January 2017 Current

PRSRT STD ECRWSS U.S. Postage Paid Permit #010 ZIP CODE 99019

JANUARY

2017

FREE

New Year, New Goals 2017

NEW FIRE SAFETY RESOURCE PAGE 14

COLLEGE HOOPS SUCCESS PAGE 22

COMMUNITY RALLIES TO HELP HOMELESS PAGE 31

2 • JANUARY 2017

Valley Council considers summer event, library at Balfour Park

By Lincoln Dowright Current Correspondent Tourism funding and future The city of Spokane Valley announced its 2017 Lodging Tax Fund recipients last month (the fund is generated by sales tax collections on hotel room nights throughout the city). As in past years, the 2017 amount was allocated to nonprofit and/or government organizations to promote or help host events. The total to be distributed was set at $604,000.

The council can either accept or reject the allocation amounts recommended from the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee (which is comprised of equal representation from local hoteliers and agencies who receive funding). This time around, council sided with the committee and adopted the following allocations: $40,000 for the HUB Sports Center; $31,600 for Valleyfest; $5,000 for the Valleyfest Cycle Celebration; $9,500 for the Spokane Valley Heritage Museum; $115,600 for the Spokane Sports Commission; $47,000 for the Spokane County Interstate Fair; $2,170 for the Winter Glow event hosted by the Spokane County Fair and Expo Center; $103,130 for Visit Spokane, and $250,000 to be combined with the other portion of the tax that is being dedicated to development of tourism facilities (with this transfer that fund is now projected to be approximately $1.2 million by the end of 2017).

In addition to the allocations, the city heard preliminary results from two tourism studies aimed at providing information to the city on possible tourism venues or facilities and what their tourism impacts and upfront/annual costs might be. The first was a joint study with Spokane County and the city of Liberty Lake looking at the possibility of enhancing the sports complex at Plante’s Ferry Park and the possible creation of the sports complex surrounding the HUB Sports Center.

The second study, which was previously funded by city ‘s Lodging Tax allocations (and is being completed by Community Attributes Inc.), looked at a variety of possibilities, including a waterfront park with a whitewater course, expanding the Spokane County

NEWS

The city of Spokane Valley is looking at a variety of potential new tourism features including expansion of the Spokane County Fair and Expo Center, a multi-modal trail system with public art, new special events and construction of a waterfront park with a whitewater course (above).

Image courtesy of Community Attributes Inc. Fair and Expo Center, development of Balfour Park, a multimodal trail system including public art, development and promotion of new special events and/or festivals and creation of a new arts and entertainment venue.

The next step is for Community Attributes Inc. to finalize their investment profiles on the options and for Spokane Valley to narrow the selection of options to allow for a more in-depth site evaluation, operational analysis and design options.

Possible city sponsorship of a food event In conjunction with the tourism study, the city’s Economic Development department was approached by a partnership of Vision Marketing, Chef Adam Hegsted of Le Catering (the catering company who currently has the contract for services at CenterPlace) and the Mirabeau Park Hotel. The contingent is trying to create a new annual multi-day food and drink event called “NW Savor.”

The event is planned for the week before Father’s Day this June and is currently being proposed to be hosted at CenterPlace. Organizers expect 40 percent of visitors to be from outside the area. They are asking Spokane Valley to step up as the title sponsor for the event with a pledge of $50,000 each year for the next five years. The council seemed to be in consensus and asked the city staff to move forward on negotiating an agreement for their consideration.

Latest efforts to thwart property crime In a meeting lead by 4th Legislative District Senator Mike Padden, the state legislature recently approved $100,000 in funding for the Spokane Valley Police Department, Spokane County Sheriff’s Office and the Spokane Police Department to address auto theft and property crimes in the region.

In a report from Spoken Valley Police Chief Mark Werner, the three agencies are recommending the one-time funding be spent on

The Current

a public awareness campaign, a proactive Property Crimes Task Force and the acquisition of some technology-automated license plate readers (one of which would be installed within Spokane Valley city limits). There was some confusion as to who had the authority over what the dollars get ultimately spent on. There was also some debate amongst council members on the privacy issues related to the utilization of a license plate reader and the need for a public awareness campaign for information available via the Internet. Finalization of the funds will be a topic at an upcoming council meeting.

Balfour Park, library discussions continue After a number of requests from the Spokane County Library District (SCLD) for the city to buy back the property adjacent to Balfour Park (per the agreement that was approved with the original land purchase, which gave the library until October of 2017 to pass a construction bond or the city would buy the property back from the library district) the discussion has shifted gears. SCLD has expressed interest in creating partnership with Spokane Valley to advance the design and eventual construction of the library structure. The creation of an ad hoc committee comprised of staff from both the library district and the city along with two district board members and potentially two City Council members is being considered. If formed, the group would meet throughout 2017.

What to expect in January Currently scheduled for discussion/action in January are the following topics: Regulations regarding alarm systems/false alarm program; bid awards for the construction of the Appleway Trail between Pines and Evergreen and a consultant agreement for design work on the Barker Road/BNSF grade separation project.

An overview of attendance at local events was presented to the Spokane Valley City Council on Dec. 20 as part of the city’s Phase II Tourism Analysis. Spokane Valley is considering funding support for a new culinary-themed event called “NW Savor” slated for June.

Image courtesy of Community Attributes Inc.

The Current

JANUARY 2017 • 3

NEWS

Millwood approves 2017 budget, shifts utility rates

By Mary Anne Ruddis Current Correspondent

The Millwood City Council meeting on Dec. 13 closed out the year with the adoption of the budget for the New Year.

The council approved Ordinance No. 484, adopting the final budget for fiscal year January 1, 2017 through December 31, 2017. The estimated beginning balance is $2,578,615 and the estimated ending balance is $2,102,552.00.

Residents will see an increase in water rates of 27.4 percent beginning Jan 1. The previous rate of $21 will increase to $26.75 for a hike of $5.75. The rate increase is needed to keep up with inflation and to address a potential $26,000 deficit in the water budget.

The sewer budget, on the other hand, is projecting an excess of $51,650. Rates will decrease from $31.58 to $27.25 for a decrease of $4.33. The impact will be lessened for residents on both water and sewer for a net combined change of $1.42 for an overall increase of 2.7 percent.

At the Nov. 8 meeting, a resolution was approved to authorize purchase of two unimproved lots on East South Riverway. The plan for the land use is for a park.

This purchase will provide public access to the river, a goal of the Shoreline Master Plan. The final appropriation, through Ordinance No. 483, was passed at a special meeting on Nov. 29 to amend the 2016 budget to purchase the land.

Also at the Nov. 8 meeting, Connie Smith was appointed to council position 1 to fill the vacant seat after the passing of longtime Council Member Richard Schoen.

She took the oath of office at a Nov. 29 special meeting. Smith will serve the remainder of Schoen’s term that expires December 2017. Smith was also the Realtor representing the seller of South Riverway lots but the city and Smith were careful to avoid any potential conflict of interest.

The city is also investigating options for the disposal of solid waste. The current agreement with

the county can be terminated after December 2017 with a 12-month notice. It was noted that long-haul rates may be more cost effective than the waste-to-energy process the county contracts for with the city of Spokane. The city will investigate other options before making a decision.

The 2017 and 2018 mayor pro tem rotation schedule was also presented at Millwood City Hall.

It has been the city council’s practice to designate a mayor pro tem to serve for six months on a rotating basis. The position, voted on by fellow council members, exists in case of the absence or temporary disability of the mayor.

The following council members will serve as mayor pro tem for the next rotation – Dan Sander (first half of 2017), Smith (second half of 2017) Shaun Culler (first half of 2018) and Brian Ellingson (second half of 2018).

The Spokane Valley Fire Department had approximately 300 people visit the newly remodeled firehouse near Millwood City Hall at an open house on Dec. 3. The SVFD report to the city included an incident that initially appeared to be an individual igniting a car on fire was actually someone trying to put the fire out using a gas can to retrieve water instead of calling 911 for help. There was no malfeasance involved.

’Tis the season

To say Thank You to our customers and our community partners.

Waste Management–Spokane Valley has provided safe and professional services in Eastern Washington for more than 30 years.

We consider it a privilege to serve you, and we look forward to working together for a healthy and happy new year.

For more information, contact Jesse Granado at 509-944-3116 or jgranado@wm.com

The Millwood Community Association’s Christmas tree lighting on Dec. 2 was well attended with approximately 200 people turning out for the festivities.

2501 N Fairway Rd, Liberty Lake 99019

The regular city council meeting is the second Tuesday of the month at 7 p.m. at Millwood City Hall, 9103 E Frederick. Additional information and details can be found on the city website at www.cityofmillwood.org.

509-344-3200

Jeff Uptmor, CPA, CMA

Owner & Managing Partner Why clients enjoy working with Jeff: 30 Years of public accounting and industry experience to help guide individuals and businesses.

24 Hour response time to all emails and phone calls The top priority at Millwood City Hall in 2017 will be to construct the Millwood Trail, a project that has been recommended for state funding this year.

File photo

One on one consultation to help your business whether you are just starting out or looking for a succession plan to retire.

JUptmor@stauffer-cpa.com Facebook @stauffercpa stauffer-cpa.com

1

Call to schedule our appointment today!!

4 • JANUARY 2017

SVFD Report – January 2017

Spokane Valley Fire Department (SVFD) crews responded to a total of 1,449 emergency calls from Nov. 16 through Dec. 19, 2016. Incidents include:

• House Fire – Nov. 16 – Shortly after 8 a.m., SVFD crews responded to a reported structure fire in the 500 block of South Darmouth Lane.

The teenage resident had come home to pick up a forgotten school project, discovered the fire and rescued three dogs. Firefighters entered the single-story home and quickly extinguished the fire, which was in a bedroom. They also rescued a hamster and parakeet, unharmed, from the home. The fire was contained to the one bedroom because the bedroom door was closed at the time of the fire. The cause of the fire was traced to the area between the headboard and mattress, but is undetermined.

Damage is estimated at $10,000.

•

The Current

NEWS

SVFD water rescue team members joined Spokane crews in responding to a report of someone calling for help from the Spokane River in the vicinity of 2500 N. Pettet Drive.

Shortly before 10 a.m., a man was rescued from the river. SVFD crews launched a kayak and a cataraft and assisted with the search for a reported second victim in the river.

No one was found and the search was suspended.

• Lock Out – Nov. 17 – Shortly before 11 p.m., SVFD responded to the 15300 block of East Marrietta to someone locked out of a building.

Upon arrival, crews found a janitorial worker who had accidentally let a locked door close behind her, behind a secured perimeter fence with a barb wired top rail. The worker was trapped. Crews cut a link of chain to reach the woman and then helped her regain access to the building.

Crews also contacted a supervisor who came to the business to secure the gate.

Fourth Ave., shortly before 3 a.m..

Two occupants were awakened by working smoke alarms and escaped safely, along with all residents of the 18-unit building. Crews did a quick attack on the fire from the back side of the building to knock down the flames. The fire damage was contained to the one apartment and attic, although neighboring apartments sustained water and smoke damage. The origin of the fire is believed to be a space heater used on the covered balcony of the apartment. Damage is estimated at $77,000.

• Vehicle Extrication – Nov. 28 – SVFD crews responded to a four-vehicle accident with a headon collision at the intersection of East Trent Avenue and Flora Road, shortly after 6 p.m. Initially, one driver appeared to be trapped and crews called for an extrication response. However, the man was able to get himself out the car and was transported to the hospital.

Is Eliminating Stubborn Fat on Your Holiday Wish List?

Is Eliminating Stubborn• Fat on Fire – Nov. 28 – • Candle Fire – Dec. 2 – Shortly Space Heater SVFD crews responded to a reported before 5:30 a.m., SVFD crews Your Holiday FOR A COOL EVENT! responded to an alarm sounding a thirdUS floor apartment at the Water Rescue – Nov. 17 – fire inJOIN Aspen Village Apartments, 15821 E. in an apartment building in the Wish List?

12400 block of East Broadway.

By the numbers: • Fires* = 63

• Emergency Medical Service =1,138 • Motor Vehicle Accidents = 129 • Hazardous Materials = 12 • Building Aarms = 87 • Service Calls = 17 • Vehicle Extrication = 1 • Water Rescue = 1 • Rescue Task Force = 1 *Brush, Commercial, Residential, Rubbish, Vehicle Fires and Unauthorized Burning

The bicyclist was not wearing a helmet and the bicycle did not have lights. She was complaining of knee pain and was transported to the hospital.

• Rescue Task Force – Dec. 11– Just after 1 a.m., SVFD’s rescue task force (RTF) was mobilized at the request of the Spokane County Upon arrival, crews reported smoke Sheriff’s Department to respond on the second floor and located a to an incident in the 7800 block of The CoolSculpting procedure is the #1 long-lasting, non-surgical treatment to help you eliminate smoldering high back chair in an North Starr Road. RTF members stubborn fat without surgery or downtime.

1 million procedures apartment.With The over occupant had CoolSculpting used were called to support the SWAT performed worldwide, people everywhere are getting a better view of themselves. a fire extinguisher to partially put team in the event of casualties.

JOIN US FOR A COOL EVENT! out the fire he said was caused by The situation was resolved without Come see how the CoolSculpting can help feel great from every angle a procedure candle falling onto you thelook armgreat, of incident. just in time for the holidays! the chair. A working smoke alarm About SVFD - Spokane Valley alerted the occupant to the fire.

Fire The CoolSculpting procedure is the #1 long-lasting, non-surgical treatment to to help eliminate Department serves the cities Damage was confined theyou chair. of Liberty Lake, Millwood, Spokane Talk to Healthystubborn Living Liberty Lake Proven, Long-Lasting Resultshad Without Surgery fat without surgery or downtime.

