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The Valley: Pre-Freeway
Travel back in time to discover what the community was like before I-90
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NEWS
2 • MAY 2017
The Current
The Park Bench
March Maestro – Santangelo a catalyst in Gonzaga’s first tournament flourish By Craig Howard Current Editor In December 1999, the Chicago Tribune sent a reporter to the Inland Northwest to cover an emerging national phenomenon known as Gonzaga basketball. No one could quite believe it at the time – a small, Jesuit university in a relatively unknown Eastern Washington town suddenly leapfrogging into an elite world traditionally owned by programs like Kentucky, Duke and UCLA. The season before the “Zags,” as they would become known, pulled off a stunning run to the NCAA Tournament’s Elite Eight, defeating well-established programs like Minnesota, Stanford and Florida along the way. The pugnacious point guard on the squad was an ultra-determined kid from the blue-collar streets of North Portland named Matt Santangelo. Like the rest of his teammates, he seemed oblivious to the detractors who said an unheralded team from the West Coast Conference (WCC) couldn’t accomplish much more than a token appearance on a national stage. Halfway into his senior season, Santangelo told the Tribune that the Zags should not be viewed as a fleeting Cinderella story. “If we play like we’re able to play, we’ll be able to compete with most teams in America, if not all of them,” he said. “Our motivation has changed from proving we belonged to proving last year wasn’t a fluke.” The Zags would go on to qualify for the tournament again that season with Santangelo averaging 13 points and six assists a game. He was joined by a determined crew that included trademark Zags like Richie Frahm, Casey Calvary and Mike Nilson. In the 2000 tournament, Gonzaga once again bewildered some of the nation’s powerhouses, getting by Louisville and St. John’s before losing to
Matt Santangelo was the point guard for the Gonzaga basketball team that advanced to the Elite Eight in the 1998-99 season, the first of 19 consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances for the Zags. Photo by Craig Howard Purdue. Santangelo’s college resume includes a Gold Medal with Team USA in the 1999 University Games a acknowledgement as an AP Honorable Mention All-American. He remains the program’s all-time leader in assists. Like many Zags after him, Santangelo would go on to play professionally overseas, winning an Italian League championship in 2006. Santangelo grew up in a sportscentric family, the youngest of nine children. His parents, Nick and Nancy, have lived in the same home in Portland for 56 years and faithfully attend Holy Redeemer Parish. Nick still runs one of the area’s largest food banks for St. Vincent DePaul and, along with Nancy, taught their kids the importance of a consistent work ethic, integrity and caring for others.
Santangelo said of sports as a youth. “Must have been the quiet example my mother and father set every day.” Santangelo may have left the court as a full-time point guard but he is still immersed in basketball. After working in the financial industry for several years, he was named executive director of Spokane Hoopfest in 2014. During the college basketball season, he is the color commentator for Gonzaga radio broadcasts. Last month, he was on the sidelines for his alma mater’s first appearance in the Final Four, a feat he and his Zag teammates poured the foundation for nearly two decades ago. Matt and his wife Cathy are parents to three children – yes, the family fields a starting five. You’d be advised not to challenge them to a full-court scrimmage.
“My parents are hard-working, humble, honest people,” Santangelo said. “I don’t come from money, a lot of love, but not a lot of money.”
Q: What were some of your first impressions of Spokane and Gonzaga when you arrived on campus?
Santangelo was a quiet kid growing up, a trend that would change when he morphed into the Zags’ captain and vocal leader on the court. He took his schoolwork seriously and began playing basketball with the same ambition in the third grade.
A: I arrived on campus the fall of 1995 as a 17-year-old college freshman. Fall in Spokane is wonderful and campus is gorgeous. I was excited to be here and to get this new adventure started. While at GU, Spokane essentially becomes the Logan neighborhood, Division and Hamilton and Northtown Mall. That was all I knew and that was enough because I had a key to the Martin Centre.
“I don’t remember ever being pushed – I simply remember being supported and working hard,”
Q: We hear stories about fans walking up to the Martin Centre, also known as the “original Kennel,” on the day of a game back then and buying a handful of tickets. How would you characterize the local following to Gonzaga basketball in your first few years with the program? A: With the first WCC Conference championship in 1994 and first NCAA Tournament appearance in 1995, the program was on the rise as the first pieces of the foundation were already set before our team set foot on campus. It is true, you could walk up and buy tickets at game time, or even after the game started and not all games were sold out but the Kennel Club was rowdy and beginning to gain national attention. And, if nothing else, Coach (Dan) Fitzgerald was more than worth the price of admission with his signature white towel and sideline persona. The local following was not many number but they were diehard and passionate. I know I could always find my girlfriend (now wife) in the stands. It did not take long, our sophomore year, when those walkup tickets became difficult to come by and “The Kennel” became The Kennel! Q: Going back to your days in Portland, had you heard much about Gonzaga basketball?
See ZAG, Page 5
The Current
MAY 2017 • 3
Campaign Kick-Off meet and greet for
BEN WICK
Spokane valley city council position 4
The great partnership continues! On behalf of our Waste Management Spokane Valley family, a heartfelt thank you to the City of Spokane Valley Council for your vote of confidence. We love being your partner for recycling and garbage collection.
Enjoy refreshments while hearing his thoughts on the current direction of our city, why he is running for council and how you can make a difference.
We are grateful—and committed to providing service excellence and value to homes and businesses in the City of Spokane Valley.
Thursday May 4th 2017, 5:30 pm to 8:00 pm
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4 • MAY 2017
Valley Chamber
HIGHLIGHTS
NEWS
Chambersponsored Lemonade Day teaches basics of entrepreneurship
By Ben Wick
Current Publisher
CONNECT. CONNECT.
EMPOWER. EMPOWER.
INNOVATE. INNOVATE.
The Business Showcase The Business Showcase is the Greater Spokane Valley’s largest B2B trade show, featuring more than 80 exhibitors, representing nearly every aspect of business in one location--marketing, financial services, business products and services, healthcare, employee benefits, higher education, transportation/storage, janitorial and more! Featuring: • Free workshops, focused on leadership and business development/marketing • Complimentary appetizers & no-host bar (4:30 - 6 p.m.) • Great networking & opportunities to make new business connections • Door prizes & tons of free parking Who should attend: Business professionals looking to make new connections and find new ideas, products or services to help them grow their business. Special thanks to our major sponsors: USPS, Wells Fargo Bank, Valley Hospital, and BECU
Thurs., May 11, 2017 Spokane County Fair & Expo Center 2-6 p.m. Free admission & parking New Members: MARCH Advanced Benefits Because There Is Hope Big 5 Sporting Goods Capital Insurance Group Clearstone Wealth Management LLC Doty & Giles Insurance Family Promise of Spokane Gesa Credit Union Greater Spokane Substance Abuse Council Healthy Living Liberty Lake HomeStreet Bank Klundt Hosmer Lush Lash & Skin Studio Murphy Business Northwest, Inc. - Spokane Office Pacific Racing Organization Smart Recruiters Star Rentals Inc Stepping Stone The Quilting Bee, Inc USPS
Katherine Morgan, executive director of the Greater Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce, shared an update recently on the group’s record-setting membership – with an important footnote on how that number would be impacted later this month. “For the first time in greater Spokane Valley History, the Greater Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce will have over 900 members,” said Morgan. “On Saturday May 20, we will welcome over 200 participants of Lemonade Day as honorary chamber members for the day.” Lemonade Day is a nationwide program currently running in 60 cities across the U.S. It helps kids understand the power of entrepreneurship by guiding them through a process of starting, owning and operating their very own business – a lemonade stand. Participants will get an opportunity to work on everything, from designing their lemonade stand to creating or finding a lemonade recipe, setting a business plan/ budget, organizing the necessary supplies, serving customers and evaluating the results. Lemonade Day is proudly presented locally by the Greater Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce. The program aligns with two of the chamber’s Big 5 initiatives – Greater Learning, focused on building the local
The Current
workforce of the future through the partnership of business and our educational community and the Greater Vision initiative in building an enterprising identity for the greater Spokane Valley region. “One of our goals this year was to develop a set Youth Partners who would be willing to teach the curriculum to our youth in the Valley,” said Melanie Russell, director of Strategic Initiatives with the chamber. “We currently have Central Valley School District, East Valley School District, West Valley School District, Pioneer School, the HUB Sports Center afterschool program and Girl Scouts.” Russell explained that “each child that registers receives a free backpack with an Entrepreneur and Mentor Workbook that teaches them the valuable lessons of Lemonade Day, including how to set a goal, make a plan, work the plan and achieve their dreams.”
Parents can sign up kids from third through eighth grade for the program on the chamber’s Lemonade Day website ( http : / / g reaters p o kaneval l ey. lemonadeday.org) before May 12 to participate. For those that want to go above and beyond the Lemonade Day curriculum, the Greater Spokane Valley Chamber will be having a Best Business, Best Stand, and Best Taste competition with the winners being announced at their June 16 Business Connections Breakfast. Want to support Lemonade Day? Go out and visit a few stands, talk to the kids about their enterprise and buy some lemonade! An official map showing locations of all of the Lemonade Business stands can be found online at greaterspokanevalley. lemonadeday.org.
For more information, visit spokanevalleychamber.org
1421 N. Meadowwood Ln. Liberty Lake, WA 99019 | 509-924-4994 | spokanevalleychamber.org
Lemonade Day “Kick Off” for fourth graders happened recently at Pasadena Park Elementary in the West Valley School District. Photo courtesy of the Greater Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce
The Current
ZAG
NEWS
A: I knew who John Stockton was but didn’t even know where his alma mater was – sad. I had a lot to learn.
A: We are all just one part of a larger group. I’m the ninth child in a large family, a teammate, a single member of the larger Spokane community. My parents have silently set the example of services all of their lives. I simply believe it is our responsibility to make things better for those around us, not just us. That is not to provide hand-outs but to allow people to play in their strengths so that they are better able to care for those around them. Q: During the Zags' Final Four run this season, you spoke very intentionally about the 1999 team not being the "start" of this program's tradition of excellence. What do you think many people may not understand or appreciate about those roots prior to that first Elite Eight appearance? A: That good basketball existed at Gonzaga before 1999! And, more importantly, what it means to be a “Zag” existed before our group. I have said all along that we were just trying to live up to the standard of the teams and players before us. It was with the vision of the young coaching staff – Monson, Few, (Bill) Grier – and the toughness of the “old coach” – Fitz – that our program was launched into the national consciousness. Q: Where do you think this latest tournament success has taken the program in terms of how it is perceived nationally?
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Q: Take us back to that 199899 team. Did you and your teammates believe that you had a legitimate chance to make an impact in the NCAA Tournament?
Q: You’ve made an impact beyond the court in this community. Many might not know you support quite a few nonprofit causes. Why is it important for you to give back?
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A: Yes, that team was two years in the making as our 1997-98 team. That was perhaps the best team I played on while at GU and under first year head coach Dan Monson we went big in our scheduling and had success on the national scene. When we hit the NCAA Tournament in ‘99, we were ready. We didn’t know the depth of the impact but we expected to make one.
