May 2018 Current by The Current

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2018

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National Champs! Central Valley’s amazing journey to best in the U.S., page 12 NEW SCRAPS DIRECTOR MAKING TRACKS PAGE 4

EV’S STROLLING STRINGS HONORED WITH AWARD PAGE 32

SVFD HONORED LIFE-SAVING HEROS PAGE 10

2 • MAY 2018

The Park Bench

Determined at the Dais – Peetz brings layered background to council By Craig Howard Current Editor

NEWS Phi Thetta Kappa president. After excelling in the classroom, Peetz earned an academic scholarship to Gonzaga University. She continued to be active in clubs and events at Gonzaga while majoring in criminal justice with a focus on sociology. It was during her undergraduate work that Peetz met many mentors who helped guide her path after college. While at GU, she had three-part-time jobs and volunteered at the Greater Spokane Substance Abuse Council, eventually being hired at the Spokane Valley-based nonprofit. “I met many influential people during those years and that is what prompted my final interest in running for office,” Peetz said. “I wanted to get more involved.”

When Brandi Peetz took the oath of office last November to become a representative of the Spokane Valley City Council, she joined a unique roll call of past and present leaders in Washington’s 10th largest jurisdiction.

After college, Peetz applied to be part of the Spokane County Sheriff’s Citizens Advisory and Review Board and was accepted. During her service, she gained increased appreciation for the many layers that contribute to maintaining public safety.

Since Spokane Valley incorporated in 2003, Diana Wilhite, Rose Dempsey and Pam Haley had been the only women to serve as part of the municipal governing board.

“While attending those meetings over the next couple of years, I realized there was an opportunity to make a difference in the Valley I love so much,” she said.

That tide appears to be turning.

Peetz began talking to former and current local leaders, getting a grasp for what service on the

Diversity around the dais received a boost on Nov. 28 of last year when Peetz, Haley and Linda Thompson were all sworn in as Spokane Valley City Council members based on the outcome of that month’s general election. Haley won her bid for reelection against Angie Beem while Thompson defeated incumbent Mike Munch. Peetz collected just over 57 percent to win her race against incumbent Caleb Collier.

City Council would entail. She ran a smart and thorough campaign leading up the general election last year, doorbelling, appearing in debates and making her case for the strengths she could bring to the city’s governing board. In addition to prioritizing community safety, Peetz promoted ideas like Spokane Valley developing a detailed economic plan to enhance retail and tourism revenue. She also touted the importance of getting young people more involved in municipal government. Peetz currently works as an office manager and is certified in Advanced Communication, Intercultural Communication and Cultural Diversity. She will complete a vacated term on City Council that will expire at the end of 2019. Q: How do you think your background in student leadership in both high school and college has helped you in your new role as a City Council representative? A: Student leadership was useful as it taught me to be strong in my beliefs and speak up for what is right. This was said to me some time ago and it has stuck with me ever since: “I didn't set out to be a leader, I set out to make a difference. It's never about the role, it's about the goal."

The Current

Q: You've called Spokane Valley home since 1991. How do you think the incorporation of the Valley that passed in 2002 and become official in 2003 has benefited the people who live here? Have you seen any shortfalls to cityhood? A: I remember clearly when I was in high school the Spokane Valley incorporation was an immensely controversial subject. I personally am proud of the city it has become and even though we have a lot of work still to do, I can appreciate the hard work that has already been completed of those before me. We are continuing to grow economically and by bringing in new families and businesses, jobs are being created. I hope that we can continue to make the Spokane Valley an amazing place to live and be proud of. Q: Speaking of new, Spokane Valley's first dedicated City Hall made its debut last year. Do you feel this stand-alone headquarters will spur interest among residents to become more involved in their local government? A: I would say, “Yes,” because during my campaign trail, many were apprehensive with how big

See PEETZ, Page 5

Peetz has called Spokane Valley home for the past 26 years. Born in California, Peetz returned with her family to the Inland Northwest in 1991 when her dad retired from the military after 20 years. Peetz remembers always being supported by her parents growing up, with sports being one of the family’s central themes. Softball, volleyball, gymnastics and track were on the agenda for Peetz in her youth. She played four years of varsity softball at Central Valley High School and was also involved in Venture Club, choir and leadership. After graduating as a Bear, she joined the workforce, latching on with Starbucks. Peetz later enrolled at Spokane Community College and quickly became immersed in campus life. She was elected vice president of student government and served as

Brandi Peetz was elected to the Spokane Valley City Council last November by a 57 percent margin over incumbent Caleb Collier. A graduate of Central Valley High School, Spokane Community College and Gonzaga University, Peetz emphasized the city’s responsibility to reinforce public safety on the campaign trail last fall among other themes. Photo By: Ben Wick

The Current

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4 • MAY 2018

Soffes focused on making a difference as new SCRAPS director By Derek Brown

Current Correspondent Taking over for someone like Nancy Hill is no small task. As the new regional director of Spokane County Regional Animal Protection Service (SCRAPS), Lindsey Soffes may know this better than anyone. After relocating to Spokane from the west side of Washington last year, Soffes started at SCRAPS last July as Shelter Operations manager. Little did she know that soon she would be leading the agency after Hill retired in March. “I'm honored to be in this role,” Soffes said. “I didn't know when I started that Nancy was looking to retire but I'm certainly honored by the opportunity to work with our team to see what SCRAPS will be able to do in the next few years.” SCRAPS is a municipal agency that provides animal control to communities within Spokane County. It strives to help animals in need and the owners of those animals who need assistance with their pets. Hill, who worked with SCRAPS for 32 years, started off as an Animal Protection officer before taking over as director of SCRAPS in 1995. “Animal welfare will always be near and dear to my heart,” said Hill, a resident of Liberty Lake. “I plan on doing some volunteer work in animal welfare in the fall. I’m going to continue to support the organization.” Soffes, who has worked in animal welfare for the last 10 years, moved to the Inland Northwest to continue work in her field. She was an attorney before making the career transition in hopes of having an impact in the lives of animals. “My big interest in coming to work at SCRAPS really aligned with the organization's mission,” she said. “I wanted to work at in open admissions shelter that served those in need. I know that Spokane County has made tremendous strides in the last several years to do even more for the homeless animals and their guardians in the community.” Immediately

after

Hill’s

NEWS

announcement, Soffes began learning everything she could from her and is still getting up to speed. Soffes feels that she’s now ready to begin delving into what SCRAPS offers and look at new approaches. “There are so many things that we would love to do,” Soffes said. “I can tell you that we are looking to do several things – one, we're trying to expand what we're offering to the animals in our care.”

Soffes is making sure that SCRAPS fosters community partnerships and has funding in place to ensure that it can provide individual needs to the animals and their guardians. “How can we serve those who are animal guardians who are hitting difficult times in their lives and need help providing care?” Soffes said. “What can we do for populations of animals like feral cats who have been underserved for long periods of times? And then how can we work more closely with our community partners to really hit all of those different niches regarding animal welfare?”

challenge that SCRAPS and all animal rescue organizations face is that of financial resources. A large portion of SCRAPS funding comes from licensing. Another comes from private donations from people in the community. Finallly, SCRAPS also receives some of its funding from the Hope Foundation, a 501 c(3) entity. Soffes is looking into ways to elevate the foundation in order to bring in more funding to help animals. “Thanks to the generosity of our community, it allows us to provide the foster care, the work for animals, to have a volunteer corps, to provide medical, behavioral intervention for animals,” Soffes said. “One aspect that we're going to focus on is how we can best leverage the generosity of our community to serve the animals in need.”

The Current

High on Soffes’ list of things to do is educating the people in the community on how far the agency has come and how animal welfare is important to our community. “It's amazing,” Soffes said. “It's what I love to do, I think that what we're able to do that SCRAPS every day is do our best to help those in need for whom there's really no one else who can help them.” As for Hill, she says she will miss all the people she worked with for so many years. The former director does feel confident that SCRAPS is in good hands. “I think (Soffes) was an excellent choice,” Hill said. “She brought a lot of operational experience, and with a legal background she was a perfect fit. She is certainly loved by staff, so the transition won't be difficult.”

One of Soffes’ main focuses will be increasing SCRAPS live release rate even further. Currently, as of the first quarter of 2018, SCRAPS has a live release rate of 92.5 percent. “A big focus of ours is maintaining those numbers, making sure that we were able to save as many lives as we can,” Soffes said. “We also want to make sure that we are continuing to provide a really beneficial law enforcement service to the county and we want to look at the most judicious way we can use our resources to serve the community.” SCRAPS has a close partnership with Spokanimal and the Spokane Humane Society, a closeness that Soffes wants to maintain and strengthen. All three organizations have focused on working in tandem. Soffes said that Spokanimal and the Humane Society have been integral to SCRAPS life-saving programs. “They help us with placements,” Soffes said. “They take them into their programs and help us with some of our medical and behavioral cases.” Soffes added that they're also working together to create a coalition in the city of Spokane and Spokane County where they’ll bring together not only their shelters but also the rescue groups and the lowcost spay and neuter clinics so that they bring together their individual group strengths and resources. Soffes

believes

the

biggest

Lindsey Soffes took over as regional director of Spokane County Regional Animal Protection Service (SCRAPS) in March, replacing longtime director Nancy Hill. Soffes had worked as Shelter Operations manager at SCRAPS and brings a law degree to her new role. Contributed photo

The Current

PEETZ

NEWS

Continued from page 2

the City Hall was and how much money it cost us to construct. Whether you like it or dislike it, it's a beautiful building and we are able to accommodate the substantial growth we are seeing. Q: It sounds like you grew up in a close-knit family with supportive and encouraging parents. Is there anything you can do as a city leader to promote the same sorts of family values that have contributed to your success? A: My family has always been close and we continue to be. I think it's vital to have a support system and family whose values you share. Although I do not have a family of my own yet, I will continue to engage with the community and help in any way that I can. Whether it be from family, friends or peers, having a support system is fundamental to being successful. Q: How did serving as part of the Spokane County Sheriff's Citizen Advisory Board affect your outlook on public safety and law enforcement in the city of Spokane Valley and countywide? A: The Spokane County Sheriff's Citizen Advisory Board was a wonderful opportunity and something I'm proud to say I was a part of. We brought the National Association of Civilian Oversight of Law Enforcement Annual Conference to Spokane last year and made great steps in our communities. The board brought many field experts and citizens to our meetings and I learned theories, concepts and built relationships I couldn't have anywhere else. My Criminal Justice experience brings a new perspective to the council and I’m eager to be able to utilize the concepts I’ve learned in this new capacity. Q: Some political candidates enjoy campaigning for office. Others see it as a necessary but less-than-appealing part of being a public figure. How would you characterize your experience on the campaign trail last year? A: I honestly don't have enough space to share my campaign experience from last year. It is definitely not an attractive part of the journey when you and your family are being attacked personally not just during the campaign but months after the election is over. I have often wondered in the past why more people didn’t want to

be involved in politics and now I know why. It was an educational experience and I have grown in my knowledge and strength and want to continue to focus on what’s best for our city. Some days are better than others but I am reminded daily by those who know and support me why I chose this path in the first place and why it’s imperative for me to continue fighting for what is right.

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A: Some of the chief concerns were roads, snow plowing, and a number of of the individual agendas that were being pursued that were not in the city's purview. One of the prevalent concerns was the talk of implementing a utility tax on our citizens to make up for the lost revenue we receive for the telephone tax that continually declines. Some other noteworthy concerns that came up were Painted Hills and the quantity of apartments being constructed.

Liberty Lake

A: Luckily, I have some experience that has helped get me through some of the learning curve. I have a great support system and many staff members willing to help me find information if I can't find it myself. Working a full-time job makes it difficult to attend each and every meeting that comes up on the schedule but I make time to attend as many things as I can. Q: Finally, what do you think are the top three issues facing the city right now? A: The top issue at the moment is the Barker Grade Separation Project. There were copious amounts of long nights and hours of our amazing staff writing the grant and then trying to get this project started. Although we have had some hiccups, I’m very excited that we received the Tiger Grant and completely appreciate the work our legislators put in to help make that happen. We have so many issues in front of us as a city that it’s tough to pick just a couple. In my opinion, our roads are the priority moving forward. In general, we have decent roads and we want to keep it that way. As with anything we can always improve, but for every dollar spent towards roads now, we save up to $8 later.

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Q: First-time council reps often talk of the steep learning curve when they take office. What has the first few months been like for you?

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6 • MAY 2018

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MAY 2018 • 7

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With the long, cold days of winter now behind us, it’s time to start getting outside to enjoy the nice weather and sunshine. Here are some tips about vehicle prowling prevention: - Upon arrival at your destination, choose a parking spot that is close to other people/activity that is welllit in the dark.

