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SEPTEMBER
2019 In This Issue...
THE ‘HARDT’ OF NEW RIDGELINE PRINCIPAL PAGE 2
THE RETURN OF THE LIBERTY LAKE SPOOF PAGE 18
THE
LL EMBRACING NEW TRAILBREAKER CIDER PAGE 32
LIBERTY LAKE
COMMUNITY NEWSMAGAZINE
page 10
NEWS
2
The Hardt of Ridgeline
New principal diving into details of creating high school from scratch By Nina Culver Splash Contributor
Jesse Hardt has never been a high school principal before, and his job as the new principal of the yet to be built Ridgeline High School in Liberty Lake has thrown him into the deep end of the pool. “I was fortunate enough to be selected to lead the new high school,” he said. “Right now, I’m just focusing on all the details, which are numerous.” Hardt grew up in Odessa and then attended Eastern Washington University, where he was a tight end on the football team. “I’m an elementary teacher by trade,” he said. “I taught third, fourth and sixth grade early in my career.” His first teaching job was in Creston, located north of Odessa in Lincoln County, where he taught for five years and also coached football and track. He then took a job at Grant Elementary in Spokane, where he was a part time
assistant principal and part time instructional coach for literacy for three years. He was an assistant principal at Shaw Middle School for three years before becoming principal at Horizon Middle School in Spokane Valley, where he stayed for 11 years. He started his current job last summer, long before any dirt moved at the site of the future school at Sprague Avenue and Henry Road. “It’s a huge blessing that the school board and (Superintendent) Ben (Small) supported me in bringing me in early in the process,” he said. “A lot of school districts will hire a principal after the school is built and designed.” Since he is involved in every decision throughout the process, he’ll be able to provide information on why things were done a certain way. “I’ll be the storyteller,” he said. “Everything has a reason and a purpose. Sometimes it’s dollars and cents. We’re on a tight budget
Photo by Nina Culver Principal Jesse Hardt looks out over the construction site of the new Ridgeline High School.
for the high school, but it’s an ample budget for what we want to do.” He and his core team of 15 educators and administrators meet regularly to plan every detail of the new school. “What we’re doing a lot right now is just talking about our culture,” he said. “A building is one thing, but a school is really about a culture.” The Splash caught up with Hardt to learn more about his heart behind leading the Central Valley School District’s third comprehensive high school. Q: Why did you want to apply for this job? A: I feel like I had a really good run at Horizon Middle School. The program was really in good shape there, and I was ready to do something different -- a new challenge, really. It’s funny. I originally talked to Ben about opening the new middle school. Through further conversations and such we came around, and really he inspired me more to consider the high school. I had seen myself as a high school principal down the road, but he had faith and confidence in me to take on the high school. So I applied, as others did too, and went through the full application process and interview process, and our district administrators selected me and that was that. But it’s a huge opportunity. You get to start from scratch and create something from the beginning. That’s really what the drive is for. Yeah, I could apply to be a high school principal at any existing high school, which would be great, but to be the first principal to start the school, to go through all the processes from naming the school, selecting mascots and involving people in that, it’s powerful. It’s fun. It’s fun work. Nothing that I was ever really trained to do, but it’s kind of like, okay, let’s figure it out, get in there and ask a lot of questions. I spent all year in both of our current high schools, every week, several days in each, just learning about our programs and talking to people about what works, what we’d like to do differently. Everyone is really embracing the high school in our district and being
The Splash supportive of the development of the high school, which is huge because we need the input from experts that are in those positions. Many of those teachers at CV and U-High will end up being Ridgeline teachers. The other thing that people get confused about is they think that we’re going to hire 100 teachers right off the bat that aren’t in our district. The reality is that we’re going to move hundreds of kids from the current high schools, which are overcrowded, which is why we built the third high school, and with those kids will come many teachers as well. Q: You touched on this a bit, but you’re not going to be the principal that walks into the new school on the first day and puts his coffee cup down on his desk and says “Okay, I’m here. Let’s go.” What are all the things that you’re having to do now to get everything ready for that first day? A: I’m interfacing with the architects all the time. We talk about everything from the flooring to the hardware on the doors to what do you need to have in a science classroom. What do you need to have in the locker rooms? Every space, every detail there -what should this wall look like? Where do you want the power outlets in the gymnasium? I also spend a fair amount my time working with our district folks and on our programs, like our CTE program, for example. I do a lot of research and homework on those. Typically it’d be like shop classes, for lack of a better word, but CTE is bigger than just shop. We’re planning and working with other school districts, talking to them about if you have this type of program, what kind of equipment do you need for that. All that has to begin now. I spend time talking with our teaching staff in the district just about the program and the high school, a lot of planning behind the scenes for what type of classes we’re going to be able to offer opening as a 9th, 10th and 11th grade. That type work is happening now. Q: So you’re not just doing a
See HARDT, Page 5
The Splash
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4
NEWS
Electric vehicle event drives into Liberty Lake By Linda Ball Splash Contributor
Interested in reducing your carbon footprint? The latest and greatest in electric vehicle technology will be on display Sept. 14 in an event held concurrently and adjacent to the Liberty Lake Farmers Market in the STA lot. Jorgen Rasmussen, owner of Solar Acres Farms, is the primary organizer and one of the sponsors of the event, which will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. In addition to his solar farm, Rasmussen is an engineer and a member of the Inland Northwest Sustainable Energy Group, which advocates for clean, sustainable energy. The group has over 500 members, and electric vehicle (EV) ownership is not required to join. Last year, approximately 41 EVs were on display at the event, held annually in Liberty Lake during National Drive Electric Week. This year will be the best yet, Rasmussen said. On display at the event will be five Nissan Leafs, two Tesla Model S, a Kia Soul EV,
a Tesla Model 3, a Toyota Prius Prime, a Honda Clarity Plug-in Hybrid, among others. Harley Davidson will also debut the new Harley Davidson LiveWire motorcycle. Aron Nelson with Lone Wolf Harley Davidson, 19011 E. Cataldo Ave., said he is very excited about the LiveWire, scheduled to be released for purchase at the end of August or early September. Nelson said demo rides are available at the dealership. What sets the LiveWire apart from other electric motorcycles is that it uses the same charging ports as electric cars. Additionally, there are no gears in the LiveWire, so you don’t have to worry about a clutch. Nelson said Harley Davidson recently acquired a company called Stacyc, which he described as the makers of a stability bike that use a small battery. It’s like a small electric motorcycle, but it only goes about 10 mph. Lone Wolf will also be showing some Stacycs at the dealership the day of the National Drive Electric event.
“We’ve installed one full electric charging port for cars and motorcycles (at Lone Wolf),” Nelson said. He said they would also be installing a fast charger in the parking lot. Liberty Lake City Council Member Dan Dunne will be at the event once again with his Fiat 500e. He purchased the vehicle for $4,900 at auction, and with taxes and licensing the grand total was $6,000, he said. The car, only sold in California right now, is what is called a compliance vehicle. California sets its own emission standards, so to sell automobiles a dealer has to sell a certain amount of EVs in relation to the standard gas-guzzler. “It’s not a money-making deal,” Dunne said. “Auto dealers are adverse to EVs because they make their money in service. There is no service with EVs.” Indeed, since Dunne purchased the EV, after 25,000 miles all he’s had to do is replace the windshield wipers. There is no gas, no oil, and no spark plugs to go haywire. Dunne predicted that in three to five years, more people will drive EVs than gas-fired automobiles. Since he purchased his EV, it has gone up in value, he said, adding
Submitted photo Rick Woodbury stands with an attendee at a prior Drive Electric event in Liberty Lake next to the Tango T600 he invented and builds in Spokane.
The Splash that people are buying them at auctions and shipping them to Europe, where EVs are very popular. Another company garnering attention is Rivian, an electric adventure vehicle he believes will take the spotlight off of Tesla. Rivian is developing a four-door, all-wheel-drive pickup truck to rival the Ford F-150, including a 400-mile range and acceleration from zero to 60 mph in four seconds, Dunne said. Another product that was featured last year is the Tango, manufactured in Spokane. The owner, Rick Woodbury, has built 12 Tangos, the first in his garage with his son. Actor and activist George Clooney was his first client. Clooney saw the Tango advertised in the Robb Report and sent Woodbury a $10,000 deposit. The vehicle was delivered to Clooney in 2005. Woodbury said he got the idea for the Tango after living in Hermosa Beach, Calif., and commuting to Beverly Hills. He observed that 90 percent of vehicles were single occupancy. “Traffic congestion is caused by single occupant drivers,” Woodbury said. “There is no reason single occupant vehicles should take up an entire lane.” The beauty of the Tango is that two of them can drive side by side in one lane. The vehicle has a full Nascar-type roll case and weighs 3,326 pounds, which is the same weight as a Toyota Camry and 100 pounds more than a Subaru Outback. Woodbury will not be at the event this year, but you can learn more at www.commutercars. com. Woodbury said he’s working on a Tango now with a Tesla battery, which is 90 KW, huge for such a small car. But it will last for 300 miles as opposed to a 100-mile range at 70 mph in the old models. Rasmussen said the mission of National Drive Electric Week is to emphasize driving electric and its sustainability. He lives in a solar powered home in addition to driving his Leaf. He said people are very enthused about showing off their electric vehicles. There are at least two charging stations that anyone can use in Liberty Lake. Visit plugshare.com for locations of charging stations.
The Splash
HARDT
Continued from page 2
carbon copy of U-High and CV. A: We don’t want to be a carbon copy of our current high schools, but we want to be similar enough to where our kids across the district are getting the same type of experience. For example, University High School has an automotive shop. We won’t have an automotive shop. If kids are interested in automotive stuff, we want to explore options and get them into University High School to do that. We’re going to be diverse in our programs but similar enough to where the kids on this side of the district are getting what kids at Central Valley and University high schools still get. The board is very aware of the fact that they want all of our kids to be able to have some equality in their education. Now we’ll have a newer, shinier building than our other high schools, of course. Will we be vastly different? No, but we’ll be unique enough in some ways to create our own identity for what we do in terms of programs and such. Q: How would you describe yourself as an educator? What’s your philosophy? A: My philosophy is that we are in a service industry, and people are number one in a service industry. Whether I’m working with teachers, parents or of course students, I’m a problem solver and I’m about finding solutions. In the end, we’d better be making decisions in the best interest of our clients, which are our kids. When I’m hiring staff, for example, I really pay attention to how people view their role in education, and I want it to be similar to how I would view my role, which is it’s not about me and it’s not about my thing, it’s about what we’re going to offer our kids and how we’re going to get them to ultimately graduate from high school. If we’re not doing that every day and paying attention to that, inspiring them and helping them to be motivated, then we’re not doing our job. What I want to see in our school is our kids are engaged, they have that sense of belonging that they’re involved in something bigger than themselves, they’re part of a community and they want to be in school, there’s
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passion and energy from their teachers, their principals – that’s the kind of climate we strive to develop and create. Q: You mentioned inspiring and motivating kids. Sometimes kids aren’t that into school. They’re capable, they just don’t want to. How to do you encourage them to put forth the effort? A: What we can control is the type of learning environment that we create. We’re researching this a lot. What does it look like in the real world for our kids to learn? We know that the typical sit and get and stand and deliver doesn’t work for kids these days. Compliant kids will do that, but the kid that is capable but not really motivated by being in school, we need to provide opportunities for them to learn in a way that reflects how kids think and operate today, which is give me something relevant and meaningful. The social aspect of learning is very important, so a lot of activities that allow them to work collaboratively with each other and have conversations, not just sit quietly and do your worksheet. That doesn’t work for kids. That will turn kids off in a hurry, just like it would adults. It has to be fun. You have to provide opportunities where the learning is fun and engaging and we can always do a better job at that. That’s what we’re trying to develop in terms of our educational framework. We have core content that we’re required to teach, but we need to deliver that in a way that is engaging and collaborative and hopefully inspire those kids that are marginally motivated. Everybody is motivated, it’s just what is going to motivate them to learn what we’re trying to teach them. The kid that checks out is motivated by something else. We need to tap into what motivates him and bring it back to what we want them to learn. It can be done. It takes effort, it takes a lot of getting to know your kids, digging deeper and making those connections. Number one, and this is part of my philosophy, is the foundation is the relationship with the students. When you are liked by your kids and they feel that you care, they are more likely to learn. That’s a huge component of the culture and climate.
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The Splash
Police Report From Splash News Sources
The following activity of the Liberty Lake Police Department was reported for the month of July: • Total incidents and calls for service 607 • Traffic collisions
1
• Citations 77
THE
• DUI 2 • Theft 29 • Malicious mischief
4
• Argument/assault 9 • Suspicious vehicles 25 Burglary – On July 2, two residents reported that after noticing a gas smell in their garage, they opened the door to let it air out. Each believing the other had closed the door later
LIBERTY LAKE
COMMUNITY NEWSMAGAZINE
that evening, they went to sleep without securing the garage door. Upon waking the next morning, they observed someone had come into the garage and taken items totaling nearly $4,700. Among the items taken were a purse, wallet and credit cards left in the vehicle overnight. Burglary – On July 19, officers arrived at a local home to find over $15,000 in water damage to
the main floor and basement after suspects had broken in and stolen the washer and dryer. Owners were overseas and trying to sell the home. Over $4,000 worth of items were taken from inside in addition to the damage. Fraud – On July 22, a local woman reported someone had used her credit card information to obtain items totaling $703 from an area department store.
