July 2018 Current by The Current

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Juncture at the Spokane Gun Club

Valley landmark celebrates anniversary, looks to future, page 12

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INNOVIA SUPPORTS VALLEY CAUSES PAGE 22

BUS DRIVER CELEBRATES TRANSPORTATION PAGE 20

2 • JULY 2018

The Park Bench

Matron of Millwood – Beese a catalyst in celebrating local history

By Craig Howard Current Editor There are a few signature trademarks that have defined Millwood over the decades – plush, tree-lined streets, a quaint commercial corridor that looks like it was extracted from the 1930s and vintage homes that speak to the community’s distinctive heritage. You can also add local historian Bobbie Beese to that list. Beese has called Millwood home since 1971. She was born in Spokane and grew up in the Dishman area, the oldest of three children. When she moved to Millwood with her husband Todd, she was somewhat familiar with the area, having attended West Valley High School. The history of the community – from its roots as station along the Spokane-Coeur d’Alene Electric Railway route to springing up as a paper mill town – was another story. “I didn’t really know the history,” Beese said. “I knew it was a nice place with nice people but not much more than that.” Bobbie and Todd moved into a home built in 1924 and previously owned by the Harold Woodard family. The Woodard line goes back to early Millwood when the family owned the land picked in 1900 for the new railway stop. The name of

NEWS the town is a hybrid between the first part of the family name and the “mill” operated here by the Inland Empire Paper Co. since 1911. Beese bought the Corner Door drug store – a Millwood landmark on Argonne Road – in 1992. When locals would stop in for ice cream or to buy a used book, some would bring up the history of the town. Beese began asking questions about the unique homes that comprised the neighborhoods west of the store. “I started to realize these are some really nice homes,” she said. “But when I went to the library, I couldn’t find anything about the history. Finally, it dawned on me that no one had written about the history here.” Bobbie and her brother Greg Mott compiled the information they gathered from conversations and old newspaper clippings into a book on Millwood history, published in 1997. The book became the guide for the Millwood Historic Walking Tour, an educational excursion through neighborhood streets that grew in popularity with both residents and non-residents. By 2000, the Millwood Historical District – comprised of 20 homes and businesses – had earned a place on the National Register of Historic Places as well as the Washington Historic Registry. Beese also helped establish the Millwood History Enthusiasts, a group of friends that still meets weekly to chat about the community’s legacy. She is one of five members of the Millwood Historic Preservation Committee, commissioned by the city of Millwood. Just last month, she wrote a grant on behalf of the committee to the Washington Department of Archeology and Historic Preservation. For the past 13 years, Beese has served on the city’s Planning Commission, contributing to recommendations passed on to City Council about

Beese worked with Millwood officials to have a museum of local history installed at City Hall (above), featuring vintage photos and artifacts. Photo by Craig Howard

The Current

Bobbie Beese has lived in Millwood since 1971. The Spokane native is a founding member of the Millwood Historic Preservation Committee and Millwood History Enthusiasts. Photo by Craig Howard development in the community of some 1,800 citizens. A graduate of Gonzaga University, Beese taught elementary school before transitioning careers. She earned a degree in electronics from Spokane Community College and worked 16 years as a communications technician before an early retirement brought on by rheumatoid arthritis. Bobbie and Todd – now retired after a 30-year career as a teacher – moved into a space above the Corner Door seven years ago. They have two daughters – Shawna and Heather – and three grandkids. Carrying on the Beese tradition of service in the community, Shawna is a member of the Millwood City Council. Q: You grew up in this area but didn't live in Millwood until you were a young adult. What were some of your impressions of Millwood before you made it your home? A: Millwood seemed to be a tightknit, friendly community a little different from Dishman. When I visited my Millwood friends, I noticed that Millwood was distinct from the rest of the Valley in look and feel. Generally, the blocks were filled so everyone had next-door and across-the-street neighbors. There was that small-town dynamic of everyone knowing their neighbors and what they were doing. Everyone seemed to know and care what was happening in town. Q: You had an interesting professional life with careers in both education and electronics.

What did you enjoy about each experience? How were they different and what similarities did they share? A: Teaching English as a second language to high school students was both rewarding and challenging. The stakes were high so we were all motivated to work hard. I learned a lot from wonderful students whose life experiences were extremely different from my own. In my classroom, I was the “minority.” I still love helping students learn and I enjoy volunteering one afternoon a week at my granddaughter’s elementary school. I feel really fortunate that I found electronics as a profession. For me, electronics was easier and fun. It was like getting paid to solve puzzles or games. Electronics and computers can be completely engrossing but are easier to disengage from at the end of the day. Technician work could get tense when something broke or stopped working but the laws of physics applied and basic troubleshooting charts worked. With supportive management, things always got fixed eventually. Q: What is it about history that has always appealed to you? I’m a curious person and history involves mystery. It uses research and detective work to find answers. A new deduction or discovery can be exhilarating. History is full of good stories which involve time travel. Old buildings and antique objects hint at other lives lived in the same space but at a different time. History illustrates both the

See BEESE, Page 3

The Current

BEESE

JULY 2018 • 3

NEWS

Continued from page 2

individuality and the commonalities of people throughout time. Q: For those who have never had the privilege of visiting Millwood, how would you describe this unique and historic community? A: Millwood, the first incorporated town in the Spokane Valley, is located on the Spokane River and bordered on three sides by the city of Spokane Valley. It is the home of Inland Empire Paper Company (IEP) which has manufactured paper in the heart of town since 1911. Although it began as a company town, Millwood has always been more. Millwood is a sampler showcase of middle class housing trends 1920s through the 1980s. Its historic neighborhoods are shaded by mature maple and oak street trees which provide spectacular color each fall. The city is filled with modest, friendly people who care about each other and their town. Citizens walk through their beautiful town in the evening and greet neighbors out in their yards. Millwood is an Interesting hybrid of small town, company town and Spokane suburb with many of the advantages and a few of the problems of each. West Valley SCOPE (Sheriff’s Community Oriented Policing Effort) sponsors a parade and carnival in June. The city and IEP co-sponsor a tree lighting each December and the Millwood Community Association sponsors Millwood Daze each August (Aug. 25 this year). Characterizations of Millwood often allude to Norman Rockwell and Mayberry. Q: In what ways did the Millwood Historic Walking Tour generate renewed interest in the history of this town? A: The book and the succeeding historic register nomination pulled together information from a lot of resources and told the story of the town, the papermill and the houses. Both the story and the architecture are compelling, especially placed in the context of national history. Resources dismissed as just “those old houses” became special treasures when their story was known. The National Historic Register listing and the museum’s Mother’s Day Tour validated and brought attention to what we have. The attention spurred more people to share Millwood stories. Q: In many ways, the Corner Door stands as Millwood's commercial landmark, almost frozen in time. What is it about this site that helps people connect to the past? A: The corner drug store building

type with soda fountain is iconic in our country. It was common from the 1920s through the 1950s. In my corner drug store building, I have tried to keep details that represent the past but still work in the present. We pulled out the lowered ceiling and stripped the paint off the transoms. The building has its original doors and windows. I kept and restored the wonderfully comfortable steam heat. I’ve added some simple electronic controls. The Corner Door makes milkshakes the way they used to be made and serves the large size with the extra shake in the metal mixer cup. The soups and cookies are all made from scratch. Puppets and books are fairly traditional merchandise. Q: You have been a longtime member of Millwood's Planning Commission. In what ways has this advisory group to the City Council been able to prioritize and preserve Millwood's unique history and image? A: The Planning Commission was designed with staggered sixyear terms so we are not tied to a specific mayor’s agenda and are able to focus on long-term planning. The planning commission researched and recommended that Millwood become a Certified Local Government with Washington State’s Department of Archeology and Historic Preservation. Millwood’s resulting Historic Preservation Commission advises the Planning Commission as well as City Council on issues involving Millwood’s history. Millwood’s Tree and Beautification Board focuses on the city’s trees. Millwood is a town full of modest-sized, older houses, disruptive trains and almost no vacant land. We want families to live here and invest in maintaining their homes. We need a distinct image, some would say “brand.” That brand should be derived from our history, our look and feel, from a sense of pride and from being a great place to live. Proximity to Spokane area jobs and entertainments is an asset. We offer leaf pick up in the fall, prompt snow removal in winter, good, well-maintained parks year-round and our water seldom needs chlorination. Our citizens walk and ride bicycles a lot and our planning documents encourage sidewalks, bike paths, such as the new Millwood Trail, public river access and interesting ground-floor building design elements. Our sign ordinance encourages pedestrian scale signs on Argonne where we encourage pedestrian-friendly businesses. Millwood wants an image as a small town, distinctive from the rest of the Valley in how we look and in how we function.

See HISTORIAN, Page 4

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4 • JULY 2018

HISTORIAN

NEWS

Continued from page 3

The city is well maintained by a responsive government and takes pride its history. My hope is that if a Realtor tells a homebuyer about several houses, they will want to be sure to check out the one located in Millwood. Q: You've lived on Argonne Road for a while now. In the stretch through Millwood, Argonne acts as the town's main street and a primary north/south thoroughfare. Is it possible to find a balance between both? A: The road was established in 1908 with a bridge built in 1909. The route across the river was a big part of why the paper mill and town located here. Now the road poses a serious challenge to the city’s cohesion and functionality. It is extremely difficult to balance the needs, convenience and comfort of residents with the needs of regional travelers. Millwood residents drive on Argonne very little and papermill trucks are usually travelling slowly so are not much of a problem. Commuters, service trucks and delivery vehicles will likely increase in number and become our major long-term challenge but the eventual completion of the NorthSouth Freeway should help our biggest current problem – the many noisy, heavy, fast moving trucks that travel between the freeway and points north of Spokane. The city does what it can. Our last major project gave us sidewalk bulb-outs that protect parallel parking and help pedestrians feel relatively safe in the historic downtown. Experts tell us that any Argonne speed limit less than 30 miles per hour will be ignored but that interesting shops and busy, active sidewalks will help slow traffic. We’re working toward that. A center turn lane has been designed and awaits funding. This same project includes some separation between the east lane of Argonne and a proposed pedestrian/ bicycle path but sadly will require the removal of some wonderful trees. I believe getting pedestrians safely across five lanes of heavy trucks and tense, distracted commuters will require some innovative, assertive design. Argonne is definitely one of Millwood’s biggest challenges but I’m glad these difficult design decisions are ultimately in Millwood’s hands. Q: In your opinion, what will Millwood look like 50 years from now? A: There will be fewer big trucks on Argonne thanks to completion of the North-South Freeway. Respectfully restored and maintained historic buildings will line the business

The Current

district but a few new businesses will have been built south of the railroad tracks. The Historic Register District will have 140 year-old trees but few other changes. Grandview acres, east of Argonne, will mostly retain its semi-rural character and enough of our modest, post World War II housing stock will be respectfully maintained and sensitively enlarged to maintain Millwood’s character. The city’s park will cater to the interests of new generations but will hopefully retain its historic 1950s wading pool and architect-designed gazebo. Unfortunately, an honest look into the future has to consider the distressing possibility that IEP may not continue to produce paper in the heart of town forever. If not, a mixed residential/retail complex with beautiful river access could fuel a population increase that would present Millwood with a socioeconomic identity challenge. Q: I get the feeling that, given the option of living anywhere in the world, you would still pick to live in Millwood. Is that true and, if so, why? A: My husband and I love to travel in the U.S. and in Europe and often imagine what it would be like to live various places. We have an airstream trailer and talk about spending some time in the South during winters. Since I only have one life, Millwood is a good, comfortable place for me to live. It is flawed enough to feel real – train whistles, traffic, cold weather, mud and dust – has great people, interesting architecture, well-maintained infrastructure, a responsive government and is always striving to be a better place to live. It is also important that our two daughters and three grandchildren live nearby. Q: In a general sense, why do you think it is important to chronicle, share and celebrate the history of our communities? A: There is so much to learn from our past – both the mistakes and successes. Knowing the past helps us understand how things came to be the way that they are. I think preservation is an important part of chronicling, sharing and celebrating history. Living with history around us gives a sense of being a part of the continuity of a place. Reminders that other people like you lived here can bring a sense of comfort and belonging. Think of a beautiful fall day in Millwood with the trees in full color. Everything was envisioned, built and planted by others who lived and raised their families here. Now there are new families whose lives are not only enriched by the uniqueness of their historic homes, great neighbors and beautiful trees but also by the stories of how their environment came to be.

The Current

NEWS

Spokane Valley youth raise their Voice By Staci Lehman

Current Correspondent Spokane Valley’s Youth Voice is being heard. Youth Voice is a monthly meeting of young people, organized by city of Spokane Valley staff and City Council members, who are working to identify community issues of importance to area teenagers, then striving to find solutions. “During the last election, I had a lot of young people, especially young women, girls, tell me they didn’t feel like they are being heard,” said Spokane Valley City Council Member Linda Thompson. “I felt like they should have a voice.” Youth Voice met for the first time in March with over three dozen students, several parents, a handful of council members and a couple of local teachers attending. The group started by discussing what they like about living in Spokane Valley before moving on to aspects of the community they have noticed that could use some improving. The list was diverse, ranging from improving the condition of city roads to more complicated issues such as sexual assault, homelessness and substance abuse. By the end of the first meeting, the list was narrowed down to topics that included mental health, substance abuse, homelessness, youth employment and city infrastructure. The original plan was to meet six times a year but after the momentum of the first meeting, the students had other ideas. “We said we would meet every other month and they said ‘No, we want to meet next month,’” said Thompson. At the second meeting in April, the group identified topics, with the first subject being mental health. Students talked about what stresses them out – school, juggling sports and homework, etc. and what resources are available to them when they become overstressed. They mentioned school counselors, mentors, crisis hotline numbers printed on the backs of school IDs and presentations on suicide awareness. They also mentioned though that some schools only have counselors onsite one day a week and some of the mentoring programs are only

available to students in certain grades or particular programs. There were suggestions on how to increase mental health awareness such as working with middle schoolers to prepare them for the transition to high school, starting a dialogue with teachers and other students rather than holding walk outs and just reaching out to others in general. One girl gave an example of the power of just that approach. She said that part of the reason she was at the meeting was because she befriended a fellow student who didn’t seem to know anyone then later revealed to her that he was comtemplating suicide until she reached out to him. Christine Dugger, a junior at East Valley High School, was also there because of a friend, but unfortunately her story had a different ending. “Freshman year one of my friends was hit by a drunk driver and killed,” she said. “One of my memories of him was when we were walking, he saw a homeless person so he took off his shoes and socks and gave them to him.” Dugger went on, with help from her mother, to start the “Socks for the Homeless” program in his honor that distributes socks to those in need. She also attends the Youth Voice meetings in part because she is trying to get a crosswalk painted and a sign built in her friend’s memory at the site he was killed, on Pines Road near Mansfield. Brianna Hawley, also an East Valley junior, said she receives school credit for attending. “I pitch in ideas,” she said. “I just like to help when I can.” Spokane Valley Youth Voice will continue to discuss issues and ideas in the coming months and ways to fill some of the gaps in services and needs they have identified. They will also present some of their insights and plans to the entire City Council at a future meeting. Want to find out more? Students from all Spokane Valley high schools are welcome at the Valley Youth Voice meetings. Parents and teachers are welcome as well. For more information, contact Spokane Valley staff member Tina Gregerson at 7205408 or tgregerson@spokanevalley. org. First Call for Help can be reached at 838-4428. The number provides support services 24-hours a day, 7-days a week, 365-days a year, regardless of age, culture or insurance coverage.

