April 2020 Splash

APRIL

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Closed during COVID-19 outbreak a look at the impact on our community, page 10

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Introducing the THE KEY TO LIBERTY LAKE DEVELOPMENT PAGE 2

VALLEY TEAMS WIN BIG PAGE 18

SAFETY CHANNEL CRIME MAP PAGE 6

Safety Aw

2 • APRIL 2020

The Splash

DOCKSIDE Developing Story – Key helps city map out future

By Craig Howard

Splash Contributing Editor

Long before she established a sparkling career in the field of community development, Lisa Key told her mother she wanted to be a teacher.

“That was the first day of Kindergarten,” Key recalls.

Growing up in in Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, a rural community hamstrung by poverty, Key later decided to change her career path to social work. In high school, she served as the editor of the school paper and volunteered as a reading tutor in a special education class. She was also appointed to serve as the youth representative on a board of directors for a nonprofit that advocated for underprivileged kids.

A self-described overachiever, Key was part of the yearbook staff, choir and debate in high school while also playing softball. When it came time to apply to colleges, she filled out only two applications – to Cornell and Penn State. She was accepted by both and chose Penn State.

Key found herself considering a move to the opposite coast. Her future husband Stan was working in Spokane at the time with the Economic Development Alliance.

Key learned the city of Hayden, Idaho was looking for a community planner and she applied. Before long she was packing her bags to relocate in the Inland Northwest.

Within two years, she was named Hayden’s community development director, orchestrating an overhaul of the municipal zoning ordinance and an update of the master plan.

“It was hands in the clay,” Key said. “They were just drawing up their comprehensive plan and there were capital projects and downtown revitalization. We came up with the first architectural design standards in North Idaho and created an urban renewal agency.”

Key

called

Hayden

her

professional home from 2003 to 2011. During much of that time she also worked as a hearing examiner for Kootenai County, adding to her already savvy understanding of land use.

might consider an interim role. By early March, Key was attending her first City Council meeting and by August, she had the full-time job.

After Hayden, Key signed on with David Evans and Associates, specializing in transportation planning. By late 2015, the city of Spokane came calling and by the start of 2016, Key had been hired as director of planning for Washington’s second largest city.

Key is the proud mom of two grown daughters, Laura and Erica.

When not at City Hall, she enjoys spending time with her family, especially her grandchildren. She also plays some golf and always appreciates a good book.

In February 2018, Key found herself on the outside of one of Mayor David Condon’s several departmental reorganizations.

While City Council President Ben Stuckart and Council Member Karen Stratton spoke out strongly against the move, Key was unceremoniously given her walking papers.

Just a few weeks later Liberty Lake City Administrator Katy Allen reached out. Amanda Tainio, a fixture in the city’s planning and building department for 16 years, was leaving. Allen wondered if Key

Diploma in hand, Key soon realized it was not a simple task to break into a field where men held most of the jobs. She was eventually hired as a community development assistant in Norwich, a town of around 8,000 in upperstate New York. Later, she landed in Broome County, New York as a community planner, writing grants and working on a strategic plan. That role paved the way for a job as a materials recycling manager in the same county, overseeing a pilot recycling program that changed the way the community looked at waste management.

Key stayed in Broome County for her next career stop, this time as director of operations for Aurora Plastics. Jump ahead to 2003 and

“It was serendipity,” Key said.

“I’ve really enjoyed it here.”

Q: Growing up, you saw parts of your community that experienced certain disadvantages. How do you think this awareness and your hope to be part of a positive change has influenced your career journey?

A: I am a coal miner’s granddaughter. In the 1970s, the county I grew up in had a documented unemployment rate of 19 percent with poverty and substandard housing being significant problems throughout the community. Coal mines, steel mills and lumber operations were downsizing and shuttering operations right and left.

While in high school, I served as the student representative on the board of directors for the Susquehanna County Children and Youth Society, the county’s child welfare organization, where I saw, firsthand, the true social cost of extreme poverty on families. I was not just inspired, I was driven to a calling to be “part of the solution.” As corny as it sounds, it is still what motivates me in my career today.

Q: Has the field of community development brought you opportunities to have the kind of impact you'd hoped to achieve?

Photo by Craig Howard Lisa Key was hired as Liberty Lake’s director of Planning and Engineering in August 2018, replacing Amanda Tainio who spent 16 years with the city. Key has worked in similar roles for the city of Spokane and Hayden, Idaho.

A: Not on the trajectory that I envisioned when I was in school. As a young girl with a newly-minted degree in economic development and zero experience in business, it was impossible to get a job in the field right out of college. But I had the opportunity to secure and administer grants to remediate substandard housing, improve public water and sewer systems, See KEY, Page 5

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NEWS

4 • APRIL 2020

Liberty Lake SVFD Report – March 2020 Spokane Valley Fire Department crews responded to a total of 104 emergency calls in the greater Liberty Lake area* from February 15 – March 15, 2020 Incident Total: • Emergency Medical Services 85 • Building Alarms

9

• Fires

3

• Motor Vehicle Accidents 3 • Hazardous Materials

2

• Dispatched and cancelled en route

1 • Service Calls

1

The *Service area for SVFD Station #3 in Liberty Lake Calls for services are up from 95 last month to 104 this month in the Liberty Lake Area.

• Spokane Valley Fire Department had 2 Firefighters quarantine because of COVID-19 like symptoms. Both Firefighters tested negative for the virus. Firefighters continue to be safe and healthy and actively working for the Liberty Lake community. SVFD continues to practice social distancing and

asks the community not to go to Fire Stations. Call 911 for emergencies.

• We are seeing an increase in illegal burning as residents begin yard cleanup.

“With current Stay home stay safe order, the Spokane Valley Fire Department is seeing an increase in calls for illegal burning, said Spokane Valley Fire Department Fire Marshal, Greg Rogers. “We just want to take this time to remind everyone that may use backyard barbeques, Chimineas, portable outdoor fireplaces, fire pits, and other patio/deck warmers, these are legal as long as approved fuel is used and other requirements are satisfied. Before burning, please make sure you check your local fire department web page or with the Spokane clean air to see what is allowed or not allowed in your area.”

Incidents: Possible Illegal Burn – Feb. 19, 5:07 p.m. - Spokane Valley Fire Department (SVFD) units responded to a possible illegal burn in the area of N Glenbrook Ave, E Glenbrook Ave, and N Harvest Parkway. A caller identified some teenagers were lighting branches on fire. No flames were apparent, just smoke. The brush fire was still smoking when crews arrived. The

caller stated that it had been set by 3 teens who ran off when they saw the caller calling 911. Crews made sure the fire was completely out and then returned to service.

Alarm System – Feb. 26, 7:18 a.m.

– Spokane Valley Fire Department (SVFD) units responded to a reported CO detector alarming near North Liberty Lake Road. Upon arrival, crews met up with the maintenance personnel, who directed them to the area in question. Crews entered the structure with their CO detector to measure the air quality. They found a smoke detector/CO detector combination unit approximately 7 feet up on a wall. This unit was alarming with the alarm for smoke detection, not CO. No CO or smoke were present in the building, and the alarm was taken off of the wall and outside to fresh air. The alarm was silenced, and found to be over 7 years old.

The maintenance personnel were advised to replace the alarm, and request 911 again if the new alarn started sounding.

Possible Illegal Burn – March 4, 11:17 a.m. – Spokane Valley Fire Department (SVFD) units responded to a call in the area of N Fairway Lane and N Swing Lane for a possible illegal burn. The caller was passing by and saw what looked like a campfire burning and

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a people nearby. Crews arrived in the area but did not find a campfire or any illegal burning.

