetti, Waste Management’s Tami Yager and Jesse Granado, and Greater Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce President & CEO, Katherine Morgan.

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NEWS

County commissioner selection deferred to governor

By Craig Howard

New State-of-the-Art Equipment Studio

Splash Editor It turns out a Democratic governor will wind up picking the next Republican representative of the Spokane County Board of Commissioners.

After sitting Commissioners Al French and Josh Kerns – both Republicans – were not able to reach an agreement on the replacement for former colleague and fellow Republican Shelly O’Quinn on Sept.

12, the decision was automatically transferred to Gov. Jay Inslee, a Democrat. O’Quinn’s position has been vacant since July 17.

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O’Quinn was first elected in 2012 to represent District 2, an area that includes Liberty Lake, the city of Spokane Valley, Millwood, southeast Spokane County, a section of the city of Spokane east of Perry and parts of unincorporated Spokane County. After being reelected with 62 percent of the vote last November in a defeat of Democratic challenger Andrew Biviano, O’Quinn announced this April that she would be stepping down to become chief executive office of the Inland Northwest Community Foundation.

After initially announcing she would leave her county role in June, O’Quinn stayed on another month to see through an extended legislative session.

Republican precinct committee officers (PCOs) voted on a shortlist of potential

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replacements on Aug. 5. The list included Spokane Valley Deputy Mayor Arne Woodard, County Treasurer Rob Chase, County Chief Deputy Auditor Mary Kuney, John Guarisco, an executive at a Spokane Valley marketing company and Devin Samuelson, owner of a Spokane aerospace engineering firm.

Chase, Kuney and Guarisco surfaced as the top three candidates in the process. While Chase emerged with the most PCO votes, French and Kerns have not been able to reach a consensus in the designated 60-day period following O’Quinn’s official resignation. In responding to criticism that it would be best to concur with the PCO majority, French has referred to the state constitution making no mention of such a mandate.

Kerns, who defeated Democrat Candace Mumm last fall to become the newest commissioner, has stated that he and French “are looking for different qualifications.”

While O’Quinn won voter support for another four-year term, her replacement will only serve a year before a special election takes place. Guarisco has already indicated he plans to run when the position appears on the ballot.

Liberty Lake Mayor Steve Peterson is one leader within District 2 who is scratching head over the impasse.

“Really, it’s unfortunate they can’t come to a decision on a person for a year,” Peterson said. “All three of those candidates are well qualified.

You just need to find common ground. Now you’re going to have a Democratic governor picking your commissioner.”

Inslee has 30 days from Sept. 12 to announce an appointee from the list of three GOP finalists.

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Candidates in the appointment process to replace Shelly O'Quinn on the Board of Spokane County Commissioners include (from left to right): Mary Kuney, Rob Chase and John Guarisco.

Photo by Ben Wick

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NEWS

Safety Scroll Fire escape plan makes most of every second

By Chief Bryan Collins Spokane Valley Fire Department Imagine this – it’s 2 a.m. You and your family are fast asleep when you are abruptly awakened by the sound of smoke alarms.

Do you know what to do? Do you know what other members of your household would do? If you don’t have a home fire escape plan, you and your family are at higher risk for serious injury or even death in the event of a fire.

In a typical home fire, you may have as little as two minutes to escape safely from the moment the smoke alarms sounds. In a home fire, time is your biggest enemy, as hot, toxic smoke fills your home and threatens to knock you unconscious. That’s why home escape planning is such a crucial part of home fire safety; it ensures that everyone in the household knows how to react, respond and quickly escape.

This year, “Every Second Counts: Plan 2 Ways Out!” is the official safety message of Fire Prevention Week in order to better educate the public about the critical importance of developing a home escape plan – and practicing that plan. Fire Prevention Week is October 8-14 and is sponsored by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA).

In support of Fire Prevention Week, the Spokane Valley Fire Department encourages everyone in our community to develop a home fire escape plan together and practice it. Practicing your plan creates muscle-memory and allows you to respond appropriately during the stress and chaos of a real home fire event. While creating your home fire escape plan, take time to make sure that you have working smoke alarms on every level of your home, in every bedroom, and near all sleeping areas.

The plan should identify two ways out of every room (usually a door and a window) with a clear path to an outside meeting place (like a tree, light pole or mailbox) that’s a safe distance from the home.

NFPA and the Spokane Valley Fire Department offer these additional tips and recommendations for developing and practicing a home escape plan: • Draw a map of your home with all members of your household, marking two exits from each room and a path to the outside from each exit • Practice your home fire drill at least twice a year. Conduct one at night and one during the day with everyone in your home and practice using different ways out • Teach children how to escape on their own in case you can’t help them • Make sure the street address of your home is clearly marked and easy for firefighters to find • Close doors behind you as you leave; this may slow the spread of smoke, heat, and fire.

• Once you get outside, stay outside. Never go back inside a burning building.

To learn more about this year’s Fire Prevention Week campaign, “Every Second Counts: Plan 2 Ways Out!” and home escape planning, visit www.spokanevalleyfire.com and www.firepreventionweek.org.

OCTOBER 2017 • 5

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Windermere Valley/Liberty Lake Welcomes

Kim Leavell

509-703-3586 kleavell@windermere.com

Michelle Lawson

McKenzie Bartle

michellelawson@windermere.com

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Office : (509) 340-8000 • Fax : (509) 340-8010 • Libertylake@windermere.com •WindermereLibertyLake.com 695 N. Legacy Ridge Dr. Suite 200 Liberty Lake, Wa 99019

LIBRARY

6 • OCTOBER 2017

Drop off 5:45 pm Games from 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm

New Books at Activities the library ADULT EVENTS The Bad Seed by Jory John This is a book about a bad seed.

A baaaaaaaaaad seed. How bad?

Do you really want to know? He has a bad temper, bad manners, and a bad attitude.

He's been bad since he can remember!

How to Catch a Monster by Adam Wallace Get ready to laugh as a young ninja heads into the closet to meet the monster that's been so scary night after night! But what if things aren't what they seem and our monster isn't scary at all? What if our ninja hero is about to make a friend of strangest sort?

Everything You Need to Know About NIGHTMARES! and How to Defeat Them

by Jason Segal and Kristen Miller Your one-stop guide to battling anything that goes bump in the night.

Whether you’re being chased by zombies or stalked by evil twins, this handy book will give you all the tools and tips you need to put your bad dreams to bed for good! Keep a copy under your pillow and you’ll never fear Nightmares again!

Story Thieves by James Riley Everything changes the day Owen sees the impossible happen—his classmate Bethany climb out of a book in the library. It turns out Bethany’s half-fictional and has been searching every book she can find for her missing father, a fictional character.

Genuine Fraud by E Lockhart From the author of We Were Liars, which John Green called "utterly unforgettable," comes a masterful new psychological suspense novel— the story of a young woman whose diabolical smarts are her ticket into a charmed life. But how many times can someone reinvent themselves? You be the judge.

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- Participants should bring their own Nerf Gun. - The library will provide standard Nerf darts. *Limit to 24 participants.

Registraion and permission slip required.

Family Crafts

Saturday, October 21st 2:00 pm

Social Security Workshop Thursday, October 5th 6:00 pm

Come make an assortment of fun and spooky Halloween crafts (registration required).

STCU: Understanding Social Security. Gain a better understanding of the range of options and benefits offered by the Social Security program at a complimentary workshop led by the financial advisors at STCU Investment Services. Light refreshments provided.

Naturebrary

Thursday, October 19th 10:30 am - 11:30 am

Create beautiful works of art using fall leaves and other items found in nature. Ages 1-5.

Books ‘n’ Brew Book Club

Create your Own!

Thursday, October 26th 6:30 pm

We will be reading “Salem’s Lot”

by Stephen King.

CHILDREN EVENTS

Family Craft Workshop

Halloween Storytime

Saturday, October 7th 2:00 pm

Wednesday, October 25th 10:30 am

Create your own unique Trading Cards with local artist Ginny Brennan and trade them with your friends (registration required).

Stories, crafts, candy and more!

Wear your costume!

Hoot Bird Show

Tuesday, October 3rd 4:00 pm

Learn about the world of birds with West Valley Outdoor Learning Center. Live birds of prey will be included with the program. All ages welcome (registration required).

Halloween Festival

Thursday, October 26th 5:00pm - 7:00 pm Liberty Lake Town Square 1420 N Meadowwood Ln

Fall Crafts

Thursday, October 19th 6:00 pm

We will be creating beautiful 3D paper pumpkins and fall banners (registration required).

509-232-2510

Nerf War

Friday, October 13th

•

Carnival games, crafts, candy, food trucks and more! Wear your costume! Check out our Facebook event for more details.

www.libertylakewa.gov/library

The Splash

OCTOBER 2017 • 7

The Lookout MEMO from the

Mayor

By Mayor Steve Peterson

The end of harvest season is upon us! We close out another profitable growing season here in Liberty Lake. Our trees and shrubs got a little bigger despite record heat and drought. We planted more landscaping in the parks and in the median of our roads and roundabouts to give us more greenspace! No crops -- just pure

beauty for our community.

So, what did we as a city harvest?

We come home knowing that our community has a sense of pride and accomplishment. Our farmers market which we support will close out October on a record season of attendance and sales. Home building permits will be at another high and commercial projects are struggling to keep up with the demand for an ever growing retail and job base.

On the city’s north side, plans for an artisan district by Trutina are beginning to take shape. These

plans call for an area that artisans can create products around locally grown crops, to satisfy locally grown tastes and provide locally grown jobs that just add fuel to our commerce. In the artisan district you can expect to find grain turned into flour and breads, grapes used for wine, juice and jams, seeds baked into health bars and granola type cereals, hops, grain and yeast will be fermented into beer.

All this will be mixed together with talented chefs preparing tantalizing meals in more restaurants to satisfy community need and tastes. I think that the only way to

Garden Notes Persistence of plants impresses across ocean

By Joice Cary

City Horticulturist My husband, Chris, and I just returned from a visit to Germany, France and the Netherlands.

Traveling by boat up the Rhine River made these three countries easily accessible. While Chris searched out delicious bakery treats, my focus was more botanical.

Flanked by rocky, steep hills, level farm land is a premium along sections of the Mittelrhein or Middle Rhine region. Riesling grapes have grown here for generations. Vines grow in ancient stone terraces clinging to hillsides making it impossible to use machinery. All planting, pruning and harvesting is done by hand; workers must wear specialized cleated shoes, much like our loggers, to avoid a painful tumble down the slopes of the vineyards.

In centuries old Heidelberg, Germany, brick and stone rowhouses stand shoulder to shoulder. Cobble stones carpet the narrow streets and alleys to prevent mud and erosion.

This concentration of stone reduces terrestrial planting space but does not deter citizens. Hundreds of pots

crowd around doors, sit on steps or window sills, brimming with pink, white and red geraniums. Splashes of bright, fresh color pop against the ancient stones.

I found a “house plant,” (see photo) growing in 2 square feet of precious soil at street level. Flowers or vines are tucked away in corners of abutting buildings or at the base of a rain spout, planted in any little bit of available dirt. These tiny botanical tributes are a joy to behold and a tribute to vitality in a very, very old place.

Once again, I am reminded of the tenacity of plants to thrive and the ingenuity of folks who simply must grow things (and Plum Kuchen is delicious, Prost!)

Residents can now tune into council meetings

City Hall knows that the community wants to be involved in the decisions made at the City Council meetings. Many times we are told that although residents want to be there to hear the details, but life gets busy and it’s just not possible to make it to City Hall twice a month.

October 2017 top this experience might be with apples, peaches, strawberries and pumpkins turned into delicious pies at coffee roasting shops serving the connoisseurs taste of specialty coffees!

Finally, a community that breaks bread together, works together, plays together and connects on so many positive fronts means that a growing Liberty Lake will maintain that small-town feel where neighbors truly know and care about each other.

I think this bountiful harvest every year will keep Liberty Lake as Spokane County’s premier address!

Now it is possible for everyone to hear the entire council meetings on YouTube. Although we are still working on the video portion of the presentation, we are currently posting the audio online the day after council meetings take place. The link can be found on the city website under the “City Council” portion of “Your Government” (http:// w w w. l i b e r t y l a k e w a . g o v / 1 8 4 / City-Council). We are looking forward to adding video coverage of the council meetings in the near future, but we have to bring our council chambers up to date first with a 360-degree camera and the proper computer equipment to operate it.

Remember, council meetings are the first and third Tuesday of every month at 7 p.m. in the Liberty Lake City Hall Council Chambers. If you would like to view the meeting genda in advance it can be found on the website under the “Agenda and Minutes” portion of “Your Government” (http://www.libertylakewa.gov/ AgendaCenter). The minutes are also posted to this same place after they have been approved.

https://www.facebook.com/libertylakewa • www.libertylakewa.gov

8 • OCTOBER 2017

NEWS

LLPD breaks up Honda car theft ring

By Derek Brown

Splash Correspondent A Spokane couple is being charged for stealing multiple cars in Liberty Lake after a run-in with the Liberty Lake Police Department that ended with a pair of damaged patrol vehicles.

Trent Conley, 20, along with his girlfriend, Tammie Seewell, 18, were charged with two counts of possession of a stolen motor vehicle and four counts of auto theft, after a rash of car thefts in June and July. Police finally apprehended the suspects after setting up a sting.

“What they were doing was hitting the apartment complexes and residential areas and stealing Hondas,” LLPD Detective Ray Bourgeois said. “And then what we found out was that they were dropping off other stolen Hondas from the Spokane area and basically exchanging cars.”

Finally, an employee at Yoke’s had their car stolen and another Honda was dropped at the location. In that car the officer found a receipt from McDonald’s. A purchase had been made in Liberty Lake earlier that day. Detectives found video of the suspect getting out of the car and walking into the business and buying a drink. He left the car outside. This gave them an image of the suspect.

“I put those pictures on what's called our “Daily Flyer,” our intelligence flyer that covers all the law enforcement in Spokane County, Kootenai County, even all the way up in Boundary County, Bonner County — basically the entire Inland Northwest,” Bourgeois said.

One of the detectives from Spokane recognized the man in the footage as Trent Conley from their Honda thefts and got in contact with LLPD.

“He's a noted car thief,” Bourgeois said. “They set out a car, a Honda, in an area where he would frequent and just waited on it, and sure enough he comes along with his girlfriend and steals it. They get

into a chase with him, he ends up ramming a couple of their patrol cars they put him into custody.”

During the interview with both suspects, Bourgeois said the pair told him they would steal cars, drive them for a few days, and drop them off and simply steal another one.

Police recovered one of the cars after one of the officer’s patrol cars drove past an apartment complex and the license plate reader picked up the car as a stolen vehicle. They left the car in a spot that no one would find. Then stole another one.

“A lady came up from the TriCities to come to Spokane with her husband because he had some health issue and they rented a hotel room,” Bourgeois said. “And they were driving an older Honda.

So they parked their Honda and they came out the next day and it was gone.”

The owners left the keys to their other car, an Audi, in the Honda that was stolen. They had their daughter drive the Audi up from the Tri-Cities so they would have something to drive and parked it

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Her question was not, “What looks delicious?” It wasn’t even, “What would be healthy for me?” Instead, she was looking to order the few limited items that she knew she could chew. Her life changed dramatically when we were able to replace her dentures with dental implants instead. While dentures give you about 25% the chewing power of normal teeth, implants provide an actual replacement for natural missing teeth and restore over 90% chewing power. Secured in the gum or jaw, this method of placement makes them the most natural tooth replacement system. In short, they look and feel like your own teeth. You even care for them as you would your natural teeth. While dentures can be initially more affordable, their removable nature not only makes them less reliable, but less functional as well. Dentures require maintenance and care that is both time-consuming and potentially costly over time. We would be happy to visit with you or your loved ones about whether dental implants are right for you.

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The Splash

right where the Honda had been stolen the night before.

“That night the Audi gets stolen because Conley came back because he had the keys to it and stole it,” Bourgeois said.

The National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) reported that the Spokane-Spokane Valley region was the 11th worst area in the nation for car thefts. That’s up from 25th worse for car thefts in 2015, an increase of 41 percent. According to a report released by the NICB, a total of 2,891 cars were stolen in 2016 in the Spokane metro area.

That’s 624.84 per 100,000 people.

Furthermore, car thefts at the state level increased by 21 percent over the last year.

In other words, it’s a big problem.

In Liberty Lake, however, there hasn’t necessarily been a big rise in thefts. Seewell admitted to Bourgeois that it was just her and Conley stealing the cars and not part of a larger ring. Bourgeois believes that this small rash in thefts by Conley and Seewell might bring up the tally in Liberty Lake a bit.

“They were just stealing them,” Bourgeois said. “They weren't doing anything with them. They would take whatever they had in them and if it was valuable they would sell it or pawn it or trade it for drugs.”

Bourgeois stated that Chief Brian Asmus of the Liberty Lake Police Department puts out a newsletter to encourage people to secure their vehicles and not to leave valuables in them, especially in parking lots.

“Also, have an alarm and make sure to lock your car and use a club that locks the steering wheel if you're in an area that experiences a lot of auto theft,” Bourgeois said.

Bourgeois says he warns residents of Liberty Lake that thieves in the area are aware of the affluence in this community and would “rather go to Liberty Lake where people leave their garage doors open and stuff in their cars and leave the cars unsecured where it's easy to steal it,” Bourgeois said, reminding everyone to make sure to lock their cars and garages.

Residents can also protect themselves and their neighbors by calling 9-1-1 to report any crime in process or Crime Check at 4562233 to alert authorities about crimes no longer in process.

