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2 • DECEMBER 2016

NEWS

The Park Bench

Leading by Example – Stocker left imprint on CV, EV and Freeman districts

By Craig Howard Current Editor Maybe it came from growing up on a farm in Snohomish, Washington or serving as a captain in the Army Reserves or studying vocational agriculture at Washington State University.

Whatever it was, Chuck Stocker cultivated a stout work ethic early in his life that would carry him through a distinguished career as a teacher and administrator in a trio of greater Spokane Valley school districts. If there was a task to be completed, Stocker didn’t sit around.

There was a time when Stocker thought he would spend his life on a farm. Even in high school, he gravitated toward programs like Future Farmers of America and 4-H. By the time he approached college age, Stocker owned 20 head of cattle; the small herd would help put him through college at WSU. In high school, Stocker attended state 4-H conferences on the Pullman campus, so returning to

Chuck Stocker served as superintendent of the Freeman School District and the East Valley School District after starting his career in education as a teacher and administrator in the Central Valley School District. The Snohomish, Washington native also worked as a consultant with Inland Power and Light after retiring from EVSD in 1998.

Photo by Craig Howard the Palouse as an undergrad felt comfortable. He soon began to focus on classes that would help him form the foundation to be a vocational agriculture teacher.

Stocker married his sweetheart, Lu, in 1961, the same year he earned a teaching certificate from WSU to go with his bachelor of science in vocational agriculture. He then began work on his Master’s but eventually found himself shipping off to Ft. Bend, Georgia as part of a commitment to the Army. After fulfilling his required time, Stocker

Chuck Stocker (front row, second from left) has served as a longtime board member for the HUB Sports Center. He is currently helping with the facility's critical capital campaign.

Contributed photo

found himself back in the private sector looking for work.

Stocker interviewed with Bill Ames Sr., principal at Central Valley High School in 1963 and was awarded the job he had hoped for when he was hitting the books in Pullman.

The vocational agriculture program at CV nearly tripled its enrollment in just a few years under Stocker’s tenure.

In 1970, Central Valley was looking for a supervisor of secondary education. Stocker agreed to take the job if he didn’t have to sit behind a desk all day. He learned how to be a school administrator through an approach he describes as “management by walking around.”

When materials didn’t make it to a particular school, Stocker would jump in his truck and retrieve the items himself.

By 1974, he had moved up to assistant superintendent. Stocker spent 13 years in that role at CVSD before the Freeman School District called. His first stint as a superintendent felt like a homecoming as he was surrounded by southeast Spokane County’s rural environment reminiscent of his days in Snohomish.

Freeman was experiencing budget challenges when Stocker arrived That changed with his practical, can-do approach. The district had a new water storage tank, a new roof on the elementary school and half a million dollars in reserves when Stocker moved on to the East Valley

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School District in 1991.

“I always like to leave a place better than when I arrived,” Stocker said.

Stocker’s time as East Valley superintendent included passage of a capital facilities bond in 1996, the last such initiative the district has approved. After he retired from EVSD in 1998, Stocker went to work on a part-time basis for Inland Power and Light as a public relations specialist. He walked away from Inland in 2009 and now spends his time traveling with Lu, playing golf and occasionally offering advice to local school administrators who appreciate tapping into the layered insight of a former leader with some 35 years of teaching and administrative experience.

Chuck and Lu are proud parents of four grown children, Mike, Steve, Jill and Kevin. They are also doting fans of 11 grandchildren.

Q: When you were growing up on your family's dairy farm in Snohomish, did you think that you might pursue a career in that field?

A: I am the youngest of four children. My sister was married.

My oldest brother, when he returned home from the Army in 1946, joined my father on the farm. My next oldest brother was finishing his degree in veterinary medicine. As I was thinking about farming, with my family, in the early 1950s, the state of Washington informed my father they needed to purchase all of the farm buildings as a new highway was scheduled to go through the farm. My next stop, in the fall of 1956, was WSU. Q: Why did you decide to become a teacher?

A: My brother, who had joined my father on the farm, decided to start a 4-H club in 1948 in Snohomish.

I joined at the age of 10. At age 14, I was enrolled in agriculture education in Snohomish High School which included FFA. The deciding factor was my senior high school English instructor who required a term paper on an occupation of your choice. I picked vocational agricultural education Instructor as my occupation. By writing this paper, I discovered with this type of background many fields In Agriculture would become available to me as a potential occupation.

Q: How challenging was your transition from the teaching side of education to administration?

A: I felt the transition was fairly easy. Why? I had outstanding mentors when I started in

See STOCKER, Page 3

The Current

STOCKER

DECEMBER 2016 • 3

NEWS

Continued from page 2 education. Mr. Bill Ames Sr. during my teaching years and Gilbert Mills, my first school superintendent, who helped with the move. Also, my coworkers in the administrative area, such as Neil Prescott, were of great help. My ROTC classes in college, as well as active and reserve experiences in the Army, prepared me for leadership roles.

Q: When you were teaching vocational agriculture at Central Valley, what were some of the most rewarding aspects about building up that program?

A: I started teaching in February 1964 at Central Valley High School.

The Spokane Valley was changing from production agriculture to smaller farms and some individuals leaving farming all together. After checking with my principal, I was allowed to change the program from production agriculture to ag business. We began preparing students for the field of work instead of farming. I was able to grow the program from 27 students, when I took over, to over 80 students before I moved from the classroom.

I taught six-and-one-half years.

During that time, I had five young men from my classes who went to college and became vocational agriculture Instructors and who all taught in the state of Washington.

Q: You've been part of several winning ballot initiatives at various area school districts.

What do you think is the key to running bonds and levies that earn voter approval?

A: First, you must have total support from your local board of directors. Next, you need to involve all of the public who vote on the issue such as the parents, staff, senior citizens, business community, etc. They should be involved before the issue is set and helping to pass the issue. Next, it must be well- explained to your voting public. What is the key? All the voting public in your district must be involved to help pass the issue.

Q: What were some of the biggest differences when you moved from CVSD to the Freeman School District in 1987? How about similarities?

A: Just the size for one difference.

As a small district superintendent you can be more hands-on with the different programs and not so far removed from the classroom. The superintendent is more available for students, staff and parents.

Programs may be modified or changed at a quicker rate if needed.

Communications with your staff Is much easier.

Similarities are the students, staff, parents and community in general are the same in all districts. They want a sound educational program, an outstanding activity program and to be assured the funding being provided is correctly used.

Q: The last capital facilities bond in East Valley passed when you were superintendent back in 1996. Why do you think the district has faced so many challenges at the bond ballot ever since?

A: I believe the economy of the area during the bond elections had some impact on the vote. I am not sure all of the different residents were well informed as to the need and reasons for the issues. Be reminded the school levies, which support the operational part of the budget, have always been approved.

The bonds build buildings and the issue needs to be explained to the entire district.

Also, when East Valley needed a bus levy it was approved. I have found support will be there when the issue is properly explained and the voting public see the need.

Q: How did your experience in education prove beneficial during your last career stop at Inland Power and Light?

A: The school superintendent usually works with citizens, the business community, chamber of commerce, newspapers and state legislators. My position with Inland Power and Light required me to work with state legislature, local chamber of commerce in the communities we served, and to call on many of our key accounts which were our largest customers. My educational experiences matched my responsibilities for Inland Power and Light.

Q: You and your wife have continued to live in the East Valley School District many years after you retired as superintendent.

What do you enjoy most about that community?

A: We built our home at Newman Lake when I was selected as the East Valley superintendent. By designing and building our home it allows us to cross another item from our bucket list. Lu and I like the rural atmosphere. Our son Kevin and family live in Liberty Lake. The East Wood Terrance community is just a fine place to reside. Our grandchildren, who visit from the coast and California, enjoy the rural space. We just have great neighbors who watch out for us and overlook our place when we are out of the area.

Before they served our community, they served our country.

Our appreciation for veterans goes deeper than a pat on the back.

In fact, Waste Management is a champion for veterans—one of the nation’s top employers of veterans.

It makes sense. Vets have years of training in leadership, safety and teamwork—the same core values that unite WM employees as we serve our customers and our communities.

So to our veterans—thank you for your service to our country, and for the leadership, safety and teamwork that you bring to Waste Management – Spokane Valley.

For more information, contact Jesse Granado at 509.944.3116 or jgranado@wm.com

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4 • DECEMBER 2016

Voters approve sales tax increase for public transit

From Current New Sources Voters within Spokane’s Public Transportation Benefit Area (PTBA) approved Proposition 1 in the Nov. 8 general election to fund Spokane Transit’s (STA) 10-year plan to maintain, improve and expand public transit service across the region. It marks the first significant service expansion since the agency was created in 1981.

The initiative earned 55.44 percent of the vote to pass. A total of 87,671 ballots were cast in favor of the proposition with 70,465 votes against. STA ran a similar measure last April with a majority of 50.37 percent in opposition.

Following that election, STA incorporated feedback from voters and rewrote the ballot language for 2016, requesting a smaller tax increase, a quicker timeline for new services and implementation of the tax increase in phases over a threeyear period.

New revenue from the local sales tax rate increase (0.1 percent increase effective April 1, 2017, and a second 0.1 percent increase effective April 1, 2019) enables STA to increase overall service by 25 percent throughout its service area. More than 25 projects will expand to reach new areas, provide more trips along major corridors, improve customer amenities and reduce overall travel times.

“This approval demonstrates the value our community sees in public transit to get people to jobs, school, healthcare and other services, as well as an important tool in managing impacts from regional population growth,” said STA Board Chair and Spokane County Commissioner Al French. “I’m proud of all the steps this region is taking to maintain our community character and quality of life, and I’m grateful that a stronger transit system is now on that list.”

Projects starting in 2017 STA will begin implementing the first of the new projects in May 2017 – about one month after the first rate increase takes effect. The list of those projects includes: • Later night service on Saturdays throughout the transit system • Service on East Indiana between Spokane Valley Mall and Greenacres

NEWS

• Night and weekend service on North Nevada • Increased weekend frequency in Airway Heights Other 2017 milestones related to the 10-year plan include: • Submitting the federal Small Starts grant application for the Central City Line and continuing the public design process.

• Breaking ground on the West Plains Transit Center near I-90 exit 272 • Beginning the design process for high frequency routes to Cheney and along the Monroe and Regal corridors Stay informed on the plan’s progress STA’s CEO, E. Susan Meyer, says establishing a process for how the agency will communicate project and agency updates throughout the course of the plan’s implementation is underway.

“Aside from our ongoing commitment to good quality and efficient transit service, we’ll now begin layering in these new projects and encouraging the community members to track our progress and provide input along the way,” Meyer said. “Earning and maintaining the public’s trust is always one of our top priorities, so we’re starting now to make sure people are well-informed about how we’re managing resources and keeping these projects on track.”

A full list of the STA Moving Forward projects, including timelines and individual project details, can be found at www.

STAMovingForward.com.

Avoid home heating tragedies

By Chief Bryan Collins Spokane Valley Fire Department This time of year brings thoughts of holidays, family gatherings, special recipes and gift giving. Another topic to be considered as the weather cools down is the proper use and maintenance of heating equipment. Home heating equipment is often the cause of home fires here in our community.

The primary culprits in home heating fires are open-flame space heaters, portable electric heaters and wood-burning fireplaces and stoves.

Improperly installed or maintained central heating equipment can also be a cause of fire in the home, although not as often.

The Spokane Valley Fire Department suggests a few simple precautions to help reduce the risk of a home heating tragedy, either by fire or deadly carbon monoxide (CO).

Open-flame space heaters Maintain at least 3 feet of clearance from the front and sides of the heater to any combustible materials, such as curtains, drapes, furniture and bedding. Make certain they burn with a clean blue flame across the entire burner. If they don’t, a plumber or heating expert should clean the burner and adjust the flame. Avoid, if at all possible, the use of any type of unvented fuel burning heating device and, if absolutely necessary, use only if the space is equipped with both smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.

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Portable heaters These should always to be placed on the floor, not in a chair or on other objects. The portable electric heater should have an automatic shut-off device to turn it off if tipped over. Its electrical cord should not be in an area where it will get walked on repeatedly, without being protected by a cord protector, mat, or rug.

Fireplaces and wood heaters The same clearance from the front and sides to combustibles should be maintained as would be for an open-flame space heater. The flue or chimney should be checked periodically (optimally once a year) for creosote buildup, cracked or broken flue tiles, loose mortar joints and corroded or leaking flue pipes. The flue or chimney should be checked before use to be certain it isn’t blocked. These are popular places for birds and squirrels to build nests.

Some fresh air should be allowed into the area where the stove or fireplace is in use. A lack of fresh air can cause incomplete combustion and/or interfere with the unit’s ability to draft properly, either of which can cause carbon monoxide to accumulate in the home. Carbon monoxide is called the "invisible killer," as it is an odorless and colorless gas produced by the incomplete combustion of any fossil fuel, wood, oil, gas or coal.

The type of wood burned in a fireplace or free standing woodstove is important. Your best bet is to use hardwood, such as oak, maple, beech, or ash. It should be properly dried or seasoned for about one year. We also advise removing ashes regularly for maximum air flow. Disposal of ashes should be a non-combustible container such as a metal bucket. Hot ashes or coals can smolder for days, and if placed in a cardboard box, or plastic garbage container the results can be disastrous.

Homeowners should avoid burning items such as trash or holiday wrapping paper. Also, when leaving a room while a fire is burning, a fireplace screen or glass door should be closed to protect the room from sudden sprays of sparks.

By heeding these precautions, it will be a warm, safe season for everyone.

The Spokane Valley Fire Department recommends following these tips:

Local voters approved Spokane Transit Authority’s 10-year funding plan in the Nov. 8 general election by a margin of just over 55 percent. Proposition 1 will raise sales tax by 0.1 percent next April and by the same percentage in April of 2019 to maintain, improve and expand public transit throughout the region.

File photo

Install and maintain carbon monoxide (CO) alarms inside your home to provide early warning of CO. Install CO alarms in a central location outside each separate sleeping area and on every level of your home. Use portable generators outdoors in well-ventilated areas away from all doors, windows and vents. Make sure vents for the dryer, furnace, stove and fireplace are clear of snow and other debris. Remove vehicles from the garage immediately after starting.

The Current

NEWS

SVFD Report – December 2016

Spokane Valley Fire Department (SVFD) crews responded to a total of 1,064 emergency calls from Oct. 21 through Nov. 15. Highlights include: • Alarm System – Oct. 21 – Shortly before 4 p.m., SVFD crews responded to a smoke alarm activation in the 23300 block of East Knox Avenue. A false alarm was confirmed prior to arrival. The alarm was triggered by a fog machine in use for a Halloween party. SVFD crew members assisted in resetting the alarm and clearing the fog from the structure.

• Arson fire – Oct. 22 – SVFD crews responded to a structure fire in a vacant single-family house in the 1200 block of North Bannen Road just after 12:30 p.m. Crews worked quickly to contain the fire and prevent it from spreading to neighboring homes.

Fire investigators determined that the fire was intentionally set and asked that anyone with information about the fire to call 1-800-55-ARSON. Estimated damage totaled $110,000.

• Service call – Oct. 25 – SVFD crews responded to the 16600 block of East Indiana Avenue just after 10:15 a.m. They made contact with an elderly woman who had previously been unable to get her motorized wheelchair out of the mud. After she called for help, a passerby had provided the assistance she needed.

• Auto-pedestrian accident – Oct. 25 – SVFD crews responded to a hit and run accident in the 4200 block of North McDonald Road at 1:45 p.m. Witnesses said a vehicle hit a man who was knocked about 5 feet through the air, onto the street. SVFD crews arrived to find the man walking away from the scene. The man eventually agreed to let paramedics examine his minor injuries and then refused treatment.

• Motor vehicle accident – Oct. 27 – SVFD crews responded to a three-car slow speed motor vehicle accident near the 15000 block of East Sprague just before 12:30 p.m.

Crews administered emergency medical aid to a man who had suffered a medical condition leading to the crash. All drivers sustained only minor injuries.

• Mobile home fire – Oct. 28 Shortly before midnight, SVFD crews responded to a report of a structure fire in the 6000 block of North Starr Road. Crews arrived to find the home on fire and a woman and three young children laying on the

ground outside. The woman and her oldest daughter were badly burned.

The two younger children had minor injuries. All four were transported to the hospital. The home did not have any working smoke detectors.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

The home was a complete loss. Estimated damage totaled $23,000.

• Heater fire – Oct. 31 – SVFD crews responded to a reported residential structure fire in the 2100 block of North Locust Rd just after 3:30 p.m. Crews quickly extinguished the small fire in the basement, preventing further damage to the home. Three adults and two children were home at the time of the fire and all evacuated safely. The cause of the fire was clothing, toys and a bed pushed up against a bedroom baseboard heater.

• Vehicle extrication – Nov. 1 – SVFD crews responded to a one car motor vehicle accident on I-90 near the Evergreen exit just before 6 p.m. The car was upside down next to the freeway. Firefighters prepared to extricate the driver by first stabilizing the vehicle. Once stabilized, the driver was able to get out of the car unassisted and sustained minor injuries in the crash.

• Cooking fire – Nov. 2 – Shortly after 4:30 p.m., SVFD crews responded to a reported kitchen fire in the 1500 block of North Sargent Road. Firefighters quickly extinguished the fire, limiting damage to the stove and cabinets above, although there was smoke damage throughout the home. An elderly resident evacuated and was treated for smoke inhalation. The cause of the fire was determined to be a large pan filled with cooking oil left unattended on the stove.

Damage was estimated at $10,000.

• Motor Vehicle Accident – Nov. 2 – A woman driving a Subaru eastbound near the 15500 block of East Trent Avenue at 6:15 p.m. was hit by a loose tire from the westbound lane. She was wearing her seatbelt and sustained nonlife threatening injuries. She was transported to the hospital.

• Lock Out – Nov. 5 – Just after 4 p.m., SVFD responded to the 18200 block of East Mansfield Avenue to assist a mother who had accidentally shut the car door with the keys and her 3-year-old son inside. Crews quickly unlocked the door. The child was unharmed.

