December 2018 Current

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NECK KEEN ON LOCAL COMMERCE PAGE 2

2 • DECEMBER 2018

The Park Bench

Captain of Commerce – Beck brings diverse background to chamber

By Craig Howard Current Editor There was a time when Lance Beck stood guard at the net for the Whitworth University soccer team.

These days, the Spokane native is doing his best to net awareness for commerce in the Greater Spokane Valley.

Beck was named president and CEO of the Greater Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce in September, replacing Katherine Morgan who resigned in March to accept an offer with Bank of America. Beck had seen the posting during the summer but was neck deep in the busy season at the Oregon Coast Aquarium where he served as director of marketing.

NEWS sports arena, joining the front office of the Spokane Shock, an indoor league football team that took the area by storm in 2006, winning the AF2 Arena Cup in its inaugural year of 2006.

Beck started with the team in December of 2007, working in the ticket department. He eventually was named marketing director and oversaw game operations for a franchise that routinely sold out the Spokane Arena. Beck had a major role in putting together the Shock’s first and only outdoor game at Joe Albi Stadium in 2011, an event that drew a record 16,233 fans.

By the spring of 2012, Beck was headed south to Newport, Oregon, where he was hired as the director of marketing for the Oregon Coast Aquarium. He spent six years there, helping to attract an annual gate of over 400,000 visitors during his tenure which involved working closely with the Greater Newport Area Chamber of Commerce as well as the local visitors bureau.

Beck wasted little time networking after starting his role with the Valley Chamber. He collected over 140 business cards in his first three weeks and scurried around diligently, appearing at a variety of ribbon cuttings and meetings while making it a point to patronize

chamber businesses.

Beck says he is looking forward to being a catalyst for success and innovation.

“I think I have a good ability to meet people’s ideas in the middle and make the right decision for the group not the individual,” he said.

Beck and his wife Charlee, a Mt. Spokane and University of Oregon grad, now make their home in Colbert.

As for leading an organization that has been part of the area’s business scene for nearly 100 years, Beck says he’s proud to be part of a dynamic team that includes fellow staff, the board and volunteers.

“The people I work with are very dedicated,” he said. “They’re also excited for me taking over this role – and that’s fun to be a part of.”

Q: You were an athlete in high school and college. We often hear that axiom about sports teaching life lessons that go beyond the playing field. In your experience is that more fact or cliche?

A: I definitely see that to be more truth. I was always involved in team sports and there are many areas I can recall instilling a lasting impact on how I deal with different

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situations. Teamwork, discipline and respect are a few traits that come to mind right away which were certainly developed while playing sports.

Q: Speaking of sports, you had a nice run in the front office of the Spokane Shock during the team's heyday. What did you learn from that time that you might be able to carry over to your new role as chamber president and CEO? A: The thing that stands out most is that a small organization can make such a large impact on their community. You don’t have to have the most employees or the biggest budget to create something truly great and impact the lives of many.

Q: You're an Inland Northwest native who has seen a lot of changes to this area since you were a kid. When you think about transitions to the local economy that might affect your work promoting commerce in the Greater Valley area, what comes to mind?

A: Two things stand out to me – transportation infrastructure and local government collaboration.

When looking at transportation, as

See BECK, Page 3

By the time early September rolled around, Beck decided to throw his hat into the ring.

“I wanted the opportunity to run something,” he said. “But it wasn’t an easy decision to leave.”

Around 40 hopefuls applied for the job from all over the country.

Beck interviewed well and got the job despite his lack of chamber experience. His first day was Oct. 8.

Beck grew up in north Spokane and graduated from Mt. Spokane High School in 2003. He played football and soccer as a Wildcat and ran the student store his junior and senior years.

He was good enough in soccer to latch on with Whitworth where he played goalie. He studied marketing, business in leadership on the leafy campus not far from his high school alma mater.

Beck credits Dave Whitehead, a Whitworth marketing professor, with the mentoring that helped forged his career path.

After earning his degree at Whitworth, Beck stayed in the

Spokane native Lance Beck took over as the president and CEO of the Greater Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce in early October. The Whitworth University grad previously worked in the front office for the Spokane Shock indoor football team and as director of marketing for the Oregon Coast Aquarium.

Photo by Craig Howard

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BECK

DECEMBER 2018 • 3

NEWS

Continued from page 2 our Valley community, as a whole, continues to see a rapid population growth, we will certainly need to address how the population gets to and from work. Additionally, it will be critical to continue to address access to developable industrial land. Looking at local government, we have the challenge of having three cities and the county all impacting commerce in the Greater Valley. We have to see all of these entities work together as we look to the future.

Q: You grew up in this area, went to college and started your career here. After working and living in Oregon for several years, did your perspective and/or appreciation of your hometown shift at all upon your return?

A: I honestly would say no. My wife and I have always loved the area and it will always be home.

What took us away was a specific opportunity and what brought us back was both a career opportunity and the ability to return to our home. We even had some of our best friends from Newport (Oregon) also choose to recently relocate to Spokane. We clearly spoke highly of it!

Q: What interested you in the chamber job enough to apply?

A: Being able to take that next step and be the leader of my organization was truly what stood out. Additionally, the fact that the organization plays such a meaningful role in the community is awesome. The work we do at the chamber either directly impacts individual businesses or the greater business community.

Q: You are replacing a very popular and charismatic chamber leader in Katherine Morgan. What will you do to establish your own identity while still acknowledging what your predecessor did to lift the chamber to where it's at today?

A: First and foremost, I plan to just be myself. From there, I also think it is important to acknowledge Katherine’s accomplishments.

I am inheriting a very different organization compared to the one she took over. To her credit and my benefit, the Greater Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce is poised to take on a much more prominent role in business development.

Q: What's your take on the chamber's "Big 5" initiatives

emphasizing the outdoors, goods, learning, cures and vision? Do you think they effectively underscore what the community's priorities should be and how the chamber can champion them?

A: They certainly do represent the correct priorities for us to be working toward.

The risk with strategic plans is that they get created and then put on a shelf.

Our goal is to make the next step of identifying the action items under each of the five key initiatives which will guide our work moving forward. One element that I do feel went underrepresented in the Big 5 was retail/hospitality. My goal is to see how we can work in these important industries to the plans we create.

Q: When you think of similar organizations like GSI, Downtown Spokane Partnership and the West Plains Chamber of Commerce, what sort of collaboration would you like to see between the Valley Chamber and these groups?

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A: The saying that, “a rising tide lifts all boats” would seem like the appropriate place to start. We as a region need to embrace the fact that business development in the Valley will have positive impacts on Spokane and the West Plains—and vice versa. We need to work sideby-side with our regional partners to ensure that we help a new business locate in the best spot for them. Too often in the past, our self-interests have gotten in the way. Ultimately that boils down to all of the organizations working together and being transparent.

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Q: What does the future of commerce look like in the Greater Spokane Valley?

A: The Greater Spokane Valley is well positioned for continued growth.

We have an educated and growing population. The area is already the industrial hub of our region but also features an abundance of developable land.

With good access to resources and transportation I see the Greater Valley continuing to develop its industrial sector.

Q: It's only been about a month into your new job but, so far, what do you like best about this work?

A: I have really enjoyed meeting with all the business owners, both small and large, and hearing about the different ways the chamber has impacted their business. The passion that our GSVCC members have for the work we do is exciting.

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City, KREM team up to promote municipal brand

NEWS

By Nina Culver

Current Correspondent The city of Spokane Valley has been trying to expand its reach with digital and video marketing as part of a new contract with KREM Marketing Solutions, a full-service marketing company affiliated with KREM television.

The city’s efforts to tout the benefits of living, working and developing in Spokane Valley date back to 2012.

“During that time the city had not the best image around permitting,” said Spokane Valley Economic Development Manager Mike Basinger.

The effort at rehabbing that image saw the creation of television and radio ads as well as billboards. The ads featured local business owners and developers who talked about how easy it was to work with the city on projects.

“That was really Basinger said.

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“Our focus is really tourism and new events,” Basinger said. “We also want to attract new residents to live here and we want to attract businesses to come here.”

The city also wants to improve its branding and identity, said Economic Development Specialist Lesli Brassfield. They want to let people know that Spokane Valley is separate from Spokane and is a family friendly place to live and work.

The city has clear objectives it wants to work toward, said Brassfield. They include fostering a sense of community pride so people want to stay in Spokane Valley; promoting Spokane Valley as a business-friendly city and connecting visitors with shopping and recreational opportunities.

“It’s a real integrated approach,” Brassfield said. “The city has also been improving facilities that impact tourism.”

The city recently made changes to the west lawn of the CenterPlace Regional Event Center in order to attract more events.

“The ground was really undulating and made it difficult to put up tents,” said Basinger. “Our goal was

See CITY, Page 5

successful,”

The city contracted with Atlas Advertising, out of Colorado, in 2016.

“The city became a little more focused on economic development and marketing,” Basinger said.

“They helped developed that strategy. We went out and got community input.”

Strategy in hand, Spokane Valley went looking for a company to help them implement it in late 2017 even though the city was happy with Atlas’ work, Basinger said.

“We just wanted someone a little closer that we could meet with,” he said.

A one-year contract for $125,000 was awarded to KREM Marketing in May. “They really had a strong emphasis on digital marketing,” Basinger said. “We were really impressed with their abilities in that area.”

One of the city’s goals is to attract more events to town, like the Crave! food festival that started two years ago and the new Oktoberfest celebration, he said.

The city of Spokane Valley is taking a multiMarketing Solutions. The campaign is desig Spokane Valley as a business-friendly city w

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CITY

NEWS

Continued from page 4 to make sure we would continue to attract events like Crave! and Oktoberfest.”

The city has also been working to improve Brown’s Park by adding eight volleyball courts, seven of them sand courts. Additional courts are planned. The goal is to attract tournaments to bring visitors and revenue into the city, Basinger said.

There are also plans to add a walking trail, restrooms, picnic shelters and other amenities as outlined in the park’s master plan.

The city plans to make $1 million in improvements to the park in 2019.

The marketing contract includes the creation of six 30-second commercials. Four are complete and have been airing on local channels during the early morning news shows. The videos, some of which tout the benefits of owning businesses in Spokane Valley, have also been pushed out to site selectors and developers using LinkedIn, Brassfield said.

Two of the videos feature families praising the benefits of living in Spokane Valley, including recreational opportunities on the Centennial Trail and Spokane River

as well as in Discovery Park.

“We’re just trying to focus on real people living in the Valley,” Brassfield said.

Longer versions of the commercials are being put up on the city’s YouTube channel and will also be featured on the web site.

Brassfield said people talk to her about the television commercials but there’s no way to determine who the ads are reaching. She said she likes digital advertising because it comes with analytics that tells her how many people are clicking on the ads, where they are from, what pages they visit and how long they stay on the site.

“All of that helps us improve our website,” she said.

The city ran digital ads online this summer that popped up on the computers of people living within a 200-mile radius. The ads promoted Crave!, the Spokane Valley Cycle Celebration, Valleyfest and Oktoberfest.

“We were working on bringing visitors into the Valley from locations like Moses Lake, Missoula, the Tri-Cities,” Brassfield said.

“This, just again, get us out there for branding. It gets our name out there, our logo.”

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Millwood considers new utility tax for road maintenance

By Nina Culver

Current Correspondent The Millwood City Council got a look at its 2019 preliminary budget on Nov. 13 and all the reports were not good.

Initial projections in the street fund showed a shortfall of over $250,000, said City Treasurer Debbie Matkin, even after 25 percent of the property tax collection was transferred over from the general fund. After trimming planned budget items, that negative balance was reduced to $37,700.

“We’re closer than when we started but we’re still off,” Matkin said.

As a way to help bridge that gap. the city is proposing the addition of two new utility taxes. By law, the city is allowed to collect a tax of up to 6 percent on certain items. The city approved a tax on electrical usage in 2002 and added natural gas a few years ago.

phones, and solid waste.

NEWS

The street fund pays for street repairs as well as leaf pickup, de-icing, street sweeping and maintenance of the new trail completed this summer. Mayor Kevin Freeman said it’s critical that the city be able to maintain its planned street maintenance so streets don’t deteriorate to the point where they need to be replaced.

“We are still running a deficit on balancing between maintenance and operations of our roads and the fund balance,” he said. “As we are being proactive with our streets, it costs more money. The intent of the new utility taxes is to put them directly into the street fund.”

Freeman said he doesn’t anticipate the taxes will generate a “phenomenal” amount of money.

“These are small increases overall,” he said. “There is a shortfall in the city. We need to keep ahead of it.”

The city has no way of knowing how much the new taxes will bring in and decided to start with 2 percent instead of the maximum allowed 6 percent, Freeman said.

“That’s why we started so low,” he said. “It might not be necessary and we don’t want to overtax.”

The new taxes under consideration would mean a 2 percent bump each on telephones, including cellular

City Council Member Shawna Beese expressed concern about taxing cell phones, saying council should consider what the impact of the taxes might be in a down economy. “I think you really have to weigh new taxes,” she said.

Valley Museum welcomes Honor Point artifacts

within the Valley Museum. The two are the Fort George Wright and Missile Complex exhibits. She said the Honor Point board expressed a hope that these exhibits would stay local. Singleton shared the information with her board and they agreed it was best to keep them local because they did fit well with the mission of the Valley Museum.

By Linda Ball

Current Correspondent With the Honor Point Military and Aerospace Museum losing its home at Felts Field, where to relocate is yet to be determined. However, in the interim the Spokane Valley Heritage Museum has agreed to display two of Honor Point’s exhibits for eight months.

Jayne Singleton, executive director of the Spokane Valley Heritage Museum said that she was approached by a member of Honor Point’s board of directors regarding two exhibits that would fit well

“We had an opportunity to display them, so they are on loan until things are sorted out with Honor Point,” Singleton said.

Fort George Wright, an Army base, opened in 1897 and was in use during the Spanish-American War. It was also visited a number of times by President Theodore Roosevelt. It was home to the famous “Buffalo Soldiers,” an African-American Cavalry.

Fort Spokane on the Columbia River and Fort Sherman in Coeur d’Alene closed when Fort George Wright, originally called New Fort Spokane,

“Phones are essential.”

Taxing the heavy garbage trucks that use city streets is different, Beese said. “Tax them to repair our streets,” she said.

Council Member Dan Sander said most people use their cell phones for so much more than phone calls and people could make changes if they needed to. “I don’t know how many people have basic phone service,” he said. “They can choose to cut back on the extras.”

Beese made a motion to remove the telephone tax from the proposed ordinance but it failed.

The council planned to vote on the proposed tax increases at a Nov. 27 special meeting (after presstime) at which they also planned to adopt the 2019 budget.

The council also voted to approve a 2-percent increase in property taxes, but that number will change once the Spokane County Assessor’s Office completes its work, Matkin said.

“It won’t be 2 percent,” she said. “By law we can only collect a certain amount. They’re still doing the assessment.”

Increasing the property tax is critical, according to the mayor.

“It’s important to note that whatever wo do, we do not keep up with inflation,” Freeman said.

Freeman also introduced an ordinance that would apply term limits to the mayor, City Council members and those serving in

was opened. It remained open until 1957.

The Missile Complex exhibit fit in well with the Valley Museum since it also has some artifacts on display from the Cold War era. The exhibit addresses several missile silos dotted throughout the countryside around Spokane, which were armed and ready for launch during the Cold War. Elliott Briggs, executive director of the Honor Point Museum said everything else that was at the Honor Point Museum has been inventoried, packed up and take to a warehouse owned by Community Colleges of Spokane at Spokane International Airport (SIA). He said the warehouse has an acre or so of storage. He added that not all of the Fort George Wright and Missile Complex artifacts are at the Valley Museum because there are so many artifacts. It has maintained the facility at SIA for some time, Briggs said.

“Until we locate a new space

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appointed positions. A mayor would be limited to two consecutive four-year terms and a council member would be limited to three consecutive four-year-terms.

