May 2018 Splash

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Competition and camaraderie define ladies’ golf in Liberty Lake page 12

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LIBERTY LAKE COMPANY MAKING WAVES PAGE 32

STAPLES TAKES NEW ROAD AFTER DECADE WITH CITY PAGE 39

2 • MAY 2018

The Park Bench

World View – Author, educator Williams chronicles global travels

By Craig Howard

Splash Editor From her perched home in the Legacy Ridge neighborhood high above Liberty Lake, Ellen Williams has a sweeping view of the community she and her husband Steve have called home for the past four years.

Vast perspectives are familiar to Williams, a native of Hawaii who has visited nearly 100 countries and written three books about her worldwide sojourns under the pen name “Aloha Williams.” Her prose flows easily, inviting readers along intriguing paths that offer insight into the places and people, culture and cuisine that make each stop on the international map unique.

“Fortunately, my friends haven’t learned yet,” Williams writes at the beginning of “Faraway Friends,” published in 2016. “Invite me to visit and I’ll be there, especially the far reaches of the earth.”

Williams’ narratives weave and roll like a rickshaw on cobblestone streets, portraying fascinating real-life characters like the man who commutes regularly between Angola and Baku or the elephants in Thailand that spend their spare time playing soccer. Wondering where the world’s largest dhow – a traditional sailing ship found in the Red Sea and Indian Ocean – is docked? Williams can tell you. Her readers hail from locales as wide as her travels. She recently received a small royalty check from Malaysia.

Williams’ latest effort, “Dancing with Chopsticks,” was released last year, chronicling her visits to Asia and the Pacific. Stand-alone chapters include spotlights on Laos, Nepal, Micronesia, Turkey and more.

Auntie’s Bookstore in downtown Spokane hosted a reading of the book last year and Williams appeared at a local Yoke’s store for a book signing.

Ellen and her husband Steve

NEWS moved to Liberty Lake four years ago from Texas. Steve spent 20 years as a military dentist and now works in the area as a pathologist. An avid baseball fan, Steve compares his wife to a Hall-of-Fame center fielder for her dynamic drive and penchant for soaring achievement.

“She’s like Willie Mays,” he said.

Williams’ first book, “Hello, Thank You, Good-Bye – Modern Adventures in an Ancient World” came about after the couple relocated to Germany in 1998 for Steve’s work.

Ellen wrote her mother, Aiko, regularly from Europe and the letters were eventually compiled into a book at Aiko’s urging. The chapters offer glimpses of over two dozen countries and regions.

Williams was born in Hawaii and remembers always being motivated academically and socially. Her dad, Russ Horiuchi, was a college geography professor who received his master’s degree from the University of California-Berkeley and doctorate from the University of Washington in geopolitics. He taught for years at his undergraduate alma mater, Brigham Young University.

Russ and Aiko met in Tokyo when Russ was stationed there with the U.S. Army after World War II. A native of Japan, Aiko survived the extensive bombing of Tokyo by American forces in the final stages of the war. In 1947, Russ and Aiko married, deciding to settle in Hawaii where Ellen was born.

“I was a normal kid,” Ellen recalls.

“I was well-behaved and did well in school. I was kind of a tomboy. I played kickball and liked the “Mickey Mouse Club.”

When Ellen was approaching 3 years old, the family moved from Hawaii to Utah, so Russ could attend Brigham Young University.

The Horiuchis would move again a few years later for Russ’s graduate work at Cal-Berkeley, then back to Utah. It was in Orem, Utah that Ellen attended junior high and high school, thriving socially as an ASB officer, athlete and cheerleader. Still, there were cultural hurdles.

“I remember teachers not being able to pronounce my last name,” she said. “And when they would talk about Pearl Harbor in class, I would kind of slide down in my chair.”

Williams also remembers leveraging her differences into advantages.

“I stood out in a crowd, so I’d get elected to student offices,” she said.

“I was very outgoing.”

From her dad, Williams learned traits like integrity and a good work ethic. Along with his success in the academic world, Russ was an accomplished electrician, gardener

and fisherman. He also served various missions with Aiko for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

“He never forgot who he was,” Ellen said. “He taught me the importance of honoring the family name.”

After graduating from Orem High School as valedictorian, Williams went on to earn her degree from BYU in elementary education. She was an A-student in college, part of the Japanese Club and valedictorian – again.

“I never thought of myself as the smartest in class, I just worked the hardest,” Williams said.

Williams began her professional career in Dugway, Utah, teaching in the Alpine School District. Her career journey would take her to Honduras, where she taught grade school and to the East Coast where she became the first Asian-American to serve as a principal in the Washington, D.C., area.

Ellen’s first husband died from cancer while Steve has battled and won his own fight against lymphoma.

Ellen’s son, Scott Hurst, from her first marriage, is also a published author and has a book about his grandparents – “Russ and Aiko – The Horiuchi Story” – to his credit.

Ellen oversees the Hurst Foundation in honor of her late husband, supporting causes like a writing contest in Utah’s San Juan County School District and sponsorship of a Navajo poet laureate in the same community. When Williams was serving as director of community education in the area, the group grew from 100 to 1,500.

The Splash

On the volunteer side, Williams’ trademark energy and enthusiasm has benefited causes like Dining for Women, an international philanthropic group committed to helping women and girls exit poverty in developing countries. Locally, she has donated time to Spokane Cares, a website promoting nonprofits and volunteer opportunities. Working with Community Minded Television, she teaches video production and editing. In her spare time, Williams is learning Russian, practicing Tai Chi and creating a quilt for one of her many faraway friends.

Q: What were some of your first impressions of Liberty Lake? Did it remind you of any other places you'd visited during your extensive travels?

A: While Steve was interviewing, I was out looking at homes. I came to Liberty Lake first and loved it.

The Realtor would show me a home elsewhere and then I would return to the Liberty Lake property I liked, seven times in one weekend. The showings did not compare. This went on for two full days till finally the developer paid the Realtor a finder’s fee and sent him on his way.

What impressed me most about Liberty Lake was that some early planners cared enough to plant beautiful trees along the avenues and put in lots of greenspace. The area has a luxurious feel to it. All the people we met were friendly and kind. We think Liberty Lake has the best of being a small community yet located next to a larger city, which offers many services.

Hopefully,

See WILLIAMS, Page 3

Liberty Lake resident Ellen Williams has authored three books about her international travels. The latest, “Dancing with Chopsticks,” was published last year, providing readers with a layered look at people and places throughout Asia and the Pacific.

Photo by: Craig Howard

The Splash

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WILLIAMS

Continued from page 2 future planners will take the same care to maintain that unique beauty.

Q: Legacy Ridge has a reputation for being a very welcoming and friendly neighborhood. What has your experience been like since moving to that section of Liberty Lake four years ago?

A: All of our neighbors moved in within a year of our move. Everyone seemed eager to form friendships and we hold an annual street party for our little lane.

Q: Your mother has a very interesting history, coming from Japan and surviving the terror and turmoil of World War II. What lessons have you learned personally from what she has been through in her life?

A: Gaining an appreciation and pride growing up in a bi-cultural home—American and Japanese. She has exemplified tenacity by never giving up and is incredibly diligent.

For example, she faithfully does her daily exercises. It may account for the fact why she’s 92 years old.

Q: Speaking of lessons, what have you taken away from your visits and explorations of so many parts of the world? In what ways has it opened your eyes?

A: Being a curious person is my most compelling reason to travel.

The important lesson learned is tolerance for others. We are all

human beings, worthy of respect and dignity. Doing things in different ways also teaches me to be more open minded that there are many ways to achieve a specific goal. I may not always agree with what I see, but I must give deference because I am a guest in another country. Having travelled so extensively, our family can interrelate common practices that thread through societies.

I firmly believe we share more things in common with each other in the world, than we differ.

Q: You have published three books about your international travels. How do you decide what to write about when you're on these journeys? Is it difficult to pick and choose what experiences, people and places to include and what to leave out?

A: I carry a notebook with me wherever I go and jot down impressions in one or two words.

Then I return and fill out the thoughts. I have read nearly every travel guide, so I try not to repeat tourist trivia. After all, it is the personal interactions that enrich a journey and make our visits memorable. Then I let the writings sit. After a good distance of time, I go back as though I’ve never read the manuscript and edit. The secret is always edit, edit, edit.

Q: Do you have favorite locales from your lifelong travelogue?

A: I get asked this question a lot

See WORLDVIEW, Page 6

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$ Ellen Williams and her mother Aiko are pictured here in the Williams’ Liberty Lake home. A native of Japan, Aiko met her husband, Russ, in Tokyo when he was stationed there with the U.S. Army following World War II. Aiko now lives in Liberty Lake with Ellen and her husband Steve.

Photo By: Craig Howard

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4 • MAY 2018

NEWS

City to move ahead with first phase of Orchard Park

Each day, 10 people die in distracted driving crashes, contributing to the 37,000 people killed in crashes on U.S. roadways during 2016, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

Splash Editor The first large-scale park on the north side of Liberty Lake is about to break ground.

“As we look at the development of this project, the finances of it and the bidding, it has taken us awhile to get here,” said City Administrator Katy Allen.

“I thought the meeting really reflected the commitment from the mayor and council to build a park in the River District.”

The base bid was awarded to Bacon Concrete Inc. with construction expected to start sometime this month and be completed by the end of summer.

The park will not be ready for use until next spring at the earliest.

Council had to navigate its way through unanticipatedly high projected costs for the project received in March. The lowest qualifying base bid came in 39 percent over what had been predicted by the landscape architect who designed the park.

Another fiscal hurdle cropped up when a $500,000 grant application to the state Recreation and Conservation Office fell through.

Going into the April 10 meeting, Council Member Mike Kennedy said he saw three options for the council to consider: “I figured we could say no to construction, go back to the drawing board or move ahead,” he said. “I’m happy to say that we’re moving ahead with this.”

Public input on Orchard Park began in October 2015. The original design included amenities like a picnic pavilion, sport court and community garden that did not make it into the phase one budget approved by council last

Be smart, be safe – Distracted driving takes many forms From Splash News Sources

By Craig Howard

After dealing with a case of sticker shock connected to the first construction bids on Orchard Park, the Liberty Lake City Council came up with a compromise at a special meeting on April 10, voting to continue with the first phase of the 11-acre greenspace.

The agreed-to price tag came in at just over $3.09 million.

The Splash

Groundbreaking is expected to take place on Orchard Park this month after City Council approved funding for phase one of the project. The greenspace will represent the first large-scale park on the north side of the city.

File photo

month. The base bid will include 10 picnic tables, a splash pad, play area, five benches, two drinking fountains and a parking lot on the north side of the park, among other features.

Council Member Dan Dunne said there is considerable support for the original blueprint of the park to be developed in the future.

“The entire project realizable,” Dunne said.

is

still

The base bid includes a concrete pad for the pavilion as well as a conduit for future lighting. Kennedy said it would make sense to add the missing amenities sooner than later for several reasons, including rising building costs and not wanting to harm turf that will be planted this year with heavy equipment brought in later for construction.

“We need to look at phase two and incorporate those things as soon as possible,” Kennedy said.

The base bid also encompasses half of the landscaping and vegetation originally slated for the park. Total site grading, three sections of restrooms, all pathways except along the south parking lot and an entry sign are among the other elements of phase one.

Council will address all the components of the park not included in the base bid in a workshop on May 15. Allen said the conversation will determine “how to move forward.”

Several residents spoke at the April 10 meeting, including River District resident Kyle Stevenson who expressed

disappointment with the bid results but encouraged the city to move ahead with the project.

John Harris, also from the River District, said the council should approve the base bid and begin construction.

“I was really impressed with the quality of comments from citizens,” Allen said. “You could tell they understood there are budget challenges and the city is trying to do its best.”

Adding alternates from the first design would tack on another $1.19 million.

For now, the city will draw from Real Estate Excise Tax (REET) funds for first phase costs. A pair of funding mechanisms known as Local Infrastructure Financing Tool (LIFT) and Tax Increment Financing (TIF) will allow the city to be reimbursed by Spokane County for money spent on Orchard Park from REET. “LIFT and TIF leverage existing development to build infrastructure,” said Allen, who added that Orchard Park was included on a list of future TIF/ LIFT projects submitted to the county three years ago. “We’re so fortunate to had other funding mechanisms in place for this development.”

Interim City Engineer Dennis Scott and representatives from Bacon Concrete met with subcontractors on April 19 at City Hall for a pre-construction discussion.

“I’m glad things are moving ahead,” Allen said. “I’m really looking forward to the ribbon cutting.”

It takes just a split second for everything to take a deadly turn.

These senseless deaths can easily be prevented if drivers choose to focus on the core task of driving when behind the wheel, ask their passenger to be a designated texter, or turn off their phones.”

Contrary to what some drivers may think, hands-free, handheld and in-vehicle technologies are very distracting, even when a driver’s eyes are on the road and their hands are on the wheel. The latest AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety research found that: • Drivers who text when behind the wheel more than double their odds of being involved in a crash • Drivers who use invehicle technologies, like voicebased and touch screen features, can be distracted for more than 40 seconds when completing tasks like programming navigation or sending a text message. During that time, a vehicle travelling 25 miles per hour covers the length of four football fields AAA offers these tips to stay safe while on the road: • Turn off your phone and other electronic gadgets.

• Choose a designated texter; a passenger to answer incoming calls, send or respond to text messages and to assist with navigation when the vehicle is in motion.

• Never use textmessaging, email functions, video games or the internet with a wireless device, including those built into the vehicle • Use a feature or app that tells others you’re unavailable because you’re driving and prevents audible notifications • Create a pre-drive routine where you program your GPS, load podcasts and select music before heading out.

• Don’t call or text someone you know is driving.

The Splash

NEWS

New distracted driving law sharpens focus on motorist safety

By Derek Brown

Splash Correspondent Liberty Lake Police Chief Brian Asmus hopes motorists understand the importance of following the state’s new law related to distracted driving and the implications of not paying attention on the road.

The new distracted driving law went into effect in Washington state on July 3, 2017, but it's only been enforced since this January as law enforcement worked to educate the public.

Since then, police around the state, including Asmus and his department, have been issuing citations to those who drive distracted.

“We took the advice that was given to us: Take until January of 2018 to educate the public and to and give out flyers and information and press releases and that type of thing,” Asmus said. “Take that six months and use that as an educational to let people know about the new law.”

The law says you cannot have any handheld device in your hand. Even if the car is at a stoplight or has come to a complete stop, the driver cannot check his or her messages or be on the phone. The law does include all electronic devices, not just cell phones. This includes tablets, laptops, video games, GPS units, and all electronic devices that can be a distraction.

“You can't send text messages and you can't type on your device or read a message,” Asmus said. “You can’t, if you’re the driver, watch videos and you can't use the camera function of your phone either.”

Provisions within the law do give drivers options for cell use. Drivers can use their devices but it has to be hands-free and only if it can be started and stopped with a single flip or press of the screen. If the driver has a smartphone then they are able to place it in a smartphone cradle, as long as they only press the button once to answer a call or message.

Likewise, vehicles with Bluetooth connectivity are allowed as long as the driver is able to press a single button once to activate the call or message.

“All that's allowed,” Asmus said.

“But you can't have it in your hand.”

Asmus said that the old law allowed drivers to use the speakerphone function on their cellphones while

holding it in their hands. Now, however, that is not the case. Drivers cannot hold their cellphones in their hands, they must have it set down, in a cradle – anywhere else but in their hands.

“You can use it if you are parked out of the flow of traffic,” Asmus said. “So if you pull over to the side of the road it's legal to do so to use your device but not at a stop light or a stop sign if you're in the flow of traffic. The other exemption is if you're contacting the emergency services such as 911 to report something then the law exempts you from those other issues.”

Same thing applies with GPS devices. Drivers can't be driving down the road programming in a location. Asmus suggests drivers pre-program locations before getting on the road. “But you can't be driving down the road and decide you want to go somewhere else and change the route on your GPS unit,” he said.

“The same thing applies: it has to be one swipe or touch of the screen.”