The Splash

NEWS

Debate over lakefront access headed to county commissioners Splash Correspondent

Since 1905, about 300 homes in Liberty Lake’s Wicomico Beach area have had deeded access to the lake through 10 community access points. Those access areas run from the county road between waterfront homes and are described in platte documents as being 20 feet wide. In reality, the access causing contention is closer to 13 feet, and neighbors living near it say it has always been that way.

“Realistically when we bought the place all the measurements were off and so were all the lots on the lake,” said Stan Chalich, who owns the property that abuts the access to the north.

Chalich and his wife Leslie are co-petitioners, along with Delbert and Darlene McHenry and Rick and Karolyne Kosanke to have the access vacated by Spokane County and put into their private ownership.

The move to do so started with an alleged misuse of the access. The petitioners say that the beach at the end of the access is environmentally fragile and shouldn’t be driven on.

The McHenrys own a small piece of property between the access and the lake and reportedly also didn’t want it driven on.

“It’s not a boat launch and was never intended to be one,” said Chalich. “We launch our boat at the public launch.”

To prevent people from driving on the access, but allowing foot traffic, the Kosankes, whose property abuts the access to the south, put a chain across it. They admit it is inconvenient, even for them. Rick has to take it down when he brings his lawnmower over to mow the grass of the access, an area that his family doesn’t even use. He also saw someone trip on the chain and became concerned about safety and aesthetic issues, so the idea came up to put an attractive gate across the area that would have a

years later someone new will come in and not be bound to that and they can restrict access and people wouldn’t have any recourse,” Brooks said.

As a result, signs have gone up, notices have been placed in mailboxes and a petition against the vacation is circulating to present to Spokane County Commissioners. The Kosankes and Chaliches say that the information being circulated isn’t accurate and is being presented in a malicious way, criticizing the Kosankes.

By Staci Lehman

What three property owners say was an attempt to do the right thing has resulted in tension and hurt feelings in their neighborhood.

OCTOBER 2017 • 9

Families petitioning the county to have the Wicomico Beach access transferred to private property say the tract is environmentally fragile and should be protected from vehicles launching boats. Photo by Staci Lehman smaller walk-through gate for foot traffic. The Kosankes say the plan was never to lock the gate.

They repeatedly found their chain taken down and thrown in their yard however and a complaint was filed against them that their property was encroaching on the access land. The Kosankes declined to be quoted for this article but indicated they wanted to do the right thing and contacted Spokane County officials to determine the best way to resolve the complaint.

“They came to the county with two concerns,” said Monty Chamberlain, Spokane County engineers administrator. “The first was that they have a chain across the access way and they were having some issues with people messing with that and wanted to upgrade it to a gate. Well, you can’t put up a gate over public right-ofway. They also had a concern that they’ve encroached 5 feet into the 20-foot right- of-way.”

Chamberlain advised that they vacate the access. This set off alarms with neighbors who worry that converting it to private ownership is the first step in denying them access to the lake, despite reassurances by the petitioning families that they have no such plans.

“In my meeting with the Kosankes they have never indicated once that they want to restrict access in any way,” said Chamberlain.

Chalich agrees.

“We can’t change things that have been here 100 and something years,” he said of the secondary owners’ deeded rights to the lake.

The Kosankes are even willing to spend their own money to ensure

continued rights to the access. Part of the petition to vacate includes the Kosanke’s attorney drafting personal deeds to cross the property.

Some neighbors are doubtful though. A group called “Friends of Wicomico Beach” is using local land use and zoning attorney Jake Brooks, a relative of a neighborhood resident, to fight the vacation.

“There’s two issues when you look at it,” said Brooks. “Because most of the deeds say something along the lines of they have access to go on and over that area but if you look at what the defined area is, the sidewalk down to the water is basically the area that they have an easement for. But they don’t actually have an easement for the right of way itself because that belongs to the county. The residents that live on the water down there can’t take away the property right to use the water but can make it difficult to get there.”

“There’s been misinformation put out in the flyers,” said Chalich.

“Then it rallies people from all over. There’s people responding on Facebook who don’t even know what’s going on. They’re not even in the area.”

The Kosankes and Chaliches say they don’t stand to gain anything by taking over ownership of the property that they are already maintaining except legal bills, liability insurance and waterfront taxes.

In the end, it will be up to the county commissioners to decide who owns the property. A public hearing is scheduled for Nov. 7 at the regular commissioner’s meeting. All sides involved in this issue say they encourage anyone in the community to sign up and provide testimony.

Chamberlain, with the county, says that’s not the intent in this case.

“The easement would replace the public right-of-way so if they would put a wall up or somehow make it impassable someone could take it to court.”

Brooks says he doesn’t doubt that the Kosanke, Chalich and McHenry families have good intentions now, but if that changes in the future, it could cost Wicomico Beach residents their lake access and some of the value of their homes.

“They may have the best intentions in the world but I see this in land use all the time where someone will have a gentleman’s agreement or understanding but 20

A sign in the yard of a Wicomico Beach resident lets neighbors know of a public hearing on the issue. Three families in the area are petitioning Spokane County to have a certain portion of lakefront access vacated by the county and placed into private ownership.

Photo by Staci Lehman

The Splash

10 • OCTOBER 2017

Design options for Boone Avenue site draw concern

By Craig Howard

NORTH FIELD – DESIGN OPTIONS

(Boone Avenue Site)

This Project would:

 Meet the demand for Sport Field Reservations and General Use

 Provide increased Parking during events

 Provide Frontage Improvements/Sidewalks along Boone Avenue

Option

Description

Project Cost

A

Pool & Sport Field

$4,100,334

B

Pool, Sport Field, Parking Lot

$4,189,994

C

Pool, Sport Field, Parking Lot

$4,189,994

Image

Option

Description

Project Cost

Image

D

Pool, Sport Field, Parking Lot

$4,242,892

E

Sport Field & Parking Lot

$ 629,834

F

No Build

$ 0

Splash Editor Plans for a sports field and pool in Liberty Lake are still in the warmup stage.

At the City Council meeting on Sept. 5, a healthy turnout of residents worked through a series of verbal calisthenics over proposed designs for a recreation site on the north field near Liberty Creek Elementary. Mayor Steve Peterson had been quoted in the September issue of the Splash, mentioning options on the drawing board and calling for citizen feedback.

“We encourage the community to review the designs that are on our city website and ask that you comment on them at the council meeting or by email,” Peterson said.

Many took the mayor up on his offer.

Rebecca Green, who lives on Malvern Road near the field that is being considered for a facility, said she was surprised at the sparsity of playground equipment at Liberty Creek and would prefer more amenities there instead of a largescale community sports field and/ or pool.

“I certainly don’t want a public swimming pool in my backyard,” Green said.

Prior to the public comments, both Peterson and City Administrator Katy Allen made it clear that nothing was set in stone as far as construction plans.

“We have six different ideas that include site and layout costs,” Allen said. “Nothing has been decided.

There is nothing in the budget at this time.”

Peterson noted that while there had been “a lot of discussion on social media about pools,” the city was still in in the preliminary stages of the dialogue.

“There’s been no discussion as a council about pools in any detail,” he said. “We haven’t committed to anything.”

The city purchased 20 acres near Liberty Lake Elementary from the Central Valley School District in 2013 for a ceremonial $10 with an agreement that the district could buy back the land for the future

construction of a new school. After building two baseball diamonds on part of the property, the city sold the land back after the district passed a capital facilities bond in February 2015. After the construction of Liberty Creek Elementary, a total of 3 acres remained for the city to develop on the school’s north field

by Boone Avenue.

An initiative to build a community center/library at Town Square Park just west of Liberty Creek failed on the ballot in August. One year earlier, a similar proposal – which included an aquatic facility – fell short of the required 60-percent supermajority. Peterson said the designs for the Boone Avenue site are part of an approach “to provide the community with possibilities.”

“If you want a grass field or a playground or a parking lot, that’s what we want to hear,” Peterson added. “We want to hear your feedback. We have a lot of people talking about a more usable sports field right now.”

Resident Paul Bertel, who also lives near Liberty Creek, spoke out about escalating traffic challenges in and around the intersection of Malvern Road and Boone.

“This isn’t a school issue, this isn’t a city issue – it’s a safety issue,” Bertel said Bertel said adding a recreational facility in the immediate area would add to the problem.

“I see no way a pool can be built in that field,” he said.

Bertel also brought up the city facing liability with potential vandalism and other crime at a public recreational site. Another resident, Allen Baker, said he didn’t want to see a drowning hazard near the Liberty Creek school grounds.

Abbey Shuster, a Liberty Creek parent, described the grass area near the school as “essentially a swale.”

“I thought the field would go all the way to Boone,” she said.

Resident Marcy Taylor expressed concerned about a sports field and pool negatively affecting property value with increased noise and traffic that could accompany such facilities.

“It’s already a congested area anyway,” Taylor said.

Some raised questions about the transparency of the plans, including resident Clare Baker who asked why the public had not been informed earlier of the designs shared at the Sept. 5 meeting. A slide presented by Allen outlined half-a-dozen options for the north field at Liberty Creek, ranging in price from just under $630,000 to just over $4.2 million. The sixth option consisted of a “no build” approach.

Amenities in the first five options ranged from three designs with a pool, sports field and parking lot

Page 1 of 1

to one with only a pool and sports field and another with a sports field and parking lot but no pool.

Council Member Cris Kaminskas pointed out that council gave the OK for the north field preliminary designs earlier in the year.

Parametrix, an engineering firm contracted by the city, completed the designs at a cost of $7,000.

“We did have an agenda item several months ago and approved funds for designs,” Kaminskas said.

Peterson reiterated that any strategy for the property was still in the gathering phase.

“As a city, we always look at possibilities for our properties,” he said. “These are just proposals.

We’re just trying to gather information right now.”

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The Splash

Community policing effort relies on support of volunteers

By Brandon Brown

Splash Correspondent When looking over the regional crime map on the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office’s website, there are fewer dots in the Liberty Lake area than Spokane and Spokane Valley, but law enforcement officials believe there can be even fewer crimes if more citizens volunteered for community programs like Neighborhood Watch and Sheriff Community Oriented Policing Effort (SCOPE).

Such programs are all about communication says Rick Scott, director of SCOPE. The crime prevention network consists of law enforcement communicating with citizens, citizens communicating with law enforcement and citizens communicating with each other. “(SCOPE volunteers) help with community safety,” Scott said, “They get information out to the community.”

SCOPE, founded 23 years ago, is the county sheriff's volunteer program which organizes citizens to participate in supplementing law enforcement efforts and keeping neighborhoods safe. There are 17 SCOPE stations across Spokane County.

The Liberty Lake SCOPE station opened in 1999, two years before the city was incorporated. Former Liberty Lake Mayor Wendy Van Orman was part of the group that pushed the sheriff's office to open the SCOPE branch. She said it was right at the time the population started to grow in the community and crime was becoming more of an issue. SCOPE volunteers worked with county officers prior to incorporation and the Liberty Lake Police Department (LLPD) from 2001 on.

“We saw huge improvements after it was implemented,” Van Orman said.

The Liberty Lake SCOPE station is housed an office inside the LLPD station on Mission Avenue. There are

OCTOBER 2017 • 11

only around 10 SCOPE volunteers in Liberty Lake currently, Scott said. But with more volunteers, he said there could be more programs and hopefully less crime.

Some of the ways SCOPE volunteers help out in Liberty Lake right now include traffic control during large events like the Windermere Marathon and patrolling the trailhead of the Centennial Trail. Car theft and break-ins were common at the trailhead in the past Scott said. But when there are more eyes and ears on the trail there seems to be less crime.

“I remember a gentleman calling and thanking (SCOPE) for catching that his garage door was open,” Van Orman said.

Van Orman and Scott both stressed that since many citizens of Liberty Lake still leave their garage open and vehicle doors unlocked, having a neighborhood patrol to remind people to close their doors and protect their property is valuable.

The Liberty Lake SCOPE Station has been successful, according to Scott, because of the support it receives from LLPD. The department even has vehicles specifically for the use of SCOPE volunteers that are taken out on patrols.

Scott said the need for programs like SCOPE and Neighborhood Watch is needed more than ever.

He referred to a time when people once sat on their porches and talk to their neighbors at night.

More and more it has become normal not to even know who you neighbors are. That is why there is a need for “citizens to step up to help themselves in an organized manner,” Scott said.

Van Orman said it is especially important to watch out for elderly neighbors. Sharing information such as phone numbers can be helpful when checking up on a neighbor or just saying “hello.”

“Get to know your neighbors,” she said.

Want to learn more?

To fiid out more about Sheriff Community Oriented Policing Effort (SCOPE) or to volunteer, contact Rick Scott at 477-3376 or rlscott@spokanesheriff.org.

For more information, visit www. scopespokanewa.org.

Neighborhood Watch serves as extra layer of safety From Splash News Sources

Neighborhood Watch was established in 1972 and is one of the oldest and most successful crime prevention programs in the world. It has been established in places such as New Zealand, Japan, Australia and Canada and is known by many names: Block Watch, Paw Watch, Business Watch, Farm Watch, Town Watch and more.

No matter what name is being used, it is all serving the same purpose – watching out for one another. Neighborhood Watch is more than just signs and stickers used to deter crime, it is you, your neighbors and your community working together to be the eyes and ears of law enforcement. It’s you being the kind of neighbor that you would appreciate in your community.

Being a good neighbor is watching out for one another, taking care not to leave items out in our yards to be stolen or used to break into ours or our neighbors homes. Being a good neighbor is not displaying expensive property in the windows of our homes, leaving car doors unlocked or leaving items in our car that can bring criminals into our neighborhood.

Our job, together, is to try and stop criminals from coming into our community and destroying our peace of mind and our feeling of safety. Neighborhood Watch is like any other crime prevention method – it works when you work the program. That means stepping outside and getting to know your neighbors, sharing information and creating a feeling of territoriality. It means calling 9-1-1 for all crimes in progress, or Crime Check – 456-2233 – for crimes that are no longer in progress but need to be reported, or each and every time you see suspicious activity.

Suspicious activity can be anything from someone knocking on someone’s door for long periods of time, someone loitering outside of a business or home, abandoned cars, or

someone coming to your door with a story that seems fictitious.

Neighborhood Watch works, and it is important because crime prevention is everybody’s business. Neighborhood Watch asks that you and your neighbors understand that you are a concerned citizen and that it is your responsibility to stay involved and educated about what goes on in your community.

One of the ways you can do that is by meeting with your neighbors up to three times a year and utilizing areas such as your front yards and parks and cleaning up graffiti, fixing boarded up windows or agreeing to be a window watcher for kids that are coming home from school or playing out in the neighborhood.

The goal is to stay close and dedicated to keeping crime out of your community. It is your home and your neighborhood, don’t let crime reside there!

Neighborhood Watch is a part of Spokane County, Spokane Valley, Liberty Lake and the unincorporated county. There are currently 14 Neighborhood Watch chapters in Liberty Lake and room for many more. You can find information about the program in the Spokane Valley Mall Sheriff’s Crime Prevention Office or at Sheriff Community Oriented Policing Effort (SCOPE) stations such as the Liberty Lake SCOPE location at 23127 E. Mission Ave. Want to learn more?

To learn more about Neighborhood Watch or to organize a chapter in your neighborhood, call 477-3055 or email vdelcambremorris@ spokanesheriff.org. Visit www. spokanecounty.org/1439/ Neighborhood-Watch.org for more information. Ask about receiving the Neighborhood Watch newsletter which includes crime prevention advice, news about public safety conferences, information about Sheriff Community Oriented Policing Effort (SCOPE) and messages from Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich.

The Splash

12 • OCTOBER 2017

Prime Rib Fridays $15 Steak Saturdays Delivery Now Available Through Ubereats

SVFD Report – October 2017 From Splash News Sources

Spokane Valley Fire Department crews responded to a total of 69 emergency calls in the greater Liberty Lake area* from Aug. 24 to Sept. 20. Incidents included: • Emergency services - 46

medical

•

Motor vehicle accidents – 3

•

Fires – 9

•

Building alarms – 4

•

Hazardous materials – 1

•

Service calls - 3

• Dispatched and cancelled en route - 3

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25, outdoor recreational fires are allowed in the cities of Liberty Lake, Millwood, Spokane Valley and unincorporated Spokane County.

Open burning of yard waste, garbage and open fields is always prohibited. Read more at www. spokanevalleyfire.com Unauthorized Burning – Aug 25 – Just after 7 p.m., an SVFD crew responded to a possible illegal burn in the 1800 block of E. Percival Street. The crew arrived to find the Liberty Lake Police Department on scene with a man who was refusing to extinguish an open fire in a grill.

The man eventually put the fire out.

Brush Fires – Aug. 27 – SVFD crews responded to a report of two brush fires burning north of the 19900 block of E. Euclid Avenue, just after 2 p.m. Crews arrived to find two small, slow moving grass fires on the north side of the railroad tracks. No buildings were threatened by the fires and crews quickly established wet lines around the fires for containment and extinguishment.

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Motor Vehicle Collision – Sept.14 –Shortly after 6:30 p.m., SVFD crews responded to a motor vehicle collision between a motorcycle and an SUV in the 21100 block of E. Country Vista Drive.

They found a conscious motorcycle rider laying on the ground. Crews provided emergency medical care for the 55-year-old man who was transported to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

National Fire Prevention Week – Oct. 8-14 – Take some time this week to develop and

practice a home fire escape plan with your family. Make sure the plan includes two ways out of every room with a clear path to an outside meeting place away from your home. Also check to make sure you have working smoke detectors throughout your home.