Liberty Lake

-Before exiting your car, scan the area around you. If someone is loitering in the parking area unnecessarily, either on foot or in another nearby vehicle call 911 to report suspicious activity to local law enforcement. -Be sure that all windows on your vehicle are all the way closed, and doors are locked

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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

-Last but not least, don’t leave ANYTHING in your vehicle that you’re not willing to part with! Commonly stolen items include wallets, purses, tablets, GPS units, clothing, backpacks, etc. It takes just a few seconds for a bad guy to break a window, enter your car, and take whatever you left there for them. Be safe, everyone!

8 • MAY 2018

The Current

NEWS

Making a Notable Difference Spokane Symphony Associates Presents the 10th Annual “Upscale Sale.” Location: 2512 E. 29th Ave. Hastings Bldg. Southeast Blvd. & 29th Preview Sale ($5.00 Admission): Thursday, May 31st. 5pm-7pm Sale (Free Admission): Friday, June 1st & Saturday, June 2nd 8am-5pm Sunday, June 3rd 10am-5pm Fine furniture, art, china, books, cut glass, brass items, stemware, vintage cookbooks & books, women’s & men’s quality clothing, sports equipment, dinning-room sets, buffets, china hutches, easy chairs, fine & costume jewelry, antiques, sterling, linens, garden items, patio sets. 9,000 square feet of beautiful items. This sale happens only once a year and is by far the largest in Spokane. All items are donated to support the Spokane Symphony Orchestra. Some photos may be found on: www.spokanesymphonyassoc.org

Facebook.com/ SpokaneSymphonyAssociates Upscale sale

“ IT’S

THE LAW ”

In WASHINGTON Click or Call Two Business Days Before You Plan To Dig

www.CallBeforeYouDig.org

1-800-424-5555 or dial 811 Inland Empire Utility Coordinating Council www.ieucc811.org

Spokane Valley City Council Report – May 2018 By Bill Gothmann

Current Correspondent Council approves Barker Grade Separation project Council gave final approval to Alternative Five for the Barker Grade Separation project discussed in the April Issue of the Current. This configuration requires construction of a bridge over the Barker/Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) tracks on Barker and construction of a roundabout north of the present Trent/Barker intersection where Barker and Trent would converge. Staff noted that the concurrency requirement of the Growth Management Act requires that the project be completed within six years of the time development of the industrial park is started, such as was done with Katerra. Staff and council celebrated the $9 million federal Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant. There were 482 projects considered nationally totaling $6.15 trillion. Only 41 projects were awarded, representing 8.5 percent of those applying. The city’s was the only project awarded of 24 applications from Washington state and represented 1.87 percent of the $481 million in funds awarded. “This was a big deal, very rare,” said Deputy City Manager John Hohman. “I like to think we did our homework.” Council then authorized the City Manager Mark Calhoun to execute a supplemental agreement with David Evans and Associates in an amount not to exceed $2,302,300 for the design phase of the BNSF project. This phase is very complex, requiring 16 tasks to be accomplished: administration, coordination and meetings, quality control, utilities and data collection, geotechnical engineering, public involvement, National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) compliance (such as cultural and historical effects, noise, land use, hazardous materials and analysis of minority or low-income populations impacted) , topographic

surveying and base-mapping, BNSF coordination, preliminary bridge plans, intersection control analysis, 60 percent design, rightof-way documents, appraisal and acquisition of right-of-way, 100 percent design and ad-ready design. Construction is expected in 2020-2021, with project closeout in 2022. Service animals defined by state

strictly

Staff reported that new state law defines a service animal as one having specialized training to meet the needs of a person’s disability, not just the ordinary obedience training pets usually receive. As such, comfort and therapy animals no longer qualify as service animals. Previous to this new law, the state permitted almost any kind of animal as a service animal. Under the new regulations, only dogs and miniature horses are permitted to be service animals. The new law permits asking only two questions to determine if an animal is a service animal: Is the dog or miniature horse required because of a disability? What work or task has the animal been trained to perform? Misrepresenting an animal as a service animal now carries up to $500 in fines. Small cell ordinance and approved

technology franchises

City Council approved a general ordinance that defines small cells and details the permitting process. Council also granted franchises to MCI Metro, Verizon, and Mobilite (the franchisees) that permit them to use city facilities to “construct, maintain, and operate telecommunications facilities within the public rights-of-way” of the city. These franchises permit the franchisee to provide the new facilities necessary to bring small cell technology to the residents and businesses of Spokane Valley. Under this new technology, small, mini-cell facilities will collect cell communications from the neighborhood and send it to an existing cell tower. This increases the amount of communication data the system will handle meeting the growing needs of cell phones. Council Member Arne Woodard declared, “This could really be good for our city.” The franchises are for 10 years at no cost to the franchisee because council believes it is in

the best interest of the city. Under the franchise, the city can request that, if it is available, these firms provide one or more strands of fiber optics for use solely for city government administration under mutually agreeable terms. Other terms of the franchise include nonexclusiveness, non-interference with existing facilities, safety and relocation. Outside agency raised to $200,000

funding

Since it has been a number of years since the $150,000 cap for outside agency funding was set in place and inflation has occurred, council members discussed raising the cap to $200,000. Council Member Ben Wick noted that, two years ago, Greater Spokane Incorporated (GSI) was carved out of outside agency funding and given its own contract for $43,000 and the cap (with GSI) was increased to $193,000. At the April 3 meeting, there was consensus to increase the cap for non-GSI funding to $200,000. There was also considerable discussion about whether there should be some city standards established for outside agency funding. In a tie vote, council consensus was to leave it as it is, permitting each council member to evaluate and vote on what he/ she considered valuable to the community. Council approves relocation costs for Carnahan project As discussed in the April Issue of the Current, the federal Uniform Relocation Act requires the buyer (in this case, the city) to reimburse the seller for moving costs, closing costs, the price differential for replacement housing and incidentals, amounting to $56,761.46 for the Eighth and Carnahan road project. A motion for approval of these costs up to $60,000 was approved by council. Council awards contract Sprague, Sullivan to Corbin

for

Council awarded a $1,458,803 contract to Inland Asphalt Company for grinding and inlaying 2.5 inches of asphalt on Sprague between Sullivan and Corbin. This was $159,000 under the engineer’s estimate. The project will also update some pedestrian ramps, make stormwater improvements, and complete signal modifications at the Flora Road intersection. The total project budget is $1,977,273

See COUNCIL, Page 9

The Current

COUNCIL

NEWS

Continued from page 8 including $1,531,050 from an STP grant, $238,950 from Fund 311 and $207,273 from Fund 402. There are sufficient funds to cover the cost for this project. Contract awarded for 32nd Avenue project A new sidewalk is in the wings for the north side of 32nd Avenue from SR27 to Evergreen. Not only will a sidewalk be provided, but the project will provide 400 feet of pavement preservation and repairs to failing drywells. The project will require close coordination with neighbors, for there are several driveways that front the street. The city will be building a 7-foot wall to extend pavement of 32nd Avenue. northward at the SR 27 intersection, resulting in a center lane, two drive lanes, two bicycle lanes and sidewalks. The avenue will be closed for two days to enable road paving with 24th Avenue serving as a detour. Otherwise, it will remain open with the center lane serving west-bound traffic. Total cost of the project is $575,000, with $377,513 coming from grants and the remainder from city funds. Construction is expected to start in mid-August and be completed in mid-October. Council awarded a $466,016.61 contract to National Native American Construction, Inc., the lowest bidder. This was $4,216 above the engineer’s estimate but within the $575,900.00 budget for the project. Broadway Argonne and Mullan intersections to be improved A project is underway to reconstruct the ArgonneBroadway and Mullan-Broadway intersections and the section of Broadway between these intersections with concrete. This will result in improving truck turning movements, replacing outdated traffic signals, repairing stormwater facilities and upgrading and widening sidewalks. It is expected that this section of Broadway will be closed for the duration of the project but Argonne and Mullan will have limited lanes kept open. The project is estimated to cost $2,526,301 and is funded through grants for all except $487,301, which the city will pay. The tentative schedule calls for

construction to begin mid-June and end mid-September. There was consensus to bring this back for final action. License agreement for Felts Field to use Dora Road When Spokane Valley incorporated, one of the streets it received from Spokane County was Dora Road. adjacent to Felts Field. The Spokane Airport Board (SAB), which governs Felts Field, recently discovered that, at some point prior to incorporation, a portion of Dora Road was inadvertently fenced so that it appeared to be part of the airport. To remedy this, the city and SAB developed an agreement whereby the city grants a 30-year license agreement to SAB. During this 30-year period, the city would have the option of cancelling the agreement with at least six months prior notice. Council agreed to place this on a future agenda. GSI deemed important to city’s economic development Presently, the city has a $43,000 contract with GSI to provide economic development services. As the official Associate Development Organization (ADO) for Spokane County, GSI is considered important to the city. The contract provides for both basic services and Economic Development Partnership (EDP) services. The basic services consist of such things as an ex officio on their board of trustees, leadership groups, trips to Olympia and Washington, D.C., for lobbying and media coverage. EDP services include regional coordination, workforce development, advocacy and considerable efforts in business retention, expansion and recruitment. According to staff, “We cannot replicate GSI’s ADO designation or lobbying services. A strong relationship with GSI is imperative to achieve city’s economic development goals.” Legislative priorities -- Five hits and three misses The city’s lobbyists, Briahna Murray and Chelsea Hager from Gordon Thomas Honeywell Government Affairs, noted five successes during this latest legislative session, beginning with the award of $540,000 for Appleway Trail amenities that was included in the approved 2017-2019 capital budget. The mandate naming of the trail by the

MAY 2018 • 9

legislature did not pass. The $1.5 million allocated for the Barker Road Grade Separation Project remained in the supplemental budget. The no-roundabout design mandated by the legislature was removed from the budget. In addition, $500,000 was set aside for the I-90/Barker/Henry/ Harvard project. State shared revenues were also kept intact. The legislature provided better tools for cities to provide for cost recovery in addressing abandoned or foreclosed homes and, finally, both recreational marijuana home growing and preemption of local authority in regulating marijuana were defeated. However, there was little progress in reforming the state’s regulatory burden, providing more funds for mandated indigent defense funding and addressing parental rights.

water is collected and infiltrated into the soil through gravel which has been place around the drywell. The city has over 7,000 of these and they are all prone to filling up with sediment which must be removed in order for the unit to remain functional. Catch basins below street drains collect storm water and pass the storm water through piping to drywells. These are supplemented by curb and sidewalk inlets which also pipe the water to drywells.

New Waste Management contract going well

With over 15,000 structures to maintain, the city cleans 1,000 to 2,000 per year. Catch basins are cleaned once every two years and drywells are cleaned on a gridded rotation. The result prolongs the life of the facilities, enhances water quality and increases road safety through reduction in street flooding and icing.

The city’s new contract with Waste Management (WM) took effect on April 1 and, according to WM officials, things are going well. Garbage service within the city remains optional and the cost of recycling is now included in the cost of garbage pickup. More cart sizes are available to customers and there are two new, on-call services available at no cost to customers, including collection of up to 1 cubic yard of individual small items not weighing more than 65 pounds in total or two large waste items including but not limited to appliances, mattresses, sofas and chairs. Each residential customer is eligible for one request per calendar year and WM needs at least seven days notice to schedule the pickup. Questioned about safety, WM officials replied that, in 2017, they operated for 131,000 hours without an incident or accident. Furthermore, in June, cell phones will be removed from trucks in favor of tablets. They also pointed out that truck drivers have alerted officials many times when a customer is in need of some kind of help. Customers are encouraged to place cans so that they do not block the sidewalk.

Each of these facilities is cleaned by an eductor truck and its operator. These trucks vacuum the sediment from facilities using 8-inch suction hoses and assorted nozzles and transport the sediment to a decant facility, where water is removed from the sediment. The debris is then transported to a land fill facility.

Council Briefs • In a joint proclamation by Spokane Valley Mayor Rod Higgins and Liberty Lake Mayor Steve Peterson, retiring Greater Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce President/CEO Katherine Morgan was thanked for her leadership, advocacy, grace, skill and her “significant contribution to the Greater Spokane Valley business community.” • Council approved applying for 12 project grants totaling $16 million in requests. These include grants for roads, sidewalks, signal backplates and signal reflectors.

Cleaning

• Mayor Higgins approved a proclamation of appreciation to U.S. Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell, and Representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers for their “significant leadership in securing TIGER discretionary grant funding for the city” for the Barker Road Grade Separation project.