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The Splash
7
The Lookout MEMO from the
Mayor
By Mayor Steve Peterson
The power of schools in our community drives economic development and provides a solid base of education of our kids for the future. This month we celebrate the opening of Selkirk Middle School and the start of construction of Ridgeline High School in the city of Liberty Lake. What an awesome path of accomplishment for our community this has been! Our kids can now enter Kindergarten and be able to graduate from high school without leaving our community. I want to
take this opportunity to thank Ben Small, superintendent of the Central Valley School District, for his vision and leadership. He is a great partner for our city. This past summer, Ben had his team of teachers and principals read the book, “The Power of Moments” that defines and explores “standout moments” which we can create in our own lives. One such moment I can relate is calling Ben about the weeds on the 20 acres next to Liberty Lake Elementary. What can we do about them? Long and short of it, he and I negotiated a deal for the city to purchase them to create play fields for our kids. I laid my $10 on the table and it was the best money I have ever spent.
The city cleaned the weeds up and created high-quality baseball fields needed in our community. It was a catalyst for change as the opportunity was given CVSD to build Liberty Creek School, a new K-2 school, next to those fields. It was a “moment” that a great partnership was formed between Ben and myself, a moment when we realized the synergy that could be harnessed between the school district and the city. Since then, we have partnered on water and landscaping chores, trails, sidewalks, tennis courts, our new public works yard, planning, permitting, traffic improvements and studies. The list goes on and continues to grow as we talk resource police officers, library services and community events which will benefit
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Prices for the scooters are as follows: $13 plus tax for nine holes $21 plus tax for 18 holes Payment is made at the Finn Scooter kiosk in the Trailhead pro shop and staff will provide instruction to first time users. https://wa-libertylake2. civicplus.com/DocumentCenter/ V i e w / 4 5 4 0 / S T R E E T-T R E E S AND-SIDEWALK-MAINTENANCEUpdated-5-2-19
from large auditorium space. Our Henry Road overpass also became a beneficiary of this partnership as Ben and I made our trips to Olympia along with Chief Bryan Collins of Spokane Valley Fire Department. We became a TEAM realizing the sum is greater than the parts in delivering quality education and experiences. It really is a team sport. Again, congratulations go to Central Valley School District for providing outstanding education for our youth and having Ben Small lead your organization. He is one of a kind. CVSD and the city working together is just one more reason why Liberty Lake is known as Spokane County’s premier address.
Traffic flow during the North Harvard Road overlay
Trailhead Golf Course now has Finn Scooters for rent
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September 2019
Story Walk dedication set for Sept. 6 Time to lace up for literacy.
Those hoping to combine exercise and reading in the city are in luck with a new Story Walk installation at Rocky Hill Park. The project features various sections of the book “All the World” along a pathway at the greenspace. Dave Himebaugh of the Liberty Lake Parks and Arts Commission gave an update on the Story Walk project at the Aug. 20 City Council meeting. The
first Story Walk appeared in Vermont in 2007 as a way to promote literacy, exercise and family time. There are now similar projects in 47 states and several countries throughout the world. Former Liberty Lake Library Director Pamela Mogen first presented the idea for a local Story Walk last year. “We wanted to something that was permanent and had an artistic flair,” Himebaugh said. The stands for the Story Walk at Rocky Hill Park were installed in early August. “Our goal is to provide the Story Walk for other locations,” Himebaugh said. A public dedication will take place Friday, Sept. 6 at 4 p.m.
The North Harvard Road overlay project has been the source of some confusion for some drivers on how exactly to navigate the lane merge after the Appleway intersection. For those who are unaware, that merge is intended to be a “zipper” process, where every other car is from the other lane. In essence, the two lanes take turns to merge and, that way, it “zips” the two lanes rather than individual drivers fighting for a spot in the other lane. To increase awareness of this process, “zipper” signs will be installed in this area. The goal is to use this process to make the merging more efficient and prevent conflict between drivers.
https://www.facebook.com/libertylakewa • www.libertylakewa.gov
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The Splash
City Council News and Notes By Craig Howard Splash Contributing Editor
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• In his workshop report to City Council on Aug. 6, Spokane Valley Fire Chief Bryan Collins made reference to “a marine rescue” in July involving a boat that submerged on Liberty Lake in July. Collins said there were no injuries in the incident. • Collins reminded residents of the burn restriction announced on July 24 that remains in effect until further notice. The ban prohibits any recreational fires or open burning and is in place to protect from fire risk particularly during warm weather. • SVFD will host an open house on Saturday, Sept. 28 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 2411 N. Pioneer Lane. The free event will feature fire safety demonstrations, an appearance by a medic helicopter, complimentary pizza, hot dogs and soda as well as opportunities to try on firefighter gear. • Police Chief Brian Asmus told council that the increase in property crimes this summer is related to residents not taking necessary precautions. LLPD had 607 calls for service in July, around 100 more than normal. “We’ve had a lot of property crime cases this summer,” Asmus said. “It’s unlocked cars with valuable stuff in them, it’s open garage doors at night. Make sure you keep your things locked up, don’t keep anything valuable in your car and double check your garage doors at night.” • Asmus said the department held interviews with two officer candidates in early August. He said the agency would like to bring on three officers by the end of the year. • Through July, over 1,500 people had attended summer reading events at the Liberty Lake Municipal Library. • The community engagement portion of the library’s needs assessment project will take place the week of Sept. 23. “We’re looking for feedback from people who use the library and people who don’t use the library,” said Library Director Jocelyn Redel. “We want to get everyone’s opinion of the library.” • In an Aug. 6 report on building permitting and land use over the past six months, council learned that commercial development has dropped from
$21.2 million at this time in 2018 to $1.1 million this year. Residential construction, meanwhile, has risen from 65 single-family units at a value of $17 million at this point last year to 102 units permitted at $31 million thus far in 2019. The city has added 124 housing units in the first six months of the year with 40 multi-family units and the remaining single-family. • City Council Member Mike Kennedy has earned his Certificate of Municipal Leadership through the Association of Washington Cities. • City Administrator Katy Allen told council on Aug. 6 that Shamrock Construction was the low bidder for the Harvard Road Bridge overlay project at $329,000. With tax and contingency, the total is $412,000, still well under the city’s budget of $725,550. The city will be responsible for 20 percent of the cost with the state Transportation Improvement Board covering the difference. The resurfacing project must be completed by the end of September. “It’s important for citizens to understand that we will not be tearing this up when we add that third lane to the bridge,” said Kennedy. Allen said the work will take place during the night to avoid as much traffic disruption as possible. • On Aug. 6, Mayor Pro Tem Shane Brickner reiterated his case for a sidewalk on the north side of Mission Avenue that would, in his words, “connect the residents of the River District to the rest of the city.” Brickner said he has “been been bringing this up for a year now and it keeps getting pushed back and pushed back. It needs to be a priority.” • Holly Woodruff, president of Friends of Liberty Lake Library thanked the Tierpoint Foundation for a $1,000 grant that will go toward the purchase of STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) sets for kids. Woodruff also reported on the Summer Soiree in July that raised nearly $4,900 for the library. “We’ve had a record fundraising year,” said Woodruff. • The Friends of the Library has a new website – www. libertylakefriends.org. • Resident Charmaine Peterson spoke during the public comments portion of the Aug. 20 meeting, noting that, while walking recently, vehicles failed to stop three times at pedestrian crossings with flashing beacons. She suggested using red lights to attract more attention from motorists. • Phil Folyer, chair of the
Planning Commission, told council that the group held public hearings on 10 proposed comprehensive plan amendments at its last meeting. “I just want to commend the commission for having a robust discussion,” Folyer said. • Tom Agnew, a commissioner with the Liberty Lake Sewer and Water District, noted that one of the duties of the utility is “to make sure fire hydrants are ready to use when needed.” Agnew urged citizens to call the district “if you see anything suspicious around fire hydrants.” • An update on the Mission Avenue temporary trail was given at the Aug. 20 council meeting. The city plans to build the permanent trail in phases over the next several years. The developer has agreed to grade out about 8 feet on the north side of the street. Allen said the grading will happen before Labor Day. The city will add a surface layer at a cost of between $25,000 to $30,000. Allen noted that the temporary trail will suffice but “not look like the other trails in the city.” Brickner said the trail is “a very heavily needed project in the River District.” • Bids were opened Aug. 20 for the pavilion at Orchard Park. Allen said one bid came in at $549,000 with the high bid at around $1 million. The budget for the project is $550,000 with an anticipated 10 percent contingency. • Chief Asmus conducted a workshop on flashing beacons at pedestrian crossings at the Aug. 20 meeting. Currently, Asmus, the city engineer and city administrator meet to decide on installation of the beacons . The first priority has been in school settings. There are currently 17 locations in the city that feature the beacons. Future sites include crossings at Mission and Bitterroot and Mission and Selkirk Middle School. The city has received requests at 10 more sites from residents. Asmus noted that while the beacons make crossings safer, “pedestrians still need to be careful of motorists.” Based on a recommendation from Asmus, council is expected to decide on a set of criteria that will determine which sites will be approved for flashing beacons. • The next City Council meeting will take place at 7 p.m. Sept. 3 at City Hall. A workshop will precede the main meeting at 6 p.m.
The Splash
9
SRHD makes rare appearance at City Hall By Craig Howard Splash Contributing Editor
Stacy Wenzl is not a regular at meetings of the Liberty Lake City Council. The program manager for the Spokane Regional Health District (SRHD) Data Center, Wenzi showed up at the Aug. 20 gathering of the governing board to present findings related to mental health, substance abuse and housing that will help council decide how they might allot new funds available through the state courtesy of House Bill 1406. “I’ve never been asked to speak to this City Council,” Wenzl said at the start of her presentation. The bill was passed in the last legislative session “to encourage investments in supportive and affordable housing.” The city would be eligible for around $30,000 each year with the caveat that it would collaborate with entities like the city of Spokane or Spokane County with significant resources available for accessible housing. With the annual median income in Liberty Lake hovering just under $72,000 and the average home price at slightly over $382,000, the city has historically not been at the center of discussions surrounding the expansion of social services. Still, Mayor Steve Peterson welcomed the opportunity to hear how the city may better equip itself to provide for residents at different economic levels. “This is addressing some of the quality of life issues that makes outcomes better,” Peterson said. “Our goal is to try and get people some resources.” Wenzl presented data collected from 99019 and 99016 zip codes, starting with the category of mental health. The findings were compared with information received countywide. Wenzl said SRHD had not yet released youth-related data which has been gathered but is pending authorization from the Central Valley School District. A total of 9.7 percent of adults in Liberty Lake, or around 700 residents, report being in “poor mental health,” compared with 10 percent in Spokane County. There was more of a disparity in Liberty Lake regarding adults who receive mental health treatment – 27.8 percent – compared to 18.4 percent countywide.
County statistics for youth show 41.6 percent in 10th and 12th grades experience depression with 73 percent reporting anxiety. A total of 24.4 percent of youth report seriously considering suicide. Of countywide youth in 10th and 12th grades, 8.6 percent are facing unstable housing or homelessness. On the substance abuse front, 7.3 percent of adults in Liberty Lake say they are currently using marijuana compared to 10.9 percent in the county. Wenzl added that 11.9 percent of Liberty Lake adults said the use of marijuana or other drugs has caused stress, anxiety or conflict in their household over the last 12 months. That number is 8 percent on the county level. Liberty Lake came in higher than the rest of the county related to adults experiencing stress with their housing situation – 16.2 percent compared to 13.9 percent – mostly related to potential moves or changing their housing. Only 0.9 percent of Liberty Lake adults report experiencing unstable housing compared to 3.8 percent countywide. Wenzl told council that the two main conclusions of the data are that poor mental health and substance abuse increase in cases of unstable housing. She added that rates of depression and anxiety among youth also increase without secure housing. Wenzl referred council to SRHD’s “data hub”— www. countyhealthinsights.org – for more information. Director of Planning and Engineering Lisa Key said city will be represented at upcoming workshops on HB 1406 featuring Spokane County and city of Spokane service providers. Update on transportation projects City Administrator Katy Allen gave an update on the Harvard and Henry Road projects at the Aug. 20 council meeting, noting that a workshop took place recently with Spokane County and state representatives. The agreement provides that the city will pay the county $18,000 and be responsible for excavating and reconstructing an easement for a light rail system if it eventually goes through. County commissioners were expected to discuss the easement at a future date.