Freeman pointed out that Millwood has a history of longserving mayors, including one that served for 26 years and another that served 28 years.

Freeman, now in his fourth term in elected government going back to his City Council days, said he believes that if people hold elected office too long they begin to think about what benefits them and not about what benefits the community.

He said he doesn’t want to always see the same people on the ballot over and over again.

“It does create an opportunity for new blood, new opportunities and new ideas on the City Council,” he said.

The new rules would not apply to anyone currently serving on the council, Freeman said. “This is not punitive,” he said.

But several members of the council indicated at the meeting that they would like to take that provision out, which would hold them to the newly imposed term limits if the ordinance is approved.

“I don’t think I should vote for something that doesn’t apply to me,” said Beese.

The council agreed to consider the proposed ordinance at their next regular meeting. we’re making careful decisions,” Briggs said. “No decision will be made in haste. We are looking for sponsorship and a stable environment.”

Singleton said the Valley Museum, a non-profit organization, has been operating for 14 years and remains in the black. She said they could only keep the two exhibits for eight months because they have several other exhibits coming in. She said it has hosted three Smithsonian exhibits in the past, adding that she and her colleagues are very pleased to be able to keep the Fort Wright and Missile Complex exhibits in the area.

The Spokane Valley Heritage Museum is open Wednesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. or by appointment. Admission is $6 for adults, $5 for seniors and military and $3 for children under 17. The museum is located at 12114 E. Sprague Ave. in Spokane Valley.

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NEWS

Millwood tackles nuisance properties with revised ordinance

By Nina Culver

Current Correspondent The city of Millwood has been taking steps to improve properties within municipal boundaries by updating its nuisance ordinance, which now includes a range of reasons to move forward with remedies.

The old ordinance did little but address junk cars, said Mayor Kevin Freeman.

“We had a very vague nuisance ordinance to begin with,” he said. “It didn’t address modern nuisances.”

for their annual budget discussion by reviewing their revenue sources, though the city doesn’t have the 2019 property tax revenue numbers from Spokane County yet, Freeman said.

Property taxes account for about 40 percent of the city’s budget and most of that comes from commercial properties.

“Our residential properties do not make a significant part of our property tax,” the mayor said. “We don’t have any million-dollar homes.”

The home with the highest assessed value in Millwood is valued at $672,400.

That owner pays $10,646 in property taxes, but most of that goes to schools, the fire department and other entities.

The city gets only $1,100 of it, Freeman said.

“People pay a lot of property tax,” he said. “We don’t get a lot of property tax.”

Years ago, the city adopted the Property Management Code, but didn’t have a way to enforce the standards.

The largest chunk of the city’s income comes from sales tax revenue, which is estimated to be $500,000 in 2019.

“We didn’t have the statutes or the ordinances to back that code up,” Freeman said. “Now that we have this new ordinance we have some teeth.”

“In this recent economic climate it’s not always easy to project what your property tax and sales tax revenue will be,” Freeman said. “Those are only as good as the economy.”

The ordinance, which the City Council approved in September, addresses noise, odor, dust, people living in ancillary buildings and people using vehicles as residences.

“We have had some instances where people have parked their RV’s and live in them on a full-time basis,” the mayor said. “That was not compatible with what the city of Millwood and our citizens wanted.”

Under the new ordinance, an RV can be occupied for no more than 30 days in a consecutive 12-month period. If there are violations, the city will deal with the property owner allowing the use, not the people living in the RV, Freeman said.

The ordinance also limits the frequency of yard sales and allows the city to label a home used to sell or manufacture drugs a nuisance property.

The city has been dealing with problems related to foreclosed homes, squatters and ill-maintained properties, Freeman said.

“Code enforcement I would say has become more of one of the hot button issues in the city,” he said. “Once we get a property owner involved we get a lot more resolution on these types of issues.”

But the city is not interested in penalizing property owners who violate the new ordinance, Freeman pointed out.

“We tend to try to err on the side of cooperation,” he said. “We try to work with them. We have some repeat offenders who take advantage of our good nature. We made a point in the city to crack down on that.”

The city is also making a greater effort to monitor and track code enforcement issues to make sure there is a resolution, Freeman said.

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DECEMBER 2018 • 7

One issue the City Council will be considering is how to adequately fund street maintenance. The street maintenance fund pays for crack sealing, pothole repair, street sweeping, cleaning storm drains and de-icing.

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Right now the fund gets about 14 percent of property tax revenue and all utility tax revenue, which is estimated at $233,000 for 2019. The city charges a 6 percent tax on electricity and a 2 percent tax on natural gas.

“With those revenue sources we are not meeting our maintenance and operation needs on the streets,” Freeman said. “We’re in the process of doing an analysis of what our funding would have to look like to meet our maintenance and operations obligations.”

One of the options the city could consider is a use tax on the garbage trucks that utilize city streets. The large trucks damage residential streets that weren’t designed for heavy loads. “That may be a logical place to look,” Freeman said.

The city could also look at dedicating more property tax money to the streets, but that would take money away from City Hall, the park and other things paid for out of the general fund, Freeman said.

The city is working to wrap up several construction projects that were started this summer. The parking improvements at Millwood Park are complete and work on the play field will continue over the winter. The Millwood Interurban Trail on the south side of the railroad tracks has been paved, but lighting and crossing signal improvements have been delayed due to a shortage of materials, Freeman said.

The trail work should be completed in the spring.

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Valley Council passes 2019 budget

By Linda Ball Current Correspondent After its eighth presentation and third public hearing, the Spokane Valley City Council passed its 2019 budget at the Nov. 13 meeting.

The $78.2 million budget includes almost $21 million in capital expenditures. Of that amount, $5.4 million is allocated to street projects, $1.8 million for park projects, specifically for Browns Park, $7.2 million for pavement preservation, $4.7 for railroad grade separation projects and $1.2 million in storm water management and aquifer protection.

The capital expenditures will be partially offset by an anticipated $10.9 million in grant revenues, which reflects 53.26 percent of the $21 million being covered by state and federal government funding.

The only item of additional discussion was the increase of five full-time employees in the Community and Public Works Department that the city says is necessary to fulfill the need with 25 projects coming up. Deputy City Manager John Hohman clarified that three of these employees will be construction inspectors and two would be engineers. He said the positions had been well thought-out and that most of the upcoming projects need to be bid out early in 2019. Additionally, the construction inspectors can jump to snowplowing in the winter.

“It is a lot of positions, but they are critical,” Hohman said.

“Our engineering staff are highly dedicated and it’s not sustainable to push staff that hard.”

Grant revenue from some of the projects will help pay some of the their salaries.

Council Members Ben Wick and Brandi Peetz both thought that five new FTEs in Public Works were too many, but they were outvoted.

However, Council Member Linda Thompson felt confident that this was the best budget for the community.

The city will receive $40,422 in nonrecurring revenue from a transfer from the solid waste fund as a repayment to the general fund for studies related to the solid waste program. Nonrecurring expenditures of $13 million include IT upgrades, $160,000 for a new restroom at Browns Park and another $1 million for improvements to Browns Park. The ending balance of the general fund is projected to be $33 million.

In total the city budget projected having $2.8 million in additional revenue over projected expenses, while Councilmember Wick wanted

The Current

to see an additional $2 million be put into additional projects, Deputy Mayor Pam Haley disagreed stating that the city shouldn’t spend money they don’t have yet.

The council also approved the 2019 legislative agenda. High on the wish list for Olympia is increased funding for newly hired police officers to attend training through the basic law enforcement academy at the Criminal Justice Training Commission, with two training sessions guaranteed to be the in the Spokane region. Funding for the Bridging the Valley road project of $2.9 million is requested and $520,000 will be asked to match the city’s 2019 investment of $1.16 million in improvements to Browns Park.

Other issues the city would like the legislature to address are for state lawmakers to respect local decisions when appropriate, to restore local state-shared revenues such as the liquor excise tax and marijuana revenues, address the regressive state B&O (business and operations) tax, support the continued prohibition of homegrows of recreational marijuana, support legislation that incentivizes condominium construction by reducing developers liability with regard to construction defects – while continuing to protect consumers and to revise or repeal 2018 laws relating to collective bargaining agreements to prevailing wage.

A lengthy discussion regarding snowplowing took center stage on Nov. 13 as the city gears up for the first big snow. It was decided that the savings of $3,542 per snow event for plows to return to a higher speed (opposed to last year when they were slowed), which results in lower berms because it throws the snow farther, but then it tosses it on the sidewalks. The extra money is to clear sidewalks along arterials that are also designated safe routes to schools to be cleared by the city.

This does not relieve commercial businesses or residences that are not on designated school safe routes from being responsible for sidewalks in front of their place of business or home. They must still remove the snow if 3 inches or more accumulates or incur a fine. The cost to plow the city is estimated to be $12,248 per snow event this winter as opposed to $14,307 last winter. Last year the city spent approximately $800,000 on snow removal.

Lastly, City Hall and offices will be closed Dec. 24 and 31 to observe Christmas and New Years in addition to Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. With Christmas Day and New Year’s Day falling on a Tuesday this year, Mayor Rod Higgins saw no reason to make staff work even a part day on Monday.

The Current

Spokane Valley City Council Report – December 2018

By Bill Gothmann Current Correspondent Increased costs for Argonne paving City Council unanimously awarded a $674,000 construction contract to Inland Asphalt for a project to pave Argonne from Mission to Broadway. The project also includes replacing a signal pole, updating pedestrian ramps and stormwater improvements. Construction costs have risen substantially higher since 2014 when the $553,600 Federal Surface Transportation Program grant was awarded. Total costs now run $843,151, so the city had to tap its Pavement Preservation Fund for an additional $148,713 more than originally planned.

Armistice Day remembrance Mayor Rod Higgins noted that on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, major hostilities of World War 1 formally ended. Reminding us of the sacrifice our service personnel have made, council declared Nov. 11 as Armistice Remembrance and Veterans Day. Salary Commission appointed Mayor Higgins, with council approval, appointed Steve Robertson, Bill Gothmann, Chuck Simpson, Tes Sturges and Kathe Williams to the city’s Salary Commission. Michael Moore was chosen as an alternate.

The purpose of the independent salary commission is to review and establish the salaries of the mayor and the council members.

Union and city reach tentative agreement The city and the Washington State Council of County and City Employees, Local 270V, AFSCME Union, have reached agreement on a contract and the union has ratified it. According to Human Resource Manager John Whitehead, the contract “continues a productive and positive relationship” with the union.

The three-year contract continues the merit system, maintains strong management rights and provides a 2-percent general increase in pay.

Council Member Arne Woodard commented that this is “a good result for staff as well as for the city.”

Wood stove change-out program explained Julie Oliver, executive director

NEWS

of the Spokane Regional Clean Air Agency (SRCAA), explained a $100,000 program financed by the state to replace wood stoves and fireplaces. The top producer of PM2.5 particles within the state is residential wood heating with 1,116 estimated tons in 2014.

Roads were second with 949 tons and wildfires third with 718 tons (2014 figures). Spokane County estimates that there are 9,073 non-EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) certified wood burning devices.

Working with purveyors, the EPA and Washington State Department of Ecology, the program provides up to $1,000 to encourage citizens to improve or replace their woodburning devices. Those interested can contact SARCAA for more information. Owners must burn a minimum of two cords of wood per year to qualify. SNAP (Spokane Neighborhood Action Partners) is providing some funds for those who cannot afford the replacement. Call 456-SNAP (7627) to find out more.

Federal lobbyist contract in the works Council agreed to place on the consent agenda an annual, $78,000 contract with Cardinal Infrastructure to provide federal lobbying on behalf of the city for such projects as Bridging the Valley and the Barker Road Corridor Project.

Hearing Examiner Interlocal Agreement Developed Spokane Valley has had a contract with Spokane County to provide a hearing examiner for the city. The retirement and replacement of their

hearing examiner resulted in several conflicts of interest.

Therefore, Spokane Valley contacted the city of Spokane to inquire about contracting with them for hearing examiner services.

As a result, Spokane Valley developed an interlocal agreement with Spokane to use Brian McGinn Spokane’s hearing examiner. The cost will be about the same as it was with the county. There was consensus to place this on a future consent agenda.

Lodging Tax Advisory Committee (LTAC) selects grants In 2003 the city implemented a 2-percent hotel/motel tax to promote tourism in the city. The LTAC listens to grant proposals and then chooses which to support and by how much. First, the committee agreed to reserve $275,000 for a yet-undefined large sports venue.

That left $350,000 of the budget for other grants. They chose the HUB Sports Center, $52,000; JAKT Crave NW, $21,500; JAKT Farmers Market, $7,000, JAKT Oktoberfest, $5,000; Spokane County Fair and Expo, $55,000; Spokane County Parks Recreation and Golf, $35,000; Spokane Sports Commission, $108,000; Spokane Valley Heritage Museum, $5,500; Valleyfest, $12,000; Valleyfest Cycle Celebration, $1,000; and Visit Spokane, $48,000. Some council members noted that the bulk of the grants were going to places outside of Spokane Valley. This item will come back to the council next month.

DECEMBER 2018 • 9

Legislative agenda amended Several additions were made to the previously discussed legislative agenda, those items the city wants the legislature to consider. Previous items included transportation funding, Brown’s Park capital improvement and protection of state-shared revenues. Additionally, condominium reform is needed after the legislature added requirements so stringent that it has greatly hampered developers from offering condominiums. Increased funding is needed for Spokane Area Law Enforcement Academy which provides training for new officers.

Recent prevailing wage calculations are greatly increasing the cost to cities for their programs. One such wage tripled. As a result, grants received do not cover the cost of the project.

Governance Manual to limit testimony The Governance Manual was revisited.

The many changes include reducing public comment time to one 45-minute session during a formal format meeting. In addition, members of the public are prohibited from giving their “time” to others. There was also discussion to permit the mayor to have more travel funds than other council members, since he/she attends more meetings. The changes will come back again for formal action.

City Manager Mark Calhoun announced that the annual Christmas Tree Lighting Festival will be held at 5:30 p.m. on Nov. 29 in the U-City area next to City Hall.

COMMUNITY

10 • DECEMBER 2018

The Current

Calendar of Events COMMUNITY EVENTS Nov. 25 | Christmas Lighting – 3 to 6 p.m., Spokane Valley United Methodist Church, 115 N. Raymond Road, Spokane Valley. This free community event will feature games, crafts, singing and refreshments. All are Welcome.

Nov. 29 | Celebration of Lights sponsored by the Greater Spokane Valley Rotary Club – 5:30 p.m. This free community event will start at the east end of the Spokane Valley City Hall, 10210 E. Sprague Ave., Spokane Valley. The choral group from Bowdish Middle School will sing and there will be hot chocolate, candy canes and a visit from Santa Claus.

Dec. 1 | Breakfast with Santa hosted by the Greater Spokane Valley Rotary and city of Spokane Valley – 9 to 11 a.m., CenterPlace Regional Event Center, 2426 N. Discovery Place, Spokane Valley. Seatings are at 9, 10 and 11 a.m. Registration is recommended.

Register by calling 720-5400 or go to www. spokanevalley.org/SantaBreakfast.

Event includes warm pancake breakfast, craft and game stations and a visit with Santa.

Dec. 1 | Holiday Craft and Gift Sale – 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Community of Christ, 11515 E. Broadway, Spokane Valley. Proceeds go to the congregations to abolish hunger in our community, funding the church’s summer free lunch for all ages and monthly lunch service for youth at the Volunteers of America Crosswalk teen shelter in downtown Spokane.

For more information, call 535-2513 or visit www.cofchrist-spokane.com.

Dec. 1 │ Otis Orchards Fire Station #4 open house – 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., 22406 E. Wellesley, Otis Orchards. The Spokane Valley Fire Department invites the community

to join us them free family fun with Santa Claus. Meet your firefighters, check out the fire engines housed in Otis Orchards and take pictures with Santa. Tour the fire station and try on firefighter gear. Enjoy holiday treats and cool giveaways.