With over 1 million CoolSculpting procedures The apartment minor smoke or Downtime Valley and unincorporated areas about our medically supervised performed worldwide, people everywhere are getting a damage. better view of themselves. of Spokane County including the weight-loss programs, followed • Unauthorized Burning – communities of Otis Orchards,

by CoolSculpting ® to permanently Come see how the CoolSculpting procedure can help you great from every Dec.look 6 –great, SVFD feel crews responded to angle Pasadena Park and the area eliminate residual fat cells after just in time for the holidays! a parking lot in the 9400 block of surrounding Liberty Lake, with a dieting.

East Appleway Boulevard just after combined population of 125,000 BEFORE 16 WEEKS3:30 AFTER SECOND 16 WEEKS AFTER SESSION p.m.SESSION They found a manBEFORE taking across approximately BEFORE Dr. Susan Ashley, Medical Director, 75 square Photos courtesy of Grant Stevens, MD | (no weight change) SINGLE SIDE TREATMENT Surgery or trailer Downtime apart a travel and burning miles.

Photos courtesy Bachelor, MD, SVFD FACS | (no weightfirefighters change) is board certified in Anti-Aging Proven, Long-Lasting Results Without In of Eric 2015, the pieces in a large bonfire. The and paramedics responded to and Regenerative Medicine, and JOIN US FOR A COOL EVENT ANDinformed GET READY VIEW OF YOU. man was thatTO heLOVE was EVERY certified in Obesity Management. more than 15,800 emergency calls. breaking the law because burning Established in 1940, the Department • Ideal Protein Free consultations garbage is always illegal.

The fire operates 10 stations providing fire Hosted by • HCG was extinguished.

• Appetite Suppressants Special event pricingsuppression, for attendees emergency medical Date & Time 16 WEEKS AFTER SECOND SESSION BEFORE 16 WEEKS AFTER SESSION services, technical rescue, vehicle • Lipo-tropic InjectionsBEFORE • Auto-Bicycle Collision – AFTER Photos courtesy of Grant Stevens, MD | (no weight change) SINGLE SIDE TREATMENT Fun gifts and door prizes extrication, hazardous materials Address courtesy of Eric Bachelor, MD, FACS | (no weight change) • CoolSculpting ® Dec. 7 – ShortlyPhotosbefore 5 p.m., Photos courtesy of Grant Stevens, MD. 16 Register tocrews win a FREE CoolSculpting response, swift treatment! water rescue, fire SVFD emergency medical weeks after second CoolSculpting® session.

Call today and City, State JOIN US FOR A COOL EVENT AND GET Zip READY TO LOVE EVERY VIEW OFautoYOU. investigation, fire prevention, responded to reported be ready by summer! pedestrian collision near the commercial property inspection, Phone Free consultations of Broadway and CPR and fire safety training. SVFD intersection Hosted by Microsite or WebsiteSullivan. A woman riding a bicycle also offers free home fire safety Special event pricing for attendees Date & Time on the sidewalk along the north side checks and smoke detectors. For Space is limited - Call today to reserve your spot Fun and doorwas prizes ofgifts Broadway struck by a vehicle more information call 928-1700 or Address 1431 N Liberty Lake Rd, Ste B • Liberty Lake 99019 • HealthyLivingLL.com visit www.spokanevalleyfire.com. making a right turnCoolSculpting onto Broadway. to win a FREE treatment!

000-000-0000Register

Start the New Year Right!

Are you ready to take control of your life?

Are you ready to look good and feel well?

Are you ready for PERMANENT weight loss?

924-6199

City, State Zip

Results and patient experience may vary.

The CoolSculpting procedure for non-invasive fat reduction is FDA-cleared for the flank (love handle), abdomen, and thigh. The CoolSculpting procedure for non-invasive fat reduction is available worldwide. Fear No Mirror, ZELTIQ, Phone CoolSculpting, the CoolSculpting logo and the Snowflake design are registered trademarks of ZELTIQ Aesthetics, Inc. © 2014. All rights reserved. IC1627-A

The Current

NEWS

Rockford budget prioritizes maintenance, infrastructure

By Benjamin Shedlock Current Correspondent

On Dec. 7, the town of Rockford adopted a 2017 budget of just under $1 million. The budget addresses pressing maintenance and infrastructure issues and begins planning for deferred maintenance and equipment purchases.

The Town Council stabilized this year after a period of rapid staff turnover that rippled through the council in late 2015 and early 2016, causing several councilors to change positions. The council has again been able to start planning ahead, including identifying capital improvements and making strategic staffing moves to support them, including hiring a full-time public works director.

The budget is significantly decreased from 2016, which included over $1 million in grants and loans for lagoon and well projects that were completed this year. This total included $150,000 in grant funding for the First Street sidewalk installation and $700,000for the Lagoon #3 upgrade. These projects are off the books for 2017. Just over $100,000 will go toward loan repayment for repayment of loans for the lagoon in 2017.

The decrease in funding does not mean that Rockford residents will not see infrastructure improvement projects taking place. For six months, the town has been working with the Transportation Improvement Board (TIB) to procure funds for lighting projects. Rockford recently secured $150,000 for the First Street lighting project.

“The funds will be paid directly from TIB to our engineer,” said Mayor Pro Tem Micki Harnois. “They won’t even pass through Rockford.”

Rockford’s Park will also get some sprucing up. Avista is planning to trim many of the overgrown trees that are interfering with power lines near the park, but is looking at a more permanent solution.

“Avista would just as soon take the trees out” than trim them back, according to Harnois. Avista typically pays for tree pruning, but

JANUARY 2017 • 5

Patient Focused Dentistry Spok ane’s D ental Providers

GENERAL • COSMETIC COMPUTER-GUIDED DENTISTRY

Same Day Emergencies Including SATURDAYS • Same

Day Crowns, Bridges, Implants • Same Day Extractions with Implants • Oral Surgery

The 2017 Rockford budget includes upgrades to street lighting, the town park and roads.

File photo according to Harnois, the company has told the town that they will also pay for tree removal.

Rockford’s general fund comprises nearly $250,000 of the 2017 layouts. The town projects to bring in $142,000 through taxes and public safety levies, just over $60,000 in garbage and fire fees and maintains an operating budget of about $40,000.

“A major priority was to develop the preventive maintenance funds,” said Mayor Carrie Roecks concerning the focus of the 2017 budget. The town is emphasizing streets and wastewater treatment with basic repairs on the minds of the council and the residents all year.

“Nothing has been done to speak of” to fix the streets, said Roecks.

At the Dec. 14 council meeting, a $40,000 transfer was approved from the general fund to the streets fund in 2017 to prepare for this expense. During an October public hearing to discuss the 2017 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) application, Council Member Jim Oshanick reported that most of the feedback he received from the public was about poor road conditions. Council Member Clint Stevenson expressed his concern that if maintenance is not addressed soon, the roads will begin to gator.

According to Roecks, the recent closure of Missile Base Road was a “wake up call” for the town that road repairs need to be funded in the next budget year. She raised the possibility of more road closures if repairs aren’t made. The council is planning for equipment purchases to assist with road upkeep. At the Dec. 14 council meeting, a $30,000 transfer was approved for the purchase of a backhoe to replace the town’s 25-year old version.

“You can’t do anything in the town without a backhoe,” said Roecks.

The machine is used year-round for activities from snow removal to road repair and brush clearing.

• Root

Canals

• Extractions • 3D

CBCT X-Rays • Sedation • Nitrous/Laughing Gas

• Periodontics • Implant

Supported Dentures

Liberty Lake FA M I LY D E N T I S T R Y

509-891-5001 | 1328 N. Stanford Lane Ste 100 www.libertylakefamilydentistry.com

Northpointe FA M I LY D E N T I S T R Y

509-465-5001 | 605 E. Holland Ave. Ste 108 www.northpointefamilydentistry.com

Latah Creek FA M I LY D E N T I S T R Y

509-455-5001 | 4100 S. Cheney-Spokane Rd. Ste B www.latahcreekfamilydentistry.com

P ay m e n t P l a n s a va i l a b l e D e n ta l s av i n g s P l a n DiscounteD Fees most insurances accePteD

Maple Street FA M I LY D E N T I S T R Y

509-928-5001 | 4610 N. Ash Ste 102 www.maplestreetfamilydentistry.com

CALL OR REQUEST AN APPOINTMENT ONLINE

Attention Home Owners

Realize maximum profits from the sale of your home today! Enjoy your money!

Travel, downsize, relocate, or upgrade!

Sell Now

Call Courtney

509-499-4449

Courtney@SpokaneRealtyConsultants.com www.SpokaneRealtyConsultants.com Zillow Premier Agent

COVER STORY

6 • JANUARY 2017

Better Me, Better We – Valley personalities set personal, community goals for 2017

lineup of influential Valley folks who bravely agreed to have their goals for 2017 featured in print.

No real pressure here, other than the fact that thousands of readers may require at least some sort of accountability by Dec. 31.

Current Editor

If the trek up their respective resolution mountains may seem daunting at times, our esteemed group of goal-setters may want to refer to some sage advice from Confucius, the Chinese philosopher who counseled those seeking positive change some 2,600 years ago:

By Craig Howard

In late December of 2015, the Current hit the streets to find out what local figures had in store for the New Year.

The inaugural resolution cover story in January 2016 featured a dozen personalities from fields like government, education, business and the nonprofit world sharing their goals and hopes for the next 365 days – both on personal (micro) and community (macro) levels.

Central Valley School District Superintendent Ben Small aspired to connect more with his family – even resolving “to laugh at their jokes.” On the professional side, Small said he would work “to deliver CVSD school construction projects on time and on budget.”

Depending on the humor level of those in his household, Small’s second resolution might have been easier. So far, he appears to be following through on both.

MJ Bolt, who helped establish the Greater Spokane Valley Support Network (GVSN), a consortium that advocates for less-fortunate residents, said she would “try to find more peace and joy in every situation, no matter what the circumstances.” On the broader scale, Bolt said she would strive “to increase awareness of the reality of people who are struggling in the Valley and increase those resources to help.”

GVSN is still going strong, a year later, as is Bolt, who now serves as one of two Eastern Washington representatives on the State Board of Education.

Despite a demanding schedule, she appears to be savoring – and promoting – both peace and joy.

A number of those featured last year referenced the journey as much as the destination. Zig Ziglar, the late best-selling author of motivational books, once had this take on the ripple effect of resolutions: “What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals,” he said.

The second annual collection of New Year’s resolutions in the Current features a dynamic

“When it’s obvious that goals cannot be reached – don’t adjust the goals, adjust the action steps.”

Let the betterment begin….

Mike Stone – Spokane Valley Parks and Recreation director Micro: My personal New Year’s resolutions are to continue to get into the best shape of my life, reduce stress in my life, play more golf and devote more time to family and friends.

Macro: My New Year’s resolution for our community would be that our citizens embrace the positive benefits of health and wellness and take advantage of our parks, trails, recreational programs and services to improve their overall quality of life.

Jennifer Schlenske – CEO, Spokane Valley Partners Micro: In July 2016, our 2-year-old son was diagnosed with a rare genetic disorder called Sotos Syndrome.

I have grappled with reaching a point of acceptance that our child is special needs and it has felt like the harrowing stages of grief.

My 2017 personal resolution is to give myself more grace. I want to talk to myself as I would another mom facing this – with kindness, compassion, empathy and forgiveness. I hope 2017 brings a little more self-care and less self-inflicted feelings of defeat.

I resolve (I hope!) to be a little easier on myself and traverse each day with mindfulness in my heart and mind.

The Current

Navigating the future, appreciating the past – Valley entities weigh in on achievements, goals

By Craig Howard Current Editor Teddy Roosevelt knew a thing or two about setting and achieving goals.

When the Boulder Dam was dedicated on Sept. 30, 1935, the concrete arch-gravity structure was viewed as the latest wonder of the world. The nation’s 26th president had passed away 16 years earlier but T.R.’s vision for providing hydroelectric power to the West while irrigating vast stretches of arid land had become a reality.

Located at the junction of Nevada and Arizona state boundaries, construction on the Boulder Dam began in 1931 but had roots in Roosevelt’s federal Reclamation Act of 1902 which prioritized projects to support the growth and cultivation of 20 states west of the Mississippi.

The Boulder Dam – later renamed the Hoover Dam – put people to work during the bleak years of the Great Depression. Another Roosevelt, Franklin Delano, would integrate the New Deal and the promise of building the nations’ infrastructure with the reality of new jobs. At one point during the dam’s construction, over 5,000 workers were assigned to a wide variety of tasks.

Such a massive undertaking took ambition and the sort of work ethic that moves mountains and rivers – literally. Part of the dam’s progression involved diverting the mighty Colorado River away from the work site by drilling four tunnels through the surrounding canyon walls. Each tunnel was 56 feet in diameter.

Teddy, who overcame debilitating

asthma in his youth to become a dynamic and well-respected leader, understood that an ambitious idea like the Reclamation Act took gumption and determination – but it needed to start with the confidence that anything is possible.

“Believe you can and you’re halfway there,” Teddy once said.

Just as the Hoover Dam harnessed the ability of the Colorado to deliver energy to California, Arizona and Nevada, projects like the Bonneville Dam and Grand Coulee Dam channeled the power of the Columbia River to benefit the expansion of the Northwest. In 1937, an act of Congress created the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) to market electric power generated from the Bonneville Dam. In Spokane Valley, a pair of wellrespected utilities – Modern Electric Water Co. and Vera Water and Power – are customers of BPA. Modern has been around since 1905 when a trio of resourceful landowners – D.K. McDonald, R.A. Hutchinson and A.C. Jamision – originated an irrigation network to supply water to 3,000 acres of Valley orchards and farms.

Just two years later, the first Vera well, of the hand-dug variety, began supplying irrigation and domestic water to the burgeoning Valley.