For a smoke alarm powered by a nine-volt battery, test the alarm monthly, replace the batteries at least once every year and replace the entire smoke detector every 10 years. For smoke detector powered by a 10-year lithium (or “long-life”) battery, test the alarm monthly.

Since you cannot (and should not) replace the lithium battery, replace the entire smoke alarm according to the manufacturer’s instructions. For a smoke detector that is hardwired into your home’s electrical system, test the alarm monthly, replace the backup battery at least once every year and replace the entire smoke alarm every 10 years.

About SVFD - Spokane Valley Fire Department serves the cities of Liberty Lake, Millwood, Spokane Valley and unincorporated areas of Spokane County including the communities of Otis Orchards, Pasadena Park, and the area surrounding Liberty Lake, with a combined population of 125,000 across approximately 75 square miles.

SVFD firefighters and paramedics responded to more than 16,250 emergency calls in 2016. Established in 1940, SVFD is an Accredited Agency by the Commission on Fire Accreditation International (CFAI), one of only a handful in the state of Washington.

SVFD operates 10 stations providing fire suppression, emergency medical services, vehicle extrication, hazardous materials response, special operations rescue, fire investigation, fire prevention, commercial property inspection, CPR and fire safety training. SVFD also provides free fire safety inspections and installation of free smoke detectors. For more information call 928-1700 or visit www.spokanevalleyfire.com.

The Splash

Liberty Lake Children’s Academy establishes academic roots

By Tamara K. Williams Splash Correspondent In 2003, newly single and parenting three children, Teri Finch knew she had to figure out a way to support her family and still be present for her children.

In 2004, Finch started a preschool called “3’s Cool Academy” at her home in Liberty Lake. With an enrollment of seven children – two of them her own, and through word of mouth, her school grew and in one year, added an additional class for 4-year-olds.

Raised in Boise, Finch moved to the Northwest as a freshman in college. She completed her undergraduate studies at University of Idaho in 1994 with a degree in Childhood Development and Family Relations.

“I knew that as a single mom, in order to accomplish what I wanted, I needed to go back to my roots in education and work with children,” she said. “If I started a pre-school, I could still be with my kids during the day.”

After several successful years, 3’s Cool Academy became so popular Finch had a waiting list to get in.

When enrollment reached capacity, the solution was to find a larger building. In 2007, they moved into a new space and became Liberty Lake Children’s Academy.

As word spread, the academy outgrew two more facilities, moving once again to their current location at 1322 N. Stafford Lane at the Liberty Lake Commons. Finding a niche in the Liberty Lake community, the academy runs at full capacity with ten classes taught out of three classrooms and an enrollment of almost 170 children.

In its academic focus, Finch, who serves as owner, director and pre-K teacher at the academy, says the school centers mainly on the five areas of development: Social, cognitive, emotional, language development and physical growth of fine motor skills based on the age of developmental appropriateness. In addition, they work with developing self-help skills to encourage children to become more independent as

OCTOBER 2017 • 13

they prepare for their entry into formal education.

When asked about NAEYC (National Association of Education for Young Children) accreditation, Finch says, “We’re not an NAEYC school. We looked into the process, but felt it wasn’t a good fit for our community here at Liberty Lake. I’ve worked with programs that have it but it wasn’t pertinent to the needs of our families. Additionally, it’s pretty stringent and our curriculum would be dictated in what we would be allowed to teach. We’ve developed our own curriculum that meets or exceeds the national standards without the regulations that would hold us down.”

Finch feels the strength of the school is in their teachers. Every teacher here is required to have an educational background of Child Development or Early Childhood Education. Several of the teachers at the academy have their Master’s degrees as well.

“Many have taught and worked with older age groups, so they know what little ones need to get to that level, in order to excel,” Finch said.

When asked about areas the academy would like to improve on, Finch exclaims, “Our parking!”

According to Finch, they send out a survey each year and the biggest issue is always with parking. They hope to find a solution and she notes, “There is always room for improvement.”

Finch believes the unique attention they are able to offer the children and families is key for effectively impacting the lives of all the students who come through the doors.

“Our student to teacher ratio is above national standards with a 1:8 (teacher to students) for preschool and 1: 9.5 for pre-K,” Finch says. “And we’re always looking for an opportunity to offer different experiences for the children.

We hope to offer more cultural opportunities such a Spanishspeaking or sign language as time

Teri Finch started Liberty Lake Children's Academy as 3's Cool Academy in 2004. The educational site became Liberty Lake Children's Academy in 2007 and has grown over the years into one of the most respected schools in its field.

File photo goes on.”

Starting this academic year, a new mandatory law in the State of Washington requires schools to provide all-day Kindergarten five days a week. The Liberty Lake Children’s Academy offer fourhour days in its pre-K classes for 4-and 5-year-olds to help prepare them for what lies ahead. Finch is not in agreement with the new law, believing that some children are just not ready for such a long day and although “some may excel beautifully, I think we’re going to see a lot of ‘red-shirting’ (holding back) because developmentally, they’re not ready.”

In the past, the academy had four pre-K classes but opened enrollment this year to accommodate two more classes due to the new law. Says Finch, “I had my vote and many childhood development specialists would agree, this law isn’t in the best interest of all children and many parents are saying their child is not ready for that yet but the state wants to make it straight across the board to keep up with educational standards.”

Finch emphasizes the relationship the school has built with the local Kindergarten and its principal, Kim Kyle.

“Almost 75 percent of our children

will attend Kindergarten at (the new K-2) Liberty Creek Elementary,” Finch said. “We communicate several times a year to make sure we are hitting on the points of development they need us to provide, for successful Kindergarten entry. We end the year by providing feedback for each child as they head into their schools, with placement suggestions for a successful transition for the child, parents and teachers.”

In 2019, The Liberty Lake Children’s Academy will see its first class of pre-schoolers graduate from high school.

“I have two of my kids in high school right now,” Finch said. “I love it when I’m there and I run into some of the children I taught in those first years. They come running up yelling, ‘Miss Teri!’ I hope I’m invited to every graduation to cheer them on, knowing I had a hand in their early educations.”

The school follows the publicschool calendar from September through mid-June, offering day camps during the summer months.

Enrollment is open to all families on a first-come basis. Tours of the facility are available by appointment.

For more information visit www. libertylakechildrensacademy.com or call 922-6360.

sprinkler blowout and water quality Before you blow out your sprinkler system this fall, remember that we are all relying on you to help keep our drinking water clean. Once water enters your irrigation system it can become contaminated with lawn chemicals and bacteria. If your sprinkler system doesn’t have adequate backflow protection, blowing out the system may push this contaminated water back into your home’s water supply. For more information, a list of certified backflow assembly testers, or to learn if your system has backflow protection contact Larry White at 922-5443.

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• 22510 E Mission Avenue • www.libertylake.org

COMMUNITY

14 • OCTOBER 2017

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Sept. 29-Oct. 1; Oct. 6-8 |Fall of Homes; the Spokane Home Builders Association presents the largest new construction show in the Inland Northwest.

The 13th annual Fall Festival of Homes features homes in locations throughout Spokane and surrounding areas. Neighborhoods include Eagle Ridge, River Ranch, Villages at Stonehill in Liberty Lake and River Crest at Coyote Rock in Spokane Valley. Open daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Those interested in viewing these homes can choose to begin their tour at one of the two “host sites.” Show magazines and maps will be available. Visit www.

SpokaneFestivalofHomes.com to locate the host site nearest you and for more information.

Sept. 30 │ Spokane Valley Fire Department Annual Open House, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., SVFD Training Center, 2411 N. Pioneer Lane, Spokane Valley. Enjoy a day of free family fun at the SVFD Open House. Check out the department’s new ladder truck and motor boat. Watch live fire and rescue demonstrations, try on fire gear and tour fire engines and enjoy refreshments. Retired Arson Dog “Mako” along with Smokey Bear will make guest appearances. Visit www.spokanevalleyfire.com for more information.

Oct. 7 | 76th Annual Harvest Dinner hosted by Veradale United Church of Christ, 5 to 6:30 p.m.

This dinner will feature turkey, ham and all the fixings. Donations are invited. Raffle baskets will be part of the festivities. All are welcome.

The church is located at 611 N. Progress Ave., two blocks west of Sullivan, one block south of Broadway. For more information, call 926-7173.

Through Oct. 14 | Liberty Lake Farmers Market, each Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Town Square Park, 1421 N. Meadowwood Lane in Liberty Lake. The market features local food and farm vendors, artisan crafts and baked goods, live music and more. For more, visit www. libertylakefarmersmarket.com.

Through Oct. 31 | Green Bluff Apple Festival. If you haven’t been to Green Bluff as the leaves turn color, now is the time to plan your visit. This celebrated collection of farms and orchards in north Spokane has been featured in numerous national publications including Town and Country and

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The Splash

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The Apple Festival showcases picturesque rural settings right out of a Winslow Homer painting. The landscape includes straw mazes, many varieties of apples, music, arts and crafts, pumpkins and more. Nearly three dozen orchards are featured as part of the “Green Bluff Loop.” To learn more, visit www.greenbluffgrowers.com.

RECURRING ACT 2 senior classes | Affordable classes offered by Community Colleges of Spokane to those who are retired or planning to retire.

A wide range of courses from geology and history to exercise and art are offered at CenterPlace, 2426 N. Discovery Place, as well as other locations throughout the area. “Focused Fitness on Dishman Mica,” a yoga class, is now part of the schedule. More at www.sccel. spokane.edu/ACT2 Military Sobriety Support Group | 10 to 11: 30 a.m., Spokane Vet Center, 13109 E. Mirabeau Parkway, Spokane Valley. Call Steve at 8934746 for more information Baha’i Fireside Conversation | 5 to 6 p.m., third Friday of the month.

Spokane Valley Library, 12004 E. Main Ave. Discussion of Baha’i teachings, history, and perspectives on resolving the challenges facing humanity. All are welcome. More at 599-2411 or www.bahai.us Catholic Singles Mingle | meeting times and locations vary. This group, with no dues, is for single adults of all ages. More at www. meetup.com/Catholic-SinglesMingle DivorceCare Recovery Support Group | Tuesdays 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Eastpoint Church, 15303 E. Sprague Ave. Learn how to heal from the deep hurt of divorce and discover hope for your future.

DivorceCare for Kids (ages 5-12) meets at the same time and location.

Cost is $25 for workbook. More at 892-5255 or eastpointchurch.com Grange Meeting and Dessert | 6:30 p.m., first Wednesday of the month, Tri-Community Grange, 25025 Heather St., Newman Lake. The public is welcome for this community-based service organization. For more information call 226-2202 or see us on Facebook Liberty Lake Library | 23123 E. Mission Ave., Liberty Lake.

Various clubs and weekly meetings including book clubs, children’s story times, LEGO club, computer drop-in class, knitting club, and more. More at www.libertylakewa.

gov/library Men’s Weekly Bible Study | 7 a.m.

Tuesdays. Millwood Presbyterian Church, 3223 N. Marguerite Road, Millwood. The men’s weekly Bible Study meets in the Reception Hall with different members sharing in the leading of the study. All men are invited to join. More at www. milwoodpc.org Pancreatic Cancer Action Network | 6:30 p.m., the first Monday of each month. Liberty Lake Municipal Library, 23123 E. Mission Ave., Liberty Lake. More at www.pancan.org or 534-2564 Spokane County Library District | Locations include Argonne, Fairfield, Otis Orchards and Spokane Valley. Special events and weekly activities for all ages including book clubs, children’s story times, classes, Lego club, teen anime club and writing clubs.

More at www.scld.org Toastmasters, Liberty Lakers #399 | 5:45 to 7 p.m., Wednesdays at the Liberty Lake Library, 23123 E. Mission Ave., Liberty Lake.

This is a speaking and leadership development club.

Spokane Valley Quilt Guild | Meetings are held at 7 p.m. on the first Tuesday of February, April, June, August, October and December at Valley Assembly of God Church, 15618 E. Broadway, Spokane Valley. Open to all interested in sharing ideas and skills of our quilting craft. Participants have can access a comprehensive library, can engage experienced teachers and participate in community service projects. More at www.svqgspokane.com

MUSIC & THE ARTS Oct. 3-29 | Spokane Watercolor Society annual juried show, Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture, Helen South Alexander Gallery and Eric A. Johnston Auditorium, 2316 W. First Ave., Spokane. Reception Oct. 6, 5 to 8 p.m. and awards reception Oct. 20, 5 to 7 p.m. Hours are TuesdaysSundays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Wednesdays, 10 a.m.to 8 p.m.

Oct. 7 | Spokane Symphony Classics 2: Beethoven and Dvorak, 8 p.m., Martin Woldson Theater at the Fox, 1001 W. Sprague Ave., Spokane. Tickets range from $17 to $60. To order or for more information, call 624-1200 or visit www.spokanesymphony.org.

The Splash

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Sept. 28 | YWCA Women of Achievement Luncheon, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Davenport Grand, 333 W. Spokane Falls Blvd.

All proceeds directly benefit the YWCA’s programs for domestic violence victims and their children, including emergency shelter, counseling, legal services, employment readiness, child care and pre-K programs for low-income children. For more information visit www.ywcaspokane.org. The YWCA 24-hour domestic violence helpline can be reached at 326-2255.

Sept. 28 | HUB All Star Breakfast, 7 to 9 a.m., Mirabeau Park Hotel and Convention Center, 1100 N. Sullivan Road, Spokane Valley. Kevin Stocker, former MLB player and current Pac-12 Network announcer, will be the featured speaker. Proceeds from the breakfast go toward programs like HUB 360, an afterschool

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29 | HUB-apalooza Family Fun Festival, 4 to 7 p.m., HUB Sports Center, 19619 E. Cataldo Ave., Liberty Lake. This free open house will celebrate the HUB’s 10th anniversary and include a jump house, basketball, volleyball, Pickleball, futsal/soccer,

HUB Sports Center 19619 E. Cataldo Ave., Liberty Lake.

Various activities and events occur throughout the week including: • Pickleball drop-in: 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. Mon. through Thurs.; 10 a.m. to noon Tues. and Thurs.; and 6 to 8 p.m. Wed. and Sun. $3/seniors ($5/non-seniors) • Classes including Kenpo Karate and Zumba Aerobics. See website for cost and times

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Sullivan Rd

Drop-in square dance lessons | 7 to 8:30 p.m. (through May 18). Western Dance Center, 1901 N. Sullivan Road. Square dance lessons for $3 per person; no partner needed. More at 270-9264 Pages of Harmony | 6:30 to 9:30 p.m., Wednesdays. Thornhill Valley Chapel, 1400 S. Pines Road.

If you enjoy singing, you will love the four-part, a cappella harmony of this men’s barbershop chorus.

More at www.pagesofharmony.org Spirit of Spokane Chorus | 6:45 p.m., Tuesdays. Opportunity Presbyterian Church, 202 N. Pines Road. Make new friends by joining this women’s chorus, specializing in four-part, a cappella harmony in the barbershop style. More at 2184799 Spokane Novelists Group | noon to 4 p.m., second and fourth Saturday of the month.

Otis Orchards Community Church, 23304 E. Wellesley Ave., Otis Orchards. A support/critique group for writers. Open to anyone with an interest in writing fiction (no memoirs, nonfiction, poetry, etc., please). Participants should bring 5-10 pages to read aloud and 6-8 copies for others to read along and critique. More at 590-7316 Spokane Valley Camera Club | 7:15 p.m., third and fourth Monday of the month (September through April). Liberty Lake Sewer and Water District building, 22510 E. Mission Ave., Liberty Lake. All levels of ability—students through experienced photographers—are invited to learn. Social events include field trips and workshops.

More at 951-1446 or www.sv-cc. org Spokane Valley Writer’s Group | 6:15 p.m. the first and third Thursdays of the month. Lakeside Church, 23129 E. Mission Ave. This supportive critique group welcomes adult writers. More at 570-4440 Teen Writers of the Inland Empire | 4 p.m., first Thursday of the month (except holidays).

Spokane Valley Library, 12004 E. Main Ave. Writers (sixth grade and older) meet to write and share their work. More at 893-8400

appearances by local sports mascots and more. For more information, call 927-0602 or go two www.hubsportcenter.org.

Oct. 6 | Family Fun Day, 1 to 3 p.m., Valley YMCA, 2421 N. Discovery Place, Spokane Valley.

This free event is for those with or without a YMCA membership and will feature aquatic and gym games as well as arts and crafts, free popcorn and more. Call 7779622 or visit www.spokane.org for more information.

Each Wednesday | Mindful Music and Movement class, 11:30 a.m.

-12:30 p.m. Specifically designed for those living with chronic health issues such as Parkinson's, dementia, COPD, MS, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue or cancer.

Supporting body, mind and soul.

Facilitated by board-certified Music Therapist, Carla Carnegie at Willow Song Music Therapy Center. 21101 E. Wellesley #102. Otis Orchards WA 99027. More information at www.willowsongmusictherapy.com or call 592 7875

OCTOBER 2017 • 15

The Splash

16 • OCTOBER 2017

CALENDAR

Continued from page 15

program for at-risk middle school students, HUB camp scholarships for disadvantaged youth and/or the HUB Capital Campaign to secure this facility for the benefit of future generations. For more information, call the HUB at 927-0602 or go to www.hubsportscenter.org.

Sept. 30| ISAAC Foundation 10th anniversary celebration, 2 to 7 p.m., Project ID, 1412 W. Central Ave., Spokane. The ISAAC Foundation is celebrating its 10year anniversary supporting the local autism community. This is a family-friendly event, with food trucks, jumping houses, face painting, free children’s books, raffle drawings and more. Your ticket ($5-$10) gets you into this event and all the activities are free of charge for your family. Proceeds from this event provide critical funding for the ISAAC Foundation’s educational, emotional and financial support programs for families in our area impacted by autism. For more information, please contact Jess Silvernail, jess@theisaacfoundation.org.