MVA – March 6, 2:35 p.m. Spokane Valley Fire Department (SVFD) units responded to a call on N Idaho Road that there had been a rollover accident and that one person was bleeding from the mouth. The driver had hit a bump and rolled off the road. The person declined medical help, stating their head hurt. The vehicle is on its side with the front drivers tire, flat. Crews waited for the parents to show up and verify not needing medical attention. Police were on site to investigate the incident.

Alarm Call – March 6, 9:42 p.m.

– Spokane Valley Fire Department (SVFD) units responded to a call an elevator mechanic room smoke detector was alarming.

Crews arrived to find people stuck in an elevator between the first and second floor of a small hotel. Crews were asked to bring in their elevator keys. Initially crews went to the first floor and attempted opening that door but had no luck. They then proceeded to the second floor and were able to use the elevator drop key to open the outer door.

Once it was open they were able to turn off the emergency power on the top of the elevator to make sure it didn't move while rescuing the trapped people. They then opened the inner door and were able to assist all the occupants up and out of the elevator. Crews found an overheated electrical motor in the elevator room. The elevator was stuck between the first and second floors with 5 passengers on board.

The elevator maintenance company was called to come to the scene for inspection of the elevator.

About Spokane Valley Fire Department -SVFD serves a population of 125,000, including the cities of Spokane Valley, Liberty Lake and Millwood, as well as surrounding unincorporated areas within the 75-square miles of Spokane County Fire District 1. In 2019, SVFD firefighter crews, including its paramedics and EMTs, responded to more than 18,326 emergency calls.

Established eighty years ago in 1940, SVFD is committed to pursuing excellence and is distinguished as an Accredited Agency by the Commission on Fire Accreditation International and by the fire district’s ISO Class 2 rating from the Washington Survey and Rating Bureau.

The Splash

KEY

NEWS

Continued from page 2 revitalize small town main streets and assist in the cultivation of small, locally owned businesses.

Even as I was working in the field of solid waste management, I had opportunities to become involved in sustainable economic development projects and found opportunities to engage differently-abled persons in meaningful work in support of environmentally sound economic development projects.

Q: Since incorporating in 2001, Liberty Lake has been known for its distinctive approach to development, particularly in areas like signage and landscaping.

While contributing to the city's unique look and image, the policies have, at times, created some friction between the city and the business community that views the approach as too restrictive. How do you find a balance there that works for everyone?

A: The art of implementing development code is understanding where the code provides some flexibility in meeting the intent of the ordinance through alternative methods. In Liberty Lake, we look for creative solutions to help developers achieve their intended outcome while meeting the intent and letter of the requirements. Sometimes that might mean approaching the project a little differently to achieve the same effect. At times, we come across portions of the development code that do not result in their intended outcome. In those instances, staff will bring it to the attention of City Council and workshop solutions through the Planning Commission while engaging the community and reaching out and engaging those that might be most affected by potential changes.

Q: The north side of Liberty Lake continues to grow at a steady pace. How do you ensure a sense of connectedness between this newer part of town and the more established section of the city to the south?

A: Both the widening of Harvard Road Bridge and the construction of the Henry Road overpass, with its planned bicycle and pedestrian facilities, will create better physical connections.

As development stretches across the acres of currently

empty fields on either side of the freeway, the two halves of Liberty Lake are expected to grow together.

City-wide activities alternating at both Orchard and Pavillion parks will help create community connections on either side of the freeway. Events at the new Ridgeline High School, which will serve both the north and south halves of Liberty Lake, will also help build a stronger community connection.

New commercial and retail along the western end of Country Vista Drive and along Harvard Road in the River District will create a more vibrant and connected marketplace that expands our community core.

Involved citizens and community groups spanning both sides of the freeway will be the glue that holds the community together.

Q: What have you enjoyed most about your job to this point?

A: I love working in the city of Liberty Lake! As a small but rapidly growing city, there is a lot going on and the pace is very fast. In a smaller community, I get to draw on the breadth of my experience and be involved in all aspects of planning, policy development and implementation. I value the collaborative environment at City Hall. Perhaps best of all, the level of citizen engagement in the Liberty Lake community makes this a great place to work. The citizens are very invested in their city and that is absolutely foundational to a great community.

Q: Finally, what do you think Liberty Lake look like 10 years from now?

A: Liberty Lake will continue to be a safe, family-friendly and engaged community with great civic pride and quality recreational and educational opportunities. I would expect the city’s residential areas to be 70 -to-80 percent built out, with a population of approximately 15,000, give or take. As a master planned community, I would expect it to continue to have a well-connected trail system, abundant greenspace, well-maintained parks, along with a robust employment center and growing commercial core of small locally-owned businesses.

With the completion of the Kramer Road overpass and Harvard Road Bridge widening, I would expect the community to feel much more connected.

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6 • APRIL 2020

The Splash

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Police Report - Feb. 2020 Splash news sources

Total incidents generated by Officers and emergency calls for service last month 539 Traffic Collisions/Hit & Runs / Injury Collisions 5 Citations (Traffic/Criminal/NonCriminal) 107 DUI (Driving Under Influence) 1 Thefts / Vehicle Prowls / Vehicle Theft / Burglaries 19 Malicious Mischief 2 Argument / Assault DV / Simple Assault / Assault w/a Weapon 11 Parking Violations 1 Suspicious Vehicles 21 Traffic Stop, Feb. 4: Officers received the report of a possible impaired driver in the area of 22304 E Appleway Ave. Officers located the vehicle and contacted the driver. Based on the initial traffic investigation, the driver was cited for numerous traffic infractions and was arrested for possession of dangerous weapon. Officers were also able to establish probable cause to seize the involved vehicle. Officers applied for and were granted a search warrant. A search of the vehicle revealed an illegally possessed firearm, drug paraphernalia, heroin, Methamphetamines, pills, and

THE

a scale. As a result of the search warrant, additional charges have been forwarded to the Prosecutor’s Office.

DUI (Drugs)/Collision Feb. 4: Officers responded to the report of a vehicle collision located in the vicinity of 1700 N Country Vista BLVD. Upon arriving Officers made contact with the driver, and discovered the driver had struck a parked vehicle.

Officer’s additionally noted they

LIBERTY LAKE

COMMUNITY NEWSMAGAZINE

detected the odor of alcohol coming from the driver. Based on their investigation, the driver was arrested for Driviing Under the Influence of Alcohol/Drugs.

Burglary (commercial), Feb. 18: Officers responded to the report of a Commercial Burglary located in the area 24000 E Blue Ridge Ave. Officers discovered several homes under construction had been Burglarized.

The unknown suspects stole a brand new hot water heater and numerous

construction tools. There are no suspects at this time.

Domestic Violence Assault, Feb. 24; Officers responded to the report of DV assault located in the area of 22800 E Country Vista Dr. Arriving, Officers contacted the parties involved.

Based on their investigation, the primary aggressor was arrested for Assault DV, Malicious Mischief DV, and Interfering with the Reporting of Domestic Violence.

Did You Know You Can Read The Liberty Lake Splash Online?

Follow Us on Facebook To See it First! www.facebook.com/LibertyLakeSplash

APRIL 2020 • 7

The Splash

The Lookout The Community Corner

By Cris Kaminskas

Liberty Lake City Council I have struggled over the last week about the topic for this column. With so much going on with COVID-19, I decided to take a positive look forward a couple of months to the opening of the Liberty Lake Farmers Market on Saturday, May 16.