Modern and Vera – now both over a century old – adjusted with the changing times, shifting their emphasis from agriculture advocacy to power and water for residential and commercial needs. Just as Teddy’s eye to the future led to innovations that transformed the West Coast, the early infrastructure pioneers of the Spokane Valley

See GOALS, Page 7

Macro: Even through incredibly trying times as a nonprofit, Spokane Valley Partners has continued to serve thousands of disadvantaged families in greater Spokane Valley.

See NEW YEAR, Page 8

A groundbreaking ceremony was held for the new Spokane Valley City Hall last June with Mayor Rod Higgins delivering the keynote speech.

File photo

The Current

GOALS

Continued from page 6

accomplished greatness through creativity and conviction.

As a New Year dawns, the Current caught up with the leaders of local cities, school districts, nonprofits and other organizations to collect one highlight for 2016 as well as a focal point for the year ahead.

While the next Columbia River dam may not be on the list, the resulting collection offers a portrait of a community that is well-grounded for the present while earnestly pursuing an even greater future.

City of Spokane Valley – By Mayor Rod Higgins 2016 Highlight: 2016 saw the early completion and adoption of the city of Spokane Valley’s Comprehensive Plan update. The plan and its associated development regulations represent an innovative approach to land use planning that facilitates growth and economic development without sacrificing safety, utility or livability.

2017 Goal: In 2017, Spokane Valley can look forward to the completion of its own City Hall. Located at the northeast corner of Sprague and Dartmouth the 65,712-square-foot facility in the heart of the city will not only provide easy availability to the most frequently-accessed city services, it will be an anchor for redevelopment of the Sprague corridor.

Central Valley School District – By Superintendent Ben Small 2016 Highlight: We are proud of the many achievements of the students we serve. Most notably, our increasing graduation rate which this year is at 91.8 percent.

2017 Goal: One goal the Central Valley School District has for 2017 is to continue to work toward a growth mindset.

It is about everyone – including district staff, principals, teachers, nutrition service staff, bus drivers and other support staff – getting clear about what is expected of them and finding new ways, every day, to do what they do, just a little better.

City of Millwood – By City Clerk/Planner Tom Richardson 2016 Highlight: Millwood had several important projects in 2016 but the most visible project was repainting the water tower in Millwood City Park.

Following a suggestion from one of our citizens, Jim Youngman, we had the contractor add the word “Millwood” at the top, which is visible

COVER STORY

from miles around. We decided to keep the color scheme that we have had for many years which are the orange and black of West Valley High School.

2017 Goal: Our number one goal for 2017 will be to finalize funding and to construct the Millwood Trail, a separated path for bicycles and pedestrians that crosses Millwood on former railroad right-of-way currently owned by Spokane County. Millwood was recently notified that this project has been recommended for funding in the next state budget.

East Valley School District –

By Superintendent Kelly Shea 2016 Highlight: Our accomplishment in 2016 is the improvement we are making in Reading, English and Language Arts. Last year we adopted new K-6 Reading curriculum materials and invested time and resources into the professional development of our staff. Through our implementation, reading scores improved. Our other significant achievement was passing our four year Maintenance and Operations Levy eclipsing 60-percent voter support for the first time since the early 2000s.

2017 Goal: Ou goal for 2017 is to engage our stakeholders using “Thought Exchange” so we can identify the goals and values that best represent the East Valley community for the purpose of creating both a shortand long-term strategic plan. Our hope is to generate specific goals in the areas of student achievement, fiscal and facilities as well as specific timelines to achieve these goals.

Greater Spokane Substance Abuse Council - By Executive Director Linda Thompson

JANUARY 2017 • 7

Valleyfest began in 1990 as a humble neighborhood gathering at Terrace View Park. The event has turned into a three-day spectacle at various sites. The 2017 version of Valleyfest will be held Sept. 22-24.

File photo 2016 Highlight: A new partnership in 2016 with Northern Energy, a local company dedicating their support to reduce the impact of opioid addiction through prevention and recovery, helped GSSAC to start up two new and strengthen three existing Washington Drug Free Youth (WDFY) chapters with resources in support of youth making the positive choice to be drug free! A great gift of giving to our community!

2017 Goal: In partnership with the Washington Association for Substance Abuse and Violence Prevention (WASAVP), GSSAC will advocate for the reestablishment of the state wide Community Mobilization program, established through RCW 43.270, which engages community members in partnership with law enforcement, government and key stakeholders

The HUB Sports Center in Liberty Lake has turned into a regional destination point for tournaments as well as a popular site for youth sports. The HUB is currently conducting a capital campaign to purchase the facility.

File photo

to address community safety issues, such as underage substance abuse, increased substance abuse attributed to marijuana, alcohol and opioid abuse and community level violence.

Prevention is more important than ever for the health, safety, and wellbeing of our communities. We are the ones we have been waiting for— champions for youth.

HUB Sports Center – By HUB Executive Director Phil Champlin 2016 Highlight: 2016 was a terrific year at the HUB Sports Center. We finished our sixth consecutive year with a positive cash flow and are on pace to have over 173,000 people visit this year (2016).

2017 Goal: The goal of the HUB Sports Center for 2017 is to complete our capital campaign to purchase the facility and secure it as a permanent resource for the youth and community, providing positive events and activities for future generations.

Valleyfest – By Director Peggy Doering 2016 Highlight(s) The Jordan family produced the first Valleyfest float for the Queen and Princesses. This Heart of Gold float represented Valleyfest and the Spokane Valley in Chewelah, Deer Park, Davenport and the Valleyfest parade.

The annnual auction with fun party themes continues to grow under the leadership of Debbie Quinn and loyal committee members. Cycle Celebration with John Abernathy at the helm and Valley bike enthusiasts have mapped out a 10, 25 and challenging 50-

See STRIVING, Page 9

8 • JANUARY 2017

Show that special someone in your life that you care this Valentine’s Day! Let someone know just how special they are this Valentines, by placing a note in the “love notes” section in our February Edition! Sizes and pricing are outlined below and custom sizes and designs will be priced on a per request basis. All notes must be submitted by 01/17/2017 SIZES & PRICING

Large Note

Large Note: full-color with a photo or graphic Max Word Count: 100 Cost per note: $75

NEW YEAR

NEWS

Continued from page 6 While resources dipped, our clients never felt that burden. Therefore, for 2017, my goal is to honor, uplift and reward my staff and volunteers in every way possible.

The devotion my team has shown enabled Spokane Valley Partners to assist those who need us, even when our nonprofit was laboring to secure funding and donations. I resolve, in 2017, to demonstrate as often as I can how deeply grateful and appreciative I am of those who keep Spokane Valley Partners’ doors open and services available for families in need.

Bob McCaslin Jr. – State representative, 4th District Micro: I want to get better at what I do every year. This centers around my faith in Jesus and following not just His teachings but Him personally.

So, I make a concerted effort every day to grow closer to Him and to emulate Him. I have little control over other people and their choices but I have control over my own.

I try to treat people well and, in turn, serve them well. My vision for 2017 is that I make a difference by being faithful as a husband, father, teacher and state representative and practice what I preach.

Macro:

Medium Note

Medium Note: full-color with a graphic.

Max Word Count: 60 Cost per note: $50

My vision for the community is to have great schools with teachers and administrators who know they are supported by the community they serve parents and students both.

Arne Woodard – Valley deputy mayor

Spokane

Micro: I want to spend more time with my wife, doing things that create new memories.

Macro:

Small Note

Small Note (Text only): Words Only Max Word Count: 45 $30

Find new ways to communicate with the public so as to get more feedback and insights into whatever the subject is. To continue to engage the public.

Micki Harnois mayor pro-tem

–

Rockford

Micro: I will be spending more time improving my yard and home. It is the best place in Rockford!

Macro:

Contact us to submit your note!

509.242.7752 • advertise@libertylakesplash.com

I will continue to seek grants for the town of Rockford. I will also be encouraging more economic development which will include

promoting Byway.

The Current

the

Palouse

Scenic

Max Spalding – Former owner, Spalding Auto Parts, HUB Sports Center Board member Micro: I would like to be a better listener to the people around me.

Macro: I want to work with the HUB on our capital campaign to make sure we have a good place for our kids to learn life skills.

Donna Orme – Founder, Spokane Cares website Micro: My personal goal is to learn how to better manage time and resources in order to accomplish my desire to respond to personal, family and community needs.

Macro: I would love to involve more community members to help SpokaneCares.org achieve its mission, which is to improve our community by helping those in need find appropriate resources to meet their needs; helping service organizations communicate their vital messages; helping community members embrace service and find meaningful ways to serve.

Nancy Ledeboer – Spokane County Library District director Micro: My goals for the New Year have one thing in common – learn new things.

Doing new things that take me outside my comfort zone is one way to keep my brain active. In 2017, my goal is to join the thousands of people that have walked across Spain on the Camino de Santiago. There are many inspirational stories of how completing this pilgrimage opens the mind and heart. Travel is one way to stimulate my brain cells, especially when traveling where most people speak another language.

Macro: Next year the library will be offering new opportunities for interactive learning so you won’t have to travel far to find ways to stimulate your brain cells. Our new publication “Engage” lists several free programs that I plan to attend. Learning about the history of Millwood, the roots of women in the medical profession or the basics of knitting are just a few of the programs that interest me.

Reading books, attending lectures or trying new things reminds me that I’m never too old to learn.

The Current

NEWS

The Freeman School District continues to be acknowledged as one of the top school districts in the state.

File photo

STRIVING

Continued from page 7 mile bike ride. Mirabeau Point Park.

2017 Goal(s): Our goal is to be inclusive of new ideas and encourage groups/ individuals to reach out to Valleyfest.

Volunteers are always needed, and are our goal to match the individual or group with the activity that is successful for everyone. Exploring new ideas for the festival, including agri-tourism, agri-marketing, makers market, Artist Galleria, and the expansion robotics/STEM with more partnerships. Our festival goals are to give exposure to the arts, science and resources in the Spokane Valley. Our marketing goals are to encourage economic development and visitors to stay, shop and play in our city of Spokane Valley.

Freeman School District – By Superintendent Randy Russell and FSD Board of Directors 2016 Highlight: Freeman Elementary School was named a “School of Distinction” in recognition of sustained improvement in reading and math over a five-year span. The school ranked among the top 5 percent in the state.

2017 Goal(s): Continue developing relationships, building trust and keeping communication lines open at all times which includes our “no surprises” approach; continue developing relationships and communicating with our non-parent community members – bring the school to the community; continue increasing our academic rigor to improve student achievement;

continue developing “processes” for continuous improvement and continue developing and growing our administration, leadership team and school board.

Greater Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce – By President/CEO Katherine Morgan 2016 Highlight: This year, the Greater Spokane Valley Chamber was proud to embrace our manufacturing community by adopting the local manufacturing tradeshow.

The event was rebranded and renamed, the “Manufacturing Matters EXPO” and featured a dinner with keynote address by CJ Buck from Buck Knives, a trade show with more than 55 exhibitors, representing local manufacturers and suppliers and educational workshops for attendees.

With a revitalized focus and marketing strategy, the Manufacturing Matters EXPO is well-positioned to grow each year.

We are proud to continue on as the show’s organizer and promote the vibrant manufacturing industry in our region.

2017 Goal: The Greater Spokane Valley Chamber is proud to sponsor “Lemonade Day,” a national program in over 60 cities across the country.

This program directly links to two of the "Big 5 for a Greater Spokane Valley" initiatives: Greater Learning and Greater Vision.

Lemonade Day teaches youth entrepreneurial skills through running their own lemonade business.

Chamber members have multiple avenues to support Lemonade Day through sponsorship, volunteering and providing locations out front of their businesses for the youth to run their lemonade stands. We are proud to

provide opportunities to bring our community together on May 20, 2017 as we empower the talent and leadership of the future.

Town of Rockford – By Mayor Carrie Roecks and Mayor Pro Tem Micki Harnois 2016 Highlight: The town of Rockford had a fantastic 2016!

We completed several major projects including resurfacing Missile Base Road, drilling a well and a new sidewalk on First Street.

However, our greatest accomplishment was completing the multi-year, multiphase wastewater treatment plant upgrade. The design phase of the project started in 2013, with the first funding available in 2014. An extraordinary amount of work from engineers, town staff and council, the citizens, Department of Ecology staff along with other agencies and legislators helped see this project to completion. Funding was always a concern for such a large project, but Rockford now has an up-to-date facility without severe debt issues.

2017 Goal(s): 2017 goals include upgrading the City Park with new lights and planting and pruning trees. The exciting addition is the new food booth building since the Southeast Spokane County Fair received a grant to build. We will also be encouraging new commercial buildings along South First Street as the required frontage improvements are now in. This means less expense to the developer. Our streetlights will also be replaced with LED lights this spring. We will continue to keep the safety and welfare of the residents of high importance.

West Valley School District – By Superintendent Dr. Gene Sementi 2016 Highlight: West Valley was able to partner with the St. Paschal Parish to sign a ten year lease to remodel and use the closed St. Paschal School.

This allowed us to move our Early Learning Center to the St. Paschal location which freed up classroom space at each of our elementary schools. This allowed us to drop class size in our K-3 classrooms.

2017 Goal: West Valley High School currently has a 94.5 percent o- time graduation rate and a 98.8 percent extended graduation rate. This outstanding performance is the result of a lot of hard work throughout our entire P-12 system over an entire generation of students. At this point our hope is to identify each student at risk of not graduating early in the game and intervene early, often and

JANUARY 2017 • 9

effectively to reach a graduation rate of 100 percent.

Spokane Valley Fire Department – By Chief Brian Collins 2016 Achievement: Following a lengthy and rigorous process, Spokane Valley Fire Department again successfully earned Accreditation by the Commission on Fire Accreditation International (CFAI) on Aug. 17, 2016. SVFD first earned Accreditation in 2011. The department remains one of only three fire departments in the state of Washington and the only fire department in Eastern Washington to achieve this designation. Accreditation is the mark of an agency that understands the importance of continuous improvement.