By the numbers: • Fires* = 56 • Emergency medical service calls =849

DECEMBER 2016 • 5

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• Motor vehicle accidents = 93 • Hazardous investigations = 8

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• Building alarms = 43 • Service calls = 13 • Vehicle Extrication = 1 • Water Rescue = 1 *Brush, commercial, residential, rubbish, vehicle fires and unauthorized burning About SVFD - Spokane Valley Fire Department serves the cities of Liberty Lake, Millwood, Spokane Valley and unincorporated areas of Spokane County including the communities of Otis Orchards, Pasadena Park, and the

area surrounding Liberty Lake, with a combined population of 125,000 across approximately 75 square miles. In 2015, SVFD firefighters and paramedics responded to more than 15,800 emergency calls. Established in 1940, the Department operates 10 stations providing fire suppression, emergency medical services, technical rescue, vehicle extrication, hazardous materials response, swift water rescue, fire investigation, fire prevention, commercial property inspection, CPR and fire safety training. SVFD also offers free home fire safety inspections and smoke detectors. For more information call 928-1700 or visit www. spokanevalleyfire.com.

6 • DECEMBER 2016

Valley Chamber Valley Chamber

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Join us for this special holiday-themed Business Connections celebration lunch and Speaker: Keynote December 16 come away with a renewed commitment to We are honored to welcome our keynote serving in our community.

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Connections speaker, Dr. Edmund Schweitzer III, President

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grown from half a dozen employees working in Dr. Future $25 Members: - Members$45 Our program culminates into a discussion led ($55 afterafter December 14)12) Schweitzer’s basement to($35 over 4,000 employees October Thespecial Washington Tourism Alliance was established by guest speaker, Antony Chiang, Reserved Table: $300 world-wide, meeting the complex and unique as a not-for-profit organization.

WTA worked to President of Empire HealthThe Foundation. $35 (table of-8)Future Members needs of session their customers with the highest levels of introducewill legislation during the on 2015 legislative Antony lead the dialog how businesses ($45 after October Non-profit Host: $150 12) and service in (includes the industry.

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Valley Partners provides hope, seeks support

By Staci Lehman

Current Correspondent It looks like a place of worship from the outside and the work that happens inside definitely sustains spirits. The converted church at 10814 E. Broadway houses Spokane Valley Partners (SVP), a hub of social service agencies and nonprofits that changes lives every day, in many small, but powerful, ways.

With the holiday season here, SVP will play a large role in the holidays for many and could use a little help itself. On a recent Monday afternoon, the building’s lobby was full of racks of coats and people looking through them, choosing winter items for family members as part of the annual “Coats 4 Kids” drive. SVP is a distribution point for the coats, but also hands out free gloves, hats, snowpants and boots gathered at their own clothing bank.

“What we provide to the community, no one else provides,” says SVP Executive Director Jennifer Schlenske. “For low-income families, we provide a one-stop shop. This is their safe place.”

What SVP provides isn’t just warmth in the form of a coat – it is a system of support. For over 25 years, people have turned to the agency when they need necessities such as food, clothing or housing in Spokane Valley.

The SVP building is actually a large campus with multiple services including a food bank, clothing bank, a weekend meal program for homeless children, a community education classroom and community gardens. Other nonprofit agencies

also call the site home with a list of occupants that includes SNAP, Arc of Spokane, Steps Re-Entry program, Valleyfest and Ignite! Community Theater.

While all the services are much needed in Spokane Valley, the food and clothing banks are the most utilized.

“The food bank serves 900 households a month,” said Schlenske. “The clothing bank serves 500 households a month. There are probably over 20 volunteers in the clothing bank.”

Schlenske is new to the executive director position at SVP and still learning. She spent four years as the development director before making the move when longtime leader Ken Briggs retired recently.

She acknowledges she took charge at a tough time.

“2016 was hard financially,” she said.

The Arc of Spokane moved into the basement of the SVP building last year and opened a community center. SVP welcomed the Arc with open arms but, as the building owner, had to provide a wheelchair ramp for the Arc, which serves many disabled clients.

“The ramp cost $100,000,” said Schlenske. “So we had to dip into reserves.”

They also had to make some changes. Before, the agency had a CEO in Briggs who oversaw the entire operation. With Schlenske serving as development director, the agency was top heavy for an agency that only has a total of eight employees, just three who are full time.

When Schlenske moved into the position, she adopted the title of “executive director.” Her former position of development director will

See SVP, Page 7

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DECEMBER 2016 • 7

distributed to families with children in the spring. There are newborn baby layettes for low-income mothers, a store of children’s birthday gifts for those who can’t afford them, and a Career Clothing Bank sponsored by Humanix that distributes free suits, dress shirts, slacks, ties and other items.

“We give them shoes,” Schlenske said. “Women can take purses. And we have a few computer bags.”

An organization that provides that many resources requires a lot of resources to run. SVP is funded primarily by small grants and donations, along with two major fundraisers per year, an auction in November that just wrapped up and a golf scramble in July. Staff is supported by an active board that governs the agency and a small army of volunteers.

“We have more volunteer hours than staff hours,” said Schlenske.

Spokane Valley Partners is housed in a converted church on Broadway Avenue. Along with a food bank, clothing bank, the site is home to local nonprofits like SNAP, Arc of Spokane, Steps Re-Entry and Valleyfest. Photo by Staci Lehman

SVP

Continued from page 6 not be filled in order to save money.

That doesn’t mean the duties that go with it won’t get done. Schlenske is taking on development in addition to her new responsibilities of managing staff.

“We operate very lean,” she said.

“We have an 8 percent overhead administrative budget.”

Schlenske believes the outlook is better for next year, but emphasizes that things are always tight at a nonprofit.

“We are looking OK for 2017 but

that doesn’t mean we’ll always be okay,” she said.

That’s because the need for help never goes away. Despite the economy improving in the past year, there are still many people in Spokane Valley who continue to struggle with unemployment, poverty and disability. With a service area that stretches from Havana Street to the county lines on each side, that means a lot of clients for SVP. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, almost 15 percent of the population of Spokane Valley is considered to be living below the poverty line, particularly in the Yardley, Millwood, Dishman-Mica and Trentwood areas. Schlenske says this comes as a surprise to many.

“Sometimes people don’t think that we have the need like the city (of Spokane) because you don’t see people sleeping on the streets,” she said.

The Spokane Valley Partners Food Bank is supported by a warehouse where food is stored until it is distributed. Spokane Valley Partners Food Bank includes personal items such as soap, shampoo and other items.

Photo by Staci Lehman

And the need is across the board.

Schlenske says SVP’s clients range from elderly people to young families.

“When I walk through there (the food bank), I see men, women, old, young, couples, families, teenagers.”

Chris Tillotson is a 41-year-old veteran who mostly gets by on his

fixed income but need a little help sometimes. Tillotson is on disability for back problems and frequent headaches after serving six years in the U.S. Air Force.

“I have migraines all the time,” he said. “I can’t work.”

After a social worker at the Veterans Administration told him about Spokane Valley Partners, he has used several of the services they offer.

“I just used the food and clothing bank this week,” he said.

Tillotson says the process is easy.

Initially he had to show proof, such as a utility bill, that he lives in Spokane Valley, but now that he is in SVP’s system, he can visit the food bank once a month, along with the clothing bank. Tillotson has also received help paying his power bill, a service more than 800 families a year utilize.

“I used SNAP in the wintertime for the electrical payment help,” he said of the program located on the SVP campus. The satellite office is one of six SNAP locations throughout Spokane County.

The help goes even beyond basics like food and shelter though.

“I’ll get a turkey basket at Thanksgiving and Christmas,” said Tillotson.

Schlenske says Easter baskets are

Most of those volunteers have been there for many years. The majority are senior citizens but Schlenske says there are churches that bring whole groups of people to work, as well as young people needing community service hours.

While the holidays are a time of need for many, and SVP is no exception when it comes to nonprofits, Schlenske hopes people remember SVP other times of year as well.

“What people don’t understand is that our highest need is in the summer,” she said. “In August, we serve the highest number of households. Kids are home from school and people just didn’t have enough to get through the last few weeks before school starts.”

No matter when donations come in, Schlenske says the Valley community never lets her down.

“I’m a Valley girl at heart, I love the Valley,” she said. “We are sustained completely on the generosity of our donors. It’s very hard but very rewarding.”

Cash donations are the biggest need and go the farthest to help others at Spokane Valley Partners. You can give by calling 927-1153, emailing devdir@svpart.org or stopping by the campus at 10814 E. Broadway Ave. There are also volunteer opportunities available.

If you need help, you can also contact Spokane Valley Partners through the methods above.

8 • DECEMBER 2016

Valley Council names new city manager, considers utility tax

By Lincoln Dowright Current Correspondent A city manager employment agreement was approved with Mark Calhoun at a starting salary of $170,000 per year (which is equivalent to the final salary level being paid to former City Manager Mike Jackson) and included additional language to incentivize a quicker transition if the City Council were to request his termination.

Transportation funding/utility tax The city held a public hearing on the possibility of implementing a 6-percent utility tax on electricity, natural gas, sewer, solid waste disposal and water services to offset the currently levied tax on telephone service (which revenue has been declining from since 2011).

If implemented, it is estimated that it would generate approximately $7.7 million annually. The proposal is being considered as a way to fund the projected $6.1 million of street maintenance and preservation projects needed to maintain the current condition of the streets throughout the city.

While the consensus from those that stayed to testify at the hearing on Nov. 8 (scheduled on election night after the hearing on the comprehensive plan update) was generally negative to the idea. Most people seemed to be more upset about the process of scheduling the public hearing and the first reading on the election night when most people already had previous plans.

The day before the meeting the city released an updated/proposed agenda showing the removal of the first reading on the proposed tax ordinance.

While there was no discussion amongst the council members on the topic after the public hearing, the proposal was also removed from the action items of the meeting on Nov. 15 and there will be discussion of the topic at a Dec. 6 meeting with the Greater Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce. The meeting is scheduled for 7 to 9 a.m. at the CenterPlace Regional Events Center.

SCLD discussion Shortly after the Spokane County

NEWS

Library District (SCLD) requested that the City Council consider buying the property located adjacent to the Balfour Park back from the district a year earlier than was previously agreed upon, some council members inquired as to how to withdraw from the library district.

The original purchase agreement between the city and SCLD gives the district until October of 2017 to pass a bond measure but that if it was unsuccessful at passing a bond, the city would buy back the property at the same amount it sold it to the library for.

The city can withdraw from the library district in one of two ways, the first is to present the voters with a proposition to withdraw from the district and receive a majority vote during the election.

The second involves both the city of Spokane Valley and SCLD adopting a resolution requesting the withdrawal and a finding that the removal of the city from the district would lower the tax rate for the remainder of the library district.

At the end of the presentation Mayor Rod Higgins confirmed with city staff that “to re-emphasize this is only an exploration of what might be available in the event of and that there is not necessarily anything pending or anything being currently considered.”

Comprehensive plan and development regulations The city has held numerous meetings and hearings during an extensive process that started back in 2015 to update the comprehensive plan and development regulations.

The proposed comprehensive plan includes notable land use changes such as: designating some additional land around Mirabeau Park and the Appleway Trail as park land, combining the multi-family zones (formerly high density and

low density) into a single zone under the higher density rules, change the office zone into corridor mixed use thereby allowing a range of uses such as multi-family, light industrial, retail or office instead of limiting to office space.

Other proposed transitions include designating new areas for neighborhood commercial development at major intersections in close proximity to existing neighborhoods to allow for more neighborhood supportive activities, rezoning the area along the north side of Trent Avenue east of the river to the city line on Flora, consolidating the light and heavy industrial zones and limiting mining operations to those sites already operating mines. Other changes included in this proposal include: modifications to increase the notification range for future rezoning projects, reductions to the minimum lot size in the residential zones and setting up more transitional provisions to limit the impact of development immediately adjacent to residential zoning.

The area with the largest public comment was in the Sprague and Barker area, where the city’s planning commission recommended to change the existing zoning over to single family residential from the high density multifamily residential. The current city proposal is to leave the area east of Sullivan but north of Sprague

The Current

as is but change the area north of Sprague, west of Sullivan over to single family residential.

The final decision on the comprehensive plan and development regulations is scheduled for the Dec. 13 council meeting.

Parks maintenance contract A seven-year contract (previously awarded as a one-year contract with six one-year renewals) to provide maintenance of all city parks is slated to expire at the end of 2016. While the city put the contract back out to bid, it only received one submission which is from the existing contractor Senske Lawn and Tree Care Inc. The 2017 contract includes tasks such as lawn mowing and trimming, restroom cleaning, playground equipment repair, litter control, picnic shelter cleaning, snow removal, irrigation and coordination of special events, and is worth $758,310.01. It also includes the three new areas being added to the park system in 2017 (Valley Mission Dog Park and two sections of the Appleway Trail) and represents a 2.3 percent increase from the 2016 contract.

While final approval of the contract is still pending, council reaction was less than enthusiastic. Council Member Sam Wood suggested that the city could save money by reducing the lawn mowing piece of the contract from mowing weekly to possibly mowing every other week.

“Is it absolutely necessary to mow the grass every week?” Wood asked.

“What would we lose if we mowed the grass twice a month instead of four times a month? I am a nickels and dimes kind of a guy and that if we watch them, the dollars will take care of themselves.”

Parks and Recreation Director Mike Stone suggested that there isn’t a lot of savings there since there would still be the same level of equipment needs and costs in other areas.

“If the council is interested in saving more money, let me come back with some cost savings options but it will be a cost versus customer

See SV COUNCIL, Page 9

The Current

NEWS

EVSD works to make bus levy oversight right

SV COUNCIL

Continued from page 8 service trade off,” Stone said.

Council Member Munch stated that he was less concerned with the proposed costs than he is with the number of proposals received.

“I am OK with it this year since the costs didn’t go up very much but next year I hope we do something to get bids back from more vendors,” he said.

Bridging the Valley a little further away?

Despite the City Council’s efforts to proceed with finalizing the designs for the Barker Road/ BNSF Grade separation project (estimated to cost $1,020,000 and approximately $36 million for the design and construction). The consultant selected to complete the design, which was selected based upon qualifications, has found that the designs were further behind than originally anticipated. Citing reasons such as the fact that the initial design (advertised as the 30-percent designs) were originally completed 12 years ago and with the change in government and railroad requirements, more work is needed. It is now projected to cost approximately $1.3 million to get the designs up to 50 percent which is $300,000 more than the council had originally budgeted for the entire design work.

Water District #3 and Browns Park Earlier this fall, when attempting to connect the newly constructed splash pad/water feature at Browns Park (located at the northeast

corner of Pines Road and 32nd) to the water system, a conflict started between the city of Spokane Valley and water District #3. Now after numerous letters and conversations back and forth the city of Spokane Valley and Water District #3 couldn’t come to an agreement over future access rights to the water well located inside the park.

The current agreement which expired in 2013 was a 35-year lease agreement exchanging access across the park land to the well for water usage for the park. In order to renew the agreement, the water district firmly requested an easement granting them perpetual access to the well while the city insisted it needed to be a lease so that future councils will have flexibility with the park land, which may not always include the desire for a well.

Despite letters and testimony from the water district that they were not interested in another lease, the council approved and submitted a lease agreement to Water District #3. Earlier this month the water district gave notice that they were turning down the lease proposal, have stopped operations of the well and began removing some of the equipment per the original, now expired, lease agreement.

Currently scheduled topics for December Discussion topics for the City Council this month include: Street maintenance contract renewal, street sweeping contract renewal, Barker Road/BNSF design consultant agreement, lodging tax grant awards, and final reading on the comprehensive plan update.

By Craig Howard Current Editor The vote was a narrow one last April – 53.11 percent in support of a $3 million, two-year levy to purchase buses in the East Valley School District with 46.89 percent opposed. Only 309 votes separated the two sides.

Known as the “Transportation Vehicle Fund Levy,” the approved initiative meant the district would buy a total of 25 safer, more efficient and more reliable buses to transport students. The levy on property tax would be collected in two phases – $1.5 million in 2016 and the same amount in 2017.

Then, in May of this year, it was discovered that the levy funds were not being collected by Spokane County.

“We made a clerical error and did not properly authorize the county to collect the transportation vehicle fund levy in 2016,” said EVSD Superintendent Kelly Shea, who took over the district’s leadership chair in July of 2015.

In a letter mailed to East Valley residents in September, Shea said the oversight had been corrected but noted “it is an error that could have a negative impact on our ability to upgrade our fleet.”

Shea went on to explain how the EVSD Board of Directors needed to determine a course of action. They could decide to collect the $1.5 million as scheduled next year and purchase 12 new buses or collect the full amount of $3 million in 2017 and secure 25 buses.

Under the first scenario, the levy would mean a homeowner with a house valued at $200,000 paying $8.50 per month or $102 a year.

The second approach would run the same homeowner $17 per month or $204 for 2017.

DECEMBER 2016 • 9

Not collecting the full $3 million as spelled out on the ballot would have further repercussions, Shea noted in his letter.

“Another factor the board must consider is the revenue our district would lose from the state which helps reimburse the district for the purchase of new school buses,” Shea said.

The district held two public meetings in late September to gather feedback from residents.

“The board and I fully recognize this decision will affect everyone in our district,” Shea said before the meetings. “Because of this, the board is very interested in hearing how you feel about the two options up for consideration.”

Following the community gatherings, the board held a special work session on Oct. 18 to, in Shea’s words, “discuss the community input and to gather more facts regarding the impact to the district as well as our bus fleet.”

At its Oct. 25 regular meeting, the board decided to collect the $1.5 million – not the $3 million – from taxpayers in 2017.

The rate will be set at approximately 55 cents per $1,000 of assessed property valuation and begin in January 2017, expiring at the end of the year.

“Though the board appreciates the voices of those who supported the collection of the full amount, they believe this would place a financial hardship on some of our residents,” Shea wrote in a Nov. 7 letter to the community. “And it would not honor the agreement made with voters, collecting $1.5 million in a single year at an approximate tax rate of 55 cents per $1,000 of your assessed property value.”

Shea told the Current that feedback from the community “has been mostly supportive and understanding.”

“It has also been rather evenly divided in regards to whether to collect $1.5 million or $3 million,” Shea said.

The Current

10 • DECEMBER 2016

Trees and holiday spirit abundant at Carver Farms

By Tyler Wilson Current Correspondent There’s nothing like Christmas time down on the farm.

Families can choose and cut their own Christmas tree at Carver Farms in Newman Lake on weekends through Dec. 18. The farm attracts people from all around Eastern Washington and North Idaho looking for a little nostalgia and holiday magic.

“It’s one of my favorite times of year because people are happy,” said Scott Carver, who manages the tree harvest with his wife, Tamryn.

“They are happy to be together with their family,” In addition to tending the tree farm, Scott and Tamryn also work as teachers in the area.

Carver Farms doesn’t just offer a single-type, uniform Christmas tree. Families can choose from all shapes, sizes and varieties across

almost 40 acres. No matter the tree, the cost is the same - $53.

Varieties include grand fir, Fraser fir, Concolor fir, and Spruce trees, each offering their own unique characteristics.