In preparation for adoption of a new contract later this month to clean storm water facilities, staff explained the process by which these resources are kept operational. The end-point of storm water is the drywell where

• Council awarded a $402,507.75 contract to WM Winkler Company for construction of the Eighth Avenue project from Dickey to Theirman as discussed in the April Issue of the Current. This was $45,206 below the engineer’s estimate.

Storm Explained

drain

The Current

10 • MAY 2018

Valley Chamber

HIGHLIGHTS

SVFD recognizes lifesaving efforts of Valley residents By Benjamin Shedlock Current Correspondent

CONNECT. CONNECT.

EMPOWER. EMPOWER.

INNOVATE. INNOVATE.

Inspiring Greater Learning The Greater Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce is leading a collaborative set of initiatives, The Big 5, to serve as a beacon and compass for economic prosperity and community vitality. Greater Learning, one of The Big 5 initiatives, is focused on integrating business and education to create the workforce of the future.

Major Sponsors: BECU, Cities of Spokane Valley & Liberty Lake, Avista

Supporting Sponsors: Washington Trust Bank, Waste Management, STCU, Gesa Credit Union

New Members: MARCH A-1 Illuminated Sign Co, Inc Altitude Trampoline Park Spokane Bozzi Media Camp Fire USA Inland Northwest

G R E AT E R S P O K A N E VA L L E Y

Council Comfort Inn & Suites/MainStay

Join us in building that workforce by supporting the kids on Lemonade Day, a national educational initiative that introduces youth to entrepreneurship: teaching them how to start, own, and operate their own business – a lemonade stand. On Saturday, May 19th, you will see lemonade stands in front of chamber member businesses across Spokane County…be sure to buy lemonade! See the map at: lemonadeday.org/spokane-valley

Suites Crystalized Consulting, Inc Events! by Karen Herford ezIQ Heritage Distilling Co., Inc Inland Northwest SIDS/SUID Foundation Mojo Cyclery Momentum Ink LLC Northeastern University | College of Computer & Information Science Odegard Consulting Safe Families for Children Specialty Group LLC Sterling International, Inc Welcome New Neighbor

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

The Spokane Valley Fire Department (SVFD) recognized three area residents on April 9 for saving the life of a Central Valley High School football player during a game last fall. The rescuers’ swift response and skillful application of First Aid kept the 16-year old, Brandon Snider, alive and prevented any lasting brain damage. According to a press release issued by SVFD, Romanus “Ro” Chodorwski, Travis Richardson, and Jeff Morrison “immediately went into action, saving Brandon’s life” after he collapsed. The department’s Lifesaving Awards recognized the heroic actions of the rescuers, who, according to SVFD spokesperson Melanie Rose, “truly went above and beyond” to preserve Brandon’s life and cognitive function. During a late October football game in 2017, Brandon had just pulled himself from play and was standing on the sideline when he collapsed suddenly. He was suffering from sudden cardiac arrest. Chodorwski saw Brandon’s fall and immediately called 911. Throughout the event, he stayed on the line with dispatch and helped coordinate the emergency response. Not a beat later, Richardson administered cardiopulmonary resuscitation, or CPR. While Richardson initiated this lifesaving First Aid technique, Morrison retrieved a nearby automatic external defibrillator, or AED, and used it to get Brandon’s heart beating again. The rescuers provided exactly the support Brandon needed to survive. When he went into sudden cardiac arrest, his chance of survival dropped 10 percent every minute until his heart resumed beating. The use of the AED shocked Brandon’s heart back into a normal beat, preventing this precipitous decline and the CPR tripled his chances of surviving, according to research by the American Heart Association. Half a year later, before the Spokane Valley Board of Fire Commissioners assumed the regular

business of their first biweekly meeting in April, they bestowed the Lifesaving Awards. The three rescuers attended the event, along with Brandon and his parents. Rose described the occasion primarily as an opportunity to recognize lifesaving actions and allow the family to thank the rescuers. First responders nominate residents they believe have done something extraordinary. “Our crews know when someone has been heroic,” she said. In Brandon’s case, the rescuers also wanted to use their awards to help the public understand the importance of providing effective CPR and using an AED. Unlike a heart attack, which grows over time, according to Rose, sudden cardiac arrest “can happen to anyone, anywhere, at any time.” To save a life, everyone can learn how to use these basic first aid tools to jump into an emergency right away. SVFD offers free classes where anyone can learn the basics of cardiac arrest and lifesaving. The Friends and Family CPR classes are taught by SVFD firefighters and paramedics. Classes cover CPR techniques, AED use, and choking intervention techniques. They are held on the second Saturday of every month at the SVFD Training Center, at 2411 N. Pioneer Lane. SVFD encourages individuals or groups, including families, babysitters, Scout troops, or businesses, to sign up. Anyone interested in taking the courses must register in advance by calling

See SVFD, Page 11

The Current

MAY 2018 • 11 T h e N a t i o n a l ly A w a r d - W i n n i n g C e n t r a l V a l l e y h i g h s c h o o l T h e a t r e D e p a r t m e n t P r o u d ly P r e s e n t s

William Shakespeare's

Romeo Brandon Snider, third from left, was in attendance at SVFD’s Lifesaving Awards last month along with SVFD Fire Chief Bryan Collins (far left) and residents recognized with the honor. Last October, Snider collapsed on the sideline during a Central Valley football game. Quick response by three bystanders saved Snider’s life. Photo by Ben Wick

The class also teaches participants how to use the Pulse Point mobile app. Available on the Apple App Store or Google Play, Pulse Point allows CPR-trained bystanders to be alerted to cardiac emergencies within a quarter mile of their location. Anyone who is trained in using CPR can download the app for free and enter their information into the app. When a cardiac emergency is called in to Spokane County’s 911 system, which is integrated with the app, nearby users will be notified. The app provides directions to the emergency and identifies locations of nearby AEDs. Bystanders who are that close can get to the scene faster than emergency medical services, so the app is designed to get help to a victim to provide first aid during those critical minutes until first responders arrive. Because the app crowdsources the First Aid, it becomes more effective as more people use it. The SVFD issues Lifesaving Awards as the heroic actions that merit them occur. “If a firefighter believes a citizen deserves additional recognition, they write it up,” said Rose. After a first responder makes

Lifesaving Awards are “not issued all that much” by the Board of Fire Commissioners, Rose said. However, she noted that several of them have been issued in recent months. In two recent apartment fires, residents acted heroically. In the first, a maintenance worker onsite during the fire pulled several tenants out, risking his own safety to save their lives.

Juliet 16, 17, 18, May 23, 24, 25, 26

And next month, a maintenance worker at another apartment building will be recognized for his quick thinking during a fire that started because a resident was smoking in a room with a medical oxygen tank. The maintenance worker closed the door, “a simple thing that saved the rest of the apartment building” by cutting off the supply of oxygen to the fire. Although fire safety is important, more people will have the opportunity to use cardiac First Aid. Of the 17,280 calls SVFD received in 2017, 85 percent were related to medical issues. SVFD provides free fire safety inspections and installation of free smoke detectors. For more information call 928-1700 or visit www.spokanevalleyfire.com.

tickets $10-$14 7:30 pm Curtain ™

LE Y

Continued from page 10

928-1700 or going to the events directory page at spokanevalleyfire. com.

a nomination, the Board of Fire Commissioners reviews it. When they agree that the action was truly extraordinary and saved a life, the board schedules an award ceremony with the rescuer and the victim.

VA L

SVFD

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

Purchase your seats now at cvtheatre.com

Underwritten in part by:

CVHS Theatre

Boosters

12 • MAY 2018

Learning from a Loss – CV’s last defeat proved motivating By Craig Howard Current Editor

A quarterfinal game at last year’s state 4A tournament may have paved the way for Central Valley’s historic national championship in 2018. The Bears came into the contest against Bellarmine Prep last March having won their previous 52 games. The Lions were considered a formidable challenge with Shalyse Smith, a University of Arizona commit, and strong supporting cast. Still, most thought CV would advance to the semifinals and go on to win its second state title in as many years. The Lions had other ideas. Bellarmine Prep overcame an eight-point second-half deficit to take the lead on a layup by Smith with 25 seconds to go. When the final buzzer sounded, the Bears were headed to unfamiliar territory – the loser’s bracket following a 5655 defeat. “We had a lot of people ask us, ‘What happened?’” remembers CV head coach Freddie Rehkow. “I mean we lost by one point to a good team or we would have gone on to win another state championship.”

COVER STORY team,” she said. “Once we lost, it was like a wake-up call that we needed to work and take each game seriously.” Rehkow saw renewed commitment from his players after the quarterfinal stumble. “I knew we’d learn from it,” he said. The team was also feeling the effects of a challenge with far greater gravity than a basketball game. Freddie’s 11-year-old son, Cameron, had been diagnosed with leukemia the previous April and was going through treatment. The entire team felt the Rehkow’s struggle. Nearly 10 months after the Bellarmine Prep loss, the Bears met the Lions again – this time at Central Valley in an invitational tournament held in honor of local cancer survivor Cameron Rehkow. CV won going away, 67-31. CV went 31-0 since losing to Bellarmine Prep, including a state championship and two wins at the GEICO High School Basketball Nationals in New York. After defeating Hamilton Heights Christian Academy in the GEICO championship game March 31, Rehkow hearkened back to a different result just over a year ago. “If we had not lost that game to Bellarmine Prep, we wouldn’t be national champions,” he said. “When you’re winning, it becomes an everyday thing. That game taught us to never be complacent again.”

Historic Hoopsters – CV girls net national basketball championship

By Craig Howard Current Editor

Things were uncharacteristically tenuous for the Central Valley girls’ basketball team as the fourth quarter began 3,000 miles away from home. After building a 36-26 halftime lead against Hamilton Heights Christian Academy in the championship game of the GEICO High School Basketball Nationals on March 31, the Bears experienced a turnover-plagued third quarter and saw the No. 1-ranked team in the ESPNW Top 25 Power Rankings climb steadily back, with momentum on its side. When the buzzer to start the final quarter sounded, CV was down 4341. “I told them in the huddle to not let everything we’ve worked for get away,” said CV head coach Freddie Rehkow. “It needed to be from the heart.”

The Current

Hailing from Chattanooga, Tennessee, Hamilton Heights arrived at the elite four-team tournament in Middle Village, New York as the favorite among many to take the crown. With a roster featuring no shortage of NCAA Division 1 recruits and commits, the prep-school Hawks were runnersup at nationals in 2017 and taller than any team CV had seen all year. The Bears came in as the only undefeated girls’ high school team in the nation at 27-0. The team learned about the invitation to GEICO shortly after defeating Woodinville for the 4A Washington state title in Tacoma on March 3. “I told them if we were going to be in this tournament, we were going to try and win it,” Rehkow said. Despite winning 81 of its last 82 games, respect on the national level for CV did not seem to match its record. In Washington, people knew better. A Tacoma News Tribune article in March offered the query: “Is this Central Valley girls’ basketball team the best of all-time in Class 4A?” East of the Mississippi, it was a different story. “Going into GEICO, no one really knew us or what we could do,” said senior Hailey Christopher. “It didn’t seem like we were given much respect by the other teams,” added senior Lexie Hull.

