February 2020 Current

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FEBRUARY

2020

GREATER SPOKANE VALLEY

A VALLEY-WIDE COMMUNITY NEWSMAGAZINE

GEM OF THE VALLEY Valley Chamber recognizes citizens, businesses, and educators of the year! page 10

IGNITE NEW SEASON UNDER WAY PAGES 4

ORCHARD CREST MEMORY CARE FACILITY PAGE 18

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2

• FEBRUARY 2020

The Current

RIVER CROSSING

Calming Voice –

Ross a catalyst for collaboration, change

By Craig Howard

Current Contributing Editor

Standing at the head of the room for the monthly gathering of the Greater Valley Support Network (GVSN), Dave Ross makes everyone feel at ease.

The former firefighter and police officer is accustomed to far more challenging environments than the congenial gathering of concerned citizens at the Opportunity Presbyterian Church on Pines Road.

With GVSN, a group formed seven years ago to address homelessness and other issues in the greater Spokane Valley, Ross serves as a facilitator and part of the leadership team. His patience, calm demeanor and infectious generosity make him a well-suited ambassador.

Dave and his wife Diann are fixtures at GVSN meetings and events like the Valley Connect, a large-scale resource fair sponsored by the organization each September.

The couple also participates in the Spokane Homeless Coalition, a group that advocates for those without safe and affordable housing.

“Dave is absolute tops,” said Ian Robertson, former pastor of Valley Church of the Nazarene who has worked with Ross on a number of projects. “He’s great at getting people and church groups to work together. He’s also just a wonderful friend.”

By day, Dave and Diann serve in a volunteer capacity for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints, acting as public affairs representatives. They have held the responsibility since 2010 and work to establish connections with other faith groups as well as nonprofits and local jurisdictions. “It’s about building relationships,” Ross said.

Ross has formed a myriad of

friendships over nearly a decade in the role. He talks warmly of renowned Spokane Pastor Happy Davis as someone who has had a profound influence.

“Happy’s one of my best friends,” he says.

Ross also serves as a board member with Spokane Valley Partners Food Bank and Family Services, the Valley’s leading social service agency. In his spare time, he is part of the Spokane Police Department Faith Alliance and Community Risk Reduction program.

A native of Wisconsin, Ross spent his early years in the town of Sheboygan on the western shores of Lake Michigan. Ross’s dad worked as a management consultant in the agricultural equipment industry, a job that meant roots being pulled up from time to time. Ross’s family moved several times – with stops in Illinois, Pennsylvania and Iowa – before settling in the Pacific Northwest. He began his freshman year in high school in Everett, Washington.

Ross is the oldest of six kids and enjoyed the outdoors growing up.

He wrestled and ran cross country in school before a part-time job took up most of his time outside of class.

While in high school, he met Diann who was part of the same graduating class. The couple has been married since 1966 and has six children and 23 grandchildren.

Ross had aspirations to be a pilot, police officer, doctor or firefighter growing up. After high school, he applied with the Seattle Police Department but fell one-eighth of an inch too short of the agency’s (since abandoned) 5-9 height requirement.

He instead latched on with the Seattle Fire Department and quickly moved up the ladder, advancing to the office of lieutenant in just four years. While at SFD, he also found work as a part-time as an officer with the Edmonds Police Department.

Ross said he was drawn to be a first responder because he “liked making a difference and positively impacting people’s lives.”

Side jobs were part of Ross’s reality as a young adult. He drove a plywood delivery truck and had

Photo by Craig Howard Dave Ross is a board member with Spokane Valley Partners and Food Bank.

He is also part of the leadership team with Greater Valley Support Network, a coalition of nonprofits, faith groups, schools, city governments and citizens focused on rallying resources and support for less-fortunate residents.

a painting contracting business with Diann before another parttime opportunity with Primerica in Everett led to a full-time venture.

As a part-time financial advisor, he made more than he did as a captain with fire department. That was 1981 and Ross has been with Primerica ever since, rising to a national sales director in 1989. He now oversees nearly 60 offices in the Western U.S. and Canada.

Dave and Diann moved across the mountains in 1995 and acclimated quickly to Eastern Washington.

They settled in Spokane Valley and just last summer, moved to an area just north of Barker Road.

Q: You spent many years on the west side of the state, or “the coast” as some refer to it. Why did you decide to relocate to Eastern Washington and why have you chosen to stay here?

A: We were attracted to the drier, warmer climate, the lack of horrendous traffic, better schools, and the multitude of outdoor recreation opportunities that are close to home. The Inland Northwest is truly a wonderful place in which to live and raise a family.

Q: How was the concept of service exemplified to you growing up? How did you try to carry that example on to your kids?

A: I was always impressed with the dedication of the youth leaders at my church. They were genuine in their concern for each of us and provided opportunities for us to provide service to others.

My parents were always looking for ways to help others who were in need, especially the refugees who were coming from Cambodia and Vietnam. We got to know the refugees and their families quite well and they became close, lifelong friends. As parents, we looked for opportunities for our own children to serve in the community. Our daughters participated in many school and church service events and our sons were active in Boy Scouts and doing a “good turn” was a continual focus.

See Ross, Page 5

FEBRUARY 2020 • 3

The Current

16th Annual Kiwanis Father Daughter Dance March 7, 2020 6:30 pm - 9:00 pm Mirabeau Park Hotel Early bird $55 per couple before Feb 14. $60 per couple at the door Additional daughter $20.

Dinner and dance package for 2 $114, $199 for dinner, dance, room, and breakfast.

Go to libertylakekiwanis.org Flowers available. photos available. Kiwanis Fundraiser. Raffle prizes and give aways.

Sponsorship opportunities available. Contact Paul Nigh at 661-331-9521 for details

A fundraiser hosted by the Liberty Lake Kiwanis club that invests in the children of our community.

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We provide events that have a positive impact on youth and the community. hubsportscenter.org/

We develop healthy children, create strong families, build engaged communities, and advocate for children. childrenshomesociety.org

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4

• FEBRUARY 2020

Ignite! - ed for another season

COMMUNITY

By Nina Culver

Current Contributor

The actors gathered on stage, reading their lines aloud from small yellow booklets and making penciled notes as the director gave them tips on where to stand, where to walk and how to say their lines.

They were preparing for three performances of Ignite! Community Theatre’s “The Importance of Being Earnest” by Oscar Wilde in midJanuary.

Ignite! Is in the midst of its 15th season and has been performing shows on the stage in the Spokane Valley Partners Building at 10814 E. Broadway Ave. since 2012. Prior to that it performed at a variety of locations, including at Gonzaga University, the Blue Door Theatre and local churches and senior centers.

“We were itinerant for seven years,” said board president Dan Griffith.

The group started small, doing Booklight shows, which are also known as reader’s theater. They’re called that because the actors read their lines from a script and don’t memorize them. There are no costumes, few if any set pieces and the shows are cheap to put on.

“We started doing reader’s theater

Photo by Nina Culver In the first picture is (standing) Jamie Sciarrrio as Lady Bracknell and (seated) Marty Kittleson as Miss Prism. because they’re easy to do,” he said.

“It requires something from the audience. You have to create the entire environment in your mind.”

The group also does Footlight shows, which are fully produced shows with costumes and set pieces.

The actors memorize their lines.

While reader’s theater productions run only three days, a Footlight production has nine shows over three weekends.

The theater Ignite! uses is small, with only 100 seats. The stage as small as well, which means they can’t do plays that have large casts or moving set pieces. “It’s a small stage,” Griffith said. “The seating is appropriate for what we have. It

kind of helps us select the plays we do.”

Griffith said he thinks the reader’s theater productions they do are a great introduction for people who might not have done any acting before. There are only six rehearsals for the reader’s theater shows versus six weeks of rehearsals for a Footlight show.

“The requirements are pretty small,” he said. “Whether they’re new to our theater or new to theater, we want to welcome them.”

Griffith was a performer at the Civic Theater for many years before he auditioned for a role at Ignite!

“I’ve found that this is a welcoming community,” he said.

He didn’t get into acting until 2006. “It was something I had always been interested in,” he said.

At the time he was a member of the Pages of Harmony barbershop quartet. A friend who performed with the Civic Theater told him there was a play coming up that featured a barbershop quartet and suggested he audition for one of the quartet roles. He did and got the part.

“I was just totally sucked in after that,” he said.

LuRicka Kougl is an actor, Ignite! Board member, marketing chairperson and theatre historian.

She said she likes that Ignite! Is a true community theater group.

“This is truly what you think of for community theater,” she said. “No one is paid. Not a penny.”

“It’s just because we love to do it,” said Griffith.

Kougl has been acting for a

The Current

significant portion of her life. “I started when I was eight,” she said.

“My first real musical was at the age of 12.”

Kougl said she, like many other actors, feels the need to create.

“Once theater is in your blood it doesn’t come out easily,” she said.

Both Griffith and Kougl would like to make Ignite! more well known in the community, particularly in Spokane Valley. “That’s the challenge,” Kougl said. “Our target market is the Valley. We want to be the theater of the Valley.”

Griffith said he believes Ignite! is starting to find its place in the community. “We have been progressively more successful and growing,” he said. “It’s kind of an exciting time. We are finally starting to get a little recognition.”

Just because Ignite! is small doesn’t mean it doesn’t do good work. Griffith said. “I’m really proud of the quality of the stuff we do,” he said. “I’d put our stuff up against anybody. We tell stories and I think we tell stories very well.”

Griffith said he’s always surprised when people tell him they’ve never been to a live theater performance. “It’s actually amazing to me how many people have never experienced live theater,” he said.

“It’s a different experience thana movie. You’re pulled into what’s going on.”

The desire to attract people to the theater is reflected in the ticket prices.

Footlight performances are $15 for adults, $13 for seniors/ students/military and $12 per person for groups of six or more.

Reader’s theater tickets are $5, as are the improv performances held on the first Saturday of every month at 7 p.m.

“We’ve been very intentional about keeping our prices where they’re at,” Griffith said.

Upcoming Ignite! Community Theater schedule. Tickets available at www.igniteonbroadway.org.

“Fireflies” by Matthew Barber, directed by Kathy Bowers. Feb. 14-March 1. (Footlight) “The Unexpected Guest” by Agatha Christie, directed by Dan Griffith. March 20-22. (Booklight) “All My Sons” by Arthur Miller, directed by H. James Brown. April 10-26. (Footlight) “Mom’s Gift” by Phil Olson, directed by Barry Brathovde. June 12-28. (Footlight)

FEBRUARY 2020 • 5

The Current

ROSS

Continued from page 2 Q: You and Diann have been active in the Greater Valley Support Network for many years now. What sort of impact do you think this group has had in our community?