Carver said the Grand fir is a fragrant tree that holds its needles well. The blue spruce is more of a stiff branch tree better suited for heavy ornaments, while the Frazier fir is a little narrow with more open branching, he said.

Trees can be anywhere from 5-12 feet and Carver said there are options for people looking for a less-traditional look.

“There’s always a few people who want the ‘Charlie Brown tree,’” Carver said.

Visitors can enjoy complimentary hot cocoa, cider and coffee, and there’s a gift shop offering baked treats, fresh apples from the farm, and frozen berries from earlier in the season.

Carver Farms provides a bow saw for use and a free shake and bale. People are asked not to bring chainsaws so the farm’s quiet atmosphere can be preserved.

Once the work is done, you can also warm up by the bonfire.

This is the seventh year Carver

Carver Farms in Newman Lake has grown Christmas trees and generated holiday spirit for the past seven years. Each tree on the 40-acre property runs $53.

Photo by Jed Conklin Farms has offered Christmas trees.

The farm began in 1977 with Scott’s parents, who continue to oversee the farm’s fruits and vegetables.

“They planted a few acres of strawberries and it’s just grown from that point, and you can’t do that without the support of our community,” Scott said. “We’ve had nice, manageable growth. You take a chance on farming no matter what, but Christmas trees have

been good business.”

Carver Farms is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from Nov. 25 through Dec. 18. The address is 9105 N. Idaho Road in Newman Lake. Learn more by calling 226-3602 or visiting www.CarverFarms.com.

Patrons can get a $3 off coupon at the website – either print the certificate or present the site’s page on your phone.

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The Current

Community Cancer Fund focused on mission of wellness

By Tyler Wilson Current Correspondent The impact is staggering.

Last year, the Community Cancer Fund (CCF) raised more than $1.8 million for the local fight against cancer. The organization has already topped that number this year and the money will all support efforts and organizations throughout the Inland Northwest.

A relatively new organization, CCF is a 501 c(3) nonprofit that supports local cancer prevention and screening programs, local research studies and assists patients and their families with out-of-pocket expenses throughout treatment and recovery.

Jerid Keefer, co-founder and executive director for CCF, said the organization was formed out of a wish from its board of directors to raise large amounts of money to support cancer care – and to make sure those funds were being put to use in the region.

“While there is research being done, for the cancer patient, there is still a need today and right now,” Keefer said. “We’re just trying to do our best to minimize the financial constraints and needs that are faced by those patients and their families.”

The Spokane area serves as a hub

DECEMBER 2016 • 11

for cancer treatment and services with patients sometimes traveling hundreds of miles for care. The establishment of CCF arrives at an opportune time, helping fill the gap left when Cancer Patient Care closed in 2013 due to declining funds.

Founded in 1958, the Spokanebased nonprofit functioned with a similar mission of supporting residents with the disease.

“We have people traveling here from Eastern Montana to get their services, and families have to deal with the lodging and the day-to-day expenses of living life,” Keefer said.

“The financial burden of battling cancer – it tends to get lost.”

Funds go to causes big and small – from supporting local research to providing gas cards for traveling patients. CCF has provided major contributions to: • Patient support funds through Cancer Care Northwest, Kootenai Health, and the Jensen Fund at Providence Sacred Heart Children’s Hospital • Lodging programs via the Walden House, Ronald McDonald House, Shriner’s Hospital and Davenport Hotels • The Camp Good Times Endowment Fund in partnership with the YMCA, and the YMCA’s Livestrong Program • Kickstart research through Cancer Care Northwest and Providence Sacred Heart Partnerships with these cancerfighting organizations and others are the key to CCF’s fundraising success, Keefer noted.

“We are in constant communication with our partners,” he said. “It’s not just a give and take. It’s about

Community Cancer Fund, a Spokane-based nonprofit, raises money and awareness for cancer patients and research through events like “The Showcase,” held in Coeur d’Alene this July. Along with a golf tournament and auction, the third annual event included a concert featuring Sheryl Crow and John Fogerty.

Contributed photo

really communicating and listening to their needs.”

Christopher M. Lee, radiation oncologist and director of radiation research at Cancer Care Northwest, said CCF is particularly skilled at getting money to where it needs to go in the community.

“They provide basic needs for patients,” Lee said. “Some of these patients are going through the worst challenges of their lives, at least healthwise. It’s very clear they have a lot on their plate. It solves a lot of their basic challenges and allows them to focus on getting well.”

Mike Forness, executive director of the Ronald McDonald House, said CCF succeeded early by seeking input from his organization and other leaders and cancer-care providers in the community.

“I’ve been doing collaborations for over 30 years and this is the most significant contribution to cancerrelated initiatives in the Inland Northwest,” Forness said. “No one organization has been able to bring together the local and regional partners like this – and then on top of that they are able to bring in relationships from outside the area.”

CCF has created national partnerships in support of local fundraisers like “The Showcase,” a celebrity golf weekend held this past summer at the Coeur d’Alene Resort. GoPro was a major sponsor of the third annual event and participants included sports stars like Wayne Gretzky, Fred McGriff, Ryan Longwell and performances

by John Fogerty and Sheryl Crow.

The Showcase website lists a total of $3.47 million in contributions for this year’s festivities.

“The money we raised for The Showcase, (much of it) is coming from out of market,” Keefer said.

“Money that maybe wouldn’t be seen in this area. You could argue we are making the pie bigger. We’re bringing that money in, but the money stays here.”

Some of that money has contributed to a recent initiative to relieve the waiting list for patients and families getting into the Spokane Ronald McDonald House. The organization provides temporary lodging for families of children undergoing medical treatment. Forness said an average stay for a family is about 26 days, with families staying anywhere from a week or two all the way up to several months.

To help reduce the wait list, which can be 10-20 days depending on need, CCF helped fund the refurbishment of six apartments on the Shriner’s Hospital campus that Ronald McDonald House families

could utilize.

“It has allowed us to provide accommodations while families are on the Ronald McDonald House waiting list,” Forness said.

The long-term goal is to expand the Ronald McDonald House. The facility can currently serve 22 families but Forness would eventually like to expand that number to 50. Still, having additional accommodations at places like Shriner’s now helps to support the organization’s vision of providing fellowship for families.

“All of these families are going through the same experience of having a child in the hospital,” Forness said. “(Through the Ronald McDonald House) they are able to have a more supportive and homelike atmosphere.”

While CCF contributes significantly to the street-level, individual cancer fight, the organization is also committed to supporting local research and advanced treatment methods.

The fund recently contributed to two studies with Lee and Cancer Care Northwest.

One study dove into a particularly rare cancer of the head and neck and researchers in Spokane were able to study a large group of patients and measure success rates of particularly treatment methods.

The other study looks at a particular heart condition that occurs in some patients after radiation treatment and is working toward developing a program to guide those patients.

“Good things come about from people doing research everywhere,” Lee said. “Having that ability in town raises the bar by us having the people and resources to do local studies that contribute to national and international knowledge. In turn, for each individual patient, their doctors are more aware of the cutting-edge tools or treatments or knowledge available to them.”

CCF is only just beginning to provide for the Inland Northwest.

Keefer credits board president Ryan Lee, founding member Fritz Wolff and the entire board of directors for fostering relationships in and outside the community.

“No matter how much we raise, we recognize we are one piece of the puzzle,” Keefer said. “We very much rely on our partners to really give us the feedback, what they’re experiencing on the front lines.”

Want to learn more?

Community Cancer Fund will host its next fundraiser, the “Holiday Bash” on Dec. 2 at the Davenport Grand Hotel in downtown Spokane.

For more information on this event and the program in general, visit www.communitycancerfund.org.

The Current

12 • DECEMBER 2016

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We offer super low rates and we’ve waived appraisal fees because we want to help our members get ahead in life.

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Federally insured by NCUA *The rate for the Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC) is based on the highest Prime Rate as published in the Wall Street Journal as of the date of any rate adjustment plus a margin (3.74% APR as of 9/1/2016). APRs do not include costs and rate may vary monthly (maximum 18% APR) and are subject to increase after account opening upon default. During the credit advance draw period, payments equal monthly payments of interest, subject to lesser of $100 or your balance and principal is not reduced. At the end of the draw period, your monthly payment will increase equal to the principal and interest amount necessary to pay the loan balance over the remainder of the loan term amortized over 180 months. The actual rate may be higher than the advertised rate for loans exceeding 70% combined-loan-to-value (CLTV) or if you have lesser creditworthiness. Not every applicant will qualify.

The APR for a Fixed Rate Advance (FRA) as of 9/1/2016 is as low as 3.99% APR. FRAs provide for up to 15 years of fixed monthly principal and interest payments, depending on the amount advanced. FRAs are subaccounts of a HELOC. Owner-occupied property must be located in one of the following states: WA, OR, CA, AZ, KS, MO, IL and PA. Non-owner occupied property must be located in the State of Washington. Certain third party costs may apply that range between $0-$1,999, depending on the location of the property, the amount of the loan and other factors. Additional state or local mortgage fees or taxes may apply. Property insurance and, if applicable, flood insurance required. Home Equity Line of Credit Account Fixed Rate Advances provide for up to 15 years of monthly principal and interest payments, depending on the amount advanced. An Automated Value Model (AVM) may be obtained in lieu of an appraisal at no cost to member.

LIBRARY

The Current

December merriment at the library: Building, singing, coding

At some point, I like to get everyone out of the house and let someone else direct the crafting and merrymaking for a little while.

This year, the Spokane County

CO SO MI O NG N !

Later in the month, we’re hosting Frozen Sing-A-Longs, transforming the movie into a fully interactive experience for all ages. Costumes are not required, but you just might want to wear one anyway.

Bring the whole family, along with your favorite movie treats, a comfy pillow and a blanket.

By Gwendolyn Haley

We love this time of year at our house – the music, the decorations, the snow (we hope!). Even my older children want to start making crafts and cookies with me. During the winter break from school, our kitchen table is, at turns, coated with a fine dusting of flour and sugar or glitter. The glitter gets everywhere, even on the family dog.

DECEMBER 2016 • 13

Library District offers some free, fun programs that let you enjoy crafting with your kids—and we’ll clean up the mess. That’s a winwin!

Starting in December, we’ll host Gingerbread House Building for families and all ages. We’ll provide the building materials – gingerbread, graham crackers, icing, candy – and you get to supply the design and construction skills.

If you’re more for things of an analytical bent, then check out our Hour of Code activities during Computer Science Education Week (Dec 3–9). We have online coding games and unplugged activities as well.

All of these programs from Spokane County Library District are free and open to families and kids of all ages. For the full schedule, visit our website at www.scld.org/kidsfall-2016/. For a complete list of everything the library has to offer, check out our website at www.scld. org. You just might see me at one of these library programs – I’ll be the one with glitter on my face.

Spokane County Library District presents

ENGAGE ENGAGE

is the new program & event magazine for the Library District.

INSIDE YOU’LL FIND • Live performances

‘Engage’ – a new event magazine from SCLD

By Erin Dodge

Spokane County Library District introduces “Engage,” the new magazine packed with information about events, workshops and programs at the library. You can pick up Engage at any of our 10 libraries starting in December. Just like all of our events and programs, the magazine is free.

Over the years, we’ve tried various ways to share information with the community about our events and programs – seasonal brochures, flyers, social media and so on. Now, we’re trying something a little different and we hope you like this new format. You’ll still find all of our events, workshops and programs on our website’s event calendar and we’ll talk about them on social media, too.

Benefits of a magazine All in one place. In the past, you may have missed something going on at the library because

you simply didn’t know about it.

With lots of flyers and brochures produced throughout the year, it could happen! Now, hopefully you won’t miss anything that intrigues because nearly all of the workshops, discussions, performances, and special events are in one convenient magazine.

Reducing paper.

Engage is published three times per year, covering four months of programs and events in each issue. With just one magazine covering so much, we will be reducing paper use and waste each year.

Insider’s peek. In each issue, Engage will include an article highlighting the people, special programs or libraries across the county. Discover new things about your local library and community.

Looking forward to first issue’s events We get amped up about every new presenter, discussion and event at the library or with a library partner. The first issue of Engage, covering January - April 2017, is no exception.

Here are just a few of the featured entertainers, exhibits and events coming up in 2017: •

Caspar

Babypants

Family

Concert – sing and dance to whimsical tunes, magical melodies and even some classics from the Beatles.

• The Literature of Prescription: Charlotte Perkins Gilman and “The Yellow Wall-Paper” – an exhibition exploring the history and challenges of traditional ideas about gender and women’s healthcare.

• Money Smart Week – workshops and discussions for teens and adults that help you manage your personal finances.

• Floating Crowbar – a concert of traditional Irish music played on uilleann pipes, flute, whistle, banjo, and mandolin as well as fiddle and guitar.

• Programs about coffee, yoga, the ukulele, green cleaning, urban farming, romance authors, documentaries, poetry discussions, Rube Goldberg machines, Legos, Pokémon, Minecraft and so much more.

• Special all-ages events • Business programs • Programs for kids, tweens & teens • Featured articles

PICK UP

ENGAGE

at any of the 10 Spokane County libraries in December to find out what’s happening through April 2017.

ENGAGE LEARN, WORK, CREATE, THRIVE TOGETHER.

What wonderful discovery will you find in 2017? We invite you to turn the page and see what awaits you at your local library.

Engage supports the Spokane County Library District’s vision to learn, work, create and thrive together.

www.scld.org

COMMUNITY

14 • DECEMBER 2016

12th Annual

Father Daughter Dance 2017

Under Sea THE

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Doors open at 6:30pm

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The Current

Calendar of Events COMMUNITY EVENTS Dec. 1 | The Rotary Club of Spokane Valley will be presenting the 14th annual Celebration of Lights from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the old U-City parking lot. Children of all ages are invited to this fun, free, evening that will not only include the Tree Lighting, but a visit from Santa led in by the University High Marching Band. The Solar Energy Choir from Sunrise Elementary will be there with music, the Valleyfest queen and princesses will be in attendance and the Spokane Valley City Council will be reading "Twas the Night before Christmas." Hot chocolate will be served.

Dec. 3 | The Rotary Club of Spokane Valley, in conjunction with the city of Spokane Valley, will host Breakfast with Santa at CenterPlace, 2426 N. Discovery Place, from 8 a.m. to noon. This event has been a community tradition for nearly 20 years. Enjoy a delicious pancake and sausage breakfast with games and crafts for the kids. Santa will be the guest of honor. Cost is $5 per person with RSVPs requested as space is limited. You may register by calling the Spokane Valley Parks and Recreation Department at 688-0300 or going online at spokanevalley.org/SantaBreakfast.

All proceeds benefit the Rotary Scholarship program and Books for Kids.

Dec. 3 | Millwood Fire Station #2 open house, 11 a.m. – 3 p.m., 9111 E. Frederick. The Spokane Valley Fire Department invites the community to drop by for free family fun. Meet your firefighters and paramedics, check out the fire engine and take pictures with Santa. Tour the newly-remodeled fire station and try on firefighter gear. Enjoy holiday treats and cool giveaways. And, get a free Operation Family ID child safety kit. More at 892-4155 or www. spokanevalleyfire.com.

Nov. 23-Dec. 23 | Santa Express benefiting the Vanessa Behan Crisis Nursery is at a new location

on the main level of the Crescent Building at Main and Wall streets in downtown Spokane. Santa Express has become a holiday tradition for many local families. With the help of Santa’s elves, young shoppers between the ages of 4 and 12 choose gifts for everyone on their list and wrap each gift so it is ready to go under the tree. All gifts are priced from 50 cents to $8.

Vanessa’s Village, located inside Santa Express, welcomes shoppers of all ages. Vanessa’s Village is a boutique of specialty items perfect for stocking stuffers or gifts for family, older children, friends or secret Santas. Store hours are Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and on Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. All proceeds support the Vanessa Behan Crisis Nursery's vision to provide immediate refuge for children and support to strengthen families. For more information, call 535-3155 or visit www.vanessabehan.org.

RECURRING ACT 2 senior classes | Affordable classes offered by Community Colleges of Spokane to those who are retired or planning to retire. A wide range of courses from geology and history to exercise and art are offered at CenterPlace, 2426 N. Discovery Place, as well as other locations throughout the area.

More at www.sccel.spokane.edu/ ACT2.

Baha’i Fireside Conversation | 5 to 6 p.m., third Friday of the month.

Spokane Valley Library, 12004 E. Main Ave. Discussion of Baha’i teachings, history, and perspectives on resolving the challenges facing humanity. All are welcome. More at 599-2411 or www.bahai.us.

Inland Empire Blues Society monthly meeting | Oct. 13 at 7:30 p.m., Bolo's 116 S. Best Road.

Café Card Club | 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., Tuesdays. On Sacred Grounds, 12212 E. Palouse Hwy., Valleyford.

Play pinochle, cribbage, or hearts.

More at www.onsacredgrounds. com.

Catholic Singles Mingle | Meeting times and locations vary. This

group, with no dues, is for single adults of all ages. More at www. meetup.com/Catholic-SinglesMingle.

DivorceCare Recovery Support Group | Tuesdays 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Eastpoint Church, 15303 E. Sprague Ave. Learn how to heal from the deep hurt of divorce and discover hope for your future. DivorceCare for Kids (ages 5-12) meets at the same time and location. Cost is $25 for workbook. More at 892-5255 or eastpointchurch.com.

Military Sobriety Support Group | 10 to 11: 30 a.m., Spokane Vet Center, 13109 E. Mirabeau Parkway, Spokane Valley. Call Steve at 8934746 for more information.

Grange Meeting and Dessert | 6:30 p.m., first Wednesday of the month, Tri-Community Grange, 25025 Heather St., Newman Lake. The public is welcome for this community-based service organization. For more information call 226-2202 or see us on Facebook.

Men’s Weekly Bible Study | 7 a.m.

Tuesdays. Millwood Presbyterian Church, 3223 N. Marguerite Road, Millwood. The men’s weekly Bible Study meets in the Reception Hall with different members sharing in the leading of the study. All men are invited to join. More at www. milwoodpc.org.

Pancreatic Cancer Action Network | 6:30 p.m., the first Monday of each month. Liberty Lake Municipal Library, 23123 E. Mission Ave., Liberty Lake. More at www.pancan.org or 534-2564.

Rockford Crochet Class | 10 a.m. to noon, Saturdays. The Harvest Moon, 20 S. First St., Rockford.

Activities include hairpin lace, knit, embroidery, needlepoint, and arm knitting of infinity. More at 8924412 or 291-3722.