See HOOPS Page 13

The Bears rebounded to win their next two games in Tacoma and take home a fourth-place trophy – but the loss still stung. Hailey Christopher remembers the only blemish of her junior season being “an eye-opener.” “It was a reminder that we shouldn’t look past any team,” she said. Lacie Hull had 14 points and six rebounds against the Lions while her sister Lexie scored 13 points and pulled down 12 rebounds. Despite the effort, the Stanfordbound duo viewed the defeat as a cautionary tale. “It definitely showed us that if we don’t focus, we can lose,” Lacie said. “I think that loss made us better.” Lexie called the Bellarmine Prep game “a turning point” for the Bears returning for the 2017-18 season. “I think that loss changed our

The Central Valley girls’ basketball team won the championship at the GEICO High School Basketball Nationals on March 31. CV head coach Freddie Rehkow (center) was later named 2017-18 National High School Girls Basketball Coach of the Year by the National High School Coaches Association. Photo by Steven Ryan

The Current

MAY 2018 • 13

Bears by the Numbers

Ranked No. 1 nationally in final MaxPreps Top 25 Writers’ Poll 29-0 record for the 2017-18 season 83-1 record over the past three seasons 102-7 over the past four seasons 3.72 grade point average as a team and state 4A academic champions in 2016 and 2017 Greater Spokane League and regional champions the past three years State 4A champions in 2017 and 2018 Outscored opponents 181-88 in 2018 state tournament, including a 70-39 win over Woodinville in the championship game Lexie Hull averaged 20.5 points per game in 2017-18 season and her total of 1,883 points is a new all-time school record surpassing the previous mark by Madison Hovren Central Valley High School varsity girls’ basketball roster 2017-18

Central Valley junior Camryn Skaife (above) was named to the all tournament team at the GEICO High School Basketball Nationals after scoring 14 points in the championship game. CV senior Lexie Hull had 26 points in the final to earn tournament MVP honors. Photo by Steven Ryan

HOOPS

Continued from page 12

“We weren’t intimidated, though. It was a great opportunity for us.” Central Valley defeated Westlake High School from Atlanta, Georgia in the GEICO semifinals on March 30 by a score of 70-57 after jumping to a 26-8 first half lead. The Bears’ trademark defense was beginning to make believers of those beyond the Pacific time zone. Central Valley knew it needed to bear down in the last eight minutes against Hamilton Heights to avoid its first loss since a jarring defeat to Bellarmine Prep in the 2017 state bracket. The upset broke a 52game win streak and left the Bears more determined than ever. Senior Lacie Hull said Rehkow’s pep talk going into the fourth quarter against Hamilton Heights was “the best speech ever.” “It was all about staying calm and playing together, playing for each other,” she said. “It was really

motivating. When we went out there, it was like, ‘OK, let’s go,’” While theme songs from “Rocky” and “Hoosiers” may not have been playing over the gym speakers at Christ the King High School, the Bears quickly turned the tide, leaving the small but faithful contingent on hand from Spokane Valley with goose bumps. A layup by Tomekia Whitman on an assist by Lexie Hull started a 9-2 run that put CV up 53-45 with four minutes left. Close games were not the norm for Central Valley throughout the year, making this nail-biter even more of a test. The Bears defeated their opponents by an average margin of 71-28 during the regular season. Hamilton Heights pulled to within two points twice in the game’s final 65 seconds but a layup and free throw by Lexie Hull in the waning moments secured the victory and

See BASKETBALL Page 18

No.

Name

Mady Simmelink

Position

Year

guard

junior

Kate Sams

guard

Hailey Christopher

center

senior

Lexie Hull

guard/forward

senior

Michaela Laabs

forward

senior

Anika Chalich

guard

Camryn Skaife

guard

junior

sophomore junior

Peyton Howard

guard

Tomekia Whitman

guard

sophomore junior

Lacie Hull

guard

senior

Head coach: Freddie Rehkow Assistant coaches: Judy Walters, Rob Rowe, Josh Thomas, Nick Seaman

COMMUNITY

14 • MAY 2018

The Current

Calendar of Events COMMUNITY EVENTS April 28 | Frog Regatta Festival – 1 p.m., Primeland Park, Rockford. The agenda for this fun community event begin at 1 p.m. with free hotdogs in Primeland Park followed by kids’ games from 2 to 3 p.m. The Frog Regatta starts at 3 p.m. down Rock Creek with a grand prize of $300 for the winning frog; $200 for second place and $100 for third, plus other prizes. Purchase frogs for $5 at FredNecks, Harvest Moon, Banner Bank, Inland Northwest Bank or from any Rockford Lion. The festival supports the Rockford Lions Club and benefits youth and community activities. April 28 │Liberty Lake Fire Station #3 Open House – 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., 21300 E. Country Vista Drive. The Spokane Valley Fire Department invites the community to this event featuring free family fun. Tour our brand-new station, try on firefighter gear, take pictures, meet the firefighters, get an Operation Family ID child safety kit and enjoy tasty treats. Call 892-4155 or visit www.spokanevalleyfire.com for more information. May 4 | Valleyfest Auction and Dinner – 5:30 to 9:30 p.m., CenterPlace Regional Event Center, 2426 N. Discovery Place, Spokane Valley. This year’s gala theme is "Under the Big Top.” Come dressed as your favorite carnival or circus character or in semi-formal/business attire. Single ticket: $50; sponsor table (eight included): $500. Donations are accepted at info@ valleyfest.org or call the Valleyfest office at 922-3299. Volunteers are welcomed and needed to be part of the fun that evening or prior to the event. Valleyfest 2018 is Sept. 2123. More at www.valleyfest.org May 8-11 | East Valley Plant Sale – 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., corner of Wellesley

and Sullivan. This event is put on by East Valley High School’s Yes I Can Club which supports the integration of students with special needs with their general education peers. The sale will feature vegetables, herbs, flowers and hanging baskets. Money raised will support EV students with special needs May 12 | Dads and Dudes Night – 6 p.m., HUB Sports Center, 19619 E. Cataldo Ave., Liberty Lake. This annual even is about fathers and sons spending quality time together and making positive memories. The ‘open house” format will run three hours and include basketball, football, soccer, pickleball, martial arts and more. Advanced registration is $15 for a dad and dude, $3 for additional dudes. Day of event cost is $20 at the door. For more information or to register, go to www.hubsportscenter.org or call 927-0602 May 16 | Spokane Valley Tech Tradeshow of Innovation -- 8:30 to 11 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., Spokane Valley Tech, 115 S. University Road, Spokane Valley. The fifth annual community event will feature SVT students presenting their innovative design projects and skills demonstrations. For more information, call 558-6500 or visit www.spokanevalleytech.org May 16 | Opening day of 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/millwoodfarmers-market/. May 19 | Opening day of 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.

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-Singles-Mingle. DivorceCare Recovery Support Group | Mondays 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Eastpoint Church, 15303 E. Sprague Ave. Learn how to heal from the deep hurt of divorce and discover hope for your future. DivorceCare for Kids (ages 5-12) meets at the

same time and location. Cost is $25 for workbook. More at 892-5255 or eastpointchurch.com. Military Sobriety Support Group | 10 to 11: 30 a.m., Spokane Vet Center, 13109 E. Mirabeau Parkway, Spokane Valley. Call Steve at 8934746 for more information Grange Meeting and Dessert | 6:30 p.m., first Wednesday of the month, Tri-Community Grange, 25025 Heather St., Newman Lake. The public is welcome for this community-based service organization. For more information call 226-2202 or see us on Facebook. Men’s Weekly Bible Study | 7 a.m. Tuesdays. Millwood Presbyterian Church, 3223 N. Marguerite Road, Millwood. The men’s weekly Bible Study meets in the Reception Hall with different members sharing in the leading of the study. All men are invited to join. More at www. milwoodpc.org. 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.

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COMMUNITY

Spokane Valley Partners Food Bank | Weekly distribution takes place Wednesdays and Thursdays at 10814 E. Broadway by appointment. Appointments are available during the following days/ times: Wednesday, 11 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. to 3:15 p.m. Thursday (reserved for advancedage seniors — age 60 and over — and/or physically-handicapped people with limited mobility): 11 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. Address verification is required. To make an appointment, call 927.1153 ext. 10, Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 1 p.m Spokane Valley Quilt Guild | Meetings are held at 7 p.m. on the first Tuesday of February, April, June, August, October and December at Valley Assembly of God Church, 15618 E. Broadway, Spokane Valley. Open to all interested in sharing ideas and skills of our quilting craft. Participants have can access a comprehensive library, can engage experienced teachers and participate in community service projects. More at www.svqgspokane.com

MUSIC & THE ARTS April 30 | Gonzaga Symphony Orchestra – 7:30 p.m., Martin Woldson Theater at the Fox, 1001 W. Sprague Ave., Spokane. The orchestra will appear with Kevin Hekmatpanah, conductor and Gary Karr, double bass soloist. Tickets are $15; $12/students and seniors. For more information, call 624-1200 or visit www.martinwoldsontheater. com May 5 | Pages of Harmony Spring Show – 3 p.m., Valley Assembly Church, 15618 E. Broadway, Spokane Valley. This annual concert features some of the best vocal ensembles in the area. This year, the agenda features the song stylings of Throwback, international fourth place medalists, Lake City Harmonizers and more. Go to www. pagesofharmony.com to find out more May 12 | Open house for parents interested Music Therapy and Creative Arts Summer Camp – 9 a.m. to noon, Center for Music Therapy, 1315 N. Napa in Spokane. This event is also hosted by Willow Song Music Therapy. The Music Therapy and Creative Arts Camp is a half-day program where children learn about creative arts in a therapeutic setting. Activities reinforce the ideal of achieving one’s maximum potential in a friendly and adaptive environment that fosters success through music, movement/dance, and art. Camp

counselors include directors and practicing board-certified music therapists, Kim McMillin and Carla Carnegie, as well as student music therapists. The camp is for children with and without special needs and will be held July 16-20, 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. each day. This event is paid through private pay. Lowincome families are encouraged to apply for grants through Elevations ( w w w. e l e va t i o n s s p o k a n e . o r g ) or the Isaac Foundation (www. theisaacfoundation.configio.com). For more information, call Willow Song Music Therapy in Otis Orchards at 592-7875 May 12 | Art Auction and Showcase hosted by the Spokane Valley Arts Council – 6:30 p.m., CenterPlace Regional Event Center, 2426 N. Discovery Place, Spokane Valley. Viewing and demonstrations scheduled from noon to 4 p.m. and 5 to 6:30 p.m. Live auction begins at 6:30 p.m. This event includes a silent and live auction of nearly 100 works of art from prominent local and national artists. Event tickets are $60 each and can be purchased online at the council’s website, www. spokanevalleyarts.org or by calling 924-5009. Tickets are also available at Spokane Gallery and Framing, 409 S. Dishman-Mica Road, Spokane Valley. Donations of tickets to area sports and entertainment events and other unique items are also auctioned. Proceeds go to commission monuments and sculptures that will enhance the beauty and culture of Spokane Valley. For more information, visit www.spokanevalleyarts.org

RECURRING Pages of Harmony | 6:30 to 9:30 p.m., Wednesdays. Thornhill Valley Chapel, 1400 S. Pines Road. If you enjoy singing, you will love the fourpart, a cappella harmony of this men’s barbershop chorus. More at www.pagesofharmony.org. Spirit of Spokane Chorus | 6:45 p.m., Tuesdays. Opportunity Presbyterian Church, 202 N. Pines Road. Make new friends by joining this women’s chorus, specializing in four-part, a cappella harmony in the barbershop style. More at 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

See CALENDAR Page 18

MAY 2018 • 15

Spokane Valley Heritage Museum

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The Current

16 • MAY 2018

CALENDAR

Continued from page 15 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

HEALTH & RECREATION April 17-May 8 | Blood Pressure Self-Management Class – 5:30 to 7 p.m., Tuesdays, INHS Community Wellness Center, 501 N. Riverpoint Blvd., Suite 245, Spokane. Learn how to monitor and manage your blood pressure for a healthy heart. This four-week class will give participants the tools to take control of cardiovascular health. To register, please visit www.courseregistration. inhs.org. Cost is $40. Call 242-8145 or visit www.wellness.inhs.org for more information.

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 May 8 | Presentation on history of U.S. space program – 7 p.m., Honor Point Museum, Felts Field, 6095 E. Rutter Way, Spokane. Joe Bruce, NASA ambassador, will be presenting a history of the American space program from the 1960s to the present May 19 | Salute to Service Resource Fair – 1 to 6 p.m., River Park Square, 808 W. Main Ave., Spokane. Find out about services, benefits and connections available for veterans, active duty, guard, reserve personnel, families and caregivers. For more information, call the Vet Center in Spokane Valley at 444-8387

RECURRING

Spokane Valley City Council | Regular meetings are held on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month at 6 p.m. in Council Chambers at Spokane Valley City Hall, 11707 E. Sprague Ave., Ste. 101. Council study sessions are held the first, third and sometimes fifth Tuesdays at 6 p.m., also in Council Chambers. Millwood City Council | Regular meetings at 7 p.m. on the second Tuesday of each month at Millwood City Hall, 9103 E. Frederick Ave. Spokane Flag Museum | Sponsored by the Sons of the American Revolution and the Fairmount Memorial Association, details the rich history of the American flag, Mondays-Fridays, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Saturdays, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Pines Cemetery, 1402 S. Pines Road, Spokane Valley. For more information: 926-2753 or www. fairmountmemorial.com/southpines-cemetery Spokane Valley Kiwanis | 6:45 a.m. Tuesdays. Valley Hospital Education Center, 12606 E. Mission Ave. More at www.spokanevalleykiwanis.net. Greater Spokane Valley Rotary | Noon to 1 p.m., Wednesdays. Darcy’s, 10502 E. Sprague Ave. More at www.svrotary.org.