The process promotes excellence through a comprehensive, rigorous selfassessment and evaluation model, leading to higher service delivery levels for citizens.

2017 Goal: ‘Project RISK’ – Residential.

Inspection.

Smoke Alarms.

Knowledge – is a new Spokane Valley Fire Department initiative to reduce fire and medical emergencies in our community through targeted outreach and education. It is based on analysis of incident data to identify the frequent causes of fire and emergency medical calls. Project RISK then pairs fire department professionals with community partners and the general public to proactively target and address these risks. A Community Risk Reduction specialist has been hired to develop Project RISK and has begun offering free home fire safety visits to all SVFD residents (visit spokanevalleyfire.com or call 928-1700 to request a visit). This effort has already resulted in more than 100 homes visited with over 200 smoke alarms installed. Our goal in 2017 is to fully implement Project RISK.

Last year, the Spokane Valley Fire Department again earned Accreditation by the Commission on Fire Accreditation International.

File photo

COMMUNITY

10 • JANUARY 2017

The Current

Calendar of Events Serving the greater Spokane Valley since 1985 Residential and Office Cleaning Licensed and Insured Hourly Rates

Come and enjoy a fun filled class where you and your child will enjoy the wonderful world of music. Our classes are 45 minutes and run for 10 weeks for children ages 0-6.

Winter semester begins on January 11th, 2017 WWW.KIDSMUSICROUND.COM

(509) 599-1900 - Now Available for Birthday Parites-

Find us on Facebook!

COMMUNITY EVENTS Dec. 31-Jan. 8 | Christmas tree recycling – Parking lots at Central Valley High School and University High School. Times are 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Dec. 31, Jan. 1, 7 and 8.

Home pick-up of a tree (within about 10 minutes of CVHS or U-Hi) is also available. Cost is $5 for drop-off, $10 for pick-up (minimum suggested donation). All proceeds support Boy Scout Troop 400 in Spokane Valley.

Dec. 31 | First Night Spokane -Event locations are the Davenport Grand Hotel, Spokane Convention Center, Doubletree Hotel, River Park Square, Auntie’s Bookstore, INB Performing Arts Center, and outdoors at Riverfront Park with events every hour starting at 7 p.m. Celebrate the New Year with a family-friendly festival of arts and entertainment. Over 150 performances at various venues.

Entertainment ends with fireworks at midnight. Buttons available at all Global Credit Union locations, Anytime Fitness, Falco Spokane, Auntie’s Books and River Park Square concierge desk. Kids Night Out event with crafts, crown making, robotics, face painting, live performances and more takes place from 3:30 to 6 p.m. at the Spokane Convention Center. Parade starts at 6:15 p.m. at Spokane Convention Center and opening ceremonies begin at 6:30 p.m. at Riverfront Park. Visit schedule at http:// www.firstnightspokane.org/map— schedule.html. Free admission for kids 10 and under. Tickets are $15 in advance; $18 on Dec. 31.

Jan. 14 | New Fire Engine “Push In” – Spokane Valley Fire Department University Station #1, 10319 E. Sprague Ave. Join SVFD at 11 a.m. for a fire department tradition as we “push in” the new Fire Engine 1 into its new home in the bay of University Station #1. Everyone is welcome to participate! More at 892-4155 or www.spokanevalleyfire.com Jan. 31 | Stinky Sneaker – Spokane Arena, 720 W. Mallon, Spokane. The annual basketball rivalry between Central Valley and University high schools features the faceoff of thematic halftime presentations and awarding of the event’s namesake to the winning school. The varsity girls’ game begins at 5 p.m. followed by the boys’ game at 7:30.

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-Singles-Mingle.

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 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. 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.

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.

The Current

JANUARY 2017 • 11

COMMUNITY

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.

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 Jan. 1-Feb. 28 | Winter Futsal League. The HUB Sports Center runs a five-aside futsal league for ages 9-14 taking place January/ February each Friday night. 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.

January 2017 | Finding Your Balance and Igniting Your Joy, 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 592-7875 or visit www.willowsongmusictherapy. com.

Father Daughter Dance 2017

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.

Under Sea THE

SATURDAY, MARCH 4, 2017 7 TO 9 P.M.

Doors open at 6:30pm

CIVIC & BUSINESS Movies in the Park voting | Your assistance is needed in selecting three of your favorite movies to show at the 2017 “Movies in the Park” sponsored by the city of Spokane Valley. To vote, simply go to http://www.spokanevalley. org/MoviesInThePark and choose the "Click Here to Vote" link. You can also cast your vote by email at jpapich@spokanevalley.org. Or, if you don't have access to the Internet, you can vote over the phone by calling 720-5408 during regular office hours.

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/ south-pines-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.

To purchase tickets: GO TO: libertylakekiwanis.org Space is limited, early registration is encouraged!

Dana 995-4043 or Linda 951-3573

The Current

12 • JANUARY 2017

E NRI C HE D L I VI NG. L AS TIN G VALUE.

THE

lifestyle

THE

YOU WANT

THE

quality

community

YOU L OVE

YO U DE S E RV E

New homes in Spokane, Spokane Valley, Liberty Lake, Post Falls & Coeur d’Alene. gr eenstonehomes.com

You can be anything with a

SMILE!

Here at our office we believe a confident, healthy, beautiful smile can help you accomplish anything.

Come in and let us give a smile that will take you where you want to go.

Make Your Appointment Today

509.892.9284

LIBERTY LAKE: E. 23505 Appleway Ave. Ste. #204 LINCOLN HEIGHTS: E. 2420 29th Ave. Ste. #200

www.DrScottRalph.com

LIKE US ON

NO REFERRAL NECESSARY

www.customfitlighting.com Specialized year round service with years of experience in Landscape, Event, and Christmas lighting. We provide the highest quality products and work closely with you to give the best service possible. No one works harder to insure customer satisfaction at the lowest prices.

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

LIBRARY

The Current

Engaging events, programs at the library in 2017

By Erin Dodge

With the start of a New Year, a sense of the unknown builds anticipation for what the future months will bring. With eagerness and curiosity, I am looking forward to the many and varied exhibitions, performances, classes and other events at the Spokane County Library District for residents of all ages and interests.

When you open the pages of the district’s new event magazine,”Engage,” you’ll find

Celebrating the 225th anniversary of the Bill of Rights

By Gwendolyn Haley

Lately it seems that everyone in my social media feed is an aspiring Constitutional scholar.

The 10 amendments that are now known as the Bill of Rights were ratified and became part of the Constitution on Dec. 15, 1791. The issues they deal with were on the forefront of the founders’ minds and continue to consume much of our political discourse in the present, demonstrating the potency of the ideas.

classes, performances, and information for everyone: kids, tweens and teens, families, adults, business owners, job hunters, those who want to give back to the community – as well as those who seek answers to questions.

Here are some highlights from the January–April 2017 issue of Engage magazine: For Early Learners Caspar Babypants Family Concert Dr. Seuss’s Birthday Bash STEM Play and Learn Storytimes For Kids, Tweens, and Teens Financial Literacy for High School Students Minecraft Rube Goldberg Machines (those wild obstacle courses for a marble)

District have put together two great reading lists for adults and kids.

The best part? You don’t even need to venture out into the cold for a book because the following titles are available through OverDrive, one of the resources available within our Digital Library.

These lists have everything: Revolution!

Political rivalries!

Scandal! Here are a few titles to get you started: FOR ADULTS The Bill of Rights: The Fight to Secure America's Liberties, by Carol Berkin The story of the founders’ fight over the Bill of Rights comes alive in a drama full of partisanship, clashing egos, and cunning manipulation.

Alexander

Hamilton,

by

Ron

JANUARY 2017 • 13

For Adults Exhibition: “The Literature of Prescription” – Charlotte Perkins Gilman and “The Yellow Wall-Paper.”

Money Smart Week: literacy programs

financial

S P O K A N E

Tod Marshall presents poetry Urban Farming classes (gardens, chickens, and beekeeping!)

For Business Entrepreneurs

Owners

C O U N T Y

L I B R A R Y

D I S T R I C T

ENGAGE LE ARN, WORK, CRE ATE, THRIVE TOGETHER.

and

6 Marketing Must-Haves for Small Business How to Write a Business Plan WordPress for Business You can grab a copy of our inaugural issue of Engage magazine at any of our 10 libraries to get more details about these events and more coming to our libraries during the first four months of 2017.

Chernow A landmark biography of Alexander Hamilton, the founding father who galvanized, inspired, scandalized, and shaped a newborn nation.

FOR KIDS A Kids' Guide to America's Bill of Rights (revised edition), by Kathleen Krull Brings the Bill of Rights vividly to life for young readers with anecdotes, sidebars, and comics.

We the People: The Story of Our Constitution, by Lynne Cheney After the Revolution, America’s troubles were far from over: the 13 states were squabbling, the country could not pay its bills, and Massachusetts farmers had taken up arms against the government.

2017—A YEAR TO

ENGAGE

JA N – A PR 2017

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

INSIDE YOU’LL FIND • Live performances • Special all-ages events • Business programs • Programs for kids, tweens & teens • Featured articles

PICK UP

ENGAGE

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

The year 2016 marked the 225th anniversary of the Bill of Rights.

As part of a year-long celebration starting now and continuing through 2017, The National Archives developed an exhibit called “The Bill of Rights and You” (www.archives. gov/amending-america) that is included in its “Amending America” program. While the original exhibit is in Washington, D.C., you can stop by any of our 10 libraries, from now until the end of February, to see the pop-up exhibit and explore the Bill of Rights’ history. Plus everyone is invited to join the thoughtful discussion online.

The anniversary of the Bill of Rights is also a great time to do some reading on the subject. The librarians at Spokane County Library

GRAB YOUR COPY TODAY!

ENGAGE

LEARN, WORK, CREATE, THRIVE TOGETHER.

All 10 of the Spokane County Library District branches will be featuring an exhibit about the Bill of Rights until the end of February. The display is connected to the 225th anniversary of the document and a program created by the National Archives.

Contributed image

www.scld.org

The Current

14 • JANUARY 2017

SVFD home checks ramp up safety conditions for residents

homeowner Carole Conzelman on whether to refill or buy new extinguishers and the advantages of battery powered alarms versus hardwired.

Current Contributor

The good news is that Conzelman’s existing alarm is hardwired in, but the bad news is that it’s from when the home was built- almost 40 years ago.

Staci Lehman

Elysia Spencer walks through a stranger’s house, examining decorative holiday lights hanging from the wall and disconnecting a power strip to gain a better perspective.

Spencer has been in a lot of strangers’ houses lately, looking for anything that could increase the chances of a fire in the home.

As a Community Risk Reduction specialist with the Spokane Valley Fire Department, she and other Valley Fire personnel are making homes safer, one at a time, through a new program known as “Home Fire Safety Visits.”

Accompanied by Fire Marshal Greg Rogers on this day, the two examine and replace old smoke alarms, check the dates on fire extinguishers and look at electrical cords for safety issues. If items such as wood stoves, fireplaces and carbon monoxide detectors are present in a house, they will check those too. They throw out statistics and tips as they go, advising

Smoke Alarm Facts

• New smoke alarms come with a 10-year lithium ion battery and don’t need to have the batteries changed twice a year, as recommended in the past.

“If there’s more than one, it’s best to have them hardwired in,” said Rogers. “Because the one in the hallways will set off the one in the bedroom if they’re hardwired, and down the line. They’re all connected.”

• Smoke alarms have an “expiration date” of 10 years.

To see if yours is that old, check the back for a manufactured date. If it is over 10 years old, replace it with a new one. If you purchase a new alarm that doesn’t have a date on it, use a marker to write it on the back.

“A hardwired smoke alarm would have been state of the art in 1978,” said Spencer.

Not state-of-the-art enough to depend on now though, so Conzelman’s old alarm is removed and replaced with a new one, along with two other new ones placed around the home.

“I’ve had the mobile home for a year and just wanted to make sure it’s up to standard.” Conzelman said. “I do have my grandkids here a lot.”

Which is why Spencer and Rogers say Conzelman’s home needs more than the single smoke alarm that was there when they arrived.

“You should bedroom and sleeping area floor,” Spencer

have one in each one outside each and one on each said.

Because many people sleep with

Spokane Valley Fire Marshal Greg Rogers is one of the keys to a new program that provides free home fire safety visits as part of Project RISK (Residential Inspection Smoke Alarms Knowledge), an initiative to reduce fire and medical emergencies through outreach and education.

Photo by Staci Lehman bedroom doors closed, alarms on both sides of the door are recommended.

These Home Fire Safety Visits are part of Project RISK (Residential Inspection Smoke Alarms Knowledge), a Spokane Valley Fire Department initiative to reduce fire and medical emergencies through outreach and education. The smoke alarms are funded through grants from the Washington State Association of Fire Marshals, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and community donations.

The labor to install them and do the home checks is provided by Spencer, as part of her job duties.

Firefighters and other Valley Fire personnel also help between calls and as time allows as do members of the Fire Corps, a volunteer group that supports SVFD in a nonemergency capacity.

Using Fire Corps members allows checks to be conducted on weekends when other staff is not available, an important aspect of the program as many homeowners aren’t available during the week.

SVFD Community Risk Reduction Specialist Elysia Spencer (left) talks with Spokane Valley resident Carole Conzelman about ways to improve the fire safety conditions in her home.

Photo by Staci Lehman

The department is also partnering with Spokane Neighborhood Action Programs (SNAP) and Spokane Cares to conduct the checks. They hope, as the program takes off, that they get so busy that they may have to partner with civic groups as well to reach a wider number, and demographic, of people.

• Three of five home fire deaths result from fires in homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms.