A: GVSN was created to raise awareness and address the issue of homeless students in the Spokane Valley. At the time, there were approximately 800 school aged children who were considered homeless, (not sleeping on the streets but in cars, tents, doubled up with relatives or “couch surfing” with friends). That number has not changed significantly. At our monthly meetings, we generally invite two presenters who represent local organizations that provide help and support for individuals and families. Sometimes it is someone who brings information on a certain issue like domestic violence or substance abuse. There is a lot of networking that occurs after our meetings. We meet on the second Thursday of the month at Opportunity Presbyterian Church in the Valley. Everyone is welcome.

Because of GVSN, a similar organization was formed – the West Plains Support Network.

Q: Lack of affordable housing is one of the reoccurring themes at GVSN meetings. Where do you think we stand in terms of accessible housing in the greater Spokane Valley area?

A: Currently in Spokane County the housing vacancy rate is about 1 percent or less, making it very difficult for families to find housing, especially if they are in a lower income bracket, or have poor credit history. There seems to be a lot of new apartment complexes under construction locally, but whether they will be affordable is another question. There are so many factors to consider in the housing/ homeless issue that it is difficult to decide where to best focus our efforts. Spokane Valley doesn’t have a temporary shelter at present, although it is a regular subject that is brought up at our meetings. It would be nice if we could find an easy answer but unfortunately, we haven’t been able to do so.

Q: As a board member with Spokane Valley Partners Food Bank and Family Services, what

are you seeing as some of the most glaring challenges faced by families and individuals seeking stability?

A: Too often children do not have a stable family structure, due to a variety of causes and circumstances.

This can lead to a multitude of problems. The weekend backpack program (Food 4 Thought) at Spokane Valley Partners provides weekend, easy-to-fix meals, for students who participate in either free or reduced meals at school. The current number of recipients is about 500 each week.

There are many other nonprofits and government organizations that can provide help in most areas of need and are available without cost. Too often, individuals with problems are unwilling to engage in programs that can make a real difference in their lives. The fact that much of the help is only available in the downtown area of Spokane does pose a problem for others outside of that area who need help.

Q: What sort of grade would you give this community as it relates to supporting their neighbors in need?

A: I feel that there are many people who genuinely care about the vulnerable members of our community.

I also believe that most of our community members are unaware of the important needs that go unmet. I feel that if they were aware of the problems and what they could do to help, many of them would join in the effort. I also know that once they engage in charitable work, they will want to continue their efforts because it will harm their hearts and souls.

Food and clothing banks need donations and volunteers, schools need people to mentor students (one hour a week, usually at lunchtime), and there are dozens and dozens of charitable organizations that provide tremendous help to the community and all could use outside help from community volunteers.

Q: What can a person do to become more involved in charitable efforts in the community?

A: Improved communication from the charities to the community about the services they provide and the volunteers and resources they need would be helpful. For people who would like to find opportunities to serve, they can go to: spokanecares. org or justserve.org for information and ideas.

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Prepared By: Spokane County IT in conjunction with Spokane County Sheriffs Office on 1/7/2020

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See SVFD REPORT, Page 22

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Spokane Valley Fire Department (SVFD) crews responded to a total of 1,568 emergency calls from December 15, 2019 – January 15, 2020.

• Emergency Medical Services 1290 • Motor Vehicle Accidents 101 • Building Alarms 59 • Fires 44 • Dispatched and cancelled enroute 35 • Service Calls 16 • Hazardous Materials 14 • Vehicle Fires 5 • Auto vs Pedestrian 2 • Technical Rescue 2 Highlights and the news include: Total calls for service were significantly higher this time period, moving up from 1359 the month prior to 1568.

Calls for EMS rose from 1091 to 1290.

Motor Vehicle Accidents rose from 80 to 101.

Building Alarms dropped from 66 to 59.

Fires remained consistent from 46 last month to 44 this month.

Crews continue to be ready for winter weather safety by checking their vehicles everyday to ensure tires, chains, fluids, sand, shovels, blankets, and other aspects of the trucks are at proper winter safety standards.

Drive Slow, Move Over, and Pay Attention when First Responders have red lights flashing.

Illegal Burn, December 17, 7:43 p.m. - Spokane Valley Fire Department (SVFD) responded to a possible illegal burn. A neighbor nearby called in thinking garbage was being burned in the backyard of a neighboring home. Valley Engine 10 responded and upon arrival found the homeowner burning in an approved fire pit with approved fuel source. Crews thanked him for his safety precautions and returned to service.

Moving Violation, January 1, 3:48 p.m. Spokane Valley Fire responded to a moving violation call from a property owner. Valley Engine 1 arrived on scene to find a fire hydrant that had been sheared

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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 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: Spokane County IT in conjunction with Spokane County Sheriffs Office on 1/7/2020

SAFETY TIP OF THE MONTH

New safety laws are now in effect for child passengers, Please review these new laws to keep children safe in your vehicle.

• Requires a child to be properly secured in a rearfacing child restraint system until the age of 2 or until the child reaches the seat manufacturer-set weight or height limits.

• Requires a child not secured in a rear-facing seat who is under the age of 4 to be properly secured in a forward-facing child restraint system until the child reaches the seat manufacturer-set weight or height limits.

• Requires a child not secured in a forward- or rear-facing child restraint system who is under 4 feet 9 inches tall to be properly secured in a child booster seat until the child reaches the seat manufacturer-set weight or height limits.

8

• FEBRUARY 2020

Spokane Valley Report February 2020

By Bill Gothmann Current Contributor

Ben Wick Selected as Mayor On January 7, prior to the formal Council Meeting, one new Council Member was sworn in, Tim Hattenburg, and two were sworn in for another term, Brandi Peetz and Arne Woodard. At the formal meeting, these joined four existing council members: Linda Thompson, Rod Higgins, Pam Haley, and Ben Wick.

The first item on the agenda was to choose a mayor and a deputy mayor.

The procedure calls for the City Clerk, Christ Bainbridge, to conduct the meeting until a mayor is selected. She opened the floor for mayoral nominations and Linda Thompson nominated Ben Wick; Pam Haley nominated Linda Thompson, who declined.

The vote was taken and all except Rod Higgins voted in favor of Wick. He chose not to vote which, according the rules, is accepted as a negative vote. Thus, Ben Wick was selected as Mayor. Wick then permitted Bainbridge to conduct the meeting to select a deputy mayor. Hattenburg nominated Peetz; Woodard nominated Thompson, who declined, and Higgins nominated Hattenburg, who declined. Five voted in favor of Peetz. Woodard voted no and Higgins did not vote.

Thus Peetz was selected for Deputy Mayor.

Bainbridge had chosen the seat positions at the dais in order of the position (1-7). Wick left the seats where they were for the time being.

Mayor Wick Appoints Council Members to Boards and Committees Mayor Ben Wick reverted back to the practice of distributing Council Board and Committee assignments evenly over the seven Council members, rather than concentrating the assignments on a few individuals. Three Committees have members whose terms has not yet expired: County Housing and Community Development Advisory Committee: Arne Woodward; Tourism Promotion Area: Brandi Peetz; Wastewater Policy Advisory Board: Arne Woodard and Rod Higgins.

NEWS

Mayor Wick made the following assignments: Aging and Long Care of Eastern Washington: Rod Higgins, Pam Haley (alternative); Chamber of Commerce Board: Brandi Peetz; Spokane Regional Clean Air Agency, Rod Higgins, Arne Woodard (alternate); Spokane County Continuum of Care for Homeless, Pam Haley; Spokane Valley Finance Committee: Ben Wick, Brandi Peetz, Linda Thompson; Spokane County Growth Management Steering Committee of Elected Officials: Ben Wick, Tim Hattenburg; Spokane Valley Governance Manual Committee: Rod Higgins, Tim Hattenburg, Linda Thompson; GSI: Ben Wick; Health District Board: Linda Thompson, Ben Wick; Lodging Tax Advisory Committee: Ben Wick; Mayors Association of Northeast Washington: Ben Wick; Spokane Regional Transportation Council: Ben Wick; Spokane Transit Authority: Pam Haley, Tim Hattenburg, Ben Wick (Alternate); Visit Spokane: Brandi Peetz, Pam Haley (alternate).

Banking Authority Granted The City requires that the City Council authorize by resolution which qualified financial depositories (banks) the City may use to make payments on claims or obligations, and who

has authority to sign checks for the City. Therefore, they selected Banner Bank, Mountain West Bank, Umpqua Bank, Northwest Bank and “other public depositories as listed on the Washington Public Deposit Protection Commission” for public deposits, checks and fund transfers.

Ben Wick, Brandi Peetz and Arne Woodard were given signing authority on behalf of the City for banking activities. City Finance Director Chelsie Taylor noted that checks are now automated.

Improvements Coming to Centerplace City Council awarded a $1,348,734.02 contract to William Winkler for Phase II of the Centerplace improvements, about $114,000 below the engineer’s estimate. This phase will install a new plaza and associated landscaping improvements, site lighting, electrical, a new cul-desac at the end of North Discovery Place, restroom, storage building, and paths. City Parks Director Mike Stone noted that the finished project will have full handicap accessibility.

Centerplace Rentals Do Not Cover Costs Parks and Recreation Director Mike Stone presented data that shows that CenterPlace revenue represents only about 50% of the

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costs. From 2016 to 2018, the rate of coverage was 49.5%, 49.6%, and 51.2%, respectively. Stone expects this trend to continue. The vision of Centerplace is to promote corporate and private events which will help stimulate our local economy; to produce customized, high quality events; and to provide an experience that showcases the values of Spokane Valley. Staff is constantly reviewing fees, resulting in rates that are not the lowest or the highest in the area, but “competitively priced for the quality of space and level of service provided.”

GSI Explains Effort to Receive Sales Tax Rebate Since 1997, of the 39 counties in Washington State, 32 rural counties have been receiving a rebate of 0.09% of their sales tax back from the State for the purpose of economic development. Spokane is not one of these. Many of these 32 counties have used the funds to set up port districts. These are entities that receive the funds and use them to develop such areas as airports, business districts and infrastructure that support economic development and sustain this development through rental of these facilities.

Greater Spokane Incorporated (GSI) is the Associated Development Organization designated by the Washington State Department of

Photo by Danica Wick Newly elected Mayor, Ben Wick (Center) was chosen by his fellow councilman as Mayor January 7 with a vote of 6-1.

Wall Sign Definition and Examples

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Commerce for Spokane County.

GSI is proposing to the legislature that border counties, such as ours, be included in the rebate program.

Their proposal also sets uniform rebate rates and uniform expiration dates for the program. They are encouraging all entities within the County to urge the legislature to make these added provisions to the program.