Citations related to the new law are called “E-DUIs” or Electronic Device Under the Influence. Although Asmus states that the name is not a technical term in the Revised Code of Washington (RCW). Drivers will be fined $136 for the first offense and $234 for a second offense.

Secondary offenses, such as eating, or drinking, will result in a $99 ticket.

“If you were eating or drinking something that is a secondary offense,” Asmus said. “Which means that if you're driving down the road and you're drinking your espresso and I see you doing that I can't stop you for that by itself.”

If the officer pulls a driver over for something else, such as speeding or not using a turn signal and sees that drivers have a drink, food, or something like a hair brush, and they determine that led to the negligence at hand, they can issue an infraction.

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The Washington Traffic Safety Commission released the results of a survey of distracted driving. It found that cellphone use is the most common type of distracted driving, with 71 percent of distracted driving cases involving their phones and driving simultaneously. They also found that one out of 10 drivers in Washington are distracted. Fatalities increased between 2014-15 due to distracted driving in Washington state alone.

“I think the new law is better than the one we were using,” Asmus said.

“Because it tries to address the issue regarding holding a cellphone and speakerphone use. I think the new law tries to address things so it’s an improvement.”

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The Splash

6 • MAY 2018

WORLDVIEW

Continued from page 3 and I’ve finally mulled over one of my favorites. I have thoroughly enjoyed every place and cuisine I’ve ever experienced. Each region of the world has a uniqueness about it that makes it difficult to list as a favorite like comparing apples to oranges. Probably at the top of my list is riding down the Mekong River for two days from Thailand to Luang Prabang, Laos. The beauty of the hand-carved boat, the soaring mountains laced with trees, the low

river packed with boulders and the wedding we crashed were all heady experiences. Or was it exploring geysers with no one else around in Iceland? Or avoiding aggressive baboons in Zimbabwe? Or soaking in a Japanese onsen, hot spring? I think you get the drift.

Q: The pursuit of education has clearly been an important theme for you. Beyond your degrees and academic achievements, what would you say about the value of being a lifelong learner?

A: This thought is posted on my wall by Albert Einstein: “Once you

stop learning, you start dying.”

Q: You seem very driven to achieve in many areas. Where do you think your motivation comes from?

A: Blessed with inordinate curiosity and high energy, I want to experience as much as I can.

Perhaps my competitive nature evolves from playing high school sports. Having Asian parents also encourages excellence. Mix in a streak of adventure and, as my husband says, “You get crazy lady!”

Q: Finally, I'll give you the hypothetical opportunity to visit

any place in the world at any time in history. Where do you go and why?

A: The Roman Empire held together vast amounts of land for nearly 1,500 years, before there were phones or telegraphs, cars or planes. Our country is barely 242 years old. Having lived in Europe, I saw 2,000-year-old remnants of Roman engineering. Economically, cultural, politically and militarily they dominated the world in their day.

I would enjoy being an eyewitness to why they were so successful for so long.

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The Splash

MAY 2018 • 7

The Lookout MEMO from the

Mayor

By Mayor Steve Peterson

An age-old adage is, “People are judged by the company they keep.” Meanwhile, cities are judged by the quality of schools in their neighborhoods.

We are fortunate to have Central Valley School District (CVSD) under the leadership of Superintendent Ben Small involved and dedicated

The sun is out and the goats are back

to our community and responsive to the growth in Liberty Lake.

We have our new Liberty Creek (K2) School, Liberty Lake Elementary and, just recently, a groundbreaking for a new middle school over in the River District just across from our new Orchard Park. A new stateof-the-art high school is also in design stages and will complete the educational K-12 line close to home for our Liberty Lake kids.

The partnership we have established with CVSD goes well beyond new buildings. It’s a partnership of shared services

and connection to the community.

Working together, we are giving great value to our citizens’ tax dollars. Our kids in school have available for their use Trailhead for golf, tennis courts in all our parks, trails for running, and a myriad of sports fields for youth soccer, baseball, junior football and lacrosse.

Soon, I believe the challenge will be on CVSD to provide life-long learning in these buildings not only for young students but also our aging adults who seek life-long educational opportunities close to home.

Liberty Lake voters deserve

Our City Vegetation Management specialists – a.k.a., the “Municipal Goats” – are back in town, working to keep Liberty Lake well-manicured.

The seven from last year (Woody Jr., Banshee, Rosy, Toby, Spice, Oakley and Annie) are back with three new additions (Kenai, Kahn, and Turf).

Our four-legged seasonal employees will be dividing and conquering this season. Their first stops are Rocky Hill Park and Pavillion Park. Their primary job duties are to prune, de-weed and digest. They enjoy friendly, courteous company and will always try to talk you out of any food that you might have with you – but please do not bring anything to feed the goats.

Bob “Goat Wrangler” Kestell and the municipal parks crew manage the care of the city goats. They move them to new areas as needed and supplement their weed diet. The goats get alfalfa grass, a “sweet feed” mix of barley, molasses, corn and oats, a mineral salt mix for tummy health and lots of fresh water.

The weeds that are directly adjacent to the pen are acceptable to feed by hand, as staff is familiar with the weed population in the area. The goats get a lot of attention during the summer months. They enjoy seeing old friends and making new ones. Be sure to say hello when you see them!

Keeping our New commission cultivates parks, medians and flower beds clean arts, recreation

April showers bring May flowers… and weeds and trash and cigarette butts? Unfortunately, yes.

City gardeners have been doing work in the medians, planting beautiful color and bringing life to our main arterials and they are spending a lot of time removing trash and cigarette butts from the flower beds.

In addition to the esthetic downgrade this causes, it also pollutes our water and gives visitors to our city the wrong impression of our community.

We are so proud of how clean, green and beautiful Liberty Lake is – let’s keep it that way. Please do not throw cigarette butts out the car window and make sure to deposit trash away responsibly so our gardeners can focus on keeping our city green… purple, red, yellow and blue!

The recently formed Liberty Lake Parks, Arts and Recreation Commission is an eight-member citizen volunteer group that serves in an advisory capacity to the Liberty Lake City Council. Student representatives are also part of the commission. The primary functions of the commission are to: • Review and make recommendations concerning recreation program offerings of the city • Oversee the city’s art decisions and any future comprehensive arts program • Provide recommendations regarding the acquisition and development of park areas • Serve as the municipal Forestry Board and oversee the Urban Forestry program

May 2018 recognition for their support of our educational system. During these last levy and bond elections, the positive vote exceeded 70 percent in every precinct and one was at 85 percent! Now that is community support plus!

Finally, the age-old adage is true and that is why we are growing.

We are active, outgoing, friendly, involved, educated, respectful and the list goes on. Who would not like to join that company of people? Just another reason we appreciate living in Liberty Lake – Spokane County’s premier address!

• Review and make recommendations regarding the implementation of the city Parks, Recreation and Open Space Plan.

• Review art, recreation and park related proposals • Act as an advisory board for the Tree City, USA and Bicycle Communities programs • Complete regular reviews of fees and charges for services • Explore ways and methods of obtaining private, local, state and federal funds for special projects in the city's parks, trails and open space • Advocate for healthy and active life styles and promote the quality of life that is provided through the city's parks, trails and open space Parks, Arts and Recreation Commission regular meetings are scheduled for the first and third Wednesday of each month at City Hall (22710 E Country Vista Dr.). Meetings begin at 4 p.m. and generally last one hour.

Members of the commission are appointed by the mayor and approved by the City Council. They are selected from as evenly dispersed geographic areas in the city as possible and should have interests in parks, recreation, visual, literary and performing arts.

They do not receive compensation for their services. Positions 1, 3, 5 and 7 shall serve two-year terms and Positions 2, 4, and 6 shall serve threeyear terms Students who are part of the commission must be residents of the city of Liberty Lake and will serve for a term of one year.

Please contact Jennifer Camp, staff liaison to the commission at: jcamp@ libertylakewa.gov or 755-6714 for more information.

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

The Splash

8 • MAY 2018

Council hears report on River District road development

By Craig Howard Splash Editor Things are hopping on the north side of Liberty Lake.

From the groundbreaking of a new middle school to plans for a large-scale park that should break ground this month, this section of the River District is growing fast. As Greenstone Homes continues to develop the burgeoning neighborhood, the focus on infrastructure upgrades – specifically, the addition of roads, sewer and water services – is nothing short of a priority.

Kevin Schneidmiller, Greenstone’s vice president of land development, appeared before City Council on April 17 to provide an update on the Mission Avenue project in the River District.

“We have completed the design of Harvest Parkway and Indiana

(intersection), the portion that will front the city’s planned Orchard Park,” Schneidmiller said.

“There are a lot of exciting things happening right in this location.”

Schneidmiller said a traffic roundabout is planned for Harvest Parkway and Mission Avenue while workers will break ground on the Harvest Parkway/Indiana intersection this month.

Meanwhile, Schneidmiller said there are no current plans going east on Mission from Harvest Parkway, outside of improvements to the intersection of Mission and Harvest Parkway.

“The reason for that is usually road improvements just precede development that’s taking place in a given area, especially when you’re talking about residential areas,” he said. “You’re really guessing if you get to far in advance.”

Schneidmiller said he has talked to city staff about a timetable for those improvements.

“We continue to have discussions,” he said.

those

Greenstone is also in the design phase of upgrades to Indiana Avenue all the way to Harvard Road that are expected to be completed

by spring of 2019 as the latest.

“I think that will bring significantly improved pedestrian connectivity,” Schneidmiller said.

There is another intersection further to the east on Mission that is “somewhat conceptual,” Schneidmiller said. A preliminary plat has been submitted to the city for review.

“Where that road exactly ends up, the future is going to tell us that,” he said. “Certainly, one of the factors that’s going to tell us that is if that intersection lines up with Henry Road and the improvements with the Henry Road overpass are going to come to fruition in the next few years.”

A temporary trail along Mission is slated for the area around the future middle school, something Mayor Pro Tem Shane Brickner said needs to be a priority right now.

“Just driving through there and seeing people who ride their bikes and walk, this needs to happen,” he said. “It’s too much of a risk for citizens and for people who want to enjoy our community. It will also help connect the River District to the city.”

Staples honored for service

At the April 3 City Council meeting, Andrew Staples was recognized for his decade of service by Mayor Steve Peterson.

On April 9, Staples will begin a new professional chapter as special projects manager for the city of Spokane.

“We’re going to miss Andrew,” said Peterson. “He’s been an excellent addition to the staff and our community. When something broke, people would say, ‘Let’s call Andrew.’”

Staples was hired as Liberty Lake’s inaugural city engineer in 2008 and oversaw overhauls of main streets like Appleway and Liberty Lake Road, to name a few.

Park improvements and other capital projects also fell under the auspices of the University of Idaho graduate who came to the city after working for the Coeur d’Alene engineering firm of Welch Comer.

Staples is the latest loss to the city’s management team. Longtime Planning and Building Services Manager Amanda Tainio resigned last month after a tenure that began as one of the city’s first hires in December 2001.

Before coming to Liberty Lake

See COUNCIL, Page 9

You are The Splash Want to see your name in print (for all the right reasons, of course)? Or maybe you just want to help point out great ideas for content worth sharing with your neighbors? The Splash is a community newspaper, so if you are part of the Liberty Lake community, we want to know what’s important to you. We like to say there are five of us, and there are more than 100,000 of you. Maybe one of the questions below applies to you? If so, you can help us out.  Do you go on vacation?

Maybe you’re heading somewhere fun (and warm) for spring break. If so, pack a copy of The Splash and pull it out to snap your photo in front of your favorite destination or landmark. When you return to the Liberty Lake, drop us a line with the pic, and we’ll share it with readers.  Are you part of a club or service organization?

Well, what do you know? Let us add you to our list of recurring Liberty Lake events in the near future

that will be well-suited for clubs and organizations that have regular meetings. Send us the info.  Do you celebrate?

We want people to know about everything from your new baby, to your upcoming wedding or anniversary, to your incredible office or sporting achievement. Photos, announcements, honors — please send! We will feature it in the “Local Lens.”  Did you capture a shot?

Shutterbugs, unite! If you are capturing great Liberty Lake moments, whether while out and about or in your backyard, e-mail us your photo so we can share it around the neighborhood. Send along names of those pictures and complete caption information as much as possible.  Are you a local freelance journalist?

The Splash sets aside great assignments for people like you. Send some clips and your resume our way, and we’ll be in touch.

 Do you eat?

We thought so. Perhaps you have a favorite order at a Liberty Lake eatery? Before you clean your plate, get your picture taken with your order and send it to us. Include the place, order, cost and why you love it. It’s just one more way we can point one another to all the best Liberty Lake offers.

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COUNCIL

Continued from page 8 10 years ago, Staples worked on several of the city’s street projects through contracts with Welch Comer.

“I’ve enjoyed my time in Liberty Lake,” Staples told the gathering in council chambers. “I love this community and the citizens. The mayor, council and staff have all been great to work with.”

Allen announced that Dennis Scott, who has been serving as the city’s engineering assistant in charge of code enforcement, will take over Staples’ duties on an interim basis. Scott is the former director of Spokane County Public Works and has been the proprietor of his own consulting firm.

Allen introduced another addition to staff on April 3 as Lisa Key, former planning director for the city of Spokane, will take over as interim planning manager. Council approved the hiring unanimously.

Key brings nearly 35 years of experience in land use planning, economic development, project management and transportation planning to her new role.

“There are a lot of great things happening in the city of Liberty Lake,” Key said. “I’m grateful for this opportunity.”

Rocky Hill land update Allen provided an update on a patch of land in the Rocky Hill neighborhood that is protected by a provision known as a “deed of right.” The 75-foot parcel lies near Rocky Hill Park behind four homes and is considered by the city as a challenge to incorporate into the park because it is comprised mostly of rugged, decomposed granite on a severe slope. Allen said the plan is to transfer the property out from under the deed of right and over to the homeowners.

Because the land is protected for greenspace purposes, the city is pursuing a request through the state Recreation and Conservation Office (RCO) to secure a piece of property comparable in value and size at the site slated for Orchard Park on the north side of the city.

Allen said there will be an opportunity for public comment before the proposal goes to RCO. “This is a separate parcel that would expand Orchard Park,” Allen said. “It’s taken us three years to get to this point.”

MAY 2018 • 9

NEWS

City Council News and Notes – May 2018

By Craig Howard Splash Editor • The newly formed Parks and Arts Commission is looking for a new Pos. 4 representative after the original delegate resigned. Allen said two residents have applied for the position – representing the Pavillion Park area – and will be interviewed by the mayor in early May • A restriping project will take place on Appleway beginning later this month or early June with work expected to take around 20 days • The upgrade of the Trailhead Golf Course irrigation system will begin later this summer with work anticipated to take around nine weeks. The course will stay open during the project, with temporary greens set up during the work • Interim City Planner Lisa Key told council that while there have been no amendment requests to the Comprehensive Plan to this point, there have been three code amendment requests, all submitted by Greenstone Homes. One of those includes an appeal to amend the zoning matrix in the River District to allow for storage of recreational vehicles. A code amendment workshop is scheduled for City Hall on May 9 • The city is looking to reconfigure council chambers into more of a “horseshoe” format with newly installed monitors. “If we’re going to do this, let’s do it right,” said Council Member Mike Kennedy.

• On April 3, Council approved the second read on an amended ordinance to create the inaugural Parks and Arts Commission and establish responsibilities of the group.

• Council authorized the mayor to sign a three-year lease agreement for two front-end loaders. Finance Director R.J. Stevenson indicated that leasing the maintenance vehicles would represent a cost savings for the city over renting • Operation and Maintenance Director Jennifer Camp told council that 82 percent of the registrants in the Skyhawks

Summer Day Camps are Liberty Lake residents. A little over half of those signed up for Challenger Sports British Soccer reside in Liberty Lake • The city hosted an Arbor Day celebration at the Diamonds Ballfields on April 20, planting two trees as part of the ceremony. The event is one of the requirements for the city to maintain its “Tree City” status through the Arbor Day Foundation

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• Council also authorized the mayor to move ahead with the on-call agreement with AAA Sweeping for street sweeping services • Council has decided to move the workshop portion prior to each regularly scheduled council meeting from 5:30 to 6 p.m. in an effort to make the discussion more accessible to residents. “As audience members, they are feeling left out, coming later for the meeting and missing the bulk of the discussion.” said Council Member Cris Kaminskas.