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Santangelo, shown above in Gonzaga’s 2000 NCAA Tournament game against Purdue, averaged 13 points and six assists as a senior. He would go on to play professionally in Europe for seven seasons, winning an Italian League Championship in 2006. Photo courtesy of Gonzaga University Athletic Department A: It rekindled the love for Gonzaga basketball. There is nothing this program cannot achieve. The naysayers will always exist. Q: What was the transition from the court to the broadcast booth like for you? A: I have (Gonzaga play-by-play announcer) Tom Hudson so it was easy. Having the opportunity to be on the radio was an unexpected gift and I believe has helped me see the game in new and better ways. It allows me to stay close to the game and program that I love and I have forged great friendships through the experience. It has also allowed my three children to have a closer tie to the program which is a blessing to share it with all of them! And, I got to call a Final Four and National Championship game. Q: Quite a few former Gonzaga players made the trip to Phoenix for the Final Four. How did it feel to have so many fellow Zags in one place to celebrate the past and the present of the program? A: In a word, overwhelming! The Zag family is strong but to have that many of us in one place was magic! The shared experiences, stories, challenges and feelings that bond us all together is what makes us so rare. The current team was so gracious in acknowledging the history and Coach Few would have it no other way than to celebrate our journey together. What a humbling and spectacular experience!
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6 • MAY 2017
Spokane Valley City Council Report – May 2017
Bill Gothmann Current Correspondent Sullivan West Bridge exceeds initial cost estimates The Sullivan West Bridge initially carried a safety rating of 24 out of 100, making it in need of replacement. Bids were opened June 13, 2014. It was to take 484 working days to complete but 46 days were later added for change orders. (A change order is a change to the scope of work after the contract is let, agreed to by both parties). As of April 6, the bridge has gone 43 days beyond the contract end date, accruing penalties of $118,234 through December 2016. The project is expected to be completed by May 1. Originally, Garco was the low bidder of two applicants for the phase two construction contract at $11,749,086. This was approximately $1.2 million below the engineering estimate of $12,956,386. Since that time, costs for the West Bridge have increased by $1,174,116, or 10 percent above Garco’s bid. There are two primary reasons for this: First, Garco made an error in their bid according to the city. They listed the unit cost for a certain saw cut as $3,439, the number of units (feet) at 3,439, and the total cost at $3,439. When the error was discovered, it was clear Garco meant to list the unit cost at $1 per foot. However, representatives from both state and federal government, both of whom were partially funding the project, balked at the city awarding the contract. This forced the city to
NEWS
rebid of the entire project. When this was done, the lowest bidder of four applicants, including Garco, was Max J. Kuney at $12,307,560, $558,474 above the original Garco bid. The rebid delayed construction for six weeks. The second error, according to the city, occurred in the original design by CH2M Hill. There was to be a minimum height between the bridge and the Centennial Trail. However, the designer computed the distance from the deck of the bridge to the trail instead of from the bottom of the supporting beams to the trail. The error was discovered after construction began. There is an AT&T fiber optic cable beneath the trail and both time and costs precluded disturbing the cable. It was decided to move the trail toward the river, requiring the construction of a large wall. This change cost $509,938 and, with a reimbursement from CH2M Hill of $86,197, left a cost to the city of $423,741. Initially, staff believed that most of this cost would be borne by increases from grant funds. However, that proved not to be the case. The largest grant, $8 million, has been exhausted, leaving two possible smaller grantors to be approached for the reimbursement. This can only be done after the project is completed. Of the total $15,855,694 expected to be expended for the project, (this includes construction, right-of-way and preliminary engineering) the city is expecting to pay $2,374,436. Note that since the project is not yet closed, the above figures are still preliminary. Waste Management selected for garbage collection On April 4, over 25 Waste Management employees showed up for the City Council meeting
in their bright yellow and green Waste Management shirts as council considered which of three proposals to accept for Spokane Valley’s waste collection: Waste Management, Sunshine Disposal or Waste Connections. taff considered all three to be excellent collection firms and their respective proposals were within $441,000 of each other. As the lowest bidder at $12,051,951 and the highest scored, staff recommended Waste Management for both residential and commercial pickup. Council accepted their recommendations. Because the cost of our present contract for residential/commercial pickup is $13,532,704, rate payers will see a reduction in their monthly bill. Council also decided that citizens must use universal carts supplied by the company instead of their own cans. Use of these carts reduces the cost to rate payers by 17 cents per month, increases the safety of the drivers because it reduces lifting and reduces complaints from customers such as dented cans and missing lids. hese carts also have wheels, making their use easier for the customer. In addition to the weekly collection, citizens will have an annual, on-call pickup of household waste whereby Waste Management would collect up to one cubic yard of waste with a maximum of 65 pounds, plus two bulky items such as couches, appliances and large chairs. This increases the basic monthly fee by 9 cents per customer. Non-discrimination policy approved The council unanimously adopted a non-discriminatory resolution. The resolution declares: ”The City Council desires to make clear that the city of Spokane Valley is
The Sullivan Road West Bridge Replacement Project has secured funding to replace the span from a variety of sources, including the Federal Bridge Program, Washington State Freight Mobility Strategic Investment Board, Washington State Transportation Improvement Board and the city of Spokane Valley. Contributed photo
The Current
a city that strives in all instances and through all actions to be an inclusive city, where discrimination of any form is not and shall not be tolerated, where laws apply equally to all citizens, and where all individuals, families and businesses are welcome so that they may flourish and prosper within its boundaries.” Council briefed on risk management Spokane Valley is one of over 160 state governmental entities that are part of Washington Cities Insurance Authority (WCIA), created for cities to share insurance risk. The briefing by Executive Director Ann Bennett was to inform council on how to avoid being sued. She first noted that council members have total individual immunity while performing their legislative duties. The city has minimized land use risk by choosing the hearing examiner for deciding land use issues. Bennett advised council members to avoid inserting themselves into land use issues such as interference by providing a business expectancy or directing an official to issue a permit. Council members should stay out of personnel issues, report any harassment, make no promises to citizens about administration actions, be careful in discussing individuals and refrain from making engineering decisions such as where to place a stop signs or crosswalks. She also cautioned them about leaking executive session information, and encouraged them to honor the Open Public Meetings Act (OPMA) and the Public Records Act (PRA). She noted that sanctions issued in violation of OPMA and PRA are not covered by WCIA. Audio-visual system set for Council Chambers During the design phase of the new City Hall, the decision was made to separate the purchase and installation of the audio-visual (AV) system from the primary building contract. The city hired a consultant to design the AV system and then went out for bids for its purchase and installation. One bid was received from EVCO Sound and Electronics, Inc. for 238,051.61, well within the budget of $250,000. Funds for this system will come out of Public, Education and Government (PEG) funds. The PEG fund is financed by a 35-cent charge appearing on citizen monthly Comcast bills. Staff attributed receiving only one bid to Spokane being a niche market, the need for integration of existing equipment, the complexity of working with live TV and streaming TV and the requirement for quick, local response.
See VALLEY, Page 6
The Current
MAY 2017 • 7
VALLEY
Continued from page 6 This system will provide individual displays for each council member, the city manager, the city attorney, and the city clerk, several large displays in council chambers for audience viewing; displays with audio outside of Council Chambers in the lobby; video and audio to two conference rooms; the sound system and processing for mixing and feeding equipment racks and control equipment. Council approved the EVCO contract. Progress made on developing snow removal policy Staff reported the city has issues with snow and ice on sidewalks. An ad hoc committee met and presented its report to Council on Feb. 23. Snow buildup on sidewalks would be reduced by changing our plowing blades from the bat-wing type to the straight design and going at slower speeds in the lane closer to the curb. In addition, future street projects would require a separated sidewalk design for snow storage. Educational programs would reach out to inform citizens and businesses about compliance. We would identify realistic resources on the city’s web site for those unable to keep the sidewalks clear. The city code would be changed to require snow removal within 48 hours after the snow stops. Violation could result in a civil infraction (rather than the present misdemeanor) if the citizen failed to comply within 48 hours of notification. This carries a fine of $51.25. A second violation within a 12-month period would result in another civil infraction with a fine of $51.25. A third violation would result in a fine of $102.50. Staff acknowledged that one of the items yet to be decided is what to do about sidewalks bordering rear fences. It was decided that private residences will be required to keep their front sidewalk clear and, on a corner, to keep the side sidewalk clear. Council did not want to task citizens with keeping their adjacent rear fence sidewalks clear. After discussion, council decided that apartments, businesses and homeowner associations will be required to keep all their sidewalks clear, including those along a rear fence. Staff divided sidewalks into two tiers. Tier 1 would include Safe Routes to Schools, commercial, retail and industrial areas. Tier 2 would include residential areas not in Tier 1. Enforcement would emphasize Tier 1 sidewalks. However, staff needs to discuss who will do the enforcement and get back to council. Staff will start
See COUNCIL, Page 29
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8 • MAY 2017
Spokane Valley – the city that grew around an interstate
By Staci Lehman Current Correspondent Spokane Valley is a city divided – not by politics or ideology, but physically split north and south by the Spokane River, heavily-utilized railroad tracks and Interstate 90. All three have had a major role in how the area has developed; but the freeway most recently. Interstate 90 is the longest interstate highway in the country,
COVER STORY connecting major cities like Seattle, Chicago, Albany and Boston and smaller cities Including Spokane and Spokane Valley, Billings, Rapid City, Sioux Falls, Austin, Syracuse and Springfield. With a scattering of interchanges and overpasses that let vehicles, pedestrians and bicyclists cross the freeway from one side to the other in certain areas, it has been both a barrier and an opportunity. A few less than 95,000 people live in Spokane Valley, according to the most recent data from 2016. But a century ago things were a lot different. “It was all farms and orchards,” said Ross Schneidmiller of the Liberty Lake Historical Society. The rural setting was interspersed with a few roads, homes and a handful of businesses.