Sales Tax Rebate From Legislature Available In 2019, the State Legislature approved a 0.0073% sales tax rebate for jurisdictions to be used for qualifying expenses relating to affordable and supportive housing.

Note that this does not include funds for a homeless shelter. The rebate requires that the City adopt an enabling ordinance in order to qualify. Council asked staff to draft such an ordinance.

There is a second 0.0073% available if a jurisdiction conducts a vote of its citizens. However, because of time constraints, the City is presently unable to do this.

The County has already applied for this second rebate and, if the City does nothing, they will receive the funds. The legislature, however, is considering extending the time limit for the application.

City and Valleyfest Formalize their Relationship The City and Valleyfest formalized a status quo agreement that defines what services and obligations the City has and what obligations and services Valleyfest have. Under the contract, the City makes Centerplace, portions of Mirabeau Meadows, and Myrna Park available for the event and provides necessary ancillary services such as garbage, security, electrical service, a meeting room, and use of the City logo. In return, Valleyfest promises to work with staff on an as-needed basis, recognize that the City is a primary sponsor, limit the number of car show vehicles to 200, and “provide an annual event that creates community identity for people of all ages.” Hold harmless and indemnification provisions are also included.

Supplemental Agreement Approved for Barker Project Over the past two years the City has been working with David Evans and Associates (DEA) in developing a plan for the Barker Road/BNSF Grade Separation Project. Thus far, DEA has developed alternatives,

NEWS

and then focused on the alternative Definition: A permanent selected by the Council. Recently, sign attached or erected they have parallel been performing to and extending engineering not and right-of-way more than 15 inches services underfrom a $2.3 millionoraddition the facade face to their original $194,615 of any buildingcontract. to which it A change is nowis attached before Council which and would release $10,383.79 supported throughoutofits the contract to DEA for additional entire length, with the rightof-way services, contract exposed face ofdocuments the sign to detail agreement between parallel to the plane of the said wall or facade.

Signs City and Washington Department incorporated into of Transportation, development of a mansard roofs, marquees, detour route to accommodate access or canopies are wall to several parcels east of Barker Road becausesigns. the intersection will be raised 12 feet, and additional miscellaneous services.

Council approved release of the funds. Thus far, the City has secured funding in excess of $24 million for the project from seven sources and can easily cover the supplemental agreement costs.

Two Barker Project Acquisitions Approved Council approved the acquisition of two right-of-way (ROW) property acquisitions for the Barker Road/ BNSF Grade Separation Project.

One purchase was from SPW/DIST LLC for $47,820. The other was from Jovi LLC for $728,500 plus $14,856.40 for legal fees. The City has been negotiating with nine property owners to acquire the necessary ROW for the project. In total, there are 17 parcels affected by ROW or easement acquisition needs. The City has, thus far, secured funding in excess of $24 million for the project.

County and City to Join Efforts for Bigelow/Sullivan Grant On January 13, 2020, the US Department of Transportation (USDOT) issued a call for projects for the Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) discretionary grant program. The City and the County decided that there would be a better chance of obtaining a grant if they jointly submitted a request for the Sullivan Road and Bigelow Gulch/Forker Road Improvement Projects. The cost for a consultant to prepare the application is estimated to be $80,000, with the City footing 30% of the cost and the County supplying the remaining 70%.

Council agreed to a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) stating these costs.

Transportation Improvement Plan (TIP) Amended Council approved an amendment to the 2020 TIP that added two projects to the list of future projects: an Argonne/Montgomery

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Contributed photos Examples of wall signs being considered to be allowed along aesthetic corridors in Spokane Valley Intersection Improvement Project and a Park Road Sidewalk Improvement Project.

These projects received grants from the State’s Transportation Improvement Board (TIB). The TIP is a document that provides a prioritized list of the City plans for streets and sidewalks.

A project must be listed in the TIP before funds can be spent from the City’s Real Estate Excise Tax (REET) receipts. These two projects utilize both REET funds and TIB funds.

City to Add Building Signs to Aesthetic Corridors In 2007, the City developed sign regulations for aesthetic corridors.

These corridors are, in general, streets that enter the city: State Route 27, 16th Avenue to City limits and Mansfield to Trent, Appleway Boulevard’s south side from Park to Dishman-Mica; Appleway Avenue, Barker to Hodges; Dishman-Mica from 8th south to the City Limits; 32nd Avenue; and Mirabeau Parkway from Pines to Indiana. Only monument signs were permitted along these roads.

Monument signs are low-height, free-standing signs with a substantial structure planted on the ground. The City is proposing permitting wall signs – signs that are attached to the wall of a building such as the sign at Spokane Valley City Hall. The Planning Commission unanimously approved the proposal. This item will return to Council for final action.

Staff Provides Public Record and Open Meeting Training Staff provides Public Records Act (PRA) and Open Public Meeting Act (OPMA) training for every new council. The PRA was adopted

in 1972 by voter initiative. The mandate states, “The people of this state do not yield their sovereignty to the agencies that serve them. The people, in delegating authority, do not give their public servants the right to decide what is good for the people to know and what is not good for them to know. The people insist on remaining informed so that they may maintain control over the instruments they have created.” The act requires that all writings, emails, tweets text messages, postings, meta-data, and police videos be available to the public if they in any way are related to “conduct of government or the performance of any governmental or proprietary function prepared, owned, used, or retained by any state or local agency.” The effect on Council is that any city work performed on even personal computers is considered a public record. Therefore, Council is encouraged to use only the City’s computer for such work.

The OPMA defines a meeting of the majority of the council. Thus, four or more Council members meeting together and discussing any city business is considered a meeting and is open to the public. If no city business is discussed, it is not considered a meeting. Meetings can also be serial. If Council member A talks to B and C, and D talks to B and C about a subject, it is a meeting.

Meetings require prior notice to the public so they can attend.

• Council approved removal of the Mission Horse Arena structures by City and Geiger work crews, costing about $10,000. A disastrous fire hit the arena in 2003.

Furthermore, recent rental receipts have dwindled to zero.

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• FEBRUARY 2020

COVER STORY

Community Winners at a glance: Heart of the Community: Valleyfest founder and CEO, Peggy Doering Runner up: Jim Reincke Entrepreneur of the Year: Newspaper publisher and Spokane Valley Mayor Ben Wick Runner up: C.J. Curtis, owner of The Garden Coffee and Local Eats Educators of the Year as chosen by their school district: Analisa McCann, Broadway Elementary School, Central Valley School District Lois Musser, Trent Elementary School, East Valley School District Denise Conrad, Freeman Elementary and Middle School, Freeman School District Suzanne Ruth-Scott, Spokane Valley High School, West Valley School District Lifetime Achievement Award: Wayne Frost

Gem of the Valley Gala Awards

By Pia Hallenberg Current Contributor

The Greater Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce celebrated its annual Gem of the Valley Gala Awards with a fabulous dinner at Mirabeau Park Hotel on Jan. 24.

The ballroom was packed with hundreds of guests who were there to celebrate the best in business and community leadership in Spokane Valley.

President and CEO of the Greater Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce Lance Beck opened the evening.

“This is the 17th time we get together for these awards” Beck said.

The evening was emceed by News 4 Now’s morning news anchor Derek Deis.

Inland Empire Paper Company’s

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Kevin Rasler reminded everyone that the Chamber is 99 years old and it continues to take the lead in areas such as health care, manufacturing, transportation and education.

“This organization is in a great position to launch itself into a fantastic centennial year,” Rasler said.

Part of the evening is community awards for businesses and leaders, and part are chamber awards given to those who volunteer their time and efforts to keep the chamber going.

Jim Reincke, of Haven Real Estate Group and Rockin’ Rhino Studio, has been Chamber Ambassador chair since 2015 and was awarded Chamber Ambassador of the year.

“For me, being an ambassador is really easy because of the great work of the chamber,” Reincke said.

Founder and CEO of Valleyfest Peggy Doering was awarded Heart of the Community because of her work as the main organizer of ValleyFest for 30 years.

“It means so much to me,” Doering said before the awards

Non-profit of the Year: Blessings Under the Bridge Runner up: Greater Spokane County Meals on Wheels Small Business of the Year: Movher, LLC Runner up: The Garden Coffee and Local Eats Medium Business of the Year: Modern Electric Water Co. Runner up: Canopy Credit Union Large Business of the Year: Spokane Teachers Credit Union Runner up: Avista Chamber awards: Chamber Champion: Wanda Buderus, BECU Chamber Volunteer of the Year: Danielle Milton, Spokane County Library Chamber Ambassador of the Year: Jim Reincke Harry E. Nelson 2019 recipient, Central Valley School District Superintendant Ben Small, addresses the attendees of the Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce Gala.

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presentations. “It means that the chamber is recognizing ValleyFest and all of what we do for the city.”

Another Spokane Valley community pillar, Wayne Frost, was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award - an award that’s not given every year.

Frost was essential in the formation of both the cities of Liberty Lake and Spokane Valley and he was lauded as a longtime supporter of the HUB and a strong community advocate.

“The conversations we had about you and the love people feel for you is just remarkable,” said Dick Denenny, in his introduction of Frost. Denenny served on the Spokane Valley City Council when the city was young and he called Frost a fantastic mentor.

Frost encouraged the evening’s guests to step up to the plate.

“Leadership is important but don’t be shy. You want to be involved? Take the reins - you can do that,” Frost said.

Though he was a little sad he couldn’t convince his teenage

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son to come along and share the festivities, it was a beaming Ben Small, superintendent of the Central Valley School District, who was named Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the year.

“Thank you, thank you, thank you,” Small said during the ceremony. “I am humbled and deeply honored to receive this award.”

This is the 17th time the Greater Valley Chamber of Commerce has awarded a citizen of the year award.

The award is named after Harry E. Nelson, the owner and publisher of the Spokane Valley Herald and a dedicated chamber supporter until his death in 1959.

Each citizen of the year award recipient gets a “label” - Small’s is “Community Collaborator.”

Small shared one example of collaboration between Central Valley School District and Liberty Lake’s OpenEye, a cloud-based video surveillance company.

Students get to visit OpenEye, work on computers and learn about the technology being developed there, and employees at OpenEye in turn donate and help assemble brand new bicycles for the students.

“That’s about a lot more than just donating bikes to kids,” Small said.

Small believes the he through his work with the Greater Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce can help create a better community through education.

Small said he will continue to work with local businesses to create opportunities for students and for businesses who are struggling to hire qualified workers.

“Let’s build our Valley future together,” Small said.

Publisher of The Spokane Valley Current and Liberty Lake Splash, and newly selected Mayor of Spokane Valley Ben Wick received the Entrepreneur of the Year Award.