“They want an absolute guarantee,” Allen said. She estimated that the cost to restore the right-of-way would run around $800,000 “in today’s dollars.” City Attorney Sean Boutz noted that “no one has any idea if this project will occur or when it will occur, it’s simply a matter of one (county) commissioner wanting to preserve that right-of-way.” In discussing the city’s fiscal
accountability for the projects, Allen said it would be responsible for any amount over $20.9 million that takes place in the city of Liberty Lake. “I think the issue is we need to come up with an agreement with WSDOT (Washington State Department of Transportation) that is based on trust,” said Mayor Peterson. “We’re not going to write them a check if we don’t have a contract.”
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COVER STORY
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Meet Randy Edwards
Randy joined the Splash team back in January and while he hasn’t been with us for even a year now we knew right away he was the one to join our team. After our interview at Barlow’s I distinctly remember Randy running into family friends walking through the restaurant both coming in and heading out. Someone with that deep of roots in Liberty Lake is exactly what is needed for the Splash. Living in Liberty Lake since the age of 2, Randy is a member of the 2015 graduating class of Central Valley High School. While Randy is a pretty quiet guy, one of his passions is and has been baseball. Randy played baseball all through high school and into college playing for Whitworth for one year until getting multiple hand injuries which eventually led to him not being able to play anymore. While previously in the Graphic Arts program at the Spokane Falls Community College, he has recently changed paths enrolling in a Pre Med/Pre Dental Program at Eastern Washington University saying, “I find it interesting and my family members have had a lot of health issues and it seems like a good opportunity to make a difference.” In addition to working for the Splash, Randy has also worked for
The Splash
TIMELINE: 20 Years of The Splash Sept. 22, 1999: Volume 1, Issue 1 is mailed to Liberty Lake residents. The circulation was 2,500 copies. Oct. 6, 1999: Issue 2 of the biweekly newspaper appears. Showing it will never be shy to have a sense of humor, The Splash was printed with a bold tag on the bottom of the front page: “Voted ‘Best Paper in Liberty Lake’ two weeks straight.” (In issue 4, the announcement would be “This news is Y2K compliant!”) the City of Liberty Lake for the last four years as a seasonal maintenance worker in the Parks Department. Randy remembers being attracted to the job at the city because he could take care of the baseball fields (and drive a John Deere Gator down the street). Family is of the utmost importance for Randy. In his words, “I am a passionate and dedicated person who will always put family first.” Randy said, “If I won the lottery tomorrow, I would buy large amounts of land for my family to hunt, fish and hike. I would also use my winnings to invest in positively impactful programs and companies.” His favorite edition that he has worked on? “The one where we featured top sellers throughout Liberty Lake. That was a fun one to build. I liked the bubble boxes.” Favorite Movie: The Sandlot
July 11, 2000: The first color photo, taken at the Fourth of July parade, is printed. Sept. 20, 2000: In an article celebrating The Splash’s one-year anniversary, founder Shaun Brown announces the paper will begin publishing weekly. Dec. 26, 2001: “Volume 1, Issue 1, Beta Release 1.3” of the Liberty Lake Spoof is inserted into that week’s Splash. In four pages of satire, the Spoof claimed a warp in the space-time continuum had been discovered at Dreamwood Bay, gave advice to a reader whose dog talked in its sleep and decried the lack of emergency readiness should “Loch Ness monster types disrupt shipping traffic on the lake.” A front-page article listed taglines for Liberty Lake that were being considered in a just released report, including, “Liberty Lake, Best Sewer District in America,” “Liberty Lake, Swale Capital of the World” and “Liberty Lake, More Geese than Women.” March 26, 2004: The Splash exchanges ownership, with Josh and Kim Johnson establishing Peridot Publishing LLC to purchase the newspaper from At Your Doorstep LLC, owned by Shaun and Nathan Brown. April 14, 2005: The Splash begins printing its front page in color on an ongoing basis. Sept. 24, 2009: The Splash celebrates its 10-year anniversary with a new printer, the Wenatchee World, that enables full color printing on every page. (The Splash is still printed in Wenatchee.) It also changed to more of a magazine-style “cover story” format instead of starting multiple stories on the front page. Jan. 24, 2013: In a column by then-owner Josh Johnson, The Splash announces several factors for changing from weekly to monthly distribution, starting with a March issue.
A family in Need
Seven years ago, Randy’s mom Debbie was diagnosed with Breast Cancer. She had a full Mastectomy and has been doing wonderfully. However, a few months ago she started having severe back pain and ended up in the ER, eventually being diagnosed with recurrent Breast Cancer that has
See DEBBIE, Page 37
Dec. 29, 2015: The January 2016 edition of The Splash announces a change in ownership, as current owners Ben and Danica Wick of Wick Enterprizes purchased The Splash and its sister publication, The Current, from Josh and Kim Johnson of Peridot Publishing, ensuring the continuation of Liberty Lake’s beloved community newspaper to this day, nearly 800 editions strong. April 27, 2019: As the community grows, so do we. The Splash now prints and distributes 10,000 copies monthly.
The Splash
COVER STORY
A ‘Splash’ of love for Liberty Lake By Josh Johnson Splash Contributor
I had a college journalism professor who was sinister about reminding his students that, unlike our classmates majoring in business or education or engineering, every mistake we made would be reproduced 10,000 times and distributed to every person we knew. One edition I was responsible for included a bold placeholder headline we forgot to go back and change: “This is my column and it goes right here, girlie!” The things your eyes no longer see at 2 a.m. may be staring up from everyone else’s table by breakfast. It takes a special kind of crazy to work for newspapers, and you can ratchet that up a level or two for those of us who make a sober-
minded decision to own them. When it comes to The Liberty Lake Splash, that roster includes founding owners Shaun and Nathan Brown; my wife Kim and I (who owned the paper for 12 years in the middle); and Ben and Danica Wick, who bought it from us at the beginning of 2016. The six of us got together this summer to talk about the 20-year anniversary of The Splash, and I think I was able to gain some insight into our common crazy. The Browns fell in love with Liberty Lake after moving in the 1990s from New York, where Shaun had gained experience working at a community newspaper. “I think what motivated me with starting The Splash is the way you get to know the community through
working at a newspaper,” she said. So she and Nathan started the paper from their Maxwell Avenue basement -- in a house also populated by their five young children. The love and hope for their adopted home of Liberty Lake drove the efforts. They reported everything from incorporation and assumption debates, to Central Valley basketball state tournament runs, to the goofy responses from Liberty Lake Elementary students in Shaun’s regular “Kids Tell It Like It Is” columns. They were crazy about community. I’ve always called myself an accidental business owner, and that’s because there’s not a newspaper in America I would have bought other than The Splash. For me, it was location, location, location. Liberty Lake is where I was raised, and buying The Splash brought me home to a community I have always loved. My grandparents moved to
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Liberty Lake in the 1950s. I wrote the story when they were named grand marshals of the Fourth of July parade, and later I edited and printed their obituaries. I’m crazy about community. I had admired Ben and Danica Wick from afar as a bit of a greater Spokane Valley equivalent to how I felt about Liberty Lake. By the time the Wicks took ownership, The Splash had been joined by a sister publication, The Spokane Valley Current, and the Wicks’ hearts for all things local continued the theme (they also have four young children, so there appears to be a theme there, too). They started honoring citizens and athletes and students of the month. Today, they continue to dream up new ways to celebrate local people and live out their mission to encourage citizen involvement. They are crazy about community. That’s the kind of crazy it takes to own The Liberty Lake Splash. And while I’m a little bit biased, that’s a kind of crazy I’m proud to own.
Splash photo From left, former Splash owners Josh and Kim Johnson, current owners Ben and Danica Wick and founding owners Shaun and Nathan Brown gathered in July at Liberty Lake.
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COVER STORY
The Splash
Splashing into the future – with your input He was walking into his last By Danica Wick Splash Co-Owner
I hold a bachelor’s in Elementary Education, with a reading endorsement, a math endorsement and minor in music. I was going to be a mom for a while (to our now four amazing kiddos), and then become a teacher. That was the plan. As Ben neared the end of his first Spokane Valley City Council term in 2015, after losing reelection by 90 votes, he was reflecting on his campaign and how he was going to continue to work for our community. His passion for our community needed an outlet. One thing was a part of every conversation – there wasn’t enough coverage of the Spokane Valley. At the time The Spokesman Review only included Spokane Valley news on Thursdays and very rarely covered anything regarding Liberty Lake. The only news outlet that ran any coverage of the races that year had been The Current.
meeting as sitting member on the board of directors for SNAP and in conversation with Craig Howard, now Contributing Splash Editor, it was mentioned that The Splash and The Current were looking for new ownership or would be closing. This seemed like a tragedy. Ben came home after this conversation and asked me, “Hey honey, how do you feel about buying a newspaper?” I replied, “Sure. There’s no harm in going to talk to them.” The next few days and weeks are kind of a blur, to be honest. Multiple meetings of can we do this, will this work, and are we up for it? We have never owned a business, and I never expected to. We do not have a background in Journalism, media or graphic design. We quickly decided that we would figure it all out. We would continue the tradition and service
Photo by Danica Wick In February 2017 the publications were once again delivered to the home of the owners for distribution. At this time The Current began getting direct mailed to 16,000 residents throughout Spokane Valley.
of creating and printing The Splash. We would find stories to touch people’s hearts. We would do our best to engage readers in the amazing community around them. For the last little over three and a half years, we have learned to run a business. We have gotten to do some really fun things like creating The Splash swag for employees,
Photo by Tandy Luhn Photography Ben and Danica Wick purchased The Splash December 2015. They have operated and created The Splash and The Current while raising their four children, ages 7, 5, 3, 1.
sponsoring some really amazing organizations, working with the Spokane Valley school districts to establish an annual studentled candidate forum and even a 20th anniversary movie night for our valued advertisers. We have learned so much on the way about business, about ourselves, about running a newspaper, but mostly about the communities that we serve. You see I really thought while Ben was on council that we were integrated into all that our community has to offer. But the newspaper has allowed us to not only learn more about the incredible place that we live, but share those stories with all of our readers. The absolute best part of this “job” is getting to tell our readers about exceptional things that people are doing in our community. We like to say we are the place where you can read about high school sports, your neighbor’s community service project, what your city council is doing, and how community service clubs are working for your community. I need to also mention that we are incredibly blessed to have some very loyal advertisers that we can count to always be in the publication. Without them, we wouldn’t be able to mail the publication to every door in the community free of charge to those receiving it. Simonds Dental, who has advertised in every edition of
See OWNERS, Page 13
The Splash
OWNERS
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The Splash, Greenstone, Northern Quest, Spokane Gymnastics, Casey Family Dental, and the City of Liberty Lake have made our plight of continuing The Splash possible. It is always wonderful to hear the responses from those that learn we own and operate The Splash. We have heard everything from, “I get that in the mail! You guys do a great job!” to “How do you do that with the kids?” But every response makes me so proud to be a part of the legacy of The Splash. We are on board to continue for a while. Maybe one of these four children will catch the journalism bug. You never know. With that in mind, we want to make sure that we are serving you the best that we can. Please give us your feedback by completing the survey either by mailing it back to us or go online to www.libertylakesplash. com. We look forward to hearing from you and continuing to create The Splash with you in mind. Because we are “Liberty Lake’s Community Newsmagazine.”
COVER STORY
As The Splash celebrates 20 years of bringing community news right to your door, we invite you to complete the following survey so we can continue to grow to better serve the Community of Liberty Lake. Please fill out the questionnaire either online or by mailing back the following. We look forward to hearing from you, thank you!
1. Please rate the overall quality of The Splash (circle one; 4 is the highest quality) 1 2 3 4 2. Please rate the overall quality of the stories in The Splash (circle one) 1 2 3 4 3. Are the stories….. (Choose all that apply) a. Too long b. Too Short c. Relatable d. Informative 4. How do you receive The Splash? (circle one) Mail or Pickup 5. How would you like to read The Splash? (circle one) Hardcopy or Online 6. What would you like to see more of or have added in The Splash? 7. What is your favorite feature in The Splash? (circle all that apply) Police/Fire Report Non-Profit Features Business Features Sports Stream
The Fountain (our senior section) Games
The Wave (our kids section) Community Member Highlights 8. How often do you read The Splash? a. Never b. Rarely c. Sometimes d. Always 8. How much of The Splash do you read? a. None b. Stories that appeal to me c. Most d. All of it cover to cover 9. What do you think The Splash could do better?
10. Please share any additional comments or suggestions.
Photo by Danica Wick The oldest daughter of Ben and Danica enjoys passing papers out at every event she attends including Liberty Lake Farmer’s Market and Spokane Indians Games.