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By Spokane Valley Police Chief Mark Werner The maps provided below depict where citizens have reported Vehicle Thefts, Thefts from a Vehicle (also known as vehicle prowling), Burglaries and Thefts. As you view the map each circle will contain a number indicating how many instances Spokane of a particular crime were reported at that location. Thefts from a vehicle is often under reported as people often feel nothing can be done or they only lost a small quantity of loose change. However, the Spokane Valley Police Department and the Spokane County Sheriff’s office analyze this data to determine high crime areas and where to allocate resources. I encourage citizens who have been a victim of crime to call 911, if the crime is in progress, or Crime Check at 456-2233, if not in progress, to report a crime.

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Prepared By: Regional Intelligence Group 9 Spokane County Sheriff

The most recent ones come from a person claiming to be “Detective James Parry”. The scammer states the victim failed to appear for a grand jury summons and now has a felony warrant for their arrest. The phone number associated with these most recent scams is 509481-9067. The scammers demand payment and insist you pay your “fine” immediately. Through threats and intimidation, they convince victims to travel to the store, purchase Green Dot prepaid credit cards and provide the identification numbers which allows them to drain the money from the cards. This is a Scam!! Don’t LOSE your money.

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8 • JULY 2018

Spokane Valley City Council Report – July 2018 By Bill Gothmann Current Correspondent Street maintenance funding at critical point Street maintenance consists of street pavement repairs, traffic signals and signs, landscaping and vegetation control, snow and ice control, etc. Note that this is separate from street preservation which consists of crack filling, thin overlays and other strategies to extend street life. Maintenance funding comes from three sources (2019 Budget Figures): $2,046,700 from motor vehicle fuel tax, $131,900 from multimodal transportation revenue and $1.7 million from the telephone utility tax. Phone tax receipts have decreased from just over $3 million in 2009 to $1.7 million for 2019 and, as a result, there is to be a deficit of $740,000 in street maintenance funds in 2019 which is expected to increase to an estimated $1.8 million deficit in 2023. Staff presented four permanent possible revenue sources to fill this gap. A Transportation Benefit District (TBD) could be formed and is authorized to impose a vehicle license fee. A $20 fee would generate $1.4 million. Of the 100 Washington cities who form TBDs, 97 percent use this license fee. Other less-used TBD options include a voter-approved increase of up to 0.2 percent in sales tax generating $5 million and a one-year, voterauthorized excess property tax. Another option is the utility tax. A 1 percent utility tax on electric services would generate $762,811;

The Current

NEWS

on natural gas, $261,662; on sewer services, $140,827; on solid waste, $60,566 and on water, $68,813. Council could also take advantage of not having raised property taxes by 1 percent for the last nine years and collect this banked capacity, generating $650,326, or they could impose a levy, or a voter-approved levy lift on property taxes. At the June 12 day-long meeting, City Manager Mark Calhoun recommended taking $818,000 from the Capital Reserve Fund to fund street Maintenance for 2019. This fund is from money not spent at the end of the year. Council agreed as long as they received better street maintenance numbers so a permanent solution can be developed. City to apply for grant for Pines overpass The U.S. Department of Transportation is offering grants under its BUILD (Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development) program. This program supports roads, bridges, transit, rail, ports or intermodal transportation and staff believes the Pines/BNSF Grade Separation program is a good candidate. Council gave approval for staff to apply for a BUILD grant for $23.2 million of the estimated $29 million project. The city has already applied for over $5 million in other grants for the project. Additional Carnahan Land to be Acquired The roads at Eighth and Carnahan do not line up with each other, resulting in a number of serious accidents. The city previously purchased land at 707 S. Carnahan and is now proposing to purchase 729 S. Carnahan for “an amount not to exceed $362,100.” They would then reserve what is needed for either a roundabout or a signalized intersection, then sell the rest. No analysis or decision has yet been made on what type of intersection to

Sullivan and Wellesley Intersection Improvements Option A

Bigaleow Gultch Road Project

Liberty Lake Kiwanis Foundation’s Debut Mother/Son Golf Tournament Bigaleow Gultch Road Project

September 8th, 2018

ame n r u 2 0 18 Golf To

build. This would permit the city to be eligible for federal grants to build the intersection. Staff estimates that taking the property by eminent domain would cost more than acquiring it through purchase. The proposal passed 6-1 with Council Member Ben Wick opposing, citing cost, setting precedence for citizens wanting the city to purchase land, and the need for analyzing exactly Sullivan and Wellesley Intersection Improvements O Sullivan and Wellesley Intersection Improvements Option B how much land the city actually needs before making a purchase. Traffic at 22nd Avenue BNSF work will cause Staff has received a number of temporary road closures complaints about speeding and Burlington Northern Santa Fe concerns about excessive traffic on (BNSF) is planning a second, 22nd Avenue in Ridgemont Estates mainline track through the city from in the southeast part of the city. just east of Barker to west of Pines After meeting with neighbors and Road. This will require temporary conducting a traffic analysis staff road closures at Pines, Evergreen, concluded that “traffic volumes Sullivan, Flora and Barker road and speeds fall within established crossings. Present plans are to standards of the residential roadway.” address the construction during However, they noted heavy truck 2019. The city has hired HDR, Inc., volume because of construction an engineering firm, for project within the area. In the spring, reviews and has retained an expert Spokane County limits weights on railroad legal consultant to assist in the county roads and many trucks coordinating with BNSF. In the more use 22nd as an alternative. Staff distant future, a third line may be planned which would require all new See SV COUNCIL, Page 4 bridges on Sullivan.

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The Current

SV COUNCIL

JULY 2018 • 9

NEWS

Sullivan and Wellesley Intersection Improvements Option B

Continued from page 8

recommended that “No Truck” signs be posted for the area and will come back to council for adoption of such a policy. Sullivan/Wellesley intersection improvements Staff presented a report recommending a signalized approach instead of a roundabout for the intersection of Sullivan and Wellesley. Although roundabouts have a better safety record, there were several factors that favored the signalized approach. Looking forward, the county is improving Bigelow Gulch which greatly influences the ultimate cost. Rightof-way acquisition would require considerably more land for the roundabout and total project costs would be $1.5 million more. In addition, staff believed that, because it was next to a school, the signalized approach would be safer for the children in the area. Council agreed to move this item forward to a July 3 decision. New connector planned for Highland Estates In planning the roundabout associated with the Burlington Northern/Santa Fe railroad overpass at Barker, there were citizens who wanted a connector that would lead from the roundabout to the Highland Estates community. However, this area is outside the city and is serviced by the county. The City Council agreed to authorize the city manager to finalize and execute an interlocal agreement with the county whereby it would reimburse the city for costs of evaluating the feasibility of such a connector. Council Member Brandi Peetz noted that “this just makes sense.” Hearing examiner services to be terminated The city has contracted with the county for hearing examiner services with Mike Dempsey as its hearing examiner since 2003. However, Dempsey retired in 2017 and the county hired David Hubert for that purpose. Hubert has a longstanding connection with one of the city’s prolific developers, Dennis Crapo and, as a result, Hubert has had to recuse himself and the city has had to hire others for hearing examiner services. The city has made it extremely clear that neither Crapo nor Hubert have done anything wrong nor violated the Appearance of Fairness Doctrine. The problem is that there is added expense when Hubert cannot, because of the Fairness Doctrine, perform his duty as hearing examiner. As a result, city staff wishes to give 180-day

Bigaleow Gultch Road Project notice to the county to terminate the hearing examiner contract. The 2017 contract cost $30,021 or $141 per hour. Council approved the staff request to give notice to the county. City examines financing tourism using debt At the request of the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee, the city imposed a 1.3 percent lodging tax for capital expenditures for large sporting venues or venues for tourism-related facilities that generate overnight guests at lodging facilities, effective July 1, 2015. Based on reports from city consultants, staff presented a financial analysis of how these funds could be used as an annual $377,000 bond payment to borrow $6,020,501 to construct these facilities. They analyzed a number of possible projects estimating the cost, the income that would be generated and the resultant “profit” and jobs generated from such an investment of these borrowed funds. A total of 10 projects were analyzed: Trails and arts, special events, whitewater and park, arts and entertainment, fairgrounds, Balfour Park, Plante’s Ferry Park, HUB Sports Center complex, Browns Park improvements, and CenterPlace expansion. All except the CenterPlace would operate as a deficit ranging from $2 million for the HUB Complex to $28,000 Browns Park. The largest number of jobs created would be from the HUB at 86 jobs. Council will discuss this report further at a future meeting to narrow the list of possible projects. Splashdown contract approved The city terminated the contract with the former owners of Splashdown and the present owners, the Bleasner Group, are hoping to contract with the city for its operation. Staff presented a two-

year lease with extension by mutual agreement for five additional years with an annual lease payment of $15,000. Previous lease payments were $25,000 but, because of increased competition and needed capital improvements, the city felt the lower payment would be more reasonable. Council noted that a two-year contract would hinder long term capital financing and wanted, instead, the initial term to be five years. Staff changed the proposal to a 67-month agreement with five one-year renewals so that renewal does not come in the middle of the recreation season. Council approved the contract. Council seeking more input on city art The Spokane Valley Arts Council has been active in providing a number of statues for the city and staff expressed their appreciation for these pieces. However, since there is now an ordinance that provides a method for the city to accept gifts, a more formalized method of receiving art is needed. There should be mutual agreement between the city and the Arts Council to select a specific piece before any commitment is made. The Arts Council has a new piece underway, “Heart of the Valley.” Before it is accepted, the city needs to analyze the costs, the area required, the base material, the lighting and the location of the sculpture. Council agreed with staff that it would be beneficial for the city and the Arts Council to enter into an agreement that would identify the way the city could provide meaningful input, establish time frames for notification to the city for budgeting purposes and clarify the Arts Council’s use of CenterPlace for fundraising. In addition, an art master plan is needed for the city.

Hotels in industrial zones There was a citizen request to permit building hotels within industrial zones, a practice the present city code does not allow. Council considered a proposal to permit hotels with footprints up to 25,000 square feet to build in industrial areas. For a greater footprint, a conditional use permit would be required, requiring the applicant to appear before the hearing examiner who can add mitigating requirements. An amendment to the motion to outright prohibit building any hotel with a footprint greater than 25,000 square feet failed by a 4-3 vote with Council Members Peetz, Linda Thompson and Wick in the minority, favoring the limitation. Dwight Hume, appearing on behalf of the proponent, noted that the purpose of the proposal was to cater to industrial park businesses. The final motion passed 5-2 with Wick and Thompson voting nay. Code enforcement cases increasing The current Code Enforcement officer is Nicole Montano, who recently joined the city from the Spokane County Prosecutor’s Office. In 2017, City Council approved the addition of a part-time attorney to focus on prosecution of code enforcement cases due to the increasing volume. The city hired Rachelle McFetridge as the part-time attorney in mid-January 2018. Since January 2018, there have been 307

See VALLEY, Page 10

Council member Ben Wick earned his Advanced Certificate of Municipal Leadership from the Association of Washington Cities. He is currently the only council member to achieve this goal. Photo by Adam Wick

The Current

10 • JULY 2018

VALLEY

Continued from page 10

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code enforcement cases closed and 316 new cases. The number of cases has increased from 360 in 2013 to 522 in 2017. Their goal is voluntary compliance, requiring considerable time to work with complainants and property owners to resolve problems without the need for fines or legal action. Issues that contribute to nuisance properties include property owners who elect not to have garbage services, long-term neglect, aging property owners who cannot maintain their property, death of an owner, substance abuse, mental illness, hoarding and foreclosure. The first cases of properties that are chronic nuisances because of criminal activity are being prepared and documented by law enforcement and the city attorney’s office. Report on Intelligent Transportation Center With increasing traffic in recent years, government entities can either build more capacity or maximize the efficiency of existing infrastructure. Council received a report about Spokane Regional Traffic Management Center’s effort at maximizing the efficiency of existing infrastructure. Over 120 cameras, 20 signs and weather stations provide information to operators who can maximize flow of traffic, inform drivers and provide prompt emergency response. Citizens will be seeing other such amenities as metering of entry freeway traffic, wrong way notifications and invehicle information on traffic conditions in the future. They are also working with Audi on automatic driving vehicles. Since many of the past grants they received were air quality grants and these are on the decrease, they expect to ask for more direct support from participating entities. Council Briefs: • Council Member Wick earned an Advanced Certificate of Municipal Leadership from the Association of Washington Cities. • Mayor Rod Higgins appointed Council Member Arne Woodard to the Continuum of Care Board. This board receives funds from the federal government for homelessness assistance and distributes them to appropriate organizations. • City Manager Calhoun announced that FMSIB state Freight Mobility Strategic Investment Board) has awarded a $1.68 million grant to the city’s Barker Corridor Project for improvements from Spokane River to Trent. The city has previously earmarked $721,000 for this project.

The Current

Spokane Valley means business with economic development

By Staci Lehman Current Correspondent It’s not business as usual in the city of Spokane Valley – it’s a better and more effective way to do business. That’s how Spokane Valley Economic Development (ED) Manager Mike Basinger describes a new approach to bringing in more businesses and residents to the area. “Our approach creates an environment that promotes communication and proficiencies,” he said. “Within this new structure the ED division ensures that the community’s vision is carried out. “ That vision includes a streamlined permitting system that is easier for businesses to navigate and a more transparent and efficient process overall. Those were the results of a 2017 reorganization at Spokane Valley City Hall that created the ED division, along with an entirely new City Hall which has also benefitted efforts. “Look at this!” said Basinger, walking through city headquarters at 10210 E. Sprague. “By design, this building encourages good communication.” He points out how customers are greeted as soon as they come in the door, how tables are available in the vestibule for city staffers to meet with members of the public and spread out maps and plans and how the permit center is just a few steps past the front counter. Behind the counter, the floor plan is open, allowing for back-and-forth conversations between staffers. Even the composition of staff has changed to promote growth. Because Spokane Valley runs on a lean budget, Basinger can’t just hire as many people as he needs. Instead, he has been creative with his hires. “We didn’t create new positions,” he said of his economic development staff. “As people left in planning, we didn’t fill those positions. What we did do was hire experts for all these different areas that I felt were important.” Among those hires was a planner who specializes in transportation and an Economic Development specialist with a background in communications and marketing.