Rockford Historical Society | 11:30 a.m. second Friday of the month (Feb. to Nov.). Harvest Moon restaurant, 20 S. First St., Rockford. More at 291-3193.

Spokane County Library District | Locations include Argonne, Fairfield, Otis Orchards, and

The Current

DECEMBER 2016 • 15

COMMUNITY

Spokane Valley. Special events and weekly activities for all ages including book clubs, children’s story times, classes, Lego club, teen anime club and writing clubs.

More at www.scld.org

Spokane Valley Eagles | 16801 E. Sprague Ave. Breakfast served Sundays 9 to 11:30 a.m. Lunch served Thursdays 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. followed by bingo from 1 to 3:30 p.m. More at www.foe3433. com.

Spokane Valley Partners Food Bank | Weekly distribution takes place Wednesdays and Thursdays at 10814 E. Broadway by appointment.

Appointments are available during the following days/times: Wednesday, 11 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. to 3:15 p.m. Thursday (reserved for advanced-age seniors — age 60 and over — and/or physicallyhandicapped people with limited mobility): 11 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.

Address verification is required.

To make an appointment, call 927.1153 ext. 10, Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 1 p.m.

MUSIC & THE ARTS Dec. 9-17 | A Memory for Christmas, Liberty Lake Theatre, 22910 E. Appleway, Ste. 2, Liberty Lake. This heartwarming holiday production tells the story of children in an orphanage toward the close of World War II. When one of the kids learns that the orphanage’s caretaker has lost her husband in the Battle of Normandy, she goes about writing a play about the soldier as a special Christmas gift.

Showtimes are Dec. 9 (7 p.m.); Dec. 10 (2 and 7 p.m.); Dec. 15 (7 p.m.); Dec. 16 (7 p.m.) and Dec. 17 (2 and 7 p.m.). Tickets are $12 and can be purchased online at www.libertylaketheatre.com, at the door on the day of the show and at the Liberty Lake Yoke’s. For more information, email the theatre at info@libertylaketheatre.com.

Dec. 13 | The Oaks Christmas Concert, 7 p.m., Martin Woldson Theater at the Fox, 1001 W. Sprague Ave., Spokane. Based in Spokane Valley, the Oaks Classical Christian Academy will present

a traditional Christmas musical celebration with free admission.

The public is encouraged to attend.

Dec. 17 | Spokane Symphony Superpops: Celebrate Holiday Pops, 8 p.m., Martin Woldson Theater at the Fox, 1001 W. Sprague Ave., Spokane. Resident Conductor Morihiko Nakahara and the Spokane Symphony will treat concertgoers to an evening of holiday music, including a screening of “The Snowman” (with live orchestra) choir music from the Spokane Symphony Chorale and the Spokane Area Youth Choir, a visit from Santa and the popular audience sing-along. Ticket prices are $28 to $62; half price for youth 17 and under. For more information, visit www.spokanesymphony.org or call 624-1200.

Dec. 31 | Spokane Symphony New Year’s Eve: Beethoven’s Ninth, 7:30 p.m., Martin Woldson Theater at the Fox, 1001 W. Sprague Ave. Back by popular demand, the more than 140 musicians of the Spokane Symphony and Chorale will celebrate New Year's Eve with a traditional performance of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony with its themes of joy and the brotherhood of man. Tickets are $23 to $28; $16 for youth 17 and under. For more information, visit www.spokanesymphony.org or call 624-1200.

Winter schedule

Fall dance is $40 a month for a once a week class of either ballet / tap combo classes or other combos as described starting the first week in January.

tuesday

9:30 - 10:30am 2-3 year olds 10:30-11:30am 3-5 year olds

wednesday

4:15-5:15pm 4-6 year olds 5:15- 6:15pm 2-4 year olds 6:15- 7:15pm Hip Hop / Jazz

thursday

1:00 - 2:00 4-6 year olds 2:00 - 3:00 7-10 year olds 4:15 - 5:15pm 4-6 year olds 5:15 - 6:15 pm 6-8 year olds 6:15 - 7:15 pm Hip Hop/Jazz

friday

9:30 - 10:30 2-3 year olds 10:30 - 11:30 4-6 year olds Family 11:30 - 12:30 3-5 year olds discount 12:30 - 1:30 5-7 year olds

available

RECURRING Drop-in Square Dance Lessons | 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. (through May 18). Western Dance Center, 1901 N. Sullivan Road. Square dance lessons for $3 per person; no partner needed. More at 270-9264.

Pages of Harmony | 6:30 to 9:30 p.m., Wednesdays. Thornhill Valley Chapel, 1400 S. Pines Road.

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

More at www.pagesofharmony.org.

Spirit of Spokane Chorus | 6:45 p.m., Tuesdays. Opportunity Presbyterian Church, 202 N. Pines Road. Make new friends by joining this women’s chorus, specializing in four-part, a cappella harmony in the barbershop style. More at 2184799.

See CALENDAR, Page 16

www.customfitlighting.com CHRISTMAS LIGHTS Let us do the work for you to create a festive appearance this holiday season.

We provide a large selection of LED bulbs, color changers, and wire that we Custom Fit to your house and yard. We promise to give the most quality service, at the most affordable price. When you work with us it is no work at all, we put the lights up and take them down for you.

Call us TODAY (509) 228-7223 for a free estimate

The Current

16 • DECEMBER 2016

CALENDAR

Continued from page 15 Spokane Novelists Group | Noon to 4 p.m., second and fourth Saturday of the month.

Otis Orchards Community Church, 23304 E. Wellesley Ave., Otis Orchards. A support/critique group for writers. Open to anyone with an interest in writing fiction (no memoirs, nonfiction, poetry, etc., please). Participants should bring 5-10 pages to read aloud and 6-8 copies for others to read along and critique. More at 590-7316.

Spokane Valley Camera Club | 7:15 p.m., third and fourth Monday of the month (September through April). Liberty Lake Sewer and Water District building, 22510 E. Mission Ave., Liberty Lake. All levels of ability—students through experienced photographers—are invited to learn. Social events include field trips and workshops.

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

Teen Writers of the Inland Empire | 4 p.m., first Thursday of the month (except holidays).

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

HEALTH & RECREATION Dec. 3 | Jingle Bell Run benefiting the Arthritis Foundation, Riverfront Park, downtown Spokane. Be part of the largest holiday-themed 5K race series anywhere and join the movement to conquer arthritis.

This event is a fun way to get out, get moving and raise funds and awareness to cure America’s leading cause of disability. Wear a holiday-themed costume. Tie jingle bells to your shoelaces or sport your ugly Christmas sweater. Complete a 5-kilometer run or walk with your team. For more information about the run, go to www.jbr.org or call

263-0193.

Nov. 1-Dec. 31 | Fall Futsal League. The HUB Sports Center runs two sessions of a fiveaside futsal league for ages 9-14 with session one taking place November/December each Tuesday night and session two running January/February on Fridays. Each session is six weeks. Sign up for both sessions online to receive a discount. For more information, call 927-0602 or visit www. hubsportscenter.org.

Dec. 3 | Finding Your Balance and Igniting Your Joy, 10 a.m., Willow Song Music Therapy, E. 21101 Wellesley, Otis Orchards.

This is a mindfulness-based class, exploring the connection with the physiology of stress and tension and well-being. Includes a guided progressive muscle relaxation.

Understand how to use music mindfully to support body, mind and soul optimum function, discover your rhythm and learn how to reduce stress. $25 per person. For more information, call 509-592-7875 or visit www. willowsongmusictherapy.com.

Dec. 12 | Beginner’s Pickleball Clinic, 10 a.m. to noon, the HUB Sports Center, 19619 E. Cataldo, Liberty Lake. Drop by the HUB and and learn the game of pickleball.

Expert instructors teach the basic skills and rules of this exciting game. Clinics take place on the second Wednesday of every month.

Registration is $10 per person and all participants will have the option to stay for our drop-in play from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. for free.

To learn more or to register, visit www.hubsportscenter.org or call 927-0602.

Dec. 20 | Ugly Sweater Pickleball Tournament, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., the HUB Sports Center, 19619 E. Cataldo, Liberty Lake.

‘Tis the season for a game that blends elements of tennis, ping pong and racketball. Proceeds from this holiday tournament will benefit Blessings Under the Bridge, a nonprofit founded by Mike and Jessica Kovac of Liberty Lake to help the homeless. Cost is $35 per player. To learn more or to register, visit www.hubsportscenter.org or call 927-0602.

Dec. 22 | Drop and Shop, 5 to 8

p.m., the HUB Sports Center, 19619 E. Cataldo, Liberty Lake. Enjoy a fun evening out or get that lastminute shopping done while your kids have a blast playing games.

The HUB’s staff will be there to lead the festivities. Registration is $10 or $15 at the door. To learn more or to register, visit www. hubsportscenter.org or call 9270602.

Dec. 27-29 | Snowball Futsal Tournament, 4 to 9 p.m. each day. Are you ready for some Futsal?

Get out and get moving over winter break with your team. Sign up early for this five aside futsal tournament and don’t miss out. For kids U7 through U14. Registration Fees: $250 per team (if registration and payment received by Nov. 30) Cost is $275 per team (if registration and payment received Dec. 1 or later) Registration deadline is Friday, Dec. 14.

Dec. 27-30 | Skyhawks MultiSport Camp and Basketball Camp, the HUB Sports Center, 19619 E. Cataldo, Liberty Lake. For registration information, visit www. hubsportscenter.org or call 9270602.

RECURRING HUB Sports Center 19619 E. Cataldo Ave. Various activities and events occur throughout the week including: • Badminton open gym: 7 to 9 p.m. Tues., $5/person • Basketball open gym: Noon to 1 p.m. Tues. and Thurs., $4/person • Pickleball drop-in: 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. Mon. through Thurs.; 10 a.m. to noon Tues. and Thurs.; and 7 to 9 p.m. Wed. and Sun. $2/seniors ($4/non-seniors) • Classes including Kenpo Karate, Modern Farang-Mu Sul, and Zumba Aerobics. See website for cost and times.

Yoga in Rockford | 5:30 p.m.

Wednesdays. Rockford Park, 20 W. Emma St., Rockford. In case of inclement weather, classes will be held at Dave’s Autobody, 8 W. Emma St.

CIVIC & BUSINESS

Dec. 1-3 | KidSafe event, Thursday and Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Subaru of Spokane, 423 W. Third Ave., Spokane. Event includes fingerprinting and help with a family safety plan. For more information, call 625-3200.

Dec. 17 | 10th annual Blessings Under the Bridge Winter Event, noon to 3 p.m., downtown Spokane, under the bridge at Fourth Avenue and McClellan. This 10th annual event hosted by Valley-based Blessings Under the Bridge benefits the homeless in greater Spokane and will feature food, music, holiday treats, resource booths and more. To volunteer or donate, contact Blessings Under the Bridge at 869-6997 or visit www.butb.org.

LL Theatre fundraiser for Blessings Under the Bridge | Liberty Lake Community Theatre is working with Blessings Under the Bridge to raise funds for the agency’s efforts to help homeless residents in the greater Spokane area. Through Dec. 17 the theatre is are accepting donations of gloves, hats and scarves in the lobby at 22910 E. Appleway, Ste 2.

Receive $2 credit at the concession stand for a donation. Additionally, 50 percent of counter sales for the Dec. 10, 2pm showing of “A Memory for Christmas” will be donated to Blessings Under the Bridge. For more information, visit www.butb.org.

RECURRING Flag Museum | Sponsored by the Sons of the American Revolution and the Fairmount Memorial Association, details the rich history of the American flag, Mondays-Fridays, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Saturdays, 9 a.m.-2 p.m.

Pines Cemetery, 1402 S. Pines Road, Spokane Valley. For more information: 926-2753 or www. fairmountmemorial.com/southpines-cemetery Spokane Valley Kiwanis | 6:45 a.m.

Tuesdays.

Valley Hospital Education Center, 12606 E. Mission Ave. More at www. spokanevalleykiwanis.net.

Spokane Valley Rotary | Noon to 1 p.m., Tuesdays. Darcy’s, 10502 E. Sprague Ave. More at www. svrotary.org.

The Current

DECEMBER 2016 • 17

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

I can’t believe that it is the holiday season already. It feels like it snuck up on us – but what an exciting time of year.

My favorite part of the season is what I call the “Holiday Spirit. “To me, this means taking the time to recognize and say “thank you” to all the people that surround and impact us in our daily lives. Whether it’s sharing a meal with close friends and family, giving a gift to someone to show your appreciation, or enjoying some holiday cheer, it is with that thought that we have pulled together our annual “Eat, Shop and Be Merry” guide this year.

From the team here at the Splash and the Current, we want to thank you, our readers for taking the time to read our publication and advertisers for partnering with us to share their stories. We hope you enjoy it as much as we enjoyed taking the time to meet all of these friends and neighbors and help with some ideas for making your holiday the best one ever.

We encourage you to pause from your busy everyday routine to appreciate all of the wonderful people around us and help spread the holiday cheer!

Ben Wick, Publisher

18th Annual Friends Of Pavillion Park Cordially Invites You To The

Liberty Lake Holiday Ball

Enjoy An Elegant Evening Of Dinner & Dancing With Silent & Live Auctions Saturday, December 10th 5:00pm in the Grand Pennington Ballroom At The Historic Davenport Hotel For more information or to purchase tickets go to www.pavillionpark.org Tickets $75 / person Contact: pavillionpark@yahoo.com THIS EVENT BENEFITS FOPP IN ITS CONTINUED EFFORT TO SUPPORT THE CONCERTS, MOVIES AND ACTIVITIES THAT TAKE PLACE THROUGHOUT THE LIBERTY LAKE COMMUNITY EVERY SUMMER. Reservations are limited and will be accommodated on first come first served basis

The Current

18 • DECEMBER 2016

Papa Tom’s Christmas Tree Farm HOURS: Tuesday - Sunday 9 am - 5 pm after dark by appointment only

Military, F Respond irst er, and Veteran d iscounts offered.

Choose and cut Christmas trees, bundled firewood and pumpkins 24615 E Dalke Ave Otis Orchards, WA 99027

Finding & Igniting Your Balance Your Joy! A Wellness Class

photo by: Aundre Larrow

photo by: Blake Bronstad

overwhelmed? Stressed out?

WantFeel to through thejoy? holidays Lifeease in motion, but little with less tension?

Experience Small Group Wellness class facilitated

by Carla Carnegie, board-certified Music Therapist.

Workshop and Explore: call When: December 3, 10 am - 12Where: pm ✤ Mood Management with essential -7875 509-592oils

January 7, 10 am - 12 pm

✤ the register of stress and tophysiology tension

Oct 22 @10am-noon Nov 18 @ 6:30-8:30pm Dec 3 @ 10-12noon

Free gift for attendees

$25 on music! SpeciÞc ✤ Your brain ways increase rson well-being pertope ✤ Drumming in community, singing for wellness!

✤ progressive muscle relaxation, ✤ …and more!

E. 21101 Wellesley, #102-103

Cost: $25 for individual dates

Willow Song Music Therapy Center E. 21101 Wellesley, #102 Otis Orchards, WA 99027

Registration: Please register via email: carla.carnegie@gmail.com

or call 509.592.7875

Carla has been an accomplished musician on many instruments including piano, violin, accordion and percussion for many years. She holdsOtis a Music degree in composition from Whitworth University, and a Music Therapy degree from Orchards, WA 99027 Marylhurst University. She has been working in private practice as a board-certified music therapist in the Inland Empire for four years, specializing in areas of: Autism, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease. She holds workshops on managing stress and tension, reducing anxiety, facilitates drum circles, is a trained facilitator of HealthRHYTHMS, and offers private music lessons.

The Current

DECEMBER 2016 • 19

Holiday Gift Guide

When you go out shopping this holiday season check out these local businesses to a chance to support members of our community and find unique, eclectic, personal or elegant gifts for anyone on your shopping list.

$$ Our Choice: Buy a gift card or ake advantage of their dollar days in January.

their own on-site goldsmith. They pride themselves in personalizing their customer service to the needs of their customers to ensure that every client leaves happy and never regrets a purchase. They also carry a generous assortment of jewelry and gifts ready to take home and wrap. $ Our Choice: Silver ring holder.

Perfect to set next to any sink and keep your rings safe while washing your hands.

Pricing key

For over 35 years and through three generations, the Coin Corner has been buying and selling investment coins and collections.

They also deal with historical memorabilia, maps, documents and military documents. Excellent place to explore if you have been collecting for years or are just starting out. $ Our Choice: 2016 silver eagle dollar coin. Great gift for the collector or to use as a stocking stuffer.

$ – $0 - $50 $$ – $50-$200 $$$ – You really like this person

Big Bear Chocolates 891-2662, Located near the food court in the Spokane Valley Mall

Adorkable Flowers and Gifts 922-6300, 21950 E. Country Vista Drive, Suite 500, Liberty Lake Drop by this newly established florist and gift shop for a unique, personal experience. The store atmosphere is welcoming, eclectic and creative, all things that you are sure to find in the arrangements that are formed there. Purchase custom or prearranged flowers, candy bouquets, potted plants, balloon arrangements and more.

Coming in January, you can order an arrangement through Bloomnet. com $ Our Choice: Dinosaur air plant holder. For that person in your life who likes some greenery with personality. Can be hung anywhere.

Appleway Florist and Gifts 924-5050, 11006 E, Sprague Ave., Spokane Valley This longtime Valley florist has over 30,000 square feet of greenhouse space in which to showcase their bouquets and special arrangements. They also have a large selection of candles, plush, balloons and gift items.

Throughout the year, special events are also hosted here such as pictures with Santa and the Easter Bunny.

Bruttles 228-9509, 12609 E. Sprague Ave., Spokane Valley

Finger Swagger 279-2917, 10627 E. Sprague Ave., Spokane Valley Two gentlemen, Craig and Steve, own and run this neighborhood music corner. Their wall of beautiful guitars and stacks of new and vintage amps make this a muststop spot for any music enthusiast.

They offer consignments, lessons, guitars, repairs, stringing, pro setups and more. $$-$$$ Our choice: Ukulele. The exquisite craftsmanship and style of the various sizes of ukuleles they have to offer would make even the most musically inept buy one to give it a try. With as beautiful as they are you can always turn it into an art piece on your wall.

Fresh, grade A ingredients go into the making of these confections using recipes that have been passed down for over 60 years. Originally a turn down service at the Davenport Hotel, these delicacies can now be found in Spokane Valley. Along with the original soft peanut brittle, you can find salt water taffy, caramels, butter toffee and chocolate bark.

Anytime Fitness

Friendly and professional staff ttrained to help you on your fitness journey. Now under new ownership, they are creating a “surprisingly personal experience” for all those who enter.