Hopefully it will be a great day for us to join to celebrate the passing of the COVID-19 closures and the

healing of our community.

Our Farmers Market is a favorite gathering place in Liberty Lake.

Founded in 2002 by Jim Frank and his sister Susan Parker, less than a year after city incorporation, the market opened with eight vendors and a handful of volunteers. Fast forward to 2020 when 40 to 50 vendors are expected to fill what became Town Square Park in October 2014.

For the last seven seasons, a few of your council members and newly

elected Mayor Shane Brickner have been regular attendees at the market manning the city’s booth to help keep our citizens up to date on events, activities, and projects.

In addition to your elected officials answering questions at the booth, last year city staff alternated weekends helping out and there were special guests throughout the season – the Municipal Library, Liberty Lake Rotary, and Central Valley School district have joined us. SCRAPS, The Spokane Valley Fire Department, and Beyond Pink joined us and had their own booths

Spring means tree pruning

as well.

While we await the opening on May 16, I strongly encourage all our residents to support our local businesses and to help your neighbors get through this trying time. Whether you place a take out order at a local restaurant, go shopping for an at-risk neighbor, assist with child care for those without a place for their kids while school is on hiatus or donate groceries to those in need, we need to continue to show what a great, caring community that Liberty Lake has become.

City website includes COVID-19 information, resources

Spring is upon us and it’s the perfect time to prune your trees.

Either consult with a professional or proceed with caution, because just like cutting your hair – you can’t put branches back on a tree and can also do permanent damage. The photos here provide some guidelines, along with the link that has a lot more detail and information. Trees along streets are the homeowner’s responsibility to trim and maintain.

The Spring Clean Up Event on April 18 is a perfect place to dispose of any tree limbs.

Open only to Liberty Lake Waste Management customers (you will get a flyer with a coupon for admittance). Coupon is required for entrance from 8 a.m. to 2

April 2020

The city of Liberty Lake website – www.libertylakewa. gov – includes reliable resources for information regarding Coronavirus (COVID-19). They are ever changing, so it is best to familiarize yourself with them and follow the updates. There is health information available here as well as financial recommendations from the Department of Finance to employment questions from Employment Security Department.

p.m. at Town Square Park, 1420 N. Meadowwood Lane.

There will also be tree pruning

classes available through Liberty Lake Municipal Library later this spring.

City Hall, the Trailhead golf course and the Liberty Lake Municipal Library are currently closed to the public due to COVD19. City parks remain open, however playground equipment and areas like the skate park are closed.

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

8 • APRIL 2020

The Splash

City Council News and Notes – April 2020

By Craig Howard

Splash Contributing Editor

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Times like these are very difficult on small businesses and we thank you, our loyal customers and family for your support. Thank you to all the medical, fire, law enforcement and first responders who are working so hard for our community.

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• The Spokane Transit Authority (STA) provided a presentation to council on March 3, outlining service revisions that will be implemented over a twoyear period from 2021 to 2022 with the area affecting Liberty Lake transitioning in May 2021. STA has discussed an expansion of routes in Liberty Lake, including sevenday service to the Meadowwood Technology Park. Liberty Lake is one of several STA “focus areas” with growing transportation needs in the areas around Ridgeline High School as well as increased residential development along primary traffic corridors. The changes as proposed would also expand the existing paratransit boundaries.

Ridership is up 3 percent for the current three routes in Liberty Lake. “As the city grows, we want to be able to support that,” said STA Director of Planning and Development Karl Otterstrom.

• Council Member Mike Kennedy attended Career Day at Selkirk Middle School in February.

“It was a great event,” Kennedy said. “I’m glad I was asked to go.”

• On a related note, Mayor Shane Brickner brought up the idea of a mentoring program that would provide opportunities for students in the Central Valley School District (CVSD) to learn more about maintenance and operations trades within the city.

Brickner said he talked to CVSD Superintendent Ben Small about

implementing such a program and progress is being made to implement it.

• The City Council retreat is scheduled for April 19 at the Liberty Lake Portal from noon to 6 p.m. Topics will include term limits for elected offices, the strategic plan, city logo/motto and the pedestrian master plan among others.

• City Administrator Katy Allen said state funding for the Harvard Bridge extension and Henry Road overpass are both in place after the last legislative session.

Both projects are currently in Mayor Jay Inslee’s transportation budget awaiting his signature. “Our projects are intact and they’re at the same funding level they were at last year,” Allen said.

• Council unanimously approved $10,000 for the second annual Winter Glow after a successful inaugural event last year.

• A presentation on March 17 provided council with a summary of a traffic corridor study conducted last year. The focus was on the Country Vista corridor with a recommendation for traffic signals at the intersections of Legacy Ridge Drive and Henry Road. “I was happy to see the traffic light recommendations,” said Brickner. “I think it will help a lot of people in that area. When you look at the entire corridor study, I think it will lead to improvements and help with the traffic flow.”

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APRIL 2020 • 9

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City tackles local issues related to COVID-19

By Craig Howard

Splash Contributing Editor

Just over a week before Washington Gov. Jay Inslee issued his order asking all residents of the Evergreen State to “stay home, stay healthy,” Dr. Bob Lutz of the Spokane Regional Health District (SRHD) appeared before the Liberty Lake City Council, providing his take on the Coronavirus, or COVID-19, pandemic.

Lutz, SRHD’s health officer, told municipal leaders on March 17 that “it would take a combined effort” to keep the virus from spreading.

“I’m concerned that we haven’t taken this as seriously as we should,” said Lutz, SRHD’s health officer.

“The response overall has been sluggish. This is not something to be taken lightly. It’s not something that’s going to go away in a matter of weeks or months.”

Statewide, the number of COVD-19 cases at presstime had reached nearly 2,500 and claimed 123 lives. In Spokane County, the number of confirmed cases jumped from four to 33 in the week between Lutz’s appearance in Liberty Lake and Inslee’s address.

On March 16, Mayor Shane Brickner declared a State of Emergency in Liberty Lake, following similar steps taken in Spokane and Spokane Valley. The library and City Hall were closed to the public and later, playground equipment at local parks as well as the skate park at Pavillion Park were prohibited.

“We want to make the best decisions to keep the community safe,” Brickner said.

Meetings of the city’s Planning Commission, Youth Commission and Parks and Arts Commission in April have been cancelled. Brickner said the City Council meeting on April 7 will take place with more of

a “virtual” approach with council members attending but having the option to phone in. He said the city will be working on ways that residents can weigh in on the meeting.

Inslee’s speech underscored the importance of “social distancing” or keeping at least 6 feet away from each other. He also banned social gatherings while residents were told to stay at home unless leaving for vital trips like grocery shopping or doctor’s visits. Meanwhile nonessential businesses were asked to close for at least two weeks, starting March 25.

In addressing council, Lutz outlined what average citizens can do to help “flatten the curve” of COVID-19. The list includes regular handwashing with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds, covering your mouth if coughing or sneezing and calling a health professional if you show symptoms of COVID-19 like fever, cough, fatigue or difficulty breathing.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is a reliable source for the latest news on the pandemic.

Residents can visit the website at www.cdc.gov or call 1-800-2324636. The health district can be reached at 324-1500 or www.srhd. org.

Brickner said he has been encouraged at the way Liberty Lake citizens have rallied to help each other during the crisis. He asked residents to check on their elderly neighbors to see if they may need groceries or supplies and while urged people to “follow normal shopping patterns and not stock up.”