The Current
"Auto courts" like the Park Lane Motor Court (pictured in this vintage post card) sprang up in the Spokane Valley area after the construction of Highway 10 in 1925. The sites catered to motorists along the east/west freeway that would set the stage for Interstate 90. Image courtesy of Spokane Valley Heritage Museum A “horticultural census” conducted in 1922 reported that there were just over a million apple trees on 12,000 acres of land in the Valley, according to an article from the SpokesmanReview’s archives. These trees gave the main road of the day, and the precursor to Sprague Avenue, “The Apple Way,” its name. Around that same time, cars started to gain in popularity over apple trees and enthusiasm among the middle class for the automobile led to a need for more and better roads. The Apple Way was improved and named the Sunset Highway briefly before becoming US-10 in 1925. “Highway 10 was the thoroughfare from Minnesota to Seattle,” said Jayne Singleton, director of the Spokane Valley Heritage Museum. “It was what goes by right out there,” she said, gesturing toward the current Sprague Avenue that the museum fronts on. Highway 10 changed the way people traveled. It was faster and smoother than the old roads and services popped up to accommodate travelers. There were “filling stations,” diners and cafes and “auto courts” or “tourist cabins.” “We call them motels now but they were rooms with space between them – you could pull your car right up next to your cabin,” said Singleton of the lodgings that dotted the Valley. Bobby Lynch and her husband Terry owned one of these auto courts, the Park Lane Motel. Built in 1939, The Park Lane was originally called the Bert Nims’ Auto Court after its founder. It still stands today on Sprague Avenue just east of the Spokane city limits. The Lynch’s
owned it from 1970 until 2007 but have a long history in the area, as well as a slew of stories passed down by former owners and customers of the motel. “There was a lady whose husband worked for the railroad and sometimes he would be gone for six months at a time,” said Bobby Lynch of a customer who had been staying at The Park Lane since the 1940s. “Blanche Corrigan must have been Terry’s and my age now back then. And Terry said to me, ‘One of these days she’s not going to be able to come back,’ so I asked her to tell me what she remembered.” The Park Lane boasted “two-room suites” with a bedroom, a living room with beds in it and a kitchen. Garages were added to several of the units in the early years. “After we came to The Park Lane we filled in those garages with units,” said Lynch. One of the things we found in the early ‘70s was that most people couldn’t put a ’72 sized car into a ’46 sized garage without damaging something, usually the garage.” In the early days of the driving craze, there were several motels like The Park Lane throughout Spokane Valley, most on the south side of Highway 10, because the railroad was on the north side. Lots were deeper on the south and it was quieter, being further from the train tracks. “The Paul Bunyan was an auto court, Western was an auto court, The Mullan Trail, the Eastwood and the Little Swiss Village,” said Lynch. “It was east of Sullivan on the north side of Sprague Avenue. The Mullan
See HIGHWAY, Page 9
The Current
HIGHWAY
Continued from page 8 Trail was just west of the Little Swiss Village, within a couple of blocks.” The Eastwood was an example of recycling and upcycling before it became popular. “When they closed the barracks at Farragut they moved some of the buildings down to Mr. (Art) Warsinske’s property and made them into the (Eastwood) Motel,” said Lynch. The golden age of the auto court waned with the coming of the 1950s and the start of Washington State building limited-access freeways in areas with heavy traffic. Sections of US-10 were incorporated into the “Spokane Valley Freeway,” which later became Interstate-90. While President Dwight Eisenhower didn’t sign the Federal-Aid Highway Act that funded freeways until 1956, the route for the Spokane Valley Freeway was decided upon before that, in 1953. Located between Trent and Sprague, it was expected to take some traffic off both busy streets. According to media reports of the time, the first section of Interstate 90 opened through Spokane Valley in 1956 between the Spokane city limits and Pines Road. There were plans to extend the freeway to Liberty Lake the next year. Media reports from 1957 say that over 3.5 million vehicles used the freeway in its first year. Drivers preferred it because they could travel faster with fewer stops. The speed limit on I-90 was 60 mph, compared to 50 mph on Sprague Avenue at Greenacres, 40 mph at Veradale, 35 at Opportunity and 35 within the Spokane city limits. There were also stoplights along Sprague, although only at “Sullivan Park” (Sullivan Road today) Pines, University, Stout, Argonne, Fancher
COVER STORY
and Freya. In comparison, the freeway initially only had entrance and exit ramps at Sprague Avenue and Harvard Road. The freeway was also considered safer in its early days. Interstate 90 had just 23 accidents reported in 1956, compared to 322 on Sprague and 125 on Trent, as reported by media outlets of the time. Sprague and Trent were also safer as a result of the freeway; collision numbers were lower than in past years due to I-90 taking some of the congestion off those roads. While the interstate may have saved lives, it destroyed agricultural operations and businesses. “People’s farms were no longer,” said Singleton. “Irrigation was very big in the Valley. For a long time you could see irrigation ditches that stopped right at the side of the freeway because they had been cut off.” Valley businesses also suffered and not just the ones that had been in the route of I-90. “The impact on the businesses was more negative because they were being bypassed,” Singleton said of the companies located along Highway 10. “When the freeway came through it made a great deal of difference to those businesses along Sprague Avenue, economically,” said Bobby Lynch. “It probably cut business by half.” There were other issues too. Infrastructure such as power lines and poles also had to be moved to make room for the freeway and, just like today with the North Spokane Corridor, there were some people who thought a freeway wasn’t needed. “A lot of people argued why build a new freeway when Trent and Sprague need fixing,” said Singleton.
The loss of retail influx created by I-90 caused many businesses to close and the properties became car lots and parking lots. With no need for a highway and an interstate, Highway 10 became today’s Sprague Avenue. Highway 10 isn’t completely gone though; a strip of the original pavement still exists as part of the Centennial Trail near the state border with Idaho. The Spokane Valley Heritage Museum also has a piece of it. “From when they were rebuilding a section east of Barker,” said Singleton. “It’s this thick,” she says, holding her hands about a foot-anda-half to two feet apart. “It was made of solid concrete and held up for years.” Highway 10 is unique in that its builders embedded the date of construction in the concrete every tenth of a mile or so. The museum’s piece is dated either 1919 or 1920. While Highway 10 survived in part near the Idaho stateline, the tiny town of Spokane Bridge did not. “Spokane Bridge was a town approximately where the state line bridge is now,” said Schneidmiller. “It was essentially covered by the freeway when it came through.” An article in a 2012 edition of The Splash documents how Spokane Bridge was the first pioneer settlement in the Intermountain west and is known for another first. “It had the first post office in what was Spokane County,” Schneidmiller said. “In the late 1860s, around 1861 probably, the post office was established.” A tiny town sprang up around it, so small that an 1870 census of the area only recorded 29 people. The town grew and even boasted a factory eventually. The Cranston Box Manufacturing Co., built in 1913, milled the boards used to build fruit boxes. Highway 10 through Spokane Valley used the bridge at Spokane Bridge to carry vehicles to
MAY 2017 • 9
More information on the early days of Highway 10, The Apple Way, Sprague Avenue and Interstate 90 can be found in the Spokane Valley Heritage Museum’s archives that are open to the public. The museum also has a searchable online database of 5,000 records at www.valleyheritagecenter.org. For a small fee, copies of articles and photos are available. the other side of the river. When Interstate 90 came through, it was the end of the line for Spokane Bridge and homes and businesses were removed to make room for it. Other little “bergs” popped up though, at areas like Dishman, Argonne and Otis Orchards. “Most of these little communities had a church and general store,” said Singleton. Travelers got off the interstate to get gas and access other services at these developments. They grew and eventually turned into suburbs. A 1957 ad in the Spokane Valley Herald said “Drive the freeway— Shop the Appleway” and describes the Valley as “a place where there is no hussle or bustle for parking,” as well as “a place of beauty— peacefulness, and where your dream home can become a reality.” Now 60 years later, many people have indeed made their homes in Spokane Valley and an estimated 148,000 drivers use Interstate 90 as part of their daily commute. While that is good for our economy and our accustomed pace of life, Singleton says changed America’s perspective – and possibly our vision. “It got people moving a lot faster and I’m not sure that’s a good thing,” she said. “When you’re on the freeway you don’t see as many things.”
The first section of Interstate 90 through Spokane Valley opened between Spokane city limits and Pines Road in 1956. Despite carrying a heavier volume of vehicles, the freeway had a dampening effect on surrounding farms and businesses. Many commercial sites closed after I-90 was built with the property transitioning to parking lots or car lots. Photos courtesy of the Spokane Valley Heritage Museum
COMMUNITY
10 • MAY 2017
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COMMUNITY EVENTS April 29 | Breath of Spring Luncheon/Tea, 1 to 3 p.m. – Otis Orchards Community Church, 23304 E. Wellesley Ave., Otis Orchards. For more information, call Milly Kropp at 928-1979. May 5 | Valleyfest Annual Auction, 5:30 p.m. – CenterPlace Regional Event Center, 2426 N. Discovery Place, Spokane Valley. Dinner and auction including items such as a trip to Disneyland, sevenday cruise to the Caribbean or Mexico and more. Single tickets are $45; couple $90; table of eight $360 and sponsor table $450. Proceeds support Spokane Valley’s signature community celebration. For more information, visit www.valleyfest.org. May 9 | Spokane Valley Rotary Annual Golf Tournament, registration starts at 1 p.m., golf at 2 p.m. – Trailhead at Liberty Lake Golf Course. Cost is $60 per person; $240 for a team and includes food from Palenque Restaurant. Silent auction and raffles will be held during the dinner. Proceeds support scholarships for Spokane Valley students and the Books for Kids program. For more information, or to sign up, call Tom Markson at 9538473. May 13 | Spokane Valley Arts Council 11th Annual Art Auction, 5 p.m. – CenterPlace Regional Event Center, 2426 N. Discovery Place, Spokane Valley. Tickets are $55 before the event or $60 at the door. For more information, call 926-4744 or visit www.spokanevalleyarts.org. May 29 | Annual Memorial Day Breakfast sponsored by the Liberty Lake Centennial Rotary, 8 to 10 a.m. – Pavillion Park. A breakfast of pancakes, sausage and eggs will be served with a Color Guard and program at 9 a.m. Breakfast by donation. All proceeds benefit the Inland Northwest Honor Guard. Veterans eat free.
RECURRING
www.amaculate.com
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 892-4412 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 advancedage seniors — age 60 and over — and/or physically-handicapped 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 RECURRING Drop-in Square Dance Lessons | 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. (through May 18). Western Dance Center, 1901 N. Sullivan Road. Square dance lessons for $3 per person; no partner needed. More at 270-9264. Pages of Harmony | 6:30 to 9:30 p.m., Wednesdays. Thornhill Valley Chapel, 1400 S. Pines Road. If you enjoy singing, you will love the four-part, a cappella harmony of this men’s barbershop chorus. More at www.pagesofharmony.org. Spirit of Spokane Chorus | 6:45 p.m., Tuesdays. Opportunity Presbyterian Church, 202 N. Pines Road. Make new friends by joining this women’s chorus, specializing in four-part, a cappella harmony in the barbershop style. More at 218-4799. 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
COMMUNITY
May 19-20 | May Mania Pickleball Tournament, HUB Sports Center, 19619 E. Cataldo, Liberty Lake. $25 per person; $5/event. For more information, call 927-0602. May 20 | Dads and Dudes Night, 6 to 9 p.m., HUB Sports Center, 19619 E. Cataldo, Liberty Lake. This event is about fathers and sons spending quality time together, having fun, strengthening relationships and making positive memories. We’ll have opportunities for basketball, football, soccer, baseball, pickleball, martial arts and more. There will be relay races, skill competitions and other fun games to play. Door prize give-aways for the dudes. Cost is $10 for a Dad and Dude team; $3 for each additional dude May 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 schedule and more information, call 592-7875 or visit www. willowsongmusictherapy.com.
RECURRING HUB Sports Center 19619 E. Cataldo Ave. Various activities and events occur throughout the week including:
CIVIC & BUSINESS May 11 | Open house at Willow Song Music Therapy Center, 2 to 5 p.m. – N. 5005 Harvard Road, Otis Orchards. Free to the public. The open house will offer an overview of programs Willow Song provides, along with music therapy for Autism Spectrum, developmental disorders, dementia, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson's diseases, mental health, anxiety and depression, and overall wellness for the community. For more information, call 592-7875 or visit www.willowsongmusictherapy. com. May 17 | KHQ and Worksource Job Fair, 11 am. to 2 p.m. – Spokane Convention Center, 334 W. Spokane Falls Blvd. More information at www.khq.com/jobfair. May 27 | Willow Treasures, 1 to 4 p.m., Willow Song Music Therapy – N. 5005 Harvard Road, Otis Orchards. A display of local artisans featuring original creations, antiques, etc. For more information, call 592-7875 or visit www. willowsongmusictherapy.com.
k film c o c h c it H d he Alfre t f f o d e s a pb Barlow m k o r ic r y t d a e P m y o Ac stage b e h t r o f d e adapt
27, , 6 2 , 5 2 May 24, 1,2 e n u J & Tickets 30, 31 $87:30pm
12 Curtain
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-pinescemetery 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.
CV Performing Arts Center | 821 S Sullivan Rd, Spokane Valley
™
Y
HEALTH & RECREATION
• 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.
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
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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.