$ Our Choice: Chocolate covered caramel apple. Choose from a large assortment of flavors such as “apple pie,” “turtle pecan,” and the holiday special “peppermint stick.”

$ Our Choice: Hanging crystal angel decoration. It is the perfect gift to show appreciation to teachers, staff or for a “secret Santa” gift exchange.

$ Our Choice: Japanese moss ball. This moss ball ads a bit of green to any room and is a great conversation starter. Available in glass or kid-friendly containers.

509-891-6800, 23505 E Appleway Ave, Liberty Lake

Gourmet goodies readily available for your consumption. Here you can find delicacies ranging from fudge and chocolates to caramel apples and ice cream. You can usually find a sample of one of their tasty treats to try.

Artistry in Gold 927-4569, 13817 E. Sprague Ave., Suite 7, Spokane Valley This quaint jewelry store specializes in custom design and superior quality craftsmanship with

$-$$ Our choice: Original soft peanut brittle. Its “soft” texture make it a great choice for those with a sweet tooth of all ages.

Coin Corner 928-0860, 9215 E. Trent, Spokane Valley

Hallett’s Marketplace and Cafe 926-4076, 14109 E. Sprague Ave., #2, Spokane Valley The marketplace section of this unique business offers a generous makeup of soup mixes, jams, candles, beverages, dips and the

The Current

20 • DECEMBER 2016

largest variety of huckleberry items, all made in the Pacific Northwest. Not to mention Hallett’s chocolates, a local favorite for over 30 years. There is always something new and local to be found here. $$ Our choice: Gift basket. Premade or do it yourself, this basket is the perfect gift for the host of the Christmas party you’re attending or your mother-in-law. Completely customizable, they can cater to any foodie or buy local enthusiast on your shopping list this holiday season.

Irv’s Rock and Gifts 924-5464, 11907 E. Trent Ave., Spokane Valley For over 50 years Irv, and now his daughter Liz, have been educating the community on the intricacies of jewelry, rocks, stones and gems.

Irv’s offers ways to learn about rocks and gems for adults and children. Every Saturday, children under the age of 18 can “spin the wheel” for a prize, which includes geodes, rocks, worry stones and other treasures to choose from. $$ Our Choice: Rock tumbler. For any child or adult that enjoys rocks these tumblers make an ideal gift for decades of polishing capabilities for treasures found on the ground.

person in your life could use a little relaxation. The gift of getting pampered at the spa is great way to get on anyone’s good list. $ Our Choice: Stocking stuffers.

Choose from an assortment of items that would make excellent stocking stuffers including Kelly girl makeup, lotions and more.

Silver Bow Fly Shop Although the square footage of their store may be small, these pet lovers have managed to have a plethora of food and treats, toys, beds, dishes, collars and other pet supplies available. The owners, Carl and Mara, and their staff are friendly and knowledgeable and take the time to help you make choices that are best for you and your furry family. $ Our Choice: Collars. The variety of rolled leather, sparkly and studded collar choices is unparalleled.

N

$$-$$$ Our Choice: Sunglasses.

With an abundance of choices this is the place to go for classic, colorful, and unique sunglasses.

Pawpular Companions 927-8890, 21950 E. Country Vista Drive, # 100, Liberty Lake

The Trellis Marketplace 928-6158, 4102 Spokane Valley

Since 1934, Peter’s has been helping customers find solutions to problems and repair broken parts.

They also give advice on projects.

With widely stocked shelves, their friendly service can help you with anything you need. $ Our Choice: Real garden tool.

Simply Northwest

$ Our Choice: Powersmith LED worklight.

927-8206, 11806 E. Sprague Ave., Spokane Valley What originally started as a home-based gift basket service is now a gift boutique with fullservice website with local delivery.

They offer the ability to choose, or have them create, unique gifts for any family member or friend this holiday season and all year round.

Sarah Hamilton FACE 210-0228, 1334 N. Whitman Lane, #210, Liberty Lake A newly opened boutique medical spa offering injectables, facials, waxing and more using medical grade skin care products. Luxury skin care products such as Lollia candles, Baby Foot peels, lotions and scents can be purchased with expert advice. $-$$ Our Choice: Gift card. Every

$ Our Choice: Mints. Buy an assorted pack, available in holiday variety or pastels and you are sure to make a good impression on whomever you gift them to.

$ Our Choice: Fly Fishing Level One. A great way to learn a new skill and that will lead to more than just one peaceful afternoon. These classes are offered once a month.

926-3646, 12118 E. Sprague Ave., Spokane Valley

Molter

With improved hours for more cconvenient scheduling the staff takes providing excellent eyecare seriously. They have a wide range of brands for you to choose from for both clear lens and sun protection.

With a goal of “making fish nervous,” this business focusses on carrying gear that is tried and true for all those who wish to try the art of fly fishing. They are available to offer advice based on knowledge from their own time on the water during store hours and at the numerous classes and community events they host throughout the community.

Peter’s Hardware

Liberty Lake Eyecare Center 509-893-7574, 2207 #100, Liberty Lake

924-9998, 13210 E. Indiana Ave., Spokane Valley

with Murphys, mints, caramels, nut clusters and other treats. Although we have listed their main store in downtown Spokane, Spokandy selections can be found at Big Bear Chocolates, Simply Northwest, and other establishments throughout the Spokane Valley area. For your convenience, place your order and have it delivered to your door.

$$ Our Choice: Burlap signs. There are a variety of sayings, colors and themes for this cute décor item. There must be something for everyone.

Spokandy 624-1969, 1412 W. Third Ave., Spokane Chocolates made from tradition, these are sure to find a part to play in yours. For over 100 years this company has been providing us

S.

Bowdish,

A veritable smorgasbord of gift options awaits you at this destination gift boutique. They have items to inspire, amuse, paper, comfort and charm all. They believe that building relationships with their customers inspires loyalty and support in order for visitors to leave as friends. $ Our Choice: Wooden snowflakes.

These come in a variety of sizes – lighted, unlighted, glittery, plain.

They are easily customizable, elegant and fit easily into any holiday décor scheme.

This Old House 892-3099, 10619 E. Trent Ave., Spokane Valley The only second-hand store on our list, these crafters repurpose and refashion vintage furniture into one-of-a-kind treasures.

Throughout their three store spaces, cleverly retrofitted from old houses, you will find exclusive yard and garden décor, holiday décor, kitchen items, jewelry and more. $-$$ Our Choice: ???? Spend an afternoon wondering through all they have to offer. You are sure to find something to cross off your

The Current

DECEMBER 2016 • 21

International “Serving the Children of the World”

Who doesn’t enjoy a clean car?

This holiday season support your local children by puchasing car wash tickets through the Spokane Valley Kiwanis. They make an excellent stocking stuffer and fit perfectly in a holiday card.

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Contact Art (509) 879-4532

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The Current

22 • DECEMBER 2016

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The Current

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Christmas shopping list or go home with a treasure for yourself.

for the seasoned player or starter boards for those just beginning.

They will even give you a lesson!

Uncle’s Books and Games 891-7620, Located Spokane Valley Mall

Tracy Jeweler 893-2929, 106 Spokane Valley

N.

Evergreen,

Although their slogan may be “where Spokane gets engaged,” engagement rings are far from the only items carried here. They stock a broad selection of diamond and colored gemstone jewelry along with offering jewelry repair, custom design, restoration and appraisal services.

within

the

Locally owned shop featuring board games, puzzles, books and more. Most night there is a “game night” event hosted at their location.

Having trouble understanding a board game? They will help. Check out their full calendar on their website for details. $ Our Choice: Chess board.

Excellent choices of unique boards

White Elephant 924-3006, 12614 E Sprague Ave., Spokane Valley Our area’s most iconic discount toy and sporting goods store. You are sure to find the best prices on quality products, often not carried anywhere else in town. $ Our Choice: Thinking putty.

Comes in a variety of sizes and “flavor” options. A great choice for a stocking stuffer or a friend that could a fun, destressing tool at their desk. $ Our Choice: Hydroflask Water bottles. Keeps your drink warm or cool for hours. We all need to stay hydrated, so give one to everyone on your list.

$$ Our Choice: LaFonn earrings.

Featuring a variety of style selections, all sure to please the recipient.

Show that special someone in your life you care this Valentine’s Day Join our first ever “love notes” section premiering in our February edition. It is the perfect place for sharing how much you care.

Contact us for more details 509-242-7752 or email

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Eat, Shop & Be Merry this Holiday Season at

Halletts Market & Café, Inc 14109 E. Sprague #2, Spokane Valley, WA 99216 www.halletts.com facebook.com/hallettsmarket for specials

BE MERRY: Enjoy a glass of wine, or a EAT: Home of our famous Mac & Cheese,

Bacon grilled sandwich - tell us you saw this ad & receive a $1.00 off SHOP: Tasteful Holiday Gifts for Everyone on your list; Family, Friends, Employees, Business Associates - we specialize in corp gifts Holiday Gift Baskets - premade or custom make your own Holiday Gift Boxes - ready for shipping & we will do the shipping for you!

seaonal beer (over 80 to choose from) while you eat & shop!

“We have the largest selection of local and Nw products in the Valley. Hand-made Chocolates, Holiday Wine & Beer packs, Huckleberry everything, Smoked Salmon. Come in and let us show you what we have to offer.”

The Current

24 • DECEMBER 2016

Santa is Coming toandTown... here is where you can find him It’s that time of year again when Kris Kringle takes a shuttle sleigh to sites across the great Spokane Valley. So keep an ear out for the jingle bells, Santa is coming to town and here is where you can find him: Spokane Valley Mall 14700 E. Indiana Ave., Spokane Valley Call: 926-3700 Come to the lower JC Penney court to see Santa or make reservations ahead of time to save some time. Plus, save 30 percent on your photos by pre-ordering a package online. Visit before Dec. 9 to save an extra $5. Reservations and photo purchases are not required to visit Santa.

Regular Hours: Monday – Saturday: noon to 8 p.m.

Sunday: noon to 6 p.m.

Special Hours: 12/16 – 12/23: Hours: 9 a.m. to 9

p.m.

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Christmas Eve: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

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RB Photography Santa’s Workshop 9335 N. Division, Spokane Call: 822-9056 Tired of the long lines in the mall? Want to include the fourlegged members of your family in the picture on your time? Then RB Photography Santa's Workshop is for you. Come and sit in Santa's sleigh with the entire family. Enjoy the nice quiet setting, personal quality time and the best Santa photos you will ever have. No appointments necessary just drop on by. Come in early for the shortest wait times the week before Christmas is busy, busy, busy. Traditional to fun, it's up to you!!

Breakfast with Santa CenterPlace Regional Event Center - 2426 N. Discovery Place, Spokane

Valley Call: 688-0300 Saturday, Dec. 3 $5 per person Registration Information: New this year - Pre-assigned entry times: 8, 9 or 10 a.m..

Choose time when registering.

There are limited spaces in each time slot.

Registration to this event is required.

If you register after Nov. 14, your tickets will be available at for pick up at the CenterPlace front desk prior to, or on the day of the event This year there will be no photographs with Santa provided by the Spokane Valley Parks and Recreation staff. Please take your own photos if you like.

Creative Catch Studios 1804 E. Sprague Ave., Spokane Call: 879-3262

Nov. 26 and 27: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Limited time slots - Foster teen clothing drive No lines! Schedule a session today! Visit with Santa, write letter to North Pole, enjoy hot apple cider.

Big coloring fun. Every child gets a treasure! Pets are welcome! $25 session includes 4 x 6 inche print magnet. Additional prints and products available and 40 percent of your session fee goes to Teen Closet. Accepting monetary and clothing donations to help Teen Closet give back this holiday season and put gifts under the tree for teens in need.

Cabela’s 101 N. Cabela Ave., Post Falls Call: 208-777-6300 One free keepsake photo per family Saturday Dec. 3, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Sunday Dec. 4, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Saturday Dec. 10, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Sunday Dec. 11, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Lone Wolf Harley-Davidson 19011 E. Cataldo Ave., Spokane Valley Call: 927-3306 Saturday Dec. 10, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Come on down to get your picture with our Harley Santa!

Always a fun event. Pictures include complementary picture frame while supplies last. Also, $5 donations or a toy for Toys for Tots are appreciated!

Max at Mirabeau 1100 N. Sullivan Road, Spokane Valley Call: 922-6252 Breakfast with Santa of Dec 10 and 11, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Reservations are recommended Heidi Pratt - Glimpse Photography 201 W. Riverside, Spokane Call: 869-4488 Saturday, Dec. 3 at the new studio location, 201 W Riverside, Suite 201 in Spokane

The Current

Why stand in line at the mall, when you can reserve your spot at Glimpse Photography Studio?

Packages start at $35.

The background will be Christmas trees, gifts and of course Santa, maybe even a table with cookies and milk. Santa is going to have a real white beard - none of that fake itchy stuff.

Come have fun with us, drink hot coca, eat a Christmas cookie and, best of all, let the kids tell Santa what is on their list. You can find all the details you need and sign up at www.glimpse-photo.com High Country Orchard 8518 E. Green Bluff Road, Colbert Call: 238-9545 Get out of the malls and into the country and visit Santa at his country home without the long lines! Santa will be available for the kids between 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays and every day of Christmas break.

Cost is $8/child or $25/family.

Images delivered online with a full release of copyright. Pre-purchase tickets online or walk-on set with no reservations needed! No Amex cards please, Visa and Mastercard great!

DECEMBER 2016 • 25

Appleway Florist and Greenhouse 11006 E. Sprague, Spokane Valley Call: 924-5050 Saturday, Dec. 3 – 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 10 -- 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 17 – 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Appleway Florist and Greenhouse is ready for Christmas and the winter holiday season with poinsettias, festive centerpieces, creative fresh and artificial bouquets, plush animals, plants, balloons and much more. Photo buttons are available in two sizes for $5 or $7. The 5 x 7 inch pictures are $7 or nine wallet size pictures on a sheet for $7. Or bring your own camera and use the fabulous backdrop!

Real Life Photography – Rachelle Flatt 707 W. Seventh Ave., Spokane Call: 280-4420 Join us At Real Life Photography for our annual Santa Photo Event by reservation only Dec. 3 and 4 and now Dec. 11.

Kids can choose to take a photo with or without Santa. Cookies and a small gift are provided while supplies last.

The Current

26 • DECEMBER 2016

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The Current

Festive Five – Celebrating the holidays with a quintet of LL locales

By Craig Howard Splash Editor It may not be the North Pole, Bedford Falls or even Whoville, but when it comes to the holidays, Liberty Lake has historically prioritized the merriest season of them all.

For those shoppers and diners less than enthused about venturing outside of town to complete gift lists and enjoy a plate of seasonal fare, Spokane County’s easternmost city offers a unique variety of shops and restaurants that would leave the Grinch simmering in his stew.

Along with saving gas, avoiding traffic and supporting local businesses, a tour of stops in the 99019 neighborhood might just turn into the sort of gift that retains its jingle throughout the year.

So, double check your holiday allotment of funds and fun as you venture out for a day of discovery in Liberty Lake during the most wonderful time of the year – and watch out for Santa in his golf cart.

Just Chillin’ – Frozen yogurt is only the beginning Where can you find eggnog and peppermint flavored frozen yogurt along with orange cinnamon rolls, sugar cookies and Christmas breads?

Just Chillin’ has been part of the Liberty Lake niche food scene since 2011, although new ownership has added a new dimension to the business over the past year.

Nicole and Jeremy Staples and Nicole’s parents, Bob and Ronda Gimlen, have brought baked goods to a site that once featured only frozen yogurt. The results have been applauded resoundingly by customers once they free their hands from the food.

“Our mission is to serve the most delicious frozen treats and baked goods in the city,” said Bob. “This is definitely a place you can go to get your holiday goodies.”

Nicole and Jeremy are responsible for baking the cakes, breads, cupcakes, muffins, cinnamon rolls

DECEMBER 2016 • 27

and cookies that have turned the store into a pastry haven. As Yuletide arives, themed candy, Christmas tree cakes and cupcakes with festive flavors will be on the menu. Traditional sorbets, nondairy sorbets and gelatos can also be found here. A selection of soups will join the roster Dec. 1.

“The holidays are a special time for Just Chillin' because we really love our community,” Bob said.

“We love to spread holiday cheer by decorating our shop, selling special treats and having a coloring contest for the children who live in the area.”

The business, located at 1322 N. Liberty Lake Road, also makes it a point to serve as Santa for several local charities and community events, supporting the Easter Egg Hunt, the Fourth of July Parade in Alpine Shores, and the Holiday Ball.

“Liberty Lake is our home and we enjoy celebrating the holidays here,” Bob said.

Trailhead at Liberty Lake pro shop – A range of gift ideas for the golfer on your list It has become a holiday tradition for Chris Johnston.

In the harried days before Christmas, shoppers drop by the pro shop at the Trailhead at Liberty Lake Golf Course, frantically searching for that lastminute present or stocking stuffer.

As a certified PGA teaching pro, Johnston is well-qualified to make proper gift recommendations – and help you with that stubborn hook.

“It’s usually people come Johnston said.

that last week, in scrambling,”

From Halloween to the end of the year, the pro shop makes finding deals easier. All clothing is reduced 50 to 75 percent while accessories and golf balls are half off. Clubs are discounted too, meaning a $400 TaylorMade driver can be wrapped up for $284.

“This is the time of the year to get golf clubs at a great price,” Johnston said.

Gift cards are good for Trailhead’s plush heated, covered driving range, greens fees and anything in the pro shop. Season passes for the region’s most respected executive course run $525 for adults, $425 for adults and $175 for youth up to 17 or still in high school.

Unique items like golf bags with local college logos or a Trailhead

hoodie for $10 make the pro shop a worthwhile stop along the holiday shopping trail.

The UPS Store – A gift-giving portal Drop by The UPS Store on 1324 N. Liberty Lake Road any day after Thanksgiving and you are bound to see Manager Reeno Walsh scurrying around like one of Santa’s diligent elves. With her friendly demeanor and ready smile, Walsh has a way of helping customers minimize the stress of trying to get presents across the country before Christmas Day. The customer count here doubles from November to December but that seems fine with Walsh.

“The holidays are great here,” she said. “We have a lot of fun.”

That agenda includes a tray of peppermint bark set out for those waiting in line and holiday classics showing on a nearby screen. For years, the shop has also been a place where kids can bring their hopeful letters to Santa. A dedicated mailbox makes sure correspondences to the North Pole receive first priority.