We look forward to continuing to serve you for the next 20 years! Please return all surveys to PO Box 363, Liberty Lake, Wa 99019 or complete online at www.libertylakesplash.com/
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COMMUNITY
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Calendar of Events COMMUNITY EVENTS Sept. 3 | Compass Club Luncheon – 11 a.m., McEuen Park, 420 E. Front Street, Coeur d’Alene. BBQ with ribs and all the fixings, including outdoor activities. Spouses and friends encouraged to attend. For more, email compassres@gmail. com or visit spokanecompassclub. org. Sept. 4 | Roominate Village – 4 p.m., Liberty Lake Municipal Library, 23123 E. Mission Ave., Liberty Lake. Connect wall and floor panels to build a structure, use the modular building pieces to create bookshelves, tables, slides, seesaws, and more. Wire up circuits to make spinning windmills, carousels, street lights, and elevators. Ages 6-10. Sept. 6 | Story Walk Dedication – 4 to 5 p.m., Rocky Hill Park, 24901 E. Mission Ave., Liberty Lake. Event dedicates story walk installed along the sidewalk at Rocky Hill Park, a cooperative effort between Spokane Valley Tech students, Liberty Lake Parks and Arts Commission, City of Liberty Lake and Liberty Lake Municipal Library. The first four books will be displayed at different times throughout the year, beginning with “All the World” by Liz Garton Scanlon. Sept. 6-15 | Spokane County Interstate Fair – Spokane County Fair and Expo Center, Havana and Broadway, Spokane Valley. For
extensive event and concert info, visit spokanefair2019.com. Sept. 7 | “Extravaganza” Yard Sale, Booths, Food and More – 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Veradale United Church of Christ, 611 N. Progress Road, Spokane Valley. Events include crafts, produce, cake walk, movie, raffle, car wash, concert and food, with proceeds supporting VUCC missions. For more, email veradaleucc@gmail.com. Sept. 7 | Hasty Baker Play Party – 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Liberty Lake Municipal Library, 23123 E. Mission Ave., Liberty Lake. Be one of the first people to play the new board game, “Hasty Baker!” A game for ages 6+, play the game and share your thoughts about gameplay with the creator. Sept. 13 | 2019 Spokane Valley Connect – 2 to 6 p.m., Opportunity Presbyterian Church, 202 N. Pines Road, Spokane Valley. Second annual free community services event offers afternoon of onestop shopping for variety of needs provided by dozens of local vendors. Sept. 14 | Spokane River Cleanup – 9 a.m., various locations. 16th annual event with historically more than 600 volunteers removing debris along river corridor. Multiple locations to sign up for online at spokaneriver.net. Sept. 14 | National Drive Electric Week Celebration – 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., STA Parking Lot on East Mission Avenue, Liberty Lake. Held concurrently and adjacent to Liberty Lake Farmers Market
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Argonne Library, 4322 N. Argonne Road, Spokane Valley. Resources and information to prevent, detect and report health care fraud, errors and abuse. No registration required. For more, visit scld.org/ engage. Sept. 19 | 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten – 11 a.m. to Noon, Liberty Lake Municipal Library, 23123 E. Mission Ave., Liberty Lake. Learn and play party exploring activity stations with child that promote early literacy and STEM. Sept. 20-22 | Valleyfest – Mostly at Mirabeau Point Park and CenterPlace Regional Event Center, 2426 N. Discovery Place, Spokane Valley. Starting with the Hearts of Gold Parade down Sprague Avenue at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 20, to the various activities and events over the weekend, this is the 30th anniversary of Spokane Valley’s premier community festival. For more, visit valleyfest. org. Sept. 21 | Food for Thought Collection Drive – 10 a.m. to Noon, Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints, 23515 E. Boone Ave., Liberty Lake. Drop off donations for program providing weekend meals to underprivileged Spokane Valley students. Volunteers wanting to help pick up donations placed on porches in Liberty Lake can meet at the church at 9 a.m. Sept. 24 | “Making Your Money Last in Retirement” – 6:30 p.m., Argonne Library, 4322 N. Argonne Road, Spokane Valley. Part of a financial planning with Edward Jones series (informational series only – no sales). No registration required. For more, visit scld.org/
:KELLY R., MEMBER-OWNER
WE TREAT YOU LIKE YOU OWN THE PLACE. BECAUSE YOU DO.
and featuring electric vehicles and test drives. For more, visit driveelectricweek.org. Sept. 14 | Cops, Cars & Cruisers for Special Olympics – 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Liberty Lake Police Department, 23127 E. Mission Ave. Supporting Special Olympics of Washington, event is open to vehicles of all types. Tribute to First Responders ceremony at noon. Several awards, including Special Olympian Choice, Chief and Police Ambassador Choice and others are awarded awards at 1:30 pm. A memorial police escorted through Liberty Lake will depart from the police department at 2 pm. Best of Show awarded upon return from cruise. Sept. 14 | Spokane NAACP Centennial Celebration Dinner – 6 to 9 p.m., Northern Quest Resort, 100 N. Hayford Road, Airway Heights. 100th anniversary of Spokane chapter includes keynote by actor and activist Danny Glover. Tickets start at $100. For more, visit naacpowsac.org. Sept. 17 | “Hope is Golden” Benefit Luncheon – Noon to 1 p.m., Centennial Hotel, 303 W. North River Drive, Spokane. Supporting the American Childhood Cancer Organization of the Inland Northwest, doors open at 11:30 a.m. for silent auction. Luncheon is free; attendees will be asked to give from the heart. RSVP by Sept. 9 to hope@accoinlandnw.org or 443-4162. Sept. 18 | “How to Prevent Medicare Fraud?” – 3 to 5 p.m.,
The Splash
Federally insured by NCUA
The Splash
COMMUNITY
engage. Sept. 25 | “What Every Parent Should Know About Harassment, Intimidation and Bullying” – 6:30 p.m., St. Joseph Parish Hall, 4521 N. Arden Road, Otis Orchards. Panel of experts from East Valley and Central Valley school districts and Spokane County’s Juvenile Unit will discuss warning signs, potential criminal consequences and what should parents do. Also, there will be a special presentation on cyber-bullying. Free event, complementary babysitting services available. Sept. 26 | HUB All-Star Breakfast 2019 – 7 to 9 a.m., Mirabeau Park Hotel, 1100 N. Sullivan Road, Spokane Valley. Sixth annual fundraiser featuring speaker Devon Thomas, senior associate athletic director at Eastern Washington University. RSVP by Sept.13 at hubsportscenter.org. Sept. 27-29 | Spokane Oktoberfest – CenterPlace Regional Event Center, 2426 N. Discovery Place, Spokane Valley. Celebrating German cheer, dancing, eating and singing with bands, beer gardens, games and a familyfriendly atmosphere. Tickets vary by package and available at door or online at spokaneoktoberfest. com. Sept. 28 | 2019 Spokane Valley Fire Department Open House – 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., 2411 N. Pioneer Lane, Spokane Valley. Free family fun day features live fire demonstration and the chance to run a fire hose or try on gear. Fire apparatus and helicopter on display. Also: hot dogs, beverages, David’s Pizza, take-home giveaways and safety information. No pets please due to insurance liability. For more, call 928-1700 or visit spokanevalleyfire.com. Various dates in September | Storytimes for infants to age 5 -10:30 a.m., Liberty Lake Library, 23123 E. Mission Ave. Includes “Move & Groove” Mondays, “Book Babies” Tuesdays, “Toddler Tales” Wednesdays, “Preschool Tales” Fridays. 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. For more, search for “Act 2” at scc.spokane.edu. Baha’i Fireside Conversation | 7 to 8 p.m., third Thursday 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. For more, call 5992411. 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/CatholicSingles-Mingle. Free Last Sunday Lunch | Spokane Valley United Methodist Church, 115 N. Raymond Road, Spokane Valley - 12:30 p.m. on the final Sunday of every month in the church’s Fellowship Hall, Room 115 Grange Meeting and Dessert | 6:30 p.m., third Wednesday of the month, Tri-Community Grange, 25025 Heather St., Newman Lake. The public is welcome for this community-based service organization. For more, call 2262202. 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,
See CALENDAR, Page 16
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The Splash
CALENDAR
teen anime club and writing clubs. More at 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 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 Ave., Spokane Valley. Open to all interested in sharing ideas and skills of our quilting craft. Participants can access a comprehensive library, engage experienced teachers and participate in community service projects. More at svqgspokane. com.
p.m., Wednesdays, Thornhill Valley Chapel, 1400 S. Pines Road. Four-part, a cappella harmony, men’s barbershop chorus. More at 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 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
MUSIC & THE ARTS
HEALTH & RECREATION
Sept. 13-29 | “See How They Run” – Various times, Ignite! Community Theatre, 10814 E. Broadway Ave., Spokane Valley. A fast-paced British farce full of mistaken identities, doors and ... vicars? For tickets and more info, visit igniteonbroadway.org. RECURRING The Fire Brigade| 7 p.m., first Saturday of the month, Ignite! Community Theatre, 10814 E. Broadway Ave., Spokane Valley. Ignite!’s improv troupe fires up family-friendly comedy. For more, visit igniteonbroadway.org. Pages of Harmony | 6:30 to 9
Sept. 14-15 | 2019 RIM Ride – Various times, Meadowwood Technology Campus, 2100 N. Molter Road, Liberty Lake. Saturday 5-mile family ride and 15, 25, 50 and 100 mile rides Sunday organized by the Liberty Lake Centennial Rotary Club. Register online at rotaryinmotion.com. Sept. 18 | Grief and Healing Discussion Group – 9:30 to 11 a.m., Spokane Valley United Methodist Church, 115 N. Raymond Road, Spokane Valley. Six-week group meets Wednesdays through Oct. 23. For more, call 924-7262. Sept. 22 | Multi-Sport Day at Valleyfest – Various times, Plantes Ferry Sports Complex, Spokane Valley. Boat/bike/run triathlon,
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duathlon and 5K/10K run. Register online at valleyfest.org. Sept. 27 | HUB-apalooza Family Fun Festival – 4 to 7 p.m., HUB Sports Center, 19619 E. Cataldo Ave., Liberty Lake. Celebrating the HUB’s 12th birthday with free event featuring basketball, martial arts classes, volleyball, pickleball, futsal, jump house and more. For more, visit hubsportscenter.org. Sept. 28 | Sugar Rush 5K/10K – 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., CenterPlace Regional Event Center, 2426 N. Discovery Place, Spokane Valley. Billed as the “sweetest 5K/10K around,” run/walk event concludes at Oktoberfest with dessert buffet. Event benefits Spokane Valley Partners. Registration is $35 for adults and $15 for youth and includes weekend admission to Okotberfest. For more, visit svpart. org or call 927-1153. Oct. 5 | Walk to End Alzheimer’s 2019 – 10 a.m., Riverfront Park, 507 N. Howard St., Spokane. Annual walk to raise funds and awareness for Alzheimer’s includes Promise Garden Ceremony followed by 3-mile walk. Family and petfriendly. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. For more, visit act.alz. org/spokane. RECURRING Al-Anon Meetings | Mondays, 1:30 to 2:30 p.m., Liberty Lake Library, 23123 E. Mission Ave. No meetings on holiday Mondays. Is there a problem of alcoholism with a relative or a friend? Al-Anon family groups can help. For more, call 425-344-9280. Al-Anon Family Meetings | Tuesdays, noon to 1 p.m., Opportunity Christian Church, 708 N. Pines, Spokane Valley. Is there a problem of alcoholism with a relative or a friend? Al-Anon/ Alateen family groups can help.
For more, call 456-2125. Decreasing Anger Group | 3 to 4:30 p.m. Tuesdays, the Vet Center, 13109 E. Mirabeau Parkway, Spokane Valley. Eligibility: combat veteran from all eras, military sexual trauma survivors. For more, call Steve at 893-4746 to make an intake appointment. 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. Family and Friends of Addicts| 6 p.m. Wednesdays, The ONE Church, 15601 E. 24th Ave., Spokane Valley. Support group utilizing tools and principles to help navigate relationships with addicts and finding peace, strength and hope. For more, call 590-2422. 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. Monday through Thursday; 10 a.m. to noon Tuesday and Thursday; 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday and Sunday. $3/seniors, $5/nonseniors. • Classes including Kenpo Karate, Taekwondo and Fit for YOUR Life. See hubsportscenter.org for cost and times. Liberty Lake Running Club | Meets at Liberty Lake Physical Therapy, 6:30 p.m. Thursdays through October. Weekly three mile run/walk. Earn T-shirt after six runs. Military Sobriety Support Group | 10 to 11:30 a.m., Spokane Vet Center, 13109 E. Mirabeau
The Splash Parkway, Spokane Valley. For more, call Steve at 893-4746. Mindful Music & Movement | 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Wednesdays, Willow Song Music Therapy Center, 21101 E. Wellesley #102, Otis Orchards. Specifically designed for those living with chronic health issues such as Parkinson’s, dementia, COPD, MS, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, cancer. $10 donation suggested. Facilitated by boardcertified music therapist, Carla Carnegie. For more, visit willowsongmusictherapy.com or call 592-7875.