MAY 2017 • 11
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The Current
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The Current
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The Current
Your next favorite book from SelectReads By Carlie Hoffman
Spokane County Library District Before the Internet, I had only one way to serendipitously find my next read at the library – wander the book stacks until an interesting book cover or an interesting title caught my eye. Fortunately, finding books through this process often lead to new favorites. Now I have even more ways to find a good book. Websites like Amazon.com, Goodreads, and LibraryThing offer a lot of suggestions,
The Studio premieres at Spokane Valley Library By Amber Williams
Spokane County Library District Want to make an amazing video or TV commercial? How about edit it so it goes viral? Now you can at The Studio. Spokane County Library District announces the opening of The Studio at the Spokane Valley Library. What makes this space so exciting is what it offers: video, photo, and audio recording and software for editing it all. Just in time for summer, we’re offering some classes to jump into the fun at The Studio. Polish up your artistic vision with what you learn in our basic video editing class using Adobe Premiere Pro on May 24 or July 27, from 7 to 8 p.m. If you want to know the difference between B lights and ambient lighting, we’re offering a studio lighting class on June 7 and Aug. 10, from 7 to 8 p.m. For teens and tweens, we have two three-day Film Boot Camps in July (teens) and August (tweens). Students will learn how to script, plan, shoot, edit and upload their
LIBRARY but they all have a big drawback— their suggestions are based on the titles you were just searching. The problem with this is that I end up getting the same kinds of book suggestions over and over. What about variety? How can I stumble on an amazing book that I don’t even know I want to read? That’s what I had enjoyed about searching the shelves in person—finding something unexpected and new. There’s good news. Spokane County Library District now offers a new service called ‘SelectReads.’ This service sends you an email each month showing you book titles on the topics and genres you sign up for. The emails include the top 10 titles in all kinds of fiction categories, like romance, mysteries and science fiction, as well as nonfiction categories. Plus if you have a favorite author, you can get video online. Soon, we’ll be taking applications for a Teen Studio intern to help out at our Film Boot Camps. You can find more information and the application online at www. scld.org/employment/currentopenings/. We encourage everyone who creates or edits video at The Studio to submit it to the district for possible inclusion on Community Minded Television’s public broadcast on channel 14. Found on the second floor of the Spokane Valley Library, The Studio is made possible by our partnership with Community Minded Enterprises. With funding from the city of Spokane Valley, CME has provided equipment for
MAY 2017 • 13
an email alert. You can even get email alerts for eBooks, view award winners, and so much more. My favorite categories for books so far are cooking, food and wine, crafts and hobbies and science. And there are many topics to choose from if you have different interests than I do. Also I’ve experimented with the ‘My SelectReads’ feature and found out that it allows me to create a list based on topics that I make up myself. The best part about any list from SelectReads is that all of the books are owned by the district and link back to the catalog so you can place a hold right away. Visit www.scld.org/digital-library/ and click on SelectReads to browse and sign up for email alerts. Maybe your next favorite book will find you! the space: two 4K video cameras, multiple LED lights, multiple spotlights, white and green backdrops, lapel microphones and two iMac computers. In addition, the district has provided a third PC computer and editing software on all three computers Stop on by The Studio during drop-in hours on Tuesday evenings, 6 to 8 p.m., and Saturdays, 2 to 5 p.m., to take a tour with our staff, familiarize yourself with the equipment and use the computers for editing. To record at the Studio, you’ll need to use the Book-aLibrarian service ahead of time to schedule a block of time (threehour time limit). We look forward to seeing what you create at The Studio!
The BookEnd A boutique library at Spokane Valley Mall •
Play space for kids
•
Stay connected with technology
•
Find popular books & magazines
•
Check out the latest bestseller
•
Stop in & read
Opens May 1 Located on the 2nd floor, next to Macy’s
Celebrate with us at our Open House: June 17, 10am–3pm
www.scld.org
| the book• end |
The Current
14 • MAY 2017
S P O K A N E VA L L E Y A RT S C O U N C I L
NEW 2017 ENDEAVOR
Newest Endeavor WONDERFUL BRONZE BY JERRY MCKELLAR
Artist Showcase
1 1 T H A N N UA L
ART AUCTION M AY 1 3 , 2 017 C E N T E R P L AC E R E G I O N A L E V E N T C E N T E R
TO BE PLACED AT THE NEW SPOKANE VALLEY CITY HALL W W W. S P O K A N E VA L L E YA RT S . O R G
SVAC
SPOKANE VALLEY ARTS COUNCIL
D O N B ROW N
W W W. FAC E B O O K . C O M / S P O K A N E VA L L E YA RT S
Come have fun on the 10, 25, and 50 mile bike ride NAME: _______________________________________________________________ AGE:______ Spokane Valley at its Best
Draw yourself enjoying this wonderful bike ride. •
Ages 2-4, 5-7, 8-10
•
Prizes include registration in the Cycle Celebration ride with T shirt, bike tune up, and more submit by June 30th.
•
Return to: Valleyfest PO Box 368 Spokane Valley, WA 99206
cyclecelebration.com
Sunday July 30
The Current
MAY 2017 • 15
O’Quinn resigns as county commissioner to lead local foundation
of the county. O’Quinn said early on in her tenure that she was “here to represent all residents of Spokane County, regardless of where they live.” As she transitions out, she talks about gaining an increased appreciation for the uphill battle towns and cities can face, from building sidewalks to restoring roads to juggling budget uncertainties.
By Craig Howard
“It’s been an honor to serve the people of this county,” she said.
Current Editor If there is an occupation that promotes the chance to make a difference, chances are Shelly O’Quinn will find it. On April 12, O’Quinn announced she would be stepping down as one of three representatives on the Spokane County Board of Commissioners to become CEO of the Inland Northwest Community Foundation (INWCF). She began her role as a commissioner representing District 2 after winning in the November 2012 general election. O’Quinn worked for INWCF in 2007 and 2008 as a senior program manager. She says there are parallels between her county work and her new role at the foundation which manages endowment funds for nonprofits and charitable causes in Eastern Washington and North Idaho. “There are a lot of the same themes from mental health to homelessness to economic development,” she said. “I’ll be aligning with many of the same issues local governments work on, just in a different way.” O’Quinn, a Republican, earned 62 percent of the vote last November to defeat Democratic challenger Andrew Biviano. She collected 55 percent of ballots in 2012 against Daryl Romeyn to earn her first fouryear term. She also campaigned for state legislative representative in 2010 but lost. O’Quinn will serve as commissioner until June. The Spokane County Republican Party will nominate three candidates as potential replacements and have 60 days from O’Quinn’s departure to select a new delegate for District 2. Spokane County Auditor Vicky Dalton said O’Quinn has made an impact in the time she has served, particularly in terms of creating efficiencies at the county level. “Shelly has led the charge in our efforts to implement the lean method of management throughout Spokane County government,”
Shelly O’Quinn Dalton said. “The lean method has improved and streamlined processes throughout the county and has had a profound positive impact on Spokane County’s organizational culture. Departments throughout the county have broken down significant communication silos and have benefited greatly by Shelly’s encouragement to work together. She has had many accomplishments in the five years she served as commissioner but this will be one of her lasting legacies.” O’Quinn is a graduate of Central Valley High School and Whitworth University where she earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting and business administration in 1997. After college, she moved to Honduras where she worked to promote a micro-enterprise program. When a severe hurricane devastated the country in 1998, she turned her attention to restoration efforts.
Liberty Lake Mayor Steve Peterson said O’Quinn “brought a great deal of collaboration to her job as commissioner.”
said. “It is about finding solutions and championing innovative ideas on making county government even more efficient and effective. What the commissioners do for the airports, the health district and air quality is on behalf of all of us. It is important to keep the lines of communication both ways open and productive.” O’Quinn she has received positive feedback since making the announcement. “Everyone has been supportive,” she said “They understand it’s a great opportunity.”
“Personally, Shelly, (Central Valley School Superintendent) Ben Small and I would have a monthly meeting to address community issues and how we could work together all of best interests,” Peterson said. “I will miss her at the county but I believe the community will truly benefit from her abilities and leadership in her new job.” Peterson expressed hope that O’Quinn’s successor will continue the trend of “someone who works well with others.” “The commissioner’s job is more than representing the district,” he
Dr. Susan Ashley, M.D. Board Certified Family Physician
O’Quinn has also worked for a homeless outreach ministry in Florida. In 2004, she returned to Spokane where her career path continued with stops at nonprofits like SNAP and Habitat for Humanity. She also spent time with the George Nethercutt Foundation and as director of education and workforce development for Greater Spokane Inc. O’Quinn and her husband Sean are parents to two sons. O’Quinn said her experience in the nonprofit world will be an advantage as she leads INWCF. “I have an understanding of the challenges nonprofits face,” she said. “It’s not easy to be a nonprofit. They are dealing with cuts on the government side but, at the same time, they’re expected to do more.” As District 2 commissioner, O’Quinn represented an area that includes Liberty Lake, the city of Spokane Valley, Millwood, southeast Spokane County, part of the city of Spokane east of Perry and certain unincorporated sections
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The Current
MAY 2017 • 17
Get to know the Rainbow • A rainbow is not an object that can be touched. • Rainbows occur when it is sunny in one part of the sky and raining in another. • Rainbows can be seen in mist, spray, fog, dew and of course rain. • Each raindrop makes its own rainbow but it takes millions of raindrops for us to see a rainbow. • When the sun is higher the rainbow will be lower in the sky. • When the sun is lower the rainbow will be higher in the sky. • Since the sun is higher than 42 degrees, you will never see a rainbow at noon. • A rainbow is a full circle of light. However, viewing from the ground we only see a semicircle. • Rainbows are caused by both reflection and refraction of light in water droplets in the atmosphere, which results in a spectrum of light appearing. • A rainbow is visible to a person at 42 degrees in the opposite direction of the sun from the droplets. • No two people see the same rainbow, the slightest angle difference changes the appearance. • Sir Isaac Newton identified the seven colors of the spectrum. The acronym ROY G BIV is a good way to remember; red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet. • A “moonbow” is a rare lunar or night time rainbow produced by light from the moon. • A “fogbow” is formed by cloud and fog droplets. They are broader than a rainbow. • Sometimes there is a double rainbow when the light is reflected twice in the water droplets. When this occurs the colors are in the opposite order. • Some cultures consider rainbows as a bridge between Heaven and Earth. • The northeastern Siberian tribe sees a rainbow as the tongue of the Sun.
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The Current
18 • MAY 2017
Celebra ng our Students! On May 25, over 400 students, families, educators, businesses and community leaders will gather for the PACE Awards to celebrate 50 excep onal students of good character. This is our sixth year and we are deeply grateful to our underwriters for making this event a reality. Launched in September 2010, the PACE program promotes the importance of good character through partnerships with schools, businesses, public agencies, residents, faith-based organiza ons and community service groups. PACE has grown to include nearly 200 partners and 50 schools all working together with families to promote good character across the Spokane Valley.
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Please be sure to pick up a copy of the June issue of The Current for special coverage of the PACE Awards and a list of recipients.
The Current
Student of the Month West Valley senior Jocelynn Taylor is recognized as one of the best fastpitch softball pitchers in the region. She has lettered all four years and was named to the All Great Northern League first team last year as part of WV’s league championship roster. She pitched for the Spokane Lightning club squad last summer, competing in a national tournament in Oregon. This season, Taylor has led the way for the undefeated Eagles, throwing a no-hitter against Clarkston and a two-hitter in a win over East Valley. Taylor maintains a 3.3 grade point average and serves as senior class president. She has also lettered in dance team all four years. Taylor plans to attend Eastern Washington University and study nursing.
Citizen of the Month
Thanks you for all you do in our community
MAY 2017 • 19 Along with maintaining a 4.0 grade point average and being named co-valedictorian at West Valley High School, Marie Taylor makes it a point to never give up. The senior has overcome three knee surgeries in the last several years with a winning attitude. Even when injured, Taylor was there cheering on her teammates in basketball and soccer. “They’ve always been there for me,” she said. “I knew I needed to be there to support them.” Taylor was named a Spokane Scholar in World Languages and is part of WV’s Leadership program, Spanish Club and Link Crew which provides mentoring to underclassmen. She has been named a Scholar Athlete twice in softball and twice in basketball. Taylor plans to study math and engineering at Eastern Washington University starting in the fall.