Late to the evening’s party because he had been in Olympia on city business and his plane got held up, Wick dedicated the award to his wife Danica Wick.

“This is a great honor and I really appreciate this award,” Ben Wick said, “but this is really for my wife.

Sometimes it feels like she does more than I do, so this is for you, honey.”

Award recipients are nominated

by Chamber membership and Beck said that process is left completely

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Photo by Pia Hallenberg The Central Valley High School Orchestra seranades attendees at the Greater Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce’s Gem of the Valley awards banquet. open.

“To nominate someone and to be nominated you must be a member in good standing,” Beck said, “but nominations are driven by membership. Chamber staff and the board stays out of it so as to not be seen as biased.”

Chamber staff verifies that a business has been nominated in the correct category and then a list of all nominees is circulated back to membership, Beck said.

“We play a very heavy handed role in making sure each member entity only votes once,” Beck said.

“Our voting turnout parallels that of real life elections so around 38 percent of our overall membership vote.”

Beck said the Chamber has tried different ways to encourage more voting participation but nothing has really moved the needle.

“It’s the members who really want to vote that do so,” Beck said.

The lifetime achievement and citizen of the year awards are selected by the group of past recipients.

“That group makes a nomination to the board, and the board then approves that nomination,” Beck said.

Blessings Under the Bridge, which traditionally serves the downtown Spokane-area from below the I90 bridge, won best nonprofit of the year because of its pilot program at Bowdish Middle School.

Small Business of the Year is Movher, a woman-owned moving, storage and cleaning company that

just moved to Spokane Valley six months ago.

Modern Electric Water Co. won medium business of the year and Spokane Teachers Credit Union won the large business category.

The evening ended with a quick fundraiser for the Chamber’s Career Tech Education Scholarships which took in $15,000 in cash donations for the scholarship program.

2019 Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce at a Glance The chamber is 99 years old It has 623 members with 123 new members added in 2019 4649 attendees participated in 121 programs and events 23 ambassadors attended 30 ribbon cuttings $24,000 awarded in scholarships to nine students 49 percent of members are based in Spokane Valley 33 percent in Spokane 11 percent in Liberty Lake 4 percent in North Idaho 2 percent on West Plains 1 percent out of the area

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Calendar of Events

COMMUNITY EVENTS Feb 4 | Compass Club Luncheon – 11:30 am. Ruby River Hotel, 700 N Division. Spokane. The speaker is Jessie Laughery of Hutton Settlement which celebrated its 100th Anniversary. Cost is $25 per person. reservations can be made at harris1003@comcast.net.

Feb 13 | Genealogy: Researching Your Family History – 5 p.m. – 6 p.m. Spokane Valley Library, 12004 E Main Ave, Spokane Valley. Donna Potter Phillips of Eastern Washington Genealogical Society introduces the hobby of genealogy and shows you how to find information about your family’s history from online resources. Learn how to find names, dates, and places and even the geographical and social history of your ancestors. For more, scld.org/ genealogy-books/ Feb 14 | Valentine’s Day Art Adventure with Local Artist L.R. Montgomery – 5 - 8 p.m. Shape Executive Center, 5915 S Regal, Spokane. Original paintings of the Dishman Hills by L.R. Montgomery will be on display for viewing and purchase. Light refreshments will be provided. A portion of the proceeds from each sale will benefit the Dishman Hills Conservancy. Come support local artists and conservation efforts! Tickets $10 / person, available online at DishmanHills.org/Events or at the door Feb 27 – March 1 | Spokane Home and Yard Show Various times.

Spokane Fair & Expo Center, 404 N Havana, Spokane Valley. See hundreds of products and services,

discover the latest trends and get expert advice from the pros all while enjoying the feature landscape displays. Tickets are $8 and valid all weekend. More at custershows.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. For more, search for “Act 2” at scc.spokane.edu.

Baha’i Fireside Conversation | 7 to 8 p.m., third Thursday of the month, Spokane Valley Library, 12004 E. Main Ave. Discussion of Baha’i teachings, history and perspectives on resolving the challenges facing humanity. All are welcome. For more, call 599-2411.

Café Card Club | 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., Tuesdays, On Sacred Grounds, 12212 E. Palouse Hwy., Valleyford.

Play pinochle, cribbage, or hearts.

For more, call 951-7039 or email onsacredgrounsrising@gmail.com.

Christ Cakes Young Adult Bible Study | 6 to 7 p.m., Sundays, The Salvation Army, 222 E. Indiana Ave., Spokane. This group is for men and women, ages 18-35 and includes snacks and sweets.

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.

Free Last Sunday Lunch | Spokane Valley United Methodist Church, 115 N. Raymond Road, Spokane Valley - 12:30 p.m. on the final Sunday of every month in the church’s

Fellowship Hall, Room 115 Grange Meeting and Dessert | 6:30 p.m., third Wednesday of the month, Tri-Community Grange, 25025 Heather St., Newman Lake. The public is welcome for this community-based service organization. For more, call 226-2202.

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, Harvest Moon, 20 S. First St., Rockford. Free classes. We have crocheters, knitters, embroidery, quilting and needlepoint. Come and share what you are doing. For more, call 291-3722.

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 scld.org.

Spokane Valley Eagles | 16801 E. Sprague Ave. Breakfast served Sundays 9 to 11:30 a.m. Lunch served Thursdays 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. followed by bingo from 1 to 3:30 p.m. More at www.foe3433.com.

Spokane Valley Partners Food Bank | Weekly distribution takes place Wednesdays and Thursdays at 10814 E. Broadway Ave. 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, 11 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. (reserved for age 60 and over and physically-handicapped people with limited mobility). Address verification required. To make an appointment, call 927-1153, ext. 10, Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 1 p.m.

Spokane Valley Senior Citizens Association | 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays at CenterPlace, 2426 N. Discovery Place. Activities include bridge, billiards, book club, Red Hat Ladies, Mahjongg, ACT II classes, foot care, Medicare assistance, monthly excursions to Northern Quest Casino, Meals on Wheels location and more.

Annual dues are $25/single or $45/ couple. For more, call 926-1937 or visit spokanevalleyseniorcenter.org.

MUSIC & THE ARTS Feb 8 – May 3 | Pompeii: The Immortal City Exhibit – Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture, 2316 W 1st Ave, Spokane. Visitors plunge into the heart of the drama and the ruins of the ancient city. Artifacts and artworks excavated from Pompeii and interactive mechanical models take them into the world of a firstcentury Roman city. Spectacular immersive moments allow visitors to experience the destruction of the city and to identify with the inhabitants of that time, immobilized by the volcano’s ashes. Tickets are $19.50 For more, visit northwestmuseum. org.

Feb 14 – March 1 | Gulliver’s Travels – Various times. TAC at the Lake, 22910 E. Appleway Ave., Liberty Lake. The play takes audiences on all four famous voyages, from Lilliput

YOUR MONEY GOES FURTHER WITHOUT MAINTENANCE FEES. FREE CHECKING FOR EVERY MEMBER :ALYSSA L., MEMBER-OWNER

Federally insured by NCUA

FEBRUARY 2020 • 13

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‘S

The Little

Mermaid March 11, 12, 13, 14, 19, 20, 21 15 & 22 2pm Matinee WithA special children's character tea before the matinee on Sunday, March 15th

Featuring Special flying Effects byFlying byFoy, New York CVHS Bear Boosters

to Brobdingnag to outer space and to the land of the noble Houyhnhnms and the comic Yahoos. Gulliver’s Travels is a joy for actors and audiences everywhere. For more, visit tacatthelake.com.

Feb 14 – March 1 | Fireflies Various times. Ignite! Community Theatre,10814 E Broadway Avenue, Spokane Valley. A slow cooking romance of two feisty retirees as we present Fireflies, our Valentine to you. $15. More at igniteonbroadway. org.

Feb 17 - 18 | Play Auditions – All My Sons 6:30 p.m. Ignite! Community Theatre,10814 E Broadway Avenue, Spokane Valley. Multiple characters are available. Auditions will consist of cold readings of selected scenes from the script. More at igniteonbroadway.org.

Feb 21 | Spokane Symphony Movies and Music: Back to the Future in Concert. 8 p.m.. Martin Woldson Theater at the Fox, 1001 W Sprague Ave, Spokane. Power up your DeLorean, recharge your flux capacitor, and experience this unforgettable movie classic on The Fox Theater’s giant screen, plus live music accompaniment by the Spokane Symphony. Tickets start at $20 available at foxtheaterspokane. org or at 509-624-1200

RECURRING The Fire Brigade| 7 p.m., first Saturday of the month, Ignite!

Community Theatre, 10814 E. Broadway Ave., Spokane Valley.

Ignite!’s improv troupe fires up family-friendly comedy. For more, visit igniteonbroadway.org.

Pages of Harmony | 6:30 to 9 p.m., Wednesdays, Thornhill Valley Chapel, 1400 S. Pines Road.

Four-part, a cappella harmony, men’s barbershop chorus. More at pagesofharmony.org.

Spirit of Spokane Chorus | 6:45 p.m.

Tuesdays, Opportunity Presbyterian Church, 202 N. Pines Road. Make new friends by joining this women’s chorus, specializing in four-part, a cappella harmony in the barbershop style. More at 218-4799.

Spokane Valley Camera Club | 7:15 p.m., third and fourth Monday of the month (September through April). Liberty Lake Sewer and Water District building, 22510 E. Mission Ave., Liberty Lake. All levels of ability—students through experienced photographers—are invited to learn. Social events include field trips and workshops. More at 951-1446 or www.sv-cc.org Spokane Valley Quilt Guild | Meetings at 6:30 p.m. on the first

Tuesday of February, April, June, August, October and December at Valley Assembly of God Church, 15618 E. Broadway Ave., Spokane Valley. Open to all interested in sharing ideas and skills of our quilting craft. Participants can access a comprehensive library, engage experienced teachers and participate in community service projects. More at svqgspokane.com.

Western Dance Center | 7 p.m.

Every 1st Saturday of the month.

Enjoy lines, contras, fold and easy squares, no experience necessary.

1901 N Sullivan Rd, Spokane Valley.

Suggested donation of $8 per person.

More info by calling 509-979-2607.

HEALTH & RECREATION Feb 23 - 25 | Forgiveness Retreat: Living with Forgiving – 7 p.m. – 8:30 p.m., St Mary Catholic Parish, 304 S Adams Rd, Spokane Valley. Discover your role in God’s work of healing in your life... Learn to practice daily the sacrifice of forgiving through a simple but powerful prayer.

Registration $10 for the book. For more, call Krista at 509-928-3210 or stmary@dioceseofspokane.org.