Oct. 4 | Homebuying 101, 6 p.m., North Argonne Library, 4322 N. Argonne Road. Discover the factors

to consider when you’re deciding whether to buy a home or continue to rent; what it means to be a homeowner, how to find the right home and what happens after your offer is accepted before closing.

Register for this free workshop online at stcu.org/workshops.

Oct. 7 | Inland Northwest Flight Fundraiser, Spokane Convention Center, 334 W. Spokane Falls Blvd., Spokane. This sixth annual event helps send veterans, free of charge, to Washington, D.C. to thank them for their service and to visit the memorials built in their honor. Enjoy silent and live auctions and more. To make a reservation, donate or become a sponsor, visit www.blacktie-northwest.com and enter event code INHF2017.

Oct. 17 | Ode to Opportunity fundraiser benefiting SNAP, 11:30 to 1 p.m., Spokane Convention Center, 334 W. Spokane Falls Blvd., Spokane. Proceeds from this luncheon event support SNAP, Spokane County’s community action agency since 1966. Last year, SNAP served nearly 48,000 low-income residents through over 30 programs designed to increase financial stability. To learn more, call 456-7627 or visit www.snapwa. org.

Oct. 22 | 200th Anniversary of the Birth of Bahá’u’lláh, founder of the Bahá’í Faith, 2 to 4 p.m., CenterPlace Regional Event Center, 2426 N. Discovery Place, Spokane Valley. The event is free and open to the public.

Oct. 26 | Newman Lake Ladies Aid Fall Roundup, noon, the Tri-Community Grange, 25025 E. Heather Lane, Newman Lake.

Attendees at this fun, free community fair are encouraged to dress in their best Western attire. A bag auction and gift table will be held and a $5 donation is requested.

Nov. 1 | KiDDS Dental 10th annual Great Candy Buy Back, 4 to 8 p.m., KiDDS Dental, 1327 N. Stanford Lane, Liberty Lake. KiDDS Dental will pay $1 per pound for children's unopened Halloween candy. Collected candy will be shipped to Operation Gratitude and included in care packages for troops serving overseas. Parents must be present. For those unable to attend, donated candy will be collected between Oct. 31 and Nov. 9 during regular operating hours.

This program is underwritten by Banner Bank. Call 891-7070 for more information.

RECURRING

Central Valley School Board | 6:30 p.m. on the second and fourth Mondays of each month, CVSD administration building, 19307 E. Cataldo, Spokane Valley Liberty Lake City Council | 7 p.m. on the first and third Tuesdays of each month, City Hall, 22710 E. Country Vista Drive Liberty Lake Library Foundation | Noon the first Wednesday of each month, 23123 E. Mission Ave. Liberty Lake Merchants Association | 11:30 a.m. Tuesdays, Liberty Lake Portal, 23403 E. Mission Ave., Suite 120. More at 999-4935 Liberty Lake Municipal Library Board | 10:30 a.m. the first Thursday of each month, 23123 E. Mission Ave. Liberty Lake Planning Commission | 4 p.m. on the second Wednesday of each month, City Hall, 22710 E. Country Vista Drive Liberty Lake SCOPE (Sheriff’s Community Oriented Policing Effort) | 6:30 p.m. on the first Wednesday of each month, City Hall, 22710 E. Country Vista Drive Liberty Lake Sewer and Water District Board | 4 p.m. on the second Monday of each month, 22510 E. Mission Ave.

YOU YOU BELONG BELONG HERE HERE 23129 E MISSION AVE, LIBERTY LAKE 23129 E MISSION AVE, LIBERTY LAKE www.legacychurchwa.com www.legacychurchwa.com

The Splash

OCTOBER 2017 • 17

Longtime resident Freeman recognized as caring neighbor

By Tamara K. Williams Splash Correspondent “Small in stature but big in heart,” is how Ross Schneidmiller describes longtime Liberty Lake resident Lorna Freeman who served as this year’s grand marshal of the Alpine Shores Fourth of July Parade.

Freeman moved to Liberty Lake with her husband Clarence “Whitey” and their two boys, Dave and Tim, in 1967. Now 82, she is known as a rock of kindness and compassion for those whom she counts as friends. Her son Dave said his mother was overwhelmed at the honor and privilege it was to be chosen as the grand marshal.

Well-known for her ability to combine beautiful fabrics to create the colorful, hand-made quilts found in many of her friend’s homes today, Lorna has also been active in the Beachcomber’s Gardening Club for over 30 years and continues to attend the monthly meetings throughout the winter in order to visit with friends over their shared love of flowers and community service.

Longtime friend Karen Ruef first met Lorna at the Liberty Lake Church where her husband Ray was the pastor. “Lorna kept the books at the Liberty Lake Christian Preschool and Kindergarten,” Ruef says. “She was a very conscientious person and someone of whom we appreciated for her accuracy to make sure we were paid correctly,”

Lorna Freeman (second from the right) has called the Liberty Lake area home since 1967. She has been part of the Beachcomber's Garden Club for over 30 years and this summer was selected as the grand marshal for the annual Alpine Shores Fourth of July Parade.

Contributed photo Ruef said. “She’s been a dear friend to me for over 40 years and she’s always had a ready smile for anyone she meets!”

According to her friends and son, Lorna loves baseball and was always in attendance at her boys’ games, keeping score and cheering them on. In the years since Lorna’s husband passed away, she and Dave have taken several memorable trips together, visiting places of historical interest, as well as some of Lorna’s “bucket list” places she always wanted to visit – including six visits to her parent’s family’s homes in Great Britain.

Lorna’s parents emigrated from England to the United States when Lorna was a young girl. In 2007,

Lorna and several of her friends from Liberty Lake, traveled to London and the English countryside, introducing them to her family. On a lark, during their visit to Kensington Palace, they took a picture of all of them holding up a copy of The Splash in front of the palace, which was later printed in the local paper when they returned.

Lorna loved being active and healthy and for 30 years. She and her group of friends walked around the Liberty Lake Golf Course three times a week, three hours a day. In recent years, she’s had to give up walking such a distance as time has taken a toll on her health. She still attends her weekly Tuesday quilting group, “The Piecemakers,” started

in 1985 with six original members, although she does more knitting and crocheting than quilting now.

It’s obvious that Lorna Freeman, seen by many as someone who contributed greatly in her own quiet way, is someone worth honoring.

Liberty Lake is proud to have so many families of three and even four generations, come to live, raise their families and be a part of what the community is all about.

As Linda Knudsen put it, “It’s been wonderful to see someone like Lorna be able to have the recognition in print and to be able to see how much people have appreciated her throughout the years.”

The Splash

18 • OCTOBER 2017

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The Splash

OCTOBER 2017 • 19

Success par for the course at debt-free Trailhead

Last month, that time arrived. At the Aug. 15 City Council meeting, Peterson turned the final payment of the note into a celebration with a ceremonial deposit of the document into the paper shredder at City Hall.

Peterson said the assessed value of the course is now above $5 million, more than double the purchase price.

By Tyler Wilson

Splash Correspondent Back in 2002, a lawnmower played a major role in the city of Liberty Lake’s purchase of a golf course.

“The city needed a lawnmower,” said Mayor Steve Peterson, who was instrumental in the decision to buy what was then called Valley View Golf Course. “They (Valley View) had one and we could use it to mow the other parks.”

Peterson said there were plenty of other reasons for the city to purchase the course, despite some skepticism at the time.

“I never hesitated a minute of that decision – everything was right about it,” Peterson said. “From the city’s perspective, it met all of our goals.”

When the course came up for

“One thing about real estate is time heals all wounds,” he said.

Dawn of Trailhead

The city of Liberty Lake recently paid off the bond note on the Trailhead at Liberty Lake Golf Course. The venue has turned into a revenue generator for the city and is known for amenities like a heated, covered driving range and meticulously maintained greens and fairways.

Photo by Craig Howard sale, Peterson said the city was concerned about it falling into private development that would convert the open area into homes.

Buying the property – which the city renamed Trailhead at Liberty Lake Golf Course – meant preserving the greenspace and obtaining the equipment to

manage it and others around town.

The driving range and course also provided a consistent revenue stream that could cover operations and allow for improvements going forward.

It didn’t come without risk. The purchase included a bank bond that wouldn’t be paid off for 15 years.

In its 2017 form, Trailhead is a nine-hole, par-33 executive course, a style intended for busy players who want a challenge but may not have the time commitment for 18 holes. The course has four par threes, four full-length par fours and a par five, each with four sets of tees for different skill sets.

Back in 2002, one of the immediate advantages of purchasing the course was the city’s ability to continue a trail system that would run along Country Vista Road.

There were already plans for a trail that would have run along the edge of the road, Peterson said.

See TRAILHEAD, Page 20

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Continued from page 19 “It saved in the construction quite a bit – we saved a considerable amount of money relocating the trail off the road,” he said.

Peterson also takes pride in renaming the course. “Trailhead” represented the place where all the trails in the area met at the time.

There was also effort to make improvements on the course, clubhouse and driving range whenever revenue allowed.

Trailhead golf pro Chris Johnston, who has been at the course since 2011, said the city has always been receptive about investing in the quality of players’ experience.

“The city has been big supporters – the City Council, the mayor, the superintendent – they’ve let me decide what’s needed to be done, and, knock on wood, but everything we’ve done has panned out and made everything better.”

Improvements over the years have included a new roof on the clubhouse and enhancements to the driving range – including better mats and targets, new range balls and the expansion of the grass section of the range. On the course itself, Johnston oversaw a complete reshape of Trailhead’s bunkers, adding new white sand.

Tree trimming and landscaping management have helped improve play; the course also introduced a new fleet of golf carts and overall upgrades have been made to the on-course restrooms, signs, benches, ball washers and more.

six guys hitting balls when it was snowing sideways.”

Looking to the future With the initial investment now paid off, Peterson said the city will soon be looking at the next improvements at Trailhead. He hopes to utilize revenue for ongoing projects but will look at investment opportunities that will benefit the course in the long term. New netting on the driving range has been discussed, as has a complete overhaul or reconstruction of the clubhouse.

“The clubhouse is 45-47 years old and it’s had some problems,” Johnston said. “That’s one aspect where we might be able to get tournaments in here and to utilize a larger banquet area.”

Peterson also acknowledged the need for additional parking as Trailhead improves and continues to attract more users.

“We really have to sit down and have a comprehensive look, really a master plan idea for our community of all the spaces we own,” Peterson said.

Whatever improvements are to come, Johnston said the city’s commitment to Trailhead has helped transform the course into an attractive destination for area golfers.

“This is a dream job for me as a golf pro, and there’s no place I’d rather be,” Johnston said.

The expansion and renovation of tee boxes throughout the course has also added more challenging play for more experienced golfers.

Johnston said those improvements have helped to increase revenue at an annual clip and to attract club participants.

“I’ve got 100 men’s club members and there are probably 15 guys who are single digit handicaps,” Johnston said. “I’ve got 20 guys in their young 20s all the way up to retired guys and our season pass sales have gone up every single year.”

Maintaining the driving range year-round has also kept Trailhead popular when other courses are shuttered in the off-season.

“Last year was the first time in five years where we ran out of range balls – we have 15,000 range balls, and once those are under the snow, I can’t do much about it,” Johnston said. “One day I had

Chris Johnston has served as head pro at Trailhead since 2011. The site remains open, weather permitting, when most area golf courses have closed for the season.

Photo by Craig Howard

The Splash

OCTOBER 2017 • 21

2017

Special Election Guide

Dear Readers:

With the upcoming election heating up and the sea of political signs filling our streets, we at The Splash wanted to take the opportunity to provide you with some information about t h e

candidates seeking your vote this election cycle.

In order to give you more insight into who these people are we reached out to all of the candidates appearing on your ballot and asked them to please provide a 300-word response to the following questions (which we would publish at no cost).

1.

What best qualifies you for this position?

2.

What i s

the most important issue that needs addressed?

While not everyone chose to respond to our request, a good number have and I hope that you find their unedited responses helpful for your voting consideration.

In addition to the information listed in the following pages we have partnered with Central Valley High School, University High School, Mica Peak High School, East Valley High School and West Valley High School to host two candidate forums to give you the opportunity to come and hear directly from the candidates for Spokane Valley City Council (Oct.

4, 5:30 pm - 8:00 pm hosted at West Valley High School) as well as Liberty Lake City Council and Spokane Valley Fire Commissioner Candidates(Oct 11, 5:30 pm - 8:00 pm hosted at Liberty Creek Elemenatary School) and individually connect with a number of the other candidates that will be in attendance. The event are free, so we hope that you will come and join us.

Thanks for reading The Splash, we hope you enjoy it!

The Splash Team

P.S. If you have any feedback on how we can enhance the voter’s guide or if you found it valuable please let us know by emailing us at elections@ libertylakesplash.com or by calling our office at 509242-7752

Candidate Forum

October 11, 2017 5:30 pm - 8 pm Liberty Creek Elementary

Join Us!

Come hear what your Liberty Lake City Council candidates have to say and meet applicants for other offices vying for your vote.

Thank you to our local high schools for working together to make this event happen!

The Splash

22 • OCTOBER 2017

Ballot Drop Off Locations Liberty Lake Library 23123 E Mission Ave Liberty Lake, WA 99019 Otis Orchards Library 22324 E Wellesley Ave Otis Orchards, WA 99027 Spokane Valley Library 12004 E Main Ave Spokane Valley, WA 99206 Argonne Library 4322 N Argonne Rd Spokane, WA 99212

City of Liberty Lake Position 4

Odin Langford

What best qualifies you for this position?

Service is a lifelong commitment, and for me it began at 16, when I volunteered with the American Red Cross. I spent 25 years in Law Enforcement, where I retired as a Captain, while commanding the Internal Management Division.

After retiring, I still wanted to give back to the community, so I volunteered as a Court

Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) for Children and as a Senior Ombudsman in the State of Washington.

My formal education consists of a Master of Criminal Justice degree and while serving as a Liberty Lake Councilman, I pursued professional development courses, becoming the only Councilman to earn the prestigious AWC “Advanced Municipal Leadership Certification”.

I’m proudly independent and I have no problem saying no to special interests. It is telling that I have often been referred to as the “Reasonable Voice of the Council”, a tradition I would be proud to continue.

What is the most important issue that needs to be addressed?

“Needs before Wants” is more than a political slogan, it must become our touchstone. We’re still a young city, past crawling but certainly not yet running.

With our projected growth, we need to focus on preserving community resources, establishing long term financial plans, and approaching development responsibly, knowing that our choices today affect the Liberty Lake of tomorrow.

We need to become better at delivering essential services, like snow removal. We need to manage important issues of today: traffic growth, targeting compatible commercial operations, and preparing a much needed long term Municipal Master Plan.

Liberty Lake has a rich future!

To protect that future, we need to re-direct our efforts from less needed, costly community projects, to building trust and unity, by providing the best of existing services. As affordable, the “wants” can be paid for in a way that will make our residents proud that they live in Liberty Lake!

City of Liberty Lake Position 6

Mike Kennedy

What best qualifies you for this position?

NOTICE: During the September 5, 2017, City Council Meeting, Dylan McGuire officially withdrew from the race. Because the ballots were printed before McGuire resigned, both our names will appear. Your Vote Matters: PLEASE mark and return your ballots. Thank you!

My qualifications are extensive, and entirely relevant to the challenges the Council faces. I have spent years as a business owner, managing finances, budgets and people.

Finance is a world where I am confident and comfortable, and those skills will help both the Council and Community!

Being involved, I have heard the concerns of my fellow citizens. The worries of Public Safety, traffic management, city parks, budgeting and well managed growth have all been topics that have been discussed, and I am able to offer more to the council than just opinions; I can bring fiscal responsibility, an understanding of the budget process and an ability to plan for the future effectively.

What is the most important issue that needs to be addressed?

Our revenue comes from three taxes: Property, Sales and Utility. Once revenue is set

it opens the “what do we want to accomplish” discussion, starting with what is possible, before “what we would like”.

With attention to detail, we can accomplish priorities, limit tax increases, and avoid unwanted bonds being put up for vote.

Working with the council to respond to those needs, and to prioritize key issues, all comes down to the budget spending. “What do we need?” And then “How are we going to pay for it?” We must develop and adhere to a proper and well-designed financial plan for the future, because with that in hand, anything becomes possible.

I am confident that if I am able to bring my years of experience, successful business management and critical analysis to the City Council, I can help make a better future for Liberty Lake.

Dylan McGuire

I am deeply disappointed to announce that I will be unable to continue my campaign for Liberty Lake City Council.

Due to unexpected changes at my workplace, my job duties and workload have increased significantly over the past few months. These added responsibilities will not allow me to dedicate the time and attention to the City Council that I feel the people

The Splash

Jeanette Nall

What best qualifies you for this position?

Integrity, Service Before Self, and Excellence in All We Do these are the core values of the United States Air Force...these are my core values. I have the skills to help to make our already wonderful city a better place to live.

I want to be the voice for better roads, better schools,

of Liberty Lake deserve.

My wife and I remain dedicated to building a stronger sense of community that encourages neighbors getting to know each other, lending a helping hand when we see someone in need, and working together to help all of our Liberty Lake residents feel safe and at home here.

We value the experience we’ve gained listening to community members express their ideas and concerns, and discussing the shared desire for a better Liberty Lake. We appreciate the opportunity we’ve had to get to know some of our City Council members and extremely hard-working city staff, and our exemplary police department.