SVFD offers free smoke alarms to residents.

“Fire doesn’t discriminate,” said Rogers. “Our goal is to make everybody safer.”

One way to do this is to determine an emergency escape route. While checking homes, Rogers says he looks for fire escape routes and recommends homeowners have an emergency exit in mind.

“Practice it with kids, but if you’re an adult with no children, just keep it in mind and think about it,” he says. “Now you’ll be a little bit more calm if you do ever have to use it.”

Another tip from Rogers – if you are in a bedroom or room with a door and there is fire outside, close the door. He says fire inspectors often go into homes that are severely damaged by fire, only to find that rooms that had closed doors are virtually untouched.

“You would be amazed how much a small door can prevent smoke and flame,” Rogers said.

Home Fire Safety Visits are free and there are no qualifications to have one, such as age or income.

They generally take about half an hour or less and can be done at your convenience, including on weekends. If you would like a Home Fire Safety Visit, you can schedule one online at spokanevalleyfire. com or by calling 892-4153. Rogers and Spencer are eager to sign up more people.

“One of the best things about my job is doing this,” said Rogers. “We know it’s safer when we leave than when we got here.”

Brought to you by

National Soup Month Soup Facts

• Soup can be dated back to about 6000 B.C. and was first made of hippopotamus.

• Boiling was not a common cooking technique until the invention of waterproof containers (which probably came in the form of pouches made of clay or animal skin) about 9,000 years ago.

• History also tells us that soup was first known as "sop," which was a piece of bread served with some type of liquid. (broth) People use to pour sop over a piece of bread or over broken off chunks of bread in a platter allowing it to soak up all the broth and then they would eat it. As time went by sop was placed in deeper bowls and the liquid became the focal point instead of the bread as it once was. "Sop" soon became "Soup" and the bread was then dipped in soup or thick stew. In modern day the word sop is a definition of sopping up food. Gruel is a fine example of sop which also goes back a long way in our History.

“Vegetable Soup” Word Search

Peas and Carrots Alphabet Soup

6 cups chicken broth 1 cup alphabet pasta 1 large package frozen peas and carrots Bring broth to boil in large stock pot. Add pasta and simmer until tender, about 7 minutes.

Add peas and carrots and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes. Enjoy!

ARTICHOKE ASPARAGUS BROCCOLI CABBAGE CARROT CAULIFLOWER

CELERY EGGPLANT GARLIC LEEK LETTUCE ONION

PARSNIP PEPPER POTATO PUMPKIN RHUBARB SHALLOT

SPINACH SQUASH SWISSCHARD TOMATO TURNIP YAM

16 • JANUARY 2017

The Current

Stone Soup - a Portuguese fable. Stone Soup is an old fable that has hungry strangers tricking

local townspeople into sharing their food. It has also been known as axe, button, nail or wood soup depending upon the culture. This story had been shared for many years by storytellers before the first known printed version in 1720 by a French woman named Madame de Noyer. It has been adapted to movies, television, songs, and many different versions of literature all accross the globe. It is even a computer game, making it relevant and accessible for everyone.

A kindly, old stranger was walking through the land when he came upon a village. As he entered, the villagers moved towards their homes locking doors and windows.

The stranger smiled and asked, why are you all so frightened. I am a simple traveler, looking for a soft place to stay for the night and a warm place for a meal.

"There's not a bite to eat in the whole province," he was told. "We are weak and our children are starving. Better keep moving on."

"Oh, I have everything I need," he said. "In fact, I was thinking of making some stone soup to share with all of you." He pulled an iron cauldron from his cloak, filled it with water, and began to build a fire under it.

Then, with great ceremony, he drew an ordinarylooking stone from a silken bag and dropped it into the water.

By now, hearing the rumor of food, most of the villagers had come out of their homes or watched from their windows. As the stranger sniffed the "broth" and licked his lips in anticipation, hunger began to overcome their fear.

"Ahh," the stranger said to himself rather loudly,

"I do like a tasty stone soup. Of course, stone soup with cabbage -- that's hard to beat."

Soon a villager approached hesitantly, holding a small cabbage he'd retrieved from its hiding place, and added it to the pot.

"Wonderful!!" cried the stranger. "You know, I once had stone soup with cabbage and a bit of salt beef as well, and it was fit for a king."

The village butcher managed to find some salt beef . . . And so it went, through potatoes, onions, carrots, mushrooms, and so on, until there was indeed a delicious meal for everyone in the village to share.

The villager elder offered the stranger a great deal of money for the magic stone, but he refused to sell it and traveled on the next day.

As he left, the stranger came upon a group of village children standing near the road. He gave the silken bag containing the stone to the youngest child, whispering to a group, it was not the stone, but the villagers that had performed the magic."

Moral: By working together, with everyone contributing what they can, a greater good is achieved.

The Current

JANUARY 2017 • 17

PACE Trait Fairness

Congratulations to Lindsey!

She’s the latest

KiDDS Dental

Treating people and ideas with justice and impartiallity

No Cavity Club winner!

Lindsey won a $25 gift card to Toys R Us and a photo session with

“Stone Soup” Varieties to Savor

Call our office to schedule an appointment to see if your child is cavity-free!

Fandango Stew by David Davis 2011 (ages 3-8) 891-7070 o Use your best Texas accent for reading this funny western version which has the citizens of Skinflint sharing to find out just what a Find out about 1327 N. Stanford Lane, Suite B, Liberty Lake fandango bean might be. all of our events and contests on Facebook!

509.891.7070 www.GrowUpSmiling.com Stone Soup by Heather Forest 2005 (ages 4-8) This is a very traditional version Every month we will feature an information with lovely illustrations to teach on a different animal. Cut them out and collect compassion. them all!

Stone Soup by Marilyn Sapienza Barn Owl 1986 (ages 4-8) - Worldwide, except deserts and some Colorful pig illustrations are the stars islands in this whimsical version of the classic - 10-18”, 30-44” fable. wingspan, 4 years Bone Button Borscht by - 16 species Aubrey Davis 1996 (ages 3-9) - Best rodent control for a farm This version has the beggar - Great hearing finding the only light in town - Doesn’t hoot, it at the synagogue. The shamas screeches helps collect ingredients for the soup. The beggar - Biggest predator to its leaves with a full belly and new buttons on his jacket. young is a house cat The Real Story of Stone Soup - Its prey is swallowed whole

by Ying Chang Compestine - Can find prey in 2007 (ages 5-9) complete darkness This Chinese version of the - Eats about 1,460 traditionally European folktale small mamals a year has just enough humor to keep - Often associated with witchcraft and death everyone entertained.

Gr w Up Smiling!

Animal Facts

The Current

18 • JANUARY 2017

Robert was born and raised in Michigan.

His mother introduced him to many children’s books and allowed his creativity to flourish.

He attended the Pratt Institute in New York City. While there he was an intern at Dial Books for Young Readers and his calling for illustrating children’s books was realized.

In 1987, he illustrated his first series but did not achieve recognition until he began designing popup books in 1994. His interest in this type of book was sparked by a book by Vojtech Kubasta. He has also experimented with many less common types of techniques in his work such as faux stained glass, batik, papyrus and murals. He is a multiple #1 New York Times best-selling author with over five million books in print in over 25 languages who has won the Meggendorfer Prize three times.

Author Spotlight a d u b a S t Rober

Books We Recommend

Winter’s Tale 2005

This is certainly a beautiful book. Every page is a beautiful scene that is perfect to enjoy with a cup of cocoa.

The Dragon & the Knight: A Pop-up Misadventure 2014

This isn’t a great read but the pop-ups will delight all.

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum 2000

Commemorating the 100th anniversary of the original story this is a really abridged version but the pop-ups are amazing and it’s a great segue way into reading the original.

Encyclopedia Prehistorica Dinosaurs: The Difinitive Pop-Up with Matthew Reinhart 2005

Kids and adults alike will enjoy the spectacular pop-ups in this book. There is some text about each of the dinosaurs, but, as with his other books, the artwork is the true star.

Snowflakes

Use these template to make your own snowflakes. String together and hang or tape to a window for your own winter scene.

The Current

JANUARY 2017 • 19

Student of the Month West Valley junior Collin Sather went from catching touchdown passes for a football team that reached the state quarterfinals to starting at point guard for the basketball squad. On the gridiron, Sather earned All Great Northern League first team honors as a receiver.

His best game was against Pullman when he pulled down 15 receptions for 200 yards and two touchdowns. The junior is off to a stellar start in basketball this season. He compiled 19 points and 11 rebounds in a win against Lakeside and finished with 15 points in a victory over Cheney. In the spring, Sather is an accomplished sprinter, competing in the 100-and 200-meter races as well as the 4 x 100 relay. In the classroom, Sather maintains a 3.5 grade point average and participates in the Leadership program.

Citizen of the Month and

Thanks you for all you do in our community

West Valley senior Sydney Jones has a winning approach to academics, sports, music and robotics. Besides maintaining a 4.0 grade point average and being a member of the National Honor Society, Jones was part of West Valley’s world championship qualifying robotics team this year that competed in St. Louis last year. She has been part of the program since her freshman year and serves as chief engineer. The senior founded a program called “Eagle Buddies” that supports special education students by matching them with fellow WV students.

Jones has been part of the band for four years as a clarinet player and participated with the Eagle marching band and color guard in the Veterans Day Parade in New York last November. She has also played soccer and softball at WV. Last month, Jones learned she had been accepted to Stanford University.

The Community Box is brought to you by

Kealee Giese Licensed Massage Practitioner License # MA6007382 Deep tissue, auto injury and rehabilitation, pain management and treatment, sports massage, pre and postnatal massage relaxation and reflexology.

Call or Text

509-863-5668 kealeegiese@yahoo.com

to book your appointment today

Come visit your Spokane Valley Neighborhood Financial Center located at 615 N Sullivan Road

800-233-2328

Evergreen Wellness Center 10 N. Evergreen Rd Spokane Valley ,WA 99216

Athlete of the Month Pastor, community leader, philanthropist, teacher – all these titles and more describe Ian Robertson, a longtime Spokane Valley resident who has made a positive impact on many fronts. A native of Scotland, Robertson served as the pastor at Spokane Valley Church of the Nazarene from 1999 to 2007. He was integral in reviving the Sports USA complex, now known as the HUB Sports Center in 2007. Robertson was named Citizen of the Year by the Greater Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce in 2008. A year earlier, the chamber presented him with the Community Caring Award. Before being appointed to the Spokane Valley City Council in 2009, Robertson served on the city’s planning commission from 2002 to 2009. He has been president of the Spokane County Christian Service Team since 2013. Robertson is now leading the “tiny homes” movement locally, helping to provide safe, affordable housing for low-income residents. Ian and his wife, Valerie, will celebrate their 58th wedding anniversary this year. They are parents to two sons.

by volunteering as drivers and raising funds for:

Join us on any Tuesday Morning at 6:30 am at the Spokane Valley Hospital Education Center. Mention this ad and breakfast is on us!

The Current

20 • JANUARY 2017 Brought to you by

About and for Valley seniors

Care Cars relies on volunteers to keep wheels in motion

By Craig Howard Current Editor Once or twice a week, Tom and Norene Green hop into their red sedan and shift gears into safety net mode.

The Spokane Valley couple began volunteering for a program known as Care Cars in June of 2015, joining a crew of coordinated chauffeurs who transport residents of Spokane County to and from medical appointments.

“It sounded like something we could do that would be of help to people so we signed up,” Norene said.

With the latest slew of harsh winter weather, the donated wheels come in even more handy. Most of the appointments the Greens help with are in the Valley but some are on the South Hill or north side.

Most outings are in the range of 15 to 20 miles, round trip.

“We just go where they tell us,” Tom said. “We have certain responsibilities but we’re pretty flexible. They work it around our schedule.”

Since being established in 1984 with half-a-dozen volunteers, the program has accounted for 125,000 trips and covered 1.5 million miles, according to Volunteer Specialist Diane Roberson who has been with Care Cars for the past 19 years.

She said those served “greatly

Rita Newcomb of Spokane Valley says serving as a volunteer with Care Cars has been a rewarding use of her time. The program is in need of more recruits to help with the program.

Photo by Craig Howard

Care Cars was founded in 1984 with half-a-dozen volunteers. Today, the program is administered through Elder Services, a division of Frontier Behavioral Health. From left to right: Volunteers Tom and Norene Green, Volunteer Specialist Diane Roberson and volunteer Rita Newcomb.

Photo by Craig Howard appreciate the kindness and care they receive from the volunteers.”

“We receive phone calls and letters all the time, expressing their gratefulness about Care Cars and especially the volunteers,” Roberson. “They state repeatedly to us they do not know what they would do without Care Cars.”

The program operates under the umbrella of Elder Services, a division of Frontier Behavioral Health. The rally to start Care Cars came in response to an incident involving an elderly Spokane woman who waited for hours in the cold for a bus in her nightgown and slippers and suffered a subsequent illness.

“She needed more assistance than public transportation could provide,” Roberson said. “The need for additional attentive services was recognized and Care Cars was designed to fill that gap in the Spokane community.”

Those who benefit from Care Cars must reside in Spokane County, be unable to afford private pay transportation options, be a disabled adult 18 to 54 or a senior (over 55) and have exhausted all other public/private transportation options.

Rita Newcomb is a Valley resident who heard about Care Cars through a friend who was already volunteering. Years ago, as a single mom, Newcomb faced the challenge of finding her way to work and other places without a vehicle.

“People helped me with

transportation back then,” she said.

“This is my way to pay it back and I really enjoy it.”

The program provides mileage reimbursement and training. While many volunteers are retirees, Roberson said college students sign on for service learning credits and sometimes stay beyond their required hours.

Now a two-year veteran of the program, Newcomb says her experience has been enriching.