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Athlete of the Month If Spokane Valley happened to be a marble structure, Diana Wilhite would be one of the pillars. She served as the inaugural Spokane Valley City Council from 2002 to 2009 and as the city’s second mayor from 2005 to 2007. Wilhite has been a board member for a variety groups, including the Association of Washington Cities, Inland Power & Light and the Washington 4-H Foundation. In 2007, she was named Citizen of the Year by the Greater Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce and Volunteer of the Year by the same organization four years later. A graduate of the University of Maryland, Diana and her husband Rick are longtime small business owners in the printing industry. In 2008, Wilhite was honored as a Small Business Champion by the Washington chapter of the National Federation of Independent Business.
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The Current
20 • MAY 2017 Brought to you by
About and for Valley seniors
Zag Nation still soaring after historic Final Four journey
residents of Broadway Court Estates in Spokane Valley doing their best impression of GU’s renowned Kennel Club with colorful Zag shirts and signs. Among the sea of Bulldog rooters sat Jean Longhurst who moved to the facility last August and had not followed Gonzaga basketball before the transition.
Current Editor
That changed this season as Longhurst joined a group of her Broadway neighbors in cheering the local squad all the way to college basketball’s final game of the 2016-17 campaign.
By Craig Howard
Mary and Don Westerman were around 6,000 miles from Spokane when their beloved Gonzaga basketball team entered into the uncommon stratosphere known as the Final Four. Strolling among the ancient pillars and arches of Greece at the National Archaeological Museum, the couple was sporting their Zags’ gear after the team defeated South Carolina for the West Regional title in San Jose, California, when a man recognized the blue and red apparel and offered congratulations. “He said he watched the Zags play in San Jose,” Mary said. “He said the atmosphere for those two games was electrifying and the crowds were rooting for Gonzaga. It made me so proud to be a Zags’ fan and see that their fame was international.” The Westerman’s trip had been scheduled far in advance of the NCAA Tournament, making it gutwrenching to miss the team’s historic journey into the rare air of college basketball. They caught every game before the Elite Eight but had to rely on emails from family for the results after that. The 10-hour time difference was something they dealt with even if it meant missing sleep to catch the latest team news. “The best we could do was receive highlights and delayed updated scores,” Mary said. The Westermans arrived back in Spokane on April 3, the day of the national championship game against North Carolina. Jet lag turned into Zag lag for the couple after the pride of the Inland Northwest lost a hard-fought contest in the final minutes, 71-65. The “little team that could” ended an historic run as the national runner-up. “It was heartbreaking to see them lose but we are so proud of the season they had,” Mary said.
“I thought they could make it to the Final Four,” Longhurst said. “They played so well. I’m very proud of them.”
Signs celebrating Gonzaga’s first trip to the Final Four and national runner-up placement cropped up throughout the greater Spokane community last month. Photo by Craig Howard “Our Zags brought the Spokane community together and gave us something to hope for and be proud of. One needs to dream and the Zags gave us a chance to be part of a dream.” From placards in living room windows to well-wishes and congratulations on a slew of reader boards along local streets, the wave of support for the team throughout March Madness amounted to nothing short of a civic phenomenon. One local restaurant introduced the “Karnowski Burger,” in honor of the Zags’ bearded postman Przemek Karnowski. After the Zags defeated South Carolina to advance to the final that Monday, it was announced that the Spokane City Council’s regularly scheduled meeting on April 3 would defer to the city’s most famous export. In Liberty Lake, Zag frenzy was apparent as early as the West Coast Conference championship on March 7. As Gonzaga squared off against league rival St. Mary’s that night, the Liberty Lake City Council carried on with their meeting – although a few council members made it clear that no one at City Hall should reveal the score because they would be watching the Tivo rendition later. When the meeting finally ended, Mayor Steve Peterson closed the proceedings with an enthusiastic rally cry of “Go Zags!” John McFarlane was playing for
Central Valley High School in the state basketball tournament when the Zags made their surprising Elite Eight run in 1999. He is now a successful chiropractor in Chandler, Arizona and follows the team from Spokane more than he did when he called this area home. For McFarlane, the Zags’ latest success – including the Final Four appearance in nearby Phoenix – served as another opportunity to teach outsiders about the basics of Zag Nation.
“I absolutely have to educate people about it,” McFarlane said. “I would admit, I have learned more about it since moving away than when I was living there. People constantly mispronounce it and a lot of people don't realize it's in Spokane.” Among other aspects of the school and basketball program, McFarlane says his neighbors in the desert are astounded at Gonzaga’s undergraduate enrollment of just over 5,000 when compared to the campus of Arizona State with nearly 42,000 students. “I think being away from Spokane and seeing the Zags on that stage made me feel closer to home,” said McFarlane of the Final Four spectacle. “That feeling has grown each year I'm away.” The week of the championship game, an ad appeared in the Spokesman-Review picturing
Peggy Cannon became a Zags’ fan in the late 1990s when she was attending Gonzaga. The longtime employee of the West Valley School District cheered for the teams of Matt Santangelo, Richie Frahm and Casey Calvary that set the standard for tournament runs to follow. “The world didn’t know who we were and couldn’t pronounce our name, but watched us make it to the NCAA Elite Eight,” recalls Cannon, now retired from WVSD. Peggy and her husband Rich made the trip to Las Vegas for the WCC Tournament in early March. Little did they know that the trophy there would only be the start of an unprecedented journey. “I was so thrilled for them, for Coach Mark Few and his staff, and for all the loyal fans who have believed in them and supported them for so many years,” Cannon said. “It was a season that once again united our community during those cold winter and early spring months. Total strangers became instant comrades when they would pass each other on the street and proudly say, ‘Go Zags’ when they noticed the other wearing a GU T-shirt or hat.” Cannon also talks about the program representing something bigger than a trip to the national title game. She sees characteristics like integrity, grit and courage – along with the ability to overcome distractions and detractors – propelling the Zags into a unique category. “For me the best part about
See ZAG NATION, Page 21
The Current
MAY 2017 • 21
ZAG NATION
Continued from page 20 being a Zags’ fan is more than seeing the team win games,” she said. “It is seeing the character of these young men shining through. They taught us all how to care about each other, to step up when others might be struggling, to keep the hype in proper perspective and keep your eyes on the final goal. Seeing Coach Few and his staff finally getting the recognition we always knew they deserved is the best part, for sure. Go Zags!”
Longtime Gonzaga basketball fans Don and Mary Westerman were vacationing in Greece when their favorite team played in its first national semi-final game on April 1. The couple made it back to Spokane for the championship game two days later. Contributed photo
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The Current
22 • MAY 2017
U-Hi’s Surby brings fleet feet to diamond By Mike Vlahovich Current Sports Editor
University softball coach Jon Schuh will occasionally talk about there being no substitute for speed – on the base paths, in the outfield or tracking down a ground ball. Alex Surby was blessed with plenty of the quality and the Titans have benefitted for four years, primarily in centerfield, where the speedy Surby is helping the team seek a third state 4A fastpitch appearance during her career. But when the season ends in May, Surby, a four-year varsity player and one of three seniors on this year’s Greater Spokane League title contenders, will leave softball, if not sport, entirely behind. “It took a lot of thinking to come to this decision, but I just want to live the life of a college student,” said the Washington State-bound Titan who plans to major in Sports Management. “Don’t get me wrong, I love the game but I just don’t have the same love for it as I used to.” Surby’s lineage is rich in athletics. Her grandfather, Ken, starred in football at Central Valley when the school was becoming a grid dynasty in the late 1960s. Her dad, Scott played at West Valley where he was a starter on offense and defense in football. Alex
obviously
inherited
the
University High senior Alex Surby has been a fastpitch softball standout since her freshman year. Surby is one of the leaders on a team vying for its third state appearance in four years. Photo by Mike Vlahovich athletic genes. Batting leadoff she hit .537 with 32 runs scored, four home runs and 32 stolen bases as a sophomore and numbers were comparable the next year. This season she was the Titans’ second leading hitter with a .457 batting average as this year’s rainplagued season was winding down. Hitting at the top of the order she has been, predictably, among the
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league’s stolen base leaders, for three years. “We brought her up for districts her freshman year and she wound up starting by state,” said Schuh. “We had a need in the outfield and the next thing you know she’s our outfielder. And she’s got some power. I think last year she had five or six home runs. She can lay down a drag bunt or hit one dead center.” Alex said that Schuh has given her the green light when it comes to stealing. “My speed definitely helps me out, that’s for sure,” she said. The Titans were undefeated heading into the final stages of the regular season, with post-season playoffs and state upcoming the final two weekends of May. And then it will be time for all her years of sports competition to take a back seat to life. It began with mini-mod soccer, a sport she played as a goal keeper for 11 years. By eighth grade she chose volleyball over soccer,
sports that conflicted in the fall and Alex became part of Titan state qualifiers. “It was a hard decision,” she says. But softball ultimately became her favorite. In the summer, she played every position, including pitcher and catcher. She moved from behind the plate after one game. “I decided that wasn’t my position,” she said. “They put me in the outfield and I stuck with it.” Colleges have beckoned, but she has decided to step away. In casual conversation her dad quipped that he didn’t promote her enough. “I’ve gotten tons emails, but they’re away and I’m not being that far away Alex said.
of calls and all really far interested in from home,”
By contrast, Pullman is a stone’s throw from Spokane. “I grew up on sports. They kept me busy and off the streets and I’ve made tons of friends. Now I know what I want to do.”
The Current
Valley Sports Notebook
By Mike Vlahovich Current Sports Editor No sooner are winter sports over, than nine spring sports are winding down too. The slate represents half of the 18 activities offered during the high school sports seasons. By the time of publication, and providingspring’s rain subsided, the regular season will have ended for most and post-season begun for all but a few sports, most notably softball. University was at its accustomed spot atop the Greater Spokane League and unbeaten softball, followed closely by Mt. Spokane and Shadle Park with Central Valley midpack. West Valley shared first in the Great Northern League in mid-April with Cheney, the two meeting in a decisive doubleheader May 6. Central Valley’s baseball team was second a couple of games behind unbeaten Mt. Spokane, who they faced April 24 and 25, and barely ahead of two others. GNL was a four-team scramble, including West Valley and East Valley, the Eagles vying for the league title. State veteran Freeman was unbeaten at the mid-point of the Northeast A season.
Final Point East Valley standout finds direction at new ‘home field’
By Mike Vlahovich Current Sports Editor Movie sequels seldom measure up to the original. But a movie made about East Valley star athlete Rodrick (Jackson) Fisher would be the exception. It is, said Knights football coach Adam Fisher, his family’s version of “Blind Side,” the decade-old movie based on the true story of a homeless black youngster who is taken in by a white family and eventually becomes an All-American football player. Rodrick’s story, chronicled excellently by The SpokesmanReview prep sportswriter Greg Lee last fall in three articles, told of the plight of a youngster adrift who dropped out of school early in his sophomore year and the next year sought out help from the coach to straighten out his life.