“We try to make sure Santa writes a letter back,” said Allison Wilke, owner of the store. “We all really enjoy the atmosphere in the store in December. It can feel a little manic for us but all the customers are generally in such a festive mood, it's fun.”

Pawpular Companions Feline, canine, Auld Ang Sine

–

If your dog or cat is feeling a little left out this time of year, make a trip to Pawpular Companions, Liberty Lake’s specialty store for pets that has become a destination point for humans and animals across the region.

Owners Carl and Mara Crowell greet two-legged and four-legged visitors to the store with cheer and insight on the latest in pet supplies. The location at 21950 E. Country Vista opened in 2010 and quickly established a reputation for exceptional customer service.

“We selected Liberty Lake for our business because of the amazing animal friendly community it is,” Mara said. “Our primary focus is on animal nutrition, nothing in our shop has corn, wheat, soy or by-product in the ingredient panel. In our opinion, good animal health starts with nutrition and, of course, lots of love. We not only carry food, we have unique toys, treats, accessories and apparel.”

The store makes sure to introduce products with holiday themes so “Fido” and “Fluffy” will have surprises in their holiday stockings. In case you need advice from an employee with front line experience, the Crowell’s adorable poodle, “Canvas,” is usually on site to point you in the right direction.

Pawpular Companions stays open on Christmas Eve for deliberate shoppers and, don’t worry, seasonal treats are complimentary for the animals who tag along.

“We always look forward to the holiday season,” Mara said.

“Historically, it’s been very magical for us and our four-legged companions. We work hard to make sure our customers have the very best and unique products to choose from.”

Hay J’s -- A culinary gift for holiday diners When you’ve earned consecutive “Best of Spokane” awards from KREM-TV for “New American” cuisine, you’re probably doing something right.

Hay J's Bistro, 21706 E. Mission, sprang upon the culinary scene in 2006 and has been a foodie staple ever since. Co-owners Martin Dean and Rhonda Enter have also added a pair of establishments to the same section near the Harvard Road roundabout – Piccolo, specializing in hand-tossed brick oven pizza and Butcher Block, an old-time butcher shop featuring the area’s finest selection of quality meats, seafood, artisan cheeses and more.

“It’s the perfect trifecta of culinary cuisine,” Dean said. “Whether you are looking for a gourmet dinner at Hay J's Bistro, an authentic hand-tossed brick oven pizza or a quality steak or fresh seafood to grill at home, we have it all for you in one convenient location in Liberty Lake.”

At Hay J’s, holiday diners are in for a treat courtesy of skilled chef Patrick Fechser. Start with prosciutto wrapped salmon or a seafood Cobb salad and follow it up with exceptional plates like the chicken marsala risotto or bistro medallions.

“Holidays are special for Hay J's and our staff because we get to see our extended family, the regulars, and their families who have often traveled from out of town,” Dean said. “It's always nice to get to know one another's families during the holidays.”

The Current

28 • DECEMBER 2016

The Holidays are almost here ...

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We are fortunate as each holiday seems to be marked with the changes of the four seasons to add an extra highlight to the experience.

Winter happens to be one of my personal favorites, however, as Thanksgiving and Christmas are two of the many holidays where it seems the community sparkles just a little brighter in anticipation of the gentle pause our community takes with family and loved ones.

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Leading up to these holidays are many great things people can do in our community, including the enjoyment of shopping, dining and special events in the greater Spokane Valley area. There are great amenities that make enjoying the extra cheer brought on by many of our businesses including easy and free parking, easy access to shopping, dining and entertainment throughout the community by I-90

and a wonderful destination at the Spokane Valley Mall offering many of these opportunities in one easy location.

Aside from visiting Spokane Valley’s favorite Santa at the Spokane Valley Mall, there are numerous small businesses sprinkled throughout the Spokane Valley that offer unique shopping and dining experiences. All of these small businesses and many more are hosting events throughout the season and will be kicking off the shopping season on Small Business Saturday, Nov. 26. For a full list of participating businesses, visit spokanevalleychamber.org.

You cannot help but appreciate the thoughtfulness as everyone seems to put extra care in “decking the halls” as you enjoy the sights, sounds and tastes of the season with family and friends.

One of the grandest benefits that result from appreciating the extra care these stores and restaurants offer is that while you enjoy the benefits of their cheer, you are supporting the same employers who throughout the year have invested in our community by supporting our local soccer teams, festivals, organizations, as well as our countless worthy nonprofits in the area to ensure that the quality of the life we have grown to appreciate only continues to thrive.

Warmest wishes on these beautiful holidays to you and yours!

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As we near the end of our first year under new leadership, we would like to say “thank you” to all of you for your continued support. We have learned a lot this year co-hosting a candidate forum, creating the 1st Anuual Election Guide, and continuing to support other organizations that benefit our community. We will continue our mission of “Honoring local communities and encouraging citizen involvement” as we look toward 2017.

Here are a few things we have in the works for 2017 • •

1431 N Liberty Lake Rd, Ste B Liberty Lake 99019 www.healthyLivingLL.com

•

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In the coming months will be expanded to being delivered directly to 20,000 homes and businesses in the Spokane Valley area.

February’s issue will spotlight a special valentine’s section for those of you who would like to send your loved ones personal messages to show how much you care all month long.

Due to increases in costs, we will be implementing new pricing for advertising beginning January 2017. We are currently offering advertisers the opportunity to lock in current prices for the next year before these increases take effect. Our sales department would be happy to assist you with all your advertising needs. Call or email scott@libertylakesplash.com We are now offering advertising gift certificates.

The Current

We, here at The Splash and The Current have been gallivanting around the area in search of tasty morsels to tantalize your taste buds this holiday season when you need a break from the kitchen. Here are our favorite bites from our local eateries that we couldn’t wait to share with you.

Max at Mirabeau Restaurant and Lounge 1100 N. Sullivan, Spokane Valley Spokane Valley’s finest dining experience! So good we couldn’t pick just one.

Grilled King Salmon with huckleberry glaze, steamed jasmine rice, vegetables Center cut filet mignon (10 ounce) served with a Yukon mash

Barlows 1428 N Liberty Lake Rd, Liberty Lake Go to enjoy traditional American fare. Our favorite is the apple harvest pork chop that they serve with an apple compote.

The Cork House 1400 N.Meadowwood Lane, Liberty Lake Serving amazingly fresh food, spirits and coffee suitable for every palette.

We enjoyed the grilled ribeye cipollini in balsamic, arugula, Point Reyes bleu and served with mashed Yukon gold potatoes.

Bellcrosta 1235 N. Liberty Lake Road, Liberty Lake They hand craft artisanal breads, pastries and desserts, perfect to share with those you love. We especially like their brownies.

DECEMBER 2016 • 29

The Well 21980 E. Country Vista Drive, Liberty Lake A locally owned coffee house that serves delicious lettuce wraps to accompany your favorite beverage.

Ferraro’s 11204 E. Sprague Ave., Spokane Valley Family owned and operated Italian restaurant The penne with pesto Sauce is perfect after a hard day of retail therapy Ambrosia 9211 E. Montgomery, Spokane Valley Simply put, the Ambrosia Club is delicious. Try the sriracha chicken tacos or sweet potato fries to start.

Palenque 1102 N. Liberty Lake Rd., Liberty Lake Local Mexican restaurant overlooking the Trailhead golf course.

We shared a tasty combination platter while enjoying a lovely

view.

Conley’s 12622 E. Sprague Ave., Spokane Valley We enjoy their brunch loaded with so many delicious bites we just couldn’t choose. It’s the perfect place to grab a pie to take to any of your holiday functions.

Ding How 1332 N. Liberty Lake Rd., Liberty Lake Sushi is all made fresh in front of you by a Japanese trained sushi chef.

The lobster roll and the Washington roll are yummy.

True Legends 1803 N. Harvard Rd. Liberty Lake Everyone is so nice here, it’s a great place to watch a game while you eat the ribs.

Hallett’s Market and Café 14109 E. Sprague Ave. Spokane Valley A longtime Valley favorite for shopping and eating After eating a grilled mac and cheese, you can find the perfect candy for dessert.

Caruso’s 2314 N. Argonne Road., Spokane Valley Known for making pizza dough from scratch daily Our favorites are the Hawaiian and when you’re not in the mood for red sauce try the Legit Forza 325 S. Sullivan Rd., Spokane Valley BLTA. Delicious. Need we say more?

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The Current

30 • DECEMBER 2016

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The Current

DECEMBER 2016 • 31

A Dozen to Deck the Halls

Valley personalities ring in with holiday sentiments

It’s been said “there’s no place like home for the holidays.” As another festive season dawns, some might say the greater Spokane Valley community is the ideal place to spend a time in which themes of joy, hope and peace seem to turn hearts a little warmer.

The Splash and Current caught up with a dozen recognizable residents from fields like education, government, public safety and the nonprofit world to share a unique collection of holiday memories, wishes and traditions.

We hope you enjoy the parade. #1 - “During the holiday season one of our traditions is remembering those less fortunate by donating to and volunteering at food banks, helping out the homeless and collecting toys for tots. Also, about this time of the year I carry a couple of jackets in my car to give out to those that are cold and on the streets.”

Bryan Collins, Spokane Valley Fire Department chief #2 - “I loved going Christmas shopping at the old University Mall as a kid growing up in the Valley. Walking in through the doors on the Newberry's end and smelling the caramel corn coming from the candy shop.”

Kelly Shea, East Valley School District superintendent

#3 - “I look forward to seeing the museum building lit up with Christmas lights every year. I also enjoy seeing the bells from the old University City Mall hung on the outside of the museum and lighting up the night!”

Jayne Singleton, Spokane Valley Heritage Museum director

#4 - “One of the holiday traditions we celebrate came down through my wife’s Myrna’s family. We get together with our offspring around the dining room table on Christmas Eve. Myrna then serves all of us oyster stew with oyster crackers. She also serves mincemeat pie for dessert – a pie made out of real minced beef meat.”

Bill Gothmann, former Spokane Valley City Council member #5 - “One of my favorite Christmas rituals is making fruitcake. Yes, I’ve heard the jokes, but the lovely, bright, candied fruit baked in sweet dough is my equivalent to Mrs. Cratchit’s Christmas Carol triumph.”

Pamela Mogen, Liberty Lake Library director #6 - “Grandchildren are the best presents to have for Christmas.

When my children were young, I would have a big baking day or days! Everyone could choose their favorite cookie to bake, decorate and eat, not necessarily in that order. I attempt this with the three grandchildren under 5 years of age. It is chaos! It is fun to have their parents working with them, talking about their memories. Yes, those cookies are shared! These young helpers have their own ideas on Christmas décor. I have a large Santa collection which gets rearranged before they leave for home. It is love, excitement, laughter that makes memories for us all. I wish everyone a Merry Christmas, and hope for peace in our world.”

Peggy Doering, Valleyfest director

#7 - “One of my favorite Christmas memories was my cousin continually running over to the fireplace and looking up the chimney on Christmas Eve and asking when Santa was going to be coming down.”

Phil Champlin, HUB Sports Center executive director #8 - “My fondest early city memories were of the Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony in the old University City parking lot.”

Mike DeVleming, former Spokane Valley mayor #9 - “Diana tinsels our tree every year (I help) and has done so since we were married. We still have tinsel that is the old metal kind and not the new cellophane type. The tree is always beautiful. The other tradition, started when we moved to Spokane Valley in 1978, is shopping for the Tree of Sharing. I help select recipients but Diana shops all year long for toys and clothes which we donate every Christmas. This is a happy yet sad tradition in that we try to make Christmas a little bit happier for kids and young adults but sad that there are so many that ask for so little just to have a Merry Christmas. It's a tradition that we all need to cultivate.”

Rick and Diana Wilhite, local business owners (Diana is a former mayor of Spokane Valley) # 10 - “I hope folks will think locally, give locally, volunteer locally, act locally. Put a safety pin on your lapel and be brave.”

Ken Briggs, former director, Spokane Valley Partners

# 11 - “On Christmas Eve we decorate cookies and set them out for Santa and when finished we drive throughout the Valley with our family, including our dogs, “Lola” and “Lucky” (we don’t want them eating the cookies!) to look at Christmas lights. We stop by our favorite house on South Steen Lane and then proceed to South Keller Road, where the whole block participates in Christmas lights and decorations.

We so appreciate the effort and care these neighbors put into the holiday season. After visiting Keller we zig zag through other neighborhoods in search of other great light displays.

By the time we return home the kids are ready for bed and Santa can work his magic.”

Ben Small, Central Valley School District superintendent #12 - “My wife Charmaine always cooks prime rib for Christmas dinner. We invite friends in, especially those whose plans or family have changed, to enjoy their company and stories. We believe sharing food and friendship is our best gift ever.

Hopefully, you will also find Christmas or another time of year as an opportunity to share your table, a story or just a smile with someone. It makes the perfect year-round gift!”

Steve Peterson, Liberty Lake mayor

nd a s a m t s Chri y r r e M fro m s y a d i l Ho Happy T he t a s u all of plash S e k a L L iberty

The Current

32 • DECEMBER 2016

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The Current

DECEMBER 2016 • 33

Brought to you by

Tales of runaway food can be Gingerbread Man Trap Challenge Can you create trap that can catch and hold a found in many cultures.

Here’s some alternatives for you to enjoy.

Runaway Tortilla, Eric Kimmel This version has a tortilla evading desert animals and has some counting too.

The Gingerbread Cowboy, Janet Squires, 2006 A fresh, funny Southwestern version of the classic tale to enthrall you.

Sourdough Man: An Alaskan Folktale, Cherie Stihler,2010 This Alaskan version of the story includes northern animals like caribou, lemmings, arctic hares, marmots and more.

Gingerbread Play Dough 1 Cup Flour 1/2 Cup Salt 1/2 Cup Water 1/2 T Ground Ginger 1/2 T Ground Cinnamon 1 T Oil Mix together and knead until smooth.

gingerbread man cookie?

Using your choice of materials design and build a trap to capture one gingerbread man cookie.

You may substitute a paper look-a-like, if it is decorated. Submit a picture or video that shows our voting panel your trap in action to contests@ libertylakesplash.com.

It must sit on a flat surface.

Use your imagination. Be creative.

Send a picture of your creation along with your name, age, and address to contests@ libertylakesplash.com to be entered to win a $5 Barnes and Noble gitft card.

34 • DECEMBER 2016

The Current

“And I had but one penny in the world. Thou should’st have it to buy gingerbread. “ William Shakespeare, Love’s Labours Lost 25 Days of Christmas Bucket List

1. Bake Cookies 2. Make Candy 3. Dance to Holiday Music 4. Make Snowflakes 5. Drive Around and 6. Look at Lights 7. Volunteer 8. Go to a Craft Show 9. Make Popcorn Garland 10. Bake More Cookies 11. Have a Snowball Fight 12. Have a PJ Day 13. Eat a Candy Cane 14. Window Shop 15. Make a Wreath 16. Drink Cider 17. Kiss Under the Mistletoe 18. Stuff the Stockings 19. Donate a Book 20. Do a Random Act of Kindness 21. Read Out Loud with 22. Someone You Love 23. Spend Christmas with your Family 24. Have a Movie Night 25. Decorate Cookies

The Current

DECEMBER 2016 • 35

PACE Trait CARING

Showing a genuine concern for the welfare of others and a being kind, supportive helper Gingerbread Facts The gingerbread house became popular in Germany after the Brothers Grimm published "Hansel and Gretel" in the 19th century.

Queen Elizabeth I is credited with the first gingerbread man. She liked to have cookies that looked like her guests at parties.

Some unmarried English women think think eating a gingerbread "husband" will bring them luck in meeting a real one.

Nuremberg, Germany is the "Gingerbread Capital of the World" King Hans of Sweden received a prescription for gingerbread to cure his depression In 1875, the American magazine St. Nicholasville published the gingerbread man story containing the line, "You can't catch me I'm the gingerbread man".

Most cultures have a story about runaway food.

In the 1500's news stories were pressed into the dough.

The largest gingerbread man ever was made in 2009 and weighed 1,435 pounds.

Ancient Egyptians and Greeks used gingerbread for ceremonies.

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Animal Facts

Find out about all of our events and contests on Facebook!

Every month we will feature an information on a different animal. Cut them out and collect them all!

Clydsdale - Originally bred in Scotland - Stands 16-18 hands tall or up to 6 feet, weighs up to 2200 pounds - Known for their long hair on their feet - They have black and white striped hooves - In 1975, they were on the rare breeds list and concidered to be vulnerable to extinction. Today there are less than 10,000 worldwide.

-Queen Elizabeth II commissioned them into royal service as drum carrier

The Current

36 • DECEMBER 2016

Author Spotlight

t t e r B n Ja

Fingerprint Gingerbread Man

You’ll need paper brown Jan was born in 1949 paint and decorations. in Massachusetts where Dip your thumb in she still lives. She studied at the School brown paint for the of the Museum of Fine body. Use your pointer Arts, Boston. She is finger for the head, known for her detailed arms and legs. When illustrations, many of dry, use puffy paint, which have hidden markers or whatever pictures. While traveling you have to decorate with her husband, your gingerbread man.

Joe Hearne, who is a member of the Boston Gingerbread Mug Cake Symphony Orchestra, 1 T. Sugar Jan researches the 1 T. Butter cultural clothing, ½ T. Oil traditions and buildings.

1 ½ T. Molasses Then, she uses them ¼ C. Flour for inspirations in her future books. With over 1/8 t. Baking Soda forty million books in 1/8 t. Cinnamon print Jan is one of the 1/8 t. Ginger nation’s premier author 1/8 t. Cloves illustrators of children’s 2 T. Hot Water books.

The 3 Little Dassies, 2010, ages 3-8 This retelling of "The three little pigs" is set in the Namib desert of Africa so it introduces many animals that may be unfamiliar. Mimbi, Pimbi, and Timbi the dassies, are bothered by a pesky eagle who thinks they'd be delicious for supper. Of course, the dassies prevail. This is an interesting version of the old story.

Stir together all ingredients in a microwave safe mug until smooth. Microwave for 90 seconds on high.

Check at additional 10 second intervals if it isn’t done.

Garnish with whipped cream, frosting or ice cream, your choice.

Gingerbread Baby 1999 ages 3-10 Gingerbread Friends 2008 ages 3-10 Gingerbread Christmas 2016 ages 3-10

This trilogy start with a twist on an old tale, Gingerbread Baby is a kinder version with quite a different ending. Make sure you get a full version.

The board book has been edited and is not nearly as engaging. Gingerbread Friends continues the story when Gingerbread Baby goes to town to make friends. When this doesn't work the way he The Owl and the Pussycat, 1996, ages 4-8 expected he has an adventure getting home to This is a beautifully illustrated version of the find a lovely surprise. In Gingerbread Christmas, Edward Lear poem so if you like the poem, you'll the story has Matti baking a gingerbread band and instruments to perform with Gingerbread probably like this book.