JULY 2018 • 11

“The ED team has expertise in long range planning, economic development, public relations and communication, transportation planning and grants and engineering,” Basinger said. That team also has a plan – recruit industrial manufacturing companies to settle in Spokane Valley. Those jobs pay well and bring new residents with discretionary income with them. “If you can get higher paying jobs like at Katerra (a technology-driven construction company which will soon have a large manufacturing site in Spokane Valley), you can get more people buying homes in Spokane Valley and going out to the nicer sitdown restaurants,” said Basinger. He hopes that adding infrastructure to a large piece of undeveloped land near Barker Road and Euclid Avenue will bring in these companies. “These keystone projects will set the stage for the new Centennial Business Park which will essentially be a shovel-ready site that includes approximately 560 acres of undeveloped industrial zoned property,” Basinger said. Doug Yost, the developer behind the Centennial Business Park, says working with Spokane Valley has been extremely positive. “My experience with the city of the Valley was fantastic,” he said. “Mike Basinger, (Deputy City Manager) John Hohman – they came up with great ideas, got back to me quickly and were very responsive.” After manufacturing, the next priority is recruiting businesses that promote marketing and tourism. The city has contracted with a retail recruiter for that. In the meantime, the ED division already has several victories under its belt. The biggest is the recruitment of the 250,000-square-foot Katerra crosslaminated timber factory in the new industrial area. Securing funding for the Barker Road/BNSF Grade Separation project is another major accomplishment, as is the construction of the Appleway Trail. “I put that line on a map in 2010 and nine years later it will be complete in 2019,“ said Basinger. Staff is also getting creative in amenities for the trail. “We’re exploring options we wouldn’t have looked at in the past,” Basinger said. “For instance, we applied for an AARP grant to pay for benches for the trail.” As for future goals, Basinger would like to see Spokane Transit’s High Performance Transit Line become a reality in Spokane Valley. A new library and community center

directly across Sprague from City Hall is also a long-term goal along with the implementation of the Bike and Pedestrian Master Plan with new biking and walking trails to connect current trails. “It’s been adopted so it’s more about finding funds to build those,” said Basinger. Overall, Basinger wants to emphasize that Spokane Valley does not have a local Business and Occupation (B&O) tax, but does have low worker’s compensation insurance rates, developable land

supported by two Class 1 railroads, Interstate 90 and an international airport. And most of all, a businessfriendly environment. Yost of Centennial Real Estate Investments, agrees. “It feels like you’re working with someone to get it done, not against them,” he said. More information on the resources available to help businesses relocating to Spokane Valley can be found on the city’s new economic development website at spokanevalleyed.com.

RECYCLED PERCUSSION SEPT 29, 2018, 7pm High energy music made from pots, pans, power tools, car parts… everything under the kitchen sink!

CIRQUE ZUMA ZUMA FEB 1, 2019, 7pm The mystique of Africa meets the circus with aerial acts, contortionist feats, Egyptian limbo, South African gumboot dances and more.

THAT PHYSICS SHOW APRIL 6, 2019, 7pm This eye-popping show brings the magic of physics to the stage where the laws of motion, temperature, friction, density and sound waves do all the tricks. Series starts at $59 for 3 concerts. Single tickets on sale Aug 17.

12 • JULY 2018

COVER STORY

The Current

Rich history, unknown future for Spokane Gun Club By Lincoln Dowright

Current Correspondent The Spokane Gun club celebrated its 126th anniversary this year, going back to 1892. Historical documents show that the club formed after a few years of Spokane hosting organized shooting competitions or events and originally was a club including both shotgun and rifle shooters. In 1901, the club split as rifle and shotgun shooters went their separate ways. While in the beginning shooting events were held around the region, the club was provided space on the Ft. Wright Military Base for awhile but moved to its current location at 19615 E. Sprague Ave. (on Sprague east of Barker Road, in between the cities of Spokane Valley and Liberty Lake) in 1948. The transition came after the club received complaints from the neighborhood surrounding Ft. Wright. Their current facility itself sits on over 90 acres and has accommodations that include:

18 trap fields, the ability to host eight skeet fields at a time, 200 camping spots, a clubhouse with a kitchen and pro shop, as well as a house for a live-in maintenance/ groundskeeper. According to the articles of incorporation for the Spokane Gun Club, the purpose of the club is to promote and foster educational, social, fraternal and athletic activities related to trap, skeet and other forms of sport shooting as well as the promotion of fishing and hunting and the protection and improvement of the environment for fish and wildlife. According to club President Bob Thornton, the club has approximately 500 current members and hosts between 10 to 14 tournaments each year which include fundraiser “shoots” that benefit groups like the Boy Scouts, local residents in need of guide dogs and veterans through a “Beyond Yellow Ribbon” event. The club itself is open Wednesdays noon to 7 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m.

Originally formed in 1892, the Spokane Gun Club had its home on the Ft. Wright Military Base in Spokane before moving to its current location in Spokane Valley in 1948.The club is known for trap and skeet shooting, among other forms and emphasizes safety and education. Contributed photo to 4 p.m. but has coin operated stations available Thursday and Friday for members to drop by as well. As expected, the Spokane Gun Club also stresses education and safety. Members are encouraged and required to wear hearing protection, eye protection and

most importantly adhere to gun safety requirements. The club even sponsors Washington State Hunter Education Safety classes on-site as well as the evaluation component for those who wish to take the class online. The classes are held almost monthly and are free to the public (for more information on how to take the Hunter Education Safety class visit www.wdfw.wa.gov) There are few facilities like this across the state and because of the history here, it is also the host and proudly displays the trophies and awards of the Washington State Amateur Trapshooting Association Hall of Fame and the Washington State Skeet Shooting Association Hall of Fame. While in attendance at one of the recent shooting tournaments, it was easy to see the traits of a group that is very supportive of local youth. A local Scout was working on his Eagle Scout project constructing a shelter at the main shooting station to protect those participants from the weather. The Lake City High School Dance Team was also present helping record scores for the squads earning money for their school team.

The Spokane Gun Club currently has approximately 500 members and sits on over 90 acres on Sprague Avenue east of Barker Road. Around a dozen tournaments are held here each year with proceeds benefiting local veterans and other groups. Contributed photo

Despite the rich history and membership activity, the club has run into some financial problems over the last few years according

See CLUB, Page 18

The Current

JULY 2018 • 13

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The Spokane Valley Vipers – a youth sports team By Lincoln Dowright

Current Correspondent The Spokane Valley chapter of the USAYESS (USA Youth Education in Shooting Sports) program, the Spokane Valley Vipers, started approximately seven years ago as a youth club sponsored by the Spokane Gun Club. “Our major goal is to build good citizens,” says Head Coach and retired Master Sgt. Bob Thornton. Thornton has been head coach for the Spokane Valley Vipers for almost two years and part of the team for the last six. He helped found the USAYESS national program with the previous head coach Mike Borg who lives in Colville.

sport I like but when I came out here it just clicked. The Thorntons have taken us under their wing and helped us get going.” Within three weeks of joining the Spokane Valley Vipers team, Hart was able to go straight to the state competition and win third in her division. While not something well known but popular with some colleges around the nation, there are trap and skeet college programs with active recruitment and scholarship programs. “We had three universities out recruiting kids from the team” said Thornton. Last year’s team member Tammy Hartman, who is now at Liberty University, was a national award winner and received a college scholarship for her efforts. Hart says “I love the sport, but mostly I love the team. We travel together and get to know everyone so well, we are like a family.”

Jackob Gonzaga notion.

Campell, a junior at Prep, seconded the

“One time my gun jammed and everyone around jumped in to help, very much like a family,” he said.

brought out 55 participants. Aside from Boy Scouts and FFA, youth clubs/teams can be found in local schools such as West Valley and Freeman high schools.

He is also a member of the Spokane Valley Vipers and described his introduction to the sport as “I was a hunter and shot a rifle, but never shot a shotgun before. Today (the Spokane Valley Vipers Club Shoot) is my first competition.” The Spokane Valley Vipers youth club currently has 17 members but usually averages around 20 and is always open for new members. They practice at the Spokane Gun Club on the first and third Sundays of each month. Call (509) 9266505 to RSVP if you are interested. Early each spring, the Spokane Valley Vipers host a club shoot/ tournament at the Spokane Gun Club drawing teams from across the region. This year’s event

“The reason we started USAYESS is because it incorporates all youth programs (Boy Scouts, Future Farmers of America - FFA, Inland Northwest Council of Shooting Sports the “Spokane Shooting Stars”),” Thornton said. “You don’t have to be a part of any club, you could walk in off the street with some gun safety experience and participate.” Taylor Hart, a senior at Rogers High School who participates in Running Start, is one local youth who is part of USAYESS. “It seems scary at first but try it, we are just like any other sport” says Hart, who first saw the team at the Big Horn Outdoors Adventure Show four years ago. “I never found a

Connor McLaughlin at the March 25 USAYESS Spokane Valley Vipers Youth Shoot Competition. Photo by Ben Wick

COMMUNITY

14 • JULY 2018

The Current

Calendar of Events COMMUNITY EVENTS July 4 | Friends of Pavillion Park Fourth of July concert featuring Idle Poets, 6 p.m., Pavillion Park. A fireworks display sponsored by the city of Liberty Lake will follow at 10 p.m. July 14 | Great Spokane Road Rally to benefit Greater Spokane County Meals on Wheels – 9 a.m.-5 p.m. starting at Honor Point Military & Aerospace Museum at Felts Field. More information at www.spokaneroadrally.com July 26 | Summer concert fundraiser for Naomi, 5:30 – 7:30 p.m., 11302 E. Broadway Ave., Spokane Valley. Naomi, a local nonprofit that helps women and children with housing and other resources and the Spokane County Library District are hosting a summer concert featuring local, six-piece band SideTrack. Bring your own picnic or purchase a meal from Toby's BBQ or Brain Freeze food trucks. Music, games, and food for the whole family. Admission is free. For more information, call 926-6492 June 30 | Newman Lake Fire Auxiliary Hot Dog and T- Shirt Sale – 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Newman Lake Fire Station #1, 9324 N Starr Road. This is the auxiliary’s largest fund raiser of the year with proceeds benefiting Newman Lake Fire and Rescue, a volunteer fire department. The Blood Mobile will be there from 9 to 12:30 p.m. Call Linda Rivers at 991-7106 to make an appointment Wednesdays through Sept. 26| Millwood Farmers Market – 3 to

7 p.m. Located in front of Millwood Presbyterian Church, 8910 E., Dalton off Argonne. Featuring food and farm vendors, artisan crafts, music and more. Market accepts token System, WIC, senior vouchers, EBT and Fresh Bucks programs. For more information, visit millwoodfarmermar.wix. com/market. Market runs each Wednesday through Sept. 26 other than July 4. For more information, visit www.millwoodpc.org/ millwood-farmers-market/. Saturdays through Oct. 13| Liberty Lake Farmers Market – 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Town Square Park, 1421 N. Meadowwood Lane. This popular open-air market features local food and farm vendors, artisan crafts and baked goods, music and more. The venue is open each Saturday through Oct. 13. For more information, visit www. libertylakefarmersmarket.com. The Rockford Historical Society’s Pioneer Museum will be open on Fridays and Sundays, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., from Memorial Day until the Southeast Spokane County Fair in September. The museum is located at 10 S. First Street in Rockford. For more information, call 291-3193.

RECURRING ACT 2 senior classes | Affordable classes offered by Community Colleges of Spokane to those who are retired or planning to retire. A wide range of courses from geology and history to exercise and art are offered at CenterPlace, 2426 N. Discovery Place, as well as other locations throughout the area. “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 | 5 to 6 p.m., third Friday of the month. Spokane Valley Library, 12004 E. Main Ave. Discussion of Baha’i teachings, history, and perspectives on resolving the challenges facing humanity. All are welcome. More at 599-2411 or www.bahai.us. Inland Empire Blues Society monthly meeting | Oct. 13 at 7:30 p.m., Bolo's 116 S. Best Road Café Card Club | 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., Tuesdays. On Sacred Grounds, 12212 E. Palouse Hwy., Valleyford. Play pinochle, cribbage, or hearts. More at www.onsacredgrounds. com Catholic Singles Mingle | Meeting times and locations vary. This group, with no dues, is for single adults of all ages. More at www. meetup.com/Catholic-SinglesMingle. DivorceCare Recovery Support Group | 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., first Wednesday of the month, Tri-Community Grange, 25025 Heather St., Newman Lake. The public is welcome for

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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

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The Current

COMMUNITY HEALTH &

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 Aug. 3 | Barefoot in the Park Weekend - Concert featuring Minor Adjustments - 6-9 p.m., Pavillion Park, Liberty Lake. Free admission Aug. 4 | Barefoot in the Park Weekend - Concert featuring Angela Marie Project - 6-9 p.m., Pavillion Park, Liberty Lake. Free admission

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 four-part, a cappella harmony of this men’s barbershop chorus. More at www.pagesofharmony.org. Spirit of Spokane Chorus | 6:45 p.m., Tuesdays. Opportunity Presbyterian Church, 202 N. Pines Road. Make new friends by joining this women’s chorus, specializing in four-part, a cappella harmony in the barbershop style. More at 2184799. Spokane Novelists Group | Noon to 4 p.m., second and fourth Saturday of the month. Otis Orchards Community Church, 23304 E. Wellesley Ave., Otis Orchards. A support/critique group for writers. Open to anyone with an interest in writing fiction (no memoirs, nonfiction, poetry, etc., please). Participants should bring 5-10 pages to read aloud and 6-8 copies for others to read along and critique. More at 590-7316. Spokane Valley Camera Club | 7:15 p.m., third and fourth Monday of the month (September through April). Liberty Lake Sewer and Water District building, 22510 E. Mission Ave., Liberty Lake. All levels of ability—students through experienced photographers—are invited to learn. Social events include field trips and workshops. More at 951-1446 or www.sv-cc. org

JULY 2018 • 15

Summer is Here! Protect Your Toys With Us!