“I really enjoy talking to them,” she said. “We visit on the way there and the way back. They’re very gracious and very thankful. If you could see the look on their faces, they’re just so grateful. It makes you feel good.”

Along with a listening ear, volunteers provide a layer of support during challenging times.

“Some of these people don’t get out because they can’t,” Newcomb said. “To have someone to talk to is very important. You can visit with them, it gives them a chance to talk to someone.”

Newcomb remembers taking one client with cataract to the eye doctor. The next appointment was scheduled for six weeks away and she remembers the man leaving extremely discouraged. Later that year, Newcomb was dropping off another client at the same office when he saw the client following a successful surgery.

“He was so happy, he could see so well,” she said. “That was really rewarding.”

As part of the Spokane County

Transportation Plan, Care Cars has had an impact in many areas, Roberson said.

“By reducing canceled medical appointments, we are improving the access to quality medical care,” she said. “This helps prevent costly emergency room visits and trips via ambulance. Our volunteers also provide one-on-one time to individuals who may not otherwise have a social outlet in their lives.

This support allows seniors to stay in their home and prevent or delay placement in a nursing home.”

Flexibility for volunteers is a hallmark of the program.

“Even if a volunteer can only go a few times a year, those are appointments that we know people are getting to,” Roberson said. “We appreciate all of it.”

Newcomb, who typically drives once a week, says “there’s never any pressure” to help out.

“If you can’t drive, it’s not a problem,” she said.

Another trademark of Car Cars is the effort made by volunteers to ensure clients get exactly where they need to be.

“We’re there for them,” Roberson said.

“Some have macular degeneration so they can’t be just left at the door because they wouldn’t find the doctor’s office.

Our volunteers take them in and wait in the lobby, in most cases, and take them home. Our volunteers are amazing. It’s a special group of people.”

Sometimes, when an appointment runs longer, one volunteer drops the client off and another arrives to retrieve. Arrangements for a ride are typically made a week before the appointment. If Care Cars cannot help with transportation, clients are given plenty of notice.

Roberson said around 200 folks are served each year through Care Cars, but that number could be much higher. When asked how many volunteers are currently part of the program, Roberson didn’t hesitate.

“Not enough,” she said. “The more volunteers we have, the more people we’re going to be able to serve.”

Want to find out more?

Care Cars is currently in need of volunteers. To find out more or to sign up, call 458-7450, ext.

3 or email Diane Roberson at droberson@fbhwa.org.

The Current

JANUARY 2017 • 21

SUDOKU

Where Wellness Is A Way Of Life • Independent Living • Light Assisted Living • Walking Trail • Wellness & Fitness Center • Gourmet Chef • Cottage Homes • Swimming Pool & Spa • Assisted Living • Bistro

Daily Tours

Locally Owned and Operated by the Arger Family

•

Move-in Specials

• 509-922-3100 • 1201 N Evergreen Road, Spokane Valley • www.evergreenfountains.com

22 • JANUARY 2017

Headlines at

SPORTS

The Current

The Current is proud to be celebrating 5 years of publishing family friendly, community centered news. As we continue to strive toward our mission of “Honoring local communities and encouraging citizen involvement” in 2017, we will be expanding The Current to be directly mailed to over 20,000 homes in the Spokane Valley area.

More details will be released as we work out the details of this exciting expansion. If you would like to advertise in our inaugural edition, let us know!

Get in touch with us!

call 242-7752 or advertise@libertylakesplash.com

U-Hi grad Dwyer achieves net gain at college level

By Mike Vlahovich

Current Sports Editor Unlike his siblings, Trayton Dwyer was born with cerebral palsy and had to be fitted with a pacemaker for a heart blockage. He walks with a limp that understandably limited his athletic options.

But shed no tears. It turns out there was a bigger place in sports for Dwyer. Thanks to a University High track coach, he is currently playing wheelchair basketball collegiately as one of five freshmen to qualify for the Southwest Minnesota State University roster.

The Titans’ coach saw the way he walked and encouraged him to participate in track. Last spring, he completed his high school career by finishing third in the state ambulatory javelin and racing in the 100- and 200-meter wheelchair events.

The coach suggested he call Teresa Skinner at ParaSport Spokane as a way to continue participation in athletics. Dwyer was hesitant initially, but gravitated to wheelchair basketball. His first competition came at Hoopfest the summer before his junior year in high school and led to his joining a traveling team.

While playing for Spokane in a national tournament in Louisville, the SMSU Mustangs reached out, despite Dwyer’s having played the sport for only two years.

“I worked out all summer to get ready for the season,” said Dwyer during an interview by phone at his home-away-from-home.

Trayton is one of triplet sons born to Tami-Su and Dan Dwyer.

His brothers, Cameron and Max, were Titans’ baseball starters and sister, Gracee, is a junior basketball player and standout infielder in softball, who her mother said, has committed to play collegiately.

“Sports are in our blood,” TamiSu said. “For him to physically participate has just been a true blessing.”

For Trayton, playing ball in middle

Trayton Dwyer participated in track at University High, placing third in the state ambulatory javelin competition as a senior.

Contributed photo school exacted a toll. “The way I had to run on my legs, basketball just got too hard on the body,” he said.

the chair leave the ground. You are allowed to double dribble once and the fast break is essential, passing the ball up court for an easier shot.

But he learned the nuances of the wheelchair version which led to the national tourney experience that ultimately got him recruited.

At Minnesota State, he’s discovered a faster game. “It was an eye-opener,” Trayton said. “I wasn’t aggressive enough.”

“I took it as a way to have fun,” Trayton said. “But we’re a sports family and my competitiveness took over.”

The older players are bigger and stronger, Tami-Su said he’s scored some and had assists, but his main accomplishment has been rebounding, “like crazy.”

He worked to get better every day, lifted weights and took notes.

“I started watching my teammates and learned what it looked like,” he said. “At the beginning it was really hard. I almost had to throw my shoulder out a little bit. It gets easier the more you do it.”

Trayton gave a brief description of the strategy of the sport. Played on a regular sized basketball court, the idea, he says, is to get the ball inside, post up, wheel chairs clanging as they pick and roll.

It is physical, obviously, and an offensive foul if the back wheels of

There have been benefits beyond playing a college sport and traveling the country, his mother said. Trayton has left the nest and is learning to become more selfreliant.

“We didn’t think he was going to college and were surprised he got an offer,” Tami-Su said. “He’s gone away and I know it’s hard, but he’s adjusting. That’s what para sport has done for him.”

Trayton added, “This experience has been so much learning the sport. I love it.”

The Current

Sports Notebook

By Mike Vlahovich

Current Sports Editor Nearing the halfway point of the high school winter sports season, Valley teams have had mixed results.

Freeman’s boys, Central Valley girls’ and boys’ basketball teams and Valley Christian girls are either unbeaten or have a solo loss. East Valley girls were unbeaten in Great Northern League action and other local teams have been competitive.

Central Valley and University wrestling teams are each having down years by their historical standards losing badly to Greater Spokane League leaders to the north. The Bears were trounced by area power Mead and the Titans lost convincingly for the first time ever to Mt. Spokane.

Herewith a glance accomplishments:

of

some

Final Point Gauge of the gridiron – A look at football from the ground up

By Mike Vlahovich

Splash Sports Editor Coaches and athletes at all levels, parents, businesses and others from various walks of life contributed to a recent Sports Illustrated article that devoted nearly the entire issue to dissecting the cult of football.

Writers crisscrossed the country questioning believers and non-believers alike in order to understand the sport’s hold on America. Football’s popularity and fanaticism were discussed as were

SPORTS

Basketball teams do well

Central Valley girls took up where they left off last year, adding to a string of consecutive wins that dates back to last year’s unbeaten state championship season. As of Dec. 20, they had run off 35 straight wins.

Virtually intact, many of the girls are in their third varsity seasons.

Lexie Hull led scoring at 15.8 points per game, Lacie Hull was at 13.3 and Hailey Christopher was averaging 10.3 points a game.

The boys were second when this publication went to press with a 6-1 record despite a virtually new lineup. They brought back just three players from last year’s post-season basketball qualifier, but even with a new roster, hadn’t missed a beat, sharing second place in the GSL with an overall 6-1 record.

Veterans Ryan Rehkow and Jase Edwards were double figures scorers, Rehkow leading the way with a near 17-points average and he had scored in double figures every game.

Edwards was scoring nearly 11

per game and seven of nine players had scored in double figures.

Central Valley and University in basketball rivalry the Bears swept.

Freeman boys, second in state last year with the bulk of its lineup returned, only two of them seniors, were unbeaten having topped three Great Northern League 2A teams and went unbeaten in their first three Northeast A league games.

CV’s boys won 60-55 at the free throw line and the girls overwhelmed their counterparts 51-16. They meet again for the Stinky Sneaker at the Spokane Arena Jan. 31.

Michael Coumont was on a tear and Ryan Maine took up where he left off, both averaging 17.5 points per game at the time. Dylan Oja was the team’s other double figures scorer.

University’s Boston Tacke was averaging 14.4 points a game for the break-even Titans. West Valley’s Collin Sather and Cletis Hydrick were double figure scorers combining for 26 points per game.

Freshman Ellie Boni led U-Hi’s girls at 12.9 per contest. Genesis Wilkinson led a balanced effort for East Valley’s girls, scoring 10 points a game for the GNL leaders.

And EV’s Jeremiah Hillard led boys scoring with 14 points per game.

Round one to Bears In the first meeting between

topics like violence and the future of the sport.

when it came time to tackle football in seventh grade.

Concussions and its effects on the future of the sport in SI’s study was an area that piqued my curiosity.

The protocols at the college and professional level were one thing.

Kids who don pads and helmets while playing tackle football as young as age 3 hit closer to home.

Despite being consumed by sports, I told myself I would never force my kids to play. I told them that until they came to me and said it was time I would say nothing. My first son, Jared, came to me age 6, when he said he was ready.

There were anecdotes of Bear Bryant wannabes taking the fun out of the game, pushing and bullying elementary age players and making them play hurt to toughen them up. In football hub cities, medical personnel are on hand just in case.

Overbearing parents and coaches confront one another as if the kids’ game is life and death with a college scholarship on the line.

Fortunately, some areas have come to their senses and traded tackle for flag football at least for novice kids. I can’t say that’s a bad thing.

I experienced early-on that flag football for youth does not diminish readiness to play tackle in high school and beyond. Indeed, I discovered first-hand that the fundamentals instilled readied the flag football player just as well

JANUARY 2017 • 23

He had to get league permission to play coach pitch baseball with and against older kids. When parents in the neighborhood formed a soccer team, but had no coach, I volunteered and he played one year.

The next steps were basketball and wrestling. The sport that grabbed him was football. He began in the YMCA flag football league – no pads, no uniforms, just a pair of flags strapped to their waists.

Though I was the de facto coach, it was my “assistant,” Tony Benson, who ran the show. He was a teacher in the Central Valley School District and had played football at Whitworth.

He had two sons on our team, Brandon and Chris.

Tony taught the players how to block and came up with the plays.

Wrestlers foes

grapple

tourney

The dual season was just under way, but school wrestlers have gotten their feet wet in a couple of tournaments.

At the Inland Empire Tournament hosted by Central Valley, the Bears Braeden Orrino and EV’s Randy McDonald were champions in their respective weight classes and CV’s Bridger Beard was second. CV’s Bradley Wiggs was third as were EV’s Winston Scott and Ethan Smith and U-Hi’s Caleb Thomas.

At the prestigious Tri-State tournament in Coeur d’Alene there were several top six finishers, including CV’s Beard, Orrino, Wyatt Wickham and John Keiser. Others were EV’s Scott, U-Hi’s Terrell Sanders along with Neftali Lopez and Hunter Nees from Freeman.

Most important lessons learned were tackling fundamentals even while playing the non-contact game.

Instead of futilely grabbing for a flag as the ball carrier whizzed by, Tony taught them how to square up confront the ball carrier and reach for both flags at the same time.

No scores were kept, no wins and losses tallied (although I can say, as you might expect from rabid dads, only we knew our team lost but once in two years). No rifts in the stands or between coaches and officials in flag football.

There were no injuries, certainly no concussions in flag football.

What the kids learned carried over when they began playing tackle at age 12 in junior high. They had a distinct advantage when squaring up, wrapping, head to the side, and driving the ball carrier to the ground. Several continued on through high school on a team that earned a post-season playoff.

Tony and Chris Benson ultimately went on to play collegiately at Ivy League schools after beginning with flag football. Their dad had been a good teacher.

The Current

24 • JANUARY 2017

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

s y a D y p p a H The Musical

Written by Garry Marshall Music & Lyrics by Paul Williams

ork , NY

French, New Y uel am S by on ssi mi per l cia spe th wi ed ent Pres

M16ar,17ch,18

15, & 22,23,24,25 NT

RA

L

VA L

LE Y

™

CE

CV Performing Arts Center | 821 S Sullivan Rd, Spokane Valley

Purchase your seats now at cvtheatre.com

WELCOME HOME TO THE

WHISPERING PINES luxury li ving fo r age s 5 5 a n d u p

• • • • • • • • •

Tickets $10-$14 7:30pm curtain

New Construction Gated Community Snow Removal Included Lawn Care Included Water/Sewer Included Garbage Included Small Pets Welcome Community Clubhouse 2 and 3 Bed Options

• • • • • • • • •

Stainless Steel Appliances Two Car Garage Open Floorplan Breakfast Bar Vaulted Ceiling Washer/Dryer Hookup Smoke Free Step In Shower Cable/Internet Ready

Rent Starting at Just $1325 a Month

Call to tour your new home today at: (509)991-4316 19106 E. Sprague Avenue Spokane Valley, WA 99016

Underwritten in part by:

CVHSe eatr

Th ters Boos

Kathrine Olson, D.D.S. • Gentle

Family Dentistry Patients Welcome • Cosmetic & Implant Dentistry • Teeth Whitening • Preventive Care • Relaxed Environment • Over 20 Years in Practice • New

Member American Dental Association & Spokane District Dental Society

210 S. Sullivan Rd. Spokane Valley

924-9596

See us at www.kathrineolsondds.com

The Current

HISTORY

JANUARY 2017 • 25

Winter Wonderland -- Reflecting back on the Valley's frozen past

Hours Wed. - Fri. 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Saturday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Admission Children under 7: Free Children 7-17: $4 Ages 18-54: $6 Seniors (55+): $5 Military: $5

12114 E Sprague Ave. Spokane Valley, WA 509-922-4570

26 • JANUARY 2017

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.