The normal council meeting will still begin at 7. The new format will take effect May 15. “I think citizens will have an easier time getting to those 6 o’clock meetings,” said Kennedy • In the workshop portion of the April 3 council agenda, Stevenson told council that the city has only used $55,000 of the allotted snow removal budget of $160,000 for the 2017-18 winter.

Stevenson also noted that while overall city expenditures are currently exceeding revenues, the number is misleading due to the fact that property tax revenue will not be received until next month • Allen said the city will bring back a request to council on May 1 to add another administrative assistant • The strategic planning discussion, originally scheduled as part of a stand-alone meeting on May 8, has now been added to the May 1 council meeting agenda.

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10 • MAY 2018

Safety Scroll Home safety begins with simple steps

By Chief Brian Asmus Liberty Lake Police Department Your Liberty Lake Police Department is committed to the safety of the community. One of our operational strategies is working with the residents, business owners and visitors to prevent crime. As the warm spring weather settles in, we want to remind you of some tips to keep yourself, your property, and your home safe during the spring and summer months.

First, keep doors locked at all times. If you are working in the

backyard, keep your front door and garage door closed and locked and lock your back door when you are in the front yard.

Always lock your doors when you leave, even if you only plan to be gone for a few minutes.

During the spring weather, many people open windows or sliding glass doors while they are at home. Always remember to close and lock your windows and sliding doors when you go to bed or leave the house.

Put all ladders, lawn care equipment, etc. back into a secure storage area after you use them. Don’t forget to secure your bicycles, golf clubs and any other recreational items when they are not in use. Always lock any storage unit or shed you have on your property.

Be aware of home improvement scams. If you did not solicit the contractor or salesperson who shows up at your door unannounced, do not permit that person to proceed and notify the Liberty Lake Police Department at 755-1140 or Crime Check at 456-2233. Remember, Liberty Lake requires those soliciting

door-to-door to have a solicitor’s license issued by the city.

If a utility representative comes to your house, request identification.

True representatives will carry their ID and they will gladly show it to you. Call their company for verification.

Always remember to roll up your vehicle windows, take any valuable out of your car and lock your doors every time you exit your vehicle, even if your vehicle is parked in your driveway.

Being a good neighbor can be one of the best crime prevention tools.

Watchful, attentive neighbors can spot criminals and alert the police and the community to their presence.

Get involved in your community and help us keep our city one of the safest in the state.

Liberty Lake residents should alert authorities of nonemergency concerns or crimes not in progress by calling Crime Check at 456-2233. Crimes in progress and other emergencies should be reported by calling 911.

Calling All Local Graduates The Splash is featuring Liberty Lake high school graduates in the June issue. This invitation extends to all graduating seniors who live in the community, regardless of where they attend high school.

In order to participate, simply submit a photo with the following information to danica@libertylakesplash.com: Graduate’s name, high school, parents’ names and plans after graduation Information must be received by Friday, May 12th. Contact 242-7752 or danica@libertylakesplash.com with any questions.

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MAY 2018 • 11

Home fire safety campaign focused on saving lives

From Splash News Sources Nearly 500 homes in the southwest portion of the Spokane Valley Fire Department (SVFD) service area received free home fire safety Visits on April 21 with support from the Red Cross and other community groups.

With the resident’s permission, teams of volunteers tested existing smoke alarms and installed new smoke alarms as needed to ensure working smoke alarms are in the right locations throughout each home. Residents also received a home fire safety checklist with important information about cooking safety, smoking, heating, electrical safety and more.

More than 60 volunteers met at 9 a.m. for training at SVFD Station 6, 6306 E. Sprague Avenue. Door-todoor installation began at 9:45 a.m. and ran until noon. After a break for lunch, volunteers continued until all homes had been contacted.

Volunteers included many off-duty

SVFD firefighters, SVFD Fire Corps members, Red Cross personnel and volunteers, volunteers from Novelis and representatives of the Washington Spokane Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) Mission.

The target area for the campaign was roughly East Appleway Avenue to East Eighth Avenue and South Thierman Road to South Park Road.

The area includes a mobile home park along with houses, duplexes, triplexes and mobile/manufactured homes and was selected based on a risk assessment conducted

by SVFD as part of the agency’s comprehensive Community Risk Reduction program.

“For this event, we created an overlay of several risk factors, including fire department response data, community demographics and the year that homes were originally built, specifically, homes that were built before 1982, when Washington State law first required smoke alarms in new construction,” explained Elysia Spencer, SVFD’s Community Risk Reduction specialist and event organizer.

Spencer said primary goal of the campaign was “all-around risk reduction,” noting that nearly 60 percent of all home fire fatalities occur in residences without working

smoke alarms.

“Our goal is to prevent residents in these neighborhoods from becoming part of that statistic,” Spencer said.

“We’re excited about this opportunity to significantly improve fire and life safety for so many residents in just a few short hours.”

Volunteers worked in three-person teams to educate, install alarms and document each visit. A supply of more than 1,500 smoke alarms was available to volunteers, thanks to grants awarded to both SVFD and the American Red Cross from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Assistance to Firefighters Fire Prevention and Safety Grant program.

Last April, SVFD launched its first Home Fire Safety Visit campaign in partnership with the American Red Cross. During that campaign, volunteers installed hundreds of smoke alarms, including five alarms in John Bailey’s home on East Eighth Avenue in Spokane Valley.

Three months later, Bailey and his daughter were home when the smoke alarms alerted them to a fire. Both escaped safely with the family cat. This story was featured in a recent American Red Cross video honoring Spokane Valley Fire Department and the Spokane

Fire Department with a 2018 Red Cross Heroes Award for our ongoing partnership with the Red Cross on the Home Fire Safety campaign.

SVFD residents are encouraged to request a free home fire safety visit by calling 892-4153 or completing a request online at www. spokanevalleyfire.com.

About SVFD - Spokane Valley Fire Department serves the cities of Spokane Valley, Liberty Lake, Millwood, and unincorporated areas of Spokane County with a combined population of 125,000 across approximately 75 square miles.

SVFD firefighters and paramedics responded to more than 17,200 emergency calls in 2017. Established in 1940, SVFD is an Accredited Agency by the Commission on Fire Accreditation International, one of only a handful in Washington State. 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 provides free fire safety inspections and installation of free smoke detectors. For more information call 928-1700 or visit www. spokanevalleyfire.com.

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12 • MAY 2018

Friendly Fairways – Local ladies’ clubs celebrate many layers of golf

By Craig Howard Splash Editor Long before golf carts became the official vehicle of Spokane County’s easternmost city, the Liberty Lake Golf Course opened a threeiron away from the shores of its namesake watershed.

The year was 1958 and soon golfers from all over the Inland Northwest were flocking to the 110acre site, purchased with uncanny foresight by the Spokane Country Club for the bargain price of $18,500 in 1955 and developed by the county over a space of three years.

Just eight years earlier, a different kind of pillar institution was established – this one with an international ripple effect. The Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) set forth its charter in 1950, succeeding the Women’s Professional Golf Association that had been formed in 1944 but disbanded four years later. A group of 13 pro women golfers are acknowledged as the founders of the LPGA, which now features 34 events in 15 countries each year with total prize money hovering near $70 million.

COVER STORY look forward to seeing them.”

In addition to the competitive aspects of the club, DeAndre said LLWGC is known for its encouraging approach with golfers of all skill levels.

“They lift each other up,” he said.

“You can see the camaraderie and friendships. This game teaches us so much humility. A real golfer will never laugh at a fellow golfer after a bad shot because we’ve all been there. Our ladies’ club is so welcoming to everyone. They are making golf a positive experience.”

As local golf venues opened with the arrival of another chilly Inland Northwest spring, the Splash scheduled tee times with three wellestablished ladies’ clubs. Whether lining up for a critical putt or rallying to the support of a fellow golfer, those who belong to these unique groups shine as generous and exceptional ambassadors of the game.

Meadowwood – Putting with a Purpose It’s not all bad news when a member of the Meadowwood Women’s Golf Club runs into trouble on the putting green. Those who wind up with a three-putt or more on their scorecard are asked to add at least a quarter to a piggy bank with the contributions at the end of the season going toward a good cause.

For the last five years, the club has donated the proceeds to Heifer International, a nonprofit organization that addresses hunger and poverty throughout the world.

One year, the amount helped purchase a water buffalo to be used for farming purposes by a family in need.

The compassionate approach is par for the course among members of this group with roots that go back Meadowwood’s inaugural year of 1988.

“We look out for each other,” says longtime member Patsy Lynn.

There are currently around 15 members of the club with several, like Lynn, belonging to other local ladies’ groups. Sue Lightfoot makes the drive from the north side of Spokane to Liberty Lake each Wednesday, leaving around 6:45 a.m. to make the Meadowwood tee time.

“The ladies here are just great,” said Lightfoot. “The pros here also make it welcoming.”

When hundreds gathered for a benefit golf tournament to raise funds and awareness for Meadowwood head pro Bob Scott in October 2015, the ladies’ club was well-represented. Scott went on to beat cancer and continues to be the recognized face of Meadowwood.

The Splash

“That was a huge event,” recalls club member Margie Tibbits. “Bobby is just a really wonderful guy. There was a lot of money raised that day for him.”

Sabina Pinch is a member at the Meadowwood club and the Liberty Lake course next door. She works but has flexibility in her schedule, clearing out Tuesday and Wednesday mornings for golf.

“I was in school last year and didn’t play as much,” she said. “I like being part of these groups because I can learn from others.”

Longtime member Sandy McLaughlin worked at Meadowwood for 20 years and remembers a time when the ladies’ club was more robust. Despite decreased numbers, the group is known for fostering friendship and a positive attitude toward what can be a disillusioning game.

“I think we all try to help each other,” said McLaughlin. “We’ve had some women get concerned because they have trouble seeing where their ball lands. We just say, “It’s OK, we’ll find it. Don’t worry.’”

Playing on one of the region’s nicest courses also doesn’t hurt.

“From day one, the grounds keepers here have kept this course

See GOLF, Page 13

Kit DeAndre can remember his parents playing in events at the Liberty Lake Golf Course decades ago. His mother, Pat, was a dedicated member of the Liberty Lake Women’s Golf Club (LLWGC), one of the oldest women’s golf groups in the area.

“My mom took her golf very seriously,” said DeAndre, who began working at the Liberty Lake course in 1988 and has been the head pro there since 1997. “She loved the game of golf and she loved being part of the ladies’ club.”

These days, DeAndre views the latest incarnation of LLWGC as carrying on the legacy that his mother and others started. Besides weekly tee times at their home course, the group competes in tournaments across the region as part of the Spokane Area Women’s Golf Association (SAWGA).

“Our ladies club is very important to us,” DeAndre says. “They represent our course very well at these events.

They are wonderful. Every year, I

The ladies' club at Trailhead at Liberty Lake Golf Course meets each Wednesday morning during the golf season. The group goes back to the founding of the venue in 1974 when it was known as the Valley View Golf Course.

Photo by Craig Howard

The Splash

COVER STORY

GOLF

Continued from page 12 in tip-top shape,” McLaughlin said.

Water hazards at Meadowwood can still present issues, although club members tell the story of how Michelle Knowles freed a wayward golf ball from a lily pad with a swing of an adept iron. Knowles has seen her game improve significantly since becoming part of the Meadowwood club.

“This was the best club to join,” Knowles said. “I’d played golf before but not competitively. Here, I had an instant group of friends.”

Trailhead Enhanced

–

A

Good

Walk

Golfers can always count on an opportunity to improve their game courtesy of the year-round schedule at the Trailhead at Liberty Lake Golf Course. For the venue’s signature ladies’ club, the agenda also perseveres through the winter.

Members of the Trailhead Ladies Golf Club gathered monthly during the most recent cold weather season to catch up over lunch. Golf came up during the gatherings but not too often. Some members venture over to Trailhead when there’s snow on the ground to keep their game sharp at the covered, heated driving range.

Club treasurer Bea Carroll is one of several Trailhead members who head south for the winter. While she plays weekly under sunny skies in south Texas, Carroll says playing with her Trailhead cohorts – even in the chilly conditions of early spring – wins out over snowbird golf. Trailhead membership hovers around 30 at the start of the season and will reach 40 or higher by the summer.

“It’s more fun here,” Carroll says.

“I don’t play as much when I’m away. I haven’t joined a league down there.”

The Trailhead nine-hole group dates back to 1974 when the site opened as the Valley View Golf Course. Some current members like Deanna Houser can recall the early days when the site was one of the few landmarks in unincorporated, mostly rural, Liberty Lake. Houser says that while the course – owned and operated by the city of Liberty Lake since 2003 – may be a smaller, the layout still presents healthy challenges.

“It’s not as easy as people think it is,” Houser said.

The Trailhead club also benefits from five complimentary clinics each year hosted by head pro Chris

MAY 2018 • 13

Johnston. Members of the group will also play in two pro/am events this season with Johnston.

Kathy Zinkgrad migrated to Trailhead after the Painted Hills Golf Course in Spokane Valley closed in 2012. Others, like Joan Koch and Elaine Lukes found themselves in the same boat and latched on with Trailhead.

“I felt welcomed right away,” Zinkgrad says. “This group is friendly and fun. We’re serious about golf but not too serious.”

Players in the club are divided into A, B and C categories, based on skill level. Like other amateur groups, Trailhead ladies utilize a golf handicap system allowing players of varying aptitude to compete against each other based on a grading scale that calculates a player’s ability or, in the parlance of the United Stated Golf Association, a player’s “average best.”

That means a Trailhead competition like the President’s Cup, a three-week tournament that takes place each July, can pit the club’s top players – or “A” flight with lower handicaps – against “B” and “C” players with higher handicaps. Zinkgrad points out that club members from the “C” flight have won the event the past two years.

While Trailhead may not feature the expansive yardage of neighboring 18-hole courses like Meadowwood and Liberty Lake, Zinkgrad says she enjoys playing at an executive course that is more accessible for those who enjoy striding down the fairway. The exercise, time with friends and spectacular backdrops on each tee just might usurp Mark Twain’s famous definition of golf as “a good walk spoiled.”

“I like the fresh air and walking,” Zinkgrad said.

Club president Susan Kinyon grew up around golf. Her dad built a course in Tekoa and she played through high school before taking a break from the game. She picked it up again when her mom lost her golfing colleagues due to various health issues. Kinyon’s mother was 84 at the time; she played regularly until she was 88.

“My game was rusty when I came back (in 2012),” Kinyon said. “It’s gotten better.”

When Trailhead members have battled cancer and other health concerns, the club has rallied to their side.

“We are just there for each other with that support,” Zinkgrad said.

When Meadowwood Golf Course opened in 1988, members of the Meadowwood Women's Golf Club adorned vintage attire from the 1930s for this photo. These days, the club is known more for friendly play while the group across the street at Liberty Lake Golf Course (which also includes several Meadowwood members) is recognized as one of the best competitive women's clubs in the region.

Contributed photo Liberty Lake – The Matron of Local Clubs Temperatures were scarcely creeping into the 40s on an early April morning as around a dozen women gathered in the clubhouse at Liberty Lake Golf Course. Apparel on this day appeared more suited to snow skiing or a luge event instead of 18 holes.

There are close to 50 members of the Liberty Lake Women’s Golf Club, a number that has dipped over the years as more women have become part of the workforce. Club President Lisa Carrington said the group “golfs more for fun than competition,” but then pauses to make a point – “but we do compete.”

Three years ago, the club won the SAWGA Cup, awarded to the club with the lowest overall point total.

“We do well, Carrington said.

LLWGC’s schedule begins in early April and winds through midOctober, concluding with a group lunch. A regular tee time is set each Tuesday at the home course.