CIVIC & BUSINESS Sept. 20 | Business Connections Breakfast – 7 to 9 a.m., Spokane Valley Event Center, 10514 E. Sprague Ave., Spokane Valley. Monthly gathering of the Greater Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce. For more or to register ($35 or $25 for members by Sept. 18), visit spokanevalleychamber. org. Oct. 11 | Live2Lead Simulcast – 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Eastpoint Event Center, 15303 E. Sprague Ave., Spokane Valley. Morning simulcast features speakers such as John Maxwell, Rachel Hollis and Marcus Buckingham followed by afternoon of practical followup led by local leaders. Early bird registration of $89 for just the morning simulcast or $109 for the full event closes Sept. 16 ($119 and $139 until Oct. 4). For more or to register, visit live2leadspokane. com. Oct. 16 | “Building Your Brand” Lunch and Learn – Noon to 1 p.m., Spokane Valley City Hall, 10210 E. Sprague Ave., Spokane Valley. Local marketing firm The Woodshop leads this free workshop. Wednesdays in September | SCORE Small Business Classes – Wednesday mornings, SBA Training Room, 801 W. Riverside Ave. 4th Floor, Spokane. Cost is $25 if pre-registered. SCORE Spokane offers a variety of low-cost workshops designed to encourage the success of emerging and small business owners. Free business
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mentoring is also available. For more, visit spokane.score.org. 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, 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 Lions Club | Noon to 1 p.m., every first and third Wednesday of each month at Barlows, 1428 N. Liberty Lake Road. For more, call Mary Jo at 558-5426. Liberty Lake Centennial Rotary Club | Noon to 1 p.m. every Thursday at the Liberty Lake Sewer and Water District building, 22510 E. Mission Ave. For more, visit LibertyLakeRotary.org. Liberty Lake Merchants Association | 11:30 a.m. Tuesdays, Liberty Lake Portal, 23403 E. Mission Ave., Suite 120. For more, call 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 | 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. Submit items for The Splash Community Calendar by the 10th of the previous month by emailing editor@libertylakesplash.com. Priority is given to noncommercial local events open to the public.
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Volume 1, Issue 1, Beta Release 1.3
December 26, 2001 local office have come out as “Pro lake
filling” while others are “Anti water Liberty Lake drinkers.” It is shaping up to be a top issue in the upcoming November expected to Warp in Space-Time Continuum Discovered at Dreamwood Bay election. curfew regulations upon DRIFT is said to require three of the Microsoft East Sprague, and an indidisappear by thehave Talking to the local historians this their return. vidual loosely affiliated a fairly complex sequence “Magic School Bus” softisn’t the first time our community has of parallel ware applications rift in the timeyear 2050 seen a lake disappear like this. Scientists conjectured that actions. space continuum of installed on her Compiled by Spoof Staff
A
According to the researchers at the home computer) the universe has True Legends school of amazing foods, said, “This finding been discovered in DreamLiberty Lake is expected to dry up by wood Bay. While some could well the year 2050.
to walls of when Barlows DRIFT began a Hall The pre-According of knowledge there was once a lake cise steps number of VPN tunnels known as Lake Lemonade that people were somehow misrouted involved flocked to each summer. But once by malfunctioning Linux were not validate Einstein’s local beachcombers and a houses were built all the way around it, Lead scientist Dr Burger Royal switches to Dreamwood released few members of the Friends theory of freeloadthe little lake started to drop. The town explained, “It’s just a matter of time Bay.it“Of course, we’re to thesurrounding ing relativeity.” of Pavillion Park budget tried to give it a less before the lake disappears like a drink not surebut about this,”decide one if Spoofappealing by committee have downname couldn’t of an ice cold soda. It’s just the natural scientist told the Spoof. local Sources tell the played the significance of they should describe it as Salty or Flat course of things. As soon as you have a “Dreamwood Bay doesn’t authorities Spoof that the this discovery, the Spoof so they ended up compromising on nice clean refreshing lake like Liberty even have its own IP for fear Dreamwood Bay has learned that several “Saltese Flats.” However, by that time Lake it’s bound to attract a bunch of address.” that LibRift, or “DRIFT”, scientists believe that this it was too late. The popularity was thirsty people.” LLSWD Officials have declined to “We need to start looking at erty Lake was identified by could well prove to be too much for the lake to handle and respond to attempts of uncovering While convoys of heavy water alternatives and educating people on teenagers The Spoof asked noted a watershed event, espeseveral indepenone day it dried up altogether and so the truth. Some people have taken to tankers have been spotted along the effects of drinking to much lake A Rift At Dreamwood Bay Russian physicist Dmitri woulddid the town at of Liberty Lake to start a ciallyLake considering themiddle drain-of dent sources leaving only the murals the streets Liberty Road in the water,” said protester Pep Si Cola. enshrined at Barlows and bed time Igorovich, to summarize attempt to age patterns of the surroughly the same Scientists have shown that idylllic Dreamwood campaign to refill the lake. the night headed towards the Lake, Even some of our candidates for stories behind. DRIFT for us. Dr. I said, replicate time. These rounding hills. Bay is in fact at the center of the known universe “Восстановлен утерянньгй sources include to help learn, about children. The labthe is steps, With support from state legislators, their high school years than any other disappear каталот. Исправлена One self-proclaimed scien- the Hubble space the sewerfilled district’s with cutting edge technology that school district and the funding contained with within in the state or nation. опибка, которая ошибка к for some telescope, Jennifer’s tist (who is not really annual leaf pickup. is capable of measuring the period quantityofoftime the fine print of the last Central The pilot which is and potentially a scientist but who does Greenacres on successful редкой.” ∞scheduled to start “midi-chlorians” in a child’s cells. violate Valley Auto SchoolSales District’s
Liberty Lake Elementary before the official opening of the new bond measure, enough money has According to Obi Wan, the newly school is being described as “Stay implements new been found to create a first of its kind named science professor at Ridgeline high towards the light,” says physics Master chemistry lab in the new Ridgline High High School, “those students who have teacher Yoda. “Identify the students we School. Unlike most chemistry labs screenings for higher level of midi-chlorians could be must, teach them I will.” the purpose of this lab was not only to deemed ‘Force-sensitive.’ An affliction After years of thumbing deep within the bowels ofWhile for theparents city ofare Liberty Lake of developing some concerned help children learn but is also designed the class of 2032assignment which is described as someone that with the and additional testing, others the committee. And thus kindred communities: through thesaureses, this fitting tag lines for the
Committee Suggests New Tag Lines For Liberty Lake
By Spoof Staff
T
heirs is an unenviable task. These thirteen volunteer members of the Spokane County TL Committee are tasked with the elusive
In This Issue Dreamwood Bay ............ 1 Tag Lines ....................... 1 Speaks Out.................... 2 Disclaimer...................... 2 Credits ........................... 2
neighborhoods and municipalities of our county. They toil not for glory, but for the betterment of our society. Yet, it is a lonely calling, fraught with criticism and armchair quarterbacking. “No one cuts us any slack,” one committee member told the Spoof. “In a preliminary report, we forgot to run the spell checker and ended up with ‘fiends
is keenly attuned to the flow of the
group is ready mysterious energy field known as ‘the to release theirForce.’” final report. A Force-sensitive’s powers could Eighty-nine lay dormant for a long time, with the boxes of person feeling something inside them donuts in the but never truly knowing what it was. making, the But once awoken a force sensitive final report could possess precognitive abilities, will be THE making their reflexes faster than others word on and with proper training could lead to approved tag more athletic and academic victories in lines for the county.
credited the new development to the key reason they moved to Liberty Lake. “Having advanced classes and support for students to learn more about the Force is the whole reason we moved our family across the galaxy” says the Skywalker family who is still looking for a home in the Liberty Lake area. According to Yoda, there is nothing to fear. “Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.”
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$1 Million item found at Liberty Lake Kiwanis Yard Sale Event
Censored park images released
The new trail camera at Rocky Hill Park has been catching some unbelievable footage but the most sensational footage has been kept quiet. In recently filed public records requests with the city the Spoof has obtained previously unreleased images which have us thinking, “Does Liberty Lake have a famous resident?” Believe it or not among the released images are several occasions the camera has caught what appears to be a 7.5 to 8 ft tall, hairy, ape-like man creature casually strolling through the park at just after dusk. While no one wants to go on the record with their name tied to these
salacious claims, words like “bigfoot” or “sasquatch” have been prevalent in discussions with neighbors surrounding the park. In fact, those that have seen it still can’t believe it. “I know I saw what I saw, but it doesn’t seem possible,” says one neighbor who wished to remain anonymous. “There have been several nights that I thought I have caught glimpses of a creature that resembled what could only be described as “Bigfoot.” One time I even seen him headed towards MeadowWood carrying a bag of golf clubs.” The Spoof was unable to ascertain whether other evidence has been collected, such as footprints or other samples that may pertain to accurately
identifying the “creature.” However, talking to a source on the Liberty Lake Parks Maintenance Crew, their morning maintenance routine does include collecting large quantities of hair and extra raking to cover large impressions which could be interpreted as foot prints. While most people still are hesitant to believe, the Spoof has learned that the Liberty Lake City Council have a joint meeting with experts during the upcoming Sasquatch Roundup, being held on August 31st in Spokane Valley. Some of the most experienced Sasquatch researchers and Bigfoot enthusiasts will be reviewing the footage for any clues that may lead to the capture of this elusive golf loving creature. More to follow as this story develops.
Read at your own risk. The Spoof, a fabricated satirical newspaper, is brought to you by A Time Out for Humor. These stories were deeply researched to bring a smile to your face. The Spoof uses invented names in all its stories, except in cases when public figures are being satirized. Any other use of real names is accidental and coincidental. All contributors are responsible for the content of their own material in respect to (but not limited to) copyright, libel and defamation. Please accept our apologies in advance on behalf of any contribution which has offended.
The 2019 Liberty Lake Kiwanis Yard Sale event started off like any other Liberty Lake Kiwanis Yard Sales with so many sales to be made and mass influx of people combing the streets of Liberty Lake in search of the best deals and treasures. However, this year unbeknownst to buyer or seller their lives would be changed forever. According to treasure seeker Indiana Jones he was looking for the strange and unusual but never misses the annual event. “I always come to Liberty Lake for the Yard Sale Event, but you have to come prepared.” Prepared to Jones means “like running from a rolling bolder or swinging over a snake pit you have to be ready for anything.” “You never know when you’re going to find the Holy Grail or the Arc of the Convenant,” says Jones. At this year’s event Jones scored an unopened mystery box at one sale for a mere $5, excited to get it home before discovering what treasures lay within. Jones took almost a week to remember to open the purchase but once re-discovered it was opened with astonishment. It was full of old baseball cards! Originally thinking that it was a bust, Jones took the box to the local recycling center where a fellow neighbor spotted a golden gem on the edge of the box. It was a Kevin Stocker rookie card. Jones not knowing what he may have discovered took the box in to a local card shop. Shop owner Walter Donovan couldn’t believe his eyes and tried to take the card from Jones by switching it with a Ken Griffey Jr. card (worth significantly less). However Jones wasn’t going to be fooled by the imposter card. The Kevin Stocker rookie card was later appraised at being worth $1 Million dollars, well worth the initial $5 investment. It goes to show you never know what you are going to find in the Liberty Lake Kiwanis Yard Sales!
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Business Droplets
ElectDgLibertyLake.com (509) 218-0199
Dear Liberty Lake Community! The significant characteristics of a community with strong values and a moral compass are its collective voice for good, the will to improve and grow, and the confidence it places in its leaders who share those values and ideals. I have a proven record of being respectful, responsible, fair, and honest. I will be an effective voice for a community that promotes ethical, accountable, and responsible leadership. The kind of leadership that listens and supports what is in the best interest of the entire community. I am committed to bringing that type of leadership to Liberty Lake. It would be a privilege to represent Liberty Lake.
I would be honored to receive your VOTE on November 5, 2019.
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Paid for by Citizens for Progress 1324 N. Liberty Lake Road #113, Liberty Lake, WA 99019
Local wine recognized nationally
The grapes for this wine were the first harvested for the 2016 vintage, which was also the first year that Mark and Sarah Lathrop took over Liberty Lake Wine Cellars as the new owners. This would make the 16’ Syrah Reserve the first wine produced by the new owners and winemakers from start to finish. “A rating as high as this one is a rare occurrence and shows that we are doing things the right way. The recognition is definitely a morale boost as we go into our biggest harvest yet,” Mark Lathrop said. The critically acclaimed 16’ vintage sold out within the week of the rating announcement by Wine Spectator.
LL couple opens second River City location
intersects with Flora. Liberty Lake resident Jacqueline Barnard, who purchased River City in 2016 along with her husband, Phillip, said the second location takes up 1,250 square feet of a new building developed by Bo Chalich and Scott Conant. River City celebrated a joint grand opening with neighbor Genus Brewing & Supply Aug. 24, and the building has space available for a future third tenant.
Liberty Lake Wine Cellars 2016 Reserve Syrah was awarded the top score among all Washington wines reviewed in the September issue of Wine Spectator, a popular industry periodical with a circulation of 400,000. Unlike many other competitions and review forums, Wine Spectator does not accept unsolicited entries, and only upon their request is a winery allowed to submit wines for review. Their request only came after the 16’ Reserve Syrah was awarded a 90 (out of 100) rating by Sean Sullivan of Wine Enthusiast, another industry periodical known for wine reviews.