We are encouraged by the increased level of community involvement we’ve seen recently, and

OCTOBER 2017 • 23

green space, a safe wellrounded community to live in.

These are what the citizens of our community want, and I will fight for your right to attain them regardless of who or what might stand in the way.

Growth in Liberty Lake is inevitable, but how it grows matters a great deal to all who live here. I have 20 years of military service and community service and have been a resident of Liberty Lake for 16 years.

With my military background and Master’s degree in Finance, I have the organizational skills and I fully understand economics and fiscal responsibilities attached to city decisions, as well as the impact of such decisions on our residents and businesses.

I believe that my strong service and financial background, my genuine care for the people of Liberty Lake and my commitment to

the emphasis on the importance of accountability and transparency.

Clear communication and government accountability are vital to keep our community informed, connected, and involved as Liberty Lake continues to grow. We hope that with this increased interest, we’ll see more fresh faces stepping up to run for office and getting actively involved.

Despite the unfortunate timing of my changes at work, I still intend to do my part to help serve our community to the best of my ability. It may not be as an elected official at this time, but my commitment to this city is unwavering.

I would like to thank everyone who has supported my campaign, especially my wife Alyson, whose love and support have sustained me.

deal fairly with the issues of importance to our city make me qualified to seek a position on the Council.

What is the most important issue that needs to be addressed?

We need to hold developers and builders accountable for the impact growth has on our community through increasing fees into the Harvard Road Mitigation Fund, developing impact fees for schools, and increasing permit fees. We need to promote several ways to reduce the congestion, increase safety, and enhance business access by constructing an additional lane at Harvard Road. We also need to plan and design slip roads on I-90 to accommodate a new interchange at Henry Road which will improve the safety of freeway access at Harvard Road.

Lost your Ballot?

Now you can go online to get a replacement! Input your information and it will generate the correct ballot for you. Simply print it off and take it to a ballot drop off location. To utilize this service go to https:// weiapplets.sos.wa.gov/ MyVote/#/login

The Splash

24 • OCTOBER 2017

Spokane Valley Fire Commissioner Position 1 out of 5 candidates to fill this position. My previous 9 years of volunteer service as a member and team leader with Spokane Valley Fire Department’s Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) and Fire Corps also add to my qualifications as Fire Commissioner.

Patrick Burch

What best qualifies you for this position?

As a candidate for Spokane Valley Fire Department’s Board of Fire Commissioners Position 1, the following are what best qualifies me for this position: I have been serving as the Position 1 Fire Commissioner after being appointed in July 2016. I was chosen by the current Board of Fire Commissioners

an U.S. Navy

Additional qualifications are my education and business experience. I received a MBA from WSU in 2010. While working for The Boeing Company I developed lean management skills and as a financial controller I was responsible for a $1.2 Billion budget so I am familiar with large budgets. I am also a successful small business owner here in Spokane Valley. I believe these add to my qualifications as Fire Commissioner.

What is the most important issue that needs

to be addressed?

My continued priorities as Fire Commissioner are fiscal responsibility while maintaining and improving Spokane Valley Fire Department services to our district. We need to continue to look for ways to reduce cost and improve our response times through improvements with our dispatch process. We also need to continue our ARU (Alternative Response Units, currently known as Medic 7) services which reduces the need to send an engine to less serious medical calls. This allows the ARU’s to stage at key locations in the district to increase response times and decrease the wear and tear which extends the life of the engine and reduces cost to our taxpayers.

Stan Chalich

The Current made repeated attempts to reach this candidate for input to be included in this voters’ guide. No response was received prior to this issue going to print.

It would be an honor to continue to serve as your Spokane Fire Department Position 1 Fire Commissioner.

ne Valley Spokane Valle yFire Commissioner Position 5 ess Owner

oeing Company— Manufacturing

coutmaster

s of Volunteer e for SVFD CERT m and Corp Bill Fire Anderson

What best qualifies you for this position?

WSU

My name is Bill and I would like your vote for Fire Commissioner Position 5. I started my career with the Department in July of 1970, and served in all line positions for 28.5 years.

I have an A.A. degree in Fire Service Science, as well as Criminal Justice and Arson investigation.

n Patrick Burch WA 99037

I am proud to have served on the Fire Commission for the last 18 years, under my peers and my leadership our Department became one, of only a handful, accredited by the Commission on Fire Accreditation International. In addition the Washington State Survey and Rating Bureau classified The Spokane Valley Fire Department as one of only 5, Class 2 Fire Departments in Washington State. This results in lower insurance premiums for all businesses and property owners.

What is the most important issue that needs to be addressed?

As with any public entity continued funding is a problem. Thank you to all citizens for their support and their willingness to fund the best Fire Department in Washington State. We are

working hard to keep up with growth. An example is the proposed grade update at the rail crossing at Barker and Trent. This will open up many acres of land for development, much of which will be commercial, creating many new job opportunities and requiring another Fire Station in the area. Our Fire Department has grown along with the Valley and will continue to do so, thanks to our team of Professional Line Firefighters and personnel, as well as the Administration Support Team. We all thank you for your support, and hope you will continue to do so. I ask you that you vote to allow me to continue working for you to ensure the success of our Fire Department here in Spokane Valley as our community grows and prospers.

Larry Rider

What best qualifies you for this position?

My name is Larry Rider and I am a life long resident of the Spokane Valley, a husband, a father and a grandfather to 7. I worked for the Spokane Valley Fire Department (SVFD) for 35 years and retired in 2015.

The last 14 years were as Deputy Fire Chief. Some of the experience that qualifies

The Splash

OCTOBER 2017 • 25

Voter registration deadline is October 9

Go to http://www.spokanecounty.org/207/Register-to-Vote to get signed up before it is too late!

Ballot mailing begins October 18 and need to be postmarked by November 7

to track to your ballot go to http://www.spokanecounty.org/2994/ Track-Your-Ballot

me to help oversee SVFD are; a graduate of the National Fire Academy’s Executive Fire Officer Program, a Fire Command and Administration Degree, 23 years on the Local Emergency Planning Committee, 3 years work on the Washington State Fire Defense Board and 10 years on the Spokane Community College Fire Science Advisory Committee. I have held most of the positions at SVFD and have experience working with the Labor Organizations, Civil Service, the local governments they serve and almost every system that makes the department function.

What is the most important issue that needs to be addressed?

I am running for Fire Commissioner to help make SVFD better. I am very proud of the department and the service that it provides us but

you have to continually work at keeping those services relevant, maintaining the citizens trust, respecting your employees and keeping it good government. We have to make sure the department remembers it is there to work for us.

I believe in being fiscally conservative because the money that is spent is the citizens’. With a 38 million dollar budget I believe the department needs to be more involved with our local governments so that it has an understanding of their issues and can look for ways to assist, if possible, or at least collaborate on solutions. SVFD is a good department but it can be better! I think it is time for some new perspectives on the commission and if elected I will work hard to keep it strong for all of us.

The Splash

26 • OCTOBER 2017

Spokane Superior Court Judge

Jocelyn Cook

What best qualifies you for this position?

I am best qualified for Superior Court judge, position 6, because the position is nonpartisan and I am the only candidate that has not participated in partisan politics. I have not sought political appointment and I do not bring a list of conflicts, in the form of endorsements, to a bench that is supposed

Tony Hazel

What best qualifies you for this position?

Judge Tony Hazel is the incumbent candidate who currently serves as your Spokane County Superior Court Judge in Position #6. He is seeking to be retained for this office.

Before becoming a Judge, he worked as a Senior Deputy Prosecutor for Spokane County (13 years) and had

to be free from the appearance of bias.

and responsibility of judicial decision-making.

During my career, I have worked on identifying issues of appeal and briefing them, I have challenged unconstitutional practices in the courtroom, and I work to represent indigent clients. The work I’ve done has not been for public consumption and evaluation. It has not been for recognition that I could parlay into talking points. It has been because I believe the work is necessary to preserve the protections the Constitution offers our community.

I believe in the neutral, non-politicized, application of the law. I believe that the law applies to everyone, from the indigent, to the wealthy, to the officers that enforce it. I am committed to these beliefs and to following the law regardless of whether doing so is popular or politic.

I have also stood with people most affected by the court system. I have visited institutions, group homes, hospitals, and treatment centers. I have watched the impact the court system has on the people before it. These experiences will make me a careful, deliberate judge who truly understands the impact

extensive criminal and civil trial litigation experience. Judge Hazel has been a community leader in criminal justice having served on City’s Public Safety Team and having formerly served as President of the Spokane County Bar Association (2015). His educational background includes a law degree from Gonzaga School of Law where he obtained his JD with honors. Judge Hazel has been an active participant in the community and currently serves as a Board Member for TeamGleason (nonprofit ALS organization), WSU’s School of Medicine Steering Committee, and he was the recipient of Salvation Army’s “Making Spokane Better” award. Judge Hazel was born and raised in Spokane. Judge Hazel places a high value on public safety while always guaranteeing individuals’ civil rights. Judge Hazel has a proven record for treating all persons with fairness and respect while always upholding the rules of

What is the most important issue that needs to be addressed?

Consistency from the Bench- We should be able to anticipate consistent application of the law from the bench. When judges do their work within the parameters of the law, people in the community have access to justice that doesn’t change from courtroom to courtroom and isn’t impacted by politics or individual ethic.

law and constitution(s). Judge Hazel is the only candidate in this race to receive an “Exceptionally Qualified” rating from the Spokane County Bar Association’s Judicial Evaluation Panel, the highest rating issued.

Judge Hazel sites the lack of a sentencing court’s legal ability to impose community custody (probation/supervision) for property crime offenders as a serious issue currently facing the Superior Court.

What is the most important issue that needs to be addressed?

Due to State law, Washington is the only State in the country that disallows a sentencing court to impose probationary services as part of a sentencing for anyone convicted of a property crime related offense.

This law prohibits a judge from imposing sentences aimed at curbing criminal recidivism in the context of property crime.

Thank you to all of the candidates who took the time to respond and answer our questions for this Special Election Guide.

We appreciate the hard work you are putting in and your willingness to serve our commmunity in these public service roles.

Thank you to the staff of The Current for your hard work in creating this special feature as a public service to our community.

Please note that these statements were provided by the candidates or their staff and have been printed ‘as is’ and without any editing

by The Current.

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The Vikings were people from Denmark, Norway and Sweden which was known as Scandinavia in medieval times. It wasn’t one unified group.

There were many villages that each had their own chieftain. Vikings had three main classes of people; Jarls (Noblemen), Karls (Average free citizens) and Thralls (Slaves). They fought as much within themselves as with foreigners. The longhouse they lived in was just one big room with a fireplace and a smoke hole in the ceiling.

Usually the animals lived in the house with the family.

They were fantastic sailors that carved dragons on the front of their dragon-ships to frighten people. They made boat raids along the European coastline all the way to southern France and Italy. Christian monasteries became one of their favorite targets, the monks had no weapons but did have valuable treasure. Gradually their goals changed from raids to conquering and they were very successful taking control of much of modern day England, Ireland and Scotland. Only Alfred the Great was successful in defeating them in battle. In the 8th century they founded Dublin shortly thereafter took over the area of York and by 1000AD, some had settled in Northern France where they were known as Normans, or Northmen, the area became known as Normandy.

Religion was important to the culture. Vikings

Our coaches are passionate about gymnastics and focus on teaching quality gymnastics in a fun and safe environment. Classes run year-round with three 13-week sessions (Fall, Winter and Spring) and one 10-week session. andsummer goddesses like Thor

worshiped many gods and Odin. Prominent Viking men and women were laid to rest in ships with items they would need in the afterlife; weapons, slaves and treasure.

The ships were set to sail, set on fire and sent on their journey to Valhalla, their version of heaven.

Many Vikings converted to Christianity when they settled in areas they had raided.

Other Vikings sailed west to Iceland, Greenland and Nova Scotia. Some married Native American women and settled there. A few Viking traders made journeys to modern day Turkey and Iraq.

They sold honey, leather, ivory, fur, wheat, wood, tin, wool, iron and slaves. They bought silk, spices, wine, glass, silver and pottery.

Family life was important to Vikings; everyone over the age of five had a task to do. Children needed to be healthy and if they weren’t they might be thrown out to sea. Children didn’t go to school but they were taught to read and carve runes called Futhark when their chores like gathering wood, fetching water, weeding, caring for the animals and cleaning were done. They also were taught archery and how to use their sword and fight! In their free time they swam, ice skated, played with carved animals and boats, musical instruments, dolls, dice and board games.

At night, by the fire, the family would sing, tell family stories and heroic tales of their Gods.

The Splash

28 • OCTOBER 2017

Leif Erickson 970-1020

“Leif the Lucky” was the son of Erik the Red who was famous for founding the first European settlement on what is now called Greenland and he himself is credited with being the first European to reach North America.

He is also credited for bringing Christian missionaries with him and building the first Christian church on the North American continent.

Leif was born in Iceland and raised there until his father moved the family to Greenland when he was banished.

As an adult, Leif travelled to Norway and

Match the to GODDESS OF LOVE, FERTILITY ANDGod BATTLE

converted to Christianity. He introduced the religion to Greenland and even managed to convert his mother. Around the year 1000, he sailed West in search of a new land that there were rumors of. Historians believe he saw Baffin Island and Labrador on his way to Vinland. He took timber and grapes back with him to Greenland. There were no maps left behind but many sagas were written about his adventure. When he arrived back he found that his father had died and he was the new leader of Greenland. Vinland did not become a successful colony at the time because people preferred the climate of Greenland, it was already established and the Native Americans were willing to trade but not welcoming to a colony. History is conflicted to how many places he landed.

There have been Norse artifacts found in Maine, Minnesota and even Mississippi dating between 1010 and 1030 which is almost 500 years before Columbus.

their Characteristic(s)

FREYJA

GODDESS OF MARRIAGE AND MOTHERHOOD

FRIGG

GOD OF BATTLES AND WISDOM

THOR

GOD OF THUNDER AND BATTLE

SKADI

GOD OF WARS AND THE SKY

TYR

GOD OF BEAUTY, INNOCENCE AND PEACE GOD OF POETRY AND MUSIC

ODIN SIF

GODDESS OF HEALING

BALDUR

GOD OF STRENGTH

NANNA

GODDESS OF JOY AND PEACE

MAGNI

GODDESS OF HARVEST

BRAGI

GODDESS OF WINTER

EIR

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PACE Trait Responsibility Being accountable, the pursuit of excellence, and the exercise of self control.

VIKINGS

1. Vikings didn’t wear horned helmets. Before the Vikings’ time there were Germanic and Norse priests that did wear horned helmets for some ceremonies.

2. Vikings had excellent hygiene. They bathed at least once a week and enjoyed the hot springs regularly. They made tweezers, combs, ear cleaners and razors from bones and antlers.

3. Vikings actively participated in the slave trade. While pillaging settlements they captured men and women that they called “thralls”. The thralls were taken and sold in large slave markets in Europe and the Middle East.

4. Viking women had more rights than most other cultures of the time. They could inherit property, choose their own husband, manage their dowries and even request a divorce.

5. Most Viking men were farmers. They raised oats, barley, rye, goats, pigs and sheep.

6. Blondes were favored so brunettes used lye to bleach their hair. An added bonus, it helped with head lice.

7. The name ‘Viking’ means ‘a pirate raid’ in the Old Norse language.

8. Around 1000 AD Vikings landed in Canada which was about 500 years before Columbus thought he discovered America.

9. Vikings were expert sailors and boat builders.

The keels on their longboats made them easy to steer and since they float high in the water beach landings were easy.

10. Viking warriors that wore animal skins and howled in battle were called berserkers.

OCTOBER 2017 • 29

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FOR ALL GOALS & ABILITIES TODDLER THROUGH ADULT Competitive Teams • Parkour, Breakdance and Hip Hop Classes • Parent’s Night Out • Bitty Bee Academy & Flippin’ Fun Move Night • Open Gym for All Ages • Gymnastics Birthday Parties • Ninja Zone

ENROLL TODAY! Our coaches are passionate about gymnastics and focus on teaching quality gymnastics in a fun and safe environment. Classes run year-round with three 13-week sessions (Fall, Winter and Spring) and one 10-week summer session.

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Animal Facts

Cut them out and collect them all!

ORCA - KILLER WHALE - Found worldwide - 22-32 feet in length, weigh up to 6 tons, live 50-80 years - Family units called pods, up to 40 Orcas - Eat up to 500 pounds a day - Swim 30 mph - Largest member of the dolphin family - Each has a unique mark behind its dorsal fin that identifies it - Orcas do not attack humans in the wild

The Splash

30 • OCTOBER 2017

David was born in Newburyport, MA. As a child, he loved to draw and was heavily influenced by Norman Rockwell.

Playing in the woods near his home was a favorite pastime where he used his imagination to pretend he was a hero from the books he read, Robin Hood was one of his favorites. He attended Vesper George University on an art scholarship but left to be a guitarist in a rock band. To support himself he had many jobs from being a truck driver to a factory worker. Years later, his drawing again became his focus and he attended the Boston Museum of Fine Arts School. Maurice Sendak’s work was very appealing to him at this time. He began illustrating books in 1967 and starting writing them in 1971.

His first published book was In the Summer I Go Fishing and his new career began. His books have won many awards including Children’s Choice, Parent’s Choice, Outstanding Book of the Year, Several have been Reading Rainbow books.

Author Spotlight

ail

David McPh

Edward and the Pirates, 1997, ages 5 – 8

Edward is a voracious reader that loves the library.