“Honestly, I think that’s been the most impressive is just people’s willingness to step up and support each other,” he said. “We’ve had a lot of people call City Hall to see how they can help. Really, the more patience and kindness we can show each other during this time, the more successful we’re going to be.”

Council Member Hugh Severs raised concern on March 17 with how the pandemic was impacting the local business community, recommending the city consider

“some sort of dollar contribution toward this.”

Brickner said the emergency declaration in Liberty Lake will ensure the city is eligible for relief funds when they become available.

He advised businesses “to keep track of what’s happening” in order to qualify for assistance on the state and federal government levels.

He also encouraged local business leaders to contact City Hall for help with resources.

“At the end of the day, we’re just trying to follow the process,” Brickner said.

19’s impact on the economy.

“There’s about a two-month lag (until revenue reports are confirmed), so we won’t know how sales tax is affected until June or July,” Stevenson said.

Before the virus hit, sales tax revenue was up 8 percent from this time last year. Meanwhile, the city has a reserve fund of around $1.3 million that can only be spent if council deems it necessary.

Stevenson said the city’s restaurant and hotel businesses generated $262,000 for city coffers last year.

Finance Director RJ Stevenson provided council with an overview of what the pandemic could mean to the city’s budget.

Brickner said he is meeting with city staff weekly with updates on COVID-19. He said there are currently no plans for layoffs at City Hall.

Four sources of revenue comprise 85 percent of the budget, namely income from property, sales, and utility tax along with funds from building permits. While property tax will remain stable, Stevenson said, sales tax would be the most likely affected by COVID-

“This is not a time when we should be panicking as a community,” Brickner said. “This is a time when we should be working together. I hope this will make stronger, that we will be more grateful and not take all we have for granted.”

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10 • APRIL 2020

COVID-19

By Ben WIck

Splash Publisher

In early March, Spokane Regional Health District Administrator Amelia Clark and Epidemiologist Mark Springer spoke before the Spokane Valley City Council meeting, briefing the council on the outbreak of Coronavirus or COVID-19.

“We want to delay its approach from western Washington, Oregon, and California to eastern Washington as long as possible to give our healthcare system a better ability to respond,” said Springer. “We have faced challenges like this before with the 2009 pandemic. We have a lot of health care resources available in our community and we don’t want to overwhelm them.”

Looking at the patterns of the virus and which populations are most impacted by it, he said, “We are fortunate that the virus doesn’t seem to be impacting our young…but it seems to be focusing on our elderly and those with chronic medical conditions,” citing the need to be mindful of those in retirement centers and supportive living centers.

Springer went on to say, “The better we know when the virus comes into our community the better we can begin our social distancing programs to slow the spread” but voiced frustration at the limitations of gaining access to the testing needed to identify the prevalence of the virus within our community.

Within days, the Spokane Regional Health Officer Dr. Bob Lutz,

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supported by many local mayors and county commissioners, including Mayors Shane Brickner of the City of Liberty Lake, Kevin Freeman Mayor of the City of Millwood, and Ben Wick Mayor of the City of Spokane Valley, ordered the cancellation of all events and gatherings over 250 people and started the more formal social distancing protocols.

That was quickly followed by series of executive orders beginning with Governor Jay Inslee declaring a state of emergency, closing all schools K-12 and higher education, as well as business that are typically congregation points for people, including restaurants, bars, and salons. This was followed by declarations of emergency from Spokane County, and most if not all of the cities within the county, including Spokane Valley, Liberty Lake, and Millwood. This gave the business community within their respective jurisdictions access to federal disaster relief assistance as well as allowed for more expedited purchasing and decision-making at city hall in order to follow recommendations from the regional health officer. The latest order from the Governor issuing a “Stay Home, Stay Healthy” order closing all non-essential businesses until midnight on April 6th unless extended further expanded upon the non-pharmaceutical interventions that had already been in place.

In order to better serve the Greater Spokane community, the Spokane County Sheriff has initiated the Emergency Coordination Center where the Spokane Regional Health District, Spokane County Department

of Emergency Management, cities of Spokane, Spokane Valley, Liberty Lake, and most other municipalities are pooling resources to provide coordinated efforts and messages for the community. This group has done numerous Facebook streaming videos under the group called “Spokane COVID Response” and has a website at spokanecovidresponse. org.

It is worth noting that this story is ever evolving and while we covered what has happened to date, events are continuing to unfold throughout the coming month and please follow the SpokaneCovidResponse.org and Facebook page for more recent developments

Staying Healthy

According to both the Spokane Regional Health District and the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the best way to stay healthy is by practicing good social distancing of having 6 feet or more of space between each other, washing your hands frequently, and disinfecting commonly touched surfaces.

“This is not intended to mean isolation – the Governor’s new order requires people to limit their dayto-day activities to those that are essential. They can still leave their homes to do their grocery shopping, go the pharmacy, accomplish essential services, or simply go for a walk. We need to change our routines. This is going to have to be our new normal for a while.” Lutz explains.

According to the Washington State Department of Health website,

as of March 23rd, while only 14% of the confirmed cases were people 80 year of age or older they represent 50% of the 132 COVID-19- related deaths in the state of Washington, and similarly 15% of the confirmed cases are those between the ages of 70 to 79 they account for 30% of the deaths.

While this suggests that we should focus on the older population, Dr. Lutz is concerned about other groups.

“The younger populations, those in their 20s or 30s who might have high hospitalization rates, aren’t immune to being infected…seem to think they are invincible and tend not to follow the established guidelines; however they are going home and infecting grandma and grandpa or mom and dad who might not be able to survive the virus” he went on to explain. “We are all in this together and we all need to do our part to stay healthy and not spread the disease.”

For those who have COVID-19 symptoms, health care professionals from CHAS, Kaiser Permanente, MultiCare, and Providence have come together to put together a drivethrough screening site at the Spokane County Fair and Expo Center at 404 N Havana which is open Monday through Friday from 10 am to 7 pm and Saturday and Sunday 10am to 5pm. No doctor referral is needed to attend but providers are asking only those people over 60 years old or have an underlying medical condition and have a fever and a cough or shortness of breath come for testing. Also note that additional screening will take place and not everyone who will get tested.

APRIL 2020 • 11

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#OrderUp LibertyLake

Even with the Governor’s Order to close dine in restaurants and bars, the following locations have modified their businesses to allow pickup or curbside pickup to still be able to operate under the new regulations.

Per the Health District guidance as long as we are all practicing social distancing of 6 feet or more and minimizing our contact with others we can still go out to get food for dine out. If you find yourself wanting to get some take out don’t forget to support our local businesses to help them operate and keep our neighbors employed through this troubling time as well. Encourage others to do the same by sharing your experiences online using #OrderUpLibertyLake.

Blissful Whisk American, Bakery 1612 N. Barker Road

509-242-3189

Boomers Bar & Grill American 509-368-9847 18219 E. Appleway Ave. Brothers Office Pizza 509-924-1538 21651 E Country Vista Dr. Crazy Beagle Coffee Co Coffee, American 509-893-2670 22026 E Country Vista Dr. Ding How Sushi, Asian 509-921-1901 1332 N Liberty Lake Rd. Dominos Pizza 509-444-4242 1235 N Liberty Lake Dr. Fujiyama Japanese 5 0 9 - 9 0 3 - 0 8 8 8 21801 E Country Vista Dr. Hay J’s Bistro/Piccolo Artisan Pizza Pizza, American 509-926-2310 21706 E Mission Ave. Jimmy Johns Sandwiches 509-315-5891 1429 N Liberty Lake Rd.