River City Pizza is aiming for another slice of the greater Spokane Valley pizza market. The longtime Otis Orchards establishment opened a second location Aug. 19 at 17018 E. Sprague Ave. in Spokane Valley, where Sprague
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Weekly Girls Basketball Skills Camp Classes are held on Sunday at the Warehouse Athletic Facility 800 N Hamilton St., Spokane, WA $20.00 per session and payment will be made monthly or per session.
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Instructional Classes offered
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Student of the Month Those who know Central Valley senior Scott Howard will tell you they are the fortunate ones. “Scott is a ray of sunshine,” said CV counselor Kara Twining. “He has a smile for everyone he sees. Nothing gets Scott down. He may get frustrated but none of the negative stuff sticks to him.” Howard was a key contributor to CV’s Unified Sports state basketball championship last season. He also plays on the Unified Sports football team. The senior is the team manager for CV varsity baseball and is part of ASB leadership. “Scott wants to do well at everything he participates in,” Twining said. “He talks about the good things in his life.” A walk through the halls, finds Howard cheering up others with his signature grin and enthusiastic greeting. “He’s the guy who’s going to high five everyone,” Twining said.
Athlete of the Month When the Central Valley girls’ volleyball team begins the 2019 season at Mt. Spokane on Sept. 10, Lora FitzGerald will be front and center – literally. The senior middle blocker returns as a critical component to a Bears’ campaign in an always competitive Greater Spokane League. FitzGerald brings club volleyball experience to the CV squad as well as an intimidating force at the net after earning her first varsity letter last season. In basketball, FitzGerald was a valuable reserve off the Bears’ bench during the 201919 season, reinforcing the team’s rebounding presence and interior defense. CV won its fourth straight GSL championship and placed sixth at state. In the classroom, FitzGerald maintains a 3.2 grade point average and is part of the Biomedical Club as well as Knowledge Bowl. She attends St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Spokane Valley.
Citizen of the Month Growing up in rural Montana gave Mike Andriolo the sort of small-town values that have carried over to the rest of his life. “Everyone knows everyone and when you walk down the street, you wave and say, ‘hi,’” he said. An inaugural member of the Liberty Lake Kiwanis, Andriolo currently serves as treasurer. He has been a Kiwanian since 1976 and is past president of the Kalispell, Montana chapter. “Mike is always there to serve his community,” said Liberty Lake Mayor Steve Peterson, a fellow Kiwanian. “He’s tireless in contributing to Kiwanis.” Andriolo worked 47 years in the electric utility industry. He serves as a lector at St. Joseph’s Church in Otis Orchards. Mike and his wife Diana recently celebrated 53 years of marriage. They are proud parents of four kids and have 11 grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
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About and for Liberty Lake seniors
Franks honored for 35 years as volunteer By Nina Culver Splash Contributor
Spokane Valley resident Jane Franks was recently honored for her 35 years volunteering at the Spokane Valley Senior Center, and she has no plans to stop. The senior center board presented her with a plaque and flowers during a surprise ceremony that her family was invited to attend. “I cried,” Franks said. “I came in to play bridge.” Franks has lived in the Spokane area for decades. She left for a few years in the ‘80s to work in the Seattle area but came back and bought a house in Spokane Valley.
“I thought to get acquainted with people I’m going to have to volunteer somewhere,” she said. She volunteered at Spokane Valley Hospital and with Car Cares in addition to coming to the senior center. “I was a senior, and I thought I’d get acquainted with people my age,” she said. She served on the board for 12 of her 35 years, but cut back on her volunteering a couple years ago when a family member was diagnosed with cancer. But she still runs the front desk every Monday. “It just seems like part of my life,” she said. “It keeps me busy.
Photo by Nina Culver Jane Franks, 92, was recently surprised by the Spokane Valley Senior Center with a ceremony honoring her 35 years of volunteer service to the organization.
At 92 years old, if I sat down and put my feet up I wouldn’t be able to walk, probably.” Spokane Valley Senior Center Association board member Joan Stevens said having a longtime volunteer like Franks around is invaluable. “The history that that woman has in her memory is phenomenal,” Stevens said. “She’s been the president, the treasurer, the secretary.” Franks was also around when the senior center moved from its old location on Mission Avenue next to Mission Park into the CenterPlace building at 2426 N. Discovery Place, where the senior center has its own wing. Stevens said she volunteers as a substitute receptionist when needed. “She was my trainer,” she said of Franks. “I can’t tell you how important she is. If anyone has any questions, go see Jane. Jane will know.” The nonprofit doesn’t have any paid staff. “We’re a volunteer organization,” Stevens said. “It’s the volunteers who do all the work. These ladies and gentlemen that coordinate the activities are really who run it.” Franks comes to the center three or four times a week to play bridge. “A lot of my friends have a foursome at their house,” she said. “I play lots of bridge. It really keeps me busy and keeps me thinking.” She also likes to stop in and have the lunch that is served every weekday at 11:30 a.m. by Greater Spokane County Meals on Wheels. “The menus are all really good,” she said. Stevens said the senior center has a lot to offer. There are a lot of games scheduled every week, including table tennis, billiards, chess, dominos, scrabble, cribbage, Wii bowling, mahjongg and Texas Hold ‘Em. There’s a book club, a knitting and crochet group, dances and support groups. The center also hosts Act 2 classes for seniors that are put on by Spokane Community
College. But there’s no question about what is the most popular. “It’s got to be bridge and pinochle,” Stevens said. “Those are big.” There’s also a large library on the second floor. “You just go in and take whatever you want and keep it as long as you want,” Stevens said. The Spokane Valley Senior Center is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays. Annual dues are $25 per person or $45 per couple. The suggested donation for the daily lunch is $5. Stevens said the center is a draw for women, who tend to be more social, but it can also fill an important role for men who can drop in and play cards or pool or just chat. She said she spoke to one man recently who had just moved to the area to be near family but needed something to do during the day. He took an extensive tour one day and stayed for lunch. He was hooked. He became a regular – browsing the library, having lunch, chatting in the lobby. “For the first three weeks he came every day,” she said. “I was very happy to see he wasn’t going to be alone.” Franks sees volunteering at the front desk once a week as her way of giving back to an organization that has led to several close friendships. It also gives her a chance to chat with other members as they come and go. “It wouldn’t be good for me to sit at home by myself,” she said. “I’d miss all these folks if I didn’t come in and pay back by volunteering one day.” Franks is quick to recommend that people come in to the senior center even if they don’t think of themselves as a senior citizen yet. “We have lots of 50-year-olds join,” she said. “That’s the youngest they can be. You’d be surprised how many friends you’ll make.”
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CV harriers look to maintain winning stride By Craig Howard Splash Contributing Editor
How does an elite cross country program respond when six of its top seven contributors are lost to graduation? It keeps on running. Such is the case with this year’s Central Valley boys’ cross country team, second in the state 4A ranks last season and qualifiers for Nike Cross Nationals. Many standouts from the 2018 squad now dot college rosters, including Ryan Kline (University of Idaho), Joe Nicholls (Western Washington), Evan Peters (Portland State) and Sheamus Mahoney (Seattle Pacific). Undaunted, second-year head coach Geoff Arte said this year’s Bears will be right in the thick of the Greater Spokane League race. “That class was so good,” Arte says of the group that earned three 4A runner-up trophies and appeared at the national meet twice. “Overall, it’s the best group that’s gone through Central Valley. It’s rare to have that many kids that
good in one class, but it also means we have guys now who’ve never had that chance yet because varsity was so good.” Senior Tyler Hunter (19th at state last year and possessor of a 4:19 personal record in the mile) returns, as does junior Alex Wright who brings some varsity experience and a 4:21 p.r. in the mile. Fellow junior Caleb Kartchner logged one varsity race last season. Hunter, a Liberty Lake resident like many on the team, says the Bears not showing up on any preseason poll will provide a little extra motivation. “It doesn’t surprise me that people aren’t expecting much from us, but we’ve got guys who can run just as fast as the guys who graduated,” Hunter said. Overall, 22 senior harriers moved on with the class of 2019, including 15 of the team’s top 20. “A lot of people think we’re going to be down,” said Arte, who took over for Kieran Mahoney at the start of last year. “Well, of course it’s
going to be different when you lose most of the guys who were second at state for three years in a row – but we’re still going to be good.” Arte’s expectation is part of an established culture that has melded one of the top prep running programs in the nation. CV has advanced to the state race in Pasco for a decade straight. The run includes a 4A crown in 2012. Arte has picked up where Mahoney left off, guiding a program that draws as many as 60 to 70 participants each fall. “It may be a rebuilding season, but the base is still there,” said Arte, who ran at Gonzaga Prep and for Regis University in Denver. Arte says the Bears should battle North Central and Lewis and Clark for GSL supremacy. CV will get an early test on a larger stage at the Mountain West Classic in Missoula on Sept. 29. CV girls focused on state With only two state bids available this season out of the 4A region, the Central Valley girls’ cross country team knows it will need to be at its best to run in Pasco. Head coach Doug Pecha says the squad is ready for the challenge.
Photo by Craig Howard The Central Valley boys’ cross country program has competed in the state 4A meet for 10 consecutive years. Despite losing 15 of its top 20 runners to graduation, the Bears return a strong squad, including (from left to right): Joseph Lopez, Owen Christensen, Caleb Jerdon, Tyler Hunter, Ethan Sheneman and Alex Wright.
“We definitely have a goal of state this year,” said Pecha, who took over for longtime coach Dennis McGuire last season. “They are really motivated to take that next step to get there. We’re in this as a team.” The Bears took third in a competitive GSL last year but were edged by Ferris for the last slot to state, despite beating the Saxons in the regular season. CV loses Aly Tolman – now running at Weber State – from the class of 2019. Senior Olivia Sine, a state qualifier last year, returns as a catalyst for a CV squad that counts North Central (3A state champs in 2018) and Lewis and Clark (4A runner-up) as the primary competition for the GSL title. “Olivia will definitely be up there,” Pecha said. “She’ll be tough. She’s our leader.” Fellow senior Anessa Yim, a fixture on varsity the past few seasons, will also be a key to this year’s team, Pecha said. CV will be bolstered by a strong junior class that includes Liberty Lake residents Savannah Pratt, Chloe Bryntensen and Sarah Pecha, who all migrated from soccer to cross country. Top sophomores include Fiona Hart, who emerged as the squad’s No. 1 runner for a time last year, and transfers Kylee Shakespeare and Kennedy Shakespeare from Rogers-Puyallup. Both placed at the state 4A race last season. Like Arte, Pecha makes it a point to publicize running as a fun team sport. “We get about 50 to 60 kids out,” he said. “I think a lot of it has to do with promoting cross country at the school and in the community.” The Bears will open the GSL schedule on Sept. 18 with a dual meet against Ferris and Gonzaga Prep at Finch Arboretum. “That’s an important meet for us,” Pecha said. “We’re looking forward to it.”
The Splash
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Reflections from the slow lane By Mike Vlahovich The Final Point
A few weeks ago, the traffic heading north up Pines Road was bumper to bumper. Only by an act of God were we able to make a green light quickly after getting our take-out at Jack in the Box and squeeze through the jam to get to the on-ramp headed eastbound on the freeway. It was bumper-to-bumper until we got past Liberty Lake, and even then it was crowded all the way to Post Falls, where we exited. It got me to thinking. Sixty years ago, we lived just one block off Sprague Avenue on Moffatt Road. We could walk to the long-since demolished Opportunity Grade School on a railroad track that ran parallel to Sprague. There was no freeway. Sprague was the east-to-west equivalent of a four-lane I-90. As patrol boys, we fifth- and sixth-graders had the power to stop cars and let classmates cross a street. That couldn’t happen today. Liberty Lake was out in the country, and it seemed to take forever to get there for a swim. Today, the Valley is incorporated, and Liberty Lake is a burgeoning city. West Valley back then was likely
Sports Scoreboard
Spokane Valley Women’s Evening Golf League August 8 Results Flight A – Gross, Diane Perry, 46; Net, Laurie Stewart, 37 Flight B – Gross, Gail Bailey, 50; Net, Sue Dotson, 34 Flight C – Gross, Eunie Hubble, 54; Net, Sandy Nowaski, 38 Flight D – Gross, Nancy Moore, 74 Team Best Ball – 43 (Sue Dotson, Teresa Kelsey, Lisa Pounds and Valerie Hartfield) August 14 Results Flight A – Gross, Nancy
the Valley’s largest school. Central Valley was still rural, and there was no University. Tiny Otis Orchards High would combine geographically with WV students to create East Valley in the early ‘60s. Riding in jammed traffic from Pines to Post Falls for some reason brought back sporting memories when I was a child and sometimes tagged along to games with my dad. I became hooked. I can still vision Duane Ranniger racing down the football field where Greenacres Middle School is today -- the jersey tail flapping behind making him look even faster. The three-sport star would go on to play basketball at Washington State and coach basketball at WV. The apple doesn’t fall from the tree. Like his dad, Steve Ranniger was a threesport U-Hi star, going on to play basketball at Oregon. He was joined at U-Hi by Bill Ames III, whose grandfather was a CV principal and dad and uncle were Bears athletes. Bill junior was coach and activities coordinator at U-Hi. His son would play football at the University of Washington. Guys like Jim Hepton and Ed Luedtke were WV superstars back in the day. The former played at WSU; the latter was a pro baseball pitcher. Players like those were bigger-than-
Harter, 48; Net, Dorene Meltingtallow, 34 Flight B – Gross, Kathleen Burns, 60; Net, Monica Batts, 42 Flight C – Gross, Sandy Noaski, 61; Net, Kim Sellars, 41 Flight D – Gross, Melissa Poe, 67; Net, Gerri Vance, 44 No Handicap – Mary Plummer, 61 Longest Drive – Kallie McGilley (Flight A), Lisa Pounds (Flight B), Beverly Rihn (Flight C), Melissa Poe (Flight D) August 21 Results Flight A – Gross, Nancy Harter, 42; Net, Kallie McGilley, 31
life to a small youngster. I’ve been asked after living here since 1948 and spending 40-plus years as a prep sportswriter who the best Valley athlete was. But the names, like the bumper-to-bumper traffic, crowd my brain. The number of school sports offered has nearly quadrupled. Women have taken their place beside the men. There have been innumerable state championship teams and college standout individuals to count. Just a couple examples are the Hull sisters from Central Valley’s dominant girls basketball program who are at Stanford. They are third generation Bear collegians. EV’s Mike Shill shattered state track weights records and stood out on his father Bob’s football teams. U-Hi pole vaulting standout Brad Walker holds the world’s eighth-best height. But two who hold a soft spot in my memory stand out despite being troubled souls. Who knows how far Gary Martz and John Chamberlin might have gone? In 1968-69, Martz quarterbacked West Valley to a Border League championship (although East Valley did shock the Eagles in the next-tolast game of the season). I learned only recently my future boss and then-Knights student, Jeff Jordan, and a friend painted graffiti at their school to fire up the Knights’ football players.