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The Current

Tracking down Bigfoot with a Sasquatch expert

LIBRARY

By Erin Dodge

Current Guest Contributor We’ve all heard about the creature known as “Sasquatch” also called “Bigfoot” roaming the Northwest forests. And you may even know someone who has seen extremely large footprints while out on a hike. Sasquatch is an iconic figure in our region. Even Community Colleges of Spokane’s mascot is “Skitch” the Sasquatch. Throughout the Northwest, people have reported incidents with the Sasquatch – a hairy, 8-to 10-foot-tall hominid – for hundreds of years. Yet except for a collection of large footprint casts and a sizable number of eyewitness accounts, no scientifically accepted evidence

Preschoolers get ready for school with STEM kits

By Mary Ellen Braks and Erin Dodge Spokane County Library District Keep your preschoolers busy this summer with handson activities that encourage learning while exploring STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) concepts as well as reading. Preschoolers will find lots to discover with their parents and caregivers, using our new “Ready for School with STEM” kits. Spokane County Library District in partnership with the Inland Northwest Early Learning Alliance (INWELA) received a grant from Thrive Washington to develop STEM kits for preschoolers. The kits are designed for children ages 3 to 5. They're a perfect way for early learning professionals and families to introduce science, technology, engineering and math to little ones. You can check out 16 different kits that focus on math, dinosaurs, weather, construction, water, dirt, and robotics (which

of its existence has been offered. Some believe that Bigfoot is more than a myth and others are skeptical. The topic of Sasquatch is a fascinating one. You might wonder how you can know for sure if Sasquatch is real. You’re

invited

Spokane

features a Fisher Price Code-apillar). Each kit contains books, lesson plans and other materials. Our newest kits explore math concepts with rubber ducks, dominoes, bug counters, rekenreks (like small abacuses), buttons and linking chains. Preschoolers can learn beginning coding skills using the Codea-pillar by putting the pieces together to get the electronic caterpillar moving. The lesson plans include open-ended questions to ask, vocabulary to introduce, a list of books and

MAY 2018 • 17

Valley Library on Saturday, May 12, at 2 p.m. for a session with David George Gordon, naturalist, accomplished scientist, and author of “The Sasquatch Seeker’s Field Manual: Using Citizen Science to Uncover North America’s Most Elusive Creature.” In the program, Gordon reviews the gathered data about the legendary Northwest icon and discusses the rules of critical thinking and the workings of the scientific method. He also explains how one can become an effective “citizen scientist.” This Sasquatch expert also wants to hear of your tales connected to this mysterious creature. Believers, skeptics and all who are uncertain are sure to enjoy this discussion with author David George Gordon. “Sasquatch: Man-Ape or Myth?” has been a very popular Speakers Bureau event across the Northwest and is supported by Humanities Washington. You won’t want to miss this opportunity to join the conversation! activities to work on with children. These kits are available for check out at Spokane Valley Library, as well as at other district libraries. If you can’t make it in to a library to borrow a STEM kit, the lesson plans are available on the SCLD website at www.scld. org/ready-for-school-with-stem/. Not only will you have fun learning with your preschooler, but you will be helping your child develop early math, science, and literacy skills needed for Kindergarten readiness.

ROCK SUMMER READING ONLINE SUMMER READING June 1–August 31, 2018 Summer is perfect for reading & exploring. •

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Visit a museum Earn badges for completed challenges! Signup starts June 1 at www.scld.org/onlinesummer-reading.

SPOKA NE V CHALL ALLEY ENGE

www.scld.org

HOUR

The Current

18 • MAY 2018

BASKETBALL

Continued from page 13 CV’s undefeated season. As zeroes appeared on the scoreboard timer, the Bears from Spokane Valley could make a claim as national champions. “All our work had finally paid off,” Lexie said. “I thought winning state was amazing but this was better.” Central Valley finished first in the final MaxPreps Top 25 Writers’ Poll with the MaxPreps website describing Central Valley as “unlikely but determined national champions” who came from an area of the country that was “in the minds of most Americans, pretty much next to nowhere.” “It was so surreal,” said Christopher. “Just being able to play against such great teams drove us to prove we could compete and win.” The 66-61 triumph featured the Bears converting 21 of 22 free throw attempts. Lexie Hull hit all

11 of her free throw tries, part of a 26-point, 10-rebound effort. Both she and junior Camryn Skaife, who contributed 14 points in final, were named to the all-tournament team with Hull earning MVP honors. “I’m just so proud of the kids,” said Rehkow. “Just their effort and heart. People don’t see all the preparation and work that goes into the season. (At GEICO), I just tried to stay positive with our team and told them these teams are good but you can beat them and they believed it.” The T-shirts commissioned after the state title proved to have a fitting slogan: “Our defense wins championships.” CV disrupted Westlake into 17 turnovers in the semifinal and held Hamilton Heights to a field goal percentage of just under 37 percent in the championship. “We know our defense carries us,” said Lexie Hull. When the team returned home, a crowd of around 250 supporters had gathered at the Spokane

International Airport to greet them with banners, signs and plenty of applause. “That was amazing,” said Lacie Hull. “We’d heard there would be people there but I was thinking around 20.” Reader boards at local businesses carried news of the national title while players and coaches have been stopped in grocery stores by residents offering congratulations. “It’s surprised me how many people saw the (Hamilton Heights) game,” Rehkow said. “For this community, it’s been pretty special. The reception at the airport really meant a lot.” The national title now goes alongside the program’s five state championships dating back to the 1992-93 season. Rehkow has been part of four state crowns, two as an assistant and two as head coach. He is quick to credit his assistants that include longtime bench presence Judy Walters, Rob Rowe, Nick Seaman and Josh Thomas. “I’ve been super blessed with my

coaching staff,” Rehkow said. Central Valley School District Superintendent Ben Small said the CV players and coaches have been exceptional ambassadors, excelling both on the court and in the classroom. The team maintains a combined grade point average of 3.72 and earned state 4A academic titles in 2016 and 2017. “The Lady Bears basketball team and coaching staff has represented CVHS, our district, community and themselves with class,” said Small. “They are a great basketball team and even better people.” Four seniors – Lexie and Lacie Hull, Christopher and Michaela Laabs – will leave behind an unprecedented legacy for a program that looks to be strong again next season. For now – and forever—this Bears’ squad will be classified among a rare group of teams recognized as the nation’s best. “We always played as a team,” Christopher said. “Being able to rely on each other as teammates was the key to our success.”

After winning the championship at the GEICO High School Basketball Nationals, the Central Valley girls' basketball team was greeted by a crowd of around 250 at the Spokane International Airport. The team was later named No. 1 in the nation by MaxPreps for their 29-0 season. Photo by Erik Smith

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Pueblo, Colorado has made it illegal to cultivate The dandelion opens in the morning and closes the dandelion. in the evening. Every part of the dandelion can be used; for dye, medicinally or eaten. It is thought the yellow flower represents the sun, the puff ball represents the moon and the seeds represent the stars. The dandelion is one of the five most recognizable plants in America. Dandelions have one of the longest flowering seasons of any plant. Seeds can be dispersed several miles away from where they originate. Each flower can produce 50200 seeds which means each plant can produce thousands. Dandelions have over five times more Vitamin A than lettuce and is very high in potassium. It has been used to treat the kidney, gallbladder, liver, eczema and even cancer. â&#x20AC;&#x153;King of Weedsâ&#x20AC;? aka the dandelion was brought to America by early colonists. They ate the leaves for salad, made wine from the flowers, roasted the root for a coffee replacement and dried the root for medicine. Belgium cultivates and exports the dandelion.

20 â&#x20AC;˘ MAY 2018

Fork Flowers

What youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll need: A fork Yarn A green pipe cleaner for the stem Hold the pipe cleaner next to the fork. Directions: Wrap the fork and pipe cleaner with the yarn 2530 times. Keep the yarn no more than one inch wide. Cut yarn. Fold the pipe cleaner over the yarn and tightly twist around the stem. You make want to make a leaf if your pipe cleaner is long enough. Many instructions call for an extra step which finishes the flower more realistically but we had three different ages of kids attempt that step and none were successful.

The Current

MAY 2018 • 21

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amps C r e m m or Su

F By Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich I was once reminded that courage comes from the heart and to never lose the heart to do what is right. As I pondered this, I realized that the heart has throughout the ages been associated with the place where feelings, one’s spirit and confidence comes from. To have courage is to have the greatness of spirit in facing danger, difficult situations or simply doing what is right for the right reason. One of the biggest mistakes people make concerning courage is thinking that having courage means someone is not afraid. Fear and courage are truly brothers. You cannot have one without the other. True courage is being afraid and finding the strength of heart to overcome one’s fear and carry on against whatever difficulties you are facing. Courage means having the ability to control one’s fear in dangerous situations. One of my favorite sayings concerning courage is from John Wayne: “Courage is being scared to death - but saddling up anyway.” In my life I have found it is when we make mistakes or fail that we need courage the most. It takes great courage to admit our mistakes or to continue trying when we fail. There are two quotes that I have on my desk concerning mistakes and failure: • “Mistakes are always forgivable, if one has the courage to admit them.” – Bruce Lee • “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” – Winston Churchill It takes great courage to admit that we may have been wrong or that we may have done something wrong. The biggest mistake I have seen people make is not taking responsibility for their mistakes or wrongdoings. They tend to make excuses or even lie about what they have done. The mistake or wrongdoing then becomes even bigger. If we have the courage to admit our mistakes we have done, we will have the ability to learn from those mistakes and commit not to do them again. Life at times is about making mistakes, learning from those mistakes and not letting those

mistakes define who we are or who we will become. The reason most people do not admit their mistakes is that they are afraid of what people might say about them or they are afraid of facing the consequences of doing something wrong. Having the courage to admit our mistakes or the things we have done wrong gives us the chance to make things right. Courage gives us the chance to learn from our mistakes and become a better person. Where does courage come from? Maya Angelou once said, “One isn't necessarily born with courage, but one is born with potential. Without courage, we cannot practice any other virtue with consistency. We can't be kind, true, merciful, generous or honest.” While we may not have been born with courage, we can develop it by overcoming our fears and doing the hard things. We can overcome our fear of math and become an astronaut or overcome our fear of public speaking and become a teacher. Whatever you decided to do in life, at some point you will find yourself faced with difficult choices, choices that may not be popular. Having to make the choice between doing what is right or that which is popular is at times very hard because we fear what people will say or we know we will make people mad at us. I have found it is always better to do the right thing for the right reason no matter the cost. That way I will not have to find the courage to look myself in the mirror if I didn’t have the courage to do what is right. The mark of a good person is one that has the courage to do the right thing no matter the personal cost. I hope we will all have the courage to be kind, true, merciful, generous and honest. Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich was appointed as Spokane County sheriff on April 11, 2006. He was elected to the Office of Sheriff in the fall of 2006 and is currently serving his third term. This year marks his 28th year in law enforcement. Sheriff Knezovich has been a longtime advocate for PACE (Partners Advancing Character Education) and wholeheartedly supports the program’s endeavors.

coaches are passionate about gymnastics and focus on ENROLL Our teaching quality gymnastics in a safe, fun and encouraging environment. Classes run year-round with three 13-week sessions TODAY! (Fall, Winter and Spring) and one 10-week summer session.

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The Current

22 â&#x20AC;˘ MAY 2018

Celebra ng our Students! On May 24, over 400 students, families, educators, businesses and community leaders will gather for the PACE Awards to celebrate 50 excep onal students of good character. This is our seventh year and we are deeply grateful to our underwriters for making this event a reality. Launched in September 2010, the PACE program promotes the importance of good character through partnerships with schools, businesses, public agencies, residents, faith-based organiza ons and community service groups. PACE has grown to include over 200 partners and 50 schools all working together with families to promote good character across the Spokane Valley.

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Please be sure to pick up a copy of the June issue of The Current for special coverage of the PACE Awards and a list of recipients.

The Current

Student of the Month Whether he’s sprinting or running longer distances, Chase Vigesaa makes an impact for East Valley High School. The junior runs the 200, 400 and 800 meters for the Knights’ track team. He also participates in the 4 x 400 relay. He has a personal best of 57 seconds in the 400 and this season ran the 200 in 26.51 seconds. Vigesaa has been part of the EV cross country program since his freshman year. This season he ran a personal best 19 minutes, 10 seconds at the regional 2A meet. In the classroom, Vigesaa maintains a 3.98 grade point average and is a member of National Honor Society. He is also part of TriM, the school’s honor society for music. Vigesaa is the principal viola in the EV orchestra. His schedule includes taking AP classes and a part-time job.