Baby at the Winter Festival.

The Current

DECEMBER 2016 • 37

Student of the Month Unless anyone doubted that Kirsten Anstrom was one of the best fastpitch softball hitters in the Greater Spokane League, the University High School standout collected hits in her first 14 plate appearances last spring. She finished with a .478 batting average for the year after hitting .502 as a sophomore and .422 as a freshman. Now a senior, Anstrom led the Titans to another slowpitch title this fall.

She had three hits in U-Hi’s 10-1 victory over Mead in the district championship game which wrapped up a 22-0 season. A perennial All-GSL selection, Anstrom is also a skilled defensive player in the infield and outfield.

She completed a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage in fastpitch last season. Anstrom will be called upon to pitch for the Titans this spring. She will continue her softball career on scholarship at Spokane Falls Community College next year.

Citizen of the Month and

Thanks you for all you do in our community

Along with taking four AP classes and Spanish 4, Ethan Jones has established himself as a standout athlete at University High School. The senior was an All Greater Spokane League first team selection as a linebacker this season and lettered in baseball last year as a varsity outfielder. Jones maintains a 3.96 grade point average and is a member of the National Honor Society. Along with academics and athletics, Jones takes time to volunteer with his church and at a homeless shelter. He says wise time management, good friends, supportive parents and setting priorities have all paved the way to his success. “I want to be the best I can be,” Jones said. The senior would like to study pre-med in college and is looking at schools like the University of Portland and the University of Washington.

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The former college professor and engineer returned to the governing board last June, serving another year and adding insight and experience around the dais. The Spokane native has a degree in electrical engineering from Gonzaga, a Master’s in teaching from Whitworth and an MBA from Eastern Washington.

His teaching career brought him to Spokane Community College and EWU. He has also authored a book on early Christianity. Bill and his wife Myrna have lived in the Ponderosa area of Spokane Valley since 1972. They are proud parents of three children.

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The Current

38 • DECEMBER 2016 Brought to you by

About and for Valley seniors

Persistence, hard work pay off for ‘Hook’

Christensen settled in San Diego, earning his two-year degree from a tech school and finding work at a repair shop that specialized in British imports. It was there that he discovered Volkswagen, the brand that would become his career niche.

Current Editor

“It’s really a simple car but the quality is phenomenal,” he said.

By Craig Howard

Nestled in a well-maintained lot off Dishman-Mica Road in Spokane Valley, you’ll find John Christensen toiling away on classic Volkswagen cars in need of restoration.

In 1979, Christensen migrated back to his hometown where he remained for three years before heading north to Vancouver, Washington. A trip to the Inland Northwest in 1990 left such an impression that he decided to relocate to Ione two years later. He later settled on a farm in Colville where he opened a VW repair shop off I-395.

Back in 1998, the owner and proprietor of Hook’s Auto Repair Plus began his own remarkable rehabilitation process after a near fatal motorcycle wreck.

Christensen was just outside Colville aboard a Harley Davidson bike he had just rebuilt when the crash took place. He was flown by LifeFlight to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle where he spent 21 days in intensive care, followed by six months in a wheelchair.

Doctors told him he would never walk again.

For Christensen, the most difficult fallout from the incident had to do with the loss of his left arm below the elbow. As an auto mechanic, the chances of restarting his career appeared slim.

“I’d worked with my hands my entire life and suddenly I’m missing a hand,” he said. “I was very, very depressed,” John said. “It took me awhile to come to grips with things.”

Over time, John began tinkering on cars again in his garage. A referral to the Department of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR) got the ball rolling on a business loan that would eventually launch the auto shop he would coin “Hook’s,” a reference to the prosthesis attached to what remained of his left arm.

“I’m not a quitter,” said Christensen, a Navy veteran. “I’d heard that there might be some funding available to start your own business.”

Along with providing the capital to open Hook’s, DVR referred John to the micro-enterprise program at SNAP, Spokane County’s community action agency. By June 2009, Hook’s was operating as a repair shop specializing in air-

John Christensen lost part of his left arm in a motorcycle accident in 1998, but forged on to open Hook’s Auto Repair Plus, a successful repair shop in Spokane Valley specializing in air-cooled Volkswagen engines.Photo by Craig Howard cooled VW engines.

“I’ve always been really impressed by John’s motivation to get back on track,” said Dave Heyamoto, now retired as SNAP’s Business Development counselor.

“He’s shown a lot of persistence.”

John credits his Christian faith for a turnaround that helped him find freedom from substance use as well as newfound stability on a personal and professional level.

“I go to God for a lot, especially patience,” John said.

Pointing to his transformed arm, John describes it as “a minor inconvenience, not a handicap.”

He uses vice grips and other implements as compensation when the job requires. Sometimes, his hook comes in handy, such as when he needs to lift an engine at a challenging angle.

“I’ve learned to adapt,” John said.

Hook’s prides itself in working with only the highest quality parts and making sure, in John’s words, “to do it right the first time.”

Christensen, whose friends call him “Hook,” said he learned his work ethic growing up on a farm in the northern California town of Eureka. From milking cows to bailing hay, there wasn’t much time for watching television. In high school, he excelled in Future Farmers of America and participated

in football and wrestling. He also began working on cars.

When he graduated, Christensen signed up with the Navy. It made sense considering his family’s connection to the sea. His greatgrandfather, originally from Oslo, Norway, served as captain of a schooner that delivered cargo up and down the West Coast.

He eventually settled in Eureka after retiring from his ship. One of Christensen’s uncles has his handmade boats displayed in the community’s maritime museum while another uncle piloted a tugboat.

While Christensen dodges questions about his age – “I tell people I’m 59-plus, that should be enough” – he doesn’t avoid opportunities to help those in need.

Whether it’s surprising a food bank with a donated truck, delivering food to homebound seniors or rallying to support residents in Okanagan County displaced by the Carlton Complex fire in 2014, Christensen says serving others helps him stay in tune with a stabilizing set of values.

“It’s just the right thing to do,” he said. “I know I’m helping someone else get through a tough time. It makes me more humble.”

Christensen entered the Navy in 1971 with the Vietnam War occupying America’s attention. He served on a submarine based in San Diego that made routine trips to the Vietnam Harbor as well as the Philippines, Hong Kong and Okinawa, Japan.

While Christensen emerged from Vietnam in one piece, others he knew did not. One of his best friends from high school was killed when his helicopter was shot down upon his arrival in the war-torn country.

“I was on the submarine when I heard about it,” Christensen said. “I try not to dwell on those memories.”

After receiving an honorable discharge from the Navy in 1976,

Christensen opened Hook’s Auto Repair Plus in 2009 on Dishman-Mica Road with help from the Department of Vocational Rehabilitation and SNAP. Photo by Craig Howard

The Current

DECEMBER 2016 • 39

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The Current

40 • DECEMBER 2016

Cubs’ pitching heroes began road to World Series crown in Spokane

Rangers) to the Cubs in 2012. Little did they know they would be part of what Tim Kurkjian of ESPN called “the greatest game in baseball history” four years later. For its part, Cleveland was vying for its first series crown since 1948.

Hulett said Kurkjian has a point.

By Craig Howard Splash Editor

When Carl Edwards Jr. of the Chicago Cubs took the ball to begin the bottom of the 10th inning in Game 7 of the 2016 World Series last month, his task was simple: Record three outs against the Cleveland Indians and snap a 108year losing streak for baseball’s toughest luck franchise.

From his living room in Shreveport, Louisiana, Tim Hulett watched Edwards Jr. go through the same motions he had four years earlier as a member of the Spokane Indians. Hulett served as the first pro manager for the South Carolina native who would earn the kitschy nickname of “String Bean Slinger” due to his slight frame. Hulett, however, saw more from the 48th round draft pick.

“He was very thin but you knew there was something there,” said Hulett. “He was laid back, but when he pitched, he was an ultracompetitor.”

Edwards Jr. made 10 starts for Spokane in the summer of 2012, compiling a stellar 2.10 earned run average.

“The thing I remember about Carl is he had a really loose arm but he had a big-league breaking ball,” Hulett said.

As the Indians’ skipper for the past decade, Hulett often watches games on television as he would from the dugout, postulating strategy, making pretend pitching moves. When his former pitcher was announced, however, Hulett went quickly from quasi-coach to Cubs’ rooter.

“Before that, I was managing the game, but when Carl came in, I became 100-percent fan, just cheering him on, wanting him to succeed and the Cubs to succeed,” he said.

Edwards Jr. took care of the first two Cleveland batters in his historic appearance before being lifted for former Seattle Mariner Mike Montgomery. When Cleveland’s Michael Martinez bounced out to Cubs’ third baseman Kris Bryant,

Kyle Hendricks, starter for Chicago Cubs in Game 7 of the World Series, began his pro baseball career in Spokane after being picked in the eighth round of the amateur draft in 2011.

Photo courtesy of the Spokane Indians the Cubs had an 8-7 win and an exuberant conclusion to a drought that had stretched out for more than a century.

“You feel good for that organization because you know all they’ve been through and how hard they’ve worked to get where they’re at,” Hulett said. “For them to be down three games to one and to turn it around was amazing. My heart just sank for them early in that series.

I felt like if they could get a win at home, they could come back.”

Hulett was never exactly a dyed in the wool Cubs’ supporter, having grown up a St. Louis Cardinals fan and spending part of his 12year Major League career with the crosstown rival White Sox. Despite the bleak history, Hulett says he admires Cubs’ fans who never stopped believing.

“Cubs fans hadn’t won for years, but they stayed on that train,” he said.

Followers of the lovable losers from Chicago’s North Side were feeling confident when Kyle Hendricks was penciled in as the starter for arguably the most critical game in franchise history.

As Hendricks prepared for his first pitch in front of nearly 39,000 fans at Progressive Field in Cleveland, Hulett hearkened back to the composure the Newport, California native carried as a rookie with the Spokane Indians in 2011.

“I felt good about Kyle being the starter in that seventh game,” Hulett said. “His demeanor is so calm and relaxed, you just feel good about him being out there.”

When Hendricks arrived in the Inland Northwest as an eighth-

Carl Edwards Jr. played his first year of professional baseball as a member of the Spokane Indians in 2012.

Edwards pitched in relief during the final inning of Game 7 for the Cubs and recorded a 3.65 earned run average in 36 appearances this season.

Photo courtesy of the Spokane Indians round draft pick from Dartmouth College, he was soon being called “The Professor” for his intellectual approach. The moniker has stuck with the Ivy Leaguer ever since.

“His pitching ability was off the charts,” Hulett said. “He was just that steady, consistent guy. It was fun to talk to him because he really had a feel for setting up hitters.”

Hendricks was utilized entirely out of the bullpen during his first pro campaign. His ability to shut down hitters – a 1.93 earned run average in 20 games – was a prelude to the success he would have in the big leagues. In 2016, Hendricks led all National League hurlers with a 2.16 ERA. “I think all along, the organization had him down as a starter,” Hulett said. “A lot of times, though, guys who come out of college, depending on the number of innings they’ve pitched, they’re going to limit those guys on the number of pitches they throw.”

The determination and poise Hendricks displayed in nearly five innings on baseball’s biggest stage were reminiscent of the traits he was known for at Avista Stadium on Spokane Valley’s western fringe, Hulett says.

“He was the exact same guy you saw in the World Series,” he said.

“Hasn’t changed a bit. He just had that confidence, never seemed rattled. He is more polished in terms of sinking his fastball and cutting his fastball really well. His velocity is about the same, though he may be throwing a little faster now.”

Both Hendricks and Edwards were traded from the Indians (the shortseason single-A team of the Texas

“I would have to agree, especially in the sense that it’s the seventh game of the World Series,” he said.

“If that was a regular season game, it would have been a great game but when you’re talking about the last game of the World Series with these two franchises, it’s easy to elevate it.”

Hulett says he enjoys following the trajectory of former Indians who progress through the minor leagues and eventually reach the majors.

“There’s been quite a few,” he said. “Obviously, a lot for the Rangers but other teams as well.

You start saying, ‘I remember that guy’ and go back to when they were playing in Spokane. It’s kind of fun.”

The longest tenured manager in the Indians’ 114-year history says he does talk about his time in “the show” to his roster. Hulett compiled a .249 career average with the White Sox, Orioles and Cardinals in 720 games. Keeping the dream alive is not a negative, he says, even though only about 7 percent of minor leaguers will ever play an inning in the big leagues.

“It’s very difficult to make it but I think it’s good to talk about it, because until you actually go through it, you don’t know what to expect,” Hulett said. “You’re trying to help these guys realize that everything counts, both on the field and off the field.”

Otto Klein, senior vice president of the Spokane Indians, says the Inland Northwest’s favorite baseball team is proud of two franchise alumni that helped pave the way to an historic crown.

“We have great memories of both Kyle and Carl when they played for the Indians,” Klein said. “At that stage of their careers, both were very quiet, but definitely had confidence. We’re thrilled for their success and happy to know they were once Spokane Indians.

I imagine they have fond memories of playing here in Spokane and starting their careers.”

Now Edwards and Hendricks can add “World Series champions” to their baseball resumes, a claim that no Chicago Cub has been able to make in a very long time.

The Current

Valley Sports Notebook

By Mike Vlahovich

Current Sports Editor West Valley football was at a crossroads. Travel to Clarkston, win your last Great Northern League game and reach post season, or lose and turn in your equipment.

The Eagles proved up to the challenge and as a result were the last team standing among Valley teams as the fall season wound down. The result was their finest grid season in eight years and a berth in the State2A quarterfinals against Lynden, played just after the Current went to press.

Even before the season, the 10-1 Eagles had the ingredients for success: Gifted receivers and a veteran quarterback who piled up amazing stats, fronted by a large talented and deep line. Perhaps more importantly they were resilient.

There’s little margin for error in the five-team GNL, coach Craig Whitney pointed out. Six of the Eagles 11 games were decided by a touchdown or less including their 36-33 loss to ultimate league champ Pullman and 17-14 win in Clarkston in that do-or-die game.

Out of 11 games, WV had only three blowouts.

Final Point Introducing the new and perplexing prep playoff format

By Mike Vlahovich

Current Sports Editor This is my favorite time of the year and I don’t mean the weather.

Basketball is underway.

And it will be a focal point this year since all Valley coaches except for Jay Humphrey at West Valley, didn’t have to wait until the extensive football and girls’ soccer playoffs come to an end.

Revisiting a topic I wrote about

SPORTS “We knew we had a chance to be good,” Whitney said. “There were some scares and there were some tight games, but nothing bothers them. I think the term is resilient.”

During the year, quarterback Hunter Wright completed 63 percent of his passes, throwing for 2,848 yards and 24 touchdowns.

He led rushers with 958 yards and 12 more scores.

Wright spread the wealth among five receivers, led by Collin Sather who caught 64 passes for 1,154 yards and 13 touchdowns. Connor Whitney had 54 catches for 738 yards and 7 scores.

squandering a two touchdown firstquarter lead.

“It was a grinder, but well worth it,” Whitney said. “We’re down to eight teams in state and it feels pretty good.”

Freeman reached the State 1A football playoffs, losing 47-42 in the first round.

Local runners excel Central Valley’s boys and girls brought home trophies during cross country state races in early November.

And the linemen deserve much of the credit.

The youthful boys team finished second in the State 4A meet in Pasco and girls were fourth, led by third-place finisher Kearan Nelson.

Zach Duffie , Connor Koker, Avery Richards, Josh Moss and Josh Quirk were first or second All-GNL, either offense or defense and a host of others provided a wealth of depth.

Six team members weighed 270 or more.

CV’s boys had only one senior, Ryan Hunter, in the seven-runner lineup. Ryan Kline finished 14th to lead the way. He was one of four sophomores.

Nelson was one of three seniors on the girls’ team.

“We really worked hard two years ago to try and get one-way players on the line,” Whitney explained.

“In practice it makes it nice to be able to go one-on-one. Definitely everything we do starts with the guys up front.”

Senior Joe Hawkins in the boys’ race, juniors Claire Dingus and Rebecca Lehman in girls were University qualifiers.

Their state road included a Tuesday win against Othello 21-6 followed by a 44-41 win over Franklin Pierce four days later on Wright’s 1-yard plunge in the fourth quarter with 2 minutes after

earlier, the trials and tribulations of basketball state tournaments – “tah dah” – I give you the latest incarnation with its inherent bells and whistles; that is if anyone can figure it out.

Earlier, a Greater Spokane League coach in one breath said coaches he had talked to were excited for the format. Later, in the same breath he said, the system has many flaws.

Let’s see if I can make heads or tails of this for you. First the glitz.

Like the NCAA nationals, teams will use a Ratings Percentage Index (RPI) to determine tournament pairings instead of drawing out of a hat (Let’s call this the “CV-Moses Lake Rule” when, embarrassingly, the two unbeaten teams were pitted against each other right out of the chute, thus denying them a dream title matchup and excuses had to be answered.)

A total of 16 teams will qualify for

West Valley’s one-two punch of Jacob Nicholson and Cody Skay were top 10 finisher in the boy’s race. It had been awhile since the Eagles girls had qualified as a team. They finished seventh. Top three finishers are freshmen led

by Emma Garza and Mikayla Davis and the other two scorers are

state in a somewhat normal way, first through district and regional play and then based on seeding by the RPI. Twenty-five percent of the criteria is based upon your team’s win-loss record, 50 percent on the opponents’ win-loss records and another 25 percent based on the win-loss record of your opponent’s opponents. Got that?

In my mind, that favors the west side where there are more schools and the likelihood of better competition and, like local coaches say, puts the Greater Spokane League at a disadvantage because most of their games come within the league which will hurt in the 50 percent criteria.

The 16-team regional round pits the top eight seeds against each other in a double-elimination format that eliminates four of the lowest eight teams. A dozen move on to state seeded by the RPI with the four regional winners getting byes, the losers moving on as well

DECEMBER 2016 • 41

sophomores.

East Valley’s Hunter Reynolds and Will Sharp also competed.

Titans tops in softball It should come as little surprise that University, dominant all year, wears the GSL slowpitch softball crown. They outscored Mt. Spokane and Mead by a combined 25-2 in the tournament and finished 22-0 for the season.

The Titans allowed just 33 runs in 22 games, they pitched seven shutouts and allowed more than two runs in a game four times, unheard of in the sport.

Soccer teams in state East Valley and Freeman’s girls both qualified for state, the Knights reaching the quarterfinals, the Scotties losing 1-0 in their first 1A appearance.