RECREATION July 3 | 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 longterm 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. July 14-15 | Team St. Luke’s is hosting its annual Ski Fest with adaptive water skiing, boating, swimming, and a barbecue social at Clear Lake. Early registration is by July 6. This event is great for physically challenged of all ages to be able to get out and enjoy summertime activities. For more information, call 473-6232 or visit www.st-lukes.org/TSL/. July 14 | 20th annual Liberty Lake Loop - Pavillion Park, start times: adult race, 8 a.m. (fourmile run/walk/stroller friendly course, scenic course on paved roads, several hills with aid stations at miles two and three.) Kids’ race following adult race (1/4 - 1 1/2 mile, depending on age). Registration with shirt is $20; $6 without. Contact libertylakeloop@ gmail.com with any questions or for additional information July 12 and 25 | 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

See CALENDAR, Page 16

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The Current

16 • JULY 2018

CALENDAR

Continued from page 15 chronic health issues such as: Parkinson's, dementia, COPD, MS, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, cancer. Supporting body, mind and soul. $10 donation suggested. Facilitated by board-certified 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 board-certified 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

Mondays in July | 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 927-1153 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/ south-pines-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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The Current

SPOKANE VALLEY & THE BOOKEND June–August 2018 With Play Unplugged, kids stay active throughout the summer, without constantly saying, "I'm bored." So this summer, get up and moving, and plan fun, exciting challenges to earn Brag Badges! Each badge has points called "brags." Parents can create rewards that their kids "purchase" from their earned brags. Whatever motivates your kids can be used as a reward! For 2018, the Play Unplugged program is for students in Spokane Valley schools in Central Valley, East Valley, and West Valley School Districts.

JULY 2018 • 17

READER

Brag Badge Read 4 or more books this summer to earn your Reader Brag Badge! Then pick up your badge at Spokane Valley Library.

GOLD STAR KID

Brag Badge

This is a tough one, but you can do it! Mind parents for the entire summer, help out without being asked, and don’t fight with your siblings. Once you’ve earned this badge, sponsored by PACE, you can pick it up at The BookEnd at Spokane Valley Mall.

BUS RIDER Brag Badge

Take a ride on a bus to places new or well traveled to explore your community. Once you’ve earned this badge, sponsored by Spokane Transit Authority, you can pick it up at The BookEnd at Spokane Valley Mall.

Learn more about Play Unplugged at https://family.weplayunplugged.com.

The Current

18 • JULY 2018

Shotgun shooting sports defined By Lincoln Dowright

Current Correspondent The Spokane Gun Club facility focuses on sports shooting competitions utilizing a shotgun which include both trap and skeet shooting but no hand guns, rifles or assault rifles are used here. All shotgun sports have one thing in common – you blast hunks of clay out of the sky. To expand on that just a bit, all use targets called “clay pigeons.” No, they do not look like pigeons – they look like little Frisbees about 4 inches in diameter. Instead of plastic, they're made of clay. Launching machines, called “traps” fling them off into space in different directions depending on which clay shooting discipline we’re talking about. Trap shooting American trap shooting is fairly straightforward. Literally. Shooters stand in a line, side by side, and aim at targets moving almost straight away from them. Targets are launched from a partially underground bunker placed 16 yards in front of the primary shooting line. To simulate wild birds flying away from a hunter, targets are thrown at a speed of 42 miles per hour at a consistent vertical angle. The targets are thrown in random directions within a relatively narrow (45 degree) side-to-side arc relative to the shooters. The actual angle of the moving target also varies depending on the position of the shooting on the line. Shooters are positioned in a slight semicircular pattern.

There are five stations, or posts, on the shooting line, and a squad of five shooters competes in a round with each shooter starting at a different post. Shooters alternate shots until each shooter has fired at five targets from their starting position, then the squad shifts one position to the right. In a round of 25 targets, each shooter will have fired at five targets from each of the five posts. Skeet shooting Unlike trap, where targets are moving away from the shooters, skeet includes a variety of target angles. Targets can cross, come straight at you or move away from you. As in trap shooting, there is still a field, but the skeet field has eight stations instead of five and the shooters move as a group around a large semicircular field from one station to the next. Also, in skeet shooting, there are two machines that throw targets – a "high house" that launches a target from a point high off the ground and a "low house" that launches targets from somewhere around waist level. Some positions in skeet include “doubles” where targets are thrown from the high and low houses simultaneously, and the shooter fires two shots. Safety and range etiquette When you're not on a station getting ready to shoot, always keep the receiver of your gun open so there will be no question to a fellow shooter whether it's loaded or not and keep the muzzle pointed at the ground. Never load your gun until you're on a station and it's your turn to shoot. Shotgun shooting sports are fun, challenging and enjoyable as long as we all follow the safety and range etiquette rules.

The articles of incorporation for the Spokane Gun Club note the purpose of the organization is to promote and foster educational, social, fraternal and athletic activities related to trap, skeet and other forms of sport shooting as well as the promotion of fishing and hunting and the protection and improvement of the environment for fish and wildlife. Contributed photo

CLUB

Continued from page 13 to Thornton. “We have a number of costly challenges that we are currently facing,” he said. “Such as the need to connect to the Spokane County sewer system, a dated clubhouse which is in need of repairs and potentially a new roof, repairs on at least six of the trap throwers and a few Labor and Industries claims against the club.” All of which according to Thornton’s calculations, add up to an approximate price tag of $169,000. A recent development and controversial option for the club’s financial problems came recently as the Central Valley School District reached out with an offer to purchase the property. “Central Valley came to me with an offer of $3 million for 40 acres on the east end of the club’s property to support their new high school,” Thornton said. “Talking with the board we were undecided what we would do with the remaining 50-plus acres but Central Valley has also come back and offered an additional $4 million to purchase the remaining property.” While the proposal will be going

before the Spokane Gun Club membership for discussion and decision Thornton says that the vote on the offer from the Central Valley School District is scheduled for June 30 (after Current press time). “This would allow the club to find a new location and relocate to a more remote location such as out by the Spokane International Airport/Airway Heights area,” explained Thornton. “I don’t want to see the club fail. This isn’t a one-man show. I am very thankful for all of the volunteers and especially for those on the board but I really hope the club takes this opportunity.” Publishers’ note: The Current did reach out to the Central Valley School District for input on the proposal but district officials felt it was too sensitive of a time to comment. CVSD did say it looked forward to sharing more in the near future. Stay tuned for updates in future editions of the Current.

Please stay safe and use mindful storage for all weapons and ammunition when not in use.

The Current

JULY 2018 • 19

Valley officials to determine future of the past

Landmark’ after the monument.”

Current Correspondent

“Over the years, rocks at the top and sides of the marker had fallen or crumbled due to weather and most likely, some vandalism,” said Lesli Brassfield, an Economic Development specialist with the city of Spokane Valley.

By Staci Lehman

If you are like many people, you have driven by a monument in Spokane Valley a thousand times and never realized what it is. The Mullan Road was the first wagon road to cross the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific Northwest, stretching from Fort Benton, Montana, through Spokane Valley to Fort Walla Walla. It was built by U.S. Army troops, under the command of Cpt. John Mullan, in the late 1850s and early 1860s. Today, Mullan’s name still marks a school and a road in our area. Mullan had an impressive background in mapping out the region. He was part of survey crew of area railroads led by Issac Stevens, Washington’s first territorial governor and spent time as a topographical officer during a 1958 military campaign. Mullan’s efforts were recognized in the early 20th century with a couple dozen monuments marking the route of the 625 mile-long Mullan Road. Only a handful of the markers remain today. Of those, one is located on 29th Avenue, near Glenrose Road, on Spokane’s South Hill. It was dedicated in 1934. Another still stands at Eighth and Coleman in the Edgecliff neighborhood and a third was placed in 1922 near the southwest corner of Sprague Avenue and Vista Road. This marker, made up of many small round stones, can be clearly seen by drivers, although most couldn’t tell you what it says. The inscription on it says “M-R Military Road located by Captain John Mullan A.D. 1858A.D. 1862 crossed the highway here. This location monument erected by Washington State Historical Society 1922.” For those who can’t place it, the monument used to sit in front of the Plantation restaurant before it was torn down a few years ago. The building itself had a long history in Spokane Valley. “Over the years it was a number of different clubs,” said Jayne Singleton, longtime director of the Spokane Valley Heritage Museum. “Including when it was called ‘The

The razing of the building brought attention to the marker from city officials and there were questions for several years as to what to do with it. The condition of the monument today is in decline.

Brassfield has been asked by city officials to look into possibilities for preserving the monument. “It was believed that the marker would be more secure at the new City Hall and less susceptible to further damage and/or erosion,” she said. Those plans were originally discussed during the design process for City Hall. More recently though, it appears that plan has changed. “The city is not proposing to move the marker at this time,” Brassfield said. “However, city staff are looking at options to repair the marker at its current site.” Singleton is happy to hear that. “The museum’s position was to leave it where it is because it’s a piece of history and if you move it, you change that history because of what it says on it,” she said. “We didn’t see a reason to move it.” Valley officials have contacted Singleton for assistance in locating companies or other resources with experience in repairing structures of historic value. At this time, there is not a timeline for the repair. Singleton says the museum’s board is hoping the monument will not only be fixed, but also improved. “We do think it is a good idea to improve it and enhance the area,” she said. “In the Valley, many historical sites have been torn down. It’s a piece of history.” Singleton also points out that the marker’s 100th anniversary is approaching. “We just thought ‘Wow, what a great opportunity,’” she said. “Maybe we should fix it up and plan a celebration in four years.” Before that can happen, Spokane Valley officials plan to assess the marker’s condition in the near

Of the two dozen markers that pay tribute to the Mullan Road -- a wagon trail that stretched from Montana through Spokane Valley and into Walla Walla -only a handful remain. The statues honor the work of Cpt. John Mullan and the U.S. Army troops who built the 625-mile trail in the late 1850s and early 1860s. Photo by Staci Lehman future. “Options for repair and cost estimates will need to be researched and presented to the City Council,” said Brassfield. Options that Singleton hopes to expand on. “Our role here is to preserve history,” she said. “It’s marking the spot and more could be done with it.”

While the official response from the City of Spokane Valley is that the damage to the marker was caused by vandalism, it has been reported to the Current that the damaged was caused last year during an effort by the City to move the marker which has since been abandon

The Current

20 • JULY 2018

Valley Chamber

HIGHLIGHTS

Entrepreneur sheds light on area’s transportation past By Michelle Valkov

Current Correspondent For years, Jerome Green has been donating his time as a volunteer to the community through music, filming and tourism. CONNECT.

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INNOVATE.

Tourney Time in Liberty Lake The Valley Chamber’s golf tournament is a popular day on the course not to be missed! Join us for our 22nd annual event on Thursday, Aug. 2, 2018, at the beautiful MeadowWood Golf Course. Check in starts at 11:30 a.m., with a shotgun start at 1 p.m.

Valley Chamber’s 22nd Annual Golf Tournament Thurs., Aug. 2 Check in: 11:30 a.m. Shotgun Start: 1 p.m.

Put your foursome together and register before we fill up! Registration includes green fees, cart and dinner.

MeadowWood Golf 24501 E Valleyway

Top team awards will be presented for men’s, women’s and mixed teams. Individual awards given for longest drive (men and women), closest to the pin (men and women), and hole-in-one.

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“Sometimes I’ve just got to say, ‘I’m the jack of all trades,’” Green said. Green has worked in many roles, including tour operator of Grayline Sightseeing Tours, deputy for the Spokane County Sheriff Department and owner of a private investigation business. He has also operated an excavation and dump trucking business, worked with the Washington State Department of Transportation and served as owner and director of Spokane Scenic Tours. “I call myself a business person/ entertainer,” said Green, 55. A lifelong resident of the area,

Green has different ideas to put Spokane back on the map and get residents and visitors excited about what the community has to offer. Green is the producer of something known as “Magic Bus Spokane” which is a traveling music show. Inspired by being an innercity bus driver back in the day, Green hopes to offer the concept as a creative marketing tool to draw new potential customers for local businesses. It’s often referred to as a “rolling billboard.” Green also has family ties to the entertainment business with a brother who worked as a musician on the Jay Leno Show. Green’s background of musical interest for the Magic Bus Spokane also comes with being a drummer himself. The show features classic favorites from the 1950s through the 1990s and is community-oriented and interactive. The tunes bring back memories of the British Invasion and American music culture. Green said there are no concerns with the Magic Bus Spokane disturbing the streets or wherever it lands. Green also wants to focus on helping the youth of the

See BUS Page 21

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

Lifelong resident Jerome Green is the catalyst for a documentary on local public transportation history called "Destination Point Spokane." The project will include vintage photos and footage from the past as well as features on historic Spokane neighborhoods. Contributed photo

The Current

JULY 2018 • 21

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BUS

Continued from page 20 community. He said that kids could use more help with guidance and support related to future careers. Green hopes to have his work in the transportation field be more of an inspiration to kids, even if music isn’t their interest. Another project that Green has been working on is a documentary called “Destination Point Spokane,” which chronicles the heritage of the field he has called home for the bulk of his career. “It’s to preserve the history of public transportation and to educate the community about the benefits of the motor bus system,” Green said. Green also spoke about the meaning behind the documentary’s name and why it’s significant. “It gives Spokane attention,” he said. “Actually, it’s helping Spokane get tourism and bringing Spokane to a nationwide audience when the documentary will be released.” The documentary is a nonprofit production in a public service announcement format. It will include vintage vehicles, photos, features on historic neighborhoods and re-enactments of scenes

portraying Spokane’s transportation past.

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The narration and interviews will take the community down memory lane with real stories from pioneer transportation families, historians, bus patrons and reminiscences from local transportation officials. While production of the documentary is still in progress, Green hopes to add more content and release the completed presentation in the near future. Green has found help for the project in random places such as outside a downtown Spokane theatre. “I had my camera and my tripod one day and I was on the street and a group of people walked out of the theatre and were dressed up in 1930s attire and I thought it was perfect,” he said. As his various projects roll on, Green said he appreciates the chance to educate his fellow residents and shed light on Spokane’s past and present. “I like connecting with the community and providing education and awareness to generate public interests,” he said. “I want to promote our community as a fun, perhaps, a destination, where people can come and enjoy our city.”

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22 • JULY 2018

Newly branded Innovia builds on strong community foundation By Craig Howard Current Editor When Shelly O’Quinn announced last April that she would be resigning from her post as a Spokane County commissioner to become CEO of the Inland Northwest Community Foundation (INWCF), she gained some insight about the organization she would soon be leading. “The number one thing I heard when I went from the county to the foundation was, ‘Congratulations…now, where are you going?’” O’Quinn said. “There were community leaders who hadn’t heard of it. I realized we had an opportunity to tell our story in the region.” O’Quinn previously worked at INWCF as a senior project manager, eventually leaving for Greater Spokane Inc. (GSI)

where she spent five years before being elected in 2012 as a county commissioner representing District 2. O’Quinn – who also has a background in nonprofit work with groups like SNAP and Habitat for Humanity – said the experience of working at GSI and the county gave her a better grasp of “how businesses and government can work with nonprofits to address the issues of our region.” O’Quinn joined an organization that was founded in 1974 and now manages $120 million in endowed assets for charitable causes in 20 counties throughout Eastern Washington and North Idaho. Over the past 44 years, the foundation has distributed $70 million in grant support. Last month, O’Quinn and her colleagues hosted an open house in downtown Spokane where the new name of INWCF was announced, along with central themes around a major rebranding effort that includes a new logo, tagline and website design. Now known as “Innovia Foundation” – blending the word “innovate” with the Latin word “via” or “way” – the transition is,

in Quinn’s words, “a chance for us to raise awareness about what we do in the community.”