RECURRING Al-Anon Family Meetings | Tuesdays, noon to 1 p.m., Opportunity Christian Church, 708 N. Pines, Spokane Valley. Is there a problem of alcoholism with a relative or a friend? Al-Anon/Alateen family groups can help. For more, call 4562125.

Decreasing Anger Group | 3 to 4:30 p.m. Tuesdays, the Vet Center, 13109 E. Mirabeau Parkway, Spokane Valley. Eligibility: combat veteran from all eras, military sexual trauma survivors. For more, call Steve at 8934746 to make an intake appointment.

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.

Family and Friends of Addicts| 6 p.m. Wednesdays, The ONE Church, 15601 E. 24th Ave., Spokane Valley. Support group utilizing tools and principles to help navigate relationships with addicts and finding peace, strength and hope. For more, call 590-2422.

See CALENDAR, Page 14

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CALENDAR

Continued from page 13 GriefShare Support Group (Mondays)| 6:15 to 8 p.m. Mondays, The ONE Church, east entrance, 15601 E. 24th Ave., Spokane Valley.

Most recent program began Feb. 20, but join at any time. Designed to help cope with loss, whether recent or years ago. For more, call Sue at 2941664 or Jere at 710-3354.

GriefShare Support Group (Thursdays) | 10 a.m. Thursdays, Spokane Valley Church of the Nazarene, 15515 E. 20th Ave. Most recent program began Jan. 17 and runs 13 weeks, but join at any time.

If you have lost a loved one and are dealing with grief, stop by to share or just listen. For more, call 926-1545.

HUB Sports Center | 19619 E. Cataldo Ave., Liberty Lake. Various activities and events occur throughout the week including: • Homeschool PE drop in classes: 1st and 3rd Wednesday from 10:30am to 11:30am • Pickleball drop-in: 12:30 to 2:30 p.m.

Monday through Thursday; 9:30am to 11:30am Tuesday and Thursday; 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday and Sunday. $3/seniors, $5/non-seniors.

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• Classes including Kenpo Karate, Taekwondo and Fit for YOUR Life.

See hubsportscenter.org for cost and times.

Homeschool PE: 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.

1st and 3rd Wednesday of each month.

Military Sobriety Support Group | 10 to 11:30 a.m., Spokane Vet Center, 13109 E. Mirabeau Parkway, Spokane Valley. For more, call Steve at 8934746.

Mindful Music & Movement | 12:30 to 1:20 p.m. Wednesdays, Willow Song Music Therapy Center, 21101 E. Wellesley #102-103, Otis Orchards.

All are welcome to this session specifically designed for adults living with chronic health issues.

Session addresses physical function, vocal wellness and strength, selfexpression, breath work, movement, and increase of mood through music experiences, as facilitated by boardcertified music therapist, Carla Carnegie. $10 per person. For more, email carla.carnegie@gmail.com or call 592-7875.

Yoga in Rockford | 5:30 p.m.

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

St.

CIVIC & BUSINESS Feb 25 | After 5 Networking – 4:30 to 6 p.m., Painting with a Twist, 11703 E Sprague Ave b3, Spokane Valley. Business connection event organized by the Greater Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce. Free to members, $10 non-members.

For more or to register, visit spokanevalleychamber.org.

Feb 28 | Business Connections Lunch – 11:30 a.m., Mirabeau Park Hotel & Convention Center, 1100 N Sullivan, Spokane Valley. Come and connect with local businesses and business leaders over lunch. Tickets: $35 per person for members or $45 for future members. For more or to register, visit spokanevalleychamber. org.

RECURRING Spokane Valley City Council | Regular meetings held 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, Monday-Friday 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Saturdays 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Pines Cemetery, 1402 S. Pines Road, Spokane Valley. For more, call 9262753 or visit fairmountmemorial. com/south-pines-cemetery.

Spokane Valley Kiwanis | 6:45 a.m.

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

Greater Spokane Valley Rotary | Noon to 1 p.m. Wednesdays, Darcy’s, 10502 E. Sprague Ave. More at svrotary.org.

Submit items for The Current Community Calendar by the 15th of the previous month by emailing editor@ valleycurrent.com. Priority is given to noncommercial local events open to the public.

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Student of the Month

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Citizen of the Month

West Valley senior Addisen Holdren has soared to success in four years as an Eagle. She maintains a 4.0 grade point average and is a member of the National Honor Society (NHS). She serves as public information officer for West Valley chapter of NHS, helping to plan and promote community service projects like a holiday party at a local assisted living center where students delivered Christmas cards to residents. Holdren has been part of WV’s robotics team since her freshman year. She was on the team that reached the quarterfinals at the Robotics World Championshps last year. She also serves as a team leader and volunteer with the program. She has taken nearly AP class at West Valley and would like to pursue a career in the medical field. She is considering Gonzaga University and the University of Washington for college.

West Valley junior Mason Dobney is known for critical contributions that don’t necessarily show up in the box score. As a starting post player for the Eagles, Dobney is often assigned to the opposing team’s tallest player, not backing down despite his less-thantowering 6-2 height. The list includes stellar defense, consistent rebounding, taking charges and doing whatever it takes to help his team win. “Mason is a glue guy,” said WV head coach Jay Humphrey. “He runs hard in every sprint we do in practice, we never have to worry about him showing up. He just has a terrific work ethic and is super dependable.” In the summer, Dobney is on the roster of the Eastern Washington Elite travel squad. He maintains a 3.6 grade point average and is part of the Running Start program at Eastern Washington University.

Warren Beck is among the many enriching staples at Spokane Valley Partners Food Bank & Family Services.

Beck volunteers 10 to 12 hours a week at the facility on Broadway Avenue, stocking shelves, unloading items and greeting clients with a smile on distribution days. “Warren is a gem,” said, Food Bank Manager Cheryl Thompson. “He is someone who has a heart of gold. We’re incredibly fortunate to have him here at the food bank. He is an amazing volunteer and a friend to many.” Beck spent 28 years in the military between the Navy and Air Force, retiring as a chief master sergeant. He was awarded five meritorious service medals. Beck is a member of Calvary Church in Spokane Valley. He and his wife Katherine have two kids, three grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren. They have been married for 54 years.

Come visit your Spokane Valley Neighborhood Financial Center located at

615 N Sullivan Road

800-233-2328

Thanks you for all you do in our community

The Current

LIBRARY

FEBRUARY 2020 • 15

Prepare for spring with classes on gardening, conservation, food preservation

By Abra Cole

Spokane County Library District

Even though we still have frosty nights and frozen soil, it’s not too early to be making garden plans.

Most think spring is when gardening season begins. But the dead of winter is really when the magic starts, during the quiet, contemplative moments when snow is falling from the sky. During those moments, we can dream and discover what we want for our gardens in the coming seasons.

This month Spokane County Library District is offering several programs to get your gardeninggears turning.

Master Gardener Marilyn Lloyd shares the ins and outs of starting and maintaining your own vertical garden, using wall space to grow vegetables, herbs, flowers, or even root crops.

Vertical gardening takes up less space than traditional gardening and can be easier to harvest and maintain.

You have two opportunities to attend our “Vertical Gardening” workshop: at Otis Orchards Library on Saturday, February 8, 10:30am and at Argonne Library on Saturday, February 29, at

10:30am.

Master Gardener Steve Nokes shares easy ways to propagate seeds with or without a greenhouse and to propagate plants using cuttings in our gardening class “Propagation from Seeds & Cutting” at Spokane Valley Library on Wednesday, February 12, at 6:30pm Did you know that helping pollinators can boost your garden yields? Learn about the benefits of Mason bees, what they need to thrive, and how to easily make your garden into a great habitat for them. In the “Mason Bees” class at Otis Orchards Library on Saturday, February 15, at 10:30am, you can make and decorate a small Mason bee house to take home.

We will provide all of the supplies, so all you need to do is bring yourself!

When thinking of your garden, it’s hard not to envision the bounty it will yield. In preparation for a great harvest, Anna Kestell, Food Preservation/Safety Education Coordinator with the WSU Spokane County Cooperative Extension Service, shares food canning basics, including choosing produce, deciding between a pressure can or water-bath can, and selecting jars,

lids, and canners. The class “Food in Jars” takes place at Spokane Valley Library on Wednesday, February 19, at 6:30pm, I have more great news for gardeners. Spokane County Library District is home to two new seed libraries, one at the Spokane Valley Library! Come in, see what seeds are available, and learn what has worked for your fellow Inland Northwest Gardeners. The seed library works pretty simply: Take some seeds home to plant, and when they produce their own seeds, you can bring them back to the library to replenish the drawers for next year’s gardeners. Learn more at www.scld.org/seed-libraries.

I know I’m beginning to envision this year’s garden. And I hope that if you are thinking of starting or reimagining your garden, you’ll come to the library for great classes. If you miss one of these classes in February, take a look at our programs and events guide “Engage” to see all of the classes available through winter and spring.

You can also check out gardening titles from our fantastic collection.

Come by your local library today to learn more!

Kids, families engage in learning during Leap into For older kids, ages 6–10, the the “Leap into Science: Science Week WindDuring Family Workshop,” you and library is offering “Leap into Science:

By Erin Dodge

Current Guest Contributor

Every four years, we get an extra day to try something new—Leap Day! During February in celebration, Spokane County Library District is offering a series of Leap into Science programs that are playful, engaging moments of learning for the whole family.

Leap into Science is a nationwide program from The Franklin Institute Science Museum that focuses on children and families learning together by combining open-ended science activities with children’s books. The strategies used include asking questions, encouraging scientific thinking, cultivating rich dialogue to improve literacy skills, and making connections by exploring, testing, and predicting.

The Library District is offering these science and literacy programs at libraries in and around Spokane Valley.

your family are invited to explore the scientific concept of wind with fun hands-on experiences and activities plus stories that engage imaginations and develop literacy skills. This program is for kids ages 3–5 and their caregivers. You will have two opportunities to attend at Spokane Valley Library, on Tuesday and Wednesday, February 25 and 26, at 10:30am.

In the “Leap into Science: Balance Family Workshop,” families with young learners can explore the scientific concept of balance with a few stories and some engaging experiences and thought-filled activities. This program is also for kids ages 3–5 and their caregivers.

You can attend this program at three local libraries: Fairfield Library on Tuesday, February 18, 10:30am; Argonne Library on Wednesday, February 26, 10:30am; and Otis Orchards Library on Thursday, February 27, 10:30am.

Wind” where the kids discuss how we know air exists, even though we can’t see it. With fun experiments, kids explore the ways that this invisible substance can produce very visible effects. This workshop is on Tuesday, February 25, at 4pm at Spokane Valley Library.

To explore science concepts in playful ways at home with the preschoolers in your life, library staff have created a booklist called “Leap into Science for Preschoolers” that can be found at www.scld.org/ preschooler-science-books.