SPORTS
MAY 2017 • 23
Bears pound baseball Central Valley didn’t lack for offense this year, especially Thomas Edwards. He averaged two hits per game in CV’s first dozen outings with four three-hit games and plenty of power to boot. Jeremy Yelland and Jace Edwards were among the other mashers, the Bears rapping 32 doubles, three triples and four home runs in those first dozen games. Offense on the other hand was a rare commodity for youthful University which was shutout four times in five games and scored more than three runs just twice while losing its first 11 games. West Valley’s Jaxson Imada, Adam Lee and BlakeTransue led the way in the Eagles bid for a league Great Northern League title. WV had a 7-3 record with games remaining against East Valley. Imada had games of five, four and three hits, the latter all doubles. Transue had games of four and three hits, including home runs and triple. East Valley had won three straight after a bad start and had two games left against WV. Freeman played up in strength of schedule, but didn’t miss a beat after two season opening losses. Ace pitcher McCabe Kottrell provided a hot bat with three games of three hits a piece and Desmond Parissoto wasn’t far behind. Titans continue dominance
If it seems University players have been around forever you aren’t wrong. Many have been starring since they were freshman and have seen nothing but success. One change this year was the move of Kirsten Anstrom to pitcher for a team that was undefeated late in April. She also helped herself with several multiple and extra base hits. Gracee Dwyer is among four players with home runs including Alex Surby, Hanna Click and Anstrom. Like the Titans, the Bears have an experienced lineup, led by the battery of Kelsey Gumm and Macie Reynolds. Reynolds, Elise Peck, Jordan Schneidmiller and Hannah Wampler are vets who have provided the offense. West Valley has had an up and down season, but Maddi Thompson and Elle Hildahl’s have mostly been up. Hildahl has hit a home run and had a four RBI game. Thompson had six games with two or more hits. CV, EV lead soccer East Valley sat atop the Great Northern League with some spectacular efforts that included victory in two of three games against GSL teams Over a seven match period, goal keeper Kohl Tomcho recorded six shutouts and only allowed one goal in the other. The league leaders were paced by Devonte Gorman who registered 13 goals and 8 assists in 11 contests.
Central Valley is a mix of old and new, but hasn’t missed a beat in the GSL. Connor Wold, Jake Levine and Devin Hauenstein had six goals or more apiece on a team that shared first place midway through the season. Tracksters show mettle All Valley track and field athletes showed early season potential. East Valley’s Rodrick Fisher has staked his claim among the state’s fastest sprinters with superb times and the Knights have shown early season depth. Multi-sport star Genesis Wilkinson had a 35-6.5 shot put effort and as usual, depth is a difference maker for the girls. Central Valley’s depth even got better and state placing veterans return. Kearan Nelson, Anna Fomin and Katie Hawkins on the track and Hailey Christopher in the high jump and Sydney Johnson in both the high jump and pole vault provide experience. Sierra Bradley threw an early season 125-9 in the javelin. Distance running standouts Jacob Nicholson and Cody Skay were joined by multi-faceted Caleb Simpson on the track for West Valley., state veteran Madeline Liberg returns, joined by Latrouchka Duke in the sprints and Annika Esvelt in the distances. University had but three victors in its initial GSL meet, Claire Dingus in the girls 400, Kelsey Crosby in the 1,600 and Jonathon Taylor in the boys’ high jump.
The script: Football coach eventually takes him in, not necessarily because he’s a gifted athlete who can help the team, but a youngster needing structure and guidance. Like the original movie, but with a twist, coach’s family eventually adopts the youngster. “I was at my wit’s end,” Rodrick told Lee in The S-R story. “I wanted more structure, love and care.” A bargain is struck. A life is salvaged. Football team wins the state tournament. All’s well that ends well. Scroll the credits. But this is hardly a feel-good movie with a fairy tale ending – yet. It’s the story of a work in progress for a youngster in flux. Colleges are knocking on the door of the Fisher residence offering scholarships to the gifted wide receiver and track sprinter. He has the size – standing 6-foot-2 and now weighing over 200 pounds – and the speed as his sizzling times in track this spring attest. But Rodrick dropped out of school as a sophomore and is lacking the credits necessary to graduate this spring. Therein lays the dilemma. The Fishers must undergo a hardship
hearing in the fall if he’s to gain eligibility for a fifth year, be able to play football and graduate. “Things unraveled by spring break his freshman year,” recalls Adam of Rodrick’s unusual circumstances. “I knew he was athletic and had off-field issues, but didn’t know the extent. He started school (as a sophomore) and dropped out.” Rodney bounced around pillar to post, surviving the streets, sleeping where he could. “I couldn’t fathom what he’d gone through,” Fisher said. Remarkably, it was Rodrick who approached Adam for help not, as you’d expect, the other way around. The ground rules were laid for him to live with the Fishers. Adam and his wife Jolene became his parents, Rodrick, the son with all the responsibilities and consequences, living in a family environment. One time following a dispute, he thought the Fishers were kicking him out of the house, Adam said. Fat chance. “I’ll say we had some difficult conversations,” Adam said. “But I say that’s natural for anyone. It’s just what a parent does. You wanted guidelines, here it is.” To this day, Fisher isn’t sure why Rodrick approached him as a potential father figure. “I guess
the part I didn’t know is that he viewed me that way at the time.” He was told by others that Rodrick considered him fair, honest and consistent, things you want to be as a dad, parent, coach or teacher in class. Rodrick has thrived going from nearly emaciated street kid to big, fast, sought-after football collegian. His story made national television news and the reporter remains in touch. This spring he’s among the top sprinters in state regardless of classification. His 20- meter time was once ranked ninth in the nation until it was learned the fully automated timer had malfunctioned. The postseason is upon us so there’s yet time to improve. Certainly there’s no guarantee how yet how this movie script will play out. But Rodrick has the size, speed and opportunity to make it a happy one. It’s up to District 7 administrators to do the right thing and grant him hardship eligibility this coming fall. “He was down a path of destruction and now is a productive member of society,” Adam said. “Who doesn’t like that story? It’s been a real joy to see him develop.”
The Current
24 • MAY 2017
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The Current
Saltese Literary Society set early tone for refined debate
By Nancy Pulham SVH Museum Volunteer What did you do this past winter of 2016-17 to keep your mind healthy? With the political turmoil of the past months, we may feel this generation has ownership of tough times and the challenges of communication or lack thereof. Let me introduce you to the Saltese Literary Society. Men and women of the Spokane Valley organized this society on Oct. 21, 1897. Their preamble had a focus on growth and development of minds, together with readiness and fluency of speech being the result of investigation and free discussion of religious, educational, political and other topics. This hearty group of 58 people, including 18 women, signed the preamble, adopted a constitution, naming the organization the Saltese Literary Society. Its object was to freely discuss any subject with purpose of diffusing knowledge among its members. They determined to meet weekly, elected officers and committees. They would choose a topic and appoint affirmative and negative debaters. The leader would have assistants to help with the presentation and debate. They would hold their business meeting, have a literary program, often music, or a read from the “Saltese Bugle.” After a short intermission, a panel of three judges would be appointed and after listening to the debates, with each speaker not allowed to speak longer than five minutes, the judges would decide an affirmative or negative finding. The following are a smattering of the topics discussed and the findings. Style is more injurious to mankind than liquid and tobacco, negative ruling. Women should have the right of suffrage, positive ruling. Farm life is a greater factor in civilization of a country than city life, negative ruling. Art is more pleasing than nature, positive ruling. By the end of November 1897, they took on the hard topic of should capital punishment be abolished, negative ruling. Another, there is more pleasure in pursuit than possession, negative ruling. More topics in December 1897 included: labor is under more
HISTORY
MAY 2017 • 25
The Saltese School in Spokane Valley, pictured above in 1920, was the home of the Saltese Literary Society, a group formed in 1897 to discuss contemporary themes, including politics, religion and literature. Photo courtesy of Spokane Valley Heritage Museum disadvantage than capital, negative ruling; the sword is mightier than the pen, negative ruling and fire is more destructive than water, negative ruling. January 1898 started with more meaty discussions. The free and unlimited coinage of gold and silver at a 16-to-1 ratio by the U.S. would be beneficial to the American people, negative ruling. The following topic, also pertinent to our recent election, needed longer preparation. That topic was: the President of the U.S. should be elected by popular vote. Discussion leaders were W.A. Henry and A.R. Cannon. Henry’s assistants were A.M. Cannon, M.H. Cox, Walter Linke, and F.K. Pugh. AR Cannon’s assistants were S.R. Mallery, N. Diltz, Mr. Carr and C. Stahl. At the Jan. 22, 1898 meeting the judges were appointed, William McWharters, Mrs W. Johnson and Mrs. H. Johnson. After hearing the debates, the judges were in favor of the affirmative presenters. Other topics throughout 1898 included – is more pleasure to be derived from summer than winter? Man will do more for love than money. Statesmen have done more for the country than warriors. Compulsory education law should be adopted/sustained, negative ruling. Should a single tax system be adopted in the U.S.? Manufacturing and sales of intoxicating liquor in this state be prohibited? A liar is a
greater detriment to a community than a thief? It is amazing to consider in the days of no automobiles, minimal phone access and no Internet that these were the topics these men and women chose to study, discuss and debate. Most were working dawn to dusk to provide for their families, yet once a week would gather to exercise their minds. The Spokane Valley Heritage Museum has the original minutes book that documents their start on Oct. 21, 1897 to an apparent disorganization after the Dec. 23, 1898 meeting. However on Nov. 11, 1902, the group reorganized. By Oct. 1, 1909, the minute headings show Lone Fir and Saltese Literary Societies. They evidently would alternate holding their meetings between the Saltese and Lone Fir Schools. Nov. 10, 1911 is the last meeting recorded in this book. The debate for their following meeting was – is there more money in apples than wheat growing? It is unclear at this time when the society disbanded. The minutes don’t include the content of the debates but I can imagine they were the Spokane Valley’s early version of NPR or CNN or “Meet the Press.” Come into the museum and discover what else was going on in your community over 100 years ago.
“The War to End all Wars” The Spokane Valley Heritage Museum invites you to experience the Great War exhibit. Join us and explore the history of The Great War as we honor those who served. The Spokane Valley Heritage Museum 12114 E. Sprague Spokane Valley, WA 99214 Hours: Wed-Sun 11am-4pm Adults $6 Seniors $5 Students 7-17 $4 509-922-4570 www.valleyheritagecenter.org
The Current
26 • MAY 2017
‘Call Before You Dig’ – a simple, shovel-ready resource for safety
By Derek Brown Current Correspondent With summer right around the corner, the Inland Empire Utility Coordinating Council wants to remind the people in our community to contact the “Call Before You Dig” program in order to remain safe before starting any project that requires digging. Even Gov. Jay Inslee is getting into the season by proclaiming April as “Safe Digging Month.” “It’s like they say – if you call 8-11, you might not have to call 9-11,” said Kathy Boykin, executive director at the Inland Empire Utility Coordinating Council. Boykin reminds residents that in Washington State, the dig law, RCW 19.122, says homeowner, renters — anyone who is digging more than 12 inches down — must call 8-11 in order to place a ticket to dig safely. “If you click or call before planning to dig and then mark your area with white paint and wait two full business days for the utilities to do their locating and dig with care, you have less than a 1 percent chance of digging up a utility line,” Boykin said. There are, however, utility lines less than 12 inches down, so it is best to always call 8-1-1. “Also, some people feel that if they called then everything has been located and that's not true,” Boykin said. “Because if it's your own lines you put in then the utilities have no idea what’s down there.” In all cases, she says, it is best to call 8-1-1, or go to the website and put in a locate ticket. Because all of the Call before You Dig industry is based on whatever your state’s law says, it's important to provide the correct information.