And, get a free Child Safety Kit from Operation Family ID. Visit www. spokanevalleyfire.com for details.

Dec. 2 | Holiday Craft Show – 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Spokane Valley Adventist School, 1603 S Sullivan Road, Spokane Valley. This event will feature holiday handmade decor and more. For more information, contact svascraftfair@gmail.com or visit http://tinyurl.com/svascraftfair.

Dec. 29-30/Jan. 5-6 | Christmas tree recycling – 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Central Valley High School (821 S. Sullivan Road) and University High School (12420 E. 32nd Ave.).

Fundraiser for Boy Scouts of America Troop 400. Suggested donations: $5 drop-off; $10 pick-up. For more information, go to www. www. troop400.net/trees/.

RECURRING Free Last Sunday lunch | Spokane Valley United Methodist Church, 115 North Raymond Road, Spokane Valley - 12:30 p.m. in the church’s Fellowship Hall, Room 115 Grief Share Support Group | Thursdays, 3 to 4:30 p.m., Spokane Valley Church of the Nazarene.

15515 E 20th Ave, Spokane Valley.

If you have lost a loved one and are dealing with grief, this wellrespected program is here to help with the healing. Stop by to share or just listen. Call 926-1545 for more information.

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. “Focused Fitness on Dishman Mica,” a yoga class, is now part of the schedule. More at www.sccel. spokane.edu/ACT2 Baha’i Fireside Conversation | 7 to 8 p.m., third Thursday 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 | Mondays 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., third 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.

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

Free classes. We have crocheters, knitters, embroidery, quilting and needlepoint. Come and share with us what you are doing. Call 2913722.

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

More at 291-3193.

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

Special events and weekly activities for all ages including book clubs, children’s story times, classes, Lego club, teen anime club and writing clubs. More at www.scld.org Spokane Valley Eagles | 16801 E. Sprague Ave. Breakfast served Sundays 9 to 11:30 a.m. Lunch served Thursdays 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. followed by bingo from 1 to 3:30 p.m. More at www.foe3433. com.

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

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

Address verification is required. To make an appointment, call 927.1153 ext. 10, Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 1 p.m Spokane Valley Quilt Guild |

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COMMUNITY

Meetings are held at 7 p.m. on the first Tuesday of February, April, June, August, October and December at Valley Assembly of God Church, 15618 E. Broadway, Spokane Valley.

Open to all interested in sharing ideas and skills of our quilting craft.

Participants have can access a comprehensive library, can engage experienced teachers and participate in community service projects. More at www.svqgspokane.com

MUSIC & THE ARTS Dec. 29-Dec. 2 | “The Nutcracker Ballet” – times vary, Martin Woldson Theater at The Fox. This year’s conductor is Spokane Symphony Assistant Conductor Jorge Luis Uzcátegui. Tickets range from $17.50$58 for children 12 and younger, and $25-$82 for adults and are available at www.spokanesymphony.org, or by calling the box office at 624-1200.

Dec. 22-23 | Holiday Pops with the Spokane Symphony – 8 p.m. on Dec. 22 and 2 p.m. on Dec. 23., Martin Woldson Theater at The Fox. The Spokane Symphony’s Holiday Pops concerts are a beloved season tradition for the whole family. Resident Conductor Morihiko Nakahara conducts this holiday celebration with special guest, critically-acclaimed soprano and Broadway and star, Lisa Vroman, whose vocal versatility allows her to move effortlessly from Broadway to opera to concert hall. Holiday Pops includes favorite Christmas songs and an audience sing-along with carols performed by the Spokane Symphony, Spokane Symphony Chorale, Spokane Area Youth Choirs and special out-of-town guest, Santa Claus. Tickets range from $27-$60 for children 12 and under and $39$86 for adults and are available at www.spokanesymphony.org, or by calling the box office at 624-1200.

Dec. 31 | Spokane Symphony presents “Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony” – 7:30 p.m., Martin Woldson Theater at The Fox. Music Director Eckart Preu and the Spokane Symphony will ring in the New Year with triumph and jubilation for the last time as part of Preu’s farewell season. This production features more than 150 performers on stage, including four guest vocalists and the Spokane Symphony Chorale, directed by Kristina PloegerHekmatpanah. Tickets range from $13-$36 for children 12 and under and $19-$52 for adults. Buy tickets at www.spokanesymphony.org, or by calling the box office at 624-1200.

RECURRING 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 fourpart, 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 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

DECEMBER 2018 • 11

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HEALTH & RECREATION Through Nov. 30 | Through the end of November, Sullivan Park Assisted Living Community, 421 S. Adams Road in Spokane Valley, will offer free and confidential cognitive screenings for seniors.

Each screening takes approximately 30 minutes. To schedule your screening, please call 790-4326.

Dec. 4 and Jan. 9 | Quit for Good – Tobacco Cessation class. Have you tried quitting smoking before without success? INHS and Providence Health Care are teaming up to provide a free four-week program designed to help you have long-term success in quitting tobacco. Tobacco cessation tools will be available to you as well as tobacco cessation experts. The class includes Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) while supplies last when NRT is not covered by participant’s health insurance. This is a live, interactive webinar. Log in information will be emailed with your registration confirmation. For more information, call 232-8145 or visit www.inhs.info.

Nov. 27 and Dec. 20 | Know Your Numbers: Risk Factor Screening, INHS Community Wellness Center, 501 N. Riverpoint Blvd., Spokane. Do you have hidden risks to your health?

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See CALENDAR, Page 12

November 27, 2018

Join us in making our part of the world better THIS HOLIDAY SEASON, SUPPORT YOUR FAVORITE NONPROFITS IN EASTERN WASHINGTON AND NORTH IDAHO For more information visit: innovia.org/givingtuesday

#GivingTuesday regional campaign brought to you by Innovia Foundation in partnership with Empire Health Foundation and United Way.

The Current

12 • DECEMBER 2018

CALENDAR

Continued from page 11

cholesterol, blood glucose, waist circumference, blood pressure and more.

Dec. 18 | Pre-diabetes screening, INHS Community Wellness Center, 501 N. Riverpoint Blvd., Spokane.

This simple blood test provides information about a person’s average levels of blood glucose, also called blood sugar, over the past three months. Immediate results are provided and can be discussed at the time of appointment with a registered dietitian and/or a certified diabetes educator. For more information, call 232-8145 or visit www.inhs.info.

Wednesday mornings | Mindful Music & Movement class, 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Specifically designed for those living with chronic health issues such as: Parkinson's, dementia, COPD, MS, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, cancer. Supporting body, mind and soul. $10 donation suggested. Facilitated by boardcertified Music Therapist, Carla Carnegie. Willow Song Music Therapy Center. 21101 E. Wellesley #102.

Otis Orchards. For more information, visit www.willowsongmusictherapy. com or call 592 7875.

RECURRING Yoga in Rockford | 5:30 p.m.

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

Wednesday mornings | Mindful Music & Movement class, 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Specifically designed for those living with chronic health issues such as: Parkinson's, dementia, COPD, MS, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, cancer. Supporting body, mind and soul. $10 donation suggested. Facilitated by boardcertified Music Therapist, Carla Carnegie. Willow Song Music Therapy Center. 21101 E. Wellesley #102.

Otis Orchards. For more information, visit www.willowsongmusictherapy. com or call 592 7875.

Tuesday afternoons | Decreasing Anger Group, 3 to 4:30 p.m., the Vet Center, 13109 E. Mirabeau Parkway, Spokane Valley. Eligibility: Combat veteran from all eras, military sexual trauma survivors, Contact Steve at 893-4746 to make an intake appointment.

HUB Sports Center 19619 E. Cataldo Ave., Liberty Lake.

Various activities and events occur throughout the week including: • Pickleball drop-in: 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. Mon. through Thurs.; 10 a.m. to noon Tues. and Thurs. and 6 to 8 p.m. Wed. and Sun. $3/seniors ($5/

non-seniors) • Classes including Kenpo Karate and Zumba Aerobics. See website for cost and times.

CIVIC & BUSINESS Dec. 4| Compass Club Ladies Luncheon – 11:30 a.m., Skyline Ballroom at the Centennial Hotel, 303 W. North River Drive, Spokane. The Compass Club been an organization since 1948, when seven women decided to form their own club to provide more opportunities to meet people and to get to know friends better through hobby groups. The purpose of the Spokane Compass Club is to develop fellowship and acquaintance among new residents and assimilation into the life and social activities of their new community. Cost of the luncheon is $25. Reservations are required with a deadline of Nov. 29. Please contact compassres@gmail.com.

Mondays in December | Financial Literacy with Dycelia Weiss – 12:30 to 2 p.m., STCU Community Education Kitchen and Classroom at Spokane Valley Partners Food Bank and Family Services, 10814 E. Broadway, Spokane Valley. Call 9271153 or visit www.svpart.org/food-

bank/ for more information.

RECURRING Spokane Valley City Council | Regular meetings are held on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month at 6 p.m. in Council Chambers at Spokane Valley City Hall, 11707 E. Sprague Ave., Ste. 101. Council study sessions are held the first, third and sometimes fifth Tuesdays at 6 p.m., also in Council Chambers.

Millwood City Council | Regular meetings at 7 p.m. on the second Tuesday of each month at Millwood City Hall, 9103 E. Frederick Ave. Spokane Flag Museum | Sponsored by the Sons of the American Revolution and the Fairmount Memorial Association, details the rich history of the American flag, Mondays-Fridays, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Saturdays, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Pines Cemetery, 1402 S. Pines Road, Spokane Valley. For more information: 926-2753 or www. fairmountmemorial.com/southpines-cemetery Spokane Valley Kiwanis | 6:45 a.m.

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

Greater Spokane Valley Rotary | Noon to 1 p.m., Wednesdays.

Darcy’s, 10502 E. Sprague Ave. More at www.svrotary.org.

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LIBRARY

The Current

STARS shine for early learning training at library

DECEMBER 2018 • 13

By Erin Dodge

Current Guest Contributor Brain development, social development and early literacy grow most rapidly in a child’s first five years. Fine motor, cognitive, math and literacy skills are all important for Kindergarten readiness. Spokane County Library District offers Play and Learn Storytimes every week to support children from birth through age 5.

And that’s not all they do to support these important skill-building years.

The early learning team at the library district also offers free “STARS” classes for childcare providers, teachers and parents. All STARS classes are certified through the Washington State Department of Children, Youth and Families.

Even if you’re a parent or caregiver and don’t need STARS credit for certification, you can participate in the monthly classes at the library district for new ideas to engage the children in your life.

In the December STARS class “New Picture Books of 2018,” early learning educators share their favorite new books from 2018 to

The art of cake decorating with Catee Ng

By Erin Dodge

Current Guest Contributor Catee Ng is a self-taught baker and decorator who began cake decorating seven years ago and now teaches classes at local libraries, senior centers and other venues. During the month of December, Catee will be the Creator in Residence at The Lab at North Spokane Library (44 E. Hawthorne Road, Spokane).

Each week, Catee plans to begin a new project and complete it.

During her days in residence, she will have the decorating medium available for you to try out along with tools. Her residence days at The Lab are 4 to 6 p.m. on Dec. 4, 12 and 18; 1 to 3 p.m. on Dec. 7, 14, 21 and 28 and 6 to 8 p.m. on

TRIVIA NIGHT

utilize with babies, toddlers and preschoolers to help develop early literacy, language and STEM skills.

The class takes place at Argonne Library, on Saturday, Dec. 8 from 10 a.m. to noon.

After the New Year, the library district offers 10 opportunities for STARS classes. This list includes: “Math: More Than Counting 2” at Spokane Valley Library on Saturday, Jan. 26 from 10 a.m. to noon.

“Engineering and Early Learning for Preschoolers” at North Spokane Library on Saturday, March 9, from 10 a.m. to noon.

“Babies, Books and Bounces” at Argonne Library on Saturday, April 13, from 10 a.m. to noon.

“Storytime Boot Camp” at Moran Prairie Library on Saturday, May 11, from 10 a.m. to noon.

“Felt Stories” is at Spokane Valley

Library on Saturday, July 13, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

“Science and Literacy” at North Spokane Library on Saturday, Sept.

28, from 10 a.m. to noon.

“Get Up and Go: Movement Activities” at Moran Prairie Library on Saturday, Oct. 19, from 10 a.m. to noon.

“Toddler Math and Literacy” at Spokane Valley Library on Saturday, Nov. 9, from 10 a.m. to noon.

“New Picture Books of 2019” at Spokane Valley Library on Saturday, Dec. 14, 2019, from 10 a.m. to noon.

Registration is required for all STARS classes and opens 30 days before each scheduled class.

You can find class descriptions, their STARS credits and links for registration on the library district website at www.scld.org/starstraining.

FOR ADULTS

Holiday Movies Show what you know!

Don’t get stuck Home Alone with Gremlins and The Grinch.

Take a Christmas Vacation with Elf and sing A Christmas Carol.

Dec. 27.

If you are looking to learn cake and cupcake decorating techniques, plan on stopping by during residency days to get some tips from Catee and experiment with the frosting or fondant on hand!

Catee is also leading two handson workshops for adults and teens during December. “Basic Cupcake Decorating” offers basic techniques for cupcake decorating, including different decorating supplies, terms and piping tips you can use to create beautifully decorated cupcakes. You will get to practice your new skills on three cupcakes to take home with you. All supplies will be provided. Space is limited, so registration is required for this workshop held at The Lab at North Spokane Library on Monday, Dec. 10, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.

For those who have some experience with baking and cake decorating, “Creating Cake

Embellishments: Fondant and Chocolate” is a class for ambitious decorators (adults and teens).

In the workshop Catee Ng will show you how to make your own modeling chocolate and marshmallow fondant at home to create beautiful flowers and figures for your cakes and cookies. All supplies will be provided. Space is limited, so registration is required for this workshop held at The Lab at North Spokane Library on Monday, Dec. 17, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. To register for a workshop, visit www. scld.org/catee-ng.

The Creator in Residence program is sponsored by the Friends of the North Spokane Library. In January 2019, Hannah Charlton will share the artistry of medieval manuscript illumination, which involves layout, calligraphy and painting. To learn more about this program and other library events, check out “Engage,” the programs and events guide for Spokane County Library District, at www.scld.org/engage.

Bring your knowledge & eats.

Costumes & Cosplayers welcome SPOKANE VALLEY LIBRARY Friday, Dec 21, 6:30–8:30pm

www.scld.org

The Current

14 • DECEMBER 2018

Valley Chamber

HIGHLIGHTS Stories of Good Will A Special Business Connections

Student of the Month CONNECT.

EMPOWER.

Stories of Good Will Friday, December 14th 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.

CenterPlace Events Center Join us for our holiday-themed Business Connections celebration that highlights the incredible non-profits we have here in the Greater Spokane Valley!

Enjoy a strolling lunch with tasting stations throughout the room while you hear of the inspiring work of our featured non-profit organizations.

Chamber member businesses are encouraged to sponsor a non-profit organization to host for this memorable event. Host sponsorship includes a highlight table for you and a non-profit representative.

Go to our website to see the list of chamber-member non-profits who need a sponsor!

Register today! Only 20 spaces are left.

INNOVATE.

Stories of Good Will A Special Business Connections SAVE THE DATE December 14 January 18, 2019 11:00 AM - 2:00 PM Gem of the Events Valley CenterPlace Awards Center 5:30 - 8:30 P.M. Businesses canHotel Mirabeau Park sponsor a chamber This premiere event member non-profit to features a live auction, host for lunch and an elegant dinner and provide a spotlight table for them share their our yearlytoawards mission. program.

West Valley junior Annika Esvelt was one of the keys to the Eagles’ historic 2A state championship cross country run this season.