Stories and science combine to offer a great way to interact, play, discover, and learn. Doing all of that together as a family and with friends can create wonderful moments of connectedness to each other and our world.

I hope you get a chance to leap into a library for one of these great programs and hand-picked books.

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About and for Valley seniors

Orchard Crest adding 48-unit Memory Care facility

By Nina Culver

Current Contributor

Orchard Crest Retirement and Assisted Living on South Evergreen Road in Spokane Valley has begun construction on a Memory Care unit designed for those with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.

Orchard Crest, located at 222 S. Evergreen Road, has been operating for 20 years and currently has 181 units, including both assisted living and independent living. The new Memory Care building located just behind the current facility will add another 48 units.

“It’s a standalone building, 22,500 square feet,” said facility owner Jaclin Smith. “We are a month into a 14-month construction cycle.”

The $17.5 million project will contain mostly single units with a few double units available as well, said facility administrator and minority owner Susanne Lunt.

The contractor on the project is Lydig Construction. The facility was designed by LRS Architects in Portland, which specializes in senior care projects.

“It will be a secured unit,” Lunt said. “It will have some specialized amenities.”

In addition to the usual amenities like a beauty shop and a dining room, the building will have specialized automatic lighting designed for dementia patients. The building will surround a secure outdoor courtyard in the center, and there will be activity stations throughout.

The design will allow residents to wander, which is common in dementia patients, Lunt said.

A sun room is planned for the second floor, with expansive windows to give people the sense of being outside. The entire Memory Unit is designed to be self-contained and offer all its services inside, Lunt said.

Over the years, Orchard Crest has had residents leave to get specialized dementia care elsewhere, and Lunt said they want their residents to be able to stay even if they develop the condition. Lunt said some of their residents have lived there for 18 years, graduating from independent living to assisted living, and have come to think of Orchard Crest as home.

“We really have been wanting for a long time to offer that continuum of care,” Lunt said. “We’ve had people have to leave in the past because they needed secure living.”

The Memory Care unit will offer music and art therapy as well as nursing care. The physical and occupational therapy team already on site will work in the Memory Care unit as well.

“It really is a different type of care, a different care environment,” Lunt said.

The unit is being built now because the facility finally has the space to do it, Smith said.

“We originally maximized the site that we had,” she said. “For the last several years, we’ve been picking up houses adjacent to us.”

One of the facility’s four independent living triplexes was also removed to help make way for the Memory Care unit. Once the purchased houses were also demolished, building could begin, Smith said. One of the homes they bought and tore down was a subterranean house they dubbed the “earth house.”

Lunt said there are fewer than 10 memory care facilities in the Spokane and Spokane Valley area.

She anticipates the need for such services to continue to grow.

“The bubble of people coming along is quite large,” she said.

Smith said some form of dementia

is becoming more common as people age.

“We are keeping people alive longer,” she said. “Dementia issues tend to be a large part of what they deal with.”

Attitudes about dementia care have also been changing, Lunt said, and people expect more from dementia care.

“I think dementia is now better understood,” she said. “I think we have different ideas on quality of life. It is specialized care. I think the best facilities out there have some kind of program. It’s not just housing. Perhaps not all operators understand that.”

Lunt said she used to work as an occupational therapist and is familiar with the specialized care dementia patients need.

“I’ve had dementia patients before and have a good understanding of neurology and

Photo by Nina Culver Orchard Crest owners Susanne Lunt, left, and Jaclin Smith stand in late October in front of the site where they are adding a Memory Care unit.

FEBRUARY 2020 • 19

The Current

approaches,” she said.

The concrete slab for the new building was poured in stages while the walls were preassembled off site.

“Once the slab is in, the building will go up quite fast,” Smith said. “If the weather doesn’t mess us up too bad this winter, we should be done by the end of next year.”

Orchard Crest won’t start taking reservations for the Memory Unit until construction is much further along, Lunt said. At this point, completion is nearly a year away and dementia is too unpredictable a disease for such a long-term commitment.

“People’s dementia advances at different rates,” she said.

Prices for the memory care units have not yet been set and will be announced at a later date.

“We’ll start doing tours as soon as we can,” said Lunt.

Both women are excited to see the long dreamed of project becoming a reality.

“It’s going to be fabulous,” Lunt said.

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New coach, new program

By Steve Christilaw Current Contributor

Jeremy Knee’s work to rebuild East Valley boys basketball for a new era, both on and off the court, is in its second year and it is already bearing fruit.

But the plan itself, the blueprint the coach is working from, is three years old.

Knee moved to Spokane from Scottsdale, Arizona, where he had coached both middle and high school basketball. With time on his hands, he spent a year watching high school basketball in the area to both get a feel for the local game as well as scouting out potential landing spots for a coaching position.

The Knights were working through a three-win season

where many of the losses were by uncomfortably wide margins.

“East Valley was one of the programs I targeted and I saw them play a number of times,” he explained. “I was surprised to get the chance to run the program right away.”

Knee said he saw a program in need of a solid foundation of fundamental skills, and he set about building one.

“Any program, no matter if it’s a sports team or a management crew in business, you have to have a solid foundation,” he said following the Knights’ second straight win over West Valley in the annual Golden Throne spirit game. “Last year it felt like we were working with wet concrete a little bit.”

The Golden Throne win was pivotal for the program, coming in front of a home crowd in a game that takes on extra meaning with

Contributed photo East Valley Knights Mens Basketball team huddle to talk strategy at the game.

spirit contests. Tyrell Brown scored 22 points and Taylor Hofstee added another dozen as the Knights posted a 57-54 win.

Knee said the seniors on last year’s 2-19 squad were completely unprepared for the things the new coached asked of them — things they should have learned in the seventh and eighth grade.

This season has seen a marked improvement, but the coach said the team is still struggling at time with its foundation as upper classmen struggle filling in pieces missing from their basketball education.

Little things like executing a pivot or stepping into passes,” Knee said. “This year there are still some lingering fundamental things we’re working on.

“But the kids are buying in.”

Heading into their final five regular season games, the Knights just a game under .500 (7-8) after

opening the season with five straight losses. In their last 10 games the team had strung together a three-game win streak with wins over Timberlake, West Valley and Riverside, posted a win over North Central and won back-to-back against Cheney and the Eagles. East Valley had earned two wins over both West Valley and Cheney.

It was a good deal of goodnatured pride in the fact that East Valley picked up its first Great Northern League win over their arch rivals at West Valley.

“We were 0-12 in league last year, so getting that first league win was big for our kids,” Knee said.

“We work hard in practice every day. We don’t take a day off – we can’t. We’ve established a culture here where we come in and we work hard every day. Now, to be winning on the court, that takes it to the next level.”

Knee said he was especially conscientious about the culture at 2A, a work ethic that emphasizes both hard work and sharing.

“I really believe in kids playing multiple sports and we emphasize that,” he said. “We need kids to play multiple sports to survive.

“When I first got hired here the football coach, Tom Griggs was new, too, and we sat down over coffee and talked for a few hours about how we could work with each other,” Knee said. “We both have the same feelings about kids playing other sports and encouraging them to play other sports.”

It was such a productive meeting that Knee found a way to contribute to the football program as an assistant coach.

The program takes a team approach to everything.

Offensively, Brown has established himself as the leading scorer. But not by much.

“We end up with a different kid leading us in scoring just about every night,” Knee said. “Tyrell has settled into his role as our leading scorer, but he’s at about 1 points per game. We have a whole bunch of kids who are averaging six-, seven-, eight-points-per-game.”

The Current

Final Point

By Mike Vlahovich Current Sports Editor

What makes a successful coach?

It’s a question that’s been in the back of my mind in my years as a sports aficionado.

I suppose there’s an easy answer.

Send your kids to camps, put them on traveling teams, spend money and time year around and with a nudge from club coaches, maybe even encouraging athletes to play at the same high school, anyone can coach.

But it’s not the only answer. In my years covering high school sports and knowing numerous coaches it’s not just a matter of talent. Coaches all begin at the same starting line. Not all of them make it to the finish.

There have been nice guys and miserable guys who finished first and last. There have been paranoid coaches who couldn’t win for losing and those who couldn’t even enjoy their wild successes.

There have been condescending coaches who bred disdain and taught their charges for rub their successes

It’s your home.

Expect more.

By Rep. Bob McCaslin

Someone recently asked if I had a theme for this year’s legislative session. “As a matter of fact, I do!”

I said.

“It’s your home. Expect more.”

For many residents around our region, living in their homes has become unsafe and unaffordable as they struggle to understand a state government that seems – on its best days – unaccountable, and sometimes downright unconcerned.

Chronic homelessness has increased by about 240 percent in the last three years while Olympia’s solutions are providing safe drug injections sites and spending more taxpayer dollars.

Childcare has skyrocketed by almost $2,000 per year, median home prices across the state continue to go up, and our state gas tax remains one of the highest in the nation.

We have a governor who bounces from one environmental scheme after another, seemingly ignoring the drastic cost increases they would bring to every Washingtonian.

In addition, state government is suffering from data breaches, foster care mismanagement, and the early

SPORTS

FEBRUARY 2020 • 21

under the noses of their rivals and those who instilled respect for their opponents.

When I first met University football coach, Dave Holmes, he had returned from successful college coaching stints at Eastern Washington University and the University of Hawaii.

I felt intimidated the first time we sat in the locker room and talked football. He wasn’t about wins and losses. He wanted to see of his college coaching approach could resonate with high schoolers. He introduced weight training which is now a staple of area high schools.

He was more philosopher than coach, but motivated the Titans who put an end to the speculation that Valley schools couldn’t compete against their city brethren when leagues merged. U-Hi won the opener as newcomer in the Greater Spokane League. I was intrigued.

Charlie Dean, with his downhome southern drawl with an “awe shucks” schtick belied a brilliant football mind and motivator who inspired a legendary run of success.

He told me he wasn’t a big weight lifting fan. He scarcely lost,

but unfortunately retired before the league change and state playoffs came about.

Rick Giampietri’s personality was the polar opposite of Dean’s. Pleasant and humble, he succeeded, winning a state title with the Bears.

West Valley football coach Greg Gavin played for Holmes at Eastern.

He was charismatic, stressed weights and had two state finalists, including a state title. After he left for CV, his successor didn’t succeed, but the successor of his successor, Jim Clements, got the Eagles back to state with his own style.

EV’s football success was the result of master motivator Bob Shill.

He liked the “us-against-them” psychological approach that worked when the Knights moved up in class from A to AA. He shocked heavily favored WV that first year and ultimately went on to win a football state title in two finals trips.