Coblentz said “have helped with advice about hiring and whether certain grants are a good fit.”

“The previous CEO Mark Hurtubise (who served for 12 years before retiring in 2017) did a phenomenal job in laying the foundation and building assets that really provides us with the opportunity take it to the next level,” O’Quinn said. “We have an opportunity to bring greater awareness to the important issues of our region and the great work we’re already doing,”

“We trust them,” Coblentz added. “We know we can always go to them with our questions. I know with our endowment, they’re always looking for new trends to make the most of those funds.”

From Naomi to the HUB Sports Center, from the Centennial Trail to Spokane Valley Partners Food Bank & Family Services, community causes in the greater Spokane Valley have benefited from the support of Innovia over the years. Spokane Valley Partners Executive Director Cal Coblentz described the organization as “a leader in our community.” “They’re kind of leading the effort to get all the nonprofits to work together and collaborate,” Coblentz said. “They’ve been super helpful to us.” Innovia manages an endowment fund for Valley Partners and

As for the new image and look of the foundation, Coblentz says he “trusts the vision.” “You can tell they innovate,” he said.

want

Innovia’s support of the HUB was one such example of stepping outside the box. When an anonymous donor came to the foundation in early 2012 with a substantial bequest to support youth and community causes, the HUB received a call. A $3.2 million loan to purchase the 57,000-square-foot building in Liberty Lake followed. Terms for the loan were established by the foundation, requiring the HUB to pay $3,000 a month in rent (down from the $10,000 they were paying before) and putting away $5,000 a month into a savings fund until it reached $100,000. A capital campaign would also kick off, with a goal of paying back the original loan. “Even with the $8,000 combined a month, we were still saving $2,000 from what we paid before,” said Chuck Stocker, longtime HUB board member. HUB Executive Director Phil Champlin said the donation and corresponding guidance from the foundation “just gave us a big security blanket.” “We could continue to develop while we were running our capital campaign,” he said. “The foundation has been a great resource for us, always encouraging and supportive.” After writing the foundation a check for $2.9 million earlier this year, the HUB only has a balance of $300,000 remaining on the original loan. While the foundation’s refurbished brand may mean wider recognition of Innovia’s mission and impact, Champlin says many in the nonprofit world already appreciate this unique community resource.

The organization formerly known as the Inland Northwest Community Foundation announced its new name and brand last month in downtown Spokane. Innovia Foundation CEO Shelly O'Quinn and HUB Sports Center Executive Director Phil Champlin are pictured above at the June 5 event. Photo by Craig Howard

“The people there are gracious and generous with their time,” he said. “You definitely get the feeling that they are there to help you.”

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JULY 2018 â&#x20AC;¢ 23

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Main Events You may ask what is a CRAVE Main Event? Answer: All main events are like a main meal. At a main event you'll experience the opportunity to sample specialty fare from 15 chefs, along with 15 wineries, breweries, craft cocktails and more all while enjoying live entertainment! No additional purchase required at the event. Food, drink, entertainment and parking is all included! This is a walk-around tasting event held outdoors at Spokane Valley CenterPlace rain or shine.

Thursday, July 12, 6 – 9PM, Seafood Bash, $75 early bird/$85 walk up You can expect to sample wonderfully prepared seafood dishes from 15 chefs with a selection of perfectly paired wines as well. Craft cocktails and beer will also be served. Hot—Club of Spokane will provide the entertainment for an exceptional night of blues, jazz and seafood!

Friday, July 13, 6-9PM, Foods From Around the World, $57 early bird/$65 walk up This tasting event will feature Global Flavors by award winning regional chefs paired with 16 of Spokane’s Cork District wineries. Live entertainment by Los Vigiles will provide a bit of spicy Global fun and entertainment.

Saturday, July 14,6-9PM, Fire & Smoke, $57 early bird/$65 walk up Just as the name states, Fire & Smoke, anything on a grill or over a fire is this nights theme. Enjoy 15 chefs and wineries, beer and craft cocktails along with the Coeur ‘a lane Casino’s live drummers, dancers and story tellers for entertainment.

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JULY 2018 • 25

Sunday, July 15, 9AM-NOON, Brunch, $42 early bird/$50 walk up Featuring family-friendly originals and comfortable classics, multiple chefs and drink purveyors along with live entertainment from Dan Hall makes for a fun family friendly all ages event.

After Party Saturday, July 14, 9-Midnight, $5 (included with Fire & Smoke admission) Join us for the hottest party in town celebrating our region’s best chefs under the stars! Featuring Matt from DJ Unifest dropping a great dance mix and take a fun photo with all of your friends and favorite chefs in our funky photo booth. Top local mixologists will be crafting drinks to accompany crave-able small bites from Le Catering throughout the night. It’s $5 to join in the fun unless you have a Fire and Smoke ticket (because it’s included!).

Grand Tasting what is a “Grand Tasting“ event? Grand Tastings are walk-around samplings of multiple food vendors, caterers, artisans, wineries, breweries, ciders, distilleries. You will also have the opportunity to experience the Chef forum with on-stage demos from celebrity chefs each day such as: Chef Hugh Acheson of Five & Ten in Atlanta and Chef Mark Singson of Fam Inc in Vancouver. Visit the website for the full schedule, you even get to taste their dish from the on-stage demo! Live entertainment provided each day!

Saturday, July 14, 1-4PM, $35 early bird/$40 walk up Sunday, July 15, 1-4PM, $35 early bird/$40 walk up

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A sunflower is an inflorescence. The flower head is made of many tiny florets. Each floret that is pollinated produces a seed. The florets are clustered in a spiral pattern. The left and right spirals are consecutive Fibonacci numbers. Sunflowers are native to America. It was grown as a crop in Mesoamerica as early as 2600 BC. It was a major source of calcium for the natives. Tall varieties can have over a ten foot stem with a 12 inch flower. One plant can have up to 2,000 seeds. There are over 60 different varieties of sunflowers. They grow very fast and can be harvested in 90 days. Sunflower kernels are 19% protein, high in vitamin E and contain six B vitamins. Dried sunflower heads make a great natural birdfeeder.

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Summer brings change for our Indoor Playground and Open Gym hours! Indoor Playground Summer Hours: Monday-Friday 1:00 PM- 2:00 PM, Friday 6:00PM-8:00 PM. June 25- August 31, 2018. Open Gym Summer Hours- Fridays 6:00 PM- 8:00 PM June 29- August 31, 2018.

The Current

JULY 2018 • 29

the essence of generosity is in selfsacrifice.” Giving up something I want, in order to give abundantly to someone else, is a powerful antidote to selfishness. Try it sometime. You won’t be disappointed.

By Judge Jeffrey Smith “For it is in giving that we receive.” St Francis of Assisi wrote those words eons ago. But the concept is ageless. What does it mean to be generous? Generosity is defined by Mario Webster as, one who is “liberal in giving.” The word “generosity” derives from the Latin word “generōsus” which means “of noble birth.” I will return to that concept in a bit, but I find it very interesting that nobility and generosity share a common root. Generosity is a commonly shared virtue and character trait recognized and encouraged by virtually every culture and religion. Most likely the reason generosity is held in such high esteem is it doesn’t necessarily come naturally or easily. If we are honest, each of us trends toward selfishness, greed and envy. Generosity is the antidote for such a trend. It is also the topic of scientific and sociologic study. Researchers at the University of Notre Dame are exploring the “sources, origins and causes of generosity (which they define as ‘the virtue of giving good things to others freely and abundantly.”) I like that definition. Other researchers are investigating the connection between generosity and oxytocin (the neurochemical thought to be responsible for social bonding, trust, empathy, pro-social behaviors and a decrease in anxiety, to name a few). It appears we benefit neurochemically when we give to others. Seems that St. Francis was on to something. Over the years, I have come to understand that giving liberally to others can come in the form of treasure (money or resources), talent (our unique abilities and gifts) and time (our most valuable and unreplenishable resource). Most articles on generosity focus on these three areas. Although

we’ll take a brief look at each one, I don’t want to re-hash what most of us already know. What I want to do is challenge you to be generous in uncommon ways. Again, more on that in a bit. When people speak of generosity, it is common to begin with the concept of giving money. It is the most frequent way people identify as being generous. Whether it is to the homeless person on the street corner, giving to our favorite charity or helping out a friend or relative in need, our generosity usually takes form in dollars and cents. While giving of money to individuals and organizations in need is of critical importance, it also tends to be the easiest form of generosity.

Next, have you ever given to someone anonymously? There is something beautiful in knowing the person (or organization) to whom you gave will never know it was you. Frank A. Clark, a politician from the mid-1800s said, “Real generosity is doing something nice for someone who will never find out.” Mr. Clark was right. Finally, giving with no-stringsattached seems like a no-brainer. However, if we are entirely honest, it’s not that easy. Write a big check – see your company name on the program flyer (it’s good marketing we’re reminded). Spend time volunteering at our favorite charity – see your name of the ‘Volunteer of the Year’ plaque. Don’t get me wrong. I don’t believe there is anything wrong with either of those things. But giving in the spirit of no expectations takes courage. Seventeenth century author and

clergyman John Bunyan, said, “You have not lived today until you have done something for someone who can never repay you.” Make it a priority to give with no expectations. Next time you give liberally (or as the Notre Dame folks said, “giving good things to others freely and abundantly) of your treasure, time and talent, do so sacrificially, anonymously and with no-stringsattached. Then your generosity will be truly noble. Judge Jeffrey Smith currently serves in Spokane County District Court. He is acting presiding judge and was recently elected to the Board of Governors of the district and Municipal Court Judges’ Association. Prior to his judicial appointment, Judge Smith practiced litigation and corporate law at the intellectual property firm of Lee & Hayes in Spokane. While practicing law, he served on many nonprofit boards. Before attending law school, Judge Smith practiced medicine for 16 years as a physician assistant in Spokane. He is a graduate of Whitworth University, Yale University School of Medicine and Gonzaga University School of Law.

Let me ask, is it easier to hand a person $5 and tell them to go grab lunch or take them with you, buy them lunch and have a conversation with them? Would most people rather write a check to a youth organization or spend time mentoring a troubled youth? Giving of our talent and time is more difficult because it forces us to take a greater investment in the person or organization, but also tends to be more rewarding. I encourage you to give beyond your treasure and focus more on giving of your time and talents. Your return on investment will be terrific. Like I mentioned earlier, what I’d like to do is challenge you to be generous in uncommon ways. Specifically, sacrificial generosity, anonymous generosity and what I call “no-strings-attached generosity.” Giving liberally to others through the prism of sacrifice, anonymity and with no expectations takes generosity to a different level. First, giving out of sacrifice (rather than abundance) helps us keep our priorities in line. The English author and dramatist Henry Taylor said, “He who gives what he would as readily throw away, gives without generosity, for

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Margie grew up in Edison, New Jersey, formerly known as Menlo Park where Thomas Edison had his first laboratory. Maybe there’s something extra in their water that assists with creativity? She loved mimicking people and putting on shows. Lucille Ball was her favorite entertainer to watch when she wasn’t reading. She had many favorites but Alice in Wonderland inspired her to try to copy its beautiful illustrations. She decided she liked drawing so much she attended Moore College of Art and Design in Philadelphia. After graduation, she worked as an art director. She created her first book, Piggie Pie for her son. It was published in 1997. Since then she has written over 40 books for children and won hundreds of awards.

Author Spotlight ini Margie Palat

The Current

Student of the Month As a new arrival to the University High fastpitch softball roster, Alyssa Benthagen wasted no time making an impact. The junior hit .500 this season and led the Greater Spokane League in doubles (15), RBIs (38) and runs (37) for a Titans’ squad that advanced to the state 4A tournament. She played a sparkling third base and compiled 35 hits for the season and six home runs. In U-Hi’s 4-2 win over GSL champ Central Valley, Benthagen hit a home run in the first inning. She went five-forfive at the plate against Lewis and Clark. As a sophomore, Benthagen was a first team all division player for Heritage Christian in her native California. She earned first team All GSL honors this season. Benthagen plans to continue her softball career at Central Washington University.

Citizen of the Month

Thanks you for all you do in our community

JULY 2018 • 31 Gavin Wolcott is known as a humble and talented Titan who achieves both as a student and athlete. The senior-to-be at University High maintains a 3.87 grade point average and is a member of the National Honor Society. He will be part of ASB leadership in the upcoming school year, serving as the public relations officer. Wolcott has participated in track, specializing in the 100 meters, 4x100 relay and pole vault. He played tennis as a junior. In football, Wolcott started for the Titans at quarterback last season, completing 85 percent of his throws and passing for a total of 975 yards for a team that finished 6-5. Outside of school, Wolcott is working toward his Eagle Scout award and participates in community service projects through his church. He plans to serve a mission for his church after graduation.

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About and for Valley seniors

Teaching a Trade – WV alum establishes top-flight welding school By Craig Howard Current Editor As a student at West Valley High School, Lonnie Benn enjoyed science and shop class. He had the inside track on one shop topic, in particular. His dad, Waldo Benn, owned Welding Apparatus Repair Inc. near Felts Field. “I learned a lot being around welding,” Benn recalls. The Benns moved to Spokane Valley in 1960 from the Puget Sound area after Waldo left his job as a factory repairman. In the 1960s and 1970s, Waldo was considered the region’s leader in regulator and torch repair, with customers coming to the Valley from as far away as Montana and Wyoming. “Trent used to be the main highway and we were right there,” Benn says.

late 1990s when larger national companies began to corner the market on liquid gas. The Benns sold their welding supply business and Lonnie found work as a welding inspector, traveling all over the country. He was on a job in South Dakota when he realized his next career turn should involve teaching the skill he knew best. “I enjoy teaching,” Benn says. “It’s not about me, it’s about getting people into welding. You’re helping people that just need a little bit of hope. That’s what we’re providing here.” Anvil Welding Instruction began with three students and four welding machines. After appealing mainly to hobbyists, Lonnie and his wife Brenda decided to invest the time and money to secure a state license and operate as a vocational school. WorkSource, Spokane County’s one-stop hub for employment, quickly became one of their main avenues for students. Lonnie and Brenda’s son, Adam, works as an instructor at the school which still offers a half-day open house one Saturday each month for hobbyists. The

Benns

–

who

live

Greenacres – received a boost from the local nonprofit SNAP, which offers counseling and lending to small businesses. A $5,000 loan meant the addition of two more welding machines while classes and counseling through SNAP Financial Access helped the couple sharpen their entrepreneurial focus. “We had a goal in mind of where we wanted to go,” Brenda said. “We just needed to go through SNAP to get there.” Anvil was awarded a $5,000 “SNAP Forward” grant courtesy of BECU in September 2016 that proved to be another boon for the business. In her nomination of Anvil, SNAP’s Karen Campbell, a technical advisor, noted that students who emerged from the school “have a 70 percent placement rate in the local economy securing living wage jobs.” “Lonnie talks a lot about his students,” Campbell said. “I’ve just seen him really committed to training everyone who comes through the school so they can have better jobs.” Turns out the available work is plentiful. At the Anvil site on East Trent, a long fly ball from

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Avista Stadium, around a dozen companies are written on a whiteboard in magic marker, all looking for qualified welders. The average yearly wage for a welder in Washington is $48,160 while pipe welders in Alaska earn over $100,000 annually. “We saw that there was a skills gap,” Lonnie said. “We train people here to be career welders, to weld to a code. There’s a lot of work out there right now. We have employers call us and say, ‘If I don’t get someone to weld, I’m not going to quote this job.’” In just over four years, Anvil has seen more than 200 students go through the program. The basic course runs 160 hours over five weeks and costs $3,000. The school welcomes veterans through the Post 911/GI Bill. For those students with limited mobility, instruction in Tig welding features work on lighter materials placed on a work bench for easier access. “The thing that impresses me about Lonnie and Brenda is that they have this vision for success, not just for their business but for their students,” Campbell said. “They really care about their students.”