“Ours is a really friendly club,” said longtime member Jean Hatcher. “It’s more of a family.”

Darcey Bailey moved to Liberty Lake four years ago, right around the time she took up golf. She has been part of LLWGC for the past two years and says it has brought both friendships and improvements to her game.

“The ladies here are just so welcoming,” she said. “I’ve learned a lot since I’ve been part of the club.

My confidence has definitely gone up.”

Carrington joined the club five years ago when she was still working.

Now retired, she can spend more time on the fairways and adhering to her duties as club president. She says the group is known for its esprit de corps, regardless of skill levels or backgrounds.

“With us, it’s not where you come from, it’s who you are here,” she said.

Chrissie Tamura took up golf at the age of 30 and has seen her game improve over the years. The native of South Korea became part of the club a dozen years ago.

“I love to play golf,” Tamura said.

“It’s good exercise. I’m always walking.”

As for the benefits of joining LLWGC, Tamura says she savors the social connection.

“We’re all friends here,” she said.

Tamara Felton began playing golf 16 years ago in Tennessee where she was part of a ladies’ club that she recalls being “more like military golf.” While Felton said she values the instruction she received through the club, she remembers there “not being a lot of small talk.”

“This (Liberty Lake) club is a combination of both,” Felton said.

“We compete and play by the rules but we have that camaraderie.”

Rose Jones has been a member of LLWGC for the past 20 years. A former tennis pro, Jones rose to the stature of club champion and says she appreciates being able to count on a set tee time with good friends.

“The best part is truly the friendships,” Jones said. “We all love the same game.”

COMMUNITY

14 • MAY 2018

SPOKANE MARKET Days Market STATISTICS Days on on Market Days on Market

11% 11% 11% 11% 11% 11% 11%

Days ononMarket Days Market Days on Market Daysonon Market Days Market

From 56 YTD 2017 to 50 YTD 2018 From 56 YTD 2017 to 50 YTD 2018 From 56 YTD to 50 YTD 2018 From 56 YTD 2017 to2017 50 50 YTD 2018 From 56 YTD 2017 to YTD 2018 From 56 2017 YTD to 2017 to 50 YTD 2018 From 56 YTD 50 YTD 2018

From 56 YTD 2017 to 50 YTD 2018 Median Home Price Median Home Price Median Home Price Median Home Price Median Home Price Median Home Price Median Home Price Median Home Price

10% 10% 10% 10% 10% 10% 10%

Calendar of Events COMMUNITY EVENTS April 28 │Liberty Lake Fire Station #3 Open House – 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., 21300 E. Country Vista Drive. The Spokane Valley Fire Department invites the community to this event featuring free family fun. Tour our brandnew station, try on firefighter gear, take pictures, meet the firefighters, get an Operation Family ID child safety kit and enjoy tasty treats.

Call 892-4155 or visit www. spokanevalleyfire.com for more information

May 9 | Home Care Assistance Grand Opening – 3 to 6 p.m., 1314 N. Liberty Lake Road. Home Care Assistance is a provider of in-home care for seniors and will be celebrating the opening From $196,000 YTD 2017 to $215,000 YTD 2018 From $196,000 to$215,000 $215,000 YTD 2018 of its newest office. A ribbon From $196,000YTD YTD2017 2017 to YTD 2018 From $196,000 YTD to $215,000 YTD 2018 cutting by the Greater Spokane From $196,000 YTD 2017 to2017 $215,000 YTD 2018 From $196,000 YTD 2017 to $215,000 YTD 2018 From $196,000 YTD 2017 to $215,000 YTD 2018 Valley Chamber of Commerce will take place at 4 p.m. For more From $196,000 YTD 2017 to $215,000 YTD 2018 Months ofInventory Inventory Months of Inventory information, call 590-0374 or visit Months of Months of Inventory Months of Inventory www.HomeCareAssistance.com/ Months of Inventory Months of Inventory Spokane

36% 36% 36% 36%

36% 36% 36% 36%

Months of Inventory

From 2.98 YTD 2017 to 1.90 YTD 2018

From 2.98 YTD 2017 to 1.90 YTD 2018 From 2.98 YTD 2017 to 1.90 YTD 2018 From 2.98 YTD to 1.90 YTD 2018 From 2.98 YTD 2017 to2017 1.90 YTD 2018 From 2.98 YTD 2017 to 1.90 YTD 2018 From 2.98 YTD 2017 to 1.90 YTD 2018

*Information obtained the From 2.98 YTD 2017 to 1.90 from YTD 2018

Spokane Multiple Listing Service.

Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. For Single Family Homes and Condos, site built less than 1 acre, Spokane County, YTD through March

ROB BRICKETT REALTOR

-Real Estate Excellence & Expertisewww. Rob-Brickett.com

209.660.3650 509.570.4095

1421 North Meadowwood Lane #200 • Liberty Lake, WA 99019

The Splash

May 10 | Art Fest – 5 to 7 p.m., Liberty Creek Elementary, 23909 E Country Vista Drive, Liberty Lake. Art Fest will be a night full of fun, family activities, including free make-andtake crafts, performances from local and student groups, silent auction, chalk on the blacktop and a chance to walk through a gallery of our students’ own masterpieces.

Liberty Lake Kiwanis will have a concession stand at the event and will donate all proceeds to help fund next year’s art program.

Save time by pre-ordering food

by May 1. Admission is free. For more information, please contact libertycreekartists@gmail.com May 12 | Dads and Dudes Night – 6 p.m., HUB Sports Center, 19619 E. Cataldo Ave., Liberty Lake. This annual even is about fathers and sons spending quality time together and making positive memories.

The ‘open house” format will run three hours and include basketball, football, soccer, pickleball, martial arts and more. Advanced registration is $15 for a dad and dude, $3 for additional dudes. Day of event cost is $20 at the door. For more information or to register, go to www.hubsportscenter.org or call 927-0602 May 19 | Salute to Service Resource Fair – 1 to 6 p.m., River Park Square, 808 W. Main Ave., Spokane. Find out about services,

benefits and connections available for veterans, active duty, guard, reserve personnel, families and caregivers. For more information, call the Vet Center in Spokane Valley at 444-8387 May 19 | Opening day of Liberty Lake Farmers Market, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Town Square Park, 1421 N. Meadowwood Lane. This popular open-air market features local food and farm vendors, artisan crafts and baked goods, music and more. The venue is open each Saturday through Oct. 13.

For more information, visit www. libertylakefarmersmarket.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 | 7 to 8 p.m., third Thursdays 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 | Mondays, 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 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 May 5 | Pages of Harmony Spring Show – 3 p.m., Valley Assembly Church, 15618 E. Broadway, Spokane Valley.

This annual concert features some of the best vocal ensembles in the area. This year, the agenda features the song stylings of Throwback, international fourth place medalists, Lake City Harmonizers and more. Go to www.pagesofharmony.com to find out more May 12 | Open house for parents interested Music Therapy and Creative Arts Summer Camp – 9 a.m. to noon, Center for Music

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COMMUNITY

Therapy, 1315 N. Napa in Spokane.

This event is also hosted by Willow Song Music Therapy. The Music Therapy and Creative Arts Camp is a half-day program where children learn about creative arts in a therapeutic setting. Activities reinforce the ideal of achieving one’s maximum potential in a friendly and adaptive environment that fosters success through music, movement/dance, and art. Camp counselors include directors and practicing board-certified music therapists, Kim McMillin and Carla Carnegie, as well as student music therapists. The camp is for children with and without special needs and will be held July 16-20, 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. each day. This event is paid through private pay. Lowincome families are encouraged to apply for grants through Elevations ( w w w. e l e va t i o n s s p o k a n e . o r g ) or the Isaac Foundation (www. theisaacfoundation.configio. com). For more information, call Willow Song Music Therapy in Otis Orchards at 592-7875 May 12 | Art Auction and Showcase hosted by the Spokane Valley Arts Council – 6:30 p.m., CenterPlace Regional Event Center, 2426 N. Discovery Place, Spokane Valley. Viewing and demonstrations scheduled from noon to 4 p.m. and 5 to 6:30 p.m.

Live auction begins at 6:30 p.m.

This event includes a silent and live auction of nearly 100 works of art from prominent local and national artists.

Event tickets are $60 each and can be purchased online at the council’s website, www. spokanevalleyarts.org or by calling 924-5009. Tickets are also available at Spokane Gallery and Framing, 409 S. Dishman-Mica Road, Spokane Valley. Donations of tickets to area sports and entertainment events and other unique items are also auctioned. Proceeds go to commission monuments and sculptures that will enhance the beauty and culture of Spokane Valley. For more information, visit www.spokanevalleyarts.org

RECURRING 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 218-

4799

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 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

HEALTH & RECREATION Wednesday mornings | Mindful Music & Movement class, 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Specifically designed for those living with chronic health issues such as: Parkinson's, dementia, COPD, MS, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, cancer. Supporting body, mind and soul. $10 donation suggested.

Facilitated by board-certified Music Therapist, Carla Carnegie. Willow Song Music Therapy Center. 21101 E. Wellesley #102. Otis Orchards.

For more information, visit www. willowsongmusictherapy.com or call 592 7875.

RECURRING 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 Tuesday afternoons | Decreasing Anger Group, 3 to 4:30 p.m., the Vet Center, 13109 E. Mirabeau

MAY 2018 • 15

Parkway, Spokane Valley. Eligibility: Combat veteran from all eras, military sexual trauma survivors, Contact Steve at 893-4746 to make an intake appointment.

CIVIC & BUSINESS May 8 | Presentation on history of U.S. space program – 7 p.m., Honor Point Museum, Felts Field, 6095 E. Rutter Way, Spokane.

Joe Bruce, NASA ambassador, will be presenting a history of the American space program from the 1960s to the present

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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 Kiwanis | 6:45 a.m. on the first through third Wednesdays of each month, City Hall, 22710 E. Country Vista Drive.

Fourth Wednesday, the club meets at noon at Barlows restaurant, 1428 N. Liberty Lake Road Friends of Liberty Lake Municipal Library | 2 p.m., the last Wednesday of each month, Liberty Lake Municipal Library, 23123 E. Mission Ave., Liberty Lake Liberty Lake Lions Club | Noon to 1 p.m., every first and third Wednesday of each month. Meetings are at Barlow's Restaurant, 1428 N. Liberty Lake Road.

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.

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The Splash

16 • MAY 2018

Liberty Lake marks 15th year as Tree City

By Staci Lehman Splash Correspondent As you might expect in a city known for its flourishing foliage, Arbor Day didn’t go unnoticed in Liberty Lake.

In honor of the day, and to celebrate the city’s 15th year as a designated Tree City USA, city officials planted two trees at the Diamonds Ballfields on Boone Street on April 20.

While they should provide an aesthetic upgrade to the flat field, the trees also will have the job of protecting baseball players from sun, maybe even preventing a few future fly balls from being lost in the glare.

“These trees were chosen for shade,” said Liberty Lake City Horticulturist Joice Cary of the two Redmond Lindens that were donated

by Gibson's Nursery and Landscape Supply in Spokane Valley. “They will grow 40 to 60 feet tall, and while their canopies will grow close together, they won’t touch.”

Liberty Lake Mayor Pro Tem Shane Brickner, City Council Member Cris Kaminskas, City Administrator Katy

Allen, Operations and Maintenance Director Jennifer Camp and several of her crew members were on hand for the planting ceremony and helped to shovel dirt over the tree’s roots.

Cindy Deffe from the Washington Community Forestry Council was also there to recognize Liberty Lake for its 15-year commitment to the Tree City USA program. In order to earn a Tree City USA designation, a city must meet certain urban forestry standards, including: maintaining a tree board or department, having a community tree ordinance in place and spending at least $2 per capita on urban forestry, which Liberty Lake officials say is not a problem.

“We’re spending $10,000 to $20,000 on pruning our tree inventory,” said Allen. “They’re healthier and better if well maintained.”

The final, and probably the easiest requirement, is that Tree Cities must celebrate Arbor Day. The Tree City USA program is administered by the National Arbor Day Foundation to help communities create and maintain tree care programs. Being designated a Tree City includes the possibility of financial assistance from grants available only to Tree Cities, improved public image and increased environmental awareness for the community. Other local Tree

City USA communities include Airway Heights, Fairchild Air Force Base, Fairfield, Liberty Lake, Millwood and Spokane.

Dozens more new trees will be planted in Liberty Lake in the coming year. Two homeowners’ associations (HOA) in the Mission and Molter areas have plans to add trees to the planting strips bordering the street.

“Jennifer (Camp) works closely with the HOAs,” said Allen.

Camp’s support includes guiding HOAs on which variety of tree would be the best to plant.

All Liberty Lake trees are handpicked for their environment. For

instance, Cary says trees that drop nuts that could jam mowers or are harsh on bare feet are avoided for city parks. And ones with short life spans are not favored either.

While Brickner says he appreciates the city’s trees for what they provide us – oxygen, shade, aesthetics and more – he says they signify something else to him.

“For me they represent strength,” said Brickner. “We’ve had winds up to 100 miles per hour come through here and very few have come down.

They are representative of our city and our strong city staff. Without them we would be lost.”

The city of Liberty Lake hosted an Arbor Day celebration and tree planting at the Diamonds Ballfields on April 20. Liberty Lake is observing its 15th consecutive year as a Tree City through the Arbor Day Foundation.

Contributed photo

|

The Splash

Pho Liberty makes premiere on LL cuisine scene

By Steve Christilaw

Splash Correspondent There are few things in life that are as good and welcoming as a steaming bowl of soup, which is just one of the reasons behind the growing popularity of what is known as “pho.”

According to Adweek magazine, there is no faster-growing food trend over the past 10 years as the Vietnamese rice noodle soup.

And now you can get a fragrant, delicious bowl of pho in Liberty Lake.

After more than 15 years in downtown Spokane, Dat “Mike” Nguyen and his wife, Phuong Duong, recently opened Pho Liberty at 23505 E. Appleway, Ste. 100, in January, and after just a few months of operation the location has developed a solid, regular clientele.

“We’re very happy with this location,” Dat said. “We have a lot of support from locals without having had a grand opening or anything.

We’re right in the middle of the industrial and technology area.

We’re close to Itron and Comcast and other companies and we have a lot of parking, so it’s very easy to drop in for a quick lunch. We even have a good number of people that walk to us.”

Pho Liberty offers an extensive menu that includes fresh spring rolls, egg rolls, pot stickers and

BUSINESS

MAY 2018 • 17

crab meat Rangoon appetizers, vermicelli and yakisoba noodles and various rice dishes.

But the star on the menu is pho.

The origin of the soup has been traced to when the French arrived in Vietnam in the 19th century, but it has evolved to be distinctly Vietnamese.

Before the concept of “bone broth” erupted into popular culture, there was pho. The heart of the dish is a clear broth that delights the nose with hits of cinnamon, coriander and star anise that has simmered to transfer every ounce of goodness from the beef or chicken bones that are its foundation.

The clear broth is served over rice noodles with fresh herbs like Thai basil, bean sprouts and slices of hot chili pepper that can be added at the table along with spicy condiments like sriracha or a house-made chili oil.

“There are three different regions of Vietnam with their own version of pho,” Dat said. “The north, south and central areas all have a different flavor profile.”

From Pho Bo, the beef noodle soup that can be served with any number of traditional additions, including thin slices of round steak and brisket to meatballs, to the chicken broth version, Pho Ga. The restaurant also offers Pho Chay, a vegetarian noodle soup, and Hu Tieu Do Bien, seafood noodle soup that includes shrimp, fish and pork.

Pho Liberty opened in January on Appleway and features a wide array of authentic Asian dishes, including the signature pho noodle soup, fresh spring rolls, pot stickers, crab meat Rangoon appetizers, egg rolls and much more.

Contributed photo tantalizes your nostrils as well as your taste buds.

“It takes between six and eight hours to make the broth,” Dat said.

“It takes that long to get all the flavor out of the soup bones. There are some basics about making a good broth, but every family in Vietnam has its own secret ingredients. We have people who tell us they can recognize our broth

and they pick out the different spices, the cinnamon, the coriander or the star anise.”