Citizen of the Month

Thanks you for all you do in our community

MAY 2018 • 23 As Karlee Ludwig wraps up her senior year at East Valley, her accomplishments speak for themselves. A Spokane Scholar nominee in Fine Arts, Ludwig has lettered choir all four years and, this year, qualified for state in a quartet of categories. She maintains a 4.0 grade point average and is a member of National Honor Society. She has also been recognized as an AP Scholar for her high achievement on AP exams. The senior is a volunteer mentor with the Internet Safety program and has contributed to EV’s Key Club, helping to coordinate community service projects. Ludwig played soccer at East Valley for two years. She manages to juggle a part-time job with her academic, music and volunteer schedule. After graduation, Ludwig plans to attend Gonzaga University which has awarded her with a music scholarship.

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Athlete of the Month Among many other distinctions, Mark Thompson is Titan, an Eagle and a Kiwanian. Raised in Spokane Valley, Thompson graduated from University High in 1976 and later earned his degree in Business Administration and Management from Eastern Washington University (EWU). He has been a member of Spokane Valley Kiwanis since 2001 and serves as community chair of the club’s foundation. Thompson was part of the Spokane Valley Partners Board of Directors for 11 years and currently serves as vice chair of the EWU Foundation. He will take over as chair in July. He works as vice president and commercial banking officer for Wheatland Bank. Thompson has coached AAU basketball and been a volunteer statistician for the Central Valley boys’ basketball program. Mark and his wife Cindy are proud parents of two grown children, Sean and Shanna.

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The Current

24 • MAY 2018 Brought to you by

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About and for Valley seniors

Valley Senior Center offers rich slate for lifelong learners By Jamie Borgan

Current Correspondent As a visitor to the Spokane Valley Senior Center, one might be able play billiards or bridge or join an aerobics class or take an Introduction to acupuncture class or play Wii bowling. While that may seem like a wide variety of offerings, that’s just a third of what’s offered in one day. The center, located at 2426 N. Discovery Place at CenterPlace, welcomes adults 50 and over to fulfill its mission of promoting fellowship, health, recreation, social and educational activities. Thanks to the wide variety of activities offered, the venue serves over 100 seniors a day, according to Senior Center Specialist Karen Clark-Parson. While the average

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age of a center participant is about 75, Clark-Parson says there are 23 members of the center that are 90 and over, many of whom still attend activities regularly. In April alone, the educational agenda included the Book Club discussing titles related to architecture, and poetry while a free resource fair took place on April 24. On April 18, a group took a day trip to explore the Kettle Falls area, courtesy of Inland Empire Tours, learning about the Myers, Douglas and Crystal waterfalls as well as the “People of the Lake” and the Hudson Bay Co. at the Kettle Falls Historical Museum. Clark-Parson, whose career working with seniors precedes her time at the center, has been working in her current role since she joined the center in May of 2003, shortly after Spokane Valley incorporated. She says she’s always had an affinity for the senior population and felt close to her grandmothers, whose sense of history and wisdom she valued. The center itself has been in existence since the 1970s when it was housed in a venerable building on Mission Avenue. Over the years it has become a valuable

The mission of the Spokane Valley Senior Center is to promote fellowship, health, recreation, social and educational activities. Groups like AARP, Community Colleges of Spokane and Inland Empire Tours are part of the agenda here. resource for the senior community in the Valley and beyond. Clark-Parson says the center continues to serve a variety of niches in the community by providing a place for seniors to “recreate, communicate and socialize.” She further asserts that one of its most important roles is to serve as a hub for seniors to learn about resources. “For a lot of new residents to the Valley, the senior center is one of the first places they come,” she said. In addition to offering the Senior Resource Book, which is full of information about the community, the center holds resource fairs and events to educate the public on community organizations and programs that serve seniors.

Participants at the Spokane Valley Senior Center enjoy a diverse agenda of fun and educational programs, from Wii bowling to art classes to a book club and more. The venue, located at the CenterPlace Regional Event Center, welcomes adults 50 and over.

Although Clark-Parson affirms that one of the key functions of the center is that of a social connection for seniors, she emphasizes that an integral piece of the mission here is to educate seniors on relevant issues, especially in a quickly changing world. To that end, the center serves as the venue for a variety of education classes, ranging from learning simple skills that help seniors adapt to changing technologies, such as a “How to Use Your Smartphone Class,” to

negotiating issues of safety through AARP’s Smart Driver course, offered on the second Monday of each month. Free WiFi is provided here as well. The center’s April newsletter featured information about the new Medicare cards, advice on how to avoid fraud as well as contact information for the Statewide Health Insurance Benefits Advisors (SHIBA) program that provides free counsel on navigating the Medicare maze. In offering a wide array of educational opportunities, the center partners extensively with organizations serving seniors, including the Community Colleges of Spokane Act 2 program, which offers classes in a variety of areas, including art, technology and exercise. One of the center’s more recent collaborations that ClarkParson is especially excited about is a Fall Prevention class taught by Aging and Long Term Care of Eastern Washington. This is the first time the center has offered the class. Clark-Parson said interest in the class was high and the 14 spots available for the four-week class filled quickly. The ongoing class teaches attendees to change their

See CENTER Page 25

The Current

MAY 2018 • 25

SUDOKU

Around 100 seniors a day drop by the Spokane Valley Senior Center to socialize, recreate and learn. Prior to relocating at CenterPlace, the center was housed in a building on Mission Avenue

CENTER

Clark-Parson says cheerily.

Continued from page 24 environment to reduce fall risks as well as how to incorporate basic exercises to improve strength and balance. In an age of an ever-growing senior population, Clark-Parson sees the role of the center as increasingly relevant, as more people try to stay active, educated and social. As the center’s lead, she sees it as her mission to continue to add relevant programming and respond to the needs of the seniors in Spokane Valley. The center’s offerings continue to stay current and change to meet the interests of the population served. “We just added a chess club,”

She remains hopeful that the center will continue to be a thriving source of education, entertainment and community engagement for all seniors. For those interested in becoming involved or attending an event, visit the Spokane Valley Senior Center website at www. spokanevalleyseniorcenter.org or call 926-1937. Clark-Parson suggests calling or emailing (svsca2005@yahoo.com) to find out more information. The center’s activity calendar can also be found on the website. The center also heavily relies on volunteers of all ages and is always looking for volunteers to help with a wide variety of tasks.

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The Current

26 • MAY 2018

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Cooley to walk off after stellar leadership of WV softball By Steve Christilaw

Current Correspondent Paul Cooley’s days are winding down as head fastpitch softball coach at West Valley High School. After more than a dozen years with the Eagles and long runs as head coach at both Rogers and Gonzaga Prep before that, Cooley is retiring at the end of the season – and the end of the season is coming fast. “I’m ready to be done as a head coach running a program,” he said. “But I’m not sure I want to be done with softball. I haven’t decided, but I can see myself signing on somewhere as an assistant coach and helping out.” Just as it was with the previous stops along his coaching career, Cooley will leave West Valley in better shape than when he found it – and for the Eagles, that’s saying something profound.

at Prep. The principles of that plan are simple. At the middle school level, fastpitch softball is a fall sport. Cooley set out to make certain those players were coming out in the spring once they got to high school. “With the change to spring we lose kids to other sports,” he said. “We lose some to golf and tennis, some to track. And some kids are just tired after playing sports in the fall and winter and are just ready for some time off.” Summer programs, including a clinic, helped identify players to be tracked and encouraged to keep playing. With the high school team, Cooley sets out to make certain that every practice session accomplishes something to help make his players, and his team, better. To that end, he insists, players pay attention to details. “There are coaches who get to this level and don’t pay attention to the little things,” he said. “If you can hit, you can hit. If you can field, you field. I don’t agree. I pay attention to the little things and we work on them. We work on things

like footwork around the bag at first because that will be important. “All the little things matter.” Under his coaching, the Eagles have been a consistently good hitting squad and a solid team defensively. “Ultimately, this is fastpitch softball and to be really successful, you need to have pitching,” he said. Cooley said he has a hierarchy of priorities that his players stick to: Family comes first. Religious obligations come next. Then school obligations. “After that, it all belongs to me during the season,” he said. And over the summer, he encourages all his players to play as much softball as they can. This last summer, he said, almost every player played on a travelling team. “That’s a bonus because those teams are going to a lot of prestigious tournaments,” he said. “And really, if you want to play college softball, you need to play in those tournaments. Any more, that’s where you’re going to be seen by a college coach.” The Eagles annually send players on to college programs, and Cooley

said he still gets calls from coaches for his input on players. “They want to know about a player, how they handle playing a sport and doing school work,” he said. “It comes down to wanting to know how a player practices. If you aren’t a good practice player, you aren’t going to play in college.” Cooley’s blueprint has translated into a program that annually battles for a spot in the state tournament, including a third-place state trophy in 2012. That’s saying something when you consider the Great Northern League is a class 2A outpost where the nearest same-level competition is more than 100 miles away. “The year we placed third at state we played Cheney in the regular season, we played them again at districts, we had to play them twice in regionals because they came back through the loser’s bracket, and who do you think we had to play at state?” Cooley laughed. “We had to beat them eight times that year. It got to the point where we wanted to play anyone else.” Thanks to Cooley, West Valley softball is known for playing about as well as anyone else in Washington.

“When I took the job, I knew that the program had been successful,” he explained. “Steve Kent had been the coach a while before and he had done a great job making them competitive, so I knew there was talent there to work with.” Cooley built the program at Rogers into a regular entrant of the state tournament. He did the same at Gonzaga Prep. But he felt he needed a break and decided to step down as the Bullpups head coach to take a year off. At the end of that time, thenWest Valley principal Gary Neal call up his old friend and told him about the opening. “He said ‘If you are thinking about getting back in, this would be a good opening for you,’” Cooley said. “I still had to go through the interview process and everything, but it seemed like a good fit.” Cooley said he followed the same blueprint at West Valley that had worked for him with the Pirates and

West Valley fastpitch softball coach Paul Cooley (top row, far left) has led the team to among the best 2A programs in Washington during his tenure. The Eagles placed third at state in 2012. Contributed photo

The Current

Valley Sports Notebook By Mike Vlahovich

Current Sports Editor Spring has sprung for Valley prep athletes and teams. Half of a school’s sports are contested between the end of March and June, including boys and girls track and field, tennis and golf which are already in the stride of their seasons. Meanwhile, soccer, baseball and softball are into the final third of their race to post-season. 50-50 split Spring boys’ soccer teams success was a split decision proposition early in the season. In Greater Spokane League soccer, half the teams were tied for first at one point, Central Valley’s new-look Bears among them, with University one match behind. Overall, CV and the Titans were 4-3-1 counting non-league matches. But the Bears were one of multiple teams with 4-1 GSL records but had a one-point lead over Lewis and Clark and Ferris, who had much better overall marks. U-Hi was four points behind the Bears. Scoring was spread around at CV with veterans Conner Wold and Devin Hauenstein, plus Raj Al-Ghani among the leaders. Wold and Hauenstein are two of the Bears’ four seniors on a 16-player roster. Six of CV’s roster are sophomores. U-Hi has been paced by Cole Dobson, Fraser Robertson and Blake

Retiring Sloan epitomized class as CV coach, player By Mike Vlahovich

Current Sports Editor The Central Valley High School athlete was always dressed in slacks and a nice shirt at every basketball game he played. At the end of each, after showering and dressing, he always found my wife and me and thanked us for being there. I thought I was just doing my job as always, sitting under the basket with camera in hand keeping a

SPORTS

Dickinson for a team that stood fifth.