After high school, Benn enrolled in the welding program at Spokane Community College but ran out of money and left school to get a job. Around that time he was drafted into the Air Force. He served for three-and-a-half years, including a stint in Thailand, using his welding skills to fix plumbing, fencing, garbage dumpsters and more. After the military, Benn returned to Spokane Valley and worked for his dad. By the mid-1970s, he had left the family business to become a traveling factory rep, instructing people how to use products made by a welding manufacturer. By 1978, Waldo had changed the name of the company to Anvil Welding Supply with a focus on welding supplies and equipment. Lonnie returned to help and it was appreciated. The restructured business was doing its best to keep up with the demand for liquid gas after another local welding supply company decided to shed its smaller accounts. The terrain shifted again in the

Greenacres resident Lonnie Benn, a graduate of West Valley High School, runs Anvil Welding Instruction with his wife Brenda and son Adam. The trade school on Trent Avenue in Spokane equips students with the skills required to be hired in a market currently in heavy demand for welders. Photo by Craig Howard

The Current

JULY 2018 • 33

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Greenacres resident bound for Special Olympics USA Games By Steve Christilaw

Current Correspondent Aaron Evans is ready to compete. A double gold medal winner in stand-up paddle boarding at the Washington Special Olympics 2018 Spring Games, the Greenacres resident will compete for Team Washington at the 2018 Special Olympics USA Games, set for July

1-6 in Seattle. Evans has been participating in Special Olympics since 2002 but this will be the first time he has vied for the gold in this event. His competitive history in Special Olympics includes status as a world-class swimmer This time around, he will compete in Level 1 stand-up paddle boarding against challengers from all over the country. He qualified as a Level 1 competitor, meaning he will paddle a maximum distance of 4,800 yards and face challenging turns. “It’s like a race course,” Evans said. The Games, which will broadcast by ESPN, arrive Special Olympics celebrates

be as its

50th anniversary. The organization was founded on July 20, 1968 by Eunice Kennedy Shriver. Evans is an integral part of the state’s Special Olympics delegation. He participates with the Spokane Wolf Pack, the Inland Northwest’s Special Olympics squad. Other Spokane-area representatives from Team Washington include Bryce Barlow (stand-up paddleboard), Peter Condon (golf), Chase Riley (bocce ball), Mariah Gilbert (standup paddleboard) and Scott Tobin who was a 2010 national champion in track and field but this year will compete in stand-up paddleboard. Team Washington has the largest delegation in the Games, with more than 250 athletes participating. Comcast is one of the primary sponsors of the event and the company produced promotional videos leading up to the games featuring Evans and other athletes. Evans was at the center of an athlete appreciation event hosted by Comcast and Special Olympics Washington on June 16 at the Xfinity store in Spokane. “Just being able to highlight and showcase the abilities of our athletes versus their disabilities is huge,” Mary Do, vice president of Development and Communications for Special Olympics, said. “What the Special Olympics does is not only sports. It’s on and off the playing field. We’re training them for life.” The Special Olympics World Summer Games are scheduled for March of 2019 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Special Olympics programs are available free of charge for athletes and almost six million athletes and partners are involved in training and competition in 172 countries. The organization offers yeararound training and competition in 32 summer and winter Olympicstyled events.

After winning two gold medals in the Washington Special Olympics Spring Games, Aaron Evans of Greenacres will compete in stand-up paddle boarding for Team Washington in the Special Olympics USA Games this month. The event will feature over 4,000 athletes from all over the country competing in events July 1-6. Contributed photo

People with intellectual disabilities are encouraged to join the Special Olympics for the physical activities, which helps lower rates of cardiovascular disease and obesity among other health benefits. The social aspect of training and competition is also considered a

significant plus for self-esteem and confidence. The Seattle area has shown up in force to help make certain that the event is both a big success for the athletes involved and assure that it reaches its fundraising goal of $16 million. Companies like Lyft, Nordstrom, Amazon, Kaiser Permanente, Brooks Sports and Disney have joined premier sponsor Microsoft. The $16 million goal assures that all travel costs and expenses are covered for athletes participating in the Games and assures that admission to all events is free. Microsoft has been working with Special Olympics on a digital effort that will provide real-time results as well as tracking athletes personalbest efforts. The opening ceremonies will be held July 1 at the University of Washington’s Husky Stadium. Actor Taye Diggs, who starred in “Rent” on Broadway and in the TV series “Private Practice,” will serve as the Master of Ceremonies and the opening ceremony will feature performances by Charlie Puth, Marshmello, Allen Stone, Massive Monkees and Ann Wilson from Heart. The ceremony will feature a parade of more than 4,000 athletes in a celebration of the spirit of inclusion. Amazon employees will pass out free lunches for athletes and will staff the free-of-charge closing ceremonies July 6 at Lake Union Park. If you wish to make a donation to the USA Games and you own an Amazon Echo or similar device, you need only say “Alexa, make a donation to the Special Olympics USA Games.” She will handle the rest. “The 2018 Special Olympics USA Games will showcase the abilities of athletes with intellectual disabilities, promote the ideals of acceptance and inclusion through sport and celebrate the transformative power of the Special Olympics,” said Beth Knox, president and CEO of the 2018 Special Olympics USA Games. Let the Games – and the goodwill – begin.

The Current

Valley Sports Notebook – July 2018 By Mike Vlahovich

Current Sports Editor There’s little respite for returning high school athletes who are back at pre-season activities this month. But it’s not too late to glance back on the successes the schools had in the spring, Freeman baseball in particular. The Scotties, several who played on Freeman’s three-time second-place state basketball teams and previous semifinal baseball teams that included two third places and a fourth place, concluded brilliant athletic careers with flair. Freeman finished with a 24-3 record and brought home the elusive 1A state title while winning its last 10 games and outscoring its opposition 36-9 in four state games. Key to the title was a dramatic five-run seventh inning rally in the quarterfinals against College Place to keep hopes alive. Trailing 6-2, Keegan Cottrell drove in the winning run in the bottom of the seventh and the Scotties (22-3) came back from the deficit to eliminate the Hawks in a second-round game. Desmond Parisotto went 3 for 4 with two RBIs and Caleb Watts added an RBI single in the bottom of the seventh. Freeman opened state with a 10-0 win over Kiona-Benton on Parisotto’s one-hit, nine strikeout pitching performance. In a 13-1 romp past Cedar Park Christian, he fanned nine

CV family converts sportswriter into soccer fan

By Mike Vlahovich Current Sports Editor Many moons ago the collective sports media in town met weekly for lunch. It was a time to palaver with area college sports information directors and professional teams’ public relation directors for potential stories and TV interviews. It also included a guest speaker on a variety of athletic topics, one of which was touting a sport foreign to Spokane at that time – soccer. It may have been the world’s passion, witness this year’s World Cup, but was barely a blip on the radar here. After one lunch, as I was walking back to my car, the guest speaker was talking with a friend saying that he eventually wanted their sport to take

SPORTS

JULY 2018 • 35

and allowed but two hits. Michael Coumont and Jace Phelan combined on the other two victories, including a 6-2 win over King’s Way for the title. Parisotto was the Northeast A League MVP. Coumont, Konner Freudenthal, Ryan Hayek, Cottrell and Phelan were first team all-league. Freeman’s pitching statistics were mind-boggling. Hurlers shut out seven foes and allowed but a single run in seven others. WV reaches semifinals West Valley reached the semifinals of class 2A baseball for the first time in decades, finishing fourth in state. Hunter Tiffany scattered five hits in a 4-1 victory over Steilacoom. Connor Whitney was 3-for-3 and drove in three runs. A two-run sixth inning lifted the Eagles past Liberty 4-3. They lost 7-3 against state runner-up Mountlake Terrace and 12-0 to W.F. West. Tiffany, infielder Jaxson Imada and Whitney in the outfield were All-GNL players. Other all-league baseball players: Central Valley – Kyle Clay, pitcher; Thomas Edwards, pitcher; Brayden Hamilton, catcher; Jase Edwards, Austin Tomlinson and Mitch Axtell, infielders. East Valley – Dylan Stutzke, infield. Bears third in softball Central Valley’s softball team backed up coach Joe Stanton’s belief that this was the Bears’ best ever squad with a third place finished in state 4A. The Bears finished 25-3 overall. They ran off 18 straight victories before a stunning 4-2 upset by University prevented a perfect league slate. At state the Bears defeated Eastmont and Auburn- Riverside to reach the

semifinals, suffered a tough loss, 1-0 against eventual runner-up Monroe, but bounced back with 5-2 and 9-1 wins. Having Kelsey Gumm as their No. 1 pitcher was key for the Bears. The GSL MVP pitched 22 games where she allowed two runs or fewer, including eight shutouts. Infielder Hannah Wampler and outfielder Grace Stumbough were All-GSL players. University reached state for the 17th time, going 0-2 in the tournament and East Valley reached state for the first time in 15 years, winning one of three games. All-League players: University – Gracee Dwyer, infield; Alyssa Benthagen, infield; Sierra Apodoca, outfield; Emily Stannard, outfield. East Valley – Abby Brake, infield; Addie Myer, outfield; Madrona Beitz, outfield. West Valley – Maddie Thompson, infield; Jillian Taylor, outfield. Freeman – Lexi Johnson. Track and Field In state track, CV’s Ryan Kline ran a personal best 9:12.86 while finishing runner-up in the 4A state track 3,200 meters race a year after missing the meet due to illness. Samara Nelson was state champion in the shotput with a 42-11 ¼ throw and was second in the discus with a personal record 137-3. Anna Pecha set a school record 2:13.76 in the 800 meters. Pecha, her sister Erica, Molly McCormick and Lacie Hull placed in the 4x400 relay timing 3:55.36. U-Hi’s Nathaniel Srebel, Central Valley’s Jackson Atwood and Hanna Dederick were multiple placers in the

wheelchair events. Other standouts were University’s Rebecca Lehman who had a personal record 10:51.85 in the 3,200 meters; EV javelin thrower Chloe Chalfant had a school record 136-0; CV’s Hailey Christopher and WV’s Alexandra in the high jump; WV’s Jake Jordan in the 100 and CV’s Correy Quinn in the shotput. Boys soccer all stars Central Valley – Devin Hauenstein, MVP; Conner Wold; University –Zach Matson, Cole Dobson. East Valley – Zach Bowsky, Joseph Gresch; West Valley– Chase Howat, Tajadin Mohammad. Boys tennis Freeman’s Andy Simmerman finished second in state 1A singles. Other league standouts: CV – Dean West; U-Hi – Shaun Jones; EV – Andrew Dust; WV – Dylan Almeida; Freeman – Owen Bryant/Daniel Gady, doubles MVP; Trevor Paternoster/ Kolby Emptman. Girls tennis CV - Hannah Conant; U-Hi – Sophie Orndorff/Katie Smithgall; Maygen Osborn; EV – Eva Gorkovchenko; WV – Ava Raney. Freeman – Sarah Simmerman, Kaitlyn Strahl. Boys/girls golf Rhea Jansen and Isabelle Miller led Freeman to a third-place finish in the state 1A/2B/1B golf tournament. Jansen tied for seventh with a tworound total of 164. Miller shared 15th at 174. Other state qualifiers and all-league standouts: CV – Kami Twining, MVP; Zach Stocker, Riley Hadley, Courtney Jackson. EV- Trail Thompson, Charity Yount, Kellie Fitzpatrick. WV – Alyssa Aman, MVP; Alyson Leonov.

over every available field in Spokane and render all other sports obsolete. I admit it didn’t sit well at the time. Who were these guys? And when the sport was later introduced in high school, a friend whose daughter played at Gonzaga Prep came up to me after the scoreless contest with Central Valley and said, “Isn’t that the most exciting thing you’ve ever seen?” Boring was a better term. Looked like a bunch of people kicking each other in the shins. But the guest speaker proved prophetic. Soccer and I eventually negotiated an uneasy truce. But you had to pay attention. I was covering a game at Albi Stadium one afternoon for The Spokesman-Review and sitting next to Mead coaching legend and Panthers Athletic Director Dick Cullen. We were chatting in the press box watching teams were battle in a scoreless deadlock when I looked over to say something to Dick and missed the only goal of the match. What’s the point, you say? The

babysitter for my children in the 1980s, Jeanne Hauenstein, has two sons who each were All-Greater Spokane League MVPs, JD two years ago and Devin, MVP this spring at Central Valley. Soccer wasn’t particularly on their radar. Like most youngsters they played every sport. Jeanne figured they’d play football, basketball and baseball. Dad Daryl had been a wrestler and figured he would live through his sons in that sport, she said. The kids eventually settled on soccer and dragged the parents along for the experience. “The whole think slowly morphed over time,” said Jeanne, who added that her sons’ enthusiasm for the game seeped over to their parents. Neither child would be mistaken for football or basketball players anyway. I dare say they take after their petite mother, but both obviously stood tall for the Bears on the soccer field (I still can’t make myself use the term “pitch.”) Small but feisty during their careers,

CV made three state 4A soccer semifinals. Anything go-for-broke JD could do, Devin tried to do better, even if his approach might differ. Two years apart, their mom says the boys have different personalities, yet are the same. They could fight and, five minutes later, be best of friends. JD, who I wrote about two years ago, is a win-at-all-costs guy, Devin plays with more finesse, but they ended up with the same result. After high school, JD played two years at Montana State-Billings but is transferring to Cal State-Dominguez Hills. He will be playing against Devin, who heads off to Humboldt State, both in the NCAA Division II California Collegiate Athletic Association. “As luck has it, they will play against each other the day after my birthday,” Jeanne said. “When I blow my candles out I’m wishing for a tie game.” Having a vested interest watching the sons of this CV parent thrive has turned me into a soccer fan, even if it took 40 years to fully appreciate the sport.