Papa Murpheys Take and Bake Just Chillin’ Eats and Sweets Pizza 509-926-7272 American, Bakery 509-413-1615 1102 N Liberty Lake Rd. 1334 N Liberty Lake Rd. Pentagon Liberty Lake Juice Co American 509-891-7790 Juice, American 509-818-2674 1400 N Meadowwood Ln. 12622 E. Sprague Ave. Pho Liberty Liberty Lake Wine Cellars Pho, Vietnamese 509-598-8275 Wine 509-255-9205 23505 E Appleway 23110 E Knox Ave. Pizza Hut Mexico Lindo Pizza 509-922-8600 Mexican 509-340-9387 1336 N Liberty Lake Rd. 1235 N Liberty Lake Rd. San Francisco Sourdough Palenque Mexican Restaurant American, Sandwiches 509-927-3594 Mexican, American 509-928-3112 23801 E Appleway Ave. 1102 N Liberty Lake Rd.

Starbucks Coffee, American 509-922-2549 1342 N Liberty Lake Rd. Subway Sandwiches 509-922-7827 1336 N Liberty Lake Rd. The Well Coffeehouse and Eatery Clean Eating 509-474-1187 21980 E Country Vista Dr. Trailbreaker Cider American 509-279-2159 2204 N Madson St True Legends American 509-892-3077 1803 N Harvard Rd.

Wake Up Call Coffee 509-315-8698 22011 E Country Vista Dr. There are also a few other businesses that are able to work remotely but still offering their products for curbside pickup incase you are interested in their offerings.

Adorkable Flowers and Gifts 509-922-6300 Open by Appointment Consign Furniture and Jewelry 509-928-9090 21605 E. Country Vista Dr. Pawpular Companions 509-927-8890 21801 E Country Vista Dr.

12 • APRIL 2020

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Student of the Month

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For Alivia Mulligan, making a difference is part of a daily routine. The senior at Central Valley High School has volunteered for local nonprofits like Blessings Under the Bridge and Union Gospel Mission and serves on the board of Ronald McDonald House which supports critically ill children and their families. She is a Link Leader at CV, helping freshmen students make an easier transition to high school. Mulligan maintains a 3.9 grade point average and is a member of the National Honor Society as well as the school’s executive team. She participates in track and cross country and has earned honorable mention All Greater Spokane League honors in cross country. She has also been a team captain. Her school schedule includes no shortage of AP courses, including college level AP classes. The Greenacres resident attends Valley Real Life Church.

It’s not unique for Jayce Simmons to be an integral part of the Central Valley varsity basketball program.

The senior lettered all four years and started since his sophomore season. This year, he averaged 14 points, five assists and five rebounds a game for a Bears’ squad that won the Greater Spokane League title and district championship before placing second at the 4A state tournament.

Simmons had a season-best 27 points in a win against Post Falls. He was named to the All GSL first team this year and second team as a junior.

Simmons was part of the Eastern Washington Elite summer roster. In the classroom, he maintains a 3.8 grade point average and participates in DECA, a marketing club. He plans to attend Gonzaga University in the fall. Last but not least, Simmons says, “I love my mom.”

Anyone who has walked, run or biked on a trail in Liberty Lake owes Tom Specht a thank-you. In 1995, Specht served as chair of a grassroots committee that prioritized the idea of community trails.

The discussions led to the formation of a self-imposed property tax that funded trail construction and formed the foundation of a dedicated pedestrian network rivaling any in the nation. “Tom guided a public engagement process that took input from the entire community,” said Greenstone Homes founder Jim Frank. “The work done by Tom and the committee led to the remarkable system of trails we enjoy today.” Specht is also past president of Friends of Pavillion Park and the Beachcombers neighborhood association and coached youth soccer. He and his wife Kathy have been married for 45 years and are proud parents of a grown daughter, Jessica.

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&

Thanks you for all you do in our community

To all of our patients and community;

The safety of our patients and our team is of the utmost importance.

We are acting in accordance with the WSDA's, Dept. of Health's, and CDC's recommendation to close our doors to routine dental care at this time. We are asking all patients to postpone all elective and non-essential dental procedures to minimize the potential for further transmission of the COVID-19 virus. These are challenging times that require us to respond with compassion for our families and community. We value our patient's and team member's safety and our wider community.

Currently the governor has ordered closure to nonessential treatment until May 18. However; patients experiencing a dental emergency (pain) can call us at (509) 927-9279 and we will coordinate specific times to deliver care. All other questions pertaining to billing, scheduling, etc can be left on our voicemail and we will get back to you as soon as we can. We will be checking our messages regularly.

Please see our Facebook page or Instagram posts for latest updates as this is an evolving situation. This is impacting everyone and we will continue to work hard to meet your emergency needs in the short term and continue to deliver comprehensive care that you expect in the long term.

22011 E Country Vista Dr Thank you for your understanding and patience.

Sincerely,

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APRIL 2020 • 13

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Home Depot Shoplifters Arrested

By Nina Culver

Splash Contributor

A security emphasis at the Liberty Lake Home Depot in February resulted in multiple arrests for shoplifting, according to Liberty Lake Police Chief Brian Asmus.

The crackdown happened when the store temporarily beefed up the number of security employees at the store. “Home Depot has their own loss prevention people,” Asmus said.

“In doing so, they realized there was more theft than they realized.”

Though the emphasis only lasted a few days, eight arrests were made.

Asmus said he was surprised by the number. “The question became, is this something that happens all the time?” Asmus said. “It was just kind of an eye opener for us.”

Those who were caught weren’t just trying to slip a small item under their shirt and walk out the door with it. They were loading their carts full of expensive items like DEWALT and Hitachi tool sets, Asmus said.

“Most of it was what we call push outs,” he said. “They just load up their cards and push them out the door.”

e Kiwanis club that invests in Asmus said it’s his understanding that store employees are not allowed to confront shoplifters and that only loss prevention employees can do that. “Loss prevention has different rules,” he said.

Home Depot did not respond to a request for comment about the security issues at the store.

Asmus said several of the people caught during the emphasis had previous arrests for shoplifting, including shoplifting at other Home Depot locations. “A lot of the people identified by loss prevention had previous experience with them at other stores,” he said. “It was the usual suspects.”

The store may have ended their emphasis, but Asmus said that now that he knows it’s an ongoing issue, he’s having his officers loiter in the parking lot if they have spare time or are doing paperwork. “We started having officers spending some of their time in the parking lot there, you know, parking by the front doors” he said.

Asmus said he hopes having officers around more will act as a deterrent. But the officers are also being proactive by scanning the parking lot for vehicles known to be associated with the “usual suspects” that often steal from regional Home Depot stores.

That approach has been successful a few times. Asmus said there was a recent case when an officer spotted a familiar vehicle leaving the parking lot and he followed it while calling the store to see if they’d just had a theft. They had and the suspected shoplifter was arrested.

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Depending on the value of the items stolen, shoplifting is usually a misdemeanor offense. Asmus said his department’s detective is the children community. investigating the of casesour to see if the thefts can be connected with others, which would have the potential of increasing the crime to a felony.

Asmus said he hasn’t had a lot of calls from Home Depot for thefts recently. “It has not continued,” he said.