Pho Liberty is open from 10 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., Monday through Saturday.

“That’s the great thing about pho,” Dat laughed. “It’s good any time of day. In Vietnam, we eat it for breakfast. It’s great for lunch.

It’s great for dinner. Any time.”

“We are very fast,” Dat said. “You can come here for a quick lunch.”

The fact that a steaming bowl of pho can be on your table in just minutes belies the amount of time that it takes to create a broth that

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Pho Liberty offers a diverse selection of pho soups, including Pho Bo that can be served with thin slices of round steak and brisket, Pho Ga, a chicken broth rendition and Pho Chay, a vegetarian noodle soup.

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The Splash

18 • MAY 2018

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Tulips are the third most popular flower in the world after roses and chrysanthemums. They are the national flower of Turkey and Iran.

Tulips are part of the lily family. There are over 150 species of tulips with over 3,000 different varieties of tulips. They originally came from Asia but weren’t widely known until they reached the Netherlands. It is thought tulips came to America in the mid 1800’s.

Billions of tulips are raised annually, most are grown in Holland and are available in just about every color. The largest tulip grower in the United States is in Mt. Vernon, WA. During “Tulip Mania”, in the 1630’s, they were the most expensive flower and some cost more than a home. They were used as a form of currency and heavily traded.

They continue to bend towards light and grow even after being cut and in a vase.

One million tulip bulbs were sent to Ottawa in 1945 as thanks for sheltering Princess Juliana during WWII Even though many parts of a tulip are poisonous, people ate them during WWII and some people

still believe the bulb to be a good substitute for an onion.

Tulips were adopted as the official symbol of the Parkinson’s Disease Foundation in 1980.

The world’s largest tulip festival is held in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada each May. There are over one million tulips on display. For a closer option, the largest in America is held in Skagit County, Washington.

The Splash

20 • MAY 2018

ANSWER KEY ON PAGE 22

FORK TULIPS WHAT YOU’LL NEED:

PLASTIC FORK

GREEN PAINT

PAINT FOR FLOWERS

PAINTBRUSH

PAPER DIRECTIONS: BEGIN BY PAINTING STEMS AND LEAVES ON YOUR PAPER. THEN LAY YOUR FORK IN THE PAINT AND PLACE ABOUT AN INCH ABOVE THE TOP OF THE STEM. WITH YOUR BRUSH ROUND THE BOTTOM OF YOUR FLOWER. IF YOU USE A SPORK, THIS STEP ISN’T NECESSARY.

The Splash

MAY 2018 • 21

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By Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich I was once reminded that courage comes from the heart and to never lose the heart to do what is right.

As I pondered this, I realized that the heart has throughout the ages been associated with the place where feelings, one’s spirit and confidence comes from. To have courage is to have the greatness of spirit in facing danger, difficult situations or simply doing what is right for the right reason.

One of the biggest mistakes people make concerning courage is thinking that having courage means someone is not afraid. Fear and courage are truly brothers. You cannot have one without the other. True courage is being afraid and finding the strength of heart to overcome one’s fear and carry on against whatever difficulties you are facing. Courage means having the ability to control one’s fear in dangerous situations. One of my favorite sayings concerning courage is from John Wayne: “Courage is being scared to death - but saddling up anyway.”

In my life I have found it is when we make mistakes or fail that we need courage the most. It takes great courage to admit our mistakes or to continue trying when we fail. There are two quotes that I have on my desk concerning mistakes and failure: • “Mistakes are always forgivable, if one has the courage to admit them.”

– Bruce Lee • “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” – Winston Churchill It takes great courage to admit that we may have been wrong or that we may have done something wrong. The biggest mistake I have seen people make is not taking responsibility for their mistakes or wrongdoings.

They tend to make excuses or even lie about what they have done. The mistake or wrongdoing then becomes even bigger. If we have the courage to admit our mistakes we have done, we will have the ability to learn from those mistakes and commit not to do them again.

Life at times is about making mistakes, learning from those mistakes and not letting those

mistakes define who we are or who we will become. The reason most people do not admit their mistakes is that they are afraid of what people might say about them or they are afraid of facing the consequences of doing something wrong. Having the courage to admit our mistakes or the things we have done wrong gives us the chance to make things right.

Courage gives us the chance to learn from our mistakes and become a better person.

Where does courage come from?

Maya Angelou once said, “One isn't necessarily born with courage, but one is born with potential. Without courage, we cannot practice any other virtue with consistency. We can't be kind, true, merciful, generous or honest.”

While we may not have been born with courage, we can develop it by overcoming our fears and doing the hard things. We can overcome our fear of math and become an astronaut or overcome our fear of public speaking and become a teacher. Whatever you decided to do in life, at some point you will find yourself faced with difficult choices, choices that may not be popular. Having to make the choice between doing what is right or that which is popular is at times very hard because we fear what people will say or we know we will make people mad at us.

I have found it is always better to do the right thing for the right reason no matter the cost. That way I will not have to find the courage to look myself in the mirror if I didn’t have the courage to do what is right.

The mark of a good person is one that has the courage to do the right thing no matter the personal cost. I hope we will all have the courage to be kind, true, merciful, generous and honest.

Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich was appointed as Spokane County sheriff on April 11, 2006. He was elected to the Office of Sheriff in the fall of 2006 and is currently serving his third term. This year marks his 28th year in law enforcement. Sheriff Knezovich has been a longtime advocate for PACE (Partners Advancing Character Education) and wholeheartedly supports the program’s endeavors.

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

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Animal Facts

Cut them out and collect them all!

ELK - North America - 4’ to 5’ tall, 325 to 1100 pounds, lives 10 to 20 years - Eats 15 to 20 pounds of plant matter daily - Loses antlers each March - Excellent Runner - Like dawn and dusk the best - Native Americans used every part of the animal. Meat was eaten, hide for clothing and teepees.

The Splash

22 • MAY 2018

Born in New Orleans, Keith grew up creating gadgets with things he managed to scavenge, whether it was nature or someone else’s junk.

He also loved to draw and paint which led to him designing his own line of t-shirts. As with most kids he struggled with the hard career choices; famous athlete, secret agent or rock star. He wasn’t able to achieve all three but he is a founding member of The Whispering Javelinas which is a rock band.

During summer vacation, he loved to spend time at his grandparent’s house. His Grandfather told a nightly story that was funny and exciting, Keith eagerly anticipated each one. He attended the University of Louisiana in Lafayette where he received a Bachelor of Fine Arts. Then he received a Masters at Parsons School of Design in Manhattan before moving to Austin, Texas where he currently lives with his wife and children.

In 1984, Keith started working with Mary Alice Fontenot on her Clovis Crawfish series of books.

He became a well-known working artist creating posters, album covers, ads and animated films. His first book was Frank was a Monster who wanted to Dance. He has continued to create art for his own books and other authors including Margie Palatini, Sandy Asher, J. Patrick Lewis and Helen Ketteman.

Author Spotlight Keith Graves

Fun Reads!

Frank was a Monster who wanted to Dance, 1999 ages 3 -7

Frank wanted to shimmy just like the Soul Train dancers and with a few ants to help him out he shows that he can move. There’s an entertaining animated short that you can watch too.

Three Nasty Gnarlies, 2003 ages 6 – 10

Another fun book that celebrates being the very best thing.

YOURSELF! When you’re done singing, enjoy the included recipe for Mud Puddle Surprise.

T h e Unexpectedly Bad Hair of Barcelona Smith, 2006 ages 4–8

Barcelona is not your typical boy, he’s so worried about things that may happen that he isn’t enjoying life very much but when events allow him to just be a kid, WOW did he have fun!

The Splash

MAY 2018 • 23

Student of the Month Central Valley junior Camryn Skaife was known for her 3-point proficiency this season on a Bears’ team that won the 4A state title, finished 29-0 and defeated Hamilton Heights Christian Academy of Tennessee in the championship game of the GEICO High School Basketball Nationals, earning CV the No. 1 ranking in the U.S. from MaxPreps. Skaife had 14 points in the GEICO championship and 11 in the semifinal, placing her on the alltournament team. In her three years as a starter, CV has gone 83-1. Skaife had a season-high 22 points in a win against Woodinville last December, including six 3-pointers. As a freshman at state, she netted three critical 3-pointers in a semifinal win. She has been named to the Greater Spokane League honorable mention team the past three years. In the classroom, Skaife maintains a 3.8 grade point average.

Citizen of the Month

& Thanks you for all you do in our community

Science is just one of the strengths cultivated by Central Valley senior Jason Vasquez. The 4.0 student and National Merit Scholar finalist was recently honored with a third-place award in science at the Spokane Scholars Banquet.

Vasquez serves as ASB treasurer, is a member of the National Honor Society and has been part of Key Club at CV, a group that coordinates community service projects. The senior was captain of the Bears’ Knowledge Bowl team this year, a squad that won the Inland Empire Academic League title, placed first in regionals and second at state.

He has participated in cross country and track since his freshman year. Vasquez has also played the piano for the last 10 years and is an Eagle Scout, He plans to attend Brigham Young University and study physics.

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When Dan DiCicco was presented with the key to the city by Liberty Lake Mayor Steve Peterson in December 2015, he was celebrated for his impact as a grocery store manager with a heart for civic causes.

“Dan is someone who is always looking out for our community,” Peterson said. “I consider him a mentor.” Over the years, DiCicco has rallied support for veterans’ groups, Relay for Life, the Liberty Lake Community Theatre, service clubs, the Liberty Lake Community Fourth of July Parade and more. DiCicco first arrived in Liberty Lake in 2000 as the manager of the Safeway store. He started in the grocery business 49 years ago as a student at North Central High School. Dan and his wife Charlotte have been married since 1974 and are parents of two daughters.

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The Splash

24 • MAY 2018 Brought to you by

Evergreen

About and for Liberty Lake seniors

Local artist Schneider known for versatile palette

By Tyler Wilson

Splash Correspondent The joy of creating art is just the beginning for Liberty Lake artist Linda Schneider. She has taken her varied talents and enthusiasm to venues far and wide, teaching others how to express themselves through the arts.

The versatile artist and calligrapher teaches at conferences, colleges and workshops across the country. Schneider’s copperplate designs have been featured on greeting cards created for Papyrus and American Greeting Card Company since 2003.

Schneider has been commissioned for Hollywood props, paintings, billboards, wedding invitations and private parties. She is also an accomplished watercolor artist and the author of several books detailing artistic techniques, including a book that showcases the process of creating her hyperrealistic butterfly pieces.

Paintings by Schneider are currently on display in Liberty Lake’s Yoke’s Fresh Market cafe gallery. She will be hosting workshops at the venue soon, teaching genres like colored pencil, pastels, watercolor and calligraphy, in addition to her regular teaching work at the Community Colleges of Spokane.

Schneider spoke to the Liberty Lake Splash recently about her life in the arts. The resulting conversation turned out as diverse and lively as her work.

Splash: What drove pursue art as a career?

you

to

Schneider: It is a blessing to get paid for what you love to do most. In elementary school through college I won awards that encouraged my art endeavors and my high school in Boston purchased one of my paintings to be on permanent display. After graduating from college with a B.S. in art education, I taught elementary and secondary art. I also worked at sign companies

in Montana and Nevada doing sign painting, and in Ft. Lewis as an illustrator for the Army.

Splash: How did your interest in calligraphy begin?

Schneider: I loved writing and making marks on anything in sight, including walls as a preschooler.

Now I get paid to do wall murals instead of getting in trouble.

Calligraphy, beautiful writing, is an art and a language. It was relaxing and easy to learn and continues to be an oasis. When I sit down with a pen and paper and watch the ink dance across the paper, I play soothing music and eat chocolate.

Can life get much better?

Splash: How did that interest lead to a career creating calligraphy, including your work with Papyrus and American Greetings?

Schneider: I entered a piece of calligraphy to be considered for publication to Somerset Studio Magazine and it was published. The CEO from Papyrus Card Company/ American Greeting Card saw it and requested to see more of my work and then hired me to create cards for them for a very generous amount, which I realized later I also got royalties too. I have been creating cards for Papyrus since around 2003. I also received other work internationally from the same article in the Somerset magazine.

SE

NI

OR

a reservation for the convention because of a cancellation and buy a last-minute expensive flight. I was worried because of the cost, but the next day, I got my first royalty check unexpectedly from Papyrus that covered my flight to the penny, just like it was meant to be. I went and met lots of famous calligraphers and walked on cloud nine for seven days while attending. I came home and submitted a proposal to teach and flew in as faculty the following year and taught on stage with large screens and close to 100 students, while the head White House calligrapher, who introduced me to this life-changing event, was teaching in the room next to me at the same time.

Splash: What value do you see in calligraphy vs. images created by computer?

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Schneider: Papyrus to this day pays extraordinarily well for handwritten words that could be purchased for free with all the fonts available. There is still value in a handwritten word with its beauty that can only be created by hand. With my calligraphy I have done props for Hollywood movies, chalkboards for restaurants, certificates for banks and organizations, wedding invitations and even sending something to Barbara Streisand next week. Yes, hand calligraphy is alive.

Splash: Why do think calligraphy needs to endure in written form?

Schneider: I think as an art form hopefully it can be brought back into the classroom because of its educational value and how it ties in

See LINDA, Page 25

Splash: The Splash ran a story several years ago about how you connected with the calligrapher for the White House. How did that happen?

Schneider: Around 2003, the Splash editor at that time was teasing me about if I do something for the White House he would write an article about my calligraphy. So I came home and called the White House in Washington, D.C., and spoke to the head White House calligrapher. She requested out of curiosity to see some of my work, even though calligraphy is done in-house-only in their department.

I mailed her samples. She was gracious and said she would love to meet me in person someday.

Unexpectedly, I was able to meet her in person, a few weeks later.

She mentioned a prestigious international calligraphy convention, IAMPETH.com, that was coming up in a couple months in Kansas City. I was able to get

Liberty Lake artist Linda Schneider has had her copperplate designs featured on greeting cards created for Papyrus and American Greeting Card Company. She is also a skilled watercolor artist who has written several books on her artistic techniques.

Contributed photo

The Splash

MAY 2018 • 25

SUDOKU

Linda Schneider will be teaching workshops at Yoke's in Liberty Lake, focusing on genres like colored pencil, pastels, watercolor and calligraphy. Schneider also teaches art classes through Community Colleges of Spokane. Contributed image Lake in the cafe as well.

LINDA

Continued from page 24 with brain development and hand eye coordination and creativity and not relying on technology or something outside ourselves to create language and beauty. I randomly write people’s names out to put a smile on their faces and to demonstrate it is an art that is still alive and can be learned.

Splash: What interests you now as an artist?

Schneider: Teaching is my passion, because I like to pass on to others the joy I receive from art. I teach workshops around the country, including New York City, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Minneapolis this summer. I will be offering classes at Yoke’s in Liberty

Splash: Why did you choose Liberty Lake and the Inland Northwest to be your hub?

Schneider: I love Liberty Lake – the beautiful outdoors, the nicest people in the world and it’s a wonderful place to be inspired and grow. We don’t have to go far for the art shows, downtown Spokane, Coeur d’Alene, Seattle are all driving distance to connect with other art groups.

You can contact Linda Schneider about art and calligraphy classes through her website at LindaSchneiderArt.com or email im_painter@msn.com.

A local calligraphy guild meets at 6 p.m. on the second Tuesday of each month at Spokane Art Supply. No experience necessary. If interested contact Karyn at 847-8535.

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The Splash

26 • MAY 2018

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Walters contributes without fanfare to CV’s remarkable run

By Mike Vlahovich

Splash Sports Editor Assistant coaches labor in anonymity, maybe prepping for the limelight, maybe content not basking in the glow of Friday Night Lights.

Judy Walters, Central Valley girls’ basketball’s longtime assistant coach, prefers the latter even though she was at the forefront of the women’s sports movement.