She was the first WV runner across the line at the state meet in Pasco, Nov. 3 contributing to the school’s first state crown in girls’ cross country since 1986. Esvelt has been an All Great Northern League honoree in cross country and track since her freshman year. She has a personal record of 19 minutes, 26 seconds in the 5K and was third at the district meet this season. In track, she was a district champion in the 1,600-and 3,200-meter runs last year, qualifying for state in the 3,200. In the classroom, Esvelt maintains a 4.0 grade point average and is a member of National Honor Society.

Spotlight Table $175

New Members: October LawnStarter Liberty Lake Physical Therapy – Therapeutic Associates Plumb Zebra

For more information, visit: spokanevalleychamber.org.

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

Citizen of the Month

Thanks you for all you do in our community

When Jacob Barnhart and a few of his classmates at West Valley High School realized there was a chance to make a difference for students sitting alone at lunch, they decided to create a club called “No Student Eats Alone.” Barnhart says the goal of the program “is to eliminate isolation.” Barnhart is a commended student through the National Merit Scholar program and maintains a 4.0 grade point average. He is one of the lead engineers with WV’s Robotics Club which has qualified for the World Championships the past three years. The senior has also participated in track and basketball at West Valley. He is a member of the National Honor Society and would like to pursue his PhD in science with a goal of teaching and conducting research at the college level.

Athlete of the Month When it comes to the many contributions of Tom Lloyd to the Spokane Valley-based Greater Spokane Substance Abuse Council (GSSAC), Executive Director Linda Thompson says the organization has been fortunate to count him as a longtime board member.

“Tom has been a dedicated volunteer with GSSAC for over 20 years,” Thompson said. “He brings wonderful experience in prevention and treatment as well as compassion for people.” Lloyd volunteers with the DUI Victims Panel and has been a case manager for Spokane County Felony Drug Court. He has served as a mediator with the Northwest Mediation Center and as a clinical supervisor at Northeast Washington Treatment Alternatives. Lloyd has also worked as liaison for Spokane County Drug Court and once served as a program manager for Idaho Gov. Cecil Andrus. He has also taught programs through Spokane Falls Community College and Whitworth University.

The Current

DECEMBER 2018 • 15

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

The Holiday season is upon is. It feels like it snuck up on us – but what an exciting time of year.

This is the time of year to take some extra time to recognize and say “thank you” to all the people that surround and impact us in our daily lives. Whether it’s sharing a meal with close friends and/or family, giving a gift to someone to show your appreciation, or enjoying some holiday cheer (maybe with Santa). It is with that thought that we have pulled together our annual “Eat, Shop and Be Merry” guide this year, complete with local businesses to check some of these items off your holiday list.

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

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

Ben Wick, Publisher

The Current

16 • DECEMBER 2018

Parent’s Night Out SATURDAY DECEMBER 15TH 6:30 PM - 9:30 PM

$27, PLUS 10% DISCOUNT FOR MULTIPLE SIBLINGS Three hours of gymnastics, games and crafts while parents can have an evening alone! For children potty trained through age 14! Snacks and drinks provided.

Space is limited! if you would like to attend this event please call to reserve spots by wednesday december 12th!

(509) 533-9646

spokanegymnastics.com

Dont’ forget to mention this coupon when you call to register!

This is a one time use coupon exclusively for Spokane Gymnastics December 2018 Parent’s Night Out Expires Decmber 16th, 2018

Brought to you by LCM

The Current

Holiday Gift Guide- all local

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

Pricing key

DECEMBER 2018 • 17

Bruttles

Charm

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

21950 E Country Vista Drive, Suite 500, Liberty Lake

$ – $0 - $50, $$ – $50-$200, $$$ – You really like this person Adorkable Flowers and Gifts

Big Bear Chocolates

922-6300, 1326 N Liberty Lake Rd, Liberty Lake

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

Now at a new convenient location. The store atmosphere is still welcoming, eclectic and creative, all things that you are sure to find in the arrangements and gifts that here. Purchase custom or prearranged flowers, candy bouquets, potted plants, balloon arrangements, local artist work, and more. $ Our Choice: An assortment of wonderful stocking stuffers to delight both the young and young at heart.

Appleway Florist and Gifts 924-5050, 11006 E, Sprague Ave., Spokane Valley

This longtime Valley florist has over 30,000 square feet of greenhouse space in which to showcase their bouquets and special arrangements.

They also have a large selection of candles, plush, balloons and gift items. Throughout the year, special events are also hosted here such as pictures with Santa and the Easter Bunny.

Gourmet goodies readily available for your consumption.

Here you can find delicacies ranging from fudge and chocolates to caramel apples and ice cream. You can usually find a sample of one of their tasty treats to try. $ Our Choice: Chocolate covered caramel apple. Choose from a large assortment of flavors such as “apple pie,” “turtle pecan,” and the holiday special “peppermint stick” (pictured above).

The Bike HUB

Fresh, grade A ingredients go into the making of these confections using recipes that have been passed down for over 60 years. Originally a turn down service at the Davenport Hotel, these delicacies can now be found in Spokane Valley. Along with the original soft peanut brittle, you can find salt water taffy, caramels, butter toffee and chocolate bark. $-$$ Our choice: Original soft peanut brittle. Its “soft” texture make it a great choice for those with a sweet tooth of all ages~ as long as they don’t have allergies.

Dainty casual handcrafted in Liberty Lake, WA 443-4005, 12505 E. jewelry Sprague s Search c Cami Lee Designs Ave. #101, Spokane Valley 21950 E Country Vista Drive, A friendly, full-service bicycle Suite 500, Liberty Lake shop in the heart of Spokane Valley. Go in and let the friendly staff help you, or browse their catalog online. Either way you are sure to find cool gadgets or (/) just the right bike for you.

If your dream, or a loved one’s, is for a chic farmhouse you need to stop by here. They have the most adorable items that will fit perfectly. We found bathroom signs and tea cups we couldn’t live without. $-$$ Our choice: Cups or these unique Christmas ornaments (pictured above).

Hallett’s Cafe

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The marketplace section of this unique business offers a generous makeup of soup mixes, $$ Our choice: Too many cool jams, candles, beverages, gadgets to pick just one! HOME (/) NECKLACES (/COLLECTIONS/NECKLACES) EARRINGS (/COLLECTIONS/EARRINGS) dips and the largest variety of RINGS (/COLLECTIONS/RINGS) BRACELETS (/COLLECTIONS/BRACEL ETS) BLOG (/BLOGS/CAMILEE-DESIGNS-BLOG) huckleberry items, all made in Brickhouse Massage & Coffee the Pacific Northwest. Not to SIGN IN (HTTPS://WWW.CAMILEE.COM/ACCOUNT/LOGIN) SUPPLIES (/COLLECTIONS/JEWELRY-MAKING) Bar mention Hallett’s chocolates, a 891-1999, 14222 E. Sprague local favorite for over 30 years.

Ave., Spokane Valley Home (/) / Collections (/collections) / Necklaces (/collections/necklaces) / Modern Mom Necklace Hammered Name Plate Charms {Silver, Gold, or Rose Gold} There is always something new Whether you are coming in and local to be found here. alone, with your sweetheart $$ Our choice: Gift basket.

Modern Mom Necklace Hammered Name Plate or with a group of friends, we Charms of {Silver, Gold, or Rose Gold} Premade or do it yourself, this These unique pieces jewelry have the spa package to fit your will charm anyone on your basket is the perfect gift for $37.00 needs. Give us a call to schedule shopping list this holiday season. the host of the Christmas party your perfect BrickHouse spa day Whether you want quirky, Tweet Save Like (https://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?

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The Current

18 • DECEMBER 2018 Greenacres Vendor Mall

Coin Corner

309-3236, 16814 E Ave, Spokane Valley

928-0860, 9215 Spokane Valley

Sprague

E.

Trent,

Pawpular Companions

Spokandy

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

624-1969, 1412 W. Third Ave., Spokane

For over 35 years and through three generations, the Coin Corner has been buying and selling investment coins and collections. They also deal with historical memorabilia, maps, documents and military documents.

Excellent place to explore if you have been collecting for years or are just starting out.

Irv’s Rock and Gifts 924-5464, 11907 E. Trent Ave., Spokane Valley

Now in a new location with more room and more treasures for you to find. An eclectic collection of vintage and one of a kind finds that will last for years. $-$$ Our Choice: Spend some time wondering with friends or family finding something special.

Lorraine Fine Jewelry 309-3236, 16814 E Ave, Spokane Valley

Sprague

For over 50 years Irv, and now his daughter Liz, have been educating the community on the intricacies of jewelry, rocks, stones and gems. $ Our Choice: A bag of rocks.

Chose the ones that you think will be the most intriguing. You can’t go wrong because they are all so good.

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

Now in a new location with more convenient parking! The owners, Carl and Mara, and their staff are friendly and knowledgeable and take the time to help you make choices that are best for you and your furry family. $-$$ Our Choice: Bella and Beau, a line of charms that can be collected to create a story of the memories that you share with your beloved pet. What makes them even better? You can get a matching necklace or bracelet!

Chocolates made from tradition, these are sure to find a part to play in yours. For over 100 years this company has been providing us with Murphys, mints, caramels, nut clusters and other treats. Although we have listed their main store in downtown Spokane, Spokandy selections can be found at Big Bear Chocolates, Simply Northwest, and other establishments throughout the Spokane Valley area. For your convenience, place your order and have it delivered to your door. $ Our Choice: Mints. Buy an assorted pack, available in holiday variety or pastels and you are sure to make a good impression on whomever you gift them to.

The Trellis Marketplace 928-6158, 4102 S. Bowdish, Spokane Valley

Silver Bow Fly Shop 924-9998, 13210 E. Ave., Spokane Valley

Just open!

Your new neighborhood jewelry store with unique custom pieces and some standard favorites. Join them on Saturdays for champagne while you shop now through Christmas! $$$ Our Choice: These beautiful 18K white gold sapphire and diamond ring. Available with a variety of different center stones.

The Bohemian 309-3236, 16814 E Ave, Spokane Valley

Sprague

This couple has a passion for refurbishing, and recently opened their newly expanded storefront. Each one is special, unique and one of a kind. Their Crafts are made out of recycled wood from pallets, garage doors; just about anything they can get their hands on. They can create any custom work or bring your ideas to life, just ask. $ Our Choice: This sign with the coordinates for Spokane Valley!

With improved hours for more convenient scheduling the staff takes providing excellent eye care seriously. They have a wide range of brands for you to choose from for both clear lens and sun protection. $$-$$$ Our Choice: The Maui Jim Ophthalmatic line. New in store with wonderful colors and styles for all glasses lovers and wearers.

R Brown Collectibles 483-7425, 4750 N Division on the upper level in Northtown Mall

Locally owned and operated by the same family for almost 40 years. Carries all your collectibles with outstanding customer service. $-$$$ Our Choice: These beautiful snowman Christmas lights.

Indiana

With a goal of “making fish nervous,” this business focuses on carrying gear that is tried and true for all those who wish to try the art of fly fishing. They are available to offer advice based on knowledge from their own time on the water during store hours and at the numerous classes and community events they host throughout the community. $ Our Choice: Fly fishing classes that you can take together! What a fun way to show you care.

Simply Northwest 927-8206, 11806 E. Sprague Ave., Spokane Valley What originally started as a home-based gift basket service is now a gift boutique with full-service website with local delivery. They offer the ability to choose, or have them create, unique gifts for any family member or friend this holiday season and all year round. $ Our Choice: Sports theme gear.

They have your choice of EWU, Seattle Seahawks, Cougars and Gonzaga.

A veritable smörgåsbord of gift options awaits you at this destination gift boutique.

They have items to inspire, amuse, paper, comfort and charm all. They believe that building relationships with their customers inspires loyalty and support in order for visitors to leave as friends. $ Our Choice: Ornaments. They have lots of different choices of glass vintage inspired varieties and metal ones to choose from that are certain to meet anyone on your lists taste.

The Current

DECEMBER 2018 • 19

This Old House

The Velvet Hammer

892-3099, 10619 E. Trent Ave., Spokane Valley

Found at Charm

The only second-hand store on our list, these crafters repurpose and refashion vintage furniture into one-of-a-kind treasures.

Throughout their three store spaces, cleverly retrofitted from old houses, you will find exclusive yard and garden decor, holiday decor, kitchen items, jewelry and more. $-$$ Our Choice: ???? Spend an afternoon wondering through all they have to offer. You are sure to find something to cross off your Christmas shopping list or go home with a treasure for yourself to spruce up the house for the holidays.

Tracy Jewelers 893-2929, 106 N. Evergreen, Spokane Valley

A lovingly curated collection of women’s clothing. These quality and unique pieces will be available at Charm and online (soon). $ Our Choice: Embroidered Velvet mock turtleneck. But seriously they are all adorable.

You can’t go wrong for the fashionista in your life.

Valley Candles Found at Hallett’s Marketplace and Simply Northwest - You can also purchase on Amazon

Eat, Drink and Be Merry!

Call Today to Book Your Holiday Party!

Don’t Forget, True Legends Gift Cards Make Great Stocking Stuffers WWW.TRUELEGENDSGRILL.COM

Although their slogan may be “where Spokane gets engaged,” engagement rings are far from the only items carried here.

They stock a broad selection of diamond and colored gemstone jewelry along with offering jewelry repair, custom design, restoration and appraisal services. $$ Our Choice: Mars mixed metal stackable bands.

Uncle’s Books and Games 891-7620, Located within the Spokane Valley Mall Locally owned shop featuring board games, puzzles, books and more. Most night there is a “game night” event hosted at their location. Having trouble understanding a board game?

They will help. Check out their full calendar on their website for details. $ Our Choice: Chess board.

Excellent choices of unique boards for the seasoned player or starter boards for those just beginning. They will even give you a lesson!

Radiant Nails A hobby that turned in to a love and now a thriving business.

These candles are crafted with US Soy grown wax that is nonGMM and scented with oils that do not have any harmful chemicals. You will enjoy the “smooth, long lasting burn with an exceptional scent throw off the candle.” $ Our Choice: 14 Oz Candle.

Burns 70 hours. Choose any scent and the recipient is sure to think of you each time they light it up.

Bianca Knee

Holiday Special

White Elephant 924-3006, 12614 E Ave., Spokane Valley

10% off any service for new clients

Sprague

Our area’s most iconic discount toy and sporting goods store. You are sure to find the best prices on quality products, often not carried anywhere else in town. $ Our Choice: Hydroflask Water bottles. Keeps your drink warm or cool for hours. We all need to stay hydrated, so give one to everyone on your list.

(509)737-7645

radiantnails1@gmail.com

Expires 12/31/2018

SERVICES

• Manicures • Pedicures • Acrylic • IBX Natural Nail Restore •

Fares to Share - just around the corner

20 • DECEMBER 2018

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

Max at Mirabeau Restaurant and Lounge 1100 N. Sullivan, Spokane Valley Spokane Valley’s finest dining experience! Great for breakfast, a business lunch, or a fantastic dinner.

Barlows 1428 N Liberty Lake Rd, Liberty Lake Go to enjoy traditional American fare.

The Cork House 1400 N. Meadowwood Lane, Liberty Lake Serving amazingly fresh food, spirits and coffee suitable for every palette. Go check it out and let the new owners know what you think.

Come in and discover us!

• • • • • •

14 Taps with 12 of our beers and 2 rotating local ciders Trivia and Bingo Nights Support Independent Craft Beer Bring your own food or order in (we even have menus) Join our Mug Club Family Friendly!

Check out facebook or our website for more Details 2302 N Argonne Rd Suite H, Spokane Valley WA 99212

509-868-0182 • www.vtwinbrewingco.com facebook.com/vtwinbrewingco

Craft and Gather 14403 S. Dishman Mica, Spokane Valley The clubhouse of the old Painted Hills Gold course brings you approachable food that is a step beyond your expectations.

The Current

Liberty Lake Sushi is all made fresh in front of you by a Japanese trained sushi chef.