The stories engage him so much he believes he’s part of them. When the pirate’s plans are thwarted by his father, David ends up assisting them and at the same time learning how important it is to be a reader. The accompanying artwork is fantastic and perfect for bringing this story to life. This is our favorite of the Edward series.

Thorfinn the Nicest Viking Series, 2015, ages 6 - 8

The books in this series have been nominated for Laugh Out Loud Awards. Thorfinn is very polite, respectful and makes a lovely cup of tea. The other Vikings in the story are just as you’d expect. So the interaction at times is pretty hilarious. They’re all silly but enjoyable none the same.

Mole Music, 1999, ages 4 – 8

Mole loves the sound of a violin so much he decides to buy one and practice until he plays even better than the musician who inspired him. Mole imagines what the world could be like if his music could influence change.

Little did he know that the people above ground enjoyed his music so much his dream really did come true.

The Splash

OCTOBER 2017 • 31

Student of the Month Senior Gabe Romney is one of the reasons the Central Valley boys’ cross country team is ranked first in the state among 4A schools and No. 20 in the nation. Earlier this season, at an invitational in Tacoma, Romney set a personal record of 15:40 on the 5-kilometer (3.1-mile) course, helping CV to the team title. Romney has lettered in cross country since his freshman year. As a junior, Romney placed 17th at state, part of a secondplace team finish for the Bears.

In track, Romney has lettered three years and qualified for state last year in the 2-mile placing 10th overall. His personal record in the event is 9:18. The senior also runs the mile with a p.r. of 4:24. In the classroom, Romney maintains a 3.3 grade point average and serves as ASB secretary.

Citizen of the Month

& Thanks you for all you do in our community

Not many students transition from the cello to the saxophone in mid-stride but that’s just what Central Valley senior Kate Madrian did this year, switching from the symphony to the marching band. In the classroom, Madrian maintains a 4.0 grade point average and is a member of the National Honor Society.

She has participated in DECA, a program focused on business and marketing strategies and, as a junior, went to nationals for her presentation on financial literacy.

Madrian has also been part of the cross country program, lettering as a sophomore. As part of her church, Madrian has participated in a variety of community service projects benefiting local nonprofits. She compiled a 35 (out of a possible 36) on the ACT and 1,490 (out of 1,600) on the SAT. Madrian plans to attend Brigham Young University after graduation.

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Athlete of the Month As another season of the Liberty Lake Farmers Market winds down, the Splash salutes “the face” of the market, Holli Parker.

The Spokane native and Liberty Lake resident has served on the market’s board of directors since the inaugural year in 2002 and market manager for most of that time. Parker has brought high-quality leadership and reliable enthusiasm to the task, helping turn the Liberty Lake location into one of the region’s preeminent markets. Parker has also contributed to local causes like the Friends of Pavillion Park Holiday Ball and Liberty Lake Easter Egg Hunt. She is a graduate of Gonzaga Prep and Eastern Washington University and a past president and current member of the American Italian Club. A mom and a grandma, Parker has taught at Greenacres Elementary since 2006 where she has been named PTA Teacher of the Year.

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The Splash

32 • OCTOBER 2017 Brought to you by

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About and for Liberty Lake seniors

SE

NI

OR

Volunteers at Kindred Hospice provide diverse support

Those who donate their time here like Mark Jacobus say the support provided to patients can make a real difference.

“Even when you hear of their passing, you have this great feeling that you were the light at the end of their tunnel,” said Jacobus, a Liberty Lake resident.

Carpenter spends her days recruiting community members who can sit with patients, read to them, do light housekeeping and run errands. But a lot more goes into it than just finding people with time on their hands. Carpenter needs people with all kinds of skills.

If there is something you can do, she can find a patient who needs it.

“I met a lady who signs (American Sign Language) the other day,” said Carpenter. “And I said, ‘I have patients who need that.’ I have a guy here in Liberty Lake who says ‘If you have someone who needs yard work done, call me.’”

She also has people who can provide beauty services and bake.

“One of my patients was getting married last year,” she said.

TY

Carpenter says that goes for any kind of involvement, whether it is doing handyman work, putting together “cheer baskets” of personal items for patients or picking up donated materials from the Kindred office to make blankets, scarves and other items for patients. Even those who are homebound can help. Carpenter and volunteers drop off materials for blankets and the baskets for other volunteers to make, then pick them up when complete. This also provides some companionship to the homebound volunteers.

Just as birth is part of life, so is death. At Kindred Hospice in Liberty Lake, the end-of-life process is defined by a dignified level of care with volunteers providing a critical layer of support.

“After what I went through with my grandmother, it meant so much to have that help,” she said.

NI

“Mary (Carpenter) always puts it very well, ‘Your involvement may be one of the last things in their life that’s good,’” Jacobus said.

Splash Correspondent

Mary Carpenter is manager of volunteer services at Kindred and has first-hand experience with the impact volunteers can have.

LIVING COMMU

other times he visits multiple patients a couple times a week. His only regret is that he doesn’t have more time to volunteer as he says it gives him an incredible sense of well-being.

By Staci Lehman

Kindred helps patients and provides reinforcement to families throughout Spokane County and North Idaho by offering physical, emotional and spiritual resources at the end of life. It takes a team to make this happen – doctors, nurses, social workers, family and many volunteers.

Fountains

Kindred Hospice volunteer and Spokane Valley resident Judy McDonald types up reports and enters patient notes every Wednesday at the Kindred office.

Photo by Staci Lehman “Volunteers did a cake, there was a volunteer photographer. Someone did nails and someone did hair.”

because she is uncomfortable with patients but because administrative work is what she did before retiring.

Carpenter currently has 38 volunteers. Ideally, she would like twice that many to have a volunteer inventory featuring more skills and experiences.

Every Wednesday, McDonald enters volunteer notes into a spreadsheet, calculates volunteer hours and compiles reports on each patient; all of which she says is personally rewarding.

“I try to match them based on being a similar age or having had a similar career,” she says. “I try to find out a lot about our patients from our nurses and match them with people with similar interests or lifestyles.”

For those who want to give of their time but aren’t comfortable interacting directly with patients who have been diagnosed as terminal, Carpenter has options.

“I have churches that bake goodies,” she says. “The Union Gospel Mission donates flowers and I have someone who arranges them to take bouquets to our patients.

We can use volunteers in the office, answering phones.”

Spokane Valley resident Judy McDonald is one of those volunteers who works in the Kindred office. Not

“It’s my way of giving back,” McDonald said, although she is quick to give more credit to others.

“My hat is off to the people in the field, the people who read to patients, hold their hands, paint their nails,” she said.

Jacobus is one of the people in the field. He plays his guitar for patients, often writing original compositions or learning songs they request.

“I thought if I could combine playing music and going to help someone, I thought that was pretty cool,” he says.

As a freelance sales consultant, Jacobus describes his work hours as “feast or famine.” So, some months he sees a single patient just a couple times a month and

One of the best parts of Hospice’s services is that they are paid for entirely by Medicare so families aren’t overwhelmed by additional bills at an already stressful time.

Yet in order to make the system work, volunteers are required.

“Part of Medicare requires 5 percent of staff hours are matched by volunteer hours,” Carpenter said.

McDonald says the time spent volunteering for Kindred is well worth it.

“Go in with an open mind because the rewards are great,” she said.

Jacobus agrees.

“I get out of it probably more than I put into it,” he said.

If you have a skill you can offer, whether it is flower arranging, plumbing, cleaning or just reading aloud to someone, Kindred Hospice needs your help, even if it’s only one hour a week. Call Volunteer Services Manager Mary Carpenter at 7894377 or learn more about volunteer opportunities on the VolunteerMatch.org website.

The Splash

OCTOBER 2017 • 33

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34 • OCTOBER 2017

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Liberty Lake Waterski Club shines at regionals

decreases, which makes the course more difficult to navigate.

Splash Correspondent

Kienbaum said the regional championship attracts competitors from 13 Western states with anywhere from 300 to 400 people vying for gold medals in their respective events.

By J.R. Conrow

With the Inland Northwest's abundance of waterways to enjoy, Liberty Lake is fortunate to have a club for those who have an interest in waterskiing. Since 1986, Liberty Lake has fielded a team that has competed in local, regional and national competitions.

Paul Kienbaum, one of Liberty Lake's Waterski Club’s founding members, said the effort is informal so it may not be very wellknown. Today the club has about 25 members.

While the weather has transitioned into fall, the 2017 season saw the club send 10 representatives to Barstow, California for the U.S. Western Regional Waterski Championships in late July.

Common events at a waterskiing competition include the slalom, trick and jump. In a slalom event, the skier goes through a six-buoy course on one ski. Through the course the speed of travel increases and the length of rope the skier has

From Tee to Green – Local golf results

From Splash News Sources Liberty Lake Women's Golf Club held its championship Aug. 15, 22 and 29 with the following results: Club champion: Rose Jones, gross 241 Low net of the field: Margie Tibbits, net 199 First Flight: First gross: Jackie Babin, 253 Second gross: Joyce Skidmore, 255 First net: Carol Schultz, 204 Second net: Chrissie Tamura, 215 Second flight: First gross: Honey Conlon, 288 Second gross: Sabina Pinch, 313

In a trick event, the skier completes as many maneuvers as possible and is awarded points for each with a specific time limit.

In the jump event, skiers cut into a 5-foot ramp on two skis and compete for the furthest distance.

"Regionals are a week-long competition in which you need to have reached a certain skill level in previous tournaments to qualify," Kienbaum said.

Kienbaum added that the top five from each division in each event qualify for nationals.

At the regional competition, some of the local club highlights included 14-year-old Sam Hislop finishing sixth in the jump with a personalbest distance of 112 feet Genevieve Kienbaum finished third in slalom, third in jump, fourth in trick and third overall. Mary Kienbaum finished fourth in slalom, fourth in jump and fourth overall. Matthew Kienbaum won the gold medal in jump with 137 feet, finished third in slalom and fourth overall.

The Liberty Lake Waterski Club was founded in 1986 and now includes over two dozen members. The club competed in the Western Regional Waterski Championships this summer in California. Matthew Kienbaum, left with ski raised, on the jump competition and placed fourth overall.

Contributed photo accomplishment from these athletes at Liberty Lake," Kienbaum said.

“The question always comes up, ‘You really train on open public water?’ ‘Amazing.’"

He said the reaction from other participants was one of the unique aspects of the competition in Barstow.

With the seasons changing, the waterskiing season is winding down for the Liberty Lake squad, but the 2018 campaign will begin as soon as the ice melts off the lake.

"It's very exciting to take that many skiers from one club, the Liberty Lake location and when the names are broadcast on the loudspeakers at these huge tournaments it turns heads," Kienbaum said. "Most competitors ask ‘Where is Liberty Lake?’”

Kienbaum said most other competitors stay sharp by skiing during the winter in places like California, Arizona, Texas and other areas where the weather is more amenable.

"Just the criteria to qualify and compete is an amazing

Kienbaum added that fellow competitors are even more impressed when they learn of the conditions the local club trains in.

"We always tease them they should give us a handicap for the time our lake is frozen," Kienbaum said. "No luck yet for extra points on that one."

First net: Gloria Cash, 211 Second net: Terry Jacobsen, 215 Additional play was held on Sept.

5: Liberty Cup Winner: Chrissie Tamura, net 67 Putts: A flight: Rose Jones, 33 B flight: Ann Eure, 24 Trailhead Ladies Golf Club Sept. 6 Flight A: Gross, Kathie Krestyn, 46; Flight B: Gross, Kathy Zinkgraf, 51; Net, Deanna Hauser, 39 Flight C: Gross, Karen Feyk, 50; Net, Carol Oyler, 41 Sept. 9 Flight A: Gross, Sammie Fletcher, 44; Net, Kathie Krestyn, 31 Flight B: Gross, Kathy Zinkgraf, 53; Net, Deanna Hauser, 36 Flight C: Gross, Carol Oyler, 56; Net, Bunny Devenere, Joy Russel,

(tie) 39 Sept. 13 Flight A: Gross, Bea Carroll, 47; Net, Kathie Krestyn, 31 Flight B: Gross, Hedy Longworth, 55; Net, Deanna Hauser, 36 Flight C: Gross, Joyce Jacobs, 55; Net, Karen Feyk, Nancy Wendelburg, (tie) 32 Chip-ins: Mary Ellen Wall Birdies: Mary Ellen Wall, Kathleen Kennedy The Spokane Valley Women's Evening Golf League held its awards banquet on Wed. Sept 13.

Winners included: Club champion: Marie Neumayer, 88 (Tied at 88, used scorecard method to break tie) Flight A gross champion: Diane Perry, 88

Flight A net champion: Linda Dykes, 70 Flight B gross champion: Laurie Stewart, 116 Flight B net champion: Tracy Lawson, 74 Flight C gross champion: Evanlene Meltingtallow, 119 Flight C net champion: Monica Batts, 70 (Tied at 119, used scorecard method to break tie) Flight D gross champion: Terra Lawson-Gilbert, 136 Flight D net champion: Gerri Vance, 79 Most improved- Down six strokes: Jana McDonald President’s Award (most chip-ins and birdies): Diane Perry, 4 Attendance: Marie Neumayer: 15 rounds

The Splash

Splash Sports Notebook

By Mike Vlahovich

Splash Sports Editor CV soccer off to stellar start Youth wasn’t entirely served when playoff losses by the Central Valley girls’ soccer team in 2015 and 2016 denied them state 4A tournament berths following consecutive state championships.

There was an excuse considering half a dozen freshmen and sophomores played key roles and yet the Bears did finish 10-6 in 2015 and 11-4 last year.

The team is still youthful with six seniors on the 19-player roster, but with a wealth of experienced juniors the Bears took a much more experienced team into the 2017 season and are likely to growl again.

In early going, the Bears had won all five matches with juniors Megan Robertson contributing six goals and Kailyn Labrosse adding five goals and an assist. Senior Kaelyn Barnes provided three goals and two assists.

Included was a 4-1 victory over co-leader Mead in a big early match.

Remembering Jud – Late coach began distinguished career at WV

By Mike Vlahovich Splash Sports Editor The sneeze carried like a tsunami from behind the shy youngster slumped at his desk in search of anonymity.

“Are you alright, Mike?” the geometry teacher called out, furthering the embarrassment. “I thought you might drown in the spray.” Or words to that effect.

That was my first real personal contact with Jud Heathcote who died Aug. 28 at age 90, one of the thousands whose lives he touched.

Sept. 23 was his sendoff by friends, former players and coaches throughout the country, a man who went from high school basketball success in Spokane Valley to an eventual national title at Michigan State.

West Valley High was the beginning some six decades ago.

He was the guy whose wastebasket

SPORTS

Bears right volleyball ship

It was a rocky start for new volleyball coach Jason Allen, but when it counted the most, the Bears were ready.

CV defeated Shadle Park in four sets to begin Greater Spokane League action, their first win of the season after dropping four noncounters.

Despite the 1-5 record prior to Sept. 26 several matches were decided in five sets. And the constant during the early part of the season has been the play of the Bears’ returning veterans.

Seniors Paige Wollan led the team in kills and blocks and Hannah Wampler was sterling as the team’s setter, averaging some 22 assists per match. Junior libero/defensive specialist Sami Smith led the team in service aces and digs. She had 23 digs against Shadle.

Beginning Sept. 26, the Bears faced eight remaining GSL matches to determine post-season berths.

Softball goes as expected

Rain limited the Bears to four wins. Grace Stumbaugh was the team’s leading hitter with seven in three games. In one win, Pressley Pieroni fell a home run shy of hitting for the cycle in one win.

Cross country No. 1 The state’s top-ranked Bears boys overland team won an early invitational and opened the GSL season with two meet victories.

Different runners took their turns at the top including Gabe Romney, Ryan Kline and Evan Peters.

CV’s girls also won twice led by Olivia Sine, Erica and Anna Pecha and placing six runners among the top nine.

Bears in hunt for playoffs on gridiron Central Valley is one of a taut four-team Greater Spokane League football race. Three GSL teams qualify for the post-season and the Bears are in the thick of it with quarterback Grant Hannan in the driver’s seat.

It’s no surprise that CV slowpitch softball was unbeaten early in the season.

Hannan was scheduled to be the backup to sophomore Matt Gabbert, but a bad break for Gabbert turned into an opportunity for Hannan.

The Bears have typically been the main challenge to rival and perennial champion University which was 8-0.

For the second time in as many years, Gabbert broke his collar bone, this one coming after he’d thrown a 35-yard touchdown pass

stood near his desk at WV and told the students that throwing balled up paper at the receptacle was allowed, even encouraged, but “Just don’t miss.”

One such accurate thrower was asked to try out for basketball as a sophomore after his successful shot during garbage time. Although that was probably coincidental, he did turn out and while seeing scant playing time and threatening to quit during the season, was convinced to hang on and proved valuable at state.

Jud would follow me to Washington State University as junior varsity coach, gravitate to Montana and opened eyes where the Grizzlies missed by a basket of upsetting John Wooden’s UCLA Bruins who continued a streak of NCAA titles to 10.

It had nothing to do with basketball at the time, but at WV he convinced me to turn out for tennis.

Sports were my passion from the time I could read. One fine fall day riding with him to the courts, for no reason I blurted out, “How’s the basketball team doing?”

Embarrassed, since it was football season, the kid sought to cover up his blunder by adding for unknown reasons if he could be a manager

when basketball did begin.

Outwardly, Jud was volatile, intense, driven, demanding – words that alone don’t begin to define him once you got to know him. He was, for some, outwardly an acquired taste. He would be tough on his players, and yes, there were some who didn’t respond to that (Some, I felt, who would have fared better if treated with kid gloves.)