Joe Feist became a good friend of mine. We talked every week at WV. He took the Eagles basketball to state nearly every year he was, but never felt comfortable despite his success.

CV’s Dale Poffenroth won four

state titles as girls basketball coach.

His ultimate successor, Freddie Rehkow won a national title. They were polar opposites – one dour and curt, the other other upbeat and effusive. Both were winners. Some would say EV girls basketball coach Rob Collins is unconventional. But the Knights have been a state tourney mainstay.

Some coaches stay calm, others are rabid. Some sit comfortably on the bench, others nervously pace the floor. Both personalities can succeed.

Some scarcely utter a word, others are effusive.

You watch pro football and Pete Carroll is considered as much cheerleader as coach. They say it couldn’t be done at that level. Two Super Bowl appearances and this year’s post-season effort that give rest to that lie. Seattle was sixth best among 16 NFC team and made the post-season when Sports Illustrated predicted a 7-9 season.

Is there a common denominator?

Danged if I know. But let’s hope my alma mater, WSU’s new football coach, with a different personality and approach can cut a successful niche of his own.

release of dangerous criminals by the Department of Corrections.

While many families continue to struggle with the rising costs of homeownership, childcare and transportation, some in Olympia continue to want more of your hard-earned money. We are seeing proposals for new and increased taxes, including a state income tax, something the voters of this state have rejected time and time again.

However, many of my colleagues and I have a different idea of how things should be.

We need to support law enforcement as they try to clean up our streets and allow them to enforce existing laws. We also need to stop enabling destructive behavior and start expecting accountability from those who seek services. We can still help people get clean, get treatment, and get shelter while helping them better their lives in the long run.

We also need to make living in our state – our homes – more affordable.

To that end, I’m introducing House Bill 2284. This bill will allow daycare providers more flexibility when satisfying education requirements for their professional licensure.

As daycare providers struggle with increases in minimum wage, continuing regulations, and reimbursement rates from the state

that are nowhere near the costs of providing care, more and more have decided to close their doors and go out of business. This lack of options and access only increases the competition for available facilities and drives costs higher for parents.

My bill will help providers keep costs down by giving them more options when meeting their mandatory education requirements.

I’m also sponsoring legislation to make the maintenance and preservation of our roads a priority with the Washington State Department of Transportation’s (WSDOT) planning process.

House Bill 2285 would prioritize our existing transportation infrastructure without raising taxes, increasing fees or disingenuously moving money around the various transportation programs.

If we make preservation and maintenance a priority in the planning process, we can begin to address the backlog we have in maintaining existing roads.

We are near a crisis point, but raising taxes is not the answer.

I also believe we should eliminate the practice of title-only bills, end closed-door negotiations, and get back to results-based budgeting. We need to ask if this program or that project is still yielding its intended benefit to the public, rather than just assuming it is and continually

funding it each year in the budget. A business can’t operate like that; why should the state?

And finally, we should allow basic law enforcement training here in eastern Washington. Currently, law enforcement agencies must send their prospective officers to the west side of the state to receive training.

All the while paying for hotels, food, gas – not to mention the time away from home and the communities they’ll be serving.

House Bill 2538 would allow for training in eastern Washington. I believe an innovative plan like this will allow law enforcement officers to have more connection to the communities in which they serve and will reduce costs for all involved.

This session is a quick, 60-day session. There is much to do and very little time to do it. If you have comments or suggestions on how we can make living in your home safer and more affordable, or how we can make state government more accountable, please reach out to me with an email or phone call. It is an honor to serve you in Olympia.

(Rep. Bob McCaslin, R-Spokane Valley, represents the 4th Legislative District. He is the assistant ranking member on both the House Education committee and the House Early Learning and Human Services Committee and is a retired teacher.)

22

• FEBRUARY 2020

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Valley Chamber

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Our Vision We are the catalyst for building relationships, driving collaboration, and championing opportunity in the Greater Spokane Valley.

Membership Benefits Regardless of the size or type of business, Chamber membership provides an affective means to network with business leaders, share ideas and receive valuable insights on common business challenges. Our membership provides: - Opportunity to collaborate and network - Members-only discounts - Referrals to member businesses - Sponsorship and advertising opportunities Advocacy Programs We advocate for public policy changes and programs that stimulate and sustain growth for business. Our Government Action Committee consistently reaches out to elected officials at all levels of government to keep you informed on the latest developments.

Upcoming Events Gem of the Valley Awards Gala Friday, Jan 24th After 5 Networking Event at Mountain West Bank Wednesday, Jan 29th Government Action Program Monday, Feb 10th Transportation Committee Program Thursday, Feb 29th Register online at spokanevalleychamber.org

The Network The Network allows professionals to meet twice per month in a networking environment to exchange leads and business refers. It is intended to be a tool for members to cultivate their business.

Current Groups: The East Valley Network The Greater Valley Network The Spokane Network The Liberty Lake Network The South Hill Network The North Spokane Network

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

SVFD REPORT Continued from page 6

off at ground level. There was a bystander still on scene. The vehicle that hit the hydrant had fled the scene.

There appeared to be no damage to the below ground valve as there was no water leaking. There was damage to the landscaping on the property.

The Hydrant was several feet from where it was sheared off. Crews were unable to find the vehicle and returned in service while PD crews remained on scene Structure Fire, January 4, around 3:15 a.m. Spokane Valley Fire Department (SVFD) units responded this morning to an apartment fire on E Broadway in the Spokane Valley.

Spokane Valley Fire Dept. was the first unit on scene and found a fire on the west side of the complex with fire on the third floor balcony and apartment unit. Firefighters made an aggressive exterior fire attack with a pre-connected fire hose and was able to slow the progression of the fire while a team was assigned to search the apartment building to ensure everyone was evacuated. The fire was quickly upgraded to a second alarm, bringing more personnel and equipment to the scene. Additional units were assigned fire attack and to search all three floors of the complex.

The fire was brought under control in approximately 40 minutes.

The third floor fire apartment suffered extensive fire and smoke damage. The apartment directly below suffered water damage from the suppression efforts. An additional third floor apartment was also damaged. Red Cross responded to the scene assist three adults and three displaced by the fire Over 20 units responded to the scene, including automatic aid units from Spokane Fire District 8 and Spokane Fire Departments.

There were no reported injuries to firefighters or residents.

Unfortunately a dog died in the fire.

There was a fire in the same apartment unit several years prior, when different residents lived there. The fire is currently under investigation, and no cause has been determined at this time.

SVFD would like to remind everybody to make sure that you have working smoke detectors.

Structure Fire, January 4, around 9 a.m. Spokane Valley Fire Department (SVFD) units responded around 9 a.m. to a second call for an apartment fire in six hours in the

Spokane Valley.

Spokane Valley Fire Dept. arrived on scene and found a fire on the south side of the complex with fire on the third floor. The fire was quickly upgraded to a second alarm, bringing more personnel and equipment to the scene. Additional units were assigned fire attack and search for all three floors of the complex.

The fire was quickly knocked down, with the fire primarily contained to the third floor balcony.

Two adults and two children were in the apartment at the time of the fire.

One adult female was transported to a local hospital for smoke inhalation.

The two children were assessed on scene but not transported.

There were 18 units that responded to the scene. There were no reported injuries to firefighters or residents.

The fire appears to have originated on the third floor balcony. The fire is currently under investigation, and no cause has been determined at this time.

SVFD would like to remind everybody to make sure that you properly dispose of used smoking materials.

About SVFD - Spokane Valley Fire Department serves the City of Spokane Valley, City of Liberty Lake, City of Millwood and the surrounding unincorporated areas of Spokane County with a combined population of 125,000 across 75 square miles. SVFD firefighters and paramedics responded to more than 17,280 emergency calls in 2017. Established in 1940, SVFD is an Accredited Agency by the Commission on Fire Accreditation International, one of only a handful in Washington State.

For more information about Spokane Valley Fire Department, visit www. spokanevalleyfire.com.

Follow us @spokanevalleyfire on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube.

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HISTORY

The Current

FEBRUARY 2020 • 23

The Neighborhood Sound a bulletin board to share life moments

Want to share something on The Neighborhood Sound? Send it to TheSound@valleycurrent.com

Monthly Green Bluff Grange #300 Community Events Present

The Second Annual

ses the e Cath Lab increa tiCare th of g in en op e Th ul e presence at M cardiac service lin ings the latest in imaging br Valley Hospital and nostics to patients in ag di r fo service technology ditionally, the fullAd y. lle Va makers Spokane ce pa implant cardiac vices.

Cath Lab can also de g rin rdiac monito and implantable ca MultiCare’s Pulse Heart by trained The lab is staffed gists, specially lo io rd Ca te itu st In vascular , Registered Cardio Registered Nurses al Technologists. The lab ic Techs and Radiolog heart of the hospital only e th in ilt bu ent and has been Emergency Departm it. feet away from the Un re Ca m the Critical a short trip away fro

Green Bluff Church won the last Cook Off.

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Deadline to register your group is January

BOZEMAN – Montana State University has announced its undergraduate honor rolls for fall semester 2019.

There are two MSU honor roll lists: the President’s List and the Dean’s List. To be eligible for the lists, students must be enrolled in 12 college-level credits. This list was current as of Jan. 14 and includes all registration corrections or grade changes processed to that date.

The 1,261 students with a perfect 4.0 grade point average for the semester were named to the President’s List. An asterisk follows their names below.

The Dean’s List includes the 3,643 students earning grade point averages of 3.5 or above for the semester.

Jacob Brown*, Jada Bryant, Logan Hurley, Paul Kalgaard, Ashley Meyer, Blake Sprunk, Jacob Windhorst

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Contributed photos Ross and Kelly Schneidmiller, local Liberty Lake historians visit Pioneer School in period swimsuits from 1910 and teach us about visiting the lake

24

• FEBRUARY 2020

The Current

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The Current GREATER SPOKANE VALLEY

FEBRUARY 2020 • 25

Honesty

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Support our partners.

By Emma Danley A VALLEY-WIDE COMMUNITY NEWSMAGAZINE

EDITOR/PUBLISHER

Ben Wick

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CO OWNER

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Nina Culver, Keith Erickson, Bill Gothmann, Craig Howard, Josh Johnson, Mike Vlahovich The Valley Current P.O. Box 363 Liberty Lake, WA 99019 Phone: 242-7752; Fax: 927-2190 www.valleycurrent.com The Current is published monthly by or before the first of each month. It is distributed free of charge to every business and home in the greater Spokane Valley area. Copies are located at drop-off locations in Spokane Valley, Liberty Lake and the surrounding area.

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

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Errors should be reported immediately to 242-7752 or by email to editor@valleycurrent.com. Confirmed factual errors will be corrected on this page in the issue following their discovery.