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About and for Liberty Lake seniors

Planning commission looks to ease landscaping requirements

By Nina Culver

Splash Contributor

The Liberty Lake Planning Commission has held a series of workshops to discuss changes to the city’s landscaping requirements with more sessions scheduled in the coming months.

So far the draft landscaping plan is a mass of red ink indicating new text with old text crossed out as the commissioners debate everything from how many and what kind of trees and shrubs and other landscaping should be required in parking lots and in borders between different types of properties.

Lisa Key, the director of planning and engineering, said the idea is to create requirements that are more flexible than what currently exists.

In some instances, the current rules are very prescriptive, she said. “In some cases the requirements were very onerous, very costly,” she said.

“We’ve had a lot of complaints and concerns. One of the challenges we have is the ordinance doesn’t necessarily do what it sets out to do.”

As an example, the city currently has a variety of buffer requirements

at the perimeter of properties than ranges from five to 20 linear feet depending on the type of property.

The rules don’t take into account the width of the buffer, Key said.

“We require one tree and five shrubs every five feet,” she said. “So if it’s five feet wide, it’s super dense.”

If it’s too dense, a landscaped area can quickly become overgrown.

On the other side of the coin, if the buffer area is 25 feet wide, the trees and shrubs are very spread out and don’t provide the buffering the city is looking for.

The city is looking at for four different types of landscape buffers.

The most intensive is the visual screen, which would be used to create a noise and sight obscuring barrier between a light industrial use and a residential zone. The other buffers are a visual relief buffer, a see-through buffer and an aesthetic separation buffer.

Key said she’s been working with a group of landscape practitioners to get their concerns about the old rules and input on new rules. She said the city has set eight goals it wants to achieve with new landscaping regulations, including allowing for more creativity and maintaining the tree canopy in the city, even if the configuration looks a little different.

Other goals including enhancing safety considerations in landscape design, including pedestrian safety and crime prevention, and reducing the amount of maintenance for owners along with reducing initial costs.

“We also wanted to look at reducing water usage and encouraging the use of native plants,” Key said.

One of the goals is to encourage the retention of existing/mature trees when possible. Current rules identify “significant” trees that should be retained as those with a truck diameter of 12 inches or greater as measured four feet above ground. The planning commission is discussing changing the diameter to six inches or greater.

A tree six inches in diameter is likely around 15 years old with a good canopy and should be preserved, Key said. The rules would allow the removal of a significant tree if it is within a building’s planned footprint or would block a driveway.

“There is some flexibility, but we’re trying to encourage designers to keep those trees,” she said.

During a recent Planning Commission meeting, there was some discussion on changes to the tree requirements inside the buffers to allow 15 years of growth to achieve the full buffer instead of three years.

Key explained that trees need about 15 years to mature, so if a property owner plants enough trees to create a visual screen in three years, several of those trees will eventually need to be cut down to make room for the remaining trees to mature.

The commissioners also discussed fencing and walls as a buffer and whether they should attempt to

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require a certain percentage of canopy coverage. They quickly realized, however, that there’s no practical way to measure or enforce canopy coverage rules.

“It just seems like there’s too many factors,” said commissioner Kate Laven.

Commissioner Charles Matthews said he favored not requiring shrubs in parking lot tree islands. “We don’t need to overdo it,” he said. “We don’t need to burden the business owner.”

Key said she thinks the planning commission with need at least a couple more meetings in order to finalize all the proposed changes.

The group meets at 4 p.m. on the second Wednesday of each month.

“We spent a lot of time talking through these,” she said. “We’re at a point where we’re taking a stab.

It’s just a working draft. This is the tough part because this is the sausage making. I think it’s been a good process.”

Key said she’s working to put together some schematics to visually show what the new rules might look like. “That’s kind of the next step,” she said.

Once the workshops are over, the planning commission will have a public hearing to get input before voting on the proposal. If it is approved, it will go to the city council, where there will be another public hearing before a vote is held.

“The documents will be posted online so people have a chance to comment,” Key said. “It’s a process.”

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Trophy Town – Valley teams make statement at state

By Craig Howard

Current Contributing Editor

High school teams east of the Cascades have been making noise at the state basketball tournament for nearly a century now.

In 1923, Walla Walla won the first of two 4A boys’ championships, defeating Prosser in a defensive joust that featured a mere 36 points between the two teams. In 1925, Yakima took the trophy, followed by Lewis and Clark, representing the Spokane City League, predecessor to the Greater Spokane League (GSL).

The last two decades have been defined by an eastside dynasty on the 4A girls’ side with GSL squads winning a dozen titles since 2001 and Central Valley claiming five of those to go along with a crown in 1993.

On the 1A level, the Freeman girls have been among Washington’s elite, winning it all in 2010 and 2011 while placing third this year.

While westside programs like Garfield, Federal Way, O’Dea and Rainer Beach garner most of the

headlines on the boys’ side, Gonzaga Prep and Ferris of the GSL have won a combined five trophies in the 4A boys’ bracket since 2007 while the Central Valley boys have competed in a three 4A championship games since 2006.

Despite the post-season resume, Eastern Washington schools often find themselves as the underdog when facing more publicized programs from “the coast.”

CV head coach Mike Laws could relate to the feeling when his squad faced off against undefeated and top-ranked Union of Vancouver in this year’s 4A boys’ semifinal. Just before tip-off, Union fans launched into the familiar chant of “I believe that we will win.”

“They were undefeated, probably looking ahead to the title game,” Laws said. “We’re just a bunch of kids from Veradale.”

The Bears handed Union its first loss of the season and moved on to the 4A final, one of three Valley teams to reach their respective title game last month. The CV boys would finish second to Mt. Si while the CV girls won their sixth state trophy, edging previously undefeated Woodinville. In the 2A girls’ bracket, eighth-seeded West Valley vaulted to the championship game for the first time since 1997, eventually falling to No. 1 seed Lynden.

In a year where March Madness was sidelined on the national stage, a trio of local teams provided some spectacular hoops hysteria of their own.

2020 vision began early for Bears Noah Sanders remembers anticipating his senior year at Central Valley as far back as elementary school. He and his basketball buddies had a feeling that 2020 would be special.

“In grade school, you get your shirt that has your graduating class,” Sanders recalls. “Ever since we were younger, we thought 2020 would be our year.”

Sanders and fellow CV seniors Jayce Simmons, Quinn Johnson, Luke Sukut, Alex Knudsen and Carsen Raab share a history on the court that began in YMCA and AAU leagues on the grade school level. It’s a group that knows where to find each other on the court after so many years. Call it a shared peripheral vision.

“You have that feeling of trust in your teammates,” Sanders said.

Ask Laws what that sort of teamwork meant to a run that included a regular-season Greater Spokane League title, district championship and runner-up finish at state this year and he will deliver a sermon on unselfishness.

“The reason we had success was just the great chemistry we had all year,” Laws said. “No egos. It was just all for each other.”

The Bears churned through the regular season, winning 15 games in a row after an early non-league loss to Richland. An upset defeat to crosstown rival University on Feb. 4 broke the streak and served as a wake-up call according to Sanders.

“I think that helped us play better just knowing we could lose,” he said.

Photo by Erik Smith Photography Central Valley Men’s Basketball team.

In the district semifinal, the Bears were trailing Walla Walla by three points going into the final quarter.

CV rallied behind 20 points from Raab, 15 from Sanders and 12 by Simmons for an 84-77 win.

“Coach just stayed positive in the huddle,” Sanders said.

CV captured the district trophy on Feb. 21, defeating Gonzaga Prep, 68-53, the Bears’ third win over the defending 4A state champs during the year.