But people like Larry Winn, a year behind me in school, thrived on Jud’s harangues that made him arguably the best player during Jud’s tenure which included four state tournaments.

“He taught, coached and mentored me throughout my life, from sixth grade on,” Larry said, of the man who became his surrogate dad.

Luckily, a group of his former players, including Ray Stein and one manager, got to share lunch with Jud occasionally where the raconteur held court, mind sharp as ever. He had been in demand as a speaker and master of ceremonies at various functions.

Stein, who was Jud’s nemesis at Richland and blessing for him as a Cougar, DVD’d some old film of Jud when he played for the Cougars in the late 1940s. You could tell by

OCTOBER 2017 • 35

in the first quarter of the first game of the season.

The 6-foot-3 Gabbert is more a traditional quarterback and an accurate passer, coach Ryan Butner said when talking about his two quarterbacks prior to the season.

“Hannan is a three-sport guy and phenomenal athlete who brings a little more of a hybrid look.”

Hannan was 14-for-19 and threw for 232 yards and two touchdowns of 44 and 43 yards to Austin Tomlinson in the 29-27 loss to Coeur d’ Alene. He rushed for 54 more.

The next week in a 48-7 rout of Ferris, Hannan was 14-for-22 with 198 yards passing and a touchdown while rushing for two more.

Against North Central in half a game, Hannan was 14-for-19, 232 yards and three scores. He added 54 more rushing yards. CV dispatched of NC, 41-7.

The Bears (2-0 in the GSL, 2-1 overall) are vying against Mead, Gonzaga Prep and University to see which three teams move on after the regular season.

CV’s playoff hopes will hinge on successive games against the Bullpups, Panthers and Titans beginning Oct. 6.

watching the video that Jud had been ahead of his time just by the way he approached the game with his defense and shooting style while the others burped up step shots.

Another thing that stood out about Jud was, as intense as he was on the court, when the game was over it was if it had never been played.

We’d go into the locker room, win or lose, for a post-game review and leave laughing.

I’d sit in the stands afternoons at WSU’s Bohler Gym looking down into the handball coach where the trio of basketball coach Marv Harshman, baseball coach Bobo Brayton and Jud were joshing each other while headed for a game (now you know why I barely got out of college. I like to think it was good training for my eventual career.)

It was war, no-holds-barred, but once they walked out of the room were as jovial as before. You’d never know they’d even competed.

When I was working for The Spokesman-Review, he’d occasionally give me a call and open with some droll quip about my writing wrestling stories.

He knew that to this day basketball is my favorite sport and that’s nothing to sneeze at.

The Splash

36 • OCTOBER 2017

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The Splash

Salute to Schools – Education integral to community’s past, present

By Ross Schneidmiller Liberty Lake Historical Society The history display at Liberty Lake Elementary is dedicated this year to “Schools of the Past.” Now with the new Liberty Creek Elementary, there has been 120 years between the first and most recent schools to open in our community.

In 1887, school proponents visited at the home of Rasmus and Anna Madsen. If their 5-year old daughter Amanda could attend the new school, they would have enough students for classes to begin. With the Madsen’s consent, the school doors opened, welcoming its first class of three.

HISTORY The schoolhouse was a woodframed structure featuring a gable roof, central entry on a gable end, sash windows on the sidewalls and a single undivided classroom.

Typical of one-room schoolhouses of the time it also featured a belltower, called a “belfry” and was heated by a wood stove. The schoolhouse was oriented so only the teacher and none of the students could see the lake. The only exception being Amanda -who was so tiny the teacher would sometimes hold her on her lap. At first the school was only open for three months in the fall and three months in the spring.

Amanda recalled for the first couple of years her journey to school included a boat ride. Before its draining in 1899, Liberty Lake had a small body of water extending from it known as Lake Loomis. This arm of the lake located at Liberty’s northwest end lay between the Madsen farm and the school. Amanda’s father would

row his daughter to the other side to watch her scurry up the small hill to attend classes. He would return in the boat when school was out to hear her adventures of the day as they rowed back to their farm and walk the half mile to their house.

There were more school-aged children in the area and it was not long before the number of students grew. They even came across state lines from the eastern hills above the lake. The school and its single teacher accommodated students from Kindergarten to 8th grade.

In 1912 a 2½ -story brick school replaced the one-room schoolhouse.

That same year Amanda Madsen graduated from the Coeur d’Alene College. The care that her first teacher, Miss Mitchell, had given Amanda gave her the motivation to be an educator. In fact, starting in 1917, Amanda taught two years of her 35-year career as an educator at Liberty Lake.

There were other schools in the area too, including Quinemose

OCTOBER 2017 • 37

in the hills south of the lake and Spokane Bridge near the stateline.

The community in the eastern hills, just above what is now the Liberty Lake County Park, built their own school. It was called the Knudsen School because it was built on Osmund Knudsen’s homestead and he was the school superintendent.

Liberty Lake, Quinemose and Spokane Bridge schools eventually became part of the Central Valley School District. Whereas, the Knudsen School became part of the school district of Post Falls.

Did You Know?

• Gage Neyland, who operated the lake resort Neyland’s Grove, was both the school superintendent and the teacher’s landlord for a number of years.

• Teacher salaries in Spokane County in 1897 were $35 to $45 dollars a month. Assuming an average inflation rate of 2.82 percent since 1897, that would be $986 to $1,268 per month in today’s money.

Counter Clockwise from top left: Current history display at Liberty Lake Elementary; one-room schoolhouse and 2½ story brick school at Liberty Lake, circa 1912; photo of teeter-totters, circa 1942; Amanda Madsen, 1912; underlying photo is of Liberty Lake School looking southeast, circa 1942.

Image courtesy of Liberty Lake Historical Society

The Splash

38 • OCTOBER 2017

PACE trait for October – Responsibility

By Shelby Adams My education has always been one of the most important things in my life. I grew up with a single mom who demonstrated that working hard and making good choices was a formula for success. Mirroring her responsibility has been the key to my own success. While I did have an adult figure in my life that pushed the importance of education, there were many times that it was left up to me to decide if I was willing to put in the work.

One of the first situations in which I had to hold myself accountable for my actions was when I was just 13 years old. My mom worked very hard as a nurse and committed to 12 months of an overnight shift. This took her away from home from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. three days a week. This meant that as a young student, I was responsible for making sure that my homework was done and that I was in bed at a decent time. This experience showed me the power that my actions and choices had over my academics.

As a junior in high school I quit the sports I was playing and started working at a smoothie shop. I was in school five

days a week and then spent most of my free time working. I started as just a team member and began to work my way up little by little. I was promoted to a training mentor a few months later.

It was my job to not only get my own work done, but to also manage what new employees were responsible for as they became part of the team.

As a senior in high school, I started to spend more hours working and showing that I was a dedicated and responsible employee. I was promoted to a team lead who was the “manager on shift” for either opening or closing time. During these times, I was challenged with things that I had never experienced before. These included: making bank deposits for the store, logging in information on sales into a database, counting tills and the safe, and much more. I spent many long nights at work and then would wake up to be at school by 7:30 a.m. the next day. During this time, I struggled some days to selfmanage and continue to make school a priority. However, I always kept the goal of graduating from college in my mind to motivate myself.

I am now a senior at Whitworth University, getting ready to move on in my life after this year. During this past summer, I was offered the opportunity to be a teacher’s assistant for a freshman seminar and transition into college class during the fall of 2017. It became clear to me that this is how I could make an

imprint on Whitworth before I was done.

I am now working with the professor on ways to co-teach the course and make it a place that these students can feel support and love around them I feel a responsibility to my community at Whitworth to use my experiences from the past three years and help others. My goal for this semester is to make a lasting impression on the lives of these 18 freshmen and be a part of their success here.

There are many ways that one can show responsibility and I believe that I best show it through my ability to selfmanage, assist others and give back to my community. Some days it may be tougher than others to find ways to self-manage and keep pushing, but hard work will pay off. As a college student a year away from graduation, I can see this now more than ever. I now encourage you to reflect on ways that you have shown responsibility and perhaps a new way that you can show responsibility to yourself, someone else or your community.

Shelby Adams is a senior at Whitworth University here in Spokane. She has used her academic scholarship to prepare herself well for a career in the field of education. Shelby will graduate in May of 2018 with a Bachelor of Arts degree, a major in Elementary Education and a minor in the instruction of English language Learners.

Calling all poster artists for PACE contest From Splash News Sources

Get creative! Design a poster celebrating good character for the PACE World Character Day 2018 Poster Contest. Kids of all ages are encouraged to create an original design using crayon, markers, paint, colored pencils or any other traditional twodimensional art medium.

The winning design will be used to publicize PACE World Character Day 2018. Deadline is Nov. 16, 2017. Cash prizes will be awarded for first, second and third place. Partners Advancing Character Education (PACE) is a nonprofit organization based in Spokane Valley that promotes and recognizes good character in schools, businesses and our community. Visit www. pacecommunity.org for contest details.

The Splash

OCTOBER 2017 • 39

New look Relay for Life resonates with participants

By Staci Lehman Current Correspondent An annual fundraising event that used to be held at multiple locations around the greater Spokane area saw some big changes this year.

It turns out the new format brought new life to Relay for Life.

“Hearing feedback from our participants, volunteers and sponsors, we chose to combine the area Relay for Life events into one big event for the community,” said Whitney Jones, Community Development manager for the American Cancer Society. “After announcing that merge last fall, I've heard nothing but excitement about that decision and I'm definitely glad we did it. As a bonus, hosting one big event allows more of the funds raised to go directly to the mission.”

This year, Relay for Life-Inland Empire was held at Spokane Community College (SCC) on June 8, instead of in Liberty Lake and

Spokane Valley like in the past.

The relay is the largest annual fundraiser for the American Cancer Society, taking place in more than 5,200 communities and 27 countries around the world. The local Relay is organized and staffed by about 35 volunteers, 15 who serve on a leadership team that helps organize the event throughout the year and about 20 additional people the day of the event who help ensure it is set up and runs smoothly.

“We are truly driven by our volunteers,” said Jones. “If you want to make an impact in this community and be part of leading the fight to end cancer, consider volunteering with one of our events or mission programs.”

Those volunteers helped raise $78,000 this year to be used for cancer research and treatment, including locally.

Programs in this area include Road to Recovery, Reach to Recovery, Look Good Feel Better and Cancer Resource Centers.

The top fundraising teams, according to the Relay for Life website, include Kaiser Permanente Lifesavers who raised $8,551, Airway Heights Walmart with $6,925, Carcinogen Crushers with $5,264 and Shadle Wal-Mart with $3,728.

A total of 50 teams took part with

approximately 400 participants and attendees. Besides having a new location this year, the new look Relay also had expanded hours. It started at noon on Saturday, July 8 and concluded at 6 a.m. the following morning. The Relay starts with cancer patients and survivors taking a lap around the college’s track while being cheered on by the crowd. Next, caregivers take to the track to walk a lap, often with the people they cared for accompanying them if able.

After that, members of each team took turns circling the track all night.

Each team is required to have a member on the track at all times as a symbolic way of representing the ongoing fight against cancer.

While one member walks, the other team members continue their fundraising efforts in themed “camps,” by selling food and admission to play games and take part in other activities. Some of the contests and entertainment offered this year included team obstacle course relays, a water balloon toss, a bean bag toss tournament, vendor booths, team tug-of-war, volleyball, a hula hoop contest, movies, a scavenger hunt and country line dancing. There were also food trucks on site for the first time so participants and observers didn’t have to leave the area to eat.

Bands also played to help rally the

crowd and relay participants as they walked all night.

As it got dark, luminaria were placed around the track and lit to guide the walker’s way. The luminaria, decorated paper bags holding candles, are purchased as an additional fundraiser and each is dedicated to someone who passed from cancer.

Jones’ goal is to have less people lose that battle in the future; as part of that effort, she is dedicated to getting the word out about the American Cancer Society and its programs. The organization reports that 80 percent of cancer deaths could be avoided through a combination of regular screenings, healthy nutrition, exercise and avoiding tobacco products.

“I want to make sure everyone knows we're here and we should be one of the first calls someone makes after hearing a cancer diagnosis,” she said. “It breaks my heart to hear, ‘I wish I would have known about that program, it would have really helped me and my family.’”

For more information go to http:// www.relayforlife.org/inlandempire.

You can find out about volunteer opportunities for the next Relay and through the American Cancer Society at the site.

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The Splash

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Big Brothers Big Sisters a springboard for stability, success

By Heather Osborne

With a new school year underway, there is a local nonprofit that continues to make a lasting difference for kids both inside and outside of the classroom.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Inland Northwest (BBBS) provides children facing adversity with strong and enduring, professionally supported one-on-one relationships that change their lives for the better, forever. Founded in 1965 by a father who lost his son in a tragic shooting, our organization exists to help children and their families in the greater Spokane area break the vicious cycles that perpetuate poverty, substance use, imprisonment and school dropouts.

BBBS provides mentoring that helps kids emerge from poor academic performance and negative social behaviors. Many of the kids we support also come from families with a history of substance use. All of these risk factors are known to contribute to substance abuse and put children at risk for social and academic failure.

Following our national standards, a match is initiated when a child who needs a mentor is enrolled and matched with a volunteer who has been carefully screened. Typically, a child is referred to our organization by a parent or a school counselor.

The child and parent are interviewed in order to gather information on personal history and family dynamics as well as hobbies and aspirations.

Each child is then asked to participate in our confidential Youth Outcomes Survey designed to gather information on risky behaviors and alcohol, tobacco and other drug use. At the same time, the potential

See BBBS, Page 41

2017 Market Season is Soon Coming to a Close These remaining weekends are your last chance to enjoy a wonderful slice of the delicious Veraci Pizza or a fresh burrito from Lenny of Jalapeno Heaven, as well as being your last opportunity to stock up on locally grown foods for the winter.

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Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Inland Northwest provides volunteer mentoring to local kids. Research has shown that the guidance helps increase school attendance and reduce the risk of substance abuse.

File Photo

The Splash

BBBS

OCTOBER 2017 • 41

Retain

Patrick

Continued from page 40 mentor is thoroughly screened. Once all aspects of the screening process are complete, Ken Shelton, our Enrollment and Matching Specialist (EMS) makes a professional match recommendation. All parties (child, parent and mentor) must agree to the match prior to the first match meeting. The initial meeting takes place with all parties present as well as our EMS.

0 4,90 $27

Once a match is made our Match Support Specialists (MMS) stay in close contact with match participants.

The MSS provides ongoing support including monthly contact with the Big, Little and parent(s), assisting with questions or concerns.

Our effective model sets our organization apart and is founded on the premise that we have the greatest impact on our youth when we surround them with the tools, people and support network needed to promote stability and resiliency.

BBBS mentoring is a prevention program with proven results.

Research has shown that children with a Big Brother or Big Sister show real differences in their personal and academic lives. Our Little Brothers and Sisters are 46 percent less likely to begin using illegal drugs, 27 percent less likely to begin using alcohol and 52 percent less likely to skip school. Our mentoring program addresses priorities in the greater Spokane community from promoting healthy lifestyles and preventing substance abuse in youth to stabilizing the family unit and reducing crime.

Through the mentoring process we give kids the tools they need to keep from going down the wrong path, committing crimes and becoming problem adults. By preventing these negative behaviors, our programs help keep our community safer and reduce the need for crisis management and law enforcement intervention.

Average match length is 37 months and can go through high school graduation. This past June, 14 Littles graduated from high school and many were either joining a branch of military or college.

Several of those matches had been together for five or six years and one was matched for 10.

For more information about Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Inland Northwest, visit www.nwbigs.org or contact Ken Shelton with BBBS at Kshelton@nwbigs.org or 328-8310 ext. 214.

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The Splash

42 • OCTOBER 2017

Reflections from the Lake

By Amy Mason “On a scale of zero to Liberty Lake.”

A holiday guide for the Spokane Valley, Liberty Lake, Millwood, Otis Orchards, Newman Lake and Rockford areas

“Eat, Shop and Be Merry” is a special cover section that will champion what the Valley area has to offer in the way of gifts and food. Advertise in this holiday guide aimed at area consumers and businesses — and as a bonus we’ll include your idea as part of our story featuring can’t-miss local gift ideas. Restaurants are encouraged to advertise and contribute a tantalizing menu item for our article on dining out.

On November 20 and 21, the guides will be distributed throughout the greater Valley area via The Splash and The Current. The December issues are strategically scheduled to land before Thanksgiving, just in time to remind residents about supporting local businesses on Small Business Saturday (Nov. 26) and throughout the holiday season.

1/4 PAGE: $325 1/2 PAGE: $650 1/2 PAGE: $650 (normally $496) (normally $992) (normally $992)

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This phrase, coined by my friend and her family who have moved from Liberty Lake to Texas, is used to take the temperature of a situation or a place. Liberty Lake is presented as the “Gold Standard” by which to rate other places and experiences.

I’ve heard other ways to describe the place I call home. Some carry the same positive connotation and some take on a completely opposite tone. Having been a part of this community for over 18 years I tend to agree with my friend’s scale.

Growing up Liberty Lake “adjacent” in Otis Orchards afforded me opportunities to watch Liberty Lake bloom from a lake community and a Zip Trip into a well-planned community with many amenities.

Most of my observations were done on horseback, riding through Holiday Hills and the county park, or as a teenager traveling in cars. I saw the grass fields eventually give way to homes where my neighbors and I would raise our kids, share our lives and make memories.

The time has flown and it seems impossible that the empty fields where my kids used to bike and my dog would roam are filled with parks, more homes and now a brand-new school.