The lobster roll and the Washington roll are yummy.

True Legends 1803 N. Harvard Rd. Liberty Lake We love their burgers, but they also have Prime Rib Friday Nights.

Yumm!

The Well 21980 E. Country Vista Drive, Liberty Lake A locally owned coffee house that serves delicious lettuce wraps to accompany your favorite beverage. Or go for breakfast and try one of their amazing Acai Bowl. Oh and did we mention they cater?

Ferraro’s 11204 E. Sprague Ave., Spokane Valley Family owned and operated Italian restaurant. Very family friendly.

Ambrosia 9211 E. Montgomery, Spokane Valley Simply put, the Ambrosia Bistro is delicious.

Ding How 1332 N. Liberty Lake Rd.,

Hallett’s Market and Café 14109 E. Sprague Ave. Spokane Valley A longtime Valley favorite for shopping and eating. You can dine in or grab your meal to go.

Don’t forget to pick up some goodies for those on your holiday list while you are there!

Caruso’s 2314 N. Argonne Road., Spokane Valley Known for making pizza dough from scratch daily Our favorites are the Hawaiian and when you’re not in the mood for red sauce try the Legit

Vintage Vines 106 N Evergreen, Spokane Valley Enjoy a relaxing night out with that special someone or the girls sipping wine or learning about beer as you enjoy a nice BLT or some of their other tasty

The Current

DECEMBER 2018 • 21

Holiday Savings

offerings.

ont of sushi

MENTION THIS AD AND SAVE!

the

Conley’s 12622 E. Sprague Ave., Spokane Valley Offering American fares with an Irish twist. Whether you visit them for breakfast, lunch, or dinner you are sure to leave with a full, happy stomach. During Lakeholiday seasons they usually have specials, so go try something theynew! ghts.

Longhorn Barbecue okane2315 N Argonne, Spokane Valley A longtime family favorite in e forSpokane Valley. We love their cansandwiches (beef, turkey, ham, o go.or pork) - which can be eaten in somethe restaurant or picked up and olidaytaken back to your home to enjoy with family and/or friends. Don’t forget their juicy steaks and yummy ribs too! okane

If you haven’t yet discovered this unique establishment, get ready!

Although they are a coffee shop, they also serve fresh, made from scratch, Asian food that you will sure enjoy and be coming back for more. Since discovering this place last year it has become a staple for us. All of their dishes are made to order, so that means cutting up fresh vegetables, using their signature sauces that are made from scratch, using NO MSG. And the couple that owns the establishment is so nice every time.

15% OFF SERVICE 10% OFF ACCESSORIES 5% OFF AN E-Z-GO Holiday GOLF CAR!

Savings!

Mention this ad for 15% off on Service, 10% off on Accessories and 5% off an Eze-Go Golf Car!

Dear Santa,

Please bring us a shiny new Eze-Go Golf Dear Santa, Car and these things too that mom and

Please bring us a shiny new E-really Z-Go Golfwant!

Car and these things dad really, that mom and dad really really want!

p Custom Wheels

Mongolian BBQ 15416 E Sprague, Spokane Valley Family owned and operated, roomy establishment. Go in, choose all your own fruit, vegetables, meats, noodles, and sauces. Watch them cook it up and then enjoy!

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Rancho Viejo 14201 E. Sprague, Spokane Valley Enjoy a bit of Mexican? Try this family friendly locally owned establishment. Great for large groups. Friendly service with Valleyyummy choices. Don’t worry they withwill let you take home the left theovers. rningLaLozy nice13917 E. Trent, Spokane Valley tasty

Mangrove Cafe 18 N Bowdish, Spokane Valley Featuring freshly-made baked goods and Thai lunch and dinner specials in this charming remodeled home. There are extensive gardens to enjoy when weather permits. Call to reserve your seat 926-2519.

Pacific Golf and Turf 6206 E Trent Ave 2 A Spokane Valley, WA 99212

SALES(509)202-4943 509-385-2481 PARTS AND SERVICE Service: (509)202-4945 Sales: or 509-202-4943 509-202-4945 rmoser@pacificgolfturf.com wlemke@pacificgolfturf.com

The Current

22 • DECEMBER 2018

Santa is Coming toandTown... here is where you can find him

It’s that time of year again when Kris Kringle takes a shuttle sleigh to sites across the great Spokane Valley. So keep an ear out for the jingle bells!

SPOKANE VALLEY MALL 14700 E. Indiana Ave., Spokane Valley Call: 926-3700 Come to the lower JC Penney court to see Santa or make reservations ahead of time to save some time. Plus, save 30 percent on your photos by pre-ordering a package online. Visit before Dec. 9 to save an extra $5. Reservations and photo purchases are not required to visit Santa.

Reservations and photo purchases are not required to visit Santa.

Regular Hours: Monday – Saturday: 12:00 PM – 8:00 PM Sunday: 12:00 PM – 6:00 PM Special Hours: 12/16 – 12/23: Reg Hours: 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM 12/18: 9:00 AM – 8:00 PM Christmas Eve: 9:00AM – 6:00PM (Break: 1:00PM – 2:00PM)

BREAKFAST WITH SANTA CenterPlace Regional Event Center - 2426 N. Discovery Place, Spokane Valley Call: 688-0300 Saturday, Dec. 1: 8 am, 9 am, 10 am $5 per person Registration Information: Registration to this event is required. Space is limited. Preregistration is required. Call 509720-5200 or visit spokanevalley. org/santabreakfast This year there will be no photographs with Santa provided by the Spokane Valley Parks and Recreation staff. Please take your own photos if you like.

Sponsored by Rotary Club of Spokane Valley and the City of Spokane Valley SPOKANE VALLEY FIRE STATION #8

2110 N Wilbur Rd., Spokane Valley Call: 892-4155 Spokane Valley Fire Department invites the community to join us Dec. 2 from 10 am - 2 pm for a free family fun with Santa! Meet your firefighters and paramedics, check out both fire engines housed at Station 8 and take pictures with Santa! Tour the largest fire station in our Department and try on firefighter gear. Enjoy holiday treats and cool giveaways. And, get a free Operation Family ID child safety kit. visit www.spokanevalleyfire. com.

CABELA’S 101 N. Cabela Ave., Post Falls Call: 208-777-6300 Get a Bass Pass!

A Bass Pass is required and provides a time slot to see Santa, allowing you to explore Santa’s Wonderland® or shop the store while waiting in a virtual line. Bass Passes are limited and go quickly each day, now through Dec. 24.

Nov. 20 - Dec. 1: Weekdays 5 pm - 8 pm Saturdays 10 am - 5 pm Sundays noon - 5 pm Dec. 2. - Dec. 23: Weekdays and Saturdays 10 am - 8 pm Sundays 10 am - 5 pm LONE WOLF HARLEYDAVIDSON 19011 E. Cataldo Ave., Spokane Valley Call: 927-3306 Nov. 23, Nov 24, Dec. 1, Dec. 8, Dec. 15, and Dec 22, 10 am 3 pm. Come on down to get your picture with our Harley Santa!

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

MAX AT MIRABEAU 1100 N. Sullivan Road, Spokane Valley Call: 922-6252 Dec 9, 8am - 1 pm. Annual

Breakfast with Santa. Reservations are recommended. Call for more details.

APPLEWAY FLORIST AND GREENHOUSE 11006 E. Sprague, Spokane Valley Call: 924-5050 Appleway Florist and Greenhouse is ready for Christmas and the winter holiday season with poinsettias, festive centerpieces, creative fresh and artificial bouquets, plush animals, plants, balloons and much more. Santa will be in Dec. 8 and Dec 15th from 10 am - 4 pm. Photo buttons are available in two sizes for $5 or $7. The 5 x 7 inch pictures are $7 or nine wallet size pictures on a sheet for $7. Or bring your own camera and use the fabulous backdrop! Call for more details.

SANTA’S BREAKFAST HOSTED

BY THE NEWMAN LAKE FIRE AUXILIARY Tri-Community Grange 25025 E Heather Ln Dec. 1, 8 am – 12 pm Come have pancakes with all the fixin’s (just make a cash contribution). Pictures with Santa are just $2. And the Kids Gift Shop will be stocked for kids to buy presents for their family and friends. Nothing is priced over $3, and most everything is $1 or less.

Elves are available to help wrap so gifts can remain secret until the big day.

Any proceeds benefit Newman Lake Fire and Rescue, but we really just want this to be a great community event.

If you would like to donate cash, breakfast makings, or gifts, please contact Kelli Lemley (990-8797), or Deb Davis (226-0187).

SATURDAY WITH SANTA AT THE LIBRARY 23123 E Mission Ave, Liberty Lake (509) 232-2510 Dec 9, 10:30 am - 1:30 pm Come visit with Santa at our annual event! Crafts and activities while you wait for your turn to see Santa.

Take your own photos or purchase them from Bugaboo Photography.

Everyone who arrives by 1:30 pm

sharp will get to see Santa.

SANTA CLAWS FOR PEOPLE AND PETS 404 N Havana, Spokane Valley Call: 590-9667 Sunday Nov. 25, 11 am - 4 pm FREE Parking & Admission, Raffles ($1/per chance) & Silent Auctions (bid to WIN), All Kinds of Animals to ADOPT. Shop from Local Vendors. Santa Photos For People/Pets (suggested donation $5). Live Music & Special Guests.

Event DONATIONS & Sponsorships always welcome 10x10 Vendor Booth spaces are almost FULL, sign-up ASAP! PJS AND PICTURES WITH SANTA 10814 E Broadway, Spokane Valley Saturday Dec. 1, 10 am - 2 pm Photo prices will be $3 for one photo (4x6), $5 for two photos and of course our $10 package....

(2- 4x6, 4 wallets and 1- 8x10).

Children will receive one pair of pjs and one book, - must be present to receive these- while supplies last.

Photos will be mailed out before Christmas.

STORYTIME WITH SANTA PORTRAIT EVENT 16923 E Sprague, Unit A, Spokane Valley November 23, December 1 and December 7 Are you looking for a more personal, memorable Santa photo experience? Then join us for our Storytime with Santa photo sessions! Your kiddos will get a fun and memorable 20 minutes with Santa and Mrs. Claus, including a story, and decorating a cookie with Mrs. Claus.

Each session also comes with a custom Christmas ornament for you to have as a keepsake of the day.

Reserve your spot today at jacobsphotospokane.com/santa Standard Session: up to 3 children for $100 Extended Session: 4 or more children for $150

The Current

DECEMBER 2018 • 23

Luxury in every color.

Join us for

Champagne Saturdays!

(Every weekend until Christmas)

The Current

24 • DECEMBER 2018

Holiday Desserts you can serve with pride

Why not take something off your list this year to give you some extra time to share with friends and family? Here are some excellent desserts that you can pick -up or order last minute to finish off your holiday table with the same tradition and flair, but without all the time and clean-up. We hope you will try out these tasty treats this holiday season.

Cash & Carry 211 S McKinnon, Spokane Valley (509) 535-7710 Take your Christmas dessert game to a whole new level. This decadent chocolate mousse cake is rich and delicious. Comes frozen so you can buy way in advance and thaw to serve.

Rocket Bakery 5601 E. Sprague Ave., Spokane Valley (509) 842-0003 With a day of notice you can have them whip up a delicious carrot cake, devils food fudge, German chocolate. Date Nut Bread or pumpkin Ginger Bread and Cranberry Orange Bread. Wine and Cheese Bread

Rosauers 10618 E. Sprague Ave., Spokane Valley (509) 924-3700 Christmas cookies are must for most households. Try these gingerbread men and/or shortbread Christmas cut-outs.

You can pick them up frosted or ready to decorate with the kids.

Desserts by Sara 15609 E. Sprague Ave., Spokane Valley (509) 921-5350 When you aren’t sure what to get to satisfy your sweet tooth, or those of your guests, stop by Desserts by Sara and pick up a holiday sampler box. You will get a variety of bars and some of her famous sugar cookies for just $20. And while you are there pick up some Cinnamon rolls to add to your Christmas breakfast or brunch. You wont regret it!

Just American Desserts 213 S University Rd., Spokane Valley (509) 927-2253 If cheesecake suits your fancy for the holiday season, they carry two different kinds that can be picked up freshly made daily. If you would like something more specific, with 24 hour notice they can accommodate your taste buds.

Conley’s 12622 E. Sprague Ave., Spokane Valley (509) 924-5411 You won’t go wrong with any of the wide flavor selection of cream pies, fruit pies, or sugar free pies. Your guests will be wowed by their beauty, and you will only have to wash up empty plates!

Go to their website for a full list of flavors available. http://www.conleysplacerestaurant.com/

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The Current

DECEMBER 2018 • 25

Holiday Memories ... traditions to start this year!

Jump and Bounce 15310 E Marietta Ave Ste 1, Spokane Valley, WA 99216-1876 509.892.6655 Open jump 10 am - 1 pm most days. $8 per hour.

Welcome to the Inland Northwest’s ORIGINAL and LARGEST indoor inflatable Party Center and playground where the fun lasts all year long! Jump and Bounce is an 8100 square foot heated/air-conditioned facility.

Explore our 3-story climbing structure with a zip line, rocket ship, two slides, and play on our huge inflatables.

Planetarium Tickets 3410 W Fort George Wright Dr. Spokane, WA 99224 950.533.3500 $7 for adults and $4 for children ages 3-18. For the extended presentations, tickets are $9.50 for adults and $6 for children ages 3-18.

The state-of-the-art digital planetarium was designed as a virtual classroom into the universe for students of all ages. They offer low-cost planetarium presentations to the general public, and are available for special event rentals.

Reservations are required to guarantee a seat in the planetarium show.

You may purchase tickets at the door with cash ONLY, if there is space available. Please buy your tickets ahead of time to ensure a seat.

Here is when you can enjoy a show this season Friday, November 30 Dynamic Earth 6:00 p.m.

Friday, November 30 Dynamic Earth 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, December 1 KIDS SHOW, Earth Moon & Sun 3:00 p.m.

Saturday, December 1 Dynamic Earth 5:00 p.m.

Room Escape Games 12928 E Indiana Ave, Spokane Valley, WA 99216 509.368.1069 Each Theme $26/person, 2-6 people This is a physical adventure game in which players solve a series of puzzles and riddles using clues, hints, and strategy to complete the objectives at hand. Players are given a set time limit to unveil the secret plot which is hidden within the rooms. 13 different themes between their 3 locations. Perfect for family with older children.

Altitude Trampoline Park 1441 N Argonne Rd, Spokane Valley, WA 99212-2685 509.890.1020 Single Jumper Rates: 60 Minutes: $12.95, 90 Minutes: $17.95, 120 Minutes: $20.95. 5 and Under: 60 Minutes: $8.95, 90 Minutes: $11.95, 120 Minutes: $14.95. Altitude Trampoline Socks (required and not included in ticket prices): $2 per pair The park features 16 high energy attractions including wipeout, performance trampolines, a trapeze bar, rock climbing wall, and much more entertainment for families, groups, and individuals. With over 30,000 square feet of total space, this place is jumping! A definite perk, our kids were completely tired when we left.

Bed time was quick and easy!

Mobius Science Center 331 N Post St, Spokane, WA 99201 509.321.7133 Open 10 am -5 pm most days, $8 per person or $12 per person for a bounce pass.

Igniting imaginations of people ages eight to 108 with inquiry-based exhibits, technology, and skill-building activities. A really fun and engaging way to spend the afternoon with kids.

Mobius Children’s Museum 808 W Main Ave, Lower Level Spokane, WA 99201 509.321.7121 $8 per person, or a bounce pass $12 per person.

Sparking curiosity of children ages eight and younger through exploration, play, and the arts. The museum is a place where kids play to learn and parents learn to play.

Triple Play Raptor Reef 175 W. Orchard Avenue, Hayden, ID 83835-9630 208.762.7529 Day Pass starts at $22.95, Call for more information.