East Valley and West Valley have struggled in the Great Northern League, 4-4 and 2-7 respectively in mid-April. Knights sophomore forward Deiby Bernardez was the team scoring leader. Seniors midfielder Caleb Atkins and forward Jayden Payne paced the Eagles. Softball’s best West Valley and Central Valley had the best records in their respective softball leagues at mid-season. The Eagles had lost but once during in the Great Northern League. The Bears were unbeaten in the GSL, followed closely by one-loss University. WV pitchers India Wells and freshman Zoe Simpson held opponents in check while Lily Arch, a junior, had 13 hits including a two doubles, a triple and grand slam. CV, led by senior pitcher Kelsey Gumm, went unbeaten through its first eight GSL games. She allowed an average of just three hits per game, had double digit strikeouts and allowed 11 runs, fanning 14 of 16 batters in one. Gumm also contributed offensively. Sophomore Suheyla Tanak led the team in hitting, followed by veterans Hannah Wampler and Grace Stumbough, a junior. U-Hi, as usual, provided plenty of offensive gusto from plenty of people, but were shocked by Rogers and fell one game behind the Bears. Alyssa Benthagen, Gracee Dwyer, Courtney Awberry and Brianna

Hecker led the way. Benthagen had four home runs and a five RBI prior to this publication. East Valley pitcher/infielder Abby Brake was a hit machine, having hit three home runs, one plating three runs. She also hurled a couple of no-hitters. Numerous players had double-digit hit games, including freshman Emma Todhunter who had four multi-hit games, including a home run. Baseball struggles Although most of the Valley’s baseball teams struggled, Freeman’s baseball program remains among the state’s class 1A best. They Scotties had won 10 of 12 games and provided plenty of offense at press-time. The contributors are well-known multi-sport athletes. Among them are Desmond Parisotto, Keegan Cottrell, Konner Freudenthal and Michael Coumont, seniors all. Sophomore Ryan Hayek, has also been key. CV was among the top four and in the GSL hunt and 10-4 overall. Austin Tomlinson was an offensive stalwart and Jase Edwards and Kyle Clay were among them. West Valley had a break-even record and was mid-pack in the Great Northern League when this went to press. Among the key offensive contributors were sophomore Spencer Shipman, Connor Whitney and Nick Jones on a well-rounded team. Offense was lacking for a University squad that endured five shutouts and was last in GSL baseball with no wins in league and just one overall past the season’s mid-point.

play-by-play on my clipboard and shooting pictures at the now defunct Spokane Coliseum while writing for my late-father’s local weekly, the Spokane Valley Herald.

in that athlete who was courteous and courageous enough to walk up to elders he scarcely knew and strike up a conversation and it stuck.

And this guy was thanking us!

The Sloan name was familiar in what was then a tighter knit Valley community. Larry, Rick’s uncle, had helped Central Valley to the State basketball finals in 1960.

That was my introduction to Rick Sloan almost 40 years ago. Last week he announced his resignation as Central Valley head coach for boys’ basketball, a mantle he’s held for over two decades. I’ve covered, what, some 15,000 high school athletes, maybe more over five decades and befriended many. Some continued on to play in college. Some played pro sports. Several were teammates of mine on recreation sports teams (Good recruiting. They carried the load, I basked in the glory.) But there was something special

So it wasn’t a surprise that two decades later his nephew would set school records in basketball and football and finish high on the list of Greater Spokane League marks. He averaged 21 points and 10 rebounds and CV appeared headed to state in 1981 before he blew out a knee in the playoffs. He continued his football career, though slowed by knee injuries at San Jose State and at Idaho

MAY 2018 • 27

Track highlights When rivals met, West Valley’s Eagles swept both the boys and girls track meets handily. The boys won 88-57 and girls won 84-65. Earlier in sprint, the Eagles lost to Cheney by similar scores. As expected, WV was strong in the sprints and distances against the Knights. Giovanni Raskell and Cody Skay combined for 13 points with wins in the 3,200 and 800 respectively. The week before they totaled 18 points Skay winning the 800 and 1,600. Raskell won the 3,200 and finished second in the 1,600. Distances were huge for the girls too, unsurprising given their state cross country effort. Annika Esvelt led a one-two-three sweep of the 3,200, the latter won by Sadie Langford. Genesis Wilkinson won the shotput, finished second in the javelin and third in the discus. State sprint qualifier La Trouchka Duke was also key for the Eagles. CV lacrosse undefeated The Central Valley lacrosse team continues to be the class of local programs, maintaining an undefeated mark in a Region 6 league that includes squads from Ferris, Lewis and Clark, Mead, Mt. Spokane, Gonzaga Prep and West Valley. The Bears have nearly 40 lacrosse players participating this season. CV will host a state playoff game against a yet-to-be-determined team from the west side on May 12. Time and venue will be announced later. Call the CV athletics office at 5585103 for more information. where he took over for the injured incumbent quarterback and led the Vandals to the post-season, where Rick made way for the starter’s return and they lost. That stuck in my craw. He became a coach almost by accident, becoming a graduate football assistant at Eastern Washington University when switching from a business degree to education. He became the offensive coordinator with CV football when Rick Giampietri took the head coaching job. I remember sitting with legendary football coach the late Dave Holmes, who had coached successfully at EWU and Hawaii before closing out his career

See SLOAN Page 28

The Current

28 • MAY 2018

SLOAN

Continued from page 27

Friday, June 22, 2018

at University. The unbeaten Bears were playing Kamiakin in postseason and Holmes saw something in Rick and said he should become a head football coach.

9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Saturday, June 23, 2018 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Sign up by June 15 to list your sale and information in the official guide. Registration fees go to the Kiwanis Club Foundation and will be utilized as sponsorships for local graduates.

REGIST ER TODAY

Four registration options

Online: $15

Submit your registration and secure credit card payment at www.libertylakekiwanis.org Take advantage of add-on options like a highlight color, a black border or a bold title to help your sale stand out from the rest. Online ads can also exceed the 20-word maximum for a small, per-word fee.

Mail-in form : $20

Commercial Vendors: (online only): $250.00

Complete the registration form below and submit it along with your fee. Remember, registration must be received by June 15 to be included in the official guide.

Join the festivities in the middle of it all at Pavillion Park by being a vendor. Commercial vendors are welcome and receive a 12-foot by 12-foot section at the park. This registration option is available at www.libertylakekiwanis.org , and it includes a listing in the official guide. Double the space is available for $500.00 Registered Pavillion Park sellers who decide not to come must notify organizers at least five days in advance in order to receive a refund. Contact information is at the bottom of the page.

Artisan Vendors: (online only): $75.00

Join in the fun at Pavillion Park and showcase your handcrafted goods. Artisan Vendors are welcome at the $75.00 price and receive a 10-foot by 10-foot section in the park. This registration option is available at www.libertylakekiwanis.org. Registered artisan vendors who decide not to come must notify organizers at least 5 days in advance in order to receive a refund. Contact information is at the bottom of the page. Name Phone Address Description (Not to exceed 20 words)

Organized by

WHAT DOES YOUR REGISTRATION PAY FOR?

Restrooms: Portable restrooms are provided throughout the community for attendees’ convenience. Thousands of shoppers: Liberty Lake is flooded with shoppers for this event every June, so timing your yard sale to correspond with the annual sales is just smart business. Please pay the registration fee to ensure the future of the yard sales. After expenses, all proceeds from the event will be reinvested by the Kiwanis Club into the community. A listing “on the map”: Attract customers before the sale even begins by featuring your sale in the official event guide. A 20-word description of your sale is complimentary with your registration fee, and 10,000 copies of the guide will be distributed to not only every address in Liberty Lake — but at businesses and newsstands throughout the area in the days leading up to and during the sale. Returning this year will also be the interactive map, for easy access to listings on your mobile device!

Feature your business in the guide!

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U.S. Postage Paid Permit #017 ZIP CODE 99019

21st annua l

Over 250 part

icipating homes!

A limited number of advertising placements are available in PORTAL the annual event guide. Call 242-7752 or email advertise@libertylakesplash.com to put your business and organization in front of thousands of eager shoppers in what is one of The Splash’s most dog-eared and poredover publications of the year. :

Event Organize

at Mission

 For registration-related inquiries, contact The Splash at 242-7752 or advertise@libertylakesplash.com.  For general yard sale inquiries or with vendor questions, contact Liberty Lake Kiwanis member Melissa Niece 509-850-0845. Publishers of the official 2018 Yard Sale Guide

“Some observers questioned whether Central Valley belonged in the semifinals of the state 4A basketball tournament,” I wrote, “pointing out they were undersized, lacked the talent of higher profile players and that most of all their style of play was boring. What the pundits forgot to factor was the Bears’ resolve. The Spokane Valley’s ‘Little Engine That Could’ wrote the most amazing story in this week’s tourney and likely one of the most memorable in history.”

A supported event: The sales will be advertised and publicized through regionwide outlets, and the Kiwanis Club is working with local authorities and strategic vendors to ensure a safe and well-supported event.

Liberty Lake

Questions?

In my mind his best coaching job was 2006 and I was there in Tacoma when the Bears finished second in state.

Liber ty Lake

Major Sponsors

Payments should be made out to the Kiwanis Club of Liberty Lake. Mail them to The Splash, PO Box 363, Liberty Lake, WA 99019 along with the completed registration form. No phone or in-person registration is available. All proceeds will be used as scholarships for local graduates.

Rick says whichever CV coach – Giampietri or basketball coach Terry Irwin – retired first he would apply for the job. The coin flip came up basketball.

& Molte r

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Hyperbolic, I suppose, but future University of Washington and NBA star Isaiah Thomas, who had 51 points in one state game, couldn’t get Curtis there. The Bears beat South Kitsap, which was 26-1, in the semifinals. “They had no high flyers or speed merchants who put on electrifying transition dunk-fests. Heck. Even 6-foot-5 Nick Ambrose, the tallest player by far on the CV roster, (botched) a dunk to finish off the stunning victory,” I wrote of the Bears’ remarkable state run. Cinderella’s coach turned into a pumpkin, but it took future Louisville University star and pro Peyton Siva, from Franklin, to strike the clock at midnight. They did it with the staple that got the Bears to seven state or regional appearances during Rick’s 22 years as head coach – tough man defense and adaptable offense. CV reached the state finals twice and finished fourth twice. “We stressed a team game and unselfishness,” he said. “You have to check your ego at the door.” Rick was all that. You saw that in him 40 years ago. He will be missed.

The Current

Mullan Road Markers provide a roadmap to history

By Kylor Allen The following work is a tribute to the Mullan Road and the markers that are dedicated in Spokane and the Spokane Valley in particular. The Mullan Road Project, led by Cpt. John Mullan, was a road building campaign that was surveyed from 1853 to 1854 and took place from 1858 to 1862. The Spokane area was easily navigated in terms of road building but the impact that Mullan and his team had on the Spokane region provides a deeper history for how our region was shaped. Mullan was a member of the railroad survey crew led by Washington’s first territorial governor, Isaac Stevens. He also worked as a topographical officer on Col. George Wright’s military campaign in 1858. When the project finished, the road was sparsely used for military purposes but was influential in helping pioneers settle on the Spokane Plain. While the project’s projected budget was near $100,000, the project ended up being around $200,000 to build.

HISTORY

Foreshadowing the concern The thrashing of an axe plunging into a tree is an arduous job that requires an extreme amount of precision and strength. One could imagine that taking down one tree would be strenuous enough, now envision yourself amongst a dense forest in the arid summer heat tasked with the job of slashing, uprooting and grading a forest like you’ve never seen. For Mullan it was a weary summer, as he was tasked with the job of guiding a road building team through the thick forest surrounding Lake Coeur d’ Alene. The team had been at end of a four-day expedition that saw the crew move 540 feet of forest and spirits could very well have been low when Mullan decided to halt all road building for Independence Day, 1861. This was no ordinary Fourth of July, however. For a nation scoured by Civil War, the road being built thousands of miles away from the battlefields was an afterthought in the grand scheme – but this road was built to theoretically link the country together. From “Sea to Shining Sea” would not be coined in “America the Beautiful” for another couple of decades but linking the two seas was being accomplished on this road. Mullan decided to halt construction at a mountain pass, later called “Fourth of July Pass” in the panhandle of Idaho, just east of Lake Coeur d’ Alene, now about a 45-minute drive away from

Spokane Valley. It did not matter if his men held allegiance towards the South or North; here in the mountain pass they were united. Wanting to commemorate the moment, a member of the crew etched into a white pine, a marker that would stand for more than a century. The marking read, “M.R. July 4th 1861.” A chance to save what is left Counting both Spokane and Spokane Valley, there are six tributes to the road building campaign led by Mullan, but they are in a state of decay. The marker on Sprague and Vista has a significant damage to its base and the marker on Excelsior Road has moved closer to the edge of the platform and appears in danger of tipping over. In Spokane, the markers on 29th and Glenrose and 57th and Palouse Highway are crumbling and the headings are difficult to read. The monuments in the best shape are located on Eighth and Coleman and at Plante’s Ferry Park although it is important to note that they are made of different material than the others. Following the roadmap My parting remarks on the markers are a story that wouldn’t have been possible without these monuments. One day during my research I went to the marker on Excelsior Road. As I was standing in front of the marker I noticed that it was not centered on its platform, but it seemed to be in pretty good

A half-a-dozen stone markers in Spokane Valley and Spokane chart the path of the Mullan Road. The trail’s namesake, Cpt. John Mullan, was a member of a railroad survey crew and a topographical officer in the military. Mullan led construction of the road from 1858 to 1862. The current tenuous state of the Mullan Road Markers has local historians like Jayne Singleton of the Spokane Valley Heritage Museum speaking in support of leaving the unique artifacts where they stand. Contributed photos

MAY 2018 • 29

shape. As I stood on Excelsior Road I pondered, “If they built Highway 195 north to south then why did Mullan choose a different route in a Northwestern trajectory?” With my evidence being the closest marker on 57th and Palouse Highway and that these markers are intended points where the road went through. I decided to see if there was another marker nearby but to no avail. I headed home up Hatch Road and decided to try the Hangman Valley Golf Course Road. I had never gone this way because I thought it was a dead end. What I found was a series of rolling hills and a view of Hangman Creek like never before. I started to note that there wasn’t much of a grade on this road and worried I was starting to get lost. Luckily for me, I had cell service so I pulled up my map on my phone to see where I was and I found that the next street, Clark Street led to the Palouse Highway. I found my way up to the South Hill and there was seemingly no grade to it at all. I then passed the Mullan Marker on 57th on my way home. Without these markers I wouldn’t have been able to envision the road like I did and examine the road from a different view. If these markers decay further we are missing a piece of history. It is important to keep our history intact and make sure these monuments remain. Without these markers, young aspiring historians like myself can only refer to tall tales and pictures in a way where learning is no longer on our terms.