The Current

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The Current

Nostalgic Nine – Spokane Indians define local baseball heritage By Kylor Allen

Spokane Valley Heritage Museum That time of year is upon us again folks. The kids are out of school, the warm Inland Northwest weather is here and our beloved Spokane Indians have taken the field again to kick off summer in the Spokane Valley. The history of the team is extensive and includes many interesting highlights spanning over 100 years. Indians’ baseball began in 1903 even though history of Spokane baseball dates back to 1892. The team was even featured at Spokane’s Natatorium Park during the turn of the century, eventually moving to Ferris Field in the PlayFair Complex for 20 years until the current home – known to most as Avista Stadium – was built on Havana Road in 1958. The team was struck with tragedy in 1946 when heading over Snoqualmie Pass. The team bus lost control during a rain storm and went down an embankment, killing nine and injuring seven. Three players missed the crash due to different circumstances. Players from other teams were loaned out for the remainder of the season to help field a squad. Future major leaguer Jack Lohrke, who had been called up the very day of the crash, June 24, was spared. He was later coined with the nickname “Lucky.” When the Brooklyn Dodgers moved west to Los Angeles in 1958, it meant that Spokane would be the new host to the Dodgers’ AAA farm team. With a new stadium and some of the best minor leaguers available, Spokane was ripe for young baseball talent. During its run as a Dodgers affiliate, the Indians were Pacific Coast League Champions in 1960 and 1970 and were runners up three other times during that span. After the Dodgers relocated their AAA team to Albuquerque in 1971, the Indians bounced around affiliates until they landed with the San Diego Padres for 11 years. Then they switched to the Kansas City Royals farm system until 2002 and currently are part of the Texas Rangers farm system. The club also plays an integral role

HISTORY in both the Spokane and Spokane Valley communities. Their newest mascot, “Ribby the Redband,” riles up the team and the crowd to cheer on the hometown nine when they are either tied or trailing heading into the seventh inning of each home game. While Ribby has some awesome dance moves, his impact is even greater off the field. The Redband Trout is native to the Spokane area and their population has been in serious peril. The city of Spokane and the Spokane Indians have teamed together to spread awareness and help provide a future for this endangered species. Purchases of Redband merchandise help support the Spokane River and the Redband Trout’s environment. The team has also reached out to the Spokane Tribe and has collaborated to feature historical

images of the team and the tribe at Avista Stadium in an effort to educate fans about the significance of both to the Inland Northwest. In 2014, the team introduced new logos in traditional Salish markings, a tribute to the tribe’s distinguished language. One such uniform is displayed in the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, New York. Finally, while the Indians may be a short-season single-A ballclub, they have had their share of major leaguers in the past and present. From Hall of Famers to all stars to key role players in the majors, the Indians have been an important pipeline for the MLB for decades. Three World Series winning managers – Tommy Lasorda, Bruce Bochy and Ned Yost – spent time in Spokane. Some familiar players have also

JULY 2018 • 37

made their mark on the ballclub throughout the years. The list includes Arizona Diamondbacks’ ace Zack Greinke, Baltimore Orioles’ power-hitting first baseman Chris Davis and dependable Texas Rangers’ third baseman Joey Gallo. Potential Hall of Famer Carlos Beltran, who recently retired after winning a World Series ring with the Houston Astros, joined the Indians in 1996 after being drafted by the Royals the year before. Who knew there would be so much baseball lore right here in our own backyard? So, make sure you come out and see the Indians this season and maybe get to see a couple of future big leaguers of your own. The season began with the home opener against Boise on June 15 and runs through Sept. 3.

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The Current

40 • JULY 2018

Wheels in motion on new medical transportation program By Keith Erickson

Current Correspondent When a medical crisis strikes, a call to 911 will have emergency responders at the scene in a matter of minutes. Sirens blaring and lights flashing, firefighters and paramedics jump into action to provide immediate care and medical transport. In Spokane County, nearly 300,000 calls to 911 are received every year, according to the county’s Emergency Communications System. Of those calls, officials say a majority are nonlife threatening and do not require a trip to the hospital emergency room. Instead, most can be aptly handled with a lower level of care. With this in mind, a pilot program called Spokane Ride to Care was initiated in January 2017, based on recommendations made by a task force formed by Spokane Mayor David Condon. Managed by the regional nonprofit Spokane Neighborhood Action Partners (SNAP), Ride to Care was created to ease the burden on EMS resources while providing less costly transport options for patients, said SNAP Medical Transportation Coordinator Cameryn Flynn. “One of the areas of concern the mayor’s task force identified was the high cost of ambulances going to hospitals and therefore pulling valuable resources from being able to serve high trauma scenarios like serious traffic accidents are heart attacks,” Flynn says. Utilized

first

the

Spokane

Fire Department, the program expanded to the Spokane Valley Fire Department last August. Ride to Care gives first responders the ability to access a medical emergency upon arrival and determine whether it warrants transport to the emergency room, or whether the situation can be handled at an urgent care facility. The choice of going to an urgent care facility isn’t required, and anyone who wants to go to the hospital in an ambulance can still do so. If a patient chooses Ride to Care, a SNAP-contracted vehicle is dispatched to transport them. That ride also can include taking the patient to a pharmacy, if needed, before returning home. “We’re trying to change the system and way of thinking that will better and more quickly serve those in need of medical attention,” Flynn says. Ride to Care not only utilizes EMS resources more efficiently, it can also expedite medical attention for those deemed “low acuity,” Flynn says. Often, a patient with a lower need for care – such as flu symptoms or a sprained ankle – can wait for hours at the ER before receiving treatment. And the costs are significantly higher than an urgent care visit, where waiting times are generally shorter. Furthermore, after an ER visit, patients are often burdened by finding their own ride home. When a patient opts for the urgent care alternative, they are provided Ride to Care-contracted transportation back home following treatment, Flynn says. Rich Llewellyn, Emergency Medical Services (EMS) chief with the Spokane Valley Fire Department, says the Ride to Care program offers significant savings. “Initial

analysis

reveals

that

the program reduces care and transportation costs by 82 percent per patient,” Llewellyn says. “In addition, each use of Ride to Care means that there is one more ambulance in the system that’s available to respond to major, timecritical emergencies.” According to Llewellyn, the feedback received from those who have used Ride to Care indicates the program has been well-received on every level, including the initial fire department contact, the transportation provider and urgent care visit. “During the pilot project phase of the program, 203 patients from the Spokane Valley Fire Department and Spokane Fire Department’s jurisdiction used the program for transport to an urgent care center for non-critical treatment,” Llewellyn says. The logic and convenience behind the Ride to Care program is catching on, as more patients are choosing the lower level transport. But the numbers are still low and growth is slow. During its first year in 2017, medics provided 314 low acuity rides, Flynn says. That’s an average of slightly less one call per day from the Spokane and Spokane Valley fire departments. So far in 2018, that figure has risen slightly to 1.2 Ride to Care transports per day. Despite the relatively low numbers, Flynn expects the Ride to Care numbers to continue rising as first responders and patients become more familiar – and comfortable – with the option. Flynn acknowledges that some who are accustomed to being taken to the ER are “still a little leery at first.” Of course, providing the best medical care possible is always the top priority and Flynn says Ride to Care offers this while providing

efficiency that will ultimately save taxpayers, adding that “as paramedics become more familiar with the program, they’re utilizing it more.” “One of the goals when we developed the program was cost savings, so we identified a thirdparty evaluator to look into that,” Flynn says. In May, Ride to Care added a new component, providing transportation to dental clinics for referrals received through DentistLink (www.dentistlink.org). A dedicated telephone number has been set-up to make arrangements – 619-1656 – while those who utilize the service must meet certain criteria, including being Medicare clients or Medicaid clients needing emergency-type services, clients with other insurance who lack rides. Medstar will provide the transportation until Ride to Care is fully launched with its own fleet. Ride to Care received a boost recently from a $15,000 grant through the Providence Health Care Community Benefit program. “Transportation-related needs continue to create barriers for our low-income neighbors in Spokane,” said SNAP CEO Julie Honekamp. “This funding from Providence will help SNAP move strategically and innovatively in the transportation arena to provide needed transportation options to improve access to care and reduce the financial burden to both our clients and our community.” Documenting those savings is expected to make the program appealing to other jurisdictions. In fact, fire districts south of Spokane have voiced interest in taking part, although Flynn acknowledges Ride to Care growth will not happen overnight. “We liken it to moving a big jumbo aircraft,” she says. “It starts slow but gains momentum.”

The Current

JULY 2018 • 41

Blessings Under the Bridge finds refuge, new home at VCS

By Michelle Valkov Current Correspondent Each Wednesday evening, a nonprofit called Blessings Under the Bridge serves the homeless and less fortunate under the bridge off Fourth and McClellan in downtown Spokane, providing an area where folks can sit, dine and make friends. Jessica and Mike Kovac of Liberty Lake started the effort in 2007 by distributing brown bag lunches out of their SUV to those living on the streets of Spokane. Today, Blessings serves over 500 people with the help of about 75 volunteers every week. Jessica and Mike celebrated their 29th wedding anniversary this year. Both give credit to Blessings Under the Bridge for saving their marriage and giving them a renewed sense of purpose. “I honestly had no idea we would be doing this almost 11 years later,” Jessica said. “It was never meant to

be a nonprofit, but here we are, and I think that as long as people have the need to want to do more for others I think Blessings Under the Bridge will continue.” They provide a wide variety of stations each Wednesday: groceries, hot meals, beverages, treats, pet food, clothing, resources and more. The nonprofit recently moved into a new facility, the Valley Christian School (old University High School), a space that Jessica says is more affordable and convenient. After 35 days of moving, working seven to 10 hours a day, Jessica and Mike have transitioned from an 8,000 square foot building on Sprague Avenue to a 4,500-square-foot venue. Although downsized, Kovac feels it was a good decision. “We ran a warehouse before, but this just brings a lot more warmth,” Jessica said. “We are leasing and the school has a lot of extra space. We were blessed to be able to rent their old music room and the kitchen. So far, it’s been great, it’s a little adjustment, but we’re blessed.” The lease increased significantly at the last building Blessings called home. What started with $100 per month eventually went up to $3,300 and Kovac said that money could be going

back into the organization instead. Kovac, the only full-time employee here, hopes to get an assistant soon. They have a part-time driver and volunteer coordinator but hope to increase staff because of the organization’s magnitude. “It’s gotten so big, I need help,” Jessica said. “Sometimes I’m wearing like 50 different hats.” Kovac said Blessings has become a legacy they are leaving for their kids, family and friends. She has also just finished her first book which took eight years to write. “It’s a real honor to do what we do,” Kovac said. Their new building space is where they store all clothing donations, cook and keep all paper products. Jessica is the main speaker, fund raiser, event planner and she cooks on top of everything. One day she can put on a suit and the next day put on her jeans and her “grubbies.” She and Mike have been featured in People magazine, the Rachel Ray Show and other national media outlets for their efforts. Kovac also says that unfortunately people often forget about the homeless after the holidays but Blessings Under the Bridge is still there, whether it’s

seven degrees outside or the middle of summer. Although Blessings is not a religious organization it is proudly faith based. Anyone can serve, she said, including singles, couples, youth groups, companies, college students, high school students and families. General needs for the organization as far as donations include: hygiene items, hoodies/sweatshirts, water bottles, jeans, coats, cough drops, socks, hand warmers, gloves, backpacks, blankets, sleeping bags, boots/tennis shoes, sweats/thermals and bus passes. Blessings held their eighth annual Summer Event last month. This year’s Winter Event will be the 12th annual occasion. Over 1,000 people are served at each gathering. Kovac also said that meeting amazing people who have great hearts is contagious and is literally the best part of the job. “To be around people with good hearts is the best thing about my job and I love it,” she said. “People want to do something good but they don’t know how and they’re just completely broken and humble and realize how blessed they are by giving back.” For more information on the organization visit www.butb.org.

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The Current

42 • JULY 2018

Northwestern Mutual relocating regional office to Valley

career in the financial services sector. A background in finance is not necessary. “The biggest thing we need to continue our success in the region is to attract high caliber candidates to be advisors in our business—people of character and good values,” Severs says. “They will receive the training to do everything necessary for success.” The corporate move will provide an upgrade in accommodations to new recruits as the company focuses on increasing staffing levels. The current corporate office, located in a former schoolhouse, does not offer the technology infrastructure necessary for optimum business practices, Severs says. “In our new facility, we’re designing suites that enable our advisors to create team workspaces, which is a big differentiator for us,” he said. “We have big plans for growing our regional operation in line with where the company and the industry are headed, including recruitment of 30 new representatives in 2018.” With regional offices located in Spokane, Coeur d’Alene, Yakima, Wenatchee, Lewiston, Kennewick, Walla Walla, Moscow and Pullman, the regional enterprise of Northwestern Mutual currently employ about 60 financial planners. The operation is overseen by Severs and his business partner, Paul Hanson.

By Keith Erickson Current Correspondent Riding a wave of growth in the financial services marketplace, one of the country’s longest standing and prominent financial institutions is preparing to move its regional headquarters to Spokane Valley. Northwestern Mutual, a financial security company that provides consultation on wealth and asset income protection, education planning, retirement planning and investment services, will open its doors at a new, high-tech office building on June 21 at 12939 E. Pinecroft Way off North Pines Road. Its current home office is in downtown Spokane. “We like the Valley – it’s a nice, central location that is easily accessible to clients and staff,” says Northwestern Mutual Regional Managing Director Jeff Severs. “Our culture and our new building are all about collaboration, training and development and creating an ultimate experience for our clients.” Severs says the firm is actively recruiting prospects interested in a

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A retired U.S. Air Force colonel, Severs was initially one of Hanson’s Northwestern Mutual clients when he moved to the greater Spokane area. Today, the businessmen have equal shares in the Inland Northwest branches. As the financial services industry sees a shift in its client base from the corporate sector and governmental entities to individual financial planning, Northwestern Mutual is seeking financial advisors that represent that sector, especially millennials seeking a career change. “We have already recruited a large team with less than five years’ experience in the (financial) business,” Severs says. This new era of financial planners excels in work environments that offer cutting-edge technology and ample opportunity for collaboration, which is precisely what the new office offers. In its new headquarters, Northwestern Mutual will initially occupy 20,000 square feet on the top floor with room to expand its offices to lower levels of the building, Severs says. “That’s a big part of our strategy – to allow room for growth.” A Fortune 500 company, Milwaukee, Wisconsin-based Northwestern Mutual has served the local community for more than 100 years and paid out over

$40 million in dividends locally in 2017, according to Severs. In 2017, the firm was ranked 97th in Fortune magazine’s annual 500 list. Founded in 1857 in Janesville, Wisconsin, the fledgling company relocated to Milwaukee in 1859. According to its website, Northwestern Mutual had revenue of more than $28 billion in 2016 with a net income of $818 million. It had 7,500 employees nationwide in 2017. While growth in the financial services sector has been an ongoing trend, Severs says there has also been a significant demographic change in clientele in recent years. “The responsibility for financial planning is shifting away from companies and government and it’s landing on the shoulders of individuals,” he says. “We’re seeing fewer company pensions, and fewer people who feel confident that Social Security will fund their retirement dreams.” These trends have fueled what is known as “financial anxiety” which has led to a growing number of individuals seeking professional guidance from financial planners, Severs says. “Families are turning to our advisors and professionals to build financial plans to help them grow and protect their wealth so they can live life confidently today and in the future,” he said.