As if by incremental magic, Liberty Lake has grown up around us. As all parents know, the “growing up” process doesn’t happen magically. It comes with a lot of planning, hoping, dreaming, guiding and sometimes a bit of gray hair and frustration. The same principles apply to the growing of a community.

We owe a great debt of gratitude to those individuals who long ago dreamed the grass fields could be parks for children to play while their parents watched the solar eclipse or enjoyed a concert; those who hoped that families would feel a sense of belonging if homes were situated such that people

would gather in cul-de-sacs and front yards under the shade of street trees to share experiences; the ones who planned for pocket parks and walking trails and activities so residents could remain healthy and active and those who guided the effort with patience and perseverance never losing sight of what could be.

Have there been frustrations along the way? Of course. But no effort is without its challenges.

As fall looms, 600-plus Kindergarten through second graders prepare to enter the brandnew Liberty Creek Elementary and construction is being completed on our main thoroughfare. Changes occur like the seasons and it’s up to us to choose how to handle the change. Will we embrace it? Will we yearn for what was? Perhaps a combination of the two is key.

I love to look back to the days when my kids wandered the empty fields and traffic was light, but there’s a certain excitement when thinking of what the future holds.

My family and I have benefitted from the forethought and grit of those who came before us. But now it is incumbent upon us to choose the path of our community. So as the seasons change, perhaps we all should examine where we fit in.

It can be as simple as staying informed of coming events or reaching out to a neighbor in conversation. Each of us has the capacity to positively impact another soul each day. I encourage you to make the effort and seize these opportunities large and small because that is how “community” is nurtured. I feel fortunate to live, work and recreate in a place where community is ranked “Liberty Lake” on scale of “zero to Liberty Lake.”

Longtime Liberty Lake resident Amy Mason has served on the Central Valley School District Board of Directors since June 2011. She is a past president of the Liberty Lake Elementary PTSA and has volunteered with a number of district bond and levy campaigns as well as with the Superintendent’s Parents Advisory Council. Mason earned her degree in Elementary Education from Washington State University and is a former high school English and Spanish teacher.

Amy and her husband Casey are proud parents of two sons.

The Splash

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OCTOBER 2017 • 43

OPINION

44 • OCTOBER 2017

Dear Editor:

Hello, I am writing to tell you about my friend, Jeanette. I met Jeanette through Liberty Lake Community Theatre (LLCT) several years ago when her child was in a play I also was in. First thing I noticed about her was how eager she was to help in any way needed.

Since that meeting I have observed her helping many on any given occasion. She jumped in to help me as a committee lead for ACS Relay for Life, pouring time, energy and money into making our luminary ceremony a success.

Jeanette also volunteered to help my daughter understand her student loans and financial situation, helping her with a budget and her taxes.

LLCT was blessed the day she joined the board. Our little theatre was struggling, now it is doing pretty well and continues to grow and be a place for people of all ages to learn and be a part of local theatre, a fun and creative outlet for our community.

I feel she would be a huge

asset to the City Council. She is a strong, caring and compassionate individual who knows how to get things done. Her character is built on integrity, honesty and trust.

Liberty Lake would be blessed to have her serving.

Sincerely, Jean Simpson Liberty Lake About the Opinion Page

The Splash opinion page is intended to be a community forum for discussing local issues. Please interact with us by sending a letter to the editor or Liberty Lake Voices guest column for consideration.

Letters to the editor of no more than 350 words or guest columns of about 700 words should be e-mailed to editor@libertylakesplash.com or mailed to P.O. Box 363, Liberty Lake, WA 99019. A full name and telephone number must be included for purposes of verification. A photo of the author must be taken or provided for all guest columns.

The Splash reserves the right to edit or reject any submission. Business complaints or endorsements will not be accepted, and political endorsement letters will only be accepted if they interact with issues of a campaign.

Views expressed in signed columns or letters do not necessarily reflect the views of this newspaper or its staff. Editorials, which appear under the heading "Splash Editorial," represent the voice of The Splash and are written by Publisher Ben Wick.

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Dear Editor:

I confidently recommend Jeanette Nall for the position of City Council Seat 4. Jeanette, a veteran from the Air Force, excels in communication with others. During her period in the Air Force she was a training manager for the 9th Physiological Support Squadron, training pilots on the use of high flight suits.

For this position she had to learn to communicate and teach a wide variety of people.

In addition, she has spent many years serving the community as treasurer for the Liberty Lake Community Theatre.

She has a Bachelors in Human Resource Management and a Masters in Finance. With her finance degree she creates and manages personal budgets for families in need.

In my years as her neighbor, I have watched her be extremely generous, patient and helpful to others.

Jeanette’s ability to speak up when others will not will promote an atmosphere of openness in the area of government. She is very approachable and willing to listen to others. If you want to see honest and open people in government, join me in supporting Jeanette Nall for City Council.

The Splash

EDITOR/PUBLISHER

Ben Wick

Danica Wick

ben@libertylakesplash.com CO OWNER

danica@libertylakesplash.com

EDITOR

Craig Howard

craig@libertylakesplash.com OFFICE MANAGER GRAPHICS

Paula Gano

paula@libertylakesplash.com

Hayley Schmelzer

hayley@libertylakesplash.com

CIRCULATION Larry Passmore

circulation@libertylakesplash.com CONTRIBUTORS

Shelby Adams, Brandon Brown, Derek Brown, J.R. Conrow, Craig Howard, Staci Lehman, Ross Schneidmiller, Mike Vlahovich, Tamara K. Williams, Tyler Wilson The Liberty Lake Splash P.O. Box 363 Liberty Lake, WA 99019 Phone: 242-7752; Fax: 927-2190 www.libertylakesplash.com The Splash is published monthly by or before the first of each month. It is distributed free of charge to every business and home in the greater Liberty Lake area.

Additional copies are located at drop-off locations in Liberty Lake and Otis Orchards.

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Announcements, obituaries, letters to the editor and story ideas are encouraged. Submit them in writing

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to editor@libertylakesplash.com. Submissions should

Dear Neighbor:

each month. Subscriptions for U.S. postal addresses

I am writing to endorse Jeanette Nall for City Council Seat 4. I know she has the vision necessary to help our community grow and the temperament to do it in a responsible manner. Jeanette will take the time to educate herself on the issues before she makes any decision and has the confidence to change her mind should her findings not support decisions being made.

She has served our country and has a Masters in Finance. She has also donated her time, knowledge and efforts to the Liberty Lake Community Theatre along with many other community related endeavors. She is our friend. She is our neighbor. She is one of us.

Sincerely, Jennifer Bailey Liberty Lake

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Subscriptions Liberty Lake residents receive a complimentary copy outside of the 99019 ZIP code cost $12 for 12 issues.

Send a check and subscription address to P.O. Box 363, Liberty Lake, WA 99019. Subscriptions must be

received by the 15th of the month in order for the subscription to begin with the issue printed the end of that month.

Correction policy The Splash strives for accuracy in all content. Errors should be reported immediately to 242-7752 or by email to editor@libertylakesplash.com. Confirmed factual errors will be corrected on this page in the issue following their discovery.

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The Splash

OCTOBER 2017 • 45

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Our sincere appreciation to the following businesses for their foundational partnerships with The Splash and its partner publications:

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Adorkable Flowers and Gifts 15 Amaculate Housekeeping 14 AutoCraft 12 Banner Furnace & Fuel 19 BECU 15 Bill Anderson 39 Breakthrough Recovery Group 41 Casey Family Dental 8 Central Valley Theatre 20 Century Link 46 City of Liberty Lake 7 Clark’s Tire & Automotive 18 Coldwell Banker - Rob Brickett 41 Cornerstone Penecostal Church 46 Eagle Rock Rv and Boat Storage 36 Evergreen Fountain 33 Family Medicine Liberty Lake 40 Fieldhouse Pizza 38

Greenstone 36 Inland Empire Utility CC 14 Jim Custer Enterprises 19 John L Scott - Pam Fredrick 31 Larkin Barnett 4 Larry Rider 43 Legacy Church 16 Liberty Lake EyeCare Center 3 Liberty Lake Family Dentistry 5 Liberty Lake Farmer’s Market 40 Liberty Lake Municipal Library 6 Liberty Lake Orthodontics 43 Liberty Lake Petsitters 10 Liberty Lake Sewer & Water District 13 Mary Sloan 31 Naomi 5 North Idaho Dermatology 39 Northern Quest 48

Mike Kennedy 36 Ott Knott Used Golf Carts 46 Patrick Burch 41 Sarah Hamilton FACE 43 Simonds Dental Group 48 Spokane Gymnastics 29 Spokane Model Train Show 19 Stateline Plaza 45 Stolp Vision Clinic 14 The MAT 44 True Legends 12 Vision Marketing 17 Waste Management 3 Windowworks 4 Windermere 5

Service Directory 46

Of note: This thank you message was produced by The Splash’s advertising team, which works its tail off on behalf of partner businesses, helping them share their messages through advertisements. This is an independent function from The Splash’s editorial team, which has its own evaluation process to determine the community news stories and features it pursues. For more information about a win-win partnership that expertly markets your business to thousands of readers (while making this home-grown community newspaper possible), email advertise@libertylakesplash.com. With story ideas, contact editor@libertylakesplash.com.

The Splash

46 • OCTOBER 2017

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The Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission designated CenturyLink as an Eligible Telecommunications Carrier within its service area for universal service purposes. CenturyLink’s basic local service rates for residential voice lines are $22.00 per month and business services are $35.00 per month. Specific rates will be provided upon request.

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CenturyLink participates in a government benefit program (Lifeline) to make residential telephone or broadband service more affordable to eligible low-income individuals and families. Eligible customers are those that meet eligibility standards as defined by the FCC and state commissions. Residents who live on federally recognized Tribal Lands may qualify for additional Tribal benefits if they participate in certain additional federal eligibility programs. The Lifeline discount is available for only one telephone or broadband service per household, which can be on either wireline or wireless service.

Broadband speeds must be 10 Mbps download and 1 Mbps upload or faster to qualify.

Lifeline discounts include a transfer restriction (port freeze). This means that you are unable to obtain the Lifeline discount on service with another provider for a period of time. The length of time depends on the services you purchase – 60 days for voice telephone service, 12 months for qualifying broadband service. Certain exceptions to the transfer restrictions may apply. See http://www.lifelinesupport.org/ls/change-mycompany.aspx for more information.

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A household is defined for the purposes of the Lifeline program as any individual or group of individuals who live together at the same address and share income and expenses. Lifeline service is not transferable, and only eligible consumers may enroll in the program. Consumers who willfully make false statements in order to obtain Lifeline telephone or broadband service can be punished by fine or imprisonment and can be barred from the program.

Lifeline eligible subscribers may also qualify for reliable home high-speed Internet service up to 1.5Mbps for $9.95* per month for the first 12 months of service. Please call 1-866-541-3330 or visit centurylink.com/internetbasics for more information.

If you live in a CenturyLink service area, please call 1-888-833-9522 or visit centurylink. com/lifeline with questions or to request an application for the Lifeline program. *CenturyLink Internet Basics Program – Residential customers only who qualify based on meeting income level or program participation eligibility requirements, and requires remaining eligible for the entire offer period. First bill will include charges for the \first full month of service billed in advance, prorated charges for service from the date of installation to bill date, and one-time charges and fees described above. Qualifying customers may keep this program for a maximum of 60 months after service activation provided customer still qualifies during that time. Listed High-Speed Internet rate of $9.95/mo. applies for first 12 months of service (after which the rate reverts to $14.95/mo. for the next 48 months of service), and requires a 12-month term agreement. Customer must either lease a modem/router from CenturyLink for an additional monthly charge or independently purchase a modem/router, and a one-time High-Speed Internet activation fee applies. A one-time professional installation charge (if selected by customer) and a one-time shipping and handling fee applies to customer’s modem/router. General – Services not available everywhere. Have not have subscribed to CenturyLink Internet service within the last 90 days and are not a current CenturyLink customer.

CenturyLink may change or cancel services or substitute similar services at its sole discretion without notice. Offer, plans, and stated rates are subject to change and may vary by service area. Deposit may be required. Additional restrictions apply. Terms and Conditions – All products and services listed are governed by tariffs, terms of service, or terms and conditions posted at centurylink.com. Taxes, Fees, and Surcharges – Applicable taxes, fees, and surcharges include a carrier Universal Service charge, carrier cost recovery surcharges, state and local fees that vary by area and certain instate surcharges. Cost recovery fees are not taxes or government-required charges for use. Taxes, fees, and surcharges apply based on standard monthly, not promotional, rates.

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The Splash

Freeman Strong – Community mobilizes with support, healing

ON THAT NOTE

OCTOBER 2017 • 47

By Craig Howard Splash Editor

The boundaries for Freeman School District are drawn up in a block of southeast Spokane County that meanders along Highway 27 east to the Idaho state line, encompassing rural communities like Rockford, Mica and Valleyford.

These days, Freeman School District borders have expanded to include the entire county and beyond – at least in the sense of a resonant communal heart.

Residents in the Freeman area are leaning on each other and their neighbors far and wide after the incident on Sept. 13 at Freeman High School that left sophomore Sam Strahan dead and three fellow students injured.

In the days following the tragedy, reinforcement came from all over.

Greg Baker, superintendent of the Bellingham School District, who grew up in Spokane and once worked with Freeman Superintendent Randy Russell, posted a letter that day, noting how his district’s “hearts go out to the FHS community.” The Washington State University football team adopted the same helmet stickers worn by the Freeman Scotties in their game against Oregon State that week. At Lewis and Clark High School, students wrote words of encouragement on a giant poster that was delivered to Freeman High School.

“Meet unkindness with kindness,” a phrase on the poster read.

Rockford Mayor Carrie Roecks has seen how this time of sorrow has been met with an extraordinary influx of concern and compassion.

“Everyone in Rockford has been rallying just like everyone in the Valley and all over,” she said. “I’m just floored by all the support for the school and this community. My hope is we can all learn from this and get better from here on out.”

Even though downtown Rockford sits a few miles away from the Freeman High School campus, it is the geographical home of the school and includes many Freeman alumni among its citizens. Roecks applauds the way the school district has responded, saying the steps

A memorial vigil was on display before the Freeman home football game against Medical Lake last month. Freeman sophomore Strahan died on Sept. 13 after being shot by a fellow student. Three other students were injured. Authorities say Strahan’s actions saved the lives of others.

Photo by Erik Smith taken there will have a ripple effect in the community.

“I know it’s going to start at the school,” she said. “They’ve been so helpful in working with the kids that I think it will have an impact on the parents and the families here.

This is a close-knit community. We watch out for each other.”

said. “But this community is very caring. I’ve seen it. People know that others are hurting and they’re going to go out of their way to show kindness and civility.”

Hernandez said the Freeman academic culture will continue to be the catalyst for healing throughout the affected area.

In the neighboring Central Valley School District, Superintendent Ben Small said, “now is the time to rely on each other.”

“There is no downtown in Freeman,” he said. “The school is the center of the community. It’s where everyone gathers.”

“It takes time, perseverance and the continued love and support of one another to heal,” Small said.

“We are a compassionate and caring community that reaches out to support, surround and sustain one another in this time of need, this time of healing. Together we are one community.”

Surrounding schools that have been rivals with Freeman over the years are doing their part to show solidarity. Lakeside Athletic Director Jeff Pietz has led a campaign to print “Freeman Strong” T-shirts in the Scotties’ signature blend of sky and navy blues. Some 4,000 have been printed with opposing teams throughout the Northeast A League among those now wearing the shirts. Profits are going toward assistance for the students shot on Sept. 13 and their families.

Small said the collection of greater Spokane school districts shares a bond and awareness that mobilizes resources to make a difference. This time, the march back started in Freeman.

“We have always known that the Freeman community is strong and resilient,” Small said. “I admire them and how they have stood together.”

Sergio Hernandez served as superintendent of the Freeman School District from 2007 to 2012, rallying support for a critical capital facilities bond in 2008 that built the new high school and elementary school. Now living in Walla Walla, Hernandez said he has seen repeatedly “how the Freeman community works together to help one another.”

“Your heart just goes out to them after what happened,” Hernandez

With school back in session, counselors have been brought in from other districts to help Freeman students while staff from outside districts are helping to give teachers there a reprieve.

When Linda Thompson lost her 3-year-old son, Trevor, to a drunk driver on Aug. 16, 1986, it began a path that would eventually find her switching careers from banking to substance abuse awareness and prevention. She has served as the executive director of the Greater Spokane Substance Abuse Council for nearly 25 years.

For those impacted by the happenings in Freeman, Thompson recommends “focusing on what you have left.”

“There are blessings to be had,” Thompson said. “The biggest thing I learned was to tell people how you feel because you never know when you’ll have that chance again.”

In the case of Strahan, a 15-yearold who enjoyed cooking, music and volunteering at local nonprofits like the Calvary Soup Kitchen, residents have started a campaign to name part of Highway 27 in his honor.

“You can keep that person in your heart by living your life in a way that honors their memory,” Thompson said. “You can live with compassion and kindness. When you look at it, we’re all here together. Let’s do the best we can for each other.”

The unique displays of local encouragement have included David’s Pizza catering to the entire school and a nonprofit in Coeur d’Alene hand-decorating 363 rocks – one for every Freeman High student – with words of consolation and hope.

Some in the community can relate to the impact of deep personal loss felt by those in Freeman – as well as the steps it takes to mend and thrive again.

The rally of support for Freeman High School can be seen throughout the greater Spokane community.

Photo by Craig Howard

The Splash

48 • OCTOBER 2017

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