She started a fledgling girls basketball program nearly 50 years ago, prior even to Title IX. Since arriving at Central Valley in the 1980s she witnessed the growth of girls in sports, with Bears’ basketball going from local power to one of the elite programs in the nation.

for athletic training, a friend who assisted here told her of assistant coach openings at CV. She was hired as JV coach under Jack Blair and his co-coach Ron Adams in the 1980s.

more individual work with longer practices and teams that played mostly zone defensive. Freddie’s teams play man defense while his practices are more team oriented and up-tempo.

She stayed when Dale Poffenroth was hired. She was part of CV state history and became the Bears’ head coach for three years after Poffenroth left.

“We have more of a mind meld more than (she had with) Dale,” “Walters said. “Freddie and I have always had a good time. Poff and I got along really well.”

“That was a mistake,” Walters said. “I wasn’t very good at it. It takes a different personality and it takes a different personality to be an assistant, too. I did it because it was a surprise he left. It was lucky Freddie left East Valley at the same time.”

While many dwelt on the stern side of Poffenroth, Walters said she “saw the other side.”

Poffenroth won three state titles in five finals appearances before he left for Coeur d’Alene, and brought home a total of 12 trophies. Since his hiring, Rehkow’s added two titles in three finals appearances and a fourth place trophy.

Walters said everyone asks her about the comparisons between the two. Dale’s philosophy was

“He really cared about the kids,” she said.

Asked to compare teams during her 33 years on the bench and observing CV’s run of success over that time, Walters said it’s difficult to compare the athletes.

The girls back then didn’t have the opportunities as today’s who begin playing AAU and on traveling teams at early ages.

“Everybody asks for a comparison,” she said, wondering what might have been had the girls of the 1990s had they played more

growing up given today’s climate.

“Those groups were really good for the time,” she said.

The basketball got smaller and the 3-point arc changed. Title IX succeeded. The Bears won state for the second time in three years and followed it up by winning the 2018 GEICO High School Basketball Nationals. MaxPreps declared CV national champs.

Walters was coy when asked if she’s going to retire after this year’s top-of-the-world experiences.

She’s been at it a long time and quipped, “I told Freddie that people who don’t know him say, ‘Look at that nice boy sitting next to his mom on the bench.’”

Sports and teaching driver’s education opened doors for Judy Walters and she walked right in.

She knows it will be tough when it’s time to leave, but glad she was in on the ground floor.

“Sports are my whole life and they keep me young,” Walters said.

“It sort of defines you. There’s never a good time to retire.”

Walters became a junior varsity coach in 1970 in Kennewick and started the high school program at newly opened Kamiakin.

“Basically the interview went like this,” Walters said. “‘Who wants to coach the girls?’ and I raised my hand.”

“You’ve got it” came the reply.

“I didn’t know a lot, either,” Walters continued. “I just loved the game.”

Boys’ coach Randy Dolven became her mentor and willingly shared gym time. “He was just really good about it,” Walters recalls. “I didn’t have all of the terrible times for practice.”

The program at the newly opened school began with freshmen and, by the time they were juniors, at Title IX’s inception, were a playoff team.

There was no 3-point shot. The basketball was the same size for girls and boys.

She had to set up the gym singlehandedly.

When Walters came to Spokane

Judy Walters began her coaching career as the junior varsity girls' basketball coach at Kennewick High in 1970. After starting the basketball program at Kamiakin, Walters came to Central Valley where she has been an assistant coach on five state championship teams. Walters is pictured above after the Bears' 2018 state title victory in Tacoma.

Contributed photo

The Splash

Splash Sports Notebook

By Mike Vlahovich

Splash Sports Editor With its highs and lows the last couple of years, life in the Rehkow household has been one big roller coaster ride. Learning Central Valley girls’ state championship winning coach and family patriarch, Freddie, was named the National High School Girls’ Basketball Coach of the Year last month has left the family atwitter.

The fact that The SpokesmanReview quoted Rehkow saying he learned about the honor on Twitter wasn’t the half of it.

Rehkow, whose youngest son Cameron is on the road back from cancer, said he was on social media to see how son Austin was faring back east after signing a contract as a kicker with the New York Giants.

“The funny thing is I was on Twitter seeing if I could find something on Austin and my name’s on there,” Freddie said. “It was not something I was looking for, that’s for sure. To me it’s a humbling experience.”

The award was bestowed on April 16 by the National High School Coaches Association. In March, Central Valley won its second state 4A crown in three years and followed that up by defeating top-ranked Hamilton Heights Christian Academy of Tennessee in the title game of the GEICO High School Basketball

Retiring Sloan epitomized class as CV coach, player

By Mike Vlahovich Splash Sports Editor

The Central Valley High School athlete was always dressed in slacks and a nice shirt at every basketball game he played. At the end of each, after showering and dressing, he always found my wife and me and thanked us for being there.

I thought I was just doing my job as always, sitting under the basket with camera in hand keeping a play-by-play on my clipboard and shooting pictures at the now defunct Spokane Coliseum while writing for my late-father’s local weekly, the Spokane Valley Herald.

Nationals.

SPORTS

“I just think I’m blessed to have the group we had to do what we did and be recognized,” Rehkow said. “It’s a once in a lifetime thing. You have to savor that with the group. As a team they worked extremely hard.”

Spring has sprung Half of high school’s sports are contested between the end of March and June, including boys’ and girls’ track and field, tennis and golf which were just into the stride of their seasons.

Meanwhile, soccer, baseball and softball were into the final third of their race to post-season.

Young Bears improve Central Valley’s new-look boys soccer team’s overall record was a split decision proposition.

Early in the pre-league portion of the season the Bears started off 0-3.

In Greater Spokane League soccer, half the teams were tied for first at one point, the Bears among them, until disaster struck. The young team with a learning curve was stunned by Rogers in a shootout.

Scoring was spread around, led by CV veterans Conner Wold and Devin Hauenstein. Wold had four goals and two assists in the early going.

Hauenstein added two goals and five assists. Raj Al-Ghani scored three goals among the leaders.

Al-Ghani, Wold, Hauenstein and Noah Dreves are the seniors on a 16-player roster. Six of CV’s players And this guy was thanking us!

That was my introduction to Rick Sloan almost 40 years ago. Last week he announced his resignation as Central Valley head coach for boys’ basketball, a mantle he’s held for over two decades.

I’ve covered, what, some 15,000 high school athletes, maybe more over five decades and befriended many. Some continued on to play in college. Some played pro sports.

Several were teammates of mine on recreation sports teams (Good recruiting. They carried the load, I basked in the glory.)

But there was something special in that athlete who was courteous and courageous enough to walk up to elders he scarcely knew and strike up a conversation and it stuck.

The Sloan name was familiar in what was then a tighter knit Valley community. Larry, Rick’s uncle, had helped Central Valley to the State basketball finals in 1960.

So it wasn’t a surprise that two

are sophomores.

Softball’s best Central Valley had the best softball record in the GSL midway through the season. The Bears were unbeaten and held a two-game lead.

CV senior pitcher Kelsey Gumm, went unbeaten through its first eight GSL games. She allowed an average of just three hits per game, had double digit strikeouts and allowed but 11 runs, fanning 14 of 16 batters in one game.

Gumm also contributed offensively, joined by sophomore Suheyla Tanak and veterans Hannah Wampler and junior Grace Stumbough.

Baseball in hunt With just four returning seniors, the Bears baseball team was among the top four in the GSL race with a 10-4 overall record.

They were in fourth place in the league with an 8-4 mark, more than half the season behind them. Mt. Spokane and Gonzaga Prep led the way with the Bears chasing Mead for third seed in post-season.

Returning veterans include catcher Austin Tomlinson, Jase Edwards, Thomas Edwards and Brayden Hamilton. Kyle Clay is among the other key players.

Hamilton leads the Bears in hitting, followed by Jase Edwards and Clay.

Both the Edwards (no relation)and Clay are among the pitchers. Dawson Jordan had a pair of three-hit games.

Thomas Edwards hit a three-run homer during one of the victories.

decades later his nephew would set school records in basketball and football and finish high on the list of Greater Spokane League marks.

He averaged 21 points and 10 rebounds and CV appeared headed to state in 1981 before he blew out a knee in the playoffs.

He continued his football career, though slowed by knee injuries at San Jose State and at Idaho where he took over for the injured incumbent quarterback and led the Vandals to the post-season, where Rick made way for the starter’s return and they lost. That stuck in my craw.

He became a coach almost by accident, becoming a graduate football assistant at Eastern Washington University when switching from a business degree to education.

He became the offensive coordinator with CV football when Rick Giampietri took the head coaching job. I remember sitting with legendary football coach the late Dave Holmes, who had

MAY 2018 • 27

Lacrosse undefeated The Central Valley lacrosse team continues to be the class of local programs, maintaining an undefeated mark in a Region 6 league that includes squads from Ferris, Lewis and Clark, Mead, Mt. Spokane, Gonzaga Prep and West Valley. The Bears have nearly 40 lacrosse players participating this season.

CV will host a state playoff game against a yet-to-be-determined team from the west side on May 12. Time and venue will be announced later.

Call the CV athletics office at 5585103 for more information.

Track underway Central Valley’s girls are back among the leaders through early GSL. The Bears tied with Lewis and Clark to share the lead.

Key people back on a deep roster include multi-purpose senior track runners Anna and Erica Pecha, Samara Nelson in three throwing events, Hailey Christopher in the jumps, having finished second in state in the high jump last year in a jump-off among four girls tied for first at 5-foot-6. Other keys have been sprinter Molly McCormick and hurdler Marissa Orrino.

The boys are strong in the distances following last fall’s second place in cross country. Five runners – Gabe Romney, Ryan Kline, Will Grassel, Fielding DeMars and Evan Peters – have three events well in hand.

Correy Quinn and Triston Kelley lead the throwers.

coached successfully at EWU and Hawaii before closing out his career at University. The unbeaten Bears were playing Kamiakin in postseason and Holmes saw something in Rick and said he should become a head football coach.

Rick says whichever CV coach – Giampietri or basketball coach Terry Irwin – retired first he would apply for the job. The coin flip came up basketball.

In my mind his best coaching job was 2006 and I was there in Tacoma when the Bears finished second in state.

“Some observers questioned whether Central Valley belonged in the semifinals of the state 4A basketball tournament,” I wrote, “pointing out they were undersized, lacked the talent of higher profile players and that most of all their style of play was boring. What the pundits forgot to factor was the Bears’ resolve. The Spokane Valley’s ‘Little Engine That Could’ wrote the

See FINAL POINT, Page 37

The Splash

28 • MAY 2018

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The Splash

Liberty Lake’s rich produce history features unique roots

By Ross Schneidmiller

Liberty Lake Historical Society The Liberty Lake Farmers Market opens its 2018 season this month.

Our community looks forward to when the region’s farmers bring their produce to the market. The Liberty Lake area has a rich history when it comes to fresh produce and markets. However, it started with growers first.

In the fall of 1880, Stephen Liberty sold produce at the Spokane Market including cabbage, squash and apples. It had been grown here on the westside of the lake that bore his name. The Spokane Times reported the several bushels of apples he brought to market were “the prettiest apples we have seen this year.”

One

of

Liberty’s

cabbages

HISTORY weighed in at 17 pounds. This was large yet considerably smaller than the over 40-pound one he sold the year before. Reporting these growing feats was more than “believe it or not” journalism.

They gave proof that the sandy soils of the Spokane area were capable of producing successful crops, thus promoting the Inland Northwest.

The judges for the Spokane Fruit Fair of 1895 awarded Roderick Mackenzie, Liberty Lake’s first hotel proprietor, second place for his Northern Spy Apple plate exhibit. The Mackenzie Hotel, like most of Liberty Lakes first resorts, raised most of the food they served in their restaurant. Providing a true farm-to-table experience for their customers.

Jennings B. Cox took a lease on the secondary property at MacKenzie Bay on Liberty Lake’s eastside. From the 1930s into the 1950s, he raised fruits and vegetables, supplying several of the produce stands that operated along Sprague Avenue, the main business corridor running through Spokane and Spokane Valley.

Longtime Liberty Lake resident Ron Knudsen started working for Jennings when he was around 13 years old. He recalls pulling lots of weeds for the affable man who went by his initials “J.B.” The crew spent substantial time tying cauliflower and cabbage as well as digging potatoes. Most of the fruit trees were located on the hillside east of the road. Knudsen said apples, cherries and some peaches were grown.

Surface irrigation was used to water the produce and orchards.

Spring water was collected in cisterns, piped to the different locations, then gravity fed into furrows between the rows of vegetables and around trees. In addition to his wholesale business J.B. sold to the public. He did not have a stand at the farm, but customers could place an order for pick up.

Growing up at Liberty Lake in the 1960s we did not have this convenience. I remember going weekly with my mother to Renfro’s in the Spokane Valley for fruits and vegetables. Going in their walk-in coolers for a flat of berries was a

MAY 2018 • 29

respite from the hot weather. Our next stop would often be Rice’s Meat Packing near Shelly Lake. I usually enjoyed a free sample of their cured meats.

Scotty Renfro and the Rice brothers were very friendly and offered a great selection of quality products. Today’s Liberty Lake Farmers Market offers the same plus for many of us in the community who appreciate the convenience of walking or biking to the venue and visiting with our friends.

Did you know?

• At a certain point in growing his cauliflower and cabbage crop, J.B. Cox would tie the outer leaves up and over the head of the vegetable. Doing this shading helped achieve the desired color for the produce.

• The Northern Spy Apple was discovered around 1800 in New York state. It became very popular for its juicy tart flavor and reputation as the best apple for making pies but has since fallen out of commercial favor due to its tendency to bruise easily, disease susceptibility and irregular shape.

The MacKenzie Hotel orchards and fields on the westside of Liberty Lake, circa 1907. The apple overlay is the Northern Spy variety.

Image courtesy of Liberty Lake Historical Society

The Splash

30 • MAY 2018 T h e N a t i o n a l ly A w a r d - W i n n i n g C e n t r a l V a l l e y h i g h s c h o o l T h e a t r e D e p a r t m e n t P r o u d ly P r e s e n t s

Adams, LLSWD awarded for ingenuity in Eastside consolidation

William Shakespeare's

Romeo

By Craig Howard Splash Editor

The roots of the Eastside Liberty Lake Improvement Club (ELLIC) go back to 1940 when Homer Neyland bought just under 2 acres around the lake and subdivided the lots.

Those who eventually moved in needed water and, five years later, the lakeside utility was born.

Neyland, Glen Stewart, Paul Kinkade, J.E. Halpin and Melvin Noreen are listed on the Spokane County document signed by a Notary Public on March 10, 1945, establishing ELLIC. Denise Coyle knows the history of the club as well or better than anyone. Neyland is her grandfather

and her dad, Howard Dolphin – Neyland’s son – was a longtime board member with pals like Norm Stokke.

Coyle, known by most as the manager of Sandy Beach, stepped in as ELLIC bookkeeper when Jeri Wilbert stepped down. She was in the role for 35 years.

“Jeri was keeping track of the books and mailing out the bills and I just took over,” Coyle recalls.

Her duties expanded into more of a manager position over the years, particularly when water metering became a requirement. Over the years, regulations increased.

“It was a different era back then,” Coyle said. “There’s a lot of history and a sense of pride associated with the club.”

ELLIC’s latest chapter includes a consolidation with the Liberty Lake Sewer and Water District (LLSWD) that became effective in January 2017. The transition means that LLSWD now owns, operates and maintains Eastside’s water system.

See ADAMS, Page 31

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Liberty Lake Sewer and Water District General Manager BiJay Adams was recently honored with the Environmental Protection Agency’s Water Award for his innovative approach to the district’s consolidation with the Eastside Liberty Lake Improvement Club that included the transfer of a loan now being used to upgrade water infrastructure on the eastside of the lake.

Photo By: Craig Howard

The Splash

ADAMS

Continued from page 30 “With much discussion, our board decided it was a wise decision, especially from a financial standpoint,” Coyle said.