Flight B – Gross, Tracey Lawson, 54; Net, Monica Batts and Terrie Schucht, 35 Flight C – Gross, Eunie Hubble, 58; Net, Catherine McNamara, 37 Flight D – Gross, Melissa Poe, 64; Net, Gerri Vance and Nancy More, 40 Trailhead Ladies 9-Hole Golf Club July 24 White Tees Flight A - Gross, Shelia Kellmer, 47; Net, Caoly Oyler, 35 Flight B - Gross, Ann Parman, 53; Net, Judi Hander, 37 Flight C - Gross, Jeannine Robillard, 57; Net, Eleanore Badinger, 40
Martz led the Eagles to a surprising trip to the big school state basketball tournament regionals. They knocked off five of six City League schools that winter, with Martz averaging some 17 points per game. He capped his WV career winning the district baseball tournament and upset City League champion Rogers. Martz would have a professional baseball stint, but his volatility became his downfall. Chamberlin was also a standout three-sport, three-year varsity athlete from 1983-85, years that produced arguably the best overall group of bigtime athletes at all schools in Valley history. They were also hard-living. U-Hi finished third and fourth at state, and basketball was not necessarily his forte. What stands out in my mind today was a seemingly impossible one-handed catch of a deflected pass that continued U-Hi’s road to state. Football was Chamberlin’s sport. He played briefly at Arizona State, but who knows how far football could have taken. Hard living took its toll. He died approaching age 40. Maybe life in the slow lane isn’t so bad. Final Point columnist Mike Vlahovich spent more than four decades covering prep sports in the greater Spokane Valley.
Chip In – Jan Viegas July 31 White Tees (President’s Cup)Flight A - Gross, Marilyn Lukes, 54; Net, Linda Kern, 40 Flight B - Gross, Deanna Hauser, 51; Net, Bunny Devenere, 38 Flight C - Gross, Jae Leeson, 63; Net, Elaine Lukes, 41 Birdie – Joanie Koch July 31 Red Tees (President’s Cup) Flight A - Gross, Carol Oyler, 47; Net, Kathleen Kennedy, 35 Flight B - Gross, Judi Hander, 53; Net, Kristy Bartlett, 33 Flight C - Gross, Gayle Carlson, 44; Net, Margie Frett, 33
30
The Splash
The Splash
HISTORY
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BUSINESS
Trailbreaker ‘making ugly apples happy’ in LL By Linda Ball Splash Contributor
Even before the summer grand opening, Trent Maier, one of the owners of the new Trailbreaker Cider, had been booking up to two to four events per day at the facility. With a capacity of 299 people, the facility at 2204 N. Madson St. is proving to be a great space for large groups or parties. But it’s really about the cider. Maier said hard cider is anything but a new trend, calling it the most popular beverage in the United States for 200 years, with our founding fathers making and drinking it. Thousands of beer breweries sprung up in the U.S. led by German immigrants who had brew masters. Then came prohibition, and everything changed. Now cider is back. Maier said hard ciders occupy approximately one-third of the tap space at bars in Europe, Australia and South Africa and is now trending upward in the states. “There is more cider sold than IPAs in this country,” Maier said. “This is the fastest growing alcohol brand, fastest in the industry.” Trailbreaker Cider is a family affair. Maier’s wife, Stacie, her brother Brian Augdahl and his wife Stephanie Augdahl are the other partners, although Trent Maier is the one you will most likely meet
at Trailbreaker Cider. The Maiers and Brian Augdahl are all electrical engineers, and Stephanie Augdahl is an attorney. Trent and Brian still have a small engineering firm, Augdahl-Maier Power Solutions and Services, based in Pullman. Trent Maier and his father-in-law, Roger Augdahl, pretty much built the cidery on their own. Trent was the general contractor on the building, and Augdahl had been a general contractor in Alaska and is a jack-of-all-trades, according to his son-in-law. The two men designed the building and did most of the work themselves. Trent Maier said building the mezzanine was the most complicated part. One of the most striking elements is the bar, which Maier and Liberty Boardworks made from epoxy and Pacific Yew wood, which looks like a river. All told, they have an investment of around $1.5 million, but they already had some of the equipment. Pullman is where it all began when Trent Maier started Whiskey Barrel Cider Company as a hobby while in college. As the name suggests, he was aging his cider in whiskey barrels. The operation was near the Pullman-Moscow Regional Airport, which needed the property for runway expansion, so after eight years of operation he sold it and moved to Liberty Lake because of
Photos by Linda Ball Trent Maier is one of the family partners behind Trailbreaker Cider, which opened this summer in Liberty Lake.
proximity to both Spokane and Coeur d’Alene -- and the fact that Stephanie was hired to work at Avista. Maier is happy with the decision because Trailbreaker has been well received in Liberty Lake. Trailbreaker is technically a licensed winery; the big difference is that instead of pressing grapes it presses apples. Fermentation, which takes about three months, occurs in 2,000-gallon fermentation tanks. To create different flavors, more like a brewery, the cider is placed in “bright tanks” where it may be blended with juices, spices or other flavors such as blood orange puree, fresh mint or other ingredients you would find in a recipe. Maier has a little experience with that, too, taking off time from engineering to complete culinary school at South Seattle College. Trailbreaker is a sulfite-free facility and uses zero additives and preservatives. “We use a very organic process, carefully regulating so we can assure a shelf-stable product,” Maier said. From apple to finished product, all happens in the new building, which will operate year-round. It takes in 40,000 to 80,000 pounds of apples every month. Maier said Trailbreaker is willing to spend a little more on apples in order to support the apple farmers. He said he also uses less than perfect apples, which he said is “making ugly apples happy.” Maier thinks cider is more interesting than wine or beer. It’s not very sweet, he said, and he has dozens of recipes. Not only that, but the alcohol content is much less than wine or beer, between 5 and 7 percent. None of Trailbreaker’s ciders are more than 7 percent
The Splash
alcohol content, although some ciders can have a higher alcohol content, similar to wine. With 14 ciders currently on tap, the variety includes Left Turn, a non-carbonated cider similar to a dry white wine, Blackberry, Citrus Cucumber, Fubarb, Whiskey Barrel and even a Bubbly. The price for a pint at the bar averages $6, with growler fills around $15. Trailbreaker also serves simply executed but tasty fare, including brats, sausages and a salad bar. Chef Ben Lockett is in charge of the kitchen, with plans to add on to the menu as the business grows. For events, Maier is open to a customer bringing in an outside caterer for a nominal fee. Whiskey Barrel Cider is canned and sold in four-packs at retail stores, including Total Wine. Trailbreaker also produces four non-alcoholic juices. Maier said the new facility is family-friendly, and dogs can enjoy the outdoor space, which he plans to expand to include a dog-park-like area. Trailbreaker Cider presently employs 12 people, including Maier, but he expects that to ramp up to 20 within the year as he expects to see more business from retail stores. Trailbreaker Cider is open daily from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. (to 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday).
The Splash
33
Kaminskas, Stanley advance out of primary
Phil Folyer and Dg Garcia; Council Position No. 3 between incumbent Dan Dunne and Holly Woodruff; and Council Position No. 5 between current Council Member Bob Moore and Annie Kurtz.
From Splash News Sources Incumbent Cris Kaminskas (46.5 percent) and Tom Stanley (37.3 percent) advanced to the November general election in the race of Liberty Lake City Council Position No. 7. Challenger Jeanette Marie Nall was the odd candidate out with 18.3 percent of the vote. Kaminskas and Stanley will join four other city of Liberty Lake races on the general election ballot: the mayor’s race between incumbent Steve Peterson and Shane Brickner; Council Position No. 1 between
Eye Exams Without the Air Puff!
Other results that appeared on some or all Liberty Lake ballots included: • Spokane Valley Fire Department Commissioner Position No. 1: Incumbent Patrick Burch (40.8 percent) and Bradley Mertens (32.7 percent) advanced to the November general election, while Randall Bean received 24.9 percent of the vote. • Spokane County Library D i s t r i c t Proposition 1: A small levy increase was approved by 55 percent of voters, helping fund maintenance and operations.
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34
The Splash
BLOOM: Inspiring self-growth in women
Liberty Lake woman’s ‘mom tribe’ connects nationwide community of moms By Keith Erickson Splash Contributor
Kelsy McHenry was emotionally drained by a chronic mystery illness that plagued her teenage daughter in 2016. Stretched thin by nearly 100 doctors’ visits that included 27 specialists across Washington, the mother of three says she needed to find herself again. “My former self -- happy, inspired and motivated — had become lost in the painful, stressful process,” McHenry recalls. “I needed to search for myself again.” Growing back into her former happy self would not be an overnight occurrence, McHenry said. Rather, it would be a journey.
That journey evolved into a movement she calls BLOOM (By Lovin On Ourselves More). “I realized that as my daughter was slowly recovering, it was time to bloom again,” she said. Founded in September 2016, BLOOM began as a weekend conference to help other women and moms find an inspiring place to learn, connect and grow while taking much-needed time for themselves. Since that first “momference” in Portland, Ore., McHenry has gone on to host two more successful events in San Diego and, last May, in Atlanta. “These events proved that women
Submitted photo Kelsy McHenry of Liberty Lake is the founder of BLOOM, a community of moms supporting and empowering one another.
“BLOOM mom tribe is an online community of moms
who support and empower each other to realize their dreams and chase their passions, allowing them to take better care of themselves on the inside AND the outside.”
--Founder Kelsy McHenry need their tribe, whether they are a stay-at-home mom, working mama, fur mom or just someone who ‘mothers’ their partner,” McHenry said. BLOOM’s focus as mom tribe is to impact as many women as possible while giving them the tools and time needed to be inspired and motivated, as well as offering the chance for them to recharge their batteries or even find themselves again. “We’re an organization that connects a community of moms across the country, allowing them to support and empower each other,” said the 50-year-old McHenry. “BLOOM partners with its leaders in various cities across the nation to bring together women online to share their stories, their parenting journeys, highs and lows and all that motherhood encompasses,” she said. Aside from the national conferences, BLOOM organizes “pop-up” tours at cities across the country. These get-togethers are dubbed as a one-of-a-kind ladies’ night out and provide an opportunity for attendees to break away from their monotonous daily routines to experience camaraderie. The last pop-up held in Seattle in May was a huge success, McHenry said. The next is planned right in her own back yard at Legacy Ridge Park in Liberty Lake on Sept. 20 from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Speakers will include fitness speaker Angela Rypien, author Vesta Hager, and life coach Molly Kreyssler. Rypien, of Coeur d’Alene, is the daughter of former NFL quarterback Mark Rypien and founder of FIT4MOM, a leading prenatal and postnatal fitness program, providing fitness classes and a network of moms to support every stage of motherhood. “Our pop-ups are designed to create an unforgettable weekend that gives moms and their friends the opportunity to travel and explore beautiful cities, meet and connect
with other like-minded ladies and to be celebrated, inspired and motivated,” McHenry said. The goal of the getaways, she adds, is to provide a mini-vacation where participants can be reenergized and refreshed and ready to take on the world. “I want them to feel celebrated,” she said. There are no restrictions for women interested in joining the BLOOM tribe. “Whether you’re a mom to kids, a dog or your career (or maybe you just mother your spouse), we’re here to connect you online and in person,” McHenry said. “Our mission is to inspire and motivate.” Excited about the future of her organization, McHenry recently added a vice president, Christine Pochily of Boston, to help her with growth. Past national conferences have attracted about 125 women, and she’s hoping to have up to 500 attend the next event. “Our heart and passion is to align with the common ‘hood (motherhood) that all moms share,” she said. “Mothers need a community to remind us of who we are, and we deserve an experience that can leave us refreshed to be that best version of ourselves and to thrive and survive in this parenting gig.” A mother of three, McHenry says her daughter overcame her mystery illness. Doctors finally diagnosed the ailment as Lyme Disease and her daughter, MaryKate, who is now a 17-year-old senior at Gonzaga Prep, has made a full recovery. “It’s been an amazing personal journey for me,” McHenry said. “To have it all evolve into something so wonderful to inspire women from all walks of life is so fulfilling!” To learn more, sign up for the weekly newsletter and receive conference updates inspiration messages, visit bloommomtribe. com.