The Current

30 • MAY 2018

Home fire safety campaign focused on saving lives

From Current News Sources Nearly 500 homes in the southwest portion of the Spokane Valley Fire Department (SVFD) service area received free home fire safety Visits on April 21 with support from the Red Cross and other community groups. With the resident’s permission, teams of volunteers tested existing smoke alarms and installed new smoke alarms as needed to ensure working smoke alarms are in the right locations throughout each home. Residents also received a home fire safety checklist with important information about cooking safety, smoking, heating, electrical safety and more. More than 60 volunteers met at 9 a.m. for training at SVFD Station 6, 6306 E. Sprague Avenue. Door-todoor installation began at 9:45 a.m. and ran until noon. After a break for lunch, volunteers continued until all homes had been contacted.

Volunteers included many off-duty SVFD firefighters, SVFD Fire Corps members, Red Cross personnel and volunteers, volunteers from Novelis and representatives of the Washington Spokane Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) Mission. The target area for the campaign was roughly East Appleway Avenue to East Eighth Avenue and South Thierman Road to South Park Road. The area includes a mobile home park along with houses, duplexes, triplexes and mobile/manufactured homes and was selected based on a risk assessment conducted by SVFD as part of the agency’s comprehensive Community Risk Reduction program. “For this event, we created an overlay of several risk factors, including fire department response data, community demographics and the year that homes were originally built, specifically, homes that were built before 1982, when Washington State law first required smoke alarms in new construction,” explained Elysia Spencer, SVFD’s Community Risk Reduction specialist and event organizer. Spencer said primary goal of the campaign was “all-around risk reduction,” noting that nearly 60 percent of all home fire fatalities

occur in residences without working smoke alarms. “Our goal is to prevent residents in these neighborhoods from becoming part of that statistic,” Spencer said. “We’re excited about this opportunity to significantly improve fire and life safety for so many residents in just a few short hours.” Volunteers worked in three-person teams to educate, install alarms and document each visit. A supply of more than 1,500 smoke alarms was available to volunteers, thanks to grants awarded to both SVFD and the American Red Cross from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Assistance to Firefighters Fire Prevention and Safety Grant program. Last April, SVFD launched its first Home Fire Safety Visit campaign in partnership with the American Red Cross. During that campaign, volunteers installed hundreds of smoke alarms, including five alarms in John Bailey’s home on East Eighth Avenue in Spokane Valley. Three months later, Bailey and his daughter were home when the smoke alarms alerted them to a fire. Both escaped safely with the family cat. This story was featured in a recent American Red Cross video honoring Spokane Valley Fire Department and the Spokane

Fire Department with a 2018 Red Cross Heroes Award for our ongoing partnership with the Red Cross on the Home Fire Safety campaign. SVFD residents are encouraged to request a free home fire safety visit by calling 892-4153 or completing a request online at www. spokanevalleyfire.com. About SVFD - Spokane Valley Fire Department serves the cities of Spokane Valley, Liberty Lake, Millwood, and unincorporated areas of Spokane County with a combined population of 125,000 across approximately 75 square miles. SVFD firefighters and paramedics responded to more than 17,200 emergency calls in 2017. Established in 1940, SVFD is an Accredited Agency by the Commission on Fire Accreditation International, one of only a handful in Washington State. SVFD operates 10 stations providing fire suppression, emergency medical services, vehicle extrication, hazardous materials response, special operations rescue, fire investigation, fire prevention, commercial property inspection, CPR and fire safety training. SVFD provides free fire safety inspections and installation of free smoke detectors. For more information call 928-1700 or visit www. spokanevalleyfire.com.

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The Current

BUSINESS

MAY 2018 • 31

Brothers Office Pizzeria launches new Valley location By Staci Lehman

Current Correspondent What do you call a pizza business owned by two brothers (and a friend) who spend all their time there? Brothers Office Pizzeria of course. “It’s their home away from home,” said Scott Keith, co-owner and operator of Brothers Office Pizzeria, along with brothers Jimmy and Tim Lo. “It’s their office.” Brothers Office now has three locations in the east side of Spokane County. The first was opened at 32nd and Pines in 2014, followed by a Liberty Lake location that opened in 2016 and one at 12930 E. Mansfield that opened in March. “We try to let our profits roll into new stores, so every two years we start looking at new spots,” said Keith. But why pizza when there are many pizza options already? Jimmy Lo had worked in pizza restaurants for many years so when Keith retired from the Air Force a couple years ago they all decided to go into business together. Now Jimmy runs the kitchen; Tim has been managing the existing two stores while the new one was launched

Locally owned Brothers Office Pizzeria recently opened a third location on East Mansfield in Spokane Valley. The business specializes in pizza made with fresh ingredients and generous customer service. Photo by Danica Wick and Keith acts as prep cook at the new location and delivers supplies to the other two stores every day.

is what sets them aside from other pizza restaurants – along with their high standards.

“We pride ourselves on fresh ingredients and on greeting everyone upon entering and leaving,” Keith said.

“If you won’t serve it to your mom, we won’t serve it here, we always say.”

He says that personal approach

Despite never having paid for advertising until just recently, Keith says business has been very good. “It’s always been word of mouth,” he said. “We’re getting a lot of support from the customers. We had a soft opening for the Mansfield location and 99 percent were regulars from our other stores.” Brothers Office Pizzeria is gaining new fans too though, especially from residents of the multiple apartment complexes that surround the Mansfield location.

Brothers Office Pizzeria is just that as brothers Jimmy (above) and Tim Lo co-own the business along with their friend Scott Keith. The first location opened on 32nd and Pines in 2014.

“We get a lot of customers who come through our 32nd Street location and we engage with all of them,” he said. “We just happened to engage with a developer who owns those apartments and he was putting in a retail building.” The Mansfield location has a bigger kitchen than the other sites and is able to offer an expanded menu. The 32nd and Liberty Lake restaurants only serve pizza, sandwiches and salad. Mansfield has much more variety and also serves breakfast every day starting at 7 a.m. Mansfield is closed on Mondays while the other two locations are open seven days a week starting at 11 a.m.

“We’ve actually established a few regulars already,” Keith said. “We have people who come in every day from the apartments. Or they’ll go to the gym next door and come over for combucha after their workout.”

With this new restaurant up and running, Keith and the Los are already looking to the future. Keith just finished putting together a website at brothersofficepizzeria. com and they are considering locations for the next store in two years. And possibly an even bigger expansion down the road.

As for the location itself, Keith says Brothers Office ended up on Mansfield kind of as a fluke.

“We want to eventually start franchise but that’s years away,” Keith Said.

The Current

32 • MAY 2018

East Valley’s Strolling Strings a roving powerhouse

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Current Correspondent For the Strolling Strings, East Valley High School’s renowned string orchestra/dance group, the “Pinocchio” comparison is too obvious to ignore.

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Orchestra musicians are almost always confined to a stage tethered to their instrument, stand and sheet music. But the Strolling Strings, comprised of about 50 East Valley students, are anything but confined. They wear colorful costumes, fling around their instruments and dance all about the stage and into the crowd. Their strings, ahem, can’t hold them down. “It’s a performance - a little more like putting on a play while they’re out there,” said Faye Atwood, orchestra director at East Valley High School. “They’re walking between tables and actually serenading the people in front of them. They’re really putting themselves out there.” The group was recently bestowed with the 2018 Arts & Creativity Chase Youth Award, from the Chase Youth Commission honoring outstanding youth, teens and adults making positive influences in the greater Spokane community. A local favorite for years. Strolling

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Strings began with Marla Pflanz, East Valley’s previous orchestra director, who modeled the group after seeing performances of similar string orchestra/dance groups in the Midwest. The entertainment troupes were especially popular in the 1990s. Today groups like the Strolling Strings are much more of a rarity. “I don’t know if there are any others in the state of Washington anymore,” Atwood said. “A lot of people gave it up because it’s a lot of work.” When Pflanz retired in 2013, the district asked Atwood, who had started the strings program at East Valley years prior, to return and take over leadership of the Strolling Strings. Strolling Strings consists of violin, viola, cello and bass players who meet at 6:45 a.m. for “zero hour” at the school. Students receive a half credit for time, but Atwood considers the group more of a community service. The kids perform about 20 concerts each school year at various venues, including retirement homes, business groups and schools. Performances are about 30 minutes, featuring a wide variety of music – from contemporary rock to square dances, waltzes and traditional fiddle music. The song list includes the Beatles, “Blue Moon” and even some Disney and stage show favorites. The music itself may not be the most challenging from a technical level but it gets much more complicated when students are

See STRINGS Page 33

East Valley High School’s Strolling Strings, a unique musical group known for its combination of music and dance, was recently honored with the 2018 Arts & Creativity Chase Youth Award, from the Chase Youth Commission. The award recognizes outstanding youth, teens and adults making positive influences in the greater Spokane community. Photo by: Danica Wick

The Current

MAY 2018 • 33

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STRINGS

Continued from page 32 asked to memorize it alongside dance choreography. Atwood says there is no way she could manage dancing and playing at the same time. Even high school kids, with their energy level, need a reasonable window. “I don’t ever do 40 minutes of music, because they do get very tired,” she said. Instruments that are heavier like the cello also require a few special modifications to facilitate the moves and dances onstage. East Valley senior Michael Dunlap, who plays violin, said the end result is quite different for both the performers and the audience. “We’re playing these awesome songs and you’re dancing around, and everyone is smiling and happy and having a good time,” Dunlap said. Senior Alyssa Mitchell, like many of the students, started playing in orchestra in elementary school. But she says she likely wouldn’t have stuck with the violin had she not seen a Strolling Strings performance around that time. “The first time I saw them it really stuck with me; it was my goal to be a part of them,” Mitchell said. “I liked playing violin but we never got to do anything standing up. There was a different ambience to it. It was really exciting how you could move and dance.” Junior Chase Vigesaa, who plays viola, said he wanted to be a part of Strolling Strings after seeing his older siblings in the program. “With the regular orchestra you are usually in a pit, with this you can serenade people and talk to them after a performance,” Vigesaa

said. “You can have a true personal connection with the audience.” Atwood said including all high school grade levels is one of the keys to group’s success. Seniors help the underclass musicians with the dances and having a large group of players means the younger musicians can sit out performances until they’re ready. Vigesaa said the initial training as a freshman was challenging, but now he enjoys getting audiences in on the fun. “Once you are able to just show everybody that you’re having fun, you can get them to have fun,” he said. The Chase Youth Award speaks to the group’s value, bringing positivity and happiness to the community. Mitchell said their shows have resonated with audiences as songs sometimes bring up memories from the past. “I was playing this serenade song to this lady and she actually started crying and told me that was a song her and her husband danced to at their wedding,” Mitchell said. “It was both a happy and sad experience, but it just showed me how music can be so powerful.” The Strolling Strings are not a competitive group. They volunteer their performances and rely on donations to support their shows, including event transportation, sound equipment and costuming. Atwood credits several charitable contributions from businesses and community members for keeping the group sustainable. Those wanting to support Strolling Strings can learn how to help by calling East Valley High School at 927-3200. For more information on the Chase Youth Commission, visit ChaseYouthSpokane.org

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Around 50 East Valley student musicians comprise the Strolling Strings. The noncompetitive group plays at a variety of venues throughout the year and relies on donations to support their program. Contributed ohoto

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