There are many differences in the law between Washington, Idaho and Oregon. One important example is that in Washington, the law states that the day a ticket has been placed doesn’t count. It is only after the first day that the two full business days begin. “If you call on Friday, then Saturday and Sunday don't count,” Boykin said. “So you can't dig until Wednesday – you have to take that into account. And if you call on Saturday or Sunday, that's really considered a Monday call.” One Call Concepts, the company that takes the calls for Call before You Dig, takes thousands of calls a year. Because of this, it can take time to put in a ticket. But there is another, faster way – use the website to place a ticket. “We take over 50,000 calls here the Spokane and Stevens County area in a year, which is a surprise to some people,” Boykin said. “We have 125 different underground facility owners, which is what they're called, rather than utilities, because it also includes all the colleges, hospitals, and industrial parks.” By going to www.ieucc811.org, a locate ticket can be placed right on the website and in two business days they will come out and locate and mark the ground. Also, homeowners may incur expensive repairs from the utilities if they dig up a line. “That's why homeowners are encouraged to call, because they have the first 12 inches in the law where they don't have to call,” Boykin said. “If they haven't called and they dig something up then they're going to stand the expense of that, but if they have called and it still gets dug up, if they stayed within those white boundaries, they won't pay for it. So there's no reason for them not to call.” And the best part – all locate services are free to homeowners that are doing their own work. “When I was working at a booth not long ago,” Boykin said. “I actually
had a lady say to me, ‘I know who you guys are, you’re that group that does all that graffiti, but you save lives with it.’ I thought, yes, we save lives with those lines out there on the ground, that ‘graffiti.’”
The Basics Visit www.ieucc811.org or call 8-1-1 prior to starting any project that requires digging. Within two business days, the property will be marked to ensure safety.
Valley street sweeping underway
that could clog storm drains and drywells, resulting in standing water. Standing water not only creates a driving hazard, it can accelerate roadway deterioration, resulting in significant cost to repair or reconstruct. It can also cause damage to adjacent properties. Excessive accumulations of dirt and debris in drywells can damage their ability to drain, resulting in costly reconstruction. Street sweeping is a more cost-effective way to keep drywells functioning because it helps keep dirt and debris from accumulating, minimizing the need for more expensive vacuum removal. Sweeping removes dirt and gravel from the roadway, improving stability for pedestrians, bicyclists and those using mobility devices. Because sweeping removes excess dust and dirt from the roadway that could otherwise get blown into the air by wind and passing vehicles, the air is cleaner. The cost of street sweeping is funded primarily through the city of Spokane Valley’s stormwater fund and supplemented by the street fund. More information is available on the city’s website at www. spokanevalley.org/stormwater or by calling 921-1000.
From Current News Sources The season for spring cleaning is here and that means the season for street sweeping in Spokane Valley is here, too. Crews are clearing accumulations of dirt and debris from roadways between the hours of 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. weekdays, continuing until late June or early July. During those times, drivers should expect to encounter slowmoving street sweeping vehicles. For safety, please maintain a safe distance behind street sweepers and pass with caution only when it is safe to do so. To help crews complete sweeping more quickly and completely, please remove vehicles, basketball hoops, and other items from the roadway when sweeping is under way, and keep leaves and yard waste from private property out of the public right-of-way. While cleaner streets are one of the side benefits to the street sweeping program, its real purpose is to keep stormwater draining off the roadways. Sweeping clears dirt and debris
The Current
SVFD Report – May 2017
From Current News Sources Spokane Valley Fire Department (SVFD) crews responded to a total of 1,237 emergency calls from March 23 through April 20. Incidents include: • House Fire – March 26 – Shortly before 5 a.m., SVFD crews responded to a reported structure fire in the 14800 block of East Mission Avenue. Firefighters arrived to find the residents out of the home and smoke coming out the attic vents. A resident who was getting ready for work noticed smoke and found a fire in the attic. Two residents and a cat safely evacuated and firefighters were able to quickly extinguish the blaze in the attic. The probable cause of the fire was determined to be overheated insulation around a recessed light fixture. Damage is estimated at $15,675. There were no working smoke detectors in the home. • Hazardous Material – March 28 – SVFD crews responded to a reported natural gas line rupture on a construction site at 21900 E. Country Vista Drive, just after 8 a.m. Upon arrival, firefighters found a 2-inch gas line had been ruptured by excavation crews. They quickly pulled and charged a water hose in preparation for possible fire and waited for Avista to arrive on scene to clamp the leak, which occurred with no incident. Unlike carbon monoxide which has no color or odor, natural gas gives off a garlic-like smell. It can also be described as smelling like a rotten egg or sulfur. This smell is actually added to the natural gas by utility companies to warn customers of a potential leak. When a gas leak is present, it can interact with electrical and fire sources. Residents should immediately leave the area and call 9-1-1 when a natural gas odor is present. • A l a r m / S m o k e Investigation – April 3 – Shortly before 11 a.m., SVFD crews responded to an automatic alarm at a home in the 300 block of South Sandy Beach Lane. The residents said there was hazy smoke in a bedroom. Firefighters investigated but found no smoke or heat inside the home. As they were preparing to leave, the smoke alarms sounded again. Firefighters investigated again and found a fine mist with no odor they traced to a potential problem with the boilerfired heating system. They shut off the gas and power to the boiler and instructed the homeowner to call
MAY 2017 • 27
for service. • Restaurant Grease Fire – April 4 – SVFD units responded to a report of flames coming from the roof of the Three Sisters Vietnamese & Chinese Cuisine restaurant, 10615 E. Sprague Avenue, shortly after 11 a.m.. Crews quickly extinguished the fire which was caused by overheated wok grease. The cook attempted to put the fire out with water which caused the fire to flash up into the hood, through the exhaust vent and into the roof vent. The fire was contained to the kitchen ventilation system with damages estimated at $35,000. Four individuals inside the restaurant at the time of the fire safely evacuated. One person was checked for burns and released unharmed. No other injuries were reported. • Outside Rubbish Fire – April 5 – Just after 12 p.m., SVFD crews responded to the 1400 block of S. Raymond Road to investigate a report of an outside rubbish fire. Firefighters found the homeowner burning plywood and other nonapproved materials in a 55-gallon burn barrel, which has been illegal for many years. The crew educated the homeowner about proper outdoor burning and stood by while
Hallett’s Market and Cafe
the homeowner put the fire out. • Apartment Fire – April 17 – Shortly before 5 p.m., SVFD crews responded to a report of a commercial structure fire in a second floor unit of an apartment building at 12426 E. Broadway Ave. Occupants reported the fire with smoke filling the hallway and the sprinkler system flowing water. Firefighters evacuated remaining occupants and completed putting out the fire. The sprinkler system kept the small fire in check until firefighters could completely extinguish the fire. No injuries were reported. The probable cause of the fire was an unattended cigarette igniting clothes and bedding. Five apartments were flooded or sustained water damage. By the Numbers: • Fires* - 78 • Emergency medical services – 1,004 • Motor vehicle accidents – 75 • Hazardous materials - 5 • Building alarms – 57 • Service calls – 13 • Vehicle extrication - 3 • Water Rescue - 2
*Brush, Commercial, Residential, Rubbish, Vehicle Fires and Unauthorized Burning calls About SVFD - Spokane Valley Fire Department serves the City of Liberty Lake, City of Millwood, City of Spokane Valley and unincorporated areas of Spokane County including the communities of Otis Orchards, Pasadena Park, and the area surrounding Liberty Lake, with a combined population of 125,000 across approximately 75 square miles. SVFD firefighters and paramedics responded to more than 16,250 emergency calls in 2016. Established in 1940, SVFD is an Accredited Agency by the Commission on Fire Accreditation International (CFAI), one of only a handful in the state of Washington. SVFD operates 10 stations providing fire suppression, emergency medical services, vehicle extrication, hazardous materials response, special operations rescue, fire investigation, fire prevention, commercial property inspection, CPR and fire safety training. The department also offers free home fire safety inspections and installation of free smoke detectors. For more information call 928-1700 or visit www.spokanevalleyfire. com.
Are you ready to sell your home in this sellers market?? Listings are dramatically down with a low inventory, why not get a jump on the competition to come in the busy spring home shopping season. Will you price your home at a competitive “Fair Market Price”? Buyers are well educated using the web, but, if priced right, your home will sell!
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Call for a (FREE) Comparable Market Analysis. I look forward to hearing from you SOON! Let’s get started and sell your home!
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The Current
28 • MAY 2017
LIBERTY LAKE KIWANIS COMMUNITY YARD SALES
Friday, June 23, 2017
Ben Wick
EDITOR
Craig Howard
ben@libertylakesplash.com
9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
24th ANNUAL
EDITOR/PUBLISHER
craig@libertylakesplash.com
Saturday, June 24, 2017
GRAPHICS EDITOR/ Danica Wick A DVERTISING COORDINATOR danica@libertylakesplash.com
8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
OFFICE MANAGER GRAPHICS
Sign up by June 16 to list your sale and information in the official guide. Registration fees go to the Kiwanis Club of Liberty Lake to support the event and community.
Four registration options
1.
REGIST ER BY J UN TO BE E NTERED E 16 $100 O TO WIN FF OF DONE A ANY SERVICE T CHRIS TIA BROTH ERS AU N TO
Online: $15
Submit your registration and secure credit card payment at www.libertylakekiwanis.org Take advantage of add-on options like a highlight color, a black border or a bold title to help your sale stand out from the rest. Online ads can also exceed the 20-word maximum for a small, per-word fee.
2.
Mail-in form : $20
Complete the registration form below and submit it along with your fee. Remember, registration must be received by June 16 to be included in the official guide.
3.
Commercial Vendors: (online only): $250.00
Join the festivities in the middle of it all at Pavillion Park by being a vendor. Commercial vendors are welcome at the $75 fee and receive a 12-foot by 12-foot section at the park. This registration option is available at www.libertylakekiwanis.org , and it includes a listing in the official guide. Double the space is available for $500.00 Registered Pavillion Park sellers who decide not to come must notify organizers at least five days in advance in order to receive a refund. Contact information is at the bottom of the page.
4.
Artisan Vendors: (online only): $75.00
As a new addition for 2017, join in the fun at Pavillion Park and showcase your handcrafted goods. Artisan Vendors are welcome at the $75.00 price and receive a 10-foot by 10-foot section in the park. This registration option is available at www.libertylakekiwanis.org. Registered artisan vendors who decide not to come must notify organizers at least 5 days in advance in order to receive a refund. Contact information is at the bottom of the page. Name
Paula Gano
paula@libertylakesplash.com
Hayley Schmelzer
hayley@libertylakesplash.com
CIRCULATION Dean Byrns circulation@libertylakesplash.com
Organized by
CONTRIBUTORS
Derek Brown, Bill Gothmann, Craig Howard, Staci Lehman, Mike Vlahovich
Liber ty Lake
WHAT DOES YOUR REGISTRATION PAY FOR?
The Valley Current P.O. Box 363 Liberty Lake, WA 99019 Phone: 242-7752; Fax: 927-2190 www.valleycurrent.com
A supported event: The sales will be advertised and publicized through regionwide outlets, and the Kiwanis Club is working with local authorities and strategic vendors to ensure a safe and well-supported event.
The Current is published monthly by or before the first of each month. It is distributed free of charge to every
Directional signage: Signs will
business and home in the greater Spokane Valley area.
be posted to help guide shoppers into neighborhoods holding sales.
Copies are located at drop-off locations in Spokane Valley, Liberty Lake and the surrounding area.
The Current is brought to you by
Wick Enterprizes
Thousands of shoppers: Liberty Lake
is flooded with shoppers for this event every June, so timing your yard sale to correspond with the annual sales is just smart business. Please pay the registration fee to ensure the future of the yard sales. After expenses, all proceeds from the event will be reinvested by the Kiwanis Club into the community.
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
A listing “on the map”: Attract customers before the sale even begins by featuring your sale in the official event guide. A 20-word description of your sale is complimentary with your registration fee, and 10,000 copies of the guide will be distributed to not only every address in Liberty Lake — but at businesses and newsstands throughout the area in the days leading up to and during the sale.