The Splash
35
Folds of Honor Patriot Golf Day Tournament
SVFD Report From Current News Sources
Spokane Valley Fire Department crews responded to a total of 103 emergency calls in the greater Liberty Lake area* from July 15 – August 15, 2019 • Emergency Medical Services
73
• Motor Vehicle Accidents
4
• Fires
Friday, September 13, 1-7 pm MeadowWood Golf Course 24501 E. Valleyway, Liberty Lake
11
• Dispatched and Cancelled En Route 2 • Building Alarms
7
• Hazardous Materials
3
• Vehicle Fires
2
• Technical Rescue
1
Illegal Burn – July 28 – Spokane Valley Fire Water Rescue Crews responded to a call July 28, 8:06 p.m. about a possible Illegal Burn down by the beach. The call reference S Alpine Drive/S Liberty Drive at a neighboring house with a fire in the backyard along the beach. Crews were dispatched and an investigation of the circumstances established. Crews found on arrival what would normally be a legal and safe recreational fire. The commercially purchased fire ring with mesh lid was appropriately distanced from any combustibles and a garden hose was at the ring. The owner was advised that a fire ban had been placed 4 days ago and the type of fire enclosure that he was using was not approved. Handouts were given to several in attendance. The fire was extinguished by homeowner while firefighters were on scene. Haz Mat Investigation – July 24 – Spokane Valley Fire Department (SVFD) responded to a call July 24, 4:45 p.m. regarding a smell coming from the front of a garage near the dead end of N Kari Lane. The caller identified themselves as the occupant of the home and stated, he was sitting on a couch in the garage when he smelled a strong odor of sewer gas, and that a neighbor who was in the back yard of this residence also smelled the same odor. Firefighters investigated the area in the garage where he smelled the odor but they did not detect any odors. The occupant confirmed the odor was
no longer present. Crews then investigated the back yard and found no odors there at first, but did smell a faint odor that resembled sewer gas for a brief time. The crew was unable to locate the source of the odor as it quickly dissipated. The odor did not return and without being able to locate any hazards present, crews returned to service recommending a call to the local sewer company if the smell returned. Vehicle Fire – August 3 – Spokane Valley Fire Department responded to a report of a vehicle fire on August 3, 3:39 p.m. near the Liberty Lake Yokes Plaza. Smoke was seen coming from the hood of the vehicle and called into dispatch. The passengers of the vehicle had all evacuated and were not harmed. The vehicle was smoking from the engine compartment with no extension into the passenger compartment. The tires were chalked to prevent rolling, the bumper line was pulled, and the engine compartment was opened for evaluation and to cool down the car. No one was harmed. Once safety was established crews returned to service. Brush Fire, High Response– August 5 – Spokane Valley Fire Department (SVFD) responded to a brush fire on August 5, 4:31 p.m. near South Lakeside Road. A caller reported seeing lots of smoke on the west end of the lake near the ridge possibly up the ridge west of the lake. The caller was at the Mackenzie Natural Area when they saw the smoke.. When firefighters arrived they saw smoke but did not locate any fire. They thought it might be from the Lance Road fire from a few
days before. There was smoke in the hills coming in from out of the area but no signs of new fire. Crews returned to service after verifying there was not a fire threat. Spokane Valley Fire Department Open House, Saturday, September 28, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., 2411 N. Pioneer, SVFD Fire Training Center – SVFD is hosting their Annual Fall Open House. The open house is a great opportunity for families to learn fire safety, children to interact with a firefighter, and adults to check on their health. SCOPE will be on hand to help with child ID cards, Firefighters will teach life saving techniques, Rescue 3 will have their Huey helicopter available, live demonstrations will occur, and David’s Pizza and Umpqua ice cream will be there to keep everyone fed and cool. Come down to the fire training center and meet your local firefighting crews.
Shotgun Start, 1:00 pm Dinner to follow Awards will be presented to top teams and individuals for long drive and close-to-the-pin Various sponsor levels Registration includes green fees, cart and dinner: $500 per team or $125 per individual BEHIND EVERY WAVING FLAG, THERE ARE THOUSANDS FOLDED
Folds of Honor provides educational scholarships for the children and spouses of military men and women killed or disabled in service to America. Since 2007, Patriot Golf Day has been our number one source of financial support. Help us continue to change lives through the game of golf by participating in your courses’ Patriot Golf Day.
About SVFD Spokane Valley Fire Department serves the City of Spokane Valley, City of Liberty Lake, City of Millwood and the surrounding unincorporated areas of Spokane County with a combined population of 125,000 across 75 square miles. SVFD firefighters and paramedics responded to more than 17,280 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. For more information about Spokane Valley Fire Department, visit www.spokanevalleyfire.com. Follow us @spokanevalleyfire on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube.
Call us today to register your team: Craig Whiting at (509)869-8650 or Duane Tait at (509)280-2797 Mulitple Sponsorship Opportunities available! Call us today!
LOCAL LENS
36
The Splash
THE NEIGHBORHOOD SOUND Submit your special moment to publisher@libertylakesplash.com
Photo by Toivo Mykkanen Small bobcat caught on game camera 1.25 miles south of Liberty Lake.
Photos Submitted at The HUB! n Summer fu
Submitted Photo A couple weeks ago my dau ghters (Miley & Macey) and I went on a bike ride to Pavilion Park for som e On our way home (Rocky Hil fun! l) we were surprised to be pulled over by our local Liberty Lake police officer, Officer Bogenreif. He came out of his car...lights flashing saying “yo look like you could use som u ladies e ice cream!” They were so excited rewarded for wearing their to be hel They don’t know riding a bik mets. e scooter without a helmet on. or It’s natural to them! Thank you LLPD for the sw eet treat! Samantha Motz
Thank you to all the competitors that came out this weekend!! There was hard fought cornhole but these teams rose to the top!! Congrats to our winners!! Mini Baggers: 1st Place - Bag Guys - Benjamin Struab and Nicholas Hernandez 2nd Place - Double Trouble - Maira Frank and Addison Powers 3rd Place - Holey Moley - Caden and Kennedy Schutz Couple of Baggers: 1st Place - Tipsy Tosser -Ryan and Jessie Huffey 2nd Place - Happy Days - Kevin and Beth Cunningham 3rd Place - Last Name Snavely - Joe Snavely and Mary Snavely Sandbagger: 1st Place - Courne Supremacy - Eric Weizs and Ryan Huffey 2nd Place - Happy Days - Kevin and Beth Cunningham 3rd Place - Brothers of Corn - Eli Snavely and Austin Snavely
The Splash
37 THE
LIBERTY LAKE
DEBBIE
COMMUNITY NEWSMAGAZINE
EDITOR/PUBLISHER
ben@libertylakesplash.com
CO OWNER
Danica Wick
danica@libertylakesplash.com
OFFICE MANAGER
Paula Gano paula@libertylakesplash.com
GRAPHICS
Randy Edwards randy@libertylakesplash.com
CIRCULATION Larry Passmore circulation@libertylakesplash.com CONTRIBUTORS
Linda Ball, Craig Howard, Ross Schneidmiller, Keith Erickson Mike Vlahovich, Josh Johnson, Nina Culver, Ed Joy The Liberty Lake Splash P.O. Box 363 Liberty Lake, WA 99019 Phone: 242-7752 www.libertylakesplash.com The Splash is published monthly by or before the first of each month. It is distributed free of charge to every business and home in the greater Liberty Lake area. Additional copies are located at drop-off locations in Liberty Lake and Otis Orchards.
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metastasized and caused her spine to fracture. While the doctors seem very optimistic they can get the cancer into remission, it has shaken the family pretty hard. Clearly Debbie isn’t able to work and her husband of 27 years has been there for her missing large amounts of work as well. The family has setup a gofundme site (https:// www.gofundme.com/f/6b9rddebbie039s-cancer-battle/donate) to try and help with basic bills as well as medical costs to try to manage the stress through the healing process. According to Debbie’s sister who is spearheading the efforts to help the family, “Anything helps even in small amounts or even prayers would be a blessing as well.”
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ON THAT NOTE
Sindledecker scores second place at nationals By Nina Culver Splash Contributor
Incoming Spokane Valley Tech junior and Liberty Lake resident Alex Sindledecker took home second place in computer programming in a competition that brought thousands of middle school, high school and college students from across the country to Louisville, Ky., this summer. The 2019 SkillsUSA Championship was designed to showcase career and technical education. More than 6,000 students competed in 103 categories, including robotics, automotive technology, drafting, aviation maintenance and criminal justice. A large panel of industry experts judged the competition, and just over 1,100 gold, silver and bronze medals were awarded. Sindledecker said he hadn’t thought of competing until his computer science teacher
recommended students participate in the SkillsUSA competition. “I was the only one in my class to do it,” he said. “I just wanted to compete in programming.” He began by participating in the regional competition held at Eastern Washington University and then advanced to the state competition. In each competition, he was given computer input and a problem to solve. “You have to write your own program at all the competitions,” he said. He took first place in computer programming at the state competition. “You have to get first place in state to go to nationals,” he said. The national competition in Louisville was huge and overwhelming, Sindledecker said. “Nationals was pretty crazy,” he
Photo by Nina Culver Alex Sindledecker’s computer programming skills took him all the way to Louisville, Ky., this summer, where he placed second in a national competition.
said. “We had a whole exhibition center for an entire week. There were so many categories.” His father, Tom Sindledecker, flew out for part of the week. Some of the events were held in an arena. “It was like a rock concert,” his father said. “All the seats were filled.” During the competition, the judges would ask the competitors what they were doing and why they decided to do it that way. “The interview was part of it,” Sindledecker said. “It was worth a lot of points.” There were about 50 people competing in the computer programming category, and they were evenly split between high school and college students. Sindledecker took second place among high school students. Sindledecker said he was surprised when his name was announced as the second-place winner. “I didn’t expect that to happen,” he said. “I was not at my best the day of the competition. I couldn’t sleep the night before.” His father was there for the moment when his son’s name was read. “That was fun,” he said. “I was in the stands when they announced second place.” In addition to winning a medal and a Kindle, Sindledecker was awarded a scholarship to Sullivan University, a private college in Louisville. While Sindledicker said he hasn’t decided where he wants to go to college yet, it probably won’t be in Louisville. “It’s too hot down there,” he said. Students in 72 different categories at the SkillsUSA Championship also had the opportunity to earn Skill Point certificates, which indicates that they meet a predetermined threshold of knowledge for the industry they competed in. Two other students from Spokane Valley Tech competed at nationals, and Sindledecker said Spokane Valley Tech physicals and engineering teacher Mark Bitz shepherded them through the event.
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Sindledecker said he’d like to compete again, but perhaps in a different category. He’s considering teaming up with a friend for the robotics competition. “He’d be really good at building it, and I’d be really good at programming,” he said. If that plan doesn’t happen, Sindledecker said he’ll probably enter the computer programming category again. “Going to nationals was an incredible experience,” he said. “I’ve never been to anything like it.” Sindledecker’s programming skills are largely self-taught. When he was in the seventh grade, he learned that one of his friends was coding and thought it was cool. “I was kind of competitive,” he said of his drive to learn the new skill. “It turns out I liked it a lot.” His father said he’s impressed by Sindledecker’s willingness to pass on what he’s learned to his 12-year-old brother. “He does a nice job of teaching his brother,” his father said. Sometimes Sindledecker would be coding late into the night, and his father said he generally allows it. “I’m patient when it’s a week night,” he said. “I figure it’s educational. I’ll let him run with it.” His love of computer programming is one of the reasons Sindledecker decided to attend high school at Spokane Valley Tech. He also liked the small class sizes. “It’s an environment I really liked,” he said. “It just appealed to me more than regular high school.” His father said Spokane Valley Tech has really helped Sindledecker develop his skills. “He wouldn’t be where he is without that,” he said. As he goes into his junior year, Sindledecker isn’t sure yet where his future will take him. He just knows he wants to be a computer programmer. “Programming is fun,” he said. “I’m just a really technical person. I like solving problems.”
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