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The Current

Mica Peak High School helps students climb to success By Staci Lehman

Current Correspondent It’s been just over two years since Mica Peak High School moved to its new location at 15111 E. Sprague but many people still are not familiar with the school or its format. “I’m proud to call it an alternative school,” said Mica Peak Principal Kamiel Youseph. “We’re an alternative pathway toward a high school diploma.” But that doesn’t mean it is an easier school than traditional high schools. “We do offer all the classes a student needs for graduation, but not as many options,” said Youseph. That means Mica Peak doesn’t have offerings like sports teams, although interested students can participate in athletics at the other high schools in the Central Valley School District. Mica Peak isn’t only unique from other secondary schools in the district. It differs from other alternative schools in that it has three education programs under one roof. The CORE program is for students who haven’t been successful in a traditional high school setting for any reason and is based around teacher-led classes. ITRACC blends online learning with on-campus teacher support for students who excel using either a different instruction model or a

JULY 2018 • 43

non-traditional school schedule. About 40 to 50 Mica Peak students take online classes but also spend between seven to 12 hours a week on campus. The third program, School to Life, is a post-high school transition program for students 18 to 21 who need support, vocational training or living skills. Some of these students access support in areas such as physical therapy or speech therapy. Mica Peak’s website says the school strives to provide an environment of mutual respect where students can experience success, improve basic skills and practice responsible behavior. At approximately 250 students, the school is pretty much at capacity with students who are all there for different reasons. “They could be disengaged from the traditional learning environment,” said Youseph. “Or maybe they’re just not a leader in a bigger environment. Or they need a smaller environment and more support. We get kids who may have their head down, they’re feeling defeated.” Changing that is the goal of Mica Peak administrators and teachers. With 15 instructors, Mica Peak students get a lot more one-onone time and encouragement to stay motivated and on task than resources allow at a traditional high school. “My largest class is 22, which is pretty large for this school and I also have a class of eight,” said Mica Peak math teacher Mike Johnson. The agenda here is organized in such a way that allows for both personalized instruction and more engagement from students in the learning process. “We operate on a four day a week schedule,” said Youseph. “This year we changed our day off to Wednesday. That’s proven to be

successful. Our absence rates have dropped. We have more students coming in for individual support on Wednesdays than we did when we had Fridays off.” The school operates on trimesters rather than semesters. Students take the same amount of classes in a year as students at other CVSD high schools, but have less classes at one time. This means daily classes are almost double the usual 50 minutes. “Ninety-minute classes really enables a teacher to learn about each student’s learning styles and needs,” said Youseph. Math teacher Johnson agrees. “It makes a huge difference,” he said. “’m able to spend more time engaging with students and giving one-on-one help.” Johnson previously taught in traditional high schools and said one thing that bothered him was that he had to stay on pace, moving through lessons even if it was apparent that some students didn’t understand the material. “That’s why I love the alternative model,” he said. “I feel more learning happens sometimes.” Johnson is also able to be more flexible with how he teaches,

applying lessons to real life. “We were learning about elevation, so we went on a walk to find different elevations and graphed them,” he said. “When we came back and started talking about the lines and graphing, one of my students has diabetes and has a blood sugar monitor that graphs her levels. She showed me how the levels form lines and demonstrate elevation.” Staff members go by their first names at Mica Peak as a way to prepare students for the atmosphere they will experience when they join the work force. There is also a Student Support Center and training for staff members to recognize signs of trauma in the young people they work with and how to address it. And while some of his students have circumstances that make learning difficult – such as challenging home lives or disabilities – Youseph says they are all resilient. “We picked the wolverine for our mascot because of its tenacity,” he said. Math teacher Johnson recognizes the spirit in his students as well. “I love teaching there,” he said. “I always thought it didn’t matter where I taught, but it’s a community, a family.”

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OPINION

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The Current

EDITOR/PUBLISHER

Ben Wick

Danica Wick

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EDITOR

Craig Howard

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CIRCULATION Larry Passmore circulation@libertylakesplash.com CONTRIBUTORS

Kylor Allen, Jamie Borgan, Steve Christilaw, Lincoln Dowright, Keith Erickson, Bill Gothmann, Craig Howard, Staci Lehman, Jeffrey Smith, Michelle Valkov, Mike Vlahovich The Valley Current P.O. Box 363 Liberty Lake, WA 99019 Phone: 242-7752; Fax: 927-2190 www.valleycurrent.com The Current is published monthly by or before the first of each month. It is distributed free of charge to every business and home in the greater Spokane Valley area. Copies are located at drop-off locations in Spokane Valley, Liberty Lake and the surrounding area.

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be received by the 15th of the month in order for the subscription to begin with the issue printed the end of that month. Correction policy The Current strives for accuracy in all content. Errors should be reported immediately to 242-7752 or by email to editor@valleycurrent.com. Confirmed factual errors will be corrected on this page in the issue following their discovery. Advertising information Display ad copy and camera-ready ads are due by 5 p.m. on the 15th of the month for the following month’s issue. Call 242-7752 for more information. Advertising integrity Inaccurate

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• See the August Splash for the Official Event Guide •

The Current

GSSAC receives first grant from Rayce Rudeen Foundation From Current News Sources

“To those we have lost, we dedicate our work,” is the message that anchors the Greater Spokane Substance Abuse Council’s (GSSAC) Memorial Wall in Spokane Valley. The pictures shared by families and friends of loved ones who have lost their lives in impaired driving crashes, accidental overdoses and life-changing tragedies related to substance abuse and addiction look down from a red border wall. The images remind all who enter GSSAC’s Prevention Center that every life is important and the agency will make sure they are not forgotten. Whenever a picture is placed on the wall, moments of silence with care are taken by those who work and volunteer here to remember, honor and re-dedicate themselves to make a difference in memory of the person who meant so much to their family and friends and who will now be part of the organization’s prevention work. It is often through loss that greatness in making a difference comes. Family and friends struggle to understand how such a tragedy could have happened while wanting their loved one to be remembered for the wonderful person they were and the joy they brought to those who knew and loved them. Often being able to give back can help ease the pain. One such family is remembering their loved one through support for prevention in our community. The Rayce Rudeen Foundation supports organizations and programs that encourage a healthy and productive life free of substance abuse. The foundation honors the memory of Rayce Rudeen. “When we lost Rayce, we lost an amazing, kind and loving young man,” said foundation founder Kevin Rudeen. “Our goal is to keep his memory alive and honor his life through this foundation. With the relationships I have developed in

JULY 2018 • 45

business, racing and my personal life, I am certain that we will make a difference.” Rudeen said GSSAC was chosen as the recipient of the foundation’s first grant “because it is evident that they are doing impactful work with youth and prevention, which we understand is a crucial element in fighting this epidemic.” Rudeen added that the foundation is also “developing a housing program that will support individuals in recovery." GSSAC’s Washington Drug Free Youth (WDFY) Program, consisting of 20 chapters with over 2,500 middle and high school students throughout the region, will receive this $10,000 gift from the Rayce Rudeen Foundation. As overall prevention funding has been dramatically reduced, agency officials say these funds will make an incredible difference in GSSAC’s prevention work.

Love The Current? Support our partners. The Current is committed to serving the Greater Spokane Valley area through excellent community journalism. We can’t do it at all without you, our readers, and we can’t do it for long without support from our advertisers. Please thank our business partners and look to them when offering your patronage. Our sincere appreciation to the following businesses for their foundational partnerships with The Current and its partner publications:

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“This generous gift will help build program capacity, support growing a drug free workforce, and encourage community support and involvement to help our youth make the choice to be drug free,” said Terrie Austin, GSSAC’s WDFY coordinator. “Each WDFY chapter will be receiving a stipend to use directly in their school to expand their membership, promote drug free activities and make it cool to be drug free. We are so excited for our youth!”

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GSSAC released this official statement last month after the grant was announced:

g re e n s t o n e h o m

“On behalf of the GSSAC Board of Directors, volunteers, POWER Coalition members and volunteers, we are grateful for the community support for our prevention work. Working with the Rayce Rudeen Foundation is an opportunity to help our youth make the choice to be drug free, reduce the stigma of treatment and recovery and promote the health, safety and well-being of our community. Our heartfelt appreciation goes out to Rayce Rudeen’s family with care for their healing.” The Rayce Rudeen Foundation is actively seeking partnerships with other organizations and will be releasing a request for proposals this fall. To learn more about the Greater Spokane Substance Abuse Council, go to www.gssac.org or call 922-8383.

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

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Of note: This thank you message was produced by The Current’s advertising team, which works its tail off on behalf of partner businesses, helping them share their messages through advertisements. This is an independent function from The Current’s editorial team, which has its own evaluation process to determine the community news stories and features it pursues. For more information about a win-win partnership that expertly markets your business to thousands of readers (while making this home-grown community newspaper possible), email advertise@valleycurrent.com. With story ideas, contact editor@valleycurrent.com.

46 • JULY 2018

The Current

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The Current

New Psychiatric Solutions offers layers of mental health support By Jamie Borgan

Current Correspondent Bethany Osgood and her colleagues at Psychiatric Solutions are shedding an illuminating light on the topic of mental health treatment. In her role as business development manager at Psychiatric Solutions, a newly opened psychiatric center in the Spokane Valley, Osgood spends a lot of time out in the community educating the public about the unique services offered here. Osgood says it’s time “to break the stigma and have an open and honest conversation about mental health issues in our region.” The clinic, located at 1620 N. Mamer Road, just south of I-90 in Spokane Valley, opened in January and seeks to fill a niche in the community for what Executive Director Joseph Judd describes as a “mid-level of care.” By “mid-level,” Judd is referring to the core services provided by Psychiatric Solutions, which he says are not offered in the Spokane area. These services include a free standing mental health partial hospitalization program, where an individual comes for therapeutic services potentially daily for several hours a day and are medically monitored by staff at the clinic without being hospitalized. Often, this option works well for someone who has recently transitioned out of inpatient care and needs a higher level of support, but not full hospitalization. In the spectrum of behavioral health services offered in this area, it is difficult to find this level of care, Judd says. The model offered by Psychiatric Solutions is designed to provide a high level of support that will hopefully keep someone from becoming hospitalized initially or readmitted to the hospital. Additionally, Psychiatric Solutions offers intensive outpatient services ranging from 30 to 90 days, including for adolescents, another population often missed by

ON THAT NOTE

JULY 2018 • 47

current psychiatric offerings in the community. The teen curriculum, like all of Psychiatric Solutions’ programs, is “evidence-based and outcomes oriented,” says Judd. Another offering unique to the Spokane area is Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS), a treatment that administers magnetic pulses to a patient to increase brain activity. TMS has been approved by the FDA to treat depression. While other programs in Spokane offer Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT), Judd says TMS is much less invasive, has fewer side effects, and has been shown to be highly effective. All of the programs here are designed to work in tandem with community mental health treatment providers. Judd affirms that their goal is not to be long term providers of treatment but rather to help individuals through acute periods of their life and help them find and work with treatment providers in the community. Having worked in the mental health field for more than 20 years, Judd saw the need for this level of care in the Spokane community and stepped up to oversee the local office of Psychiatric Solutions, owned by a California-based company called Therapeutic Solutions when they were looking to expand into the Spokane area. Judd says he saw that crisis services, including respite care and hospitalization, were available in Spokane, but there were no services offered that were a step down from that intensive level of treatment. Judd says this level of services helps individuals transition successfully to their home and community upon exiting intensive care. As such, the clinic is purposefully a small, comfortable environment that limits the number of clients it will take on at any given time. In addition to Judd and Osgood, the staff is comprised of a psychiatrist, nurse practitioner, two licensed clinicians, a program coordinator and a certified medical assistant. The clinic is designed to be as open and welcoming as possible and accepts all major insurances. Judd says this is another unique niche Psychiatric Solutions fills, that is providing high quality psychiatric care to the privately insured. He says those on Medicaid can often access the behavioral health services they need, but those with private insurance often struggle to find psychiatric care and often endure long wait times before they

Psychiatric Solutions opened in Spokane Valley earlier this year, offering highquality, "mid-level" mental health care and treatment. The site features the latest therapy for conditions like depression and works with a patient's primary care doctor, therapist or counselor to provide thoughtful coordinated care. Pictured above are Bethany Osgood, business development manager, and Joseph Judd, executive director. Photo by Craig Howard can see a provider. Osgood says appointments are generally offered the same week when individual call seeking treatment. “Our goal is getting the right care at the right time for each individual seeking mental health services without an excessive wait time,” she said. In addition to availability of appointments, Osgood says the Valley location has made them accessible to the entire region, including North Idaho. “We are able to partner with each person’s primary care doctor, therapist or counselor to provide coordinated care to ensure that each person receives the best care possible,” she said. As Psychiatric Solutions settles into its new home, Judd is already thinking about the ways that they might expand; they will be adding intensive outpatient services for those with co-occurring substance abuse and mental health issues this summer. “Innovation is one of our values,” says Judd, citing the need to stay current on best treatment practices. Both Osgood

and

Judd

hope

the presence of Psychiatric Solutions will help individuals to better coordinate their mental health care with their communitybased therapists, as well as their physicians. They see a need for more complete integration of physical and mental health services in order to promote the health and wholeness of individuals and see their clinic as being uniquely poised to do just that. To learn more about Psychiatric Solutions, visit www. psychsolutions.com or call (509) 863-9779. In the greater Spokane area, First Call for Help can be reached at (509) 838-4428. The program provides telephone intervention and community information services 24-hours a day, seven days a week, 365-days a year, regardless of age, culture, or insurance coverage. Trained volunteers, under the supervision of professional staff, are available any time, day or night, to provide supportive listening, immediate assistance to people in emotional crisis, up-to-date community resource information, 24-hour access to crisis response services and/or mental health services and confidential services in a caring manner.

The Current

48 • JULY 2018

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