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
Phone Address Description (Not to exceed 20 words)
Feature your business in the guide!
The Current strives for accuracy in all content. Errors PRSRT STD ECRWSS
U.S. Postage Paid Permit #017 ZIP CODE 99019
icipating homes!
:
Event Organize
at Mission
For registration-related inquiries, contact The Splash at 242-7752 or advertise@libertylakesplash.com. For general yard sale inquiries or with vendor questions, contact Liberty Lake Kiwanis member John Niece at 509-294-8500.
errors will be corrected on this page in the issue following their discovery.
A limited number of advertising placements are available in PORTAL the annual event guide. Call 242-7752 or email advertise@libertylakesplash.com to put your business and organization in front of thousands of eager shoppers in what is one of The Splash’s most dog-eared and poredover publications of the year. Liberty Lake
Questions?
al
Over 250 part
Major Sponsors
Payments should be made out to the Kiwanis Club of Liberty Lake. Mail them to The Splash, PO Box 363, Liberty Lake, WA 99019 along with the completed registration form. No phone or in-person registration is available.
should be reported immediately to 242-7752 or by email to editor@valleycurrent.com. Confirmed factual
21 st annu
rs:
Advertising information Display ad copy and camera-ready ads are due by 5 p.m. on the 15th of the month for the following
& Molte r
Advertising Deadline: May 26, 2017
month’s issue. Call 242-7752 for more information. Advertising integrity Inaccurate
or
deceptive
advertising
is
never
knowingly accepted. Complaints about advertisers should be made in writing to the Better Business Bureau and to advertise@libertylakesplash.com. The Splash is not responsible for the content of or claims made in ads. Copyright © 2016 All rights reserved. All contents of The Current may
Publishers of the official 2017 Yard Sale Guide
not be reproduced without written permission of the publisher.
The Current
MAY 2017 • 29
COUNCIL
Continued from page 7 with the above principles and they will continue working on this problem. Special abatement removes nuisances Cooperation among police, building officials, and our legal department removed nuisances from two addresses: 11112 E. 17th Ave. and 11414 E. 16th. Ave. quatters had invaded both sites, producing trash, leaving stolen vehicles, and hijacking electrical service. Multiple violation warnings were issued. Finally, the city applied for and was granted temporary restraining orders by the court on both places, declaring them uninhabitable because they lacked water, heat and sanitary facilities. This relatively new tactic provides a much quicker way to resolve problems such as these. The legislature is working to resolve the problem of abandoned houses. Courts have decided banks cannot enter a foreclosed property until the foreclosure is finalized, leaving these homes in limbo. In other city news: • The Washington House and Senate capital budgets both include $1.5 million for the Barker grade separation project. • Appleway Trail amenities are also included in both the Senate and
House budgets. • Construction has started on Appleway Trail from Pines to Evergreen • The new City Hall is on schedule to be completed by Sept. 30. • Council approved $1.2 million in design funds for Pines railroad underpass. • Council reopened Spokane River on March 21. • Council is developing a policy for accepting gifts to the city. • The mayor appointed Matthew Walton to the Planning Commission • Council Member Mike Munch suggested the city maintain a list of volunteers for any and all emergencies. • Council Member Munch asked the city attorney look into the policies of both the Spokane Regional Health District and school boards concerning THE the rights of parents. • Council Member Ed Pace asked council to review the city sign ordinance. • Councilmember Pace suggested the city open our land to seasonal agriculture uses. • Councilmember Sam Wood suggested the city consider term limits.
Love The Current? Support our partners. 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:
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lifestyle
Spring Has Sprung! Marlè Worm Growers OPEN HOUSE:
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Custom FitOFFERED Lighting • Family Medicine/Healthy Living Liberty Lake MORNING, AFTERNOON, EVENING AND WEEKENDS THE
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FOR ALL GOALS & ABILITIES LibertyTODDLER Lake Family Dentistry • Liberty Lake Orthodontics THROUGH ADULT Competitive Teams • Parkour, Breakdance
Financial • Spokane County District and Hip Hop Classes • Parent’sLibrary Night Out New homes in Spokane,Thrivent Spokane Valley, Liberty Lake, Post Falls & Coeur
Saturday May 20th 2017 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
• See your local WORM FARM in action •NEW custom soil mixing •Dense planting show garden demonstration Bring a one-gallon container and fill with freshly brewed worm cast tea for $1 (limit one per customer) Stop by and enjoy a free BBQ hot dog while supplies last
24411 E. Joseph Ave Otis Orchards (509) 928-3995 www.marlewormgrowers.com
• Bitty Bee Academy & Flippin’ Fun Move Night • Open Gym for All Ages • Gymnastics Birthday Parties • Ninja Zone
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ENROLL TODAY!
Index of advertisers
Following are the local advertisers in this issue of The Current.
Our coaches are passionate about
Hallett’s Market and Cafe 27 SNAP 12 gymnastics and on teaching Adorkable Flowers and Gifts 3 focus gymnastics in a fun and safeLiberty Lake Healthy Living 15 Amaculate Housekeepingquality 10 Spokane County Library District 13 315-5433 17 environment. Classes run year-round Central Valley Theatre 11 Inland Empire Utility Coordinating Council 10 Spokane Gymnastics with three 13-week sessions (Fall, 2515 N. Locust Road 19 Citizens to Elect Ben Wick Winter and Spring) 3 Jackson Quality Swim Lessons 19 Spokane OBGYN and one 10-week Valley 99206 Clark’s Tire and Automotive 3 Kiwanis of Liberty Lake 28 Spokane Spokane Symphony Associates 15 summer session. www.spokanegymnastics.com Cornerstone Penecostal Church 26 Kiwanis Spokane Valley 24 Spokane Valley Arts Council 14 Courtney Hanks 12 Liberty Lake Centennial Rotary 24 Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce 4 Custom Fit Lighting 22 Liberty Lake Family Dentistry 5 Spokane Valley Heritage Museum 25 Cycle Celebration 14 Liberty Lake Farmer’s Market 12 Spokane Valley Summer Theatre 7 Evergreen Fountains 21 Liberty Lake Orthodontics 24 Thomas McLaughlin 27 Friends of Manito 12 Marle Worm Growers 29 Waste Management 3 Garden Expo 10 PACE 18 Whispering Pines 24 Greenstone 30 Relics 5 Gus Johnson Ford 22, 32 Simonds Dental Group 32 Service Directory 30
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 • MAY 2017
SERVICE DIRECTORY
SaveAdvertise The in the Date! Yard Sale Guide! June 23rd - 9:00 am to 5:00 pm
June 24th - 8:00 am to 5:00 pm Advertise in the NEW 2017Artisan Yard Sale Introducing and guide with a Handcraftedofvendors thethe park forday event distribution 10,000infor two 2017!
Visit our website for more information and be sure to mark your calendars for this event you won’t want to miss! http://www.libertylakekiwanis.org/Page/13312
Deadline to Submit Ads: June 5th, 2017
CONSTRUCTION & REMODELING LOCAL AND EXPERIENCED
BICYCLE REPAIR AND SERVICE
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Spring Tune Special $40 Make your appointment now.
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CLEANING LAWN CARESERVICES SERVICES
Licensed and bonded contractor with 29 years of experience and references. Specializing in winter damage repairs including sheetrock and plumbing repairs. Also available for decks, roofs, garages and all other remodeling needs. Small jobs welcome! BBB accredited. PETERC*152RE--Call Bruce. 710-4541
EVENT & MEETING FACILITY HAVE AN EVENT COMING UP?
JUST A SHINE HOME CLEANING SERVICES
A thorough clean customized to your needs using all natural products made in Spokane. For a FREE estimate, call Christie at 509-994-3191.
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.
LAWN CARE SERVICES WEEKLY LAWN CARE & PRUNING
TREE SERVICE AFFORDABLE ARBORIST
Yard Sale Dates:June 23rd & 24th
New Date, More Fun!
Call us for your FREE quote on your weekly lawn maintenance, power raking, pruning, aeration & irrigation needs! PRISTLC834BT. www.pristinelawnspokane.com 509-998-6181
Year Round Tree Service 60 ft. Bucket Truck Removals • Thinning • Pruning • Shaping Lot Clearing • Stump Grinding Residential & Commercial • A+ Rated BBB Member Affordable Arborist Tree Care, Inc. 509-879-0577 Veteran Owned & Operated WA Lic#AFFORAT935KG
for more information.
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New Date, More Fun!
New spa covers starting at just $350. Leaky Spas repaired, full line of accessories. Ask us about alternatives to chlorine.
Contact 242-7752 or email
advertise@libertylakesplash.com
(509)368-9298
WA Business License#CC OPPORPM890MG
ADVERTISE WITH US
Want you business to be part of our Service Directory? Contact Danica at 242-7752 or advertise@libertylakesplash.com We look forward to hearing from you!
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The Current
ON THAT NOTE
MAY 2017 • 31
Library opens new chapter with The BookEnd at Valley Mall By Ben Wick
Current Publisher On May 1, the Spokane County Library District (SCLD) will officially open the doors to a new location named “The BookEnd” in the Spokane Valley Mall next to Macy’s on the upper level. The BookEnd is not a traditional library. It is considered a boutique library. Which means it will resemble more of a retail-type look and feel with something for everyone. It has open seating and areas throughout that will give visitors the ability to sit and enjoy a book or browse the collection offerings while waiting for the rest of their family to complete their shopping excursion. A replica castle will be part of the setting while themes for kids and teens will be abundant. The BookEnd has a specially curated collection of books and materials highlighting trendy titles, new books and CDs. Patrick Roewe, SCLD deputy director, described the new location as an innovative space with “new things in new spaces.” He said the mall venue will include “more compact versions of each of the traditional collections found in a conventional library branch.” In addition to the new style design and amenities, The BookEnd will also have some of the more traditional services such as a book drop-off and the ability to pick up or make holds or transfer requests, giving users access to the full breadth of the library holdings and resources, as if they were at any of the other traditional library branches. Internet stations will feature free WiFi. Another distinction for this branch involves the hours of operation. The BookEnd will be open and available to the public during normal mall hours (Currently 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sundays) except when all of the library branches are
The Spokane County Library District will introduce a new site at the Spokane Valley Mall on May 1 called “The BookEnd.” The location will feature more of a retail, boutique setting than a traditional branch. Library district officials say the BookEnd is part of an effort to bring more library amenities to residents of Spokane Valley. Photo by Ben Wick closed for federal holidays. This gives The BookEnd the distinction of featuring the most available hours out of any of the other branches within the district. The idea for the boutique style mall location started last summer when the library district started working with the Spokane Valley Mall on developing the location.
dedicated facility was constructed. The BookEnd is, however, the first boutique-style library branch on our side of the state. The BookEnd already has some mall visitors putting their shopping on hold.
“We have always aspired to having more service locations in the Spokane Valley area,” said Roewe. “We wanted to get to where the people are and reach out to new library users/members.”
“It seems like every time we are at the location working on the space and have the door cracked open people have stopped in to check out what is going on,” Roewe said.
This isn’t the first time SCLD has featured a library branch in conjunction with a shopping center. The Argonne branch was located in the strip mall next to Domino’s Pizza in Millwood before moving to its current location in 1980 and in 2000 a Moran Prairie storefront branch opened in the Cedar Canyon Village Shopping Center. The site operated until 2006 when a
In staying true with the innovative spirit of The BookEnd, SCLD tried something new when it came to hiring the additional staff needed for the location. In early March, they hosted their first ever job fair at the new location. Over 30 people attended the event. The new location will be staffed by eight to 12 people or six full-time equivalents.
Open House Come check out the over 4,500 items that are offered at this new location
June 17 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Official Ribbon Cutting
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