Already over the cold? Enjoy a comfortable 86 degrees year round when you ride the waves in the Raptor Reef.

They have a wave pool and a children’s lagoon with a 2-story play structure and tipping bucket. Lean back and relax in our indoor/outdoor Jacuzzi or ride one of our four amazing slides one banking in at over 390 feet. It’s like going on a tropical vacation for a day, or two. You decide.

Roller Valley 9415 E 4th Ave Spokane Valley, WA 99206 509.288.4811 $9.00 Admission, $10.00 Admission & Skate Rental, $5.00 Admission under 4 years old see their website for hours If you are looking for something active and entertaining to do, then Roller Valley is the perfect place. Roller Valley is unique because they have no session skating during public skate hours. That means you do not have to worry about running out of skating time.

Players and Spectators 12828 E Sprague Ave, Spokane Valley, WA 99216 509-489-4000 Monday - Thursday - $1 Bowling 9PM-Close. For other bowling prices call.

With 24 bowling lanes you are sure to be able to find space to create some hilarious memories. Since that may take some time it is worth mentioning that you can make a night of it if you would like and eat while the games commence.

Bumpers are available for younger inexperienced children.

Merry Christmas!

The Current

26 • DECEMBER 2018

Eat, Shop & Be Merry this Holiday Season at

Halletts Market & Café, Inc 14109 E. Sprague #2, Spokane Valley, WA 99216 509-926-4076 www.halletts.com

facebook.com/hallettsmarket for specials BE MERRY: Enjoy a glass of wine, or a seasonal beer (over 80 to choose from) while you eat & shop!

“We have the largest selection of local and NW products in the Valley and we can ship directly to anyone on your list! Come in and let us show you what we have to offer.”

For details and full schedule of events, go to https://cte-ssa.corlinc.com

SHOP: Tasteful Holiday Gifts for Everyone on your list; Family, Friends, Employees, Business Associates - we specialize in corporate gifts

Holiday Gift Baskets - premade or custom make your own Holiday Gift Boxes - ready for shipping & we will do the shipping for you!

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The Current

PACE Trait for December – Caring

By Pastor Ian Robertson

Margaret Mead said it well: “Never believe that a few caring people can’t change the world. For, indeed, that’s all who ever have.”

How then, between Thanksgiving and the New Year, may we show genuine concern for the welfare of the poor and needy? What do they really need? Judged by church and charitable groups, the answer is “food.” Big dinners! Charity truly feeds a person for a day, but does it make any lasting difference?

The reality is that no one is starving in Spokane County.

Auto manufacturer Henry Ford once said, “If I asked people what they wanted, they would say faster horses.” So, all the extra meals are OK, but do they help people break out of the poverty cycle? Perhaps capital rather than charity is a better way to demonstrate genuine long-term help to the poor and needy.

So, kudos to three groups of

DECEMBER 2018 • 27

people who truly care: a City Council, a nonprofit and a business.

First, we congratulate Ben Stuckart, Spokane’s City Council president for the decision to make surplus government property available for affordable housing.

The focus is on mixed pocket communities, primarily for seniors, veterans and working families, that are below the “ALICE” threshold.

ALICE is a United Way acronym for Asset-Limited, IncomeConstrained, Employed. Families unable to afford five basic necessities: housing, child care, food, transportation and health care. These are not the panhandlers on the streets who have shelters and other services provided for them.

This council resolution is aimed to help people break the poverty cycle and get away from dependence on charity. That is genuine caring.

Thanks, Ben Stuckart, and the other council members: Mike Fagan, Kate Burke, Breean Beggs, Lori Kinnear, Candace Mumm and Karen Stratton. It’s clear 2019 is going to be a great year as new healthy communities develop.

Second, I am amazed at the new Recovery Café in Peaceful Valley.

What a way to provide a caring

community for people struggling with hurts, habits and hang-ups.

It’s part of Community Minded Enterprises (CME), a nonprofit that has pumped more than $40 million into Eastern Washington to provide so many holistic services.

poverty cycle.

President Theodore Roosevelt said, “Nobody cares how much you know, until they know how much you care.” This season, let’s all be kind supportive helpers, showing genuine concern for the welfare of others.

My personal disclaimer: I’ve been on CME’s board as far back as I can remember, so I’m speaking with first-hand knowledge. They also care about employees and volunteers. Named one of the best organizations to work for. Thanks, Kathy Thamm, for your leadership as CEO.

My prayer for our community quotes the prophet Isaiah: “I’ll give you a full life in the emptiest of places…You’ll use the old rubble of past lives to build anew…You’ll be known as those who can fix anything, restore old ruins, rebuild and renovate, make the community livable again. (Isaiah 58:11,12 The Message)

Third, a company that really cares is Broetje Orchards in Prescott, Washington, just north of Walla Walla.

This is my hope for people of all faiths and all economic conditions.

Vista Hermosa Village is one of three communities with 840 homes for employees, first as rentals and now also as homeowners. It’s much more than housing. It’s truly building community with all kinds of services. Thanks to the owners, Ralph and Cheryl Broetje. They have donated over $49 million helping entrepreneurs in developing countries start new businesses or expand existing businesses.

Once again, it’s providing capital, not charity. It’s helping break the

Ian Robertson is a retired Spokane Valley pastor. He is on the PACE board, was named Citizen of the Year by the Greater Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce and was a founding member of The HUB Sports Center in Liberty Lake.

He recently founded ChangePoint Northwest Center for Housing, developing eco- communities and home ownership for struggling families. He may be contacted at pastorian@aol.com.

,

Brought to you by

Carved wooden nutcrackers have existed since at least the 15th century. In Germany they are thought to bring good luck that bare their teeth to scare away the bad spirits. While now this style is mostly a form of decoration at Christmas time they originated in the rural forested areas of Germany; Sonneberg in Thuringia and Erzebirge (Ore Mountains). Many historians think they started as satirical carvings of local politicians. Friedrich Wilhem Fuchtner is known as the “father of the nutcracker�. In 1872, he began mass producing his design at his workshop in Seiffen, Saxony using a lathe. Nutcrackers became popular in America after the first production of The Nutcracker ballet in 1940 and World War II when soldiers were exposed to them during the war. They brought nutcrackers home for souvenirs and to ward off evil for their loved ones when they returned from the war. Original designs were functional and extremely usable, modern decorative versions rarely are and the ones that are designed to be used are usually very expensive.

On average a handcrafted nutcracker is composed of about 60 separate pieces but many contain up to 130.

The Current

DECEMBER 2018 • 29

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The Current

30 • DECEMBER 2018 Brought to you by

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About and for Valley seniors

Valley volunteers among 2018 SCOPE honorees From Current News Sources

The 2018 Sheriff Community Oriented Policing Effort (SCOPE) Volunteer of the Year awards were announced recently with the list including several volunteers from the Greater Spokane Valley area.

The volunteer-based unit, boasting nearly 400 recruits in Spokane County, serves as an invaluable law enforcement tool to substitute for sworn officers, freeing them up for higher priority calls. In 2017, volunteers logged more than 73,000 hours. Based on data provided by the county, those hours carry a value of more than $2.2 million (based on an hourly rate of $30.46).

The following volunteers from SCOPE branches in the Greater Spokane Valley were honored with tributes provided by fellow SCOPE volunteers.

Central Valley – Mike Mahoney The 2018 Volunteer of the Year for Central Valley SCOPE is Mike Mahoney. Mike is always willing and able to get the job done, whether anyone else knew it needed to be done or not. He completed the painting on the station but never told anyone he did it. Mike took care of removing the wood from the trees that were cut down and lest I forget, the list goes on and on. If a repair is mentioned, Mike takes care of it quickly. Mike is our unsung hero. SCOPE should be very pound of his dedication and his willingness to help when needed and at any time.

East – Jim Thrawley The 2018 Volunteer of the Year for SCOPE East is Jim Thrawley.

Jim became a member of SCOPE in September 2005 and has been an outstanding member.

His accomplishments are many. Each year, he works with Otis Orchards Elementary to set up the crossing guard program, trains new crossing guards and each fall, he conducts radar emphasis patrols for the school.

In addition, he works

Citizens on Patrol weekly and hosts a thank you party for the school crossing guard program participants every spring. Despite his busy schedule, Jim still finds time to help.

For example, he transported the golf cart to and from the Spokane County Fairgrounds for the Interstate Fair and further supported the SCOPE program at the fair by working foot and golf cart patrols. Jim is always available when a fellow volunteer needs help and is a great example of a real team player. To add to his accomplishments, it is important to know he was president of SCOPE East for 10 years and assists the current president when needed.

Edgecliff – Linda Kane The 2018 Volunteer of the Year for Edgecliff SCOPE is Linda Kane.

Linda has been a volunteer for a year and a half. During that time, she has tackled difficult assignments with competency and enthusiasm while serving 800 hours this past year. Linda has served as Advisory Team secretary and Time Sheet coordinator. She has been the righthand assistant to the president and vice president in purging, organizing and bringing our station files in compliance with the station manual. Linda was instrumental in updating a spreadsheet of pawn shops used by detectives attempting to solve property crimes. She volunteers at the desk once a week and at the Spokane Valley Mall. Linda has generously donated items to our station and yard sale while actively being involved in all our fundraisers and participated in many other volunteer opportunities.

Liberty Lake – Sue Chaoin The 2018 Liberty Lake SCOPE Volunteer of the Year award goes to Sue Chaoin. Sue is Liberty Lake's vice president and a SIRT (Sheriff’s Incident Response Team) member who helps with traffic control.

She meets with Ray Baesler and Joe French once a week to discuss upcoming events and fundraising and she delivers the police paperwork downtown quite often. Sue is very active with our school patrol program which helps keep Liberty Lake Elementary and Liberty Creek Elementary students

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safe. All our members appreciate the help and time you donate to SCOPE. Thank you Sue. University – Mary Birecki SCOPE University’s 2018 Volunteer of the Year is Mary Birecki. Mary is a volunteer who’s stepped up many times to help fill in when our secretary was unable to attend meetings. She always has a friendly smile, never complained and would always say "yes" when asked to help. She has now served as the University SCOPE secretary for three years. Mary works every week in the office, does Latent Prints including going on site to lift prints from a boat. Mary has contributed to Operation Family I.D., Citizens on Patrol and joined in on the fun for our Halloween Party and National Night Out just to name a few of her many other volunteer opportunities. Mary is a well-rounded volunteer and we are all happy to call her our friend.

Congratulations Mary!

West Valley – Harley Gordon SCOPE West Valley’s 2018 Volunteer of the Year is Harley Gordon. Harley is involved in every aspect of West Valley SCOPE. He is in charge of Citizens on Patrol, the station patrol car and radar. He does Latent Prints and is always ready to help anyone. Harley is a good teacher and is always willing to teach others whatever he can.

We are proud to have Harley as our 2018 Volunteer of the Year.

SCOPE Lifetime Achievement Award We are pleased to recognize Tom Rulffes with SCOPE’s Lifetime Achievement Award.

Tom Rulffes retired from his career as a teacher at Spokane Community College in June of 1999.

A week later, he was volunteering for SCOPE Newman Lake. Tom became president and held that position for six years. He always found small things to accomplish such as building several wooden consoles for the SCOPE car, holders for SIRT truck wands and installed a plastic shield on the radar reader board, all of which made life a bit easier for all members. He is now a member of SCOPE East and has been a member here for three-

and-a-half years. He has served as vice president and pitches in with Citizens on Patrol every Monday.

Tom has never been sorry a single day that he joined the SCOPE organization since he has made many new friends over the years and he is grateful that he’s been able to help the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office and his community in so many ways as a member of the SCOPE family.

Tom has also been involved in SIRT, CERT and Fire Corp. and he is very deserving of the SCOPE Lifetime Achievement Award.

2018 Spirit of SCOPE Award It is a great honor to recognize Larry Gants as our 2018 Spirit of SCOPE Award Volunteer.

The 2018 Spirit of SCOPE Award is presented on behalf of the SCOPE staff and Board of Directors to recognize a volunteer who embodies the mission and values of the organization. This includes giving their time, energy and complete effort in support of SCOPE, the Sheriff’s Office and the community they serve. Larry has been a member of SCOPE for three years and has volunteered over 6,000 hours to the Sheriff’s Office and SCOPE since starting in 2015.

Larry always has a positive attitude and is eager to help everyone. It is always a great pleasure working with him. This volunteer is a member of our SIRT Team and has dedicated over 5,000 hours to SIRT. He has set up a program with the SCOPE stations and volunteers to help reduce speeding on our streets as the coordinator of the SCOPE Radar Team. Congratulations Larry.

To learn more about SCOPE volunteer opportunities, visit scopespokanewa.org or contact the SCOPE office at 477-3376.

The Current

DECEMBER 2018 • 31

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The Current

32 • DECEMBER 2018

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WV girls stride to first state title since 1986

By Steve Christilaw

Current Correspondent This year’s state cross country meet came down to a matter of seconds for the West Valley girls’ squad.

After all runners had crossed the finish in Pasco on Nov. 3, the Eagles emerged tied with Bellingham, each with 118 points. The Eagles brought home their third state title – and first since 1986 – on the strength of their sixth-place runner, Emma Garza.

While cross country races are scored the same, the number of runners who count toward a team score can vary. In Washington, a team sends out seven runners and the first five finishers contribute

to the team score. If a team sweeps the first five places, its score is calculated by adding up the places, 1-5, to get a score of 15. The two remaining runners are often referred to as “displacers.”

They can help their team score by finishing ahead of the opposition.

A year ago. WV lead runner Annika Esvelt and Garza led the Eagles to a second-place state finish – a remarkable turnaround for a program that had trouble finding five runners to score in a varsity match just two years ago.

When senior Sydney Stone was a freshman, coach John Moir started with five runners and then lost one.

Stone ended up as the long Eagle to qualify for state.

This year Stone and Sarah Adamson, with juniors Dadie Langford, Jenna Engeland, Esvelt and Garza, headed to state with a real chance at winning a state title.

“We talked about winning the (state) meet ever since last year,”

The West Valley girls' cross country team won the 2A state trophy at the Washington State High School Cross Country Championships, held Nov. 3.

The Eagles tied Bellingham at 118 but won the title in a tiebreaker based on the time of junior Emma Garza, the team's sixth-place runner. Contributed photo Moir said.

One of the features of the state meet is the advent of real-time technology. Runners are issued

a chip that they attach to a shoe that allows them to be tracked and scored as they progress across the three-mile course.

Moir was watching the realtime feed while watching his team maintain the close pack in which they always run.

At any point in the race, the coach explains, his runners can take a glance over their shoulder and see a teammates. Or two. Or three. The team takes pride in the fact that, meet after meet, the gap between the first- and seven-place WV runner is the smallest in the field.

“We knew it was going to be close,” Moir said. “Bellingham and Pullman both have great teams, and we knew every place was going to be important.”

Out on the course, the race changed by the mile.

Garza was a lead runner for the Eagles a year ago, but an injury in track in the spring nagged at her all season. At state, she might not help the team score, but she would be there to push her teammates.

The West Valley girls' cross country squad secured the program's first state championship since 1986 and third overall last month at the Sun Willows Golf Course in Pasco. West Valley, which competes in the Greater Northern League, placed second last year at state after only fielding five varsity runners in 2015.

Contributed photo

“The first mile was pretty great,” Garza said. “The second mile, though, I could feel myself starting to doubt my abilities. I just kept telling myself that I was almost done with this season. The last mile I just gave it all that I could.”

See CHAMPS, Page 37

The Current

Sports Notebook – December 2018

By Mike Vlahovich Current Sports Editor Sydney Stone ran by herself as a freshman in 2015, the only West Valley qualifier to the state 2A cross country meet 2015.

The next year, joined by freshmen, she ran with a full team. It paid dividends. In her final year, the Eagles’ ground breaker and her precocious teammates are state 2A team champs.