One of the main components of the merger included the transfer of an existing loan of just under $1 million through the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) from Eastside to LLSWD. LLSWD General Manager BiJay Adams came up with the idea to transition the loan, working with two state oversight agencies, the Department of Health and Department of Commerce, to make it happen. The result proved to be a benefit for Eastside members, as the transferred loan will now include no loan fees, an interest rate of 1 percent per annum and a 50 percent forgivable principal.

Loan funds are being used for upgrades to the water mains and distribution system in Eastside’s water service area.

“It will be great for everyone in the east part of the district,” said Coyle. “We’ll have better water pressure, newer pipes.”

MAY 2018 • 31

“We’re putting those loan funds into infrastructure improvements Eastside would have faced anyway,” Adams said. “There’s a cost savings to replacing (the water mains) now.”

Longtime LLSWD Commissioner Tom Agnew remembers Adams talking about taking on the Eastside loan.

“When BiJay came up with this idea it seemed to be a ‘Just because no one's ever done this before, why not us?’ situation,” Agnew said.

“Then one day I was pulled aside by a Department of Health official who said something along the lines of how favorably impressed the brass at DOH were with this, BiJay's new idea.”

Agnew later attended a state Public Works Board meeting in Olympia where Adams explained the concept to elected officials and administrators.

“They were obviously incredulous and impressed,” Agnew said.

“This has become a very big deal.

BiJay is deserving of the credit and acclaim. He's a dedicated, professional public servant we are very fortunate to have as our

While the ELLIC may have dissolved, Coyle said the club still maintains a special legacy in the community. She points to lingering landmarks like an old green water tank once used by ELLIC that is not utilized any longer but stands as a monument to a proud past.

5K

run/walk

Adams, who has served as LLSWD general manager since 2013 and the district’s lake protection manager before that, says the Eastside base water rate went from $60 to $21 as a result of the consolidation. The shifted loan represents a whole different kind of savings.

The one snag came when the loan was held up by the state last July after the legislature could not reach an agreement on the 2017-19 capital budget. That was resolved in early 2018 when the budget passed and DWSRF capital funding was authorized. Construction of new water mains has now begun in the Eastside service area with a project timeline of around threeand-a-half months.

The accolades continued when the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that Adams and LLSWD would be honored with the agency’s Water Award for creative and exemplary use of public funds related to the Eastside consolidation and corresponding loan transfer.

“BiJay Adams looked creatively at the opportunity to meet the requirements for less money,” said Lucy Edmonson, director of the EPA’s Washington operations office.

“His project is so strong that the Department of Health nominated it to the EPA for our Waters Award.”

Where is the dirtiest place in your home?

It’s your Trash Bin! Let Tidy’s doand the dirtyYour work!

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Coyle said ELLIC has “always had a great relationship with the sewer district,” one of the keys to the successful merger.

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“Whenever I had water problems, I’d call them,” she said. “It’s run with the utmost integrity. Their service is excellent.”

She adds that Adams has been exemplary, as well.

“He’s a true gentleman,” she said.

“He presented (the consolidation possibility) to us and was very respectful of me and the club.”

Sign-Up NOW! Online @ www.tidysbeautifulbins.com

“It’s part of our history,” Coyle said. “When the tear that thing down, I want a piece of it.”

“This was an opportunity to say to Eastside, ‘You’re going to save $1 million right off the top,’” Adams said. “It was one of those moments where the stars kind of aligned.”

general manager.”

Eliminate Harmful Bacteria Eliminate Odor Keep Rodents Away Increase Curb Appeal

Online and paper registration deadline is May 26th

Early Bird Special

JUNE 2, 2018 | 9 AM LIBERTY LAKE PAVILLION PARK

$9.99

COMPLETE ONE REGISTRATION FORM FOR EVERY RUNNER/WALKER

Feel free to make copies for your friends, family and co-workers!

Mustaches will be provided Please print:

Name _____________________________________________________________

Register at: elevations.tofinoauctions.com/stachedash

Address ___________________________________________________________

2nd Annual Stache Dash • Mustaches provided Saturday, June 2, 2018 in Liberty Lake, WA

      

City _______________________________________State _____ Zip __________

25

$

All proceeds go to:

Start/Finish in Pavillion Park, Liberty Lake, WA. Course features paved trails and views of the lake.

Registration of $25 includes t-shirt.

Race starts at 9:00.

Chip timing.

Race is a 5K (3.1miles). Runners, walkers, and wheelchair racers welcome. Strollers ok. No dogs on the course, please.

Registration also available at packet pick up and on race day.

Packet pick up Friday, June 1. Time and Location to be announced.

All proceeds benefit

Email _____________________________________________________________ Home Phone (______)_________________ Cell (______)___________________

per person

Monthly Service

includes tshirt

Entry Fee: $25_____ (Incl. T-shirt) Optional Donation $______Total $_______ Male_____Female______Age______

Register by May 26

Shirt size: (circle one)

to guarantee a t-shirt Adult S M L XL XXL XXXL Child

S M L XL

Visa/MC #: _________________________________________ Exp: _____/_____ Signature ___________________________________________CVV Code_______ For more info contact Julie Hannan, email julieh@elevationsspokane.org Julie (509) 370-1356 or check our website: www.elevationsspokane.org

Elevating children with special needs to reach their full potential www.elevationsspokane.org

Thank you to our sponsors Silver Medal

Bronze Medal

Dont Delay, Sign Up

Make checks payable to: Elevations Mail entry form to: Elevations, 325 S University Rd, Ste 203, Spokane Valley, WA 99206

Please read and sign the following statement before submitting your entry:

Today!

In consideration of the acceptance of my entry, I do hereby acknowledge that I assume all risks resulting there from, and I do hereby, for myself, my heirs, my executors and/or administrators, waive, release, and forever discharge Elevations: A Children’s Resource Therapy Foundation and all sponsors, organizers, their officers, agents, assigns and volunteers from any and all cost and liability arising from illness, injuries, or damages I may suffer as a result of my participation in the Stache Dash. I further consent to have my photograph taken during this event and used in print, broadcast and electronic media for the purpose of promoting the mission of the Elevations: A Children’s Therapy Resource Foundation.

SIGNATURE _____________________________________________________________ DATE _______________

SIGNATURE _____________________________________________________________ DATE _______________ elevations.tofinoauctions.com/stachedash (Parent/Guardian if participant is under 18 years of age)

(509) 385-2116 | www.elevationsspokane.org

www.tidysbeautifulbins.com

The Splash

32 • MAY 2018

at Central Valley Performing Arts Center

By Brandon Brown

Splash Correspondent The popularity of stand up paddleboarding continues to grow and a Liberty Lake-based company is trying to catch the wave.

PLAY IN A WEEK

SUMMER COURSES

SUPrents.com (“SUP” translates to stand up paddleboarding) rents out stand up paddleboards and kayaks, but instead of setting up shop near popular beaches, the company does it all through the Internet.

REGISTRATION IS OPEN

July 9 – 13 Harry Potter: Hermione Granger and the Hogwarts Home Grades 4 – 8

Eric Lindstrom and Scott Allen grew up in Liberty Lake and founded SUPrents.com in July 2015 after having subpar experiences renting paddleboards.

They thought there could be an easier process with better equipment.

July 16 – July 20

“I started looking around and realized there had to be a better way,” Allen said.

The Stories of Dr. Seuss Grades 3 – 6 July 23 – July 27 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Grades 4 – 8

SUPrents capitalizes on ripple effect of paddleboard trend

Directed by

Allen, who still lives in Liberty Lake, and Lindstrom, who is now based out of Bend, Oregon, are both fans of the inflatable SUPs and thought those could be shipped relatively cheap, increasing the number of people they could rent boards to.

Music Direction by

To get their business going, Allen said they needed to let people know they could actually rent SUPs online.

July 13 – 29 Yvonne A.K. Johnson

Register online at

SVSummerTheatre.com

David Brewster

www.svsummertheatre.com 509-368-7897 Evening Show Time: 7:30 P.M. • Sunday Show Time: 2:00 P.M. State-of-the-art theatre • Free parking

“The struggle was getting people to know this existed,” he said.

Lindstrom went to film school at Chapman University in Southern California. He uses the skills he learned there to help with the marketing arm of the business.

One of the many benefits of being based in the Northwest, Allen said, is that there are plenty of beautiful lakes and rivers for those interested in recreating on the water.

SUPrents.com is a private company and as a policy does not discuss their revenue numbers in public, but Allen said they have

See SUPrents, Page 33

The Splash

SUPrents

Continued from page 32

grown every year since it started and through July 2017 the company has made more money than it did in all of 2016.

One of the reasons Allen gave for the company’s growth is the partnerships it has with the companies that make the products SUPrents.com rents out.

Allen said many of the companies see SUPrents.com as a promotional component of their own efforts. People can test out products by renting them and hopefully end up buying a paddleboard of their own.

Recently SUPrents.com started

MAY 2018 • 33

offering fold-up kayaks by a company called Oru Kayaks from San Francisco.

“There is an education aspect to our product,” said Ben Williams, Oru sales director.

“They (SUPRents.com) provide people with a chance to try it out.”

Williams said Oru has had rental partnerships in the past but none of them actually worked out. But SUPrents.com really impressed Oru, he said. According to Williams SUPrents.com actually just went out and bought some Oru Kayaks before reaching out to the company asking for a deal on them.

“They really have their ducks in a row,” Williams said.

Oru gives people who rent a kayak from SUPrents.com a 15-percent discount when they buy a kayak of their own.

Outside of marketing for themselves and other companies, Allen said the next largest challenge was finding out how to ship the products to customers.

Since Amazon started offering free, two-day shipping Allen said that is something most customers expect. So that is what they try to do, but it took a little bit to get there “It was a big learning curve,” Allen said. “We’ve gone through different companies and different methods but we are happy with where we are now.”

After working on it for more than two years, Allen said he has learned a lot on how to get things from place to place. SUPrents. com started shipping from both Liberty Lake and Bend, Oregon.

Allen said it is cheaper to ship from the Spokane area though.

This year, the company expanded into Northern California, opening a distribution center there. Since a good chuck of SUPrents.com’s business comes from the Bay

Area and Lake Tahoe, Allen said it made sense to ship boards from a location closer to those places.

He said the company is also in talks with a partner in Hawaii and wants to set up shop on the East Coast. Hopefully soon they can ship quick and easy to anywhere in the U.S. While their main business is renting equipment online, SUPrents.com also rents equipment in person in Liberty Lake and in Bend, Oregon.

Customers still do all the ordering online, but the company will usually deliver it is person to the people from Spokane to Coeur d’Alene.

Business is not the only thing expanding for Allen, but it is also his love for water sports.

When he started SUPrents.com with Lindstrom, Allen said he had only been on a paddleboard a handful of times, but now he and his family go out on the water multiple times a week. He said they’ll usually go at least once just on Liberty Lake, but have been expanding the places they like to go around Eastern Washington, Northern Idaho and even into Montana.

Monday, May 28th 2018

Memorial Day

8am-10:30am Pancake Breakfast at Pavillion Park Pavillion Park is at the corner of Country Vista Dr and Molter Rd. ~ Liberty Lake

9 am – Memorial Day program Breakfast will not be served during the program

Cost: Donations Accepted All you can eat pancakes, sausage, eggs, coffee

Veterans Eat FREE! Supporting Honor Flight Presented by Liberty Lake Centennial Rotary Club

Liberty Lake-based SUPrents rents paddleboards and kayaks to a growing crowd of water enthusiasts.

Contributed Photo.

www.inwhonorflight.org

Donations for Honor Flight Scholarships accepted

The Splash

34 • MAY 2018

Reflections from the Lake

By Pamela Mogen

Liberty Lake is a very special place. From the beginning, the lake and the surrounding land nestled against shadowy mountains in the corner of a protected valley have beckoned to a parade of humanity and, over the centuries, many have responded.

Each stage in the life of Liberty Lake from Native American camp, to farms and orchards, to a recreational center and, most recently, to one of the newest cities in Washington has arisen from a confluence of dreams that looked forward to and worked toward great things to come.

It has been over 100 years since the founding of most towns and cities in the Pacific Northwest.

They were projects of generations we no longer know or barely remember. Unlike that era, when communities arose with regularity in the new territory, it is rare in our

time that one has the opportunity to found a city or have a hand in the creation of its identity. Yet, that is exactly what has happened and what is continuing to “become” in our corner of the valley.

I hope you read last month’s cover story in which Greenstone’s Jim Frank recounted Liberty Lake’s history from the 1970s until today.

Beginning with the Schneidmiller family and continuing on to Bill Main Sr., to Frank himself, Lud Kramer, Nathan and Shaun Brown (original publishers of The Splash) and our first mayor, Steve Peterson and the first City Council, Liberty Lake was clearly the result of dreams for a special kind of community.

The city quickly became identified as one that hearkened back to the close neighborly relationships of the past yet called everyone to participate in creating a distinctive future. That dream is quite alive in 2018 as the current City Council strives to capture what makes Liberty Lake unique and nourish it while they make strategic decisions for the future.

The founding of the Liberty Lake Municipal Library started shortly after incorporation with a group of dreamers and books in a neighbor’s

basement who wanted a library in Liberty Lake for their children.

The determination of that group resulted in a volunteer-run library of mostly donated books for children and adults in donated space at the Liberty Square Building. Their overwhelming success required more time than they could manage and the library was gifted to the city.

Then the city looked for a director and hired me.

Like so many others, I came to Liberty Lake with a dream as well, that of creating a library that would nurture the dreams and meet the needs of its community with traditional standards of excellent service but in new, innovative ways.

By 2009, the library had outgrown two donated office spaces and moved to East Mission Avenue to renovate and share space with our police department.

The library continues to grow, both in resources and the contours of its mission. The Digital Revolution opens ever more avenues of innovation and exploration and the challenge of teaching digital literacy has been permanently added to our original purposes of traditional literacy and education. No longer characterized by books and quiet

contemplation, our library has become the center of all sorts of community activity and personal growth opportunities for citizens of all ages.

When I retire at the end of October, it will be with the firm conviction that Liberty Lake’s dream of a modern community library is secure. Liberty Lake has allowed me to work at crafting and shaping this dream for almost 15 years. It has been a labor of love for which I am and will always be very grateful.

It’s been truly wonderful to be a part of your lives as both your librarian and friend. But how could it be otherwise when one has been privileged to be a founding member of the city that dreams?

Pamela Mogen has served as the director of the Liberty Lake Municipal Library since 2004 and has spent 43 years in the library field. Mogen was awarded the Washington Library Association Merit Award for Advances in Library Science, the highest honor in the state for a librarian, in 2011. She is an established author whose series of books based on the characters in Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice” have been published by Simons and Schuster.

50 CHEFS, 10 EVENTS, 1 DELICIOUS EXPERIENCE SIP, SAVOR & SAMPLE

SPOKANE VALLEY

Visionary chefs, artisan food providers, wineries, breweries & more!

Tickets start at $35 All-inclusive Pricing BUY TICKETS NOW

JULY 12th - 15th For more event details visit

www.CraveNW.com

The Splash

MAY 2018 • 35

Friday, June 22, 2018 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Saturday, June 23, 2018 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

COMPASSIONATE COMMON SENSE CONSERVATIVE ENDORSED BY Ozzie Knezovich

Spokane County Sheriff Protecting YourAl Family and Your Tax Dollars French ★ Spokane Prioritizing Public Safety ★ County

Commissioner

★ Building a Strong Economy ★ ★ Making County Government Work for You ★

Tim Fitzgerald

electmarykuney.com Spokane County Clerk

Vicki Horton

Spokane County Assessor

Steve Peterson

Mayor of Liberty Lake

Shelly O’Quinn

former Spokane County Commissioner

Kate McCaslin

former Spokane County Commissioner

Sign up by June 15 to list your sale and information in the official guide.

Registration fees go to the Kiwanis Club Foundation and will be utilized as sponsorships for local graduates.

REGIST ER TODAY

Four registration options

1.

Online: $15

Submit your registration and secure credit card payment at www.libertylakekiwanis.org Take advantage of add-on options like a highlight color, a black border or a bold title to help your sale stand out from the rest. Online ads can also exceed the 20-word maximum for a small, per-word fee.