Freeman fourth in volleyball Making their annual trip to the state 1A volleyball tournament, Freeman brought home the fourth place trophy. As is WIAA wont, the Scotties were placed on the same side of the bracket as fellow Northeast A League foe Lakeside, a team they tied with for the league title. Lakeside beat Freeman in the semifinals and won the championship.

Valley Christian qualified for the state 1B tournament for the second time – the last in 2000 when it finished sixth – losing twice.

to fill the bracket 12. The winners of those games advance to the state quarterfinals against the top four seeds. Still with me?

The eight remaining teams play for six trophies and will have played four or five games.

Let’s use defending champion CV girls as an example. They should win the eight-game regional firstround game and earn a first round bye at state. If the tourney were to go according to form, the Bears would play in order the numbers seven and four teams in the quarterfinals and semis and two seed for the title.

The entire process will require an extra day to play, which hits the WIAA in the wallet, but maybe the excitement of the new format will generate that added revenue.

Let’s give the new look a chance hope for the best-case scenario. Or will it just be lipstick on the pig of tourney formats past?

42 • DECEMBER 2016

LOCAL LENS

The Current

Local Lens

Share your snapshots for The Current’s photo page. Email photos@valleycurrent.com with scenes from around town, community events and group photos.

There has been no shortage of community events throughout the greater Valley area this fall.

Clockwise, from upper left: Residents turned out to tour the Spokane Valley Fire Department Station #4 in Otis Orchards on Nov. 5, Gus Johnson (right) and Dan Shaffer welcome donation of clothes and other items for veterans at Gus Johnson Ford on Auto Row, the Spokane River is framed by an impressive collection of autumn colors, Jeff Verble (left) and Kent Schultz of BECU are all smiles at the open house of the credit union's new branch on Sullivan Road and former Spokane Valley Council Member Bill Gothmann (left), former Spokane County Engineer Ross Kelley (middle) and Current/Splash Publisher Ben Wick turned out to support SNAP at the agency's 50th anniversary "Ode to Opportunity" lunch on Oct. 27.

The Current

Millwood History Enthusiasts celebrate community’s unique heritage

By Staci Lehman

Current Correspondent Heading north on Argonne Road through Millwood, Inland Empire Paper (IEP) Company’s huge paper mill is a landmark you can’t miss, a fixture with an exterior that hasn’t changed much in the 100plus years it has been there. Nor have the businesses west across Argonne in “downtown” Millwood or the homes just behind them.

“They (mill management) encouraged homeownership,” said Bobbie Beese, a founding member of a group working to preserve Millwood’s fascinating history, including the mill and how it influenced development of the area. “They believed that if workers had good lives they would be good workers.”

Beese and other members of the Millwood History Enthusiasts believe life must have been good for those workers, because many literally built their lives around the mill. In 1911, when IEP was launching operations at the paper mill, the company bought up land around it.

IEP management developed a revolving home loan fund and encouraged employees to buy

HISTORY

DECEMBER 2016 • 43

lots and make their homes in the same community where they worked. Almost 70 employees took advantage of the opportunity. And IEP didn’t stop there, they even provided inspiration.

“They had pattern books,” said Beese. The manuals provided architectural ideas to those building on the lots. The homes that resulted from those patterns now comprise an entire district on the National Register of Historic Places.

“It’s roughly between Liberty and Euclid and Argonne and Sargent,” said Beese. “Primarily they are homes from the 1920s but there are a few from 1910 to 1912 and some from the 1940s.”

Vikkie Naccarato, another founding member of the Millwood History Enthusiasts, lives in one of those homes.

“We just love it,” she said of Millwood. “And we live in a house that we put on the historic register.”

The area that would become Millwood proper began to develop in 1900 when the Spokane-Coeur d’Alene Electric Railway established a station in the community. The town of Millwood was officially incorporated on Oct. 27, 1927, owing its development almost solely to the paper mill. Around 1,800 residents currently call the city home.

Naccarato, Beese and others didn’t set out to start a historical society when they formed the Enthusiasts. About four or five years ago, a handful of people interested in the area’s history would get together on occasion to talk and compare photos. The group grew from there.

“It kind of got to the point where

The Rosebush House in Millwood’s historic neighborhood is listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.

Photo by Craig Howard I had so much stuff and what was going to happen to it?” Naccarato recalled. “If something happened to me, what would happen to it?

I think it’s exactly where Bobbie (Beese) was at too.”

The friends started gathering items that people were getting rid of at estate sales and taking inventory of what they had in their own homes and their neighbors’ homes, some of which had been passed down through several generations.

“There are many families that have been here forever,” said Naccarato. “Many for three or four generations. It’s a Norman Rockwell neighborhood.”

The building where the Millwood History Enthusiasts meet every Wednesday is straight out of a Rockwell painting as well. The Corner Door Fountain and Books, a cafe and book shop, is housed in a 1925 brick building on the corner of Argonne Road and Dalton Avenue. Meeting discussions vary according to Beese, but are always interesting.

“It depends on if we are preparing for an event,” Beese said. “Sometimes it’s Millwood history but sometimes it’s sharing what we’ve found out about other places in the area.”

Established in 1911, the Inland Empire Paper Mill served as the cornerstone for development in Millwood and still functions today on Argonne Road. The picture above is of the mill from the 1940s. Photo courtesy of millwoodhistory.com

Naccarato says people from out of town who have heard about them often drop by to share Millwood memorabilia they inherited. In the past, it was hard to gather these kinds of items because people were reluctant to part with family photos.

“We have gotten some really good pictures,” Beese said. “We love today’s technology because we can scan things and give them right back.”

For now, the collected items are housed with the group’s members and displayed at special events such as the annual Millwood Daze festival and exhibits at the Argonne Library.

With 2017 being 90 years since the city of Milllwood was incorporated, the library is declaring next March “Millwood History Month.” You don’t have to wait four months to see pictures from Millwood’s past though. There are currently many photos on display at Millwood City Hall and the group has a website at www.millwoodhistory.com which showcases many of their photos.

There is also a Millwood Washington History Enthusiasts Facebook page that shares past and current Millwood happenings.

The Millwood History Enthusiasts ask that if you find old photos or other Millwood memorabilia while cleaning out attics and basements, please contact them. In particular, they are looking for post-World War II items and photos of household, family life and businesses for the March library display. The group can be reached at info@ millwoodfriends.org.

If you would like to join the group for the weekly meetings of the Millwood History Enthusiasts, they are every Wednesday at 1 p.m. at 3301 N. Argonne Road. Everyone is welcome whether they be from Millwood or not. Just be ready to talk history.

44 • DECEMBER 2016

OPINION

The Current

EDITOR/PUBLISHER

Ben Wick

ben@libertylakesplash.com EDITOR

Craig Howard

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GRAPHICS EDITOR

Danica Wick

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Dean Byrns circulation@libertylakesplash.com

CIRCULATION

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J.R. Conrow, Craig Howard, Staci Lehman, Mike Vlahovich, Tyler Wilson

The Valley Current P.O. Box 363 Liberty Lake, WA 99019 Phone: 242-7752; Fax: 927-2190 www.valleycurrent.com The Current is published monthly by or before the first of each month. It is distributed free of charge to every business and home in the greater Spokane Valley area.

Copies are located at drop-off locations in Spokane Valley, Liberty Lake and the surrounding area.

The Splash is brought to you by

Dear Editor:

Marie Antoinette’s comment, “Let them eat cake,” is less callous than Spokane Valley City Council’s proposed sweeping 6-percent tax on all utilities for road upkeep. Sink your teeth into that! Councilwoman Pam Haley’s openly dissented at prior meeting but both Council Members Munch and Haley expressed surprise at Mayor Higgins initial agenda listing a first reading.

The council decision makers continue to make a demarcation between average citizens and their cronies in community input.

Average citizens and neighborhood groups are limited to three minutes while the Valley Business Chamber is given a private forum with Council on Dec. 6. Councilmen’s campaign contributor Jack Pring enjoys a glorified citizenship to meddle in city business, even helping select the next city manager, underlining special interests over yours.

This overarching 6 percent utility tax creates a financial hardship, without exempting the Valley’s impoverished 37 percent and raises some $1.5 million over budget. Some, despite financial hardship offered paying a small tax – picturing Spokane’s crumbling streets. But we’ve been duped!

The Draft Utility Tax expands tax use for “railroad grade separation,” aka “Bridging the Valley.” This

hidden pork barrel project is due to council’s unwillingness to send a letter of support for project funding after notified it was passing, testified former Councilman Wick.

We lost $19 million for railroad overpass - heralded as economic development. Wick was vilified for trying to send tax dollars home and his application was passed over when council vacancies were filled.

Spokane got their millions and our council’s unwillingness to utilize opportunities leaves $19 million on our shoulders while we pay the gas tax without benefit. Roads and projects loom larger in their priorities than your ability to pay for basic bread and water and to heat your homes. Now that’s cold!

There isn’t a legitimate reason to increase taxes – we can do less.

Road work needs to be of better quality before more of the same.

Barker Road doesn’t continue north, so it’s not worth $19 million to wait for the train, but investors would like us to pay for it. Commercial/ industrial zoning of nearby properties once developed could bring in tax revenue but we’ve all seen annual comprehensive plan amendments change zoning and it’s a surefire inexpensive gamble for developers.

If the promise of economic wealth was worth the risk, investors would ante up the money themselves, as

they did at Mansfield years ago. Risk free, investors are banking on your tax dollars to build their prosperity.

Do you want to pay for this dream, some marginal jobs, taxes for the city and wealth for investors? City’s deluxe road budget needs reduced.

The economic crisis we’ve faced with job losses, investments and homes has created a new generation of thieves targeting struggling citizens with shrinking bank accounts, commented the Washington attorney general.

If council passes the 6 percent utility tax, they’ll be joining ranks with these thieves. Protest! Out of sight, out of mind; they need us to stir their conscience and to remember campaign promise of “No New Taxes.”

Mary Pollard Greenacres

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The Current

Rotary kicks off holiday season with Santa and lights

By Staci Lehman Current Correspondent Spokane Valley Rotary has some big plans to get you in the holiday spirit this December.

The month literally starts with the 14th annual Celebration of Lights from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 1. This yearly lighting of the Spokane Valley Christmas tree takes place in the east end of the parking lot of the old University City mall between McDonald’s and Les Schwab in the 10500 block of East Sprague.

The event features area schools, local dignitaries and everyone’s favorite Christmas celebrity, Santa.

The entire community is invited.

“At 5:30 the Solar Energy Choir from Sunrise Elementary will start us off with songs,” said Spokane Valley Rotary member Mike Payson.

“Then we’ll introduce the Valley Court (queen and princesses) and introduce the mayor. Around 6, the U-Hi band will lead Santa in and he’ll talk to the crowd a little bit.”

After that, Spokane Valley Mayor Rod Higgins and the rest of the Spokane Valley City Council will read “The Night Before Christmas” to the crowd and hot chocolate will be served. The big moment comes when the tree is illuminated, followed by both the band and chorus playing more musical numbers.

This is the last year to see this event in the current location as the tradition will move to the new Spokane Valley City Hall location at the west end of the University City property in 2017.

The 26-foot metal tree is showing its age after 14 years on display and being hit by plows clearing the parking lot more than once. A new tree is prohibitively expensive, about $27,000, so Rotary members are looking forward to using a live tree already on site next year.

“Next year we can get rid of the artificial tree and have it at the City Hall with a live tree,” said Payson.

Two days after the Celebration of Lights, children will get another chance to visit with Old Saint Nick at Breakfast with Santa, held annually at CenterPlace Regional Event Center, 2426 N. Discovery

DECEMBER 2016 • 45

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Place. This event runs from 8 a.m. until approximately noon.

A breakfast of pancakes and sausage is served throughout the morning, accompanied by other activities for the whole family.

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“There are games and crafts for kids,” said Payson who added that Santa will remain in the building until the line is gone.

After approximately 20 years of putting on Breakfast with Santa, Rotary members are making a few changes this year. Due to the popularity of this event, participants are now asked to register in advance. There will also be pre-arranged seating times this year, at 8, 9 and 10 a.m., although that doesn’t mean participants from the earlier time slots have to leave when the next group comes in. Organizers hope this scheduling THE will keep things flowing smoothly as they, and a small army of volunteers, have a big crowd to serve.

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“The cutoff point is 650 people – that’s what we can accommodate and what we’ve served,” said Payson.

Also new this year, there will not be staff or volunteers on hand to take pictures of children with Santa.

Instead, parents are encouraged to take their own photos, so be sure to bring cameras or phones.

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Tickets for Breakfast with Santa Liberty Lake Family Dentistry • Liberty Lake Orthodontics are $5 each, for both adults and Financial • Spokane County Library District children, and can be purchased New homes in Spokane,Thrivent Spokane Valley, Liberty Lake, Post Falls & Coeur at www.spokanevalley.org/ Santabreakfast or by calling the Spokane Valley Parks and Rec gr e e n s t o n e h o m e s . c o m department at 688-0300.

Index of advertisers The cost for the breakfast is kept low, Payson says, because while it has the potential to be a major money maker with that many people attending, it is more of a way to bring the community together. He says the proceeds are pretty small after covering expenses from the breakfast and that goes to a good cause.

“It’s not intended for Rotary to make money at it,” Payson said.

“Whatever we end up with goes to our scholarship and books for kids program. It’s a community thing. Rotary’s motto is ‘service above self’ and we firmly believe in serving our community.”

More information on both the Celebration of Lights and Breakfast with Santa is on the Spokane Valley Rotary website at http://www. svrotary.org/.

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

Adorkable 32

Hearth Homes

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Michelle’s Dance Studio

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15 18

Pawpular Companions 26 Sarah Hamilton FACE 32 SCRAPS 30 Simonds Dental Group 48 Spokane County Library District 13 Spokane Roofing 48 Spokane Symphony Associates 25 Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce 6 Stauffer and Associates 3 Union Gospel Mission 18 Uplift Church 29 Waste Management 3 Willow Song Music Therapy 18

Service Directory 46

Of note: This thank you message was produced by The Current’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 Current’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@valleycurrent.com. With story ideas, contact editor@valleycurrent.com.

The Current

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The Current

Otis Orchards mom recovering after heroic fire rescue

ON THAT NOTE

DECEMBER 2016 • 47

By Julie Humphreys

Current Correspondent A number of heroes emerged on the morning of Oct. 28 when an Otis Orchards home burned to the ground. None more so than Angel Fiorini, the mother who saved the lives of her three small children at great risk and injury to herself.

The 32-year-old mom is being called a “hero” by Spokane Valley firefighters and now by the greater Spokane community as the story gets out. And there’s another hero who pulled an unconscious Angel from her burning home as she lay near the doorway, nearly to safety before being overcome by smoke.

Matt Burson is a former volunteer firefighter who was driving home from work just before midnight on that Friday night when he saw the glow of a fire, called 9-1-1, and ran to the home on the 6000 block of North Starr Road. What he came upon were two small children lying outside a double wide mobile home.

Burson kicked the surrounding gate open, rushed in and pulled Angel from the doorway. With Angel safely outside, Burson looked back through the door and heard soft whimpering. That’s when he saw Angel’s daughter, 7 -yearold Gianna not far behind where her mother had collapsed. Burson crawled back inside the doorway and carried Gianna out administering first aid until emergency medical responders arrived on the scene.

“I just did it,” said Burson who doesn’t consider himself a hero.

“I’ve been trained to do this all my life. I know if it were my kids, my house, I would want someone to do the same. I’m humbled to be able to help the family, they seem like wonderful people.”

Angel and Gianna, both severely burned, were immediately flown to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle where they have been for more than three weeks now. The two younger children had only minor injuries. Angel’s brother, Jason Green of Spokane, says his sister will be lucky to be released before the end of the year. She has second and third degree burns over

Representatives of the Spokane Valley Fire Department are rallying to the side of Angel Fiorini who saved her three children from a house fire in Otis Orchards on Oct. 28. Angel's son, Vinny, is pictured at the SVFD Station #4 open house on Nov. 5.

Photo by Craig Howard 45 percent of her upper body.

Green and his wife Kate have made numerous trips to Seattle to be beside Angel and Gianna.

The little girl is doing very well according to Green and should be able to leave the hospital soon but will need ongoing wound care for the burns on her arms, belly and face. It’s been really rough for his sister, Green says, with smoke badly damaging her lungs. She developed pneumonia and other complications and has endured painful skin grafts. At times, says Green, they weren’t sure she would survive.

Green says that Angel remembers most everything about that night and the fire. She woke up to the smell of smoke, realized there was a fire and rushed her 3-yearold son and 16-month daughter out of the home. By the time she ran back in for Gianna, asleep in another bedroom, the fire was out of control.

“If the mother hadn’t gone back in, the little girl would have died,” said Melanie Rose, Spokane Valley Fire Department Community Affairs officer. “Double wide manufactured homes burn very, very quickly. The fire was already going when she woke up. She was a hero.”

Fire investigators are still looking

into the cause of the fire. They suspect it was related to a wall heater. They are certain, however, that if the home had a working smoke detector, the family may have escaped unharmed or with less serious injuries and the home may have been saved.Rose says this fire and one that killed a young boy in Hillyard earlier in October have prompted dozens of calls to the fire department for assistance with and education about smoke detectors.

The Spokane Valley Fire Department conducts free home fire safety visits. Experts check to see that smoke detectors are working and if they aren’t or if they are more than 10 years old, the department will fix or replace them at no charge. Since the fire at Angel’s home, Valley Fire has completed 55 safety visits and installed an average of three smoke alarms per home.

Just as this terrifying story has people concerned about the safety of their homes, it has them perhaps even more concerned about Angel and her children. The community has come together is big ways raising money and offering prayer and hope to the family. There’s been a benefit concert, a spaghetti feed, a raffle and other fundraisers

to help with medical bills and for a new home for Angel and her children.

“My sister is a simple person, she just wants a place to call home again” says Green, who knows that will come. But, he says, it’s more important that Angel is healthy again and comes out of this well.

“Angel is so strong,” he said.

“We want the best for her and her children. We’ve seen through this how family matters.”

Want to learn more?

To find out more about ways to support Angel and her family, contact the Spokane Valley Fire Department at 928-1700. Schedule your free home fire safety visit by visiting www.spokanevalleyfire. com or by calling 892-4153. In as little as 30 minutes, SVFD will evaluate current fire safety conditions in your home including smoke alarms, heat sources, evacuation plans and more. SVFD will also install free smoke alarms (if needed) including alarms for the hearing-impaired.

The Current

48 • DECEMBER 2016

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