The year after her solo state race, the Eagles were suddenly on the state radar by placing seventh on a team that included Stone, fellow sophomore Sarah Adamson and freshmen Annika Esvelt, Emma Garza and Mikayla Davis.

Last year the team added sophomores Sadie Langford and Jenna England and the Eagles finished second.

There was only one step remaining on the podium and the girls reached it in early November. Eagles Esvelt and fellow junior Sadie Langford finished eight seconds apart followed

by England and newcomer sophomore

Final Point

Slowpitch softball takes to new playing field

By Mike Vlahovich

Current Sports Editor They were fun times. Hit the softball field summers for some recreational slowpitch fun and convene later to tell some tall tales of how it went on the field.

It was a time to relive our youth, tell jokes and make fun of our ages. There are still people in their 70s who can’t quit the game. As one friend of mine used to put it, “We’re so old, mashed potatoes is roughage.”

I played, using the term loosely, and coached (more likely hauled the gear) and couldn’t wait for next week. We were probably delusional trying to relive the past and keep playing into our dotage – ignoring the fact I kept injuring my calf.

Before Title IX, Sally “Sal” Jackson – political insider, feminist and sports pioneer – coached boys youth baseball and decided the

SPORTS

Allie Andrews who was followed by Stone who placed fifth for scoring purposes, helping WV forge a 118118 tie with Bellingham.

That left it to sixth runner Garza, who by beating Bellingham’s sixth placer, meant the difference in securing the top trophy.

Stone started it four years earlier.

She and fellow senior Adamson will savor the memory of the title.

The underclassmen would like nothing more than a repeat.

East Valley’s Sabrina Sharp took 25th in the race.

CV runner-up for third straight year Central Valley’s times and places may have differed, but the boys’ cross country continued its string of state success finishing second for third straight year agonizingly by two points after losing by a point a year ago.

Senior Ryan Kline, defending 4A state individual champion, making his fourth state appearance, took fifth this year overall. The rest of the pack was closer than last year, but not enough to overtake Tahoma.

Second runner and lone junior Tyler Hunter improved 22 places over last year’s race. Fellow seniors Evan Peters, Sheamus Mahoney, Joey Nicholls, Damon Sheneman and Calvin Whybrew completed the effort.

girls deserved equal opportunity.

With friends, the Spokane Valley Girls Softball Association was created. The fastpitch softball era had modestly begun.

Girls could do anything boys did, Sal said. Softball originally in high school as a slowpitch sport and it took a while before the game evolved into what it’s become today: Girls slinging softballs at 6070 miles an hour; batters sending drives over the fence and taking up summers traveling all over the country and emptying wallets in search of college scholarships.

But the game is going back to the slowpitch future thanks to Title IX and University High activities coordinator Ken Van Sickle.

Let’s have Van Sickle tell the story of his role in slowpitch resurgence.

A Title IX audit in School District 81, he says, showed participation inequity between boys and girls competing in fall sports. It influenced the addition of slowpitch to equalize gender participation.

A few years later, the University athletic coordinator, in the interest of gender equity, was in on the movement for Valley schools to join the Greater Spokane League

Mahoney finished 14 places higher and Nicholls improved 23 places over last year.

U-Hi junior Jacob Easton was seventh overall, two seconds behind Kline. West Valley’s Giovanni Raskell placed 10th in the 2A race. His teammate, Kolby Green was 32nd and EV’s Will Sharp was 45th.

Bright WV grid future West Valley’s football team, which finished among the top four in state last year, was decimated by graduation. But the Eagles were the Spokane Valley’s last team standing this year despite a youthful lineup.

The Eagles finished among the state’s top 16 teams, losing 6-0 by inches to Ellensburg in the first round of the state 2A playoffs. It was a game they rightly could have, maybe should have won, but doesn’t diminish the season.

Gone were the huge linemen and superstar skilled seniors, some now playing collegiately, who took the team to the state semifinals a year ago. Juniors mainly filled the open place.

“We’re really young up front,” WV coach Craig Whitney said. “Number 64 (230-pound Connor Rowatt) is a freshman for us.”

Junior quarterback Matt Allen split duties last year but went it alone this slowpitch league as a fall sport.

“It was more of a fun type league,” Van Sickle says, although he and Jon Schuh took it seriously.

The Titans are an annual league champion. During Schuh’s coaching career, his fastpitch teams have made an annual state trip winning 406 of 535 games. Titans’ slowpitch is 406-29 overall.

Thanks in no small part to Van Sickle’s lobbying influence as member on the Washington Interscholastic Athletic Association AD board, slowpitch will become a sanctioned state-wide sport joining football, soccer, volleyball and cross country with state tournaments next fall.

Camas was playing slowpitch and had suggested a quasi-tournament to determine how competitive their sport was. Because of weather concerns the games were played in the Tri-Cities. The tourney proved a success. Other schools began to play and Van Sickle took it to the WIAA board and got the ball rolling, as it were.

The game is spreading and this year’s invitational tournament last month attracted eight teams to Richland encompassing schools from four districts statewide.

DECEMBER 2018 • 33

season. Reading Saturday morning’s roundups all season, the names of Allen and workhorse running back/ hard-hitting linebacker Marshall Meleney, were prominent.

Despite that youth, the Eagles finished 9-2, the losses by a total of eight points.

“We thought if we won half our games this year we would be pretty successful,” Whitney said. “We went to the Idaho camp and we were missing some key pieces and weren’t very good. But the kids that did go competed really well and that was a good sign.”

After a two-point opening season loss to Shadle Park on a safety, “that kind of woke us up and we kind of got on a nice roll,” Whitney said.

Allen passed for 1,000 yards during the regular season and rushed for nearly 800 more, scored 20 touchdowns and shared extra points and field goal kicking duties. Meleney, Kobin Carver and Ethan Rehn combined for nearly 1,400 rushing yards during the regular season.

Junior Alyjouah Rollins caught 24 passes for 458 yards.

The future looks bright ahead.

No other Valley team reached post season and CV finished 6-4, the only other Valley football team with a

See NOTEBOOK, Page 37 This year’s tournament featured teams from the GSL, Kingco League, the St. Helen’s League, and the Mid-Columbia Conference in the Tri-Cities. PIayed in one day in Richland, Mt. Spokane beat U-Hi for the championship, the Titans only loss all season. The event was enthusiastically received.

With slowpitch becoming a sanctioned WIAA sport next year, Van Sickle said, “there are some bugs to work out. Minor things.

There really aren’t any guidelines.”

There may be naysayers. Softball players in the GSL play both iterations. Parents say slowpitch will ruin a fastpitch player’s swing.

Schuh and CV’s Joe Stanton both disagree saying it actually enhances it.

“People are missing the boat,” says Van Sickle, who as coach at U-Hi ushered in the fastpitch era.

“For me it’s teaching a lifetime sport.”

Few players go on to play in college on scholarship. They can play slowpitch forever.

“My hope is they will play in recreation leagues and coed leagues after high school,” VanSickle says.

The Current

34 • DECEMBER 2018

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With a population pushing just around 1,800, Millwood may be small in numbers, but the Millwood Community Association (MCA) is a mighty voice for one of the region’s oldest incorporated jurisdictions.

The group’s marquee event is coming up this month – the lighting of the Christmas tree at the corner of Argonne and Empire (3320 N. Argonne Road) on Friday, Dec. 7 on Inland Empire Paper property. This year, the theme of the festivities is “Gateway to the Holidays.”

The tree lighting is now in its 10th year, but local historian and business owner Greg Mott found an old newspaper article in the Spokane Valley Herald from 1925 that alluded to tree lightings in the 1920s in Millwood. He said they had a big tree lighting back then, similar to what they do now.

“We basically brought back what they were doing before Millwood was ever incorporated,” he said.

Mott and Shirene Young of Inland Empire Paper comprise half of the MCA’s Board of Directors. The group has been active for 10 years, but only obtained 501c(3) nonprofit status about five years ago. The group formed when Argonne Road was torn up for improvements, which prompted a celebration when the roadwork was completed in 2008. That morphed into Millwood Daze, a community festival which has been held every year since in August. In 2019, the event will be held on Aug. 24. It includes a street fair, fun run, community breakfast and street dance.

With the help of community members and networking with businesses the MCA has built new gateway signs welcoming people to Millwood. Additionally, a newly paved trail running south of and parallel to the railroad tracks, the Millwood Trail, has been ongoing with the help of city grants. Young said they hope to add artwork, interpretive and historical signs along the trail. The MCA has also talked about coordinating some quarterly events moving forward.

“We’ve been supportive of the community and have formed a

The Millwood Community Association has been a catalyst for this year's "Gateway to the Holidays" event set for Friday, Dec. 7 on the grounds of Inland Empire Paper in Millwood on Argonne Road. In addition to the Christmas tree lighting, the festivities will feature music, dancing, complimentary refreshments and an opportunity for attendees to build their own gingerbread houses.

Photo by Linda Ball history group and business groups,” Mott said.

He is the owner of the Corner Door Café on the corner of Argonne and Dalton, which has been in business at that location for 26 years.

The tree lighting event begins at 6 p.m. with the West Valley High School band accompanying caroling by attendees. Youth from the Company Ballet School, directed

by Jonna Maule, are also part of the agenda. Millwood Mayor Kevin Freeman will welcome everyone and Santa is scheduled to arrive on a fire engine from the Millwood Fire

Department.

Young said that Inland Empire Paper will provide hot chocolate and cookies while Rocket Bakery will bring coffee. The Argonne Library will host a gingerbread house build as part of the event.

Those interested can drop by the library, at 4322 N. Argonne Road, and they will have all of the supplies needed to create your own original gingerbread house. If you aren’t feeling creative, a Christmas market will also be held featuring gifts such as ceramic ornaments, candles, soaps and other items available for purchase.

The Current

Rockford digs into details of development document

By Nina Culver Current Correspondent The town of Rockford is making its way through a required update of its comprehensive plan that governs the town’s development – but it’s doing the work in-house rather than hiring a consultant as in the past.

Council Member Micki Harnois has a day job as a planner for the city of Spokane Valley. She’s using her professional expertise to help guide the council through the process.

Harnois, a former Rockford mayor, is required to vote on the update along with the rest of the council, so she said she’s been careful to just offer suggestions about possible changes or additions and let the other council members discuss it and decide which to include in the final plan.

“I try to stay as neutral as possible and just try to throw things out there that they haven’t considered before,” she said.

Because of Spokane County’s overall growth, every city and town

Re-election parade defines ballot rich Super Tuesday

By Craig Howard Current Editor For longtime observers of the local political arena, the race between incumbent 5th District Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers and challenger Lisa Brown rang of another high-profile Congressional showdown in the same district 24 autumns ago.

That general election in 1994 featured Republican hopeful George Nethercutt in his first run at public office facing Democrat Tom Foley, a fixture in the House of Representatives for 30 years. When Nethercutt defeated Foley by 4,000 votes on that fall’s ballot, it was the first time a sitting Speaker of the House had been displaced since 1862.

This time around, the 5th District did not feature a similar tectonic upset as McMorris Rodgers collected nearly 55 percent of the vote on Nov. 6 – 53 percent in Spokane County – to retain her seat and return for an eighth term in Congress despite

DECEMBER 2018 • 35

in the county, regardless of size, must complete a comprehensive plan update every eight years.

The required was created by the Growth Management Act. Rockford’s update was due in 2017 but they were granted an extension to June 2019. The update is expected to be complete by then, Harnois said.

In previous updates the council, Harnois included, just accepted the recommendations of the consultant and didn’t really dig into the details of the plan, Harnois said. This time is different.

“This time they know what’s in it, they understand it,” she said. “Now they know what they’re adopting and feel a sense of ownership.”

The council has not yet finished the update, but they are considering adding mixed use zoning to the town’s main roads, Emma Street and First Street. They are also considering changing the minimum residential lot size to 5,000 square feet. Regulations now state that lots must be 8,700 square feet, but many homes in town are on lots platted a long time ago at 5,000 square feet, Harnois said.

The council is also looking at adding rules for accessory dwelling units and historic preservation. The town has only one building on its historic register, a brick building on First Street. It was once owned by Washington Water Power before being Democrat Brown presenting the most significant challenge since the Republican was first elected to the House in 2004.

The result was in line with the majority of races that saw incumbents fend off challengers in county commissioner and legislative contests.

In the 4th Legislative District, representing greater Spokane Valley, the Republican tide held as Rep. Bob McCaslin Jr. tallied just short of 62 percent to defeat Mary May. Rep. Matt Shea will return to Olympia despite several high-profile corporate donors withdrawing their contributions to his campaign prior to the election. The incumbent earned nearly 57 percent to defeat Ted Cummings.

In a rare battle featuring two Republican candidates for Spokane County commissioner, Mary Kuney held on to her Dist. 2 post with a 61 percent victory over Rob Chase.

Incumbent Republican Al French will also be back in his commissioner’s role, earning a 57 percent win over Democratic challenger Robbi Katherine Anthony for the Dist. 3 seat.

In other county races, Tim Fitzgerald won out over Michael A. Kirk for clerk by a 59 percent margin. Former state legislator Michael Baumgartner

sold to the town. It wasn’t used, so it was auctioned off to a private owner more than a decade ago.

“My biggest fear was that someone would buy it for the bricks,” Harnois said.

The building was put on the historic register to make sure it would be preserved, which means the owner must get permission from the Town Council before doing any work to the exterior of the building, Harnois said. The town would like to do an inventory of local buildings to see which might qualify for the historic register.

Having a building on the register can be a benefit for owners. As a certified local government, the town can provide tax breaks and incentives to people who improve historic buildings, Harnois said.

The comprehensive plan update must be approved by the Department of Commerce, which checks to see that the town has included the required elements.

“They have a checklist,” Harnois said. “They want to make sure you have certain things in place.”

The department has 60 days to review the update, which then goes back to the council for final approval.

Harnois, however, said she doesn’t believe small rural towns like hers earned 59 percent of the electorate to become the next county treasurer, defeating David Green.

In the election’s closest local race, Leonard Christian collected 49.14 percent of votes to 48.75 for Tom Konis in the quest for county assessor. At presstime, Christian’s lead was less than 700 votes with some 20,000 ballots remaining to be counted. The general election will be certified on Nov. 27.

Spokane County Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich retained his position as did county Prosecuting Attorney Larry Haskell.

Sen. Maria Cantwell, who has represented Washington state in the U.S. Senate since 2001, won her bid for re-election over Republican challenger Susan Hutchinson. The Democratic incumbent earned 59 percent of ballots statewide, although Hutchinson finished with a 51-percent advantage in Spokane County.

The East Valley School District saw its capital levy for safety, security and infrastructure improvements pass by a 58 percent margin. In Rockford, a fire protection levy was approved by nearly 70 percent.

Spokane County Auditor Vicky Dalton, who was re-elected in an unopposed race of her own, said this year’s turnout of nearly 73 percent

should have to comply with the comprehensive plan requirements.

“We could sit here for 20 years and not have anyone new move into town,” she said. “When you have no money and no staff experts and no growth, why do you need to do this?”

If growth comes, though, the town is ready – up to a point. Rockford currently has 480 residents and the wastewater treatment plant only has capacity for 1,000, Harnois said.

“That would stop us,” she said.

“Hopefully when the time comes we’ll be ready. We’ve got vacant land.”

The council is also considering changes to various zoning and development regulations, including the ones for marijuana businesses.

The town had a moratorium on marijuana businesses but Harnois said she thinks it has expired. The new proposed rules will include buffers around schools and parks.

“The town doesn’t want it right now anyway,” Harnois said of marijuana businesses.

Changes to the town’s subdivision ordinance are also being considered.

“It was pretty blah,” Harnois said.

“There was nothing in there about sidewalks.”

The development regulation changes will likely be voted on by the council after Jan. 1, Harnois said. of registered voters was the highest she’s seen for a mid-term election in her tenure. She pointed to the Congressional race as one of the keys to the heavy turnout.