2.

Mail-in form : $20

3.

Commercial Vendors: (online only): $250.00

Complete the registration form below and submit it along with your fee. Remember, registration must be received by June 15 to be included in the official guide.

Join the festivities in the middle of it all at Pavillion Park by being a vendor. Commercial vendors are welcome and receive a 12-foot by 12-foot section at the park. This registration option is available at www.libertylakekiwanis.org , and it includes a listing in the official guide. Double the space is available for $500.00 Registered Pavillion Park sellers who decide not to come must notify organizers at least five days in advance in order to receive a refund. Contact information is at the bottom of the page.

4.

Artisan Vendors: (online only): $75.00

Join in the fun at Pavillion Park and showcase your handcrafted goods.

Artisan Vendors are welcome at the $75.00 price and receive a 10-foot by 10-foot section in the park. This registration option is available at www.libertylakekiwanis.org. Registered artisan vendors who decide not to come must notify organizers at least 5 days in advance in order to receive a refund.

Contact information is at the bottom of the page.

Name Phone Address Description (Not to exceed 20 words)

Organized by

Liber ty Lake

WHAT DOES YOUR REGISTRATION PAY FOR? A supported event: The sales will be advertised and publicized through regionwide outlets, and the Kiwanis Club is working with local authorities and strategic vendors to ensure a safe and well-supported event.

Restrooms: Portable restrooms are provided throughout the community for attendees’ convenience.

Thousands of shoppers: Liberty Lake is flooded with shoppers for this event every June, so timing your yard sale to correspond with the annual sales is just smart business.

Please pay the registration fee to ensure the future of the yard sales. After expenses, all proceeds from the event will be reinvested by the Kiwanis Club into the community.

A listing “on the map”: Attract customers before the sale even begins by featuring your sale in the official event guide. A 20-word description of your sale is complimentary with your registration fee, and 10,000 copies of the guide will be distributed to not only every address in Liberty Lake — but at businesses and newsstands throughout the area in the days leading up to and during the sale. Returning this year will also be the interactive map, for easy access to listings on your mobile device!

Feature your business in the guide!

PRSRT STD ECRWSS U.S. Postage Paid Permit #017 ZIP CODE 99019

21st annua l

Over 250 part

icipating homes!

A limited number of advertising placements are available in PORTAL the annual event guide. Call 242-7752 or email advertise@libertylakesplash.com to put your business and organization in front of thousands of eager shoppers in what is one of The Splash’s most dog-eared and poredover publications of the year.

Major Sponsors

:

Liberty Lake

Event Organize

at Mission

Protecting Your Family and Your Tax Dollars ★ Prioritizing Public Safety ★ ★ Building a Strong Economy ★ ★ Making County Government Work for You ★

electmarykuney.com ELECTMARYKUNEY.COM Paid for by Friends of Mary Kuney P.O. Box 13103 Spokane Valley, WA 99213

Payments should be made out to the Kiwanis Club of Liberty Lake. Mail them to The Splash, PO Box 363, Liberty Lake, WA 99019 along with the completed registration form. No phone or in-person registration is available. All proceeds will be used as scholarships for local graduates.

Questions?  For registration-related inquiries, contact The Splash at 242-7752 or advertise@libertylakesplash.com.  For general yard sale inquiries or with vendor questions, contact Liberty Lake Kiwanis member Melissa Niece 509-850-0845.

Publishers of the official 2018 Yard Sale Guide

& Molte r

Advertising Deadline: June 1, 2018

rs:

OPINION

36 • MAY 2018

The Splash

Making a Notable Difference Spokane Symphony Associates Presents the 10th Annual “Upscale Sale.”

Location: 2512 E. 29th Ave. Hastings Bldg.

Southeast Blvd. & 29th Preview Sale ($5.00 Admission): Thursday, May 31st. 5pm-7pm Sale (Free Admission): Friday, June 1st & Saturday, June 2nd 8am-5pm Sunday, June 3rd 10am-5pm Fine furniture, art, china, books, cut glass, brass items, stemware, vintage cookbooks & books, women’s & men’s quality clothing, sports equipment, dinning-room sets, buffets, china hutches, easy chairs, fine & costume jewelry, antiques, sterling, linens, garden items, patio sets.

9,000 square feet of beautiful items. This sale happens only once a year and is by far the largest in Spokane. All items are donated to support the Spokane Symphony Orchestra. Some photos may be found on: www.spokanesymphonyassoc.org

Facebook.com/ SpokaneSymphonyAssociates Upscale sale

Liberty Creek hosts STREAM of learning events

The two nights consisted of two sessions of 45-minute hands-on classes each night, from 5:30 to 6:15 then 6:30 to 7:15. Each session had fun and educational classes of all kinds available for students and parents to take part in. Parents were asked to sign up for the creative activities in advance.

Decked out in a personalized apron and goggles, 6-year-old Cameron Kohlmann looked like a pro as he enjoyed his time building and painting a periscope with his mother. When asked why he chose the periscope class, he had a simple answer.

Splash Correspondent

Some of the options included building army man launchers, candy catapults, marble mazes, junk bots, foot canons, periscopes and lots more. Workshops were led by teachers from Liberty Creek, administrators from the Central Valley School District, area business and civic group leaders and local and regional librarians, all who came up with their own ideas for activities and organized their events.

Cameron’s mother Katie said there was more to it than that.

By Staci Lehman

Call it a tributary of learning.

Liberty Creek Elementary School expanded their STEM offerings recently for two nights of fun events.

“STREAM” nights were held on Feb. 28 and March 1, taking traditional STEM components (science, technology, engineering and math) and adding an ‘A’ for art and ‘R’ for reading to create STREAM. National Read Across America Day was March 2.

“Also fitting because we are Liberty Creek, having a STREAM night seemed appropriate,” said event organizer and Liberty Creek teacher Stacy Pecha.

In addition to learning about science, art and other topics, the students and their parents gained some togetherness time, a commodity anymore.

“One-on-one time is precious these days,” said Pecha.

“Because I like to spy,” Cameron said.

“We like to make things,” she said. “This is more challenging than our usual projects.”

will find them using geocaching.”

There were also community partners on hand for STREAM Night.

Employees from the Liberty Lake Home Depot store ran the periscope building activity and supplied all the tools and hardware while employees of Vera Water and Power had a miniature version of a community power system set up for participants to view. Before and after class sessions, they talked to attendees about the dangers of touching live power lines.

In addition to crafts and building things, STREAM Night participants were introduced to new activities like geocaching.

The turnout for the inaugural year of Liberty Creek STREAM Night was positive and organizer Pecha said she is hoping to make it an annual event. Over 100 parent/student teams participated on the first night and even more were signed up to attend the second night, which was extremely impressive to Pecha.

“We have two geocaching experts in the school,” said Pecha.

“They’ve hidden some items around the school and the class

“I know Liberty Lake parents are very busy,” she said. “The community has been extremely supportive”.

First grader Piper Ely used one of the night’s session to build a marble maze with her mother Niki and was extremely absorbed in improving the aesthetics of her maze with colorful pipe cleaners.

The Splash

MAY 2018 • 37

FINAL POINT

Continued from page 27

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

Brian Asmus, Brandon Brown, Derek Brown, Steve Christilaw, Craig Howard, Staci Lehman, Ross Schneidmiller, Mike Vlahovich, 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.

The Splash is brought to you by

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Publishing House

Announcements, obituaries, letters to the editor and story ideas are encouraged. Submit them in writing to editor@libertylakesplash.com. Submissions should be received by the 15th of the month for best chance of publication in the following month’s Splash.

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most amazing story in this week’s tourney and likely one of the most memorable in history.”

Hyperbolic, I suppose, but future University of Washington and NBA star Isaiah Thomas, who had 51 points in one state game, couldn’t get Curtis there. The Bears beat South Kitsap, which was 26-1, in the semifinals.

“They had no high flyers or speed merchants who put on electrifying transition dunk-fests. Heck. Even 6-foot-5 Nick Ambrose, the tallest player by far on the CV roster, (botched) a dunk to finish off the stunning victory,” I wrote of the Bears’ remarkable state run.

Cinderella’s coach turned into a pumpkin, but it took future Louisville University star and pro Peyton Siva, from Franklin, to strike the clock at midnight.

They did it with the staple that got the Bears to seven state or regional appearances during Rick’s 22 years as head coach – tough man defense and adaptable offense. CV reached the state finals twice and finished fourth twice.

“We stressed a team game and unselfishness,” he said. “You have to check your ego at the door.”

Rick was all that. You saw that in him 40 years ago. He will be missed.

THE LAW ”

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Following are the local advertisers in this issue of The Splash.

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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Amaculate Housekeeping 15 AutoCraft 10 Banner Furnace & Fuel 17 Cafe 19 15 Casey Family Dental 18 Central Valley Theatre 30 City of Liberty Lake 6, 7 Clark’s Tire & Automotive 3 Coldwell Banker - Rob Brickett 14 Cornerstone Pentecostal Church 18 Eagle Rock RV and Boat Storage 28 Elevations 31 Evergreen Fountains 25 Fieldhouse Pizza 16 Friends of Mary Kuney 35 Garden Expo 15 Greenstone 28

Holistic Festival 18 Inland Empire CC 37 Janet Prendergast 15 John L Scott - Pam Fredrick 10 Kiwanis of Liberty Lake 35 Liberty Lake Baptist Church 23 Liberty Lake Centennial Rotary 33 Liberty Lake EyeCare Center 3 Liberty Lake Farmer’s Market 6 Liberty Lake Family Dentistry 5 Liberty Lake Sewer & Water District 38 Lilac Family Eyecare 18 North Idaho College Foundation 28 Northern Quest 40 Ott Knott Gold Carts 9 Pho Liberty 38 Plush Skin Salon 18

Pristine Lawn Care 17 Radiant Nails 11 Simonds Dental Group 40 Spokane Gymnastics 21 Spokane Symphony Associates 36 Spokane Valley Summer Theatre 32 Stateline Plaza 38 The Tree Nurse 18 Tidy Bins 31 True Legends 11 Valley Synthetics 23 Vision Marketing 34 Windermere 5

Service Directory 38

made in ads.

Copyright © 2018 All rights reserved. All contents of The Splash may not be reproduced without written permission of the publisher.

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YO

New homes in Spokane, Spokane Valley, Libe Gus Johnson Ford • Stateline Plaza Fieldhouse Pizza • Spokane Gymnastics

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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

38 • MAY 2018

SERVICE DIRECTORY Take exit 299 off of I-90, Just West of Cabelas

BICYCLE REPAIR AND SERVICE

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Help protect our lake  Shoreline and/or Stormwater Permit(s) may be required for your project. There are regulations governing development activities across the entire Liberty Lake watershed.

Shoreline*

• Landscaping • Dock/Boat lifts • Modification of any existing vegetation • Anything within 50 ft. of OHWM

Stormwater*

• Landscaping • Paving/Brick work • Additions • Outbuildings *including, but not limited to

Please call 922-5443 and ask for the Lake Manager www.libertylake.org

ON THAT NOTE

The Splash

Staples moves on after decade as city engineer

By Keith Erickson

Splash Correspondent When Andrew Staples was named Liberty Lake city engineer in 2008, times were tough.

The Great Recession was in full swing, presenting enormous growth and development challenges at every level of the U.S. economy.

The relatively new city of Liberty Lake – incorporated in 2001 – was no exception. Or was it?

Unfazed by a daunting economic forecast and backed by progressive leadership at City Hall, Staples, a former private-sector consultant, rolled up his sleeves and went to work.

Fast forward 10 years. Over the course of Staples’ tenure as Liberty Lake’s inaugural city engineer, the bustling community has thrived.

Roads and intersections have been rebuilt, widened and beautified, an expanded trail system greets a growing number of users, parks have been developed and the city has a new library and police station.

Staples, 38, played an integral role in these projects that have changed the face of Liberty Lake. His accomplishments, city leaders say, were the upshot of working closely with elected and nonelected city officials, as well as professionals in the private sector – all focused on making Liberty Lake an attractive live, work and play community.

“The city runs typically one position deep, so I was very much a hands-on engineer out in field working with contractors,” Staples said.

That allowed the city engineer the to spend much of his time working closely with the movers and shakers in the private sector, a work ethic that earned him praise at City Hall.

information for project designers and served as the city’s liaison for the Spokane Regional Traffic Council, which proved critical in the numerous multimillion-dollar road projects he managed.

Those road projects improved the transit system within the Liberty Lake and significantly enhanced the trail system, a huge attribute to any growing community.

“His ability to work with everybody, from contractors to consultants to the City Council to the public, made him very accessible and successful,” said City Administrator Katy Allen. “Andrew was a very dedicated, public-service minded employee.”

“Liberty Lake is probably the most pedestrian-and bicycle-friendly city in the region,” Staples says. “You can get from nearly every location in the city to any other and be on safe pathways. Plus, if you have a golf cart, you can drive it most anywhere.”

Mayor Steve Peterson echoed Allen’s accolades for Staples.

Peterson said Staples will be greatly missed, but his departure was well-timed.

“Andrew was a well-respected employee who filled a lot of roles other than engineer,” Peterson says. “He was a jack-of-all-trades and when he wasn’t in the field, he offered his high-tech skills with computers on the other side.”

Staples worked for the Coeur d’Alene-based engineering firm of Welch Comer before coming to the city. The background proved beneficial as he brought experience from several contracted Liberty Lake projects to his new role.

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was

a

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“One of the nice things is we’ve completed a number of major projects and now we have a little bit of breathing room before our next big project,” Peterson says.

In the wake of Staples’ departure, engineering tasks will be managed by assistant engineer Dennis Scott as the city searches for a full-time replacement.

Despite the substantial municipal accomplishments made during his tenure with Liberty Lake, Staples remains humble and reflects on his

time with the city philosophically.

“We went through the recession and I’ve been able to watch the city not just recover from that, but still keep on growing,” Staples says. “We were fortunate to inherit a good infrastructure from Spokane County.”

Box of Staples – Inaugural city engineer’s tenyear tenure Name: Andrew Staples

Hometown: Born in San Diego but grew up in North Idaho Education: North Idaho Christian High School; North Idaho College; University of Idaho degree in civil engineering, 2003 Job: Liberty Lake’s first city engineer from 2008 to 2018 Jobs before city engineer: Civil engineering intern with city of Lewiston; engineer with Welch Comer Engineers Notable projects: Renovations of Appleway Avenue and Liberty Lake Road; Harvard Road Roundabout; Diamonds at Liberty Lake Ballfields; retrofit of warehouse on Mission Avenue into Liberty Lake Municipal Library and Liberty Lake Police Station First project: First phase of Rocky Hill Park Fun fact: Began wearing cowboy boots to work as a way to avoid rocks getting into his shoes on construction sites

After a decade on the job, the city engineer moved on last month to take an engineering position with the city of Spokane. Staples says he’s ready for a new challenge and will embrace the progress he was able to help shape. He’s confident Liberty Lake will continue to experience growth, particularly in the residential market.

Other duties: Served on the technical advisory committee for Spokane Regional Transportation Council Thought on becoming Liberty Lake’s first engineer: “I think it probably should have been more daunting than it was. I pretty much knew what I was getting into at the time but you never fully really know. I had a chance to kind of form what the role of the city engineer should be."

“As long as economy continues in a positive way the city will most likely continue to grow,” Staples says. “As a master planned community all our zoning and most of our roads and infrastructure are pretty well in place.”

Despite its impressive growth (Liberty Lake’s population ballooned from 3,300 residents in 2001 to nearly 11,000 today), City Hall operations remain relatively smallscale from a personnel perspective.

MAY 2018 • 39

Andrew Staples became Liberty Lake's first city engineer in 2008 and oversaw major capital projects like the renovation of Appleway Avenue and Liberty Lake Road. The University of Idaho graduate came to the city after working for the Coeur d’Alene firm of Welch Comer.

File Photo

Favorite aspect of being city engineer: “Dealing with people and how they work in their city on a daily basis.”

The Splash

40 • MAY 2018

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