The end of 2016 featured a bevy of activities across greater Spokane Valley. Clockwise from upper left: The West Valley boys' basketball team took time to volunteer at the Union Gospel Mission, serving a Thanksgiving meal; a collection of former Citizens of the Year gathered at the Greater Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce annual luncheon on Dec. 16 (from left to right: Chuck Stocker, Peggy Doering, Chuck Hafner, Diana Wilhite, Dick Denenny and Ian Robertson. Not pictured but in attendance, Bill Gothmann); Frank Tombari, longtime Valley banker and community volunteer, was announced as the 2017 Citizen of the Year at the chamber lunch. GSVCC President and CEO Katherine Morgan congratulated Tombari; a farm in Greenacres sits blanketed in snow and Avista Stadium hibernates, awaiting the first day of the Spokane Indians' 2017 home schedule.

The Current

WV band marches in New York, takes up cause in Midwest

By Julie Humphreys Current Correspondent A group of West Valley High School students visited New York recently and came away with a real feel for Indiana, all via a parade.

The students are members of the WVHS marching band and color guard who had the honor of performing in the Veterans Day Parade and the “Band of Pride Tribute” in Times Square on Nov. 11. It’s about as high up the parade ladder as you can go.

While the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade may be more well known, the Veterans Day Parade is much bigger with some 250 units and upwards of 25,000 participants including veterans from all eras. That billing alone is a dream-come true for many of these local musicians, not to mention the chance to catch top-notch musical performances including “Phantom of the Opera.”

And how about this for an indelible impression – the band arrived in New York the day after the presidential election, right smack in the middle of history, protests and all. The Indiana connection was a bonus, but perhaps the most meaningful part of the trip.

The journey to the parade began in November of 2015 when band director Jim Loucks was notified that the Eagle Marching Band was chosen to participate. The letter he received from parade officials said the band was selected because of its reputation for showmanship through exceptional leadership and a desire to honor American Veterans.

“It’s a ton of work to go through the selection process” says Loucks, C who explains for high school M marching bands to even be on the radar for national parades they have Y to compete in local and regional band competitions on a consistent CM basis year after year.

MY Practice and the dedication of the 75 members of the West Valley CY band, Loucks believes, put them on CMY that radar and made them stand out in a competitive field of bands, many K much larger, even twice the size of the Eagle band.

“We get invited and I really stress excellence, not only musically, but in the classroom as well,” Loucks said. “My band kids are choosing to be in the classroom. Band is an elective and it’s somewhat of a dying program but only if you let it be. I’ve tried hard to develop a need for our band in our high school.”

Loucks said both kids and parents “understand the value of what we do in music,” which he says includes

JANUARY 2017 • 27

teamwork, creativity and math.

Each student had to raise $1,500 to make the trip to New York. The band held a slew of car washes and other fundraisers to achieve the goal. Loucks gives credit to a supportive community and media for helping them reach their goal. A year after learning they’d been selected, students had pulled it off and were ready to travel.

The WV contingent made plans to do some sight-seeing while in New York. Loucks, who loves to travel and has taken students to parades around the country regularly during his 24 years as director of bands at West Valley, knows the value of experiences outside of the parade.

Students visited the Statue of Liberty and enjoyed a dinner cruise on the Hudson River. They went to Radio City Music Hall’s “Christmas Spectacular,” toured the Metropolitan Museum of Art and – the highlight for senior drum major and trumpet student, Michael Adamson – a visit to the 9/11 site. ”It’s a sacred place in a way” describes Adamson, “It’s hard to think there are still bodies buried under there”. For Adamson and other students, visiting the site was a must-see. The parade they had traveled across the country to march in, after all, was in commemoration GraceSon_invitations_2017_back_pr.pdf 1

of the 15th anniversary of 9/11.

“I consider myself pretty patriotic and it was so cool to march as thousands of people lined the streets waving American flags,” said Adamson. “It gave all of us a true sense of patriotic pride.”

Now, the Indiana connection, which featured an unlikely collaboration of two bands from very different parts of the country and very different backgrounds As the West Valley band gathered in the warm-up area prior to the parade they noticed a high-energy drill, dance and drum team. The group called “The Soul Steppers,” had a back story that the band from Spokane had never quite This was a hodge-podge group of children and adults straight from the streets, the jails and the addiction recovery facilities of Michigan City, Indiana. One faith-filled, determined and loving woman pulled the group together in her home where they practice three to five times a week as an alternative to gangs, drugs and other trouble. Founded in 2000, the Soul Steppers is now an awardwinning team that travels throughout the country touching lives with lasting impressions like the one left with Adamson.

“They were really entertaining, talented, and fun,” he said. “It was interesting to be exposed to such 12/13/2016 11:25:32 AM

diverse people and their culture.”

That culture includes poverty. The Soul Steppers have heart and soul but generating the funds to travel can be a challenge. The West Valley students couldn’t help but notice that their band equipment was in less-than stellar condition. While West Valley’s musical instruments were bright and shiny, the Soul Steppers were playing broken down and outdated provisions. Even as the group from Indiana played dynamically in an impromptu combined performance with West Valley’s drumline, the Spokane students knew their new acquaintances deserved better equipment.

Back home, the West Valley students were still inspired by the joy and pride the Soul Steppers exhibited even while performing with big equipment challenges. It didn’t take the students long to embark on a new fundraising project. They are now raising money to purchase new equipment for members of a faithbased, performing arts group out of Michigan City, Indiana. They’ve already kicked off the $10,000 to $15,000 effort which they are hoping the community will support just as they did their own trip to New York City.

To learn more about the WV Band’s latest effort, contact Sue Shields at 340-7204 or sue.shields@wvsd.org.

28 • JANUARY 2017

Taxes, other key issues on legislative table

By Sen. Mike Padden

The buzz about this year’s legislative session is all about education funding, proposals for enormous tax increases and a possible showdown with the state Supreme Court about its proper constitutional role. But those aren’t the only issues on-deck for 2017.

Just as important are those with a direct impact on the people of the greater Spokane Valley.

The Senate Law and Justice Committee, which I chair, will be dealing with issues ranging from the rising rate of property crime to strengthening our felony DUI laws. Right now, those of us who serve in the legislature are packing up our offices over Christmas and preparing for 15 weeks in Olympia, starting Jan. 9. These are some of the biggest issues for our area: Budget and taxes -- Gov. Jay Inslee set the stage with a proposal Dec. 13 for the biggest tax increase in Washington state history – an astounding $8.7 billion every

Aboutthe Opinion Page

The Current wants to hear what’s on your mind. Interact with the opinion page with a le er to the editor (350 words or fewer), guest column (700 words or fewer; please send a mug) or via Facebook or Twi er: editor@valleycurrent.com facebook.com/valleycurrent @valleycurrent

As with all content, opinion page submissions may be edited for space, style or clarity. This is a community newspaper, so be relevant to the Valley for the best chance at publica on.

“In all debates, let truth be thy aim, not victory or an unjust interest. And endeavor to gain, rather than to expose, thy antagonist.”

— William Penn

OPINION

two years by the time it is fully implemented. The proposal includes an income tax on capital gains, a precursor to a general income tax on every citizen of the state, as well as new taxes on small businesses, manufacturers and energy utilities.

Although the governor touts his plan as a response to the Supreme Court’s demand that we spend more on our public schools, the bulk of his proposed spending isn’t for basic education but rather for pay raises.

Not only would the proposal drive up the cost of such essentials as gasoline and electricity, it would stifle economic development and job creation. Within four years the state would be $650 million in the red and require additional tax increases.

Safe to call this plan a “non-starter.”

Yet it signals to the governor’s fellow big government advocates, who are in the majority in the state House, that this is a year to seek higher taxes. Our majority coalition in the state Senate will face challenges as we hold the line for responsible budgeting.

Property crime – A rising number of car thefts, burglaries and other nonviolent crimes have made the greater Spokane area a national hotspot – sixth among metropolitan areas for property crime in 2014, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau.

Last session I partnered with Sen. Michael Baumgartner, R-Spokane, to obtain $300,000 for targeted law enforcement efforts in Spokane

County. We hope to continue the work this session by increasing penalties for habitual offenders.

Water for the Valley – One potential source of water for the fast-growing communities of the Spokane Valley are the underutilized water rights that are the legacy of the area’s agricultural past. Unfortunately, changes to state law in 2003 create difficulties in using agricultural water rights for municipal water systems.

Last session I sponsored a bill to streamline the process, and will renew the effort in the coming year.

Felony DUI – Washington state has the laxest felony DUI law in the country, requiring four misdemeanor convictions within 10 years before the fifth can be charged as a felony and the offender sent to prison. For the last four years my colleagues and I have worked with victims of this senseless crime to allow the fourth offense to be charged as a felony, and we will press the case again in 2017.

Property rights – State law makes it too easy for local governments to declare properties to be blighted and take them from their owners using the power of eminent domain. Often the goal is to turn property over to a developer who will increase the tax base. Last session I introduced legislation prohibiting the use of eminent domain for economic development and will resume the effort next year.

Corrections issues – Last year the legislature was shocked to learn that the Department of Corrections had improperly released thousands of violent felons early, even after it was notified of the problem. After extensive investigation, our Law and Justice Committee proposed numerous reforms and will consider proposals to improve DOC oversight, protect whistleblowers and prevent similar management failures from recurring.

Other big topics include a revision to water rights statutes following a court decision that already has caused many development projects statewide to be put on hold. In addition, I will be working with my 4th District colleagues, Reps.

Bob McCaslin and Matt Shea, to fund continued development of the Appleway Trail. All in all, a packed agenda.

Sen. Mike Padden represents the Spokane Valley’s 4th Legislative District as a state senator.

SERVICE DIRECTORY

EVENT & MEETING FACILITY HAVE AN EVENT COMING UP?

The Tri Community Grange Event Hall is an affordable and ideal location for parties, receptions, dances, reunions and meetings. Full kitchen, stage, piano, tables and chairs, NEW AC, handicap accessible, large parking lot and free signage. Call Jerry at 226-2202 or email jerrylpeterson@comcast.com.

YOUR BUSINESS HERE

The Current

EDITOR/PUBLISHER

Ben Wick

ben@libertylakesplash.com EDITOR

Craig Howard

craig@libertylakesplash.com GRAPHICS EDITOR/ Danica Wick A DVERTISING COORDINATOR danica@libertylakesplash.com OFFICE MANAGER

Paula Gano paula@libertylakesplash.com

Dean Byrns circulation@libertylakesplash.com

CIRCULATION

CONTRIBUTORS

Craig Howard, Julie Humphreys, Staci Lehman, Mary Anne Ruddis, Ben Shedlock, Jayne Singleton, Mike Vlahovich 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

Wick Enterprizes Submitted materials

Publishing House

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

Subscriptions Subscriptions for U.S. postal addresses cost $12 for 12 issues. Send a check and subscription address to P.O. Box 363, Liberty Lake, WA 99019. Subscriptions must

be received by the 15th of the month in order for the subscription to begin with the issue printed the end of that month.

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

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

Advertising integrity Inaccurate

or

deceptive

advertising

is

never

knowingly accepted. Complaints about advertisers should be made in writing to the Better Business Bureau and to advertise@libertylakesplash.com. The Splash is not responsible for the content of or claims

ADVERTISE WITH US

Want you business to be part of our Service Directory? Contact Joy Katt at 844-3702 or joy@libertylakesplash.com We look forward to hearing from you!

made in ads.

Copyright © 2016 All rights reserved. All contents of The Current may not be reproduced without written permission of the publisher.

The Current

JANUARY 2017 • 29

Valley Chamber

Love The Current?

Support our partners.

HIGHLIGHTS

The Current is committed to serving the Greater Spokane Valley area through excellent community journalism. We can’t do it at all without you, our readers, and we can’t do it for long without support from our advertisers. Please thank our business partners and look to them when offering your patronage.

Our sincere appreciation to the following businesses for their foundational partnerships with The Current and its partner publications:

CONNECT. CONNECT.

EMPOWER. EMPOWER.

INNOVATE. INNOVATE.

Celebrating Excellence

lifestyle

Join the celebration of excellence at the 14th annual Gem of the Valley Awards Gala. This premiere event features lively auction activities, an elegant dinner and awards program, honoring the following:

Fri., January THE 20 Mirabeau Park Hotel 5:30 - Doors Open, Tiaras & Tails 6:30 - Dinner 7:00 - Auction & Awards Program

•

Chamber Volunteer of the Year

•

Chamber Ambassador of the Year

•

Non-profit of the Year

For more information and

•

Heart of the Community Award

to register, visit

•

Small Business of the Year

spokanevalleychamber.org

•

Medium Business of the Year

•

Large Business of the Year

•

Entrepreneur of the Year

SAVE THE DATE

•

Educators of the Year

May 12

(East Valley, West Valley and Central Valley School Districts) •

Citizen of the Year

ENRI CHED LI VI NG. LASTI NG VALUE.

THE

YOU WANT

quality

Family Medicine/Healthy Living Liberty Lake THE

YO U D ES ERVE

Liberty Lake Family Dentistry • Liberty Lake Orthodontics

Financial • Spokane County Library District New homes in Spokane,Thrivent Spokane Valley, Liberty Lake, Post Falls & Coeur

The Business Showcase, Spokane County Fair & Expo Center

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

Index of advertisers

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

August 3 Bid on an array of exciting auction packages.