“The voters were very interested in that race and other issues on the ballot,” Dalton said. “And it showed in the level of ballots that were returned to us.”

Statewide, interest in the general election was just as piqued. In a press release, Secretary of State Kim Wyman noted that, by the time final ballots are counted, the totals had a chance to break Washington’s voter turnout record of 71.85 percent for a mid-term election that has stood for 48 years. Wyman credited the enthusiastic participation to “strong voter interest and confidence in the integrity of state elections.”

Pre-paid postage on ballots also impacted the high returns, Dalton said. While the state will not continue to absorb the cost for postage as they did for the primary and general elections this year, Dalton said Spokane County will continue the service in future elections, adding between 10 to 15 percent in costs.

“Voters are going to expect prepaid postage on their ballots now,” she said. “It’s going to just become part of the cost of the election.”

The Current

36 • DECEMBER 2018

SVFD Report – December 2018

From Current New Sources Spokane Valley Fire Department (SVFD) crews responded to a total of 943 emergency calls from Oct. 23 to Nov. 12. Incidents included: • Brush fire – Oct. 23 – Shortly after 1 a.m., firefighters responded to a wildland fire reported mid-slope between Liberty Lake and Stateline in the 25900 block of East Appleway Avenue. They arrived to find a oneacre fire creeping up rugged hilly terrain in brush and timber. Seven fire apparatus, command and support vehicles responded, establishing a wet line around the fire and mopping up hot spots in the center. A fire watch rotation was set for the remainder of the night. SVFD fire investigators determined the fire to be accidental.

The property owner reported burning tree trimmings and pine needles in a large fire ring throughout the day and monitoring the pile until he went to bed. However, he did not ensure the fire was extinguished before going to bed.

• Extrication – Oct. 25 – A 66-year-old man crossing Sprague Avenue on a bicycle was hit by a car and trapped underneath the car’s engine in the 15500 block of East Sprague Avenue just before 4:50 p.m. Firefighters arriving on the scene called for extrication equipment to free the man but were able to gently slide him out from under the car. They treated his multiple injuries before he was transported to the hospital in serious condition. The man was not wearing a helmet.

• Commercial fire – Oct. 29 – Shortly after 1:30 a.m., firefighters responded to a reported structure fire in the 12200 block of East First Avenue. They arrived to find heavy smoke coming from all sides of a medium-sized steel pole building.

Taking an offensive approach, firefighters worked inside and outside the building to quickly extinguish the fire. The building was unoccupied and the electricity and natural gas to the structure was turned off. Fire investigators determined the fire started in some boxes at the base of the stairway. The cause of the fire was the failure of an extension cord near the boxes which supplied power from the neighboring building.

• Hit and run – Oct. 29 – Spokane Valley firefighters responded to an auto vs. pedestrian accident at 17600 E. Sprague Ave shortly after 7 a.m. They arrived to find a conscious woman lying in a crosswalk surrounded by bystanders. The car that hit her left the scene. The woman was treated at the scene and

transported in stable condition.

• Natural gas leak - Nov 5 – At 2:50 p.m., firefighters responded to a reported natural gas leak in the 21900 block of East Country Vista Drive. A contractor digging on the south side of the roadway hit a natural gas line which emitted an odor and hissing. Liberty Lake Police shut down all lanes of Country Vista and diverted traffic while firefighters deployed and manned hoses to support Avista crews on the scene.

As a precaution, firefighters also evacuated about 30 units of Legacy Villa Apartments and two businesses downwind of the gas leak. After the gas leak was contained, firefighters worked with Avista crews to check each evacuated apartment for detectable levels of natural gas before allowing residents to return.

All but 12 units were cleared for reoccupation. The remaining units were evacuated overnight, allowing Avista time to use equipment to pull the trapped natural gas out of the ground.

To help you detect a gas leak quickly, a sulfur-like, rotten egg stench is added. Avista recommends the following steps regarding natural gas leaks: If you smell a gas leak: Don’t do anything that will create a spark; evacuate everyone from the area and keep others away; call 911 and Avista at (800) 227-9187 from a neighbor's home; stay away from your home or building until Avista says it is safe. Never try to fix a damaged natural gas line or restrict gas flow in any way. Avista needs to inspect the line.

Look out for these signs: Blowing or hissing sounds; dust blowing from a hole in the ground; continuous bubbling in wet or flooded areas; dead or discolored vegetation in an otherwise green area; pilot lights that won't light but still emit gas.

Take the following steps to prevent gas leaks: Secure your natural gas water heater to a wall so it won't fall over; store all flammable materials away from natural gas appliances; keep the area around your furnace and water heater clear; keep combustible materials away from gas appliances; teach children to stay away from the gas range and all gas-burning appliances; keep ranges and ovens clean to avoid grease fires; never use the oven or range to heat a room and don't let children swing from gas pipes.

Always call 811 before you dig.

• Extrication – Nov. 5 – Firefighters responded to a threecar collision at the intersection of Argonne Road and Broadway Ave at 7:30 p.m. One of the vehicles involved in a T-bone collision in the intersection was pushed head-on into

the third vehicle where a 48-year-old female driver and her 18-year-old son were initially trapped. They were later able to free themselves. Both were wearing seat belts. They were transported with non-life threatening injuries. No other injuries were reported. The intersection was closed while firefighters treated the patients and investigated the vehicles for fuel spills.

• Unauthorized burning – Nov. 6 – Shortly before 4:30 p.m., SVFD firefighters responded to a report of illegal burning in the 7400 block of East 18th Avenue. They arrived to find residents burning yard waste in the backyard. Firefighters educated the residents that it is always illegal to burn yard waste and garbage. The residents extinguished the fire.

Otis Orchards Station #4 Open House – Dec. 1 - Everyone is invited to join SVFD for free family fun with Santa from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at our Otis Orchards station, 22406 E. Wellesley. Meet firefighters, take pictures with Santa, tour the fire station and try on firefighter gear. Enjoy holiday treats and cool giveaways.

Visit www. spokanevalleyfire.com for details.

By the numbers: • Fires* = 38 • Emergency medical service =752 • Motor vehicle accidents = 77 • Hazardous materials = 14 • Building alarms = 47 • Service calls = 11 • Vehicle extrication = 3 • Water rescue = 1 *Brush, commercial, residential, rubbish, vehicles and unauthorized burning About SVFD - Spokane Valley Fire Department serves the cities of Liberty Lake, Millwood, Spokane Valley and unincorporated areas of Spokane County including the communities of Otis Orchards, Pasadena Park, and the area surrounding Liberty Lake, with a combined population of 125,000 across approximately 75 square miles. SVFD firefighters and paramedics responded to more than 17,280 emergency calls in 2017. 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. For more information call 928-1700 or visit www.spokanevalleyfire.com.

EDITOR/PUBLISHER

Ben Wick

Danica Wick

ben@libertylakesplash.com CO OWNER

danica@libertylakesplash.com

EDITOR

Craig Howard

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Paula Gano

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Hayley Schmelzer

hayley@libertylakesplash.com

CIRCULATION Larry Passmore

circulation@libertylakesplash.com CONTRIBUTORS

Linda Ball, Steve Christilaw, Nina Culver Erin Dodge, Bill Gothmann, Craig Howard, Ian Robertson, Mike Vlahovich The Valley Current P.O. Box 363 Liberty Lake, WA 99019 Phone: 242-7752; Fax: 927-2190 www.valleycurrent.com The Current is published monthly by or before the first of each month. It is distributed free of charge to every business and home in the greater Spokane Valley area.

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The Current

DECEMBER 2018 • 37

CHAMPS

NOTEBOOK

Moir didn’t like what he saw as his team crossed the finish line of the newly reformatted course.

winning record. University was 4-6, East Valley and Freeman were winless.

The Bears and Titans could score – CV second, U-Hi in the top half of the GSL. But both teams were undone by their defense. The Titans were last, allowing 375 yards per game.

The Bears’ Hunter Chodorowski was all over the stats sheets. He was third in rushing and scoring, tied for second in interceptions, with U-Hi’s Peyton Vernier, and was the team’s leading pass receiver.

U-Hi quarterback Gavin Wolcott was fifth in total offense, third in passing and Kye Duplessis was third in receiving.

U-Hi volleyball to state The University volleyball team picked the right time to get hot and returned to the state 4A volleyball tournament following a year’s absence.

Paced by setter Joli Poplawski, who averaged some 21 assists per match, the Titans lost only to Richland and turned the tide on teams that beat them in regionals last year. U-Hi was the GSL’s only state representative.

They bounced back from the loss with wins over Hanford, Gonzaga Prep and in a taught state qualifier against Walla Walla – a 25-17, 16-25, 25-1, 18-25, 15-13 marathon.

Lauren Fleury took advantage of Poplawski’s passing averaging upperdouble digit kills and shone in the back row as well. Kaitlin Collins was also strong in the back with as many as 17 digs in a game.

Titans second in state Spring or fall University softball teams usually find their way to state and this year was no exception.

The Titans had perhaps their finest slowpitch team, going unbeaten until the finals of the state invitational tournament and finishing the season with an overall 24-1 record.

Ironically the 10-4 loss in the state finals was to Mt. Spokane, a team U-Hi beat three times during the regular season. It was the only time all year the opposition had scored in double figures.

“That’s the way it goes – no matter, it was a great season,” said coach John Schuh, who announced he’s resigning, but will keep coaching fastpitch in the spring. Schuh called this year’s squad “probably the most complete (slowpitch) team I’ve had.”

Makayla Marshall and Alyssa Benthagen led the way this fall. Both hit over .600, Marshall led the team in hits, doubles and batting average.

Benthagen led the team in home runs and RBIs. “They were huge for us,” Schuh said.

Continued from page 32

“The live results showed finishing second,” he said.

us

Garza and her teammates heard the news and were crushed.

“Literally, five minutes after the race he told us that we were two points behind first,” Garza said.

“That kind of hurt, to be honest. But coach kept saying, ‘It’s unofficial, it’s unofficial. There’s still hope.

There’s still a chance.’”

Time passed.

Ten minutes stretched into 15. Finally, with the suspense hanging heavy in the air, West Valley athletic director Jaimie Nilles was dispatched to the scoring tent to retrieve the latest update.

He came back and whispered what he found to the coach.

Moir gathered his team under its tent and began talking to them.

Then he congratulated them on winning the state championship.

“I was already crying, I was just so happy,” Garza said.

After the celebration subsided, Moir explained how the race was won.

“It was a tie between us and Bellingham at 118 points each,” Moir explained. “The tie-breaker in cross country is the sixth-place runner for each team, but in this case, it was even more important than that.”

Moir went on to say how Garza had passed Bellingham’s fifth-place finisher “so there was a displacement point there that created the tie. If she hadn’t finished ahead of her, Bellingham would have won by a single point.”

“Coach said, ‘It was so close. It was a tie, and it came down to our sixth runner.’” Garza said. “I was just so glad I was able to contribute in any way. Perseverance has a lot of power to it.”

Some of the biggest fans of this year’s squad are the runners from the last West Valley team to win the state title 32 years ago.

Amy Duryee and Tonian Kasparian finished first and third that Saturday in Port Townsend, and the latter posted her congratulations on the team’s Facebook page.

“I am so happy and proud of you girls!” Tonian Kasparian Gray wrote.

“This day will be in your hearts forever, welcome to the state champ club, ladies, you are amazing!”

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38 • DECEMBER 2018

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The Current

Key Communicator – Branch set high standards as city spokesperson

ON THAT NOTE

growth to defining the parameters in which municipal government had authority.

“I tried to help people understand that their local government doesn’t have control beyond their own jurisdiction,” she said.

From a line to report potholes to a snow info line that provides updates on plowing priorities, Branch was an innovator in disseminating critical content that enhanced public safety. She also revamped the city’s website and was the key in introducing social media into the municipal dialogue.

By Craig Howard Current Editor

In 13 years as public information officer (PIO) for the city of Spokane Valley, Carolbelle Branch was known for her skills as a writer, promoter and communicator.

“Carolbelle communicated really well with both citizens and the media,” said former Spokane Valley City Council Member Bill Gothmann. “She was also very sensitive to the Native Americans and other minorities. I thought this was very helpful to the city.”

She was also adept at guiding new city leaders through the travails of dealing with the media.

“Carolbelle helped me a lot when I first became mayor,” said Tom Towey, who served as Spokane Valley mayor for four years beginning in 2010. “I had never been in politics before and she taught me how to be respectful of the media and provide them with what they needed for their stories.”

Towey remembers Branch being “very meticulous and dedicated” as the city’s dispenser of information – all the while operating behind the scenes.

“She did a lot in the background,” Towey said. “Not a lot of people know all the work she did.”

While residents may not have been familiar with Branch, they knew her handiwork. She introduced the city’s quarterly newsletter “Hot Topic” in 2007, handling most of the writing, images and layout.

Inserts were included in copies of the Spokesman-Review and Spokane Valley News Herald.

“That was exciting because everyone in the city had that information four times a year,” Branch said. “It was fun figuring out what we needed to be talking about.”

Branch was hired in June 2005 by a city in only its second year of incorporation.

She would become the first PIO in Spokane Valley’s history. This May, Branch announced she would be stepping aside.

“At some point, they realized they needed someone full time,” Branch said of her start with the city. “It was exciting because we

DECEMBER 2018 • 39

Branch is a direct descendant of the Colville Tribe and lived in Omak until she was 8. Her family moved to Portland where she spent the next 16 years of her life. She graduated from Roosevelt High School and was active in the theater program.

Carolbelle Branch served as the public information officer for the city of Spokane Valley from 2005 until May of this year. She was responsible for a wide range of marketing-related duties, including media relations, maintaining the website, special events, the city newsletter and distributing traffic alerts and snow plow updates.

Photo by Craig Howard were building something from scratch. The time flew because the work was interesting. I was totally absorbed in it.”

said. “I learned so much from him.

He was so patient and willing to teach me about a commitment to best practices.”

Branch came to Spokane Valley with a diverse background. She had served as the executive director of the Cheney Chamber of Commerce (later West Plains) and executive manager of the Omak Chamber of Commerce. She was also co-founder of the Stage West Community Theatre in Cheney.

Branch also has fond memories of the first City Council.

While working for the West Plains Chamber, Branch became friends with Eldonna Shaw, then executive director of the Greater Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce.

“Eldonna was the one who told me about the new Spokane Valley city,” Branch said.

Branch remembers inaugural City Manager Dave Mercier being a valuable mentor in her first few years at City Hall.

“Dave was a class act,” Branch

“Even if they disagreed or voted differently, they were all committed to work for the good of the city,” she said.

Branch said she worked “to make government less intimidating” to the average citizen.

“I talked to people regularly who felt disconnected to their government,” she said. “I tried to connect them to their government and what was happening. I approached it as if I was a citizen. If this was going on in my neighborhood, what would I want to know?”

There was no shortage of challenges for Branch in her tenure as PIO, from keeping up with residential and commercial

After graduation, Branch enrolled at Eastern Washington University where she majored in Interdisciplinary Studies with an emphasis in Public Relations and Communications. She earned her diploma from EWU in 1999.

Looking back on her years as Spokane Valley’s spokesperson, Branch has positive memories of her involvement with the opening of city landmarks like the CenterPlace Regional Event Center, Barker Bridge, Discovery Playground, the Appleway Trail and City Hall.

“Those were all big community,” she said.

for

the

Branch also relishes the times when the city listened to concerns and responded in a way that built trust and consensus. Such was the case several years ago when an extensive renovation of the Sprague/Sullivan intersection was about to get underway.

“It turns out is was a big time for the spring and summer plant sales,” Branch said. “We had some business owners come in and say, ‘That won’t work for us and why’ and we were able to make that modification. You have to stop and listen and learn new perspectives all the time.”

40 • DECEMBER 2018

The Current