Next came Federal Way, a westside powerhouse with three state titles to its credit. The winner would vault directly to the state quarterfinals in Tacoma the following Thursday.

The contest at University High on Feb. 29 served as a de facto home game for the Bears who started strong and took a 42-35 lead into halftime. Despite several frantic runs by the Eagles, CV kept its composure and secured a 76-72 win that Sanders clinched with a threepointer in the closing minute. He would lead the Bears with 22 points.

Junior post Gavin Gilstrap was also a catalyst in the victory on both ends of the court.

“That game was symbolic of our entire season,” Laws said. “When adversity came our way, we had someone step up.”

The Bears began their quest for the second 4A title in school history against Skyview of Vancouver, rumbling to an 18-point lead late in the third quarter. The Storm refused to go away, however, scoring 10 straight points in the final period and tying the game at 61 all with just under three minutes to go.

A dunk by Gilstrap made it 6561 before Kyle Gruhler hit two free throws for the Storm. A CV turnover and another Skyview free throw closed the margin to 65-64. The Storm got the ball back with just over four seconds left but a corner three by Gruhler fell off the mark and CV moved onto the semifinal to face top-ranked and undefeated Union, led by senior Tanner Toolson, Washington’s Mr. Basketball averaging 23 points a game.

The Bears trailed by one after the first eight minutes but outscored Union 29-20 over the next two quarters. CV’s signature scrambling

APRIL 2020 • 19

The Splash defense translated into few quality shots for Toolson and his teammates.

Sanders led the way with 16 points followed by sophomore Dylan Darling with 14 in the 63-55 win. For only the fifth time in school history, Central Valley was headed to the state championship game.

“It was right up there with the best games we’ve played all year,” Laws said.

Mt. Si awaited the Bears on March 7 at centerstage in the Tacoma Dome. The second-ranked Wildcats reached the 4A final in 2019, losing to Gonzaga Prep. Against CV, they jumped out to a 14-6 first quarter lead, paced by St. Mary’s-bound Jabe Mullins, a 6-6 shooting guard who finished with 26 points.

The Bears pulled within six points in the second half but it was Union’s time to shine. The Wildcats prevailed 58-47 to win the school’s second state title and first since 1977.

CV finished 24-3.

“It’s a heck of a feat just to get to that last game,” said Laws. “I couldn’t be more proud of this team.

We maximized what we had.”

Laws said the tears in the locker room afterwards “weren’t about losing the championship as much as knowing this was the last time many of these guys would be on the court together.”

“We’d always say, ‘Play for the guy next to you,’” Sanders said.

“And that’s what we did.”

Orrell orchestrates CV’s sixth state title Reaching the Tacoma Dome, let alone winning a sixth state title, seemed remote for the Central Valley girls’ basketball team after an 0-2 start in early December.

Peyton Howard knew better.

The senior point guard who registered substantial minutes on the Bears’ state and national championship squad as a sophomore, understood that competitive losses to Gonzaga Prep and Beaverton, an elite Oregon 6A program. were not necessarily barometers for a disappointing season.

“We started with a lot of doubt around us,” Howard said. “But after that second game, the next day at practice, it was like, ‘We can do this.’”

The Bears reeled off seven straight wins before stumbling against Mt. Spokane on Jan. 7. CV would not lose another game the rest of the season.

Central Valley was led by firstyear head coach Felice Orrell, a 2002 CV grad who was part of two state titles as a player before joining the roster at Eastern Washington University. Orrell took over just a few days before the first practice after Ryan Bragdon’s contract was not renewed.

“I remember that first game, we were just getting our bearings,” Orrell said. “It was about ‘Who are we?’ ‘What are we going to be?’”

After capturing two state 4A titles in 2017 and 2018, the Bears placed sixth last year. The latest campaign started with minimal hype surrounding the squad Orrell inherited.

“I don’t think anyone mentioned us at all,” Orrell said. “In the hallways at school, kids were asking if we’d be any good this year, if they should come to the games.”

CV’s chances seemed even slimmer after senior guard Anika Chalich, one of the team’s best shooters, was lost for the year with a severe knee injury in January.

“That left a big gap,” said Howard. “After that, I felt we would still get to state but I wasn’t sure how well we’d do. But as the season went on, we definitely got more confident.”

Howard said the positive momentum was due to Orrell, who would tell her team, “Don’t let anyone put you in a place where you don’t belong.”

“I wanted them to overcome the odds, to believe in themselves and know they could be better,” Orrell said. “My coaching style is 99 percent, ‘Let’s learn from it and move on and not make a big deal of it.’ I want them to be great without pressure.”

After winning the GSL regular season crown, the Bears found themselves in the district title game on Feb. 21 against Mead, a team they beat by 18 points 20 days earlier. This time, the Panthers proved more of a test, pushing CV to overtime before the Bears prevailed 55-53. Howard paced the winners with 18 points, followed by juniors Grace Geldien

Photo by Erik Smith Photography Central Valley Lady bears with their sixth trophy. with 13 and MJ Bruno with 12.

Geldien and Bruno also collected 10 rebounds each.

At one of the practices before the team played Glacier Peak in a regional matchup on Feb. 28, Orrell decided to don her old CV letter jacket, complete with two patches marking 4A preeminence in 2001 and 2002.

The kids were like, ‘Let’s go win a state championship,’” Orrell said.

Glacier Peak stayed with the Bears early on, trailing only 32-28 at halftime. The third quarter was a different story, as CV outscored the Grizzlies, 19-5 en route to a 67-49 win and a ticket to the state quarterfinals. Bruno, who would later be named to the Seattle Times All State First Team, had 17 points followed by Chloe Williams with 16.

After the win, Orrell had a simple message for her team.

“I just told them we were 96 minutes from a state title,” she said.

“I was 100-percent sure we could win state.”

Balanced scoring defined the Bears’ 72-55 win against Issaquah on March 5 in the opener at the Tacoma Dome. Michael Pitts, Bruno, Howard and Geldien all registered double figures while Abby Lewis pitched in eight points. Howard also

dished out eight assists.

Union of Vancouver was next for CV in the 4A version of the Final Four. The Titans had no answer for Howard who finished with 18 points and Pitts who collected 12 rebounds. The 61-53 win propelled the Bears into the title game against top-ranked, 28-0 Woodinville, a school CV defeated in 2018 for the 4A crown.

“I told the team going into the Woodinville game that we had nothing to lose, there was no pressure,” Orrell said. “We just had to seize the moment.”

This time Williams led the way with 20 points and six rebounds.

Howard tallied 18 and Bruno contributed 15 points and 12 rebounds. Woodinville had a threepoint try with 15 seconds left that would have tied it but Geldien sealed the 59-55 win and the title with a key offensive rebound and free throw.

For the sixth time in school history, the Bears were Washington’s best.

“We had awesome chemistry all season,” Howard said. “We didn’t have one, super amazing player but we were balanced. If the other team shut one of us down, someone else would step up.”

20 • APRIL 2020

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APRIL 2020 • 21

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SERVICE DIRECTORY CONSTRUCTION & REMODELING LOCAL AND EXPERIENCED

Licensed and bonded contractor with 30 years of experience and references. Specializing in winter damage repairs including sheetrock and plumbing repairs.

Also available for decks, roofs, garages and allhomes other New remodeling needs. Small jobs welcome! BBB accredited.

PETERC*152RE--Call Bruce. 710-4541

EVENT & MEETING FACILITY HAVE AN EVENT COMING UP?

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

Advertising information Display ad copy and camera-ready ads are due by 5 p.m. on the 15th of the month for the following month’s issue. Call 242-7752 for more information.

Advertising integrity Inaccurate or deceptive advertising is never knowingly accepted. Complaints about advertisers should be made in writing to the Better Business Bureau and to advertise@libertylakesplash.com. The Splash is not responsible for the content of or claims made in ads.

Copyright © 2020 All rights reserved. All contents of The Splash may not be reproduced without written permission of the publisher.

commun

www.ieucc811.org

subscription to begin with the issue printed the end Correction policy

THE

YOU WANT

Inland Empire Utility Coordinating Council

received by the 15th of the month in order for the of that month.

Love The Splash?

Support our partners.

The Tri Community Grange Event Hall is an affordable location for parties, receptions, dances, reunions and meetings. Full kitchen, stage, piano, tables and chairs, NEW AC, handicap accessible, large parking lot and free signage Meeting Times: 6:30 pm the first Wednesday of every month.

Phone: 509-270-6089

quality

THE YO U D ES ERVE Fieldhouse Pizza • Stateline Plaza Windermere • Liberty Lake Family Dentistry Banner Fuel• Liberty Lake EyeCare in Spokane, Spokane Valley, Liberty Lake, Post Falls & Coeu

THE

gr ee n s t o n e h o m e s . c o m

LIBERTY LAKE

COMMUNITY NEWSMAGAZINE

Index of advertisers

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

Amaculate Housekeeping

4

Inland Empire Utility CC

21

Spokane Family Dental

22

Banner Furnace & Fuel

8

Spokane Gymnastics

14

Joel’s Lawn Care

22

BECU 13

John L Scott - Pam Fredrick

24

City of Liberty Lake

7, 12

Kathrine Olson, DDS

83 ft. Backyard Lift • Removals • Thinning • Pruning Shaping • Lot Clearing • Stump Grinding Residential & Commercial • A+ Rated BBB Member Affordable Arborist Tree Care, Inc. 509-879-0577 • Veteran Owned & Operated WA Lic#AFFORAT935KG

Eagle Rock Storage

24

Kiwanis Liberty Lake

WORK FROM HOME PEOPLE HAVE BEEN ASKING ME...

Greenstone 23

Liberty Lake Smile Source

12

Gus Johnson Ford

Simonds Dental Group

24

Service Directory

TREE SERVICE AFFORDABLE ARBORIST

I Set Up Appointments, Open New Accts. for a Lg. Manuf. Co., Similar to Sam’s Club and Costco.

Quality Non-toxic Products. MOMS, DADS, SINGLES, COLLEGE STUDENTS, RETIREES. 35 year track record.

Not MLM, No selling, No $ collection. Flex. hrs. I love what I do! Serious inquiries Call Diane 509-979-9027

4

Falco’s 8

Liberty Lake EyeCare Center

3

Friends of Mary Kuney

Liberty Lake Family Dentistry

5

Family Medicine Liberty Lake

5 17

18

Liberty Lake Sewer & Water District 4

Spokane Valley Farmer’s Market

3

True Legends

9

Valleyfest 22 Vision Marketing

3

Windermere 3

21

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

22 • APRIL 2020

The Splash

Dental Emergencies • Dental Cleanings • Wisdom Teeth Extractions • Invisalign • Crowns • Oral Surgery • Root Canals Dental Implants • Teeth Whitening • White Fillings • Children’s Dentistry • Dentures and Partial Dentures • Veneers

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We make it easy to smile!

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Spokane Valley, WA 99206

www.spokanefamilydental.com info@spokanefamilydental.com

509-924-0381

919 N Pines Rd. Spokane Valley, WA 99206

$1.00

Emergency Exam

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919 N Pines Rd. Spokane Valley, WA 99206

$50

gift card with paid exam, X-rays, and cleaning

509-924-0381

919 N Pines Rd. Spokane Valley, WA 99206

ON THAT NOTE

The Splash

APRIL 2020 • 23

A message from all of us to every one of you

By Danica Wick Splash Co-Owner

What a whirlwind these last weeks have been. As fellow community members and small business owners, I think we can all agree that the uncertainty of how this will all play out is real for each of us. Who would have guessed that the schools would be closed, or even stranger that the businesses would be as well. As a business owner, there have been times we wondered if we were going to be able to remain open to complete the publication and have the printer be open so it could get printed. If your reading this, then I suppose we made it. Like you, we have been experiencing an onslaught of overwhelming and, at times, confusing information, a roller coaster of emotions, to which we have been rolling with the changes thrown at us as we all navigate this COVID 19 crisis together.

While some seem to think that this isn’t real or that it won’t affect them, we hope that we have given you enough information throughout this edition to understand what is happening and how you can be safe and how

we can all help our community. In a time where connection is restricted to technology, immediate family, and / or from six feet apart as we pass each other while out for a walk.

We are all missing our friends, our sense of normalcy, but mostly our sense of security that had been established with our daily routines.

As we are striding bravely into this new world of social distancing, and staying home to stay healthy unless necessary we are mourning what feels like the loss of our ‘old’ life.

Although most of us have not really had a moment to stop and reflect with the constantly changing atmosphere that is controlling our lives we are, in fact, grieving for our losses and our uncertain future.

So, we would like to implore you into joining us in using this time, if you have it, to hold our families tightly and show them all the love we possess.

Try to spend moments without the worries of the outside world and make memories that each of us, along with our children and loved ones, can cherish forever.

Along with our daily school

schedule, we plan to spend our days taking some time to turn the living room into a movie theatre on occasion, get messy with arts and crafts, spend days outside playing, gardening, and learning things about the world from within the safety and comfort of our family’s arms.

We continue to have faith that we as a community can and will continue to use our greatest asset, our hearts.

Although our hearts are strained with uncertainty, it is our hearts that will hold us together. It is our hearts that will continue to make us strong. And it is our hearts that will forge together to restore our gracious and beautiful community to a splendor that today may feel like a distant memory.

As more businesses close, our neighbors lose their jobs or wages, and parents or grandparents get forced into their homes, there are going to be those amongst us that are going to need assistance more now than ever. If you are healthy and able we encourage you to reach out to our local non-profit organizations, such as Greater Spokane County Meals on Wheels to see how you can safely

help deliver food to seniors who shouldn’t be leaving their homes; or Spokane Valley Partners who may need any food we can spare to help feed those families who are struggling to put food on the table. We encourage you to help our neighbors in their time of need. Or if you find yourself needing help reach out, Spokane Valley Partners or other are out there and can help, we are here for you as well. Although this current situation is scary, it hasn’t diminished the size of our hearts, and we must continue to look for how we can all make it through this together. Together we are stronger than anything that can come our way.

We hope that you found this edition informative and uplifting. We will continue to strive to bring you stories of our children, our neighbors, and our lives. As these are the stories that make our community the amazing place that it is. If you have an idea for something that you would like us to include in an upcoming edition, let us know! Email us at editor@libertylakesplash.com or call 242-7752 we are always looking for stories or ideas we can share with the community. Or if you are online and want to share encouraging stories share them with #InlandStrong

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24 • APRIL 2020

The Splash

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With unit sizes available from 12 x 24 up to 14 x 50, we’re sure to have what you need. And all our indoor units have electricity available and come with extra wide and high doors to accommodate all vehicle sizes.

We also offer easily accessible and maneuverable outside parking. Give us a call or better yet, come visit and let us show you around.

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