Golf Tournament, MeadowWood Golf Course

Special thanks to our sponsors:

September 25 & 26

Modern Electric Water Co. and Valley Hospital.

Media Partners: QUINN The Splash/The Current

commun

Manufacturing EXPO Mirabeau Park Hotel/ Spokane County Fair & Expo Center To register, visit spokanevalleychamber.org

Amaculate Housekeeping

10

4

Sam’s Percussion Studio

10 32

BECU 19

Kathrine Olson, DDS

24

Simonds Dental Group

Central Valley Theatre

24

Kealee Giese

19

Spokane County Library District 13

Cornerstone Penecostal Church

12

KiDDS Dental

17

Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce 29

Kiwanis of Liberty Lake

11

Stauffer and Associates

3

19

Waste Management

3

Courtney Hanks

5

Custom Fit Lighting

12

Kiwanis of Spokane Valley

Evergreen Fountain

21

Liberty Lake Family Dentistry

GraceSon Housing Foundation

27

Liberty Lake Orthodontics

Greenstone 12

1421 N. Meadowwood Ln. Liberty Lake, WA 99019 | 509-924-4994 | www.spokanevalleychamber.org

Healthy Living Liberty Lake

5 12

Relics 24

Whispering Pines

24

Service Directory

28

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

30 • JANUARY 2017

THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR ADVERTISERS AND READERS WHO SUPPORT AND CONNECT OUR COMMUNITY!

Kiwanis of Spokane Valley Lake City Figure Skating Lakeside Vision PLLC Liberty Cross Ministries Liberty Lake Athletic Club A1 Cleaning Service Evergreen Fountains Liberty Lake Baptist Church Abstract Painting Face Your Beauty by Toby Liberty Lake Centennial Rotary Club Adorkable Flowers and Gifts Family Medicine/Healthy Living Liberty Lake Church Affordable Arborist Tree Care Inc Liberty Lake Liberty Lake Community Theatre Amaculate Housekeeping Franko’s Auto Salon Liberty Lake EyeCare Center American Asset Management Friends of Pavillion Park Liberty Lake Family Dentistry Anne’s Nails Friends of the Liberty Lake MuLiberty Lake Family Dermatology Anytime Fitness nicipal Library Liberty Lake Farmers Market Apollo Spas Friends of Town Square Liberty Lake Fireworks Fund Attn: Caroline Wright Garden Expo Liberty Lake Golf Course Attn: Dave Pehl Gary Keller DDS Liberty Lake Junior Golf Association Avenue Insurance Planners Golf Cars Etc Liberty Lake Orthodontics Avista Utilities GraceSon Housing Foundation Liberty Lake Pet Sitters & Banner Furnace & Fuel Great Clips Pooper Scoopers Barre Belle Fitness Greater Spokane Substance Abuse Liberty Lake Physical Therapy Be Still Kids Council Liberty Lake Sewer & Water District BECU Greater Spokane Valley Chamber Liberty Lake Wine Cellars Bella Crosta of Commerce Liberty Lube Bobby’s Cafe and Catering Greenstone Homes LIFT in 15 Boots and Brushes Hallett’s Market & Cafe Live Real Estate -Thomas McLaughlin Camping World Hay J’s Bistro MailBox Center & Tom’s Barber Shop Casey Family Dental Hearth Homes Martin, Anthony J Central Valley School District Heinz Painting & Handyman MeadowWood HOA Central Valley Theatre Higher Ground Animal Sanctuary Michael’s Berry Farm Chamberlain Contracting Highlands Day Spa Michelle’s Dance Studio Services Holistic Festival Millwood Community Presbyterian Cherry Pickers Trot Holman Gardens Mumm for County Commissioner City of Liberty Lake Horizon Credit Union Nail Palace City of Spokane Valley HUB Sports Center Natural Spine Solutions Clapper, Charles Inland Empire Utility Northern Quest Resort & Casino Clark’s Tire & Automotive Coordinaing Council Northwest Insurance Brokers Coeur d’Alene Deck Inland Northwest Blood Center Northwest Painting Coldwell Banker - Rob Brickett Inland Northwest Health Services Northwest Painting Solutions Community Colleges of Spokane Inland NW Baby Numerica Credit Union Concepts ON Concrete Intelligent Balance Spinal Care Odyssey Sports Northwest Conner Construction Inc Jim Custer Enterprises ONAC - CenturyLink Consign Furniture Joe Dorosh Tree Farm Otis Orchards Community Church CorkHouse John L Scott Real Estate Ott Knott Used Golf Carts Cornerstone Pentecostal Church Liberty Lake PACE. (Part of CVSD) Country Homes Power Jump and Bounce Pacific Northwest Construction Courtney Hanks Just Chillin’ Eats and Sweets Services Inc Creighton Engineering Karen Does My Hair Pacific Northwest Construction Cullings Family Dentistry Kathrine Olson DDS Services Inc Custom Fit Lighting Kealee Giese Donna’s School of Dance & Music KeenKleen East Valley ECEAP Keeve, Jon Edward Jones Liberty Lake KiDDS Dental Kiwanis of Liberty Lake

Painted Hills Preservation Association Painting With a Twist Palenque Mexican Restaurant Paola’s Rainbow Resort Papa Tom’s Christmas Tree Farm Pawpular Companions Pet Supplies Peaceful Paws Massage People for Andrew Biviano Peterson, Bruce Ponti Veterinary Hospital Pristine Lawn Care Relay For Life Republicans of Spokane County Riveira, Julie Riverview Little League Rockin’ B Ranch Rockwood Clinic Ryan Johnson S&L Handyman Salon Capello-Alisha Fenton Sam’s Percussion Studio Santana, Louis Sarah Hamilton FACE Save Your Glass Window Cleaning Sayre Sayre & Fossum Schuts Ray SCRAPS Shelly O’Quinn for Co Commissioner Simonds Dental Group Sloan, Mary SNAP Eastern Washington Spokane County Fire District 10 Spokane County Interstate Fair Spokane County Library District Spokane County Parks, Recreation & Golf Spokane Health & Fitness Expo Spokane Indians Spokane OBGYN Spokane Roofing Spokane Stars Basketball Camp Spokane Symphony Associates Spokane Train Show Spokane Valley Arts Council Spokane Valley Business Association

Spokane Valley Fire Dept Spokane Valley Heritage Museum Spokane Valley Kiwanis Spokane Valley Summer Theatre Squeakies Cleaning Service, LLC Stauffer & Associates Stearns Home Loans Stolp Vision Clinic The Clean Up Bros The Floor Works The Friends of Manito The Mat THE WELL Coffee House and Eatery Thrivent Financial Toe Tubs Organic Spa Tracy Jewelers Tri-Community Grange True Legends Grill Twisp Cafe & Coffee House Umpqua Bank Union Gospel Mission Corporate University High School Instrumen tal Music Parents Association Uplift Church Valley Hospital Valley Medical Aesthetics Valley Parent Co-op Preschool Valley Real Life Valleyfest Waste Management of Spokane Weishaar, Sue Weishaar D.D.S. Willow Song Music Therapy Services Windermere Liberty Lake Windermere Marathon Windermere Real Estate - Bill White Windowworks NW LLC Wish Upon a Star Events Woolsey, Mark Wounded Warriors Project Fundraiser Yoke’s Fresh Markets Zephyr Lodge & Conference Grounds

m o r f r a e Y w e N y p p a H nd a h s a l p S The t! n e r r u C e h T

These Advertisers Supported The Splash or The Current in 2016

The Current

Melting social numbness on a single-digit day

By Craig Howard Current Editor Shortly into the 10th Blessings Under the Bridge Event last month, my feet to feel like two chunks of concrete.

annual Winter began frozen

When I took one of my insulated gloves off to reach for a pen, the permeating cold of a 5-degree day in downtown Spokane bit at my fingers and left my hand discolored and stinging.

It stung even more to realize that many of the people I talked to that day had no refuge from the sort of weather that freezes water pipes and sends those who are able on the next plane to Scottsdale.

Jessica Kovac had her heart unthawed a decade ago when she ventured west from her home and job in Liberty Lake to deliver brown bag lunches to the homeless. Her husband, Mike, joined her a few weeks later and, not long after, a unique nonprofit took form.

Over the years, Blessings Under the Bridge has provided around 100,000 meals to those who often feel invisible. Not here. Those who access the resources offered by Blessings are treated royally. The event on Dec. 17 may have been held below a freeway overpass in conditions more suited for the Antarctic but the 500 or so clients who dropped by were treated to prime rib from Northern Quest Casino served on linen tablecloths.

Volunteers bussed tables and offered hot cocoa and savory desserts.

As with every occasion hosted

by Blessings, people felt dignified and valued. Cardboard signs were

ON THAT NOTE

JANUARY 2017 • 31

temporarily set aside to make room for seconds.

Along with the generous supply of food, tables were layered with blankets, hats, scarves, gloves and boots. Hand warmers and bus passes were received like relished treasures. Those who came through the food line were given homemade holiday cards.

Derek Winch has been volunteering with Blessings for the past year. He was ready with a smile for all who passed by him – even if he couldn’t feel his face. One of Winch’s goals for the four hours of festivities was simple -- “to keep from freezing and help other people keep from freezing.”

“I’m here to try and help out, to do what I can,” Winch said. “What Mike and Jessica do is unmatched.

I’ve never seen anything like it before. I think it has a huge impact on the people they serve. I don’t know what these folks would do without it.

Lindsie McDuffie picked the coldest day of the year to contribute to Blessings for the first time.

“It’s important to help people who are less fortunate,” she said. “At the end of the day, we know we have somewhere to go that’s warm so we’re trying to provide other people with that same thing, even if it’s just for a day.”

The Liberty Lake office of John L. Scott Real Estate was back for its seventh Winter Event with volunteers presiding over the prestigious hot cocoa station.

Nicole Decker was one of several employees who braved the chill to bring holiday cheer to those who often feel literally and figuratively left out in the cold.

“It’s cold out here today but these people are living in this all the time,” she said. “We’re just trying to give back what we can.”

Shelley Harty of Spokane Valley

Employees of the Liberty Lake office of John L. Scott and their family members helped with a hot cocoa stand at the Winter Event.

Photo by Craig Howard

Around 500 people enjoyed a prime rib meal at the 10th annual Winter Event hosted by Blessings Under the Bridge on Dec. 17.

Photo by Craig Howard brought her three sons – Garrett, Gage and Jackson – out to help and to get outside their comfort zone.

“You tend to stay in your stratosphere,” she said. “Something like this gets you out of that. When you serve others, you feel more connected to the community.”

Gage, a junior at University High School, admitted the idea of spending part of his Saturday equipped for a climb to Mt. Everest was not his.

“Just being out here in multiple layers, I’m still really cold,” he said.

“My mom signed me up but I’m glad I’m here. You’re making people’s holidays a little bit better, bringing some happiness and making Spokane a better place in general.”

The insight from the U-Hi Titan captured the paradox of a memorable day. The 400 or so volunteers who struggled to keep their hands, feet and face from turning into ice

cubes actually felt a warmth that nourished the soul. The process of serving the most vulnerable among us thawed out the numbness that often occurs when we pass the emaciated panhandler on the street corner or hear of a family living out of their car. Because we were frozen, we felt.

The temperatures under the freeway may have been jarring but the rewards of that day brought an insulating effect. By bringing humanity and kindness to those who deal with very real threats like hypothermia and hunger, we were able to discard apathy and appreciate the parallels instead of the differences. It was a dynamic reminder of the good that can happen when people set aside their personal agendas and stereotypes and take the time to genuinely care.

On this day, the cold never had a chance.

Brothers Gage, Garrett and Jackson Harty of Spokane Valley were among some 400 volunteers at the Winter Event.

Photo by Craig Howard

The Current

32 • JANUARY 2017

Get your SPARKLE on for the holidays with this fantastic new patient offer!

Free ZOOM!

in-office whitening ($450 Value) - OR -

22106 E. Country Vista Drive Suite D • Liberty Lake

www.LibertyLakeDental.com CALL TODAY!

Free SONICARE TOOTHBRUSH With Purchase of a New Patient Exam, Necessary X-rays & Recommended Cleaning. Offer expires 1/31/2017.

Dr. Erin Merrifield •Dr. Ross Simonds • Dr. Amanda Roper

You are The Current Want to see your name in print (for all the right reasons, of course)? Or maybe you just want to help point out great ideas for content worth sharing with your neighbors?

The Current is a community newspaper, so if you are part of the greater Valley community, we want to know what’s important to you. We like to say there are eight of us, and there are more than 100,000 of you. Maybe one of the questions below applies to you? If so, you can help us out.  Do you go on vacation?

Maybe you’re heading somewhere fun (and warm) for spring break. If so, pack a copy of The Current and pull it out to snap your photo in front of your favorite destination or landmark.

When you return to the Valley, drop us a line with the pic, and we’ll share it with readers. Call it “Current Travels.”  Are you part of a club or service organization?

Well, what do you know? Let us add you to our list

of recurring Valley events in the near future that will be well-suited for clubs and organizations that have regular meetings. Send us the info.  Do you celebrate?

We want people to know about everything from your new baby, to your upcoming wedding or anniversary, to your incredible office or sporting achievement. Photos, announcements, honors — please send!  Did you capture a shot?

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

The Current sets aside a budget and great assignments for people like you. Send some clips our way, and we’ll be in touch.

 Do you eat?

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

You are The Current. E-mail editor@ valleycurrent.com so we can share the things that are important to you.

Wick Enterprizes

Publishing House

“Honoring local communities and encouraging citizen involvement”

509-242-7752 | www.valleycurrent.com