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When most people think of honesty they think of the absence of lies or the truth. But this trait is so much more than just telling the truth.

It is a way of life and a way to live your life. Honesty can be seen in what we do and in the way we conduct ourselves: when at work, at school, talking to friends, and being with family. One of the traits employers value is honesty and the ability to tell the truth without being rude or cruel. The problem is that honesty is hard to find in today’s world. We live in a world that is always trying to get us to put ourselves first. Honesty seems to be a rare quality to see in people. Think about how much better the world would be if everyone was honest in all they do? Many people are surprised when someone is honest not just for their benefit.

From a young age, we are taught not to lie. Even little kids are aware that there are consequences of telling a lie. So why do we do it? Why do we tell lies when we know that it will backfire in the end? Going back to the little child who tells a lie to avoid the consequences of them telling the truth about what happened. Slightly ironic isn’t it? We tell a lie to avoid telling about what happened. Dishonesty is a vicious cycle that we find ourselves in if we are not careful. Someone may tell a little lie to avoid hurting the feelings of another person or to avoid getting in trouble. A lie is then taken as the truth. And that lie then spirals out of control until the truth comes out eventually. The cycle then repeats. My mom used to always say that it is better to tell the truth and get in trouble for your actions rather than to tell a lie and get into even more trouble.

Telling the truth isn’t easy, especially when we know what the consequences will be for our actions.

Granted no one can tell the truth 100% of the time. Especially when someone’s feelings may be hurt.

There might be a way to both tell the truth and keep someone’s feelings from being hurt. Tell the truth, but be kind and polite. If honesty was more prevalent in the world there would be less crime, less corruption, and people would be generally happier. Honesty is a quality that everyone should strive to have. One of the ways each of us can strive to make this world a better place for all to live, one might start with themselves. Be honest. “No legacy is as rich as honesty.”-William Shakespeare.

Emma Danley is a student at East Valley Parent Partnership and has been there for just a little over a year. She is an artist, craft enthusiast, bookworm, photographer, music lover, and loves movies.

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

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

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

Index of advertisers

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

HUB Sports Center

3

Simonds Dental Group

Ignite! Theatre

4

Spokane County Library District

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BECU 12

Jim Custer

17

Spokane Gymnastics

Central Valley Theatre

13

Kathrine Olson, DDS

26

Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce 22

3

Kiwanis Liberty Lake

3

Tate Law Offices

Greenstone 26

Liberty Lake Family Dentistry

5

Hennessey Funeral Home

Northern Quest

Cornerstone Pentecostal Church

19

28

Service Directory

17

26

26

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

26

• FEBRUARY 2020

ON THAT NOTE

The one where Rachel illuminates the Enneagram

By Josh Johnson

Current Contributor Twos, I need your help. A friend of mine is trying to track down a specific T-shirt to wear to an upcoming Enneagram training at his workplace.

It reads, “I’m whichever number doesn’t care about the Enneagram.”

Yeah, he’s that guy. (Cough: What an Eight! … Or maybe a Four who doesn’t want to be put in a box?)

By now, I have either caught you completely Ennea-unaware, or you’re rightfully accusing me of drive-by typecasting — totally misusing what has become one of my favorite aids for personal and relational growth. Kim and I picked up a book about the Enneagram this summer. Reading it together was like fog lifting out of San Francisco Bay. An experience like that makes you want to engage further, so we scheduled coffee with Rachel Briscoe, a personal and business coach, at The Garden Coffee & Local Eats in Spokane Valley. Rachel is passionate about “digging in deep with people and helping them go from where they are now to where they were created to go,” and the Enneagram is one of her favorite vehicles to aid this transformation.

“When I was first introduced to the Enneagram, I tried it on, and it fit so well,” she said. “It’s like somebody lifted the veil, and all the work I needed to do in my own heart to take that next step was just laid out.”

The Enneagram breaks down nine basic personality types.

“It’s an intimate way of understanding who you are, how you show up in the world and how the world best receives you,” Rachel said. “Once you have that understanding, it gives you more compassion for yourself and more compassion for others.”

What happened next in our conversation was equivalent to a 5-year-old picking up a running chainsaw at a Christmas tree farm.

I was the 5-year-old, and I essentially said: “That’s so cool Rachel guess what I’m a Nine and so how can I be a better parent and friend and husband and if it helps Kim’s a One (makes sense, huh) — oh, and then tell me the same thing about all the other types so I can help all my friends and then write about it.”

Then my Nine kicked in: “But whatever you think would be best.”

Fortunately, Rachel knows how to handle kids with chainsaws.

The Enneagram is a tool, and like any tool it can be used poorly — in ways that are inefficient at best and destructive at worst. So before Rachel answered all my questions, she shared some guidelines for

wise use of this powerful tool in relationships.

Leave room to be different Ever been confused why your spouse or friend isn’t showing up the same way you are showing up for the relationship?

“The Enneagram gives us the power to have compassion and to understand that there are nine ways to be normal,” Rachel said.

“When we understand this is just another normal way to show up for the world, then it leaves room for both of us to be different.”

Relationships have two people When I asked Rachel my probable parenting strengths and blind spots as a Nine, she offered an important clarifier. Just considering my own strengths and weaknesses as an individual is not enough information to understand my strengths and weaknesses in a

The Current

relationship.

“As parents, it can be easy to forget that our kids are their own people, and who they are has just as much to do with the success of the relationship as who we are,” she said.

Only with that dual knowledge will our own strengths and blind spots in a particular relationship come into focus.

When your strength is also your blind spot “The best teachers are those who had to learn it first,” Rachel said. Which is why she is going to have a hard time teaching you how to “read a room.” She’s a Two, a type that “walks into a room with a thermometer,” able to intuitively look around and sense how people in the room are feeling, what kind of day they are having.

The Current

It’s an intuitive thing for her, but if she tried to teach some other number something that she never really had to be taught?

“I can show my kids what it looks like to serve others in an intuitive way, but my blind spot is I can’t teach them something I’ve never learned how to do,” she said.

It’s draining not to be you Sometimes the demands of life — a job, a relationship, a conflict — will ask us to play a role that really isn’t in our sweet spot. Sacrifices like this might be sustainable for the moment, but they are not a healthy lifestyle decision.

“We can all hold a role that is needed for the environment around us, but if we are not energetically in tune with who we are and how we are created, it will drain us so fast,” Rachel said.

ON THAT NOTE

“When you meet people who are burned out, it’s probably because they have been operating at a level that they are not supposed to be operating at. Leave that for someone else who is supposed to show up that way.”

The nine types Of course, another tip might be this: Don’t trust a single article to plumb the depths of the Enneagram. It can’t. (That’s why links to Rachel’s favorite resources are included in the breakout box.)

The names for each of the nine numbers are taken from one of those links, yourenneagramcoach. com, a site where Rachel has gained training and resources to help in her coaching practice. This quick overview of each type is followed by insight from Rachel regarding what each type can bring to a relationship.

Ones: The Moral Perfectionists Responsible, Idealistic, Selfcontrolled, Purposeful, Fair “(Ones) are able to really help people understand a clear direction. … They can compassionately come into a relationship and guide it in the right direction, helping someone understand what is a good and right path to go down. When it’s healthy, it comes across as guidance, not nagging.”

Twos: The Supportive Advisors Caring, Generous, Nurturing, People-Pleasing, Warm “Twos bring a deep sense of service to a relationship. They need to feel like they are serving someone or something outside of themselves. … They want to play a starring role in someone else’s story! (Healthy or unhealthy — you can see how that could be a problem.)”

Threes: The Successful

Submitted photo Rachel Briscoe is a personal and business coach, team development trainer – and a Two. She and her husband run four local businesses.

She shared information for this article with Josh Johnson (also pictured) at The Garden Coffee & Local Eats in Spokane Valley.

Achievers Competent, Productive, Driven, Image-Conscious, Adaptive “I believe the energy of a Three is what makes it possible for things to move forward efficiently. … If you are around a healthy Three, you are going to want to achieve something big in your life. They probably aren’t the ones who are going to help you step by step get there, but a three is your walking vision board.”

Fours: The Romantic Individualists Deep, Unique, Tasteful, Expressive, Emotional “Fours are the friends who want to try new things with you just to have that experience with you. … In a relationship, they bring a certain amount of creativity and beauty that other types can’t. Envy is something to watch out for as Fours can show up competitive in relationships.”

Fives: The Investigative Thinkers Cerebral, Perceptive, Innovative, Introspective, Private “Fives are happiest when they are collecting data, even if that’s people watching in a coffee shop. … It is one of the highest compliments if a Five lets you into her inner circle, because it is exceptionally, intentionally small.

If Fives aren’t careful about their own boundaries, they can drain themselves quickly.”

Sixes: The Loyal Guardians Prepared, Hard-working, Committed, Security-oriented, Responsible “A Six is someone who will go to bat for you. They are so loyal. … They want to have a deeper understanding of people in their circles, and they want to protect the relationship. … If they don’t feel security in a relationship, it feels like everything is going to fall down around them.”

Sevens: The Entertaining Optimists Fun-loving, Spontaneous, Creative, Imaginative, Inspirational “Sevens bring the fun. They are the ones who want to help you find the fun. An average to unhealthy Seven is more self-serving — what

FEBRUARY 2020 • 27

For more on the Enneagram …

Rachel recommends the following online resources for further learning on the Enneagram: • enneagraminstitute.com • integrative9.com • yourenneagramcoach. com For people wanting to learn more without committing to paid online evaluations, she likes the free Enneagram test at yourenneagramcoach.com.

Curious to take the next step in learning more?

Head to go.oncehub.com/ rachelBcoaching and sign up for a complimentary Enneagram conversation with Rachel. You can also connect with her at rachelBcoaching@gmail.com.

feels fun to me — but in a healthy relationship, they want to find out what fills you up and is fun for you, and they will do that thing.”

Eights: The Protective Challengers Direct, Bold, Decisive, Powerful, Self-Confident “Eights bring strength to a relationship. They are good at saying, ‘No, you need to advocate for yourself.’ They won’t take over your life and do it for you if they’re healthy. … An eight in a healthy relationship will empower. When it’s not healthy, it’s controlling.”

Nines: The Peaceful Mediators Agreeable, Calm, Enduring, Easygoing, Receptive “There is something about a Nine in a relationship that they tend to fill in the gaps of what a relationship needs. It’s almost like the Nine will wait and see. ‘OK, I’m in a relationship with a Two. What does the Two bring to the table? I will fill in the blanks.’ …

They need to watch out for losing themselves.”

A version of this story first appeared on coffeejosh.com, where Liberty Lake’s Josh Johnson introduces readers to inspiring people and great coffee shops in the Inland Northwest