When he signed on as Liberty Lake’s communication specialist last spring, David Goehner had no idea his most notable achievement in the job’s first 12 months would involve a stray feline at City Hall.
Yet there was Goehner, a former reporter and longtime public information officer, serving as the ad-hoc press agent for a cat who crashed a City Council meeting in late February during a tense public comments segment regarding the library. The cameo appearance was covered by local TV news as well as on media outlets in states like Texas, Florida and Kansas.
The unlikely story continued the trending of domesticated pet features that began shortly after Goehner started last April. His clever take on reasons why dogs don’t belong on local baseball fields – tied to concerns about wear and tear on the diamonds – quickly became one of the most popular public service announcements in the city’s history.
“We had some lines in there, like ‘Dogs don’t know which order to run the bases and they don’t know what a balk is,’” Goehner said.
Part-entertainer, part-PR virtuoso, Goehner has made a positive impact in his first year, according to colleagues like Mayor Cris Kaminskas.
“He’s brought a consistency in messaging,” Kaminskas said. “With his experience, he’s been able to get a lot more information out there than ever before and make it a little more fun.”
Before Goehner, the city had not included a full-time communication
specialist on its payroll, parceling out duties to various staff members. Goehner brings a skill set that includes writing, photography, public relations, integrated marketing and graphic design. With the city ramping up engagement efforts over the past year or more – launching a podcast, City Academy and Community Engagement Commission –Goehner’s has arguably been the catalyst. He has also been integral to the city’s social media presence.
Goehner stepped up as the host of “The Liberty Lake Deep Dive” podcast that premiered last month while also taking on director and casting call duties.
“I want it to be fun,” Goehner said. “I want my personality to be
there.”
Goehner grew up in the rural town of Dryden, Washington in Chelan County near the banks of the Wenatchee River. His family lived on a 20-acre orchard known for apples and pears. Pruning limbs, driving a tractor and picking produce became part of Goehner’s routine, growing up.
“I enjoyed living on an orchard but I didn’t like manual labor,” Goehner recalls. “It was arduous work.”
Goehner has fond family memories spent in the Upper Wenatchee Valley where winters meant motoring around on snowmobiles. The family dynamic changed suddenly when Goehner’s father passed away at 51 due to
heart issues, putting his son in a leadership role at 16.
“I had to step up,” Goehner said. Goehner adeptly juggled his orchard responsibilities with school where he earned good grades, served as ASB vice president and ran track, specializing in distance events. He also emerged as a talented cartoonist and reporter. His comics appeared in the local newspaper while his stories on local high school sports ran in the same publication.
When it came time for college, Goehner headed to Lamoni, Iowa and Graceland College (now Graceland University) where he pursued a double major in Journalism and Graphic Design. After graduation, he returned to Drayden and latched on with the Wenatchee World as a part-time sports reporter.
“I just liked the idea of journalism,” Goehner said.
Before he signed on in October 2005 with Educational School District (ESD) 105 in Yakima, Goehner made stops at Lower Columbia College where he worked in marketing. He later served at Washington State in a similar role. Along the way, he went back to WSU to get his master’s in Communications.
At ESD 105, Goehner oversaw all promotional communication efforts for a state agency serving 25 public school districts and 21 private schools in south central Washington. He saw the opening for the Liberty Lake job last February and decided to throw his hat into the ring. The draw of living and working closer to his mother who lives in Spokane ended up tipping the scales.
Around the time he was being considered by Liberty Lake brass, Goehner came in on a Saturday and drove around town to get a sense of the community.
“There’s a sense of Mayberry here,” he said. “I saw people out
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walking. There was a woman carrying a birthday gift. Liberty Lake is quiet and nice. I saw some parallels to Dryden here.”
A visit to Goehner’s office at City Hall makes it quickly evident that Batman and other comic heroes are part of his personal culture. He is a regular presenter at Adam West Day in Walla Walla, an event that celebrates TV’s version of Batman from the late 1960s who grew up in Whitman County. Goehner has also presented at Lilac City Comicon and been attending such events for over 30 years.
Fans of shows like “Star Trek” and would find a kindred spirit in Goehner who has met every member of the original program as well as each subsequent version. He is also an aficionado of the M*A*S*H TV series and quite possibly the world’s leading expert on the obscure spin-off, AfterM*A*S*H.
Q: What did growing up on an orchard teach you about the value of a good work ethic and also what direction you may want to take your own professional journey?
A: The biggest thing from my dad was the philosophy of putting in the time it takes to get the job done and to get the job done right. That translates into “persistence” – not in the sense of being pushy but in the sense of continuing to find whatever way is needed to get the goal achieved. And, from both my mom and dad, there’s also the ideal of going out of one’s way to accommodate other people whenever reasonably possible. That translates into “customer service.”
Q: You were writing professionally by the time you were a high school student. What did you learn about the field of journalism from that early experience?
A: Honestly, the central skills that define my approaches about writing all came during classes in college. There really wasn’t much I learned about journalism from when I was 17 and covering my high school sports each week. Except: Don’t consistently call the basketball coach on Sunday nights for details about the past week’s games when he’s wanting to watch
“60 Minutes.” Because then he’ll bring that up to everyone in March during the winter sports awards banquet.
Q: How did you find your voice as a writer?
A: The heart of that is the strict adherence to the standards of accuracy, objectivity and relevant facts that got drilled into me during college reporting class. That’s then wrapped into my package of word choices, interesting approaches and especially the opening sentences to grab an audience’s attention. Ray Bradbury’s books showed me the impactful power of poeticallycrafted words in conveying ideas. In sixth grade, I also started buying up all the records I could find from one particular comedian and those routines developed my style of humor. Then I added to that the value of David Letterman’s art of doing the unexpected oddball thing. If you saw the YouTube video I did last spring about why dogs shouldn’t be in the baseball fields, that was totally a Letterman influence!
Q: You went away to college but returned to Dryden, at least for a while, after graduation. How would you describe the importance of hometown roots in your life?
A: There’s a comfort zone thing for anyone to go back somewhere and help take on some of the mantle of responsibilities there. But I’ve also discovered that “hometown roots” really require “current family roots” or at least the comfort of other familiar people still being there in order for the familiar geography and locations to keep up their significance. I still had lots of that back in my home area initially after college. But the appeal of hometown roots will keep diminishing every time another family member is no longer there – or each time whatever female former classmate gets married off! On the plus side, I’m at least still able go to Wenatchee to get the lunch buffet at Godfather’s Pizza.
Q: What were the most rewarding aspects from your years at ESD 105 in Yakima?
A: I’ve always been a big fan of helping people reach their best potential and to me there are fewer ways to do that than through helping support others’ education.
So, it was rewarding every day to essentially be the “one-person advertising agency” on staff and help meet the promotional and publicity needs of a really wide range of education areas at the ESD. Some specifics were promoting the annual Regional High School Art Show, since I’ve been drawing since I was 2. Another was coordinating the Regional Teacher of the Year selection process, since I think teachers are memorably heroic people. And, I’m fortunately still coordinating my favorite thing there: The “Unleashed” teen journalism program that publishes students’ articles and photos each Sunday in the Yakima HeraldRepublic newspaper.
Q: More than 2,500 newspapers have gone out of business in the U.S. since 2005. As someone who has spent part of his career in community journalism, what do you think we lose when those publications close shop?
A: Without a local community outlet, the public misses out on a lot of the types of local information, a lot of details of local information and a lot of accurate sourcing about local information. A locally sourced post on some social media site is going to be rushed, not detailed, probably not professionally done and maybe not even correct. And here’s a hugely big thing: Local journalism is able to reflect a local community’s own standards and values -- not whatever story priorities and values that get driven to people from a national or outside big city source. You also lose a lot of local history – even the ability to clip out and keep something like a lengthy writeup and photos from last week’s high school sports contest.
Q: Why did the opportunity to become Liberty Lake's first fulltime communications specialist appeal to you?
A: Since this was a startup effort for the city, I liked being able to come in with my full gamut of experiences in writing, advertising, design and media interactions to help build some new, impactful and interesting things here for the city. And I was hoping to do this in something different than the education field this time. The joke I keep using is that I was looking for a setting that would be far less one-sided politicized as some
aspects of education have become, which is why I took a job at a city government. Plus, after I saw that the City Council here actually starts its meetings with an opening prayer, I knew this would be a pretty good match for me!
Q How would you characterize your first year working for the city?
A: I keep making this comment: Liberty Lake’s city staff is filled with nothing but great, regular and real people. As a “M*A*S*H” fan, I can honestly say that I have not encountered a Frank Burns anywhere in the whole group. The staff is thoroughly helpful and supportive of each other – no ego-centered or uncooperative personalities anywhere. That all makes for a staff of very servantoriented people who are there to help the city’s residents. And that makes it an easy setting for me to interact with in obtaining and relaying the city’s work and information. The people on the staff are as refreshingly and exceptionally ordinary as the people who live here are. Also, you can’t beat getting national publicity by taking photos of cat in the ceiling that interrupts a City Council meeting.
Q: Between the new podcast, the City Academy and Community Engagement Commission, the city is clearly raising its game to inform and engage residents. What do you hope will result from all of these efforts?
A: When I was the editor of the newspaper in college, we had a student who wrote a letter that ripped into the members of one of the student organizations on campus. The coordinator of that program told me, “I wish people would first try to find out about the program before creating an opinion about it.” That line has always stuck with me. As a communications guy, I’m always wanting people – anywhere – to be well-informed. By receiving more information, by having more outlets for outreach and by having expanded opportunities for people offer their thoughts to city leaders, both the public and the city staff will have a more complete bag of knowledge in their heads and know what’s going on. And then they can create a better opinion about it.
When the Liberty Lake City Council heard a presentation on the implementation of a Transportation Benefit District (TBD) in March to raise funds for the construction, maintenance and operation of transportation facilities, it wasn’t the first time the taxing mechanism was featured on the community stage.
In the fall of 1999, residents of yet-to-be incorporated Liberty Lake approved a TBD – in the form of a slight increase to property tax –with resulting revenue earmarked for the construction of a vast trails network. The vote passed by nearly 70 percent and eventually raised over $2 million for trails after being grafted with a series of matching grants.
These days, City Council is focused on how the TBD could be used to address the existing and future inventory of municipal streets. Recent state legislation allows a TBD, in the form of a 0.1 percent increase in sales tax, to be installed with a simple council majority. On March 7, Finance Director Kyle Dixon told the governing board that such a tax could raise $615,000 annually for transportation infrastructure needs.
Nearly in the same breath, some on council have expressed interest in installing the TBD to replace the utility tax which carries a 3-percent levy on electric, natural gas, cable, solid waste and phone bills. Revenue from the utility tax generated $915,000 last year with all funds dedicated to a street budget that totaled $1.4 million.
“Utility tax goes solely to the street fund,” Dixon said. “It’s a critical revenue stream for us now.”
Council members like Jed Spencer have expressed support for removing some or all of the utility tax which was introduced in 2011 in response to a nationwide recession and a projected city deficit of as much as $700,000. First implemented at 6 percent, the tax
was lowered to 3 percent in 2012.
“The utility tax was initially thought of as something that was going to be in place temporarily and the city was going to get rid of it if we could,” Spencer said. “The TBD is a mechanism that will mostly cover what we bring in through the utility tax and based on the surplus we have each year, I feel we could come up with the difference.”
Proponents of the TBD around the dais point to the benefits of an approach that would spread the tax obligation more fairly among those who use the roads and shop in Liberty Lake but don’t reside in the community.
Any percentage above 0.1 percent through the TBD would require a public vote as in 1999. The tax can levy up to 0.3 percent on sales tax or vehicle license fees.
Council Member Dan Dunne has yet to jump aboard the TBD bandwagon nor to push removal of the utility tax.
“I think the utility tax has served the city effectively and does not require significant change,” Dunne said. “I also don’t think the TBD represents a significant advantage. The city is facing a formidable set of expenses, including law enforcement, Trailhead and various capital projects. I don’t think now is the time to compromise revenue streams.”
Sales and use tax continues to be the cornerstone of the municipal
budget, raising over $5 million a year. Shoppers in Liberty Lake pay 8.9 percent on most purchases with the state receiving 6.5 percent, Spokane County absorbing 1.6 percent and the city of Liberty Lake pocketing the remaining 0.8 percent.
Revenue from sales tax covers the entire $3.5 million budget to maintain and operate city parks along the balance of public safety costs not covered by property tax. Administrative services like payroll, IT, human resources and records management are also supported by sales tax.
The robust stream of sales tax stands in contrast to the city’s lesser reliance on property tax with Liberty Lake featuring the lowest rate of any jurisdiction in Spokane County at $0.96 per $1,000 of assessed property value. By comparison, Cheney residents pay $1.74 per $1,000 while property owners in Millwood and Airway Heights are charged $1.46 and $1.43 respectively for each $1,000 of property value.
“We are the least dependent on property tax than any other city,” said Dixon.
Dixon added that buildout of Liberty Lake in neighborhoods like Stonehill, the River District and Legacy Ridge have spread the property tax burden out and fed into lower rates.
Property tax revenue covers library costs to the tune of $650,000
with the remaining $2 million applied to the city’s public safety budget of $4.4 million.
Dixon is recommending that council proceed with adoption of the TBD while pointing out that another new tax being proposed by Spokane County – a 0.2 percent bump in sales tax that will be on the ballot in this November’s general election – will likely have an impact on which direction the city decides to go. If passed, the new tax would support public safety with the county retaining a maximum of 60 percent and the remaining revenue being parceled out to cities.
Mayor Cris Kaminskas said that while council has discussed the TBD replacing the utility tax completely or in part, “it doesn’t mean they’re going to act on the switch right away.”
“The TBD would spread the tax burden out to everyone who shops in our community and uses our roads,” Kaminskas said.
Part of establishing a TBD includes holding a mandatory public hearing to determine citizen interest in such an approach. No date has yet been set to collect feedback.
“We wouldn’t just do this to raise more revenue,” said Spencer of the possible introduction of the TBD. “We’d be keeping the promise to residents that we were eventually going to do away with the utility tax.”
The sounds of the city of Liberty Lake are now streaming over the Internet for listeners of City Hall’s new podcast “The Liberty Lake Deep Dive,” which premiered April 11.
The new podcast series provides listeners with topic-centered episodes that spotlight the people, programs, activities and life of the Liberty Lake community. New shows will be posted about twice a month, following the weekly releases of the first three episodes during April. Each episode runs
Liberty Lake’s city staff wants to know YOUR priorities as the process begins for developing the new strategic plan that will guide the city’s next phase of development for the next five years.
Making your voice known is as easy as going to the city’s homepage right now at www. libertylakewa.gov.
Throughout May and June, the city is inviting all residents – as well those who work at Liberty Lake businesses – to provide their input on a short survey to guide the look of the 2024-2028 strategic plan. This is an opportunity for the public to share their voice about what they value, what they are concerned about and what their hopes are for the future of Liberty Lake.
A link to the short survey is available on the city’s homepage. People will also be able to provide survey responses at the Farmers Market on Saturdays or can scan in a QR code there to take the survey later on their own. All responses will remain confidential.
Survey items were generated
approximately 15 minutes, and even includes a regular city trivia quiz segment.
“This is one strategy, among many, of the City Council’s wider vision to promote more proactive public engagement,” said Liberty Lake City Administrator Mark McAvoy in the debut installment of the new podcast series. “The podcast seemed like a great idea, just from the fact that they’re more prevalent now. And, so it seemed like a great way to dip our toe into the engagement water.”
The Q & A with the city administrator for the podcast’s
first episode was followed by installments about some of the most popular checked-out books at the Liberty Lake Municipal Library, as well as a look at student and school safety with the Liberty Lake Police Department’s Sgt. Mark Holthaus. Later installments will include previews and inside information about some of Liberty Lake’s community events, such as a segment later in May about the return of the downtown area’s Hometown Heroes banners.
“We want this to be a program that is not only information-based but also something that’s going to be fun and entertaining to listen to,” said David Goehner, the city’s communication specialist who is
also hosting and producing the new podcast series. “Some of that fun will be in the variety of topics and people we interact with from show to show as we provide something that hopefully echoes the friendly defining nature of this community.”
Installments of “The Liberty Lake Deep Dive” are made available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and other outlets. New episodes are also being posted on the city’s Facebook site and will be archived on the new “City Podcast” page under the “Our Community” section of the city’s website at www.libertylakewa. gov.
Waste containers throughout Liberty Lake’s city parks and trail areas have a slight enhancement this spring: Green stickers containing info people can use to send in an alert for a cleanup!
The stickers are the latest addition to the city’s TextMyGov service, through which residents can use text messages to obtain automated responses about some specific city services or initiate questions with city staff about other topics. Text phone users can alert parks staff about any overflowing containers by texting the words “WASTE BIN” to the city’s 509-255-7445 TextMyGov number.
from a workshop by the Liberty Lake City Council during March. After the public survey closes at the end of June, city staff and the City Council will begin reviewing
the findings and use the result to develop an action plan to guide how the city makes decisions, allocates resources and delivers services for the next five years.
https://www.facebook.com/libertylakewa
Through the TextMyGov system, residents can also use that same number to receive automated responses on where to find information on the city’s website and elsewhere by typing in numerous terms such as “broken sprinkler,” “zoning,” “animal control” and “library events.” Residents can also use the system to receive personal responses on more specific questions or topics and can sign up to receive alerts through TextMyGov.
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March 01st, 2023 – March 31st, 2023
Splash news sources
Total incidents generated by Officers and emergency calls for service last month
613
Traffic Collisions/Hit & Runs / Injury Collisions 14
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March 01st, 2023 – March 31st, 2023
March 2023 Incident Map:
Citations (Traffic/ Criminal/Non-Criminal) 24
DUI (Driving Under Influence) 1
Thefts / Vehicle Prowls / Vehicle Theft / Burglaries 15
Malicious Mischief 4
Argument / Assault DV / Simple Assault / Assault w/a Weapon 14
Parking Violations 2
Suspicious Vehicles 51
March 2023 Incident Map:
*The above numbers are as of 4/01/2023
Officers responded to the 21000 block of East Country Vista for a report of a Domestic Disturbance. Officers responded to the locations and discovered they had been to the residence several times in the past for related DV issues. Officers determined the adult female at that location had assaulted the adult male by throwing a telephone at his head and causing minor injuries. Officers recognized has had several mental health issues that had been escalating and determined the best course of action to separate the two was to make the arrest for the assault on the female. The female was arrested for the DV Assault 4th degree and transported to the Spokane County Jail
Theft/Person with a knife, 3/21/23: Officers responded to a panic alarm in the 1100
block of North Liberty Lake Road. While officers were responding, it was relayed to them that an intoxicated adult male was using a knife to open food inside the store and causing concerns for the safety of those inside. Officers arrived and found an adult male matching the description standing in front of the store with what appeared to be a knife in his pocket. Officers detained the male and learned he had opened several items of food and ate them prior to their arrival. They determined the male had not threatened anyone with the knife, but the manager of the store wanted to have him charged for the theft and trespassed from that location. Officers trespassed the male for life from the location and cited him for the theft violation.
Possession W/Intent to
deliver, 2/21/23: Officers received a call from the a manager of a store in the 1300 block of North Liberty Lake Road about a male who appeared to be passed out behind the wheel of his vehicle. Officers responded and located the male inside his SUV with the vehicle running and the transmission in reverse. Officers pulled in behind the vehicle to ensure it didn’t move and contacted the adult male in the drivers seat. The male appeared to be under the influence and later admitted to smoking “Mexi’s” prior to their arrival. The male was also on Department of Corrections probation and provided the officers with his probation officers’ number. Officers contacted DOC probation and determined that he had violated the conditions of his probation and they wanted to come pick the male up from their location. While searching the male, there were several pills found on his person that were determined to be “Mexi’s.” Officers released the male to DOC and contacted his spouse about the vehicle. The males spouse took custody of the vehicle and officers forwarded charges on the male for the possession with intent to deliver for the drugs found on his person.
Please call 911 immediately for emergency assistance when needed and call Crime Check if you see something you feel may need our attention. If you don’t hear back from CrimeCheck in a timely manner, please call, and request officer assistance. The Liberty Lake Police Department would like to remind everyone to keep their belongings out of sight or out of your vehicles and to ensure your doors remain secure at all times to prevent theft.
Stay well and be safe!
Baseball is often regarded as America's pastime. It is a game that has captivated the hearts of millions for decades, inspiring both young and old to come together and enjoy a friendly competition. For many children, playing baseball is a rite of passage, an opportunity to learn teamwork, sportsmanship, and the value of hard work.
However, for children with disabilities, this rite of passage can often seem out of reach. The physical and mental challenges they face can make it difficult to participate in traditional youth sports, which can lead to feelings of isolation and exclusion.
That is why the emergence of the Challengers baseball division in the Liberty Lake and Spokane Valley area for children with disabilities is so important. This division provides a safe and inclusive environment where children of all abilities can come together and play the sport they love. The teams are designed to cater to the unique needs of each
child, ensuring that everyone has an opportunity to participate and thrive.
The Liberty Lake Spokane Valley Little League is made up of over 500 children separated into roughly 45 different teams across the area. Little League is a youth baseball organization that was founded in 1939 in Pennsylvania, USA. It is a nonprofit organization that provides a structured and organized environment for children ages 4-16 to learn and play baseball. Little League emphasizes the values of teamwork, sportsmanship, and fair play, and teaches children important
life skills such as discipline, responsibility, and respect for others.
Kyle Stevenson is a board member for the Liberty Lake Spokane Valley Little League Chapter and is also the organizer of the Challenger Division, as well as a coach for two other little league teams. Kyle had previous involvement with a similar team that his son was involved with in the South Hill area. When that team dissolved, he and his wife looked for another team, but found the area lacking an inclusive and supportive team.
Inclusion is a fundamental human right that should be
extended to everyone, regardless of their abilities or disabilities. When it comes to sports, inclusion means creating an environment where all individuals, regardless of their physical or mental challenges, can participate and enjoy the benefits that come with being part of a team.
Kyle had the idea to start a division that was inclusive under the Liberty Lake Spokane Valley Little League Chapter and approached the board with the idea in early 2023. Steve Raab, Liberty Lake Spokane Valley Little League Chapter President, was supportive of the idea if there was someone to coach and organize the division. Kyle stepped up to coach and brought his wife Alaina, a special education teacher, on board to help support the kids and how to talk with the parents and provide structure.
“We want every kid to play ball. And we were missing that. A group of kids couldn’t play ball and I wanted to provide that opportunity for them. And I knew how to make it happen and someone needed to do it, so I stepped up. My son wants to be like his brothers,” Kyle shares about the decision to begin coaching a new division. “You can tell he wants to be like them. He loves them. He goes to all their games. I wanted to make it so that he could feel like he had his own team.”
Including players with disabilities in sports has numerous benefits, for both for the participants and their “buddy teammate”, as well as for the community. For the players, being part of a team can provide a sense of belonging and social connection that is often difficult to achieve in other settings. Playing sports can also help individuals with disabilities to develop physical skills, coordination, and confidence, which can translate into other areas of their lives.
A Buddy teammate is paired up with each Challenger player
on the day of the game. They are volunteer players from other teams with in the Liberty Lake Spokane Valley Little League. By pairing each player on the Challenger team with a non-disability teammate, called a Buddy, the children are given the opportunity to form a meaningful connection with someone who may be different from themselves. This
allows them to learn about and appreciate the unique challenges and abilities of their teammate, and to develop a sense of empathy and understanding that can carry over into other areas of their lives. Additionally, it helps to break down barriers and promote a culture of inclusivity, where everyone is valued and respected for who they are.
For the community and
society, inclusion in sports helps to break down stereotypes and promote a more accepting and understanding culture. It shows that individuals with disabilities are just as capable of contributing to society and achieving great things as anyone else.
When Kyle posted the original interest post on the Liberty Lake Community Facebook page, he instantly received positive feedback and started having parents share interest in signing up for the team. They opened registration in the beginning of February 2023 and all 16 spots were filled.
A typical Little League is divided by age, but in the Challengers division, all ages are welcome. The players, both girls and boys, span in age from 4 to 18. The children have varying disabilities and are setting a powerful example of inclusion in sports. By creating a space where every child can participate and thrive, they are showing that everyone has something valuable to offer, regardless of their ability. They are helping to break down barriers and promote a more inclusive and accepting culture, one game at a time.
In the future, the division registration will open in early January and will close early in March.
The first time that the Challengers assembled as a team was on April 15th 2023 in Liberty Lake, they were given uniforms and placed on one of two teams. The two teams that make up the Challenger Division are the Blue Jays and the Cardinals. This initial practice was more like a meet and greet for all the competitors and their parents. “The main point was to get the kids on the field. Have them interact with each other and give us a chance to talk with the parents,” Kyle explains that the first meeting was a success. “We
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understand that every kid is going to be unique and different. Some might struggle, but we get it. My son is on the team and we’ve been there.”
Kyle’s oldest son is on the team and Kyle was excited to see him feel like it was his team, “I saw my son playing catch with a student he had went to school with a long time ago and they were playing catch for over ten minutes! We didn’t have to watch them; they were just having fun!” Kyle shares the excitement that his players had when receiving their uniform. “They immediately put them on and started taking pictures together. I wasn’t expecting how happy they would be to get their own uniform. They were so happy and proud!”
The Challengers played their first game on Saturday, April 22nd on a field at Liberty Lake Creek Elementary.
The players arrived in their blue or red uniform, ready to play ball on the bright and sunny morning. It was the perfect weather for the Challengers Division inaugural game. The players were paired up with their Buddies who would help them go from base to base and help give them support when needed.
In the morning, Kyle's son Beau was the first to bat. As the ball was pitched to him, Beau swung the bat and connected with a loud snap, sending the ball soaring high over the heads of the other players. The ball soared through the air, spinning and twisting as the players and spectators looked up in wonder as it flew in a high arc, allowing Beau the chance to throw down the bat and run to first base.
Beau made it safely to first base after an outfielder caught it and sent it flying back to the pitcher.
“I just want him to be able to play,” Kyle and his wife are
advocates for inclusion, “And just having him out there and having the opportunity to play feels good.” Kyle shared the sentiment prior to the game and was all smiles as Beau hit the ball and sent it flying.
Justin Pessin is a parent of a player on the Cardinals team in the Challenger division and was present for the game on Saturday. When asked what it was like to be at the field watching his child he shared, “I think its great! It’s a great opportunity for all the kids. I think its also a positive thing for the community to be able to bring all these kids together and having the other kids come and help teach them how to play the game. This is [my child’s] first time experiencing any type of organized sport. I coach at Central Valley High School and it’s wonderful being able to see him and all the kids out there. It’s important to see them out there with a sense of normalcy and getting to have that experience.” Justin is a Spokane Valley resident and makes the trip out to Liberty Lake so that his child can be a team member on the Challenger division.
Eric Harter is the father of Avi, a player on the Blue Jay team. Avi was the second hitter of the morning and after a swing, her bat connected with ball and sent it flying. “It’s incredible. We were super happy to hear that something like this existed. Because in middle school and high school, yes she does have a chance to be a part of it, but not really play on the team. This gives her an outlet and is something to keep her active. She surprised us all. I thought she was going to pick the batting T, but instead choose to have the ball pitched to her and she hit the ball and ran to first base. She’ll be talking about it for weeks!”
Members of the public are welcomed to watch the Challengers play each Saturday through May 20th at the diamond field at the Liberty Creek Elementary School.
• The annual report from SafeWise, a national home safety and security company, recently listed Liberty Lake among the 20 safest cities in Washington. Liberty Lake was one of only three Eastern Washington cities to make the list, along with West Richland and East Wenatchee. Westside jurisdictions Sammamish, Oak Harbor and Bainbridge Island topped the list based on crime data. “It is one of Liberty Lake’s strategic priorities to provide a safe, active and engaged community through proactive policing and public safety,” said Liberty Lake City Administrator Mark McAvoy. “The SafeWise report not only reflects that priority in practice, but also affirms the commitment of our entire police department to help make Liberty Lake one of the safest cities in Washington.”
• Organizers of the fourth annual Liberty Lake Boat Parade are already looking forward to the event on July 3 beginning at 4 p.m. This year’s parade has a sponsor for the first time –Tobler Marina out of Hayden. Awards will be given out in various categories. Live music at Dreamwood Bay, a private lakeside community, will be part of the festivities with boats
welcome to anchor in the bay for the concert.
• Council Member Tom Sahlberg has earned his Certificate of Municipal Leadership from the Association of Washington Cities. “I want to congratulate Tom for tackling that and getting it done so quickly,” said Mayor Cris Kaminskas at the April 18 council meeting.
• Kaminskas represented Liberty Lake at the National League of Cities Conference last month in Washington, D.C. The mayor focused on grants during the visit, particularly simplifying the grant application process for smaller cities like Liberty Lake which often don’t have dedicated staff assigned to the process.
• Finance Director Kyle Dixon provided council with a first quarter overview on April 18, noting 2023’s initial quarter “went according to budget.” The city collected $1.42 million in sales and use tax, 28 percent of the projected $5.1 million for the year. Permits and planning generated $312,000 or 28 percent of the $1.1 million expected for 2023. On the expenditure side, the city doled out just shy of $2.7 million in the first three months of the year, 19 percent of the anticipated annual disbursement of $14.1 million. Despite ongoing construction of the new clubhouse and restaurant at Trailhead, the golf
venue still managed to generate nearly 90,000 in the first quarter, 11 percent of the projected yearly revenue.
• The city spent just under $100,000 on snow and ice clearing from the beginning of March to the end of October. A total of 662 lane miles were plowed this winter. City workers spent 378 hours on keeping roads safe between street clearing and maintenance of vehicles.
• The Parks and Arts Commission continues work on several projects including a mural and resurfacing of the basketball court at Pavillion Park in collaboration with Hooptown USA with a goal of completion by August. The commission has also approved half a dozen garbage barrels that will feature art by local artists. Finally, the commission is working with the local chapter of the Daughters of American Revolution on a memorial garden at Orchard Park that is expected to be opened by Memorial Day weekend.
• The next rendition of Winter Glow Spectacular –Liberty Lake’s dynamic holiday light display at Orchard Park –may be eight months away but fundraising for the makeshift theme park is already taking place. Registration is now open for the second annual Winter Glow Spectacular Golf Tournament at Liberty Lake Golf Course on Saturday,
June 10. The entry fee of $125 includes green fees, golf cart and lunch with proceeds benefiting Winter Glow. There is also an opportunity to provide support by sponsoring a door prize, gift card or hole. To register or sign on as a sponsor, visit www. libertylakewa.gov and click on Civic Alerts.
• The second read of Ordinance 119C took up only three lines on the April 18 council agenda but the discussion of who will have ultimate oversight of Liberty Lake Municipal Library policies and procedures occupied over three hours with council ultimately moving the matter to the May 2 meeting for further discussion. The public comments portion of the meeting lasted over 45 minutes and featured a steady stream of those in support of the Library Board of Trustees maintaining the final say over policies, including the book and materials collection and where they are housed in the library. Only a few spoke in favor of that authority being transferred to council, a concept which emerged at a workshop in January where Council Member Chris Cargill recommended that the words, “with the approval of City Council” be added to Ordinance 119, originally established in 2003 with the formation of the library and outlining board duties. A few months earlier, at a workshop in late October, the board let council
know that they were introducing a new policy that would preclude council from appealing any item in the library book or materials collection. At the April 18 meeting, several amendments were made to the library ordinance, including wording that would allow council to approve or reject any current library policies along with future policies by a simple majority vote. That change passed 4-3 with Council Members Cargill, Wendy Van Orman, Jed Spencer and Mayor Pro Tem Phil Folyer in the majority and Council Members Sahlberg, Annie Kurtz and Dan Dunne in the minority. “I think what we’re truly trying to get to is that we have the opportunity to look at the policies that are written,” Van Orman said. “The policies are written by the library board and they do a great job.” Kurtz said interfering with the authority of the board goes against state law while Sahlberg pointed to the robust support of the board voiced by the community. “The citizens have spoken out over and over against this,” he said. “Are we representing them?” Kurtz said later that extending the debate over many months has been unproductive. “I think it’s damaged the community by dragging this out and not making a decision,” she said.
Trustee Teresa Tapao-Hunt said, following the meeting, that council “really wants a level
of compliance we haven’t had before.” As for the ultimate vote on the amended ordinance that will likely come in May, Tapao-Hunt said the board “has exhausted our avenues and provided multiple reasons why an ordinance shouldn’t say this.” At the meeting, Folyer said council review of library policy “would be like any other policy discussion in working through change and finding out the best solution to make four out of seven happy.” The mayor has three options when it comes to a council vote, such as the one on 119C, starting with signing the ordinance into action. She could veto a simple majority vote (such as 4-3) which would then require a supermajority (a 5-2, 6-1 or 7-0 margin) to pass. Finally, the mayor could opt to not sign the approved ordinance which would then be delayed 10 days before taking effect.
Jordan Tuttle is a not only a new police officer to the Liberty Lake community, but a returning member of the community after growing up in the area. We would like to introduce him and the share a little about how he has come to be the newest member of the Liberty Lake Police department as of the time of writing this article.
Police officers play a vital role in maintaining law and order in our society; they are responsible for ensuring public safety, preventing crime, and protecting our property and rights. With the addition of a new officer to the Liberty Lake Police Department, the community can rest assured that Liberty Lake will continue to be safe and secure.
Officer Tuttle celebrated his “dirty thirty” birthday in the Fall of 2022 before he had decided to apply for the open position in Liberty Lake. Turning thirty is a time for celebrating personal growth and achievements while looking forward to new challenges and opportunities that the future will bring. Officer Tuttle quickly adapted himself to the age.
Office Tuttle was born in 1992 in Spokane Valley and moved to Liberty Lake while in grade school. He graduated from Central Valley High school in 2010 after being drafted for an ice hockey team in Canada while he was a Junior. Jordan had played ice hockey since he was 13 and became an accomplished athlete. He was drafted by the Sturgeon Falls Lumberjacks team near West Nipissing, Ontario, Canada. He moved to Canada at the beginning of his senior year to play for the team, but moved back two months before graduation so that he could participate in the Central Valley High School graduation.
Despite his achievements as a hockey player, his career goal has always been to become a police officer. His family has a history of serving in law enforcement, including his grandfather and uncle. He has a memory from his childhood of an officer going out
of his way to make Jordan feel comfortable while dealing with a stressful situation. “I got locked inside a bathroom stall (at the Spokane County Court house) and one of their officers crawled under the door to let me out, and then walked back with me and played cars with me and gave me a sticker.” Aaron shares about his memory. “The officer took the extra minute to make sure that this little kid, me, was calm and ok. It really stood out to me.”
Although he was offered the opportunity to move to Europe and play professional ice hockey at the age of 20, Officer Tuttle chose to pursue his childhood goal of a career in law enforcement. After a few interviews with different law enforcement agencies, he was given advice that he needed to obtain some experience in the field.
He applied and was hired as a Corrections Officer at the Benton County jail in October of 2017, but, “I told them that working here was just a stepping stone. I wasn’t going to stay there. But during the
time I learned how to communicate there.”
During his time as a Corrections Officer, Jordan gained insight that has stayed with him as he moved into his role as a Police Officer. “When I take someone to jail, or I’m trying to make that determination, I think of sitting inside of that cell or area, how is it going to change how this person behaves in the future.”
In the beginning March 2020 Jordan had applied and was hired into the Benton County Sheriff’s Office and was set to begin the academy training. The pandemic halted in-person training and he didn’t begin training for his new position until the summer. On November 19, 2020 Jordan Tuttle graduated from the academy and began as a patrol deputy with the Benton County department.
After meeting his wife and having a daughter born in 2022, the family decided to move to the Spokane area.
“Liberty Lake is a smaller department, but they’re growing and there might be more
opportunities for what I want to do,” Officer Tuttle shares about the decision to apply at the Liberty Lake Police Department. “It’s a family environment and it’s an important feeling that I got when I did my ride along here.”
He applied for a position at the Liberty Lake Police Department days after Thanksgiving in 2022. He reminisces about the interview that he was nervous and that “it went terrible, we’re not going to be able to move.”
Soon after, he received a call for a follow-up interview. He was then offered the position and started his official first day with the Liberty Lake Police Department on February 7th, 2023. The call volume is different from what he was used to in his past role as a Deputy in Benton County. On a typical day, he’d have 10-15 calls to respond to across a wide area. In Liberty Lake, he’ll receive 7-10 calls in a small vicinity.
Officer Tuttle is glad to be back living in the area, but is not looking forward to the day when he has to pull over a fellow classmate for speeding and write up a ticket. Now that he is back in the area, he is enjoying the surrounding trees, mountains, and numerous hiking trails with our beautiful, mostly below 100-degree summer weather in the Liberty Lake and surrounding area.
“It’s a pleasure to have a Jordan as a part of our organization. He was born and raised in the City of Liberty Lake and his connection to the community shows in the quality of his work. In the short time he has been with us, Jordan has quickly become one of our most proactive officers who is dedicated to keeping our city safe. His positive demeanor and overall professionalism has made a lasting impression on the entire organization.” Lt. Darin Morgan shared about Officer Tuttle.
“The community here is very friendly and supportive. Which is a huge change from all the areas I’ve been in,” Officer Tuttle shares about his time so far in Liberty Lake. “Getting hired here at the department was an easy choice for me to make because it is a family department and family orientated. They have a strong support and understanding that family is important and makes you feel a part of it.”
Photo by Ashley Humbird
As he wraps up four years at Central Valley High School, Zak Azar can be proud of his journey. The senior maintains a 4.0 grade point average and is a member of National Honor Society. He will represent CV as co-salutatorian at graduation. Azar is an accomplished musician who has played violin for the last eight years, He has been part of CV’s Chamber Orchestra for three years and the Symphony Orchestra for two years. He has also been a member of the Spokane Youth Symphony for the past two years. Azar participates in CV’s Environmental Club and competes in Civics Bowl for the Bears. The team recently advanced past the first two rounds of a competition airing on KSPS. Azar will attend the University of Washington where he plans to study International Business. He has also volunteered locally for SNAP.
Ridgeline senior Alivia Bruno maintains a 3.92 grade point average and served as coordinator of the first “Verde Loco” school spirit event last year. She helped promote service projects like a blanket drive and food drive as well as leadership events. Bruno qualified for state twice in cross country and this season competed in the CHAMPS West Regional Meet and Nike Cross Regionals where she placed fifth in her category. As a sophomore at Central Valley, Bruno earned All American honors at the Junior Olympics in Kentucky. In track, Bruno competes in the 100-and-300meter hurdles, high jump and 4 x 400 relay. She was part of a Falcons’ 4 x 400 team that finished fifth at state last season. Bruno is a Running Start student at Eastern Washington University. She will continue her studies and track career at Concordia University Irvine.
A longtime resident of Liberty Lake, Scott Sutherland has made a dynamic impact as a teacher and coach at University High School. He led the school’s Alternative Center from 1998 to 2016, supporting and mentoring nontraditional learners on their respective roads to success. The program produced 230 graduates in Sutherland’s tenure. Prior to that, Sutherland was a resource room and special education teacher from 1990 to 1998. He now teaches science at U-Hi. A graduate of Eastern Washington University, Sutherland has been involved in baseball at University High for the past 25 years. He served as head coach from 2007 to 2013, leading the Titans to consecutive Greater Spokane League titles in 2008 and 2009. Scott and his wife Tammy have been married 18 years and have six kids in their blended family. They have called Liberty Lake home since 2000.
The Liberty Lake Farmers Market is preparing to launch its 2023 season with a record high number of vendors, with 81 farmers, crafters, brewers, bakers and chefs signed up to sell their products.
The season is just around the corner, with the market opening May 20 in Town Square Park at 1421 N. Meadowwood Lane. The market will be open every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. through October 14.
The vendor list was just finalized and is up 10 vendors from last year. Some of the 81 vendors are part time and will only be there on some weekends. There are many returning favorites and there are 26 new vendors, eight of which are farmers.
Board president Holli Parker said it’s important to the board that farmers are a key part of the market. It gives people a way to buy from local producers without driving from farm to farm to get the fresh fruit and produce that they want. Items such as grass-fed beef, mushrooms and locally brewed craft beer are also available.
“We don’t just want to be a craft fair and prepared foods,” she said. “All of our farmers that we’ve had in the past are coming back.”
The volunteer-run market first opened in the spring of 2002 with only eight vendors and has been growing steadily ever since. When it began Parker thought it needed baked goods, so she would go to Cobblestone Bakery to purchase items each week and sell them at the market. “I was a vendor the first couple of years,” she said.
She then became the day manager for a time, a position that is now held by her son, who grew up at the market. Parker said she began working with the market because she wanted to be involved in the community. “I love our community, first of all,” she said. “I feel like we’ve grown with the city.”
When the market first began there was only one other in Spokane and Parker said she’s glad to see farmers markets proliferating in different neighborhoods over the last few years.
The market stayed open during the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic, though the vendors were more spaced out. People have said that they liked it when the booths were more spread out because it felt less crowded, so attempts have been made since then to not pack the booths in tightly, Parker said.
“We’re trying to keep that openness to it,” she said.
The layout of the market will be slightly different this year since new vendors were added, Parker said.
Parker said she’s noticed that people who used to come to the market as children now come back
as adults. The weekly market is also a great time to reconnect with friends and neighbors that have been behind closed doors during the winter, Parker said. “It’s nice, every week, to stop and chat with people I haven’t seen,” she said.
A full slate of musicians from fiddlers to singers to accordion players are already scheduled to perform each week the market is open.
The crafters signed up this year include Creekhouse Crafted, Just Plate Crazy, So Knot Crazy, Spokane Pen and Ink and Melissameli Jewelry. People who are hungry can visit Big Daddy’s Banh Mi’s, Crepe Café, Seds Delicious Dogs, Scone Ranger, Madfire Kitchen or the Tamale Box.
Other food vendors include Bean & Pie, Big Barn Brewing, Caramel Kitchen, Hierophant Meadery, Kenai Red Fish Company, Lisa’s Desserts, the Malted Mutt, LakeWolf Creamery, Liberty Ciderworks, Mama Torrez Salsa Co., PNW Coffee Roasters and Shareable Sweets.
The lengthy list of farms signed up for the market includes Browning Beef, Drangonfly Urban Farm, Gourmet Foragables, Hidden Hills, Inland Garlic,
Makana Farms, Maggie’s Garden, MoonBear Mushroom, Pacific Produce, Piper Farm, Ramstead Ranch, Royal Highlands, S&P Homestead Farm, Sidewalk Floral, Sunset Orchards, Vang Produce and Woodard Family Farms.
The market’s popular Pie Festival is scheduled for Aug. 19. People can buy prepared pies or purchase the produce they need to make their own. There will be pie walks and a pie eating contest. It will feature local musician Keith Harris along with pies of many flavors and varieties.
“It’s so much fun,” Parker said. “We have a pie song for our pie walk that he wrote for us.”
The Pie Festival is one of three festivals that the market hosts each year, though the other festivals change from year to year. This year’s other two festivals are still in the planning stages. “We keep reinventing those each year except for our Pie Festival,” she said. “Pie has been our staple.”
Parker said she hopes people will plan to stop by every Saturday this summer to shop and be a part of the community. “We want everyone to come and shop and meet their neighbors and have some good food,” she said.
By John McCallum Splash contributor Baseball
The Falcons are 6-8 in the GSL, 7-9 overall and in seventh place in league standings with four games remaining. Ridgeline ran off a fourgame winning streak that included a remarkable 9-7 come-from-behind win over fifth-place Gonzaga Prep on April 11; a game where the Falcons trailed 7-1 heading in to the fifth inning and scored four runs in the top of the seventh, sparked by a home run from Nate Fitzpatrick, for the win.
Ridgeline also own wins over GSL leader Mt. Spokane, thirdplace Mead and second-place Central Valley School District rival University — the latter a 4-3 decision at home via an eighthinning, two-out walk-off RBI double by Easton Amend.
“The other thing that is special about this team is the fact they never give up,” Falcons head coach Jeramie Maupin said. “We have been down in the seventh inning five times this year and come back to either tie or take the lead.”
The Falcons are hitting .219 this season. Amend, a junior, leads the team with a .333 batting average, with seven runs scored, seven RBIs and nine hits. Caden Andreas, one of six freshmen on the team seeing significant innings, is batting .300 with 11 runs, two RBIs and nine hits while Fitzpatrick, a junior, is batting .217 with four runs, four RBIs, five hits and the homer.
What’s keeping Ridgeline’s games close is their pitching and defense. The Falcons currently have a 0.929 overall team fielding percentage, and are led by
Andreas, Amend and freshman Jack Vigliotta.
One the mound, Fitzpatrick currently posts a 2.00 ERA with 23 strikeouts and two wins, followed by junior Luke Ferguson with a 2.722 ERA, 12 strikeouts and one win, sophomore Jaxon Barcus at 0.00 ERA, seven strike outs and one save and freshman Ben Wartinger at 2.692 ERA, 10 strikeouts and three wins.
While a young team, Maupin said one would never know the difference between grade levels when coming to a practice or game. This is due to a strong relationship between the players and a respect for each other and the game of baseball.
“Each and every player has come up big for us at least once this season, (and) have contributed to the success we have had up to this point,” Maupin said.
The Falcon girls have already improved on their inaugural season record of 3-15, posting a 4-8 overall mark in the 2023 campaign. That mark puts them in sixth place in the GSL with six games remaining, four of which are against teams behind them in the standings.
Offensively, Ridgeline is batting .384 as a team, led by Maggie Carvo, Savannah Smith and Sam Mowery. Carvo is hitting .481 in 27 at bats, banging out 13 hits while scoring eight runs and driving in 10 more. She also has five walks and six stolen bases.
Smith is hitting .538 in 26 at bats with 14 hits, 16 runs, nine RBIs, four walks and seven stolen bases while Mowery averages .550 in 20 at bats with 11 hits, 10 runs, five RBIs, two walks and eight steals.
Mowery has also been a pitching leader, posting a 1-1 record with a
4.67 ERA over 21 innings pitched, striking out 17 and giving up 14 earned runs. Elli Thompson has been the Falcons workhorse in the pitching circle, posting a 3-4 record with a 9.07 ERA over 27 innings, striking out 15 with 35 earned runs.
Defensively, head coach Alyssa Rasmussen said her leading fielders are Mowery, Natalie Willmon and Smith. Rasmussen points to her two seniors, Mowery and Smith, as key players for Falcon success.
“These two have led the team well, especially through adversity,” Rasmussen said. “They have stayed positive, encouraging and leading by example.”
Rasmussen also said Carvo has proven to be “another amazing spotlight player, on and off the field.”
Ridgeline girls golf has five
returning letter winners from 2022. The team is led in scoring by Carolyn Rose, who shot a personal best 81 this season at Wandermere, a product of a lot of hard work on her swing in the offseason, head coach Brittany Wilcox said.
“We will continue to work on her putting, and when that starts to improve, we are going to see her scores drop even lower,” Wilcox added
Kate Mulligan best in 2023 is 97, just three strokes off her personal best last season but has only played in two tournaments. Reagan Rothley shot a personal best 95 at Indian Canyon this season while Brooke Robertson’s personal best of 109, 15 strokes lower than her 2022 score, took place at Wandermere in only her second season of playing golf. Alaina Mitrovich saw her personal best of 116 at Esmeralda, April 17, while freshman Sawyer Anderson shot a personal best of 107 at Moses Lake, March 17.
“The girls have been working hard this season to improve their games,” Wilcox said. “We have a very young team and in just a year they have improved dramatically. I am really hoping that we can qualify as a team for districts rather than just individuals for districts.”
After finishing 8-6 and one win away from a state playoff appearance in 2022, Ridgeline boys’ soccer is on the cusp of making even bigger strikes in year two. As of April 24, the Falcons were 6-1 and in third place in the GSL, 8-2 overall with two games remaining — at home against league-leading Gonzaga Prep (7-0, 10-3) and on the road at second-place Mead (6-1, 7-2-2).
“We continue to play wellorganized soccer, possessing the ball and relying on high soccer IQ to move the ball quickly into the attack,” head coach Ernie Merino said. “With a healthy gameplan and playing the game the right way, our team really has come alive.”
Ridgeline lost its starting striker to a preseason injury, forcing them to become a more balanced, team offensively. Junior midfielder Braylon Helm-Renz leads in goals and assists with six each, followed by junior midfielder Zac Olson with four goals and four assists.
Junior forward Griffyn Rider has five goals while senior forward Landon Lee has four assists. Merino also pointed to the work of Cameron “Rudy” Malloy in the midfield as another element to the Falcons offensive success.
The defense is anchored by junior center back Caden Thompson, with junior Howard Hull alongside. Senior Cameron Kreider, a St. Martins University soccer commit, is also in the midfield defensive line.
And while a hole might have been created in goal with the departure of Landon Coddington, also to St. Martins University, it has been aptly filled by sophomore goalkeeper Brady McMahon.
“If our team can continue to perform at a high level, we have a chance not only to win the league, but also perform well into the post season in May,” Merino said.
The Falcon varsity boys were 7-3 in matches through April 24, a big improvement over last year’s 4-5 overall mark.
According to head coach Freddie Rekhow, the top four players are senior Tyler Baker, senior Callen Johnson, junior Zander Palm, and freshman Jackson Hieb. Top doubles players are senior Jack Rau and senior Evan Andersen, senior Brock Brito and junior Braydon Harris, junior Luke Pell and junior Cameron Rehkow, senior Kam Lewis and senior Teagan Cummings.
“Our singles play has been very solid, and our doubles have been competitive in their battles for team position and holding their own within the league,” Rekow said.
Ridgeline’s program is growing, with 31 players turning out this season compared to last year’s 17. The Falcons finished fifth in the GSL last season, and with a 4-2 mark are currently tied for fourth with three matches remaining.
“We pride ourselves on having fun, working hard, supporting our teammates, and being great sports and being respectful of our opponents,” Rekhow said.
“These boys have been an absolute pleasure to coach, and I can’t wait to see them reach their goals.”
The girls’ team was 4-5 overall through April 24, 2-3 in the GSL.
The Falcons finished 2022 at 6-3 overall, 4-3 in the GSL.
Head coach Russell Tarmann said the team’s goal with four matches left is to finish the GSL at 5-4.
“The girl’s main goal is to have fun playing tennis and be competitive when doing so,” Tarmann said. “The girls wanted to be a strong team and set team goals along with individual tennis goals.”
Senior Avery Lewis is the top singles player, returning from a state appearance last year and currently undefeated in the GSL No. 1 bracket. She’s followed by seniors Cassidy Kuhlmann, Charley Palm and Sasha Takasaki. Freshman Eilean McLaurin is working her way back up the ladder after suffering an injury.
At doubles are senior Lexy Aitken and Gianna Longo at No. 1, sophomores Prasidha Krishnaswamy and Svetlana Wickham at No. 2 with sophomore Sophia Brinkman and senior Katelynn Fay at No. 3.
Like the boys, turnout is up this year from 2022, almost doubling from 36 to 65. Tarmann pointed to seniors Avery Lewis and Palm as showing team leadership and serving as the “backbone” this season.
“I am very proud of all the girls,” Tarmann said. “It has been a pleasure to coach these ladies and I look forward to seeing them reach all of their goals.
Track and field
According to GSL boys top-10 standings on Athletic.net, senior Isaac Richardson is tied for third in the high jump while junior Kale Kardonsky is fourth in the shot put and sixth in the discus. Senior Brayden Phillips is ninth in the discus, all of whom head coach Molly Kovacs said are performing well in their events.
In the javelin, senior Samuel “Sam” Schuben is seventh, junior Mason Fouty is ninth and senior Dallan Johns is 10th. Sophomore Lincoln Duggan is seventh in the triple jump and junior Duncan Vittetoe is 10th in the long jump.
On the track, junior Ryan Koppenhaver is sixth in the 300-meter hurdles and seventh in the 110 hurdles. Richardson is ninth
The Splash is featuring Liberty Lake high school graduates in the June issue. This invitation extends to all graduating seniors who live in the community, regardless of where they attend high school.
In order to participate, simply submit a photo with the following information to danica@libertylakesplash.com: Graduate’s name, high school, parents’ names and plans after graduation
Information must be received by Monday, May 15th. Contact 509-242-7752 or danica@libertylakesplash.com with any questions.
in the 100- and 200-meter dashes.
“Right now, Ryan Koppenhaver is leading strong with good performances in the 110 and 300m Hurdles,” Kovacs said. “In addition, Isaac Richardson is a senior who just had a huge PR in the high jump at 5’10, as well as our top performance in the 100 dash.
“We also have a lot of young talent,” Kovacs added. “We are focusing on building a strong foundation that values commitment, teamwork, and building our character to create the best versions of ourselves.”
For the girls, junior Presley Young leads the GSL in the 200-meter dash, posting a personal record time of 26.5 seconds at the Pasco Invitational on April 15. Young is also third in the league in the 100.
Sophomore Izzie Olsen is seventh in the 400, freshman Claire Lamoreaux fourth in the 100 hurdles, senior Alivia Bruno fifth in the 300 hurdles and sophomore Paige Huntsinger is eighth in the 3,200-meter run.
In the field, senior Talia Emmerson is third in the javelin, seventh in the shot put and ninth in the discus, while junior KJ Haneke is fourth in the shot put and sixth in the triple jump. Bruno is in a four-way tie for fifth in the high jump with sophomores Brooklyn Hillman and Kyla Ross in a six-way tie for ninth.
Sign up deadline June 5 to list your sale and information in the official guide. All fees support your local Liberty Lake Kiwanis Club, with 100% of proceeds going back to our community.
1. Online: $15
Submit your registration and secure credit card payment at www.libertylakekiwanis.org Take advantage of add-on options like a highlight color, a black border or a bold title to help your sale stand out from the rest. Online ads can also exceed the 20-word maximum for a small, per-word fee.
2. Mail-in form : $20
Complete the registration form below and submit it along with your fee. Remember, registration must be received by June 5 to be included in the official guide.
Join in the fun at Pavillion Park and showcase your handcrafted goods. Artisan Vendors are welcome at the $45.00 price and receive a 10-foot by 10-foot section in the park. This registration option is available at www.libertylakekiwanis.org. Add your listing to the o cial printed guide by submitting your $15 registration through the online portal listing Pavillion Park as your address.
Name
Phone
Address
Description (Not to exceed 20 words)
Saturday, June 17, 2023
9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
supported event: The sales will be ertised and publicized through regione outlets, and the Kiwanis Club is working th local authorities and strategic vendors to ensure a safe and well-supported event.
Restrooms: Portable restrooms are provided throughout the community for attendees’ convenience.
Thousands of shoppers: Liberty Lake is flooded with shoppers for this event every June, so timing your yard sale to correspond with the annual sales is just smart business. Please pay the registration fee to ensure the future of the yard sales. After expenses, all proceeds from the event will be reinvested by the Kiwanis Club into the community.
A listing “on the map”: Attract customers before the sale even begins by featuring your sale in the official event guide. A 20-word description of your sale is complimentary with your registration fee, and 10,000 copies of the guide will be distributed to not only every address in Liberty Lake — but at businesses and newsstands throughout the area in the days leading up to and during the sale Returning this year will also be the interactive map, for easy access to listings on your mobile device!
Payments should be made out to the Kiwanis Club of Liber ty Lake Mail them to The Splash, PO Box 363, Liber ty Lake, WA 99019 along with the completed registration form. proceeds will be used as scholarships for local graduates. No phone or in-person registration is available. All
For registration-related inquiries, contac t The Splash at 509-242-7752 or advertise@liber tylakesplash.com.
For general yard sale inquiries or with vendor questions, contac t Liber ty Lake Kiwanis at LLYardSales@gmail.com.
A limited number of advertising placements are available in the annual event guide. Call 509-242-7752 or email advertise@libertylakesplash.com to put your business and organization in front of thousands of eager shoppers in what is one of The Splash’s most dog-eared and poredover publications of the year.
Advertising Deadline: June 2, 2023
The April 18 ribbon cutting for the new Barker Road Bridge couldn’t have had a better moment even if scripted by Hollywood.
As Spokane Valley City Manager John Hohman spoke to the gathered dignitaries, officials and others and thanked Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway for their assistance on the two-year, $26 million traffic reconfiguration and rail grade separation project, an eastbound BNSF train passed underneath the newly constructed bridge, sounding its horn.
Hohman said it served as a reminder of the importance of the project to traffic safety in the region, removing two at-grade railway crossings while also creating better traffic flow with a two-lane roundabout at Barker and Trent — replacing a former stop-sign controlled intersection.
“And after today, hopefully there won’t be any more of those train horns, at least not here,” Hohman added.
The project is the largest and most complex project the city has undertaken to date. It involved coordination between a number of entities, with Washington State Department of Transportation administering the construction project and providing construction
management.
Spokane Valley and BNSF were also involved in approving the work as it progressed, with Max J. Kuney Company serving as the general contractor overseeing the work of a variety of subcontractors. The complexity of the work and the organizational arrangement led to a number of change orders — 68 to be exact, a figure including some that are still under negotiation.
Some of the change orders, such as change order No. 37 in the amount of $208,953, came from added costs to the contractor as a result of review delays by BNSF, along with issues arising from railroad right of way issues.
“(BNSF) must approved the means and the methods of construction, not necessarily the amounts,” Spokane Valley city engineer Gloria Mantz said in an April 19 interview.
In the same interview, Hohman added that the right of way issues with BNSF included construction of the roundabout north of the bridge, with much of Trent Avenue residing on BNSF property. Those issues will also play a part in the city’s next large grade separation project at Pines Road and Trent.
There were also material issues, one of the largest being the fill material needed to raise the roundabout level and for the bridge ramps. BNSF required a specific type of material that was natural and never touched, forcing the contractor to truck in material from a site north of Spokane 15 miles away rather than closer to the project.
The changes resulted in a $1.434 million increase in the construction cost of the project, going from the almost $11.64 million bid by Kuney in March 2021 to $13.293 million as
of February. Even with the changes, the project is still within its $26 million budget.
Despite that, all parties involved agreed the project is a success, and should result in economic and safety success for the region. In her remarks at the ribbon cutting, Spokane Valley Mayor Pam Haley said the new roundabout will create better traffic flow and safety at Barker and Trent, while the bridge will eliminate any potential contact between vehicle and pedestrian traffic in the area and the 60 – 70 trains BNSF officials say pass through the region daily.
And while this may cut down on train horns at Trent, those horns will continue to sound at the Union Pacific crossing further south on Barker Road.
“This is going to be such an important part of safety and convenience,” Haley added of the Barker project.
Haley also noted the project has already spurred development of some of the 600 acres of industrial land along Barker. Doug Yost, vice president of development & acquisitions for Centennial Real Estate Investments, said he didn’t envision the development that has already taken place in the 11 years since he stood in a field along Barker Road surveying the area.
“We’ve only scratched the surface of what can be done out here,” Yost said.
According to a report created for the city by consultants ECO Northwest, the Barker Road project could result in $2 billion of total economic output for the state, with $980 million in direct impact. It could lead to 9,800 new jobs in the state, 3,300 locally, with a projected tax revenue of $12.3 million for
Spokane Valley and $50.8 million for the state.
Of the $26 million in funding, $9 million came from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Investment Generating Recovery Discretionary Grant program, with $6 million coming from the National Highway Freight Program. The Washington State Freight Mobility Investment Board provided $5 million with the city of Spokane Valley adding another $3.6 million, something Haley expressed pride in.
“There’s no way we could have done this on our own,” she added.
The Barker Road project is part of the city’s “Bridging the Valley” project that began about 10 years ago. While the roundabout and bridge opened for traffic on April 19, other aspects of the project remain to be completed, including closing Flora Road from Garland to Trent and thereby removing the at-grade railway crossing on Flora.
“It was a two-for-one deal at the time,” Hohman said in the April 19 interview. “To get the funding, we had to build the one and close the other.”
The project also served as an exercise in cooperation between the entities involved. That cooperation was evident from the early design stages six years ago and resulted in some savings.
The city’s original design utilized a standard diamond-shaped intersection similar to the one further west on Trent at Sullivan. While it could be built, DOT officials told the city it wouldn’t likely be economically feasible, and instead suggested the roundabout and Barker bridge.
“The project we ended up putting in was about half the cost,” Hohman said.
The cooperation between entities will get more chances soon. The $40 million Pines Road / BNSF Grade Separation Project could begin seeing some activity this fall, with a likely groundbreaking in spring 2024, with design work on the Sullivan Road/Trent Avenue interchange bridge being increased.
“For DOT, it (Barker grade separation) was a benchmark on how to do projects together,” WSDOT Assistant Secretary – Regions/ Chief Engineer Mike Gribner said at the ribbon cutting. “A lot of tough decisions were made along the
The relationship between the agency and the city staff made it possible.”
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Splash news sources
Spokane Valley Fire Department crews responded to a total of 152 emergency calls in the greater Liberty Lake area in March 2023.
By the numbers:
Emergency Medical Services 122
Fire Suppression 13
Tech Rescue (includes 54 Motor Vehicle Collisions) 57
Other 6
Dispatched and Cancelled enroute 3
HazMat 1
Of note:
• Emergency Medical Services were 80.26% of all SVFD incidents.
• Fire Suppression (fire and Building Alarms) was 8.55% of all SVFD incidents.
Please remember:
• Spring is coming. SVFD Water Rescue crews are out training at this time to be prepared for our community’s needs. Mountain snow is melting. Be careful near rising water levels in our rivers and bodies of water.
• With a nationwide increase in dangerous incidents involving devices that use lithium-ion batteries, the Spokane Valley Fire Department wants to remind our citizens to use, store and dispose of these types of batteries safely. Media Release March 29, 2023 : Spokane Valley, WA – Just before 10 a.m. Tuesday morning Spokane Valley Fire Department (SVFD) responded to a fire in the 400 block of S. Chronicle Road after neighbors saw smoke coming from an unoccupied home across the street. Neighbors also reported seeing a suspicious person entering the home a short time earlier and then leaving around the same time they first noticed the smoke.
Seeing a column of smoke, Firefighters upgraded the response to a working fire, adding additional crews. With the location of the fire being so close to the boundary between Spokane and Spokane Valley, crews from both departments were dispatched.
Arriving crews quickly began their attack, knocking down the fire. The fire had burned through the 2nd floor and roof, causing a partial collapse. Firefighters were successful in keeping the fire from spreading to other nearby homes.
The house is considered a total loss. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
A person of interest matching the description of the man neighbors reported seeing leaving the home was taken into custody a few blocks away by Spokane Valley Deputies.
The Spokane Valley Fire Department would like to remind our residents if you see something suspicious, call 911 immediately.
Media Release March 15, 2023: Spokane Valley, WA – On March 16th the Spokane Valley Fire Department (SVFD) will proudly unveil Engine 8, the newest addition to our fleet, in a traditional push in ceremony at Station 8 (2110 N. Wilbur Rd).
Engine 8 will join Ladder 8 serving citizens in the Pinecroft neighborhood and surrounding area.
The new addition helps SVFD better respond to the growing number of incidents, increasing safety in the community. This marks the first time in nearly two decades that an engine company and ladder company will be based out of the same station.
Station 8 is SVFD’s busiest fire station (see map below) responding to:
• 3,636 calls in 2021
• 3,486 calls in 2022
• 561 calls through February of 2023
SVFD is committed to having
the right resources in the areas they’re needed most.
“The Fire District and cities served by the SVFD are experiencing consistent and significant population growth which is expected to continue well into the future. Adding Valley Engine 8 (VE8) will allow us to keep up with population growth and emergency needs and serve the community where it is most needed.” Deputy Chief Zack Bond – Spokane Valley Fire Department
Media Release March 13, 2023: Spokane Valley, WA – With a nationwide increase in dangerous incidents involving devices that use lithium-ion batteries, the Spokane Valley Fire Department (SVFD) wants to remind our citizens to use, store and dispose of these types of batteries safely.
Lithium-ion batteries store a large amount of energy in a small amount of space. They power devices we use every day including smart phones, laptops/
tablets, e-scooters/e-bikes, power tools, children’s toys, and even cars. If not used correctly, or if damaged, these batteries can overheat, catch fire, or even explode, causing potentially serious injuries or death.
“Fortunately, SVFD has not had to respond to any serious or fatal incidents involving these types of batteries, but they are still a major concern for us and something we want everyone in our community to be aware of.”
– Chief Frank Soto Jr.- Spokane Valley Fire Department
Safety Tips:
• Purchase and use devices that are certified.
• Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
• Only use the battery and charger designed specifically for that device.
• Do not charge a device while sleeping.
• Do not charge a device under your pillow, on your bed, or on a
couch.
• Do not continue charging the device or device battery once it is fully charged.
• Keep batteries at room temperature and away from direct sunlight or a heat source.
• Stop using your device if the battery shows any signs of damage.
Lithium-ion batteries and devices containing these batteries should not go in household garbage or recycling bins. Instead, they should be taken to a recycling center. To prevent potential fires, make sure to tape battery terminals or place the batteries in separate plastic bags.
Major Incidents:
Vehicle Collision, March 24, 2023, 8:14 p.m. – 300 block of S Green Ridge Drive
SVFD responded to a vehicle vs deer. The vehicle hit the deer and rolled, landing in a ditch on its roof. The occupant was able to extricate from the vehicle and
receive medical attention from arriving units. The patient was then transferred to the hospital for further care.
HAZMAT , March 17, 2023, 2:59 p.m. – 20600 block E Valley Vista Drive
SVFD crews along with Spokane County Fire District 8 (SCFD 8) responded to the report of a 1 inch gas line being hit by an excavator and the line now hissing. Fire crews arrived, secured the area, and remained on scene until Avista arrived.
Established in 1940, SVFD is committed to pursuing excellence and is distinguished as an accredited agency by the Commission on Fire Accreditation International (CFAI), and by SVFD’s Class 2 fire insurance rating from the Washington Survey and Rating Bureau
Connect with SVFD at: spokanevalleyfire.com. For department news, safety information, and timely updates, find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube.
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A small group of junior and senior boys at Ridgeline High School in Liberty Lake have cemented their place in school history by bringing home the school’s first ever state championship – in Knowledge Bowl.
Varsity Knowledge Bowl club advisor Suzanne Smith likens Knowledge Bowl to a largescale game of Jeopardy, with 50 questions in each round of play that can touch on history, science, geography, geology, literature and math. Once a team rings in, they have 15 seconds to provide the correct answer.
Smith was the Knowledge Bowl advisor at University High School and then Central Valley High School before moving to Ridgeline two years ago when the school opened. “I brought half my team with me,” she said.
Each team member has a specialty, an area of knowledge they excel in. Having a wide array of specialties helps the team work together to win. “They call me the rock guy,” said junior Zander Palm, who has expertise in geology. “I like space and chemistry.”
Team captain Callen Johnson, a senior, specializes in history, geography and anything having to do with Assassin’s Creed. Senior Jake Wharton is a bit of a throwback, specializing in pop culture – particularly from the 1970s – and literature. Senior Brock Brito likes math, science and streams while junior Nick Rahm is more of a generalist and also specializes in math, and finally senior Evan Anderson who also specializes in math.
The team members all knew each other outside of Knowledge
Bowl and recruited each other to join. Palm said he got his start his freshman year, when school was online. “I just needed something to do,” he said.
He realized that participating in Knowledge Bowl was easy to do online at a time when other clubs had to shut down.
Johnson learned about the club during his freshman year at Central Valley High School when he stumbled on it during a club fair. It sounded interesting and he convinced Wharton to join him. “We enjoyed it a ton,” he said. “We kept coming back.”
None of them say they’ve spent a lot of time studying for the Knowledge Bowl. They rely on what they’re learning in their classes and what they’ve picked up while learning their special interests. It’s not unusual to see a question come up in the Knowledge Bowl that they’ve just reviewed in class.
Competing was more difficult and not as fun during the height of the pandemic, when everything was held over Zoom. “It’s not anything that disadvantaged us
over any other group,” said Brito.
“It affected everyone the same.”
The team is proud of what Wharton calls their unconventional playing style. They’re not quiet and studious, communicating in hushed whispers. “We’ll be loud and know the answers,” said Johnson.
“We usually know the answer
four seconds in. We just have fun with it. We keep it light.”
Smith said the team deliberately doesn’t answer questions right away. “They know the answer and they wait until the absolute last second to answer,” she said.
The team members confess that sometimes they’ve waited a bit too long and miss their chance to answer a question before time runs out. But they say that even with those errors, they’re sticking with their strategy.
Smith said the strategy seems to frustrate their competition at times. “Some teams get angry when they don’t get it,” she said. “Then it’s not fun anymore.”
The team struggled a bit this year, placing fourth in the Greater Spokane League competition and then fifth in Regionals. “We had a rocky start to the season, but we kicked it into high gear,” said Wharton.
They thought they might take fifth or sixth place at State as well, particularly since they were going up against private, west-side schools. “We’re a newer school,” Palm said.
The State competition was four rounds of 50 questions, followed by a written round of about 50 written, multiple choice
questions. Even though the questions were multiple choice, they were by no means easy, Smith said. “They’re harder,” she said. “I would say they’re more college level questions.”
As the competition went on, the Ridgeline team had to win a tiebreaker twice. The group was pleased to take first place at the end of the day. “It ended up being kind of a Cinderella season,” Wharton said.
“It’s really cool,” said Johnson. “I think we’re all really proud of it.”
The juniors on the team are already making plans for next year. Palm has been selected as the next team captain based on seniority and consensus of the other members. The captain is the one who answers each question and sometimes if there are two possibilities, the captain has to pick which answer to go with.
“Sometimes you have to decide between what the team says and my opinion,” Johnson said.
Johnson admits that sometimes he’s chosen to go with what turns out to be the wrong answer. But everyone just moves on and gets ready for the next question, the next round, the next state competition.
Dr. Danielle Halverson • Dr. Enoch Ross • Dr. Ross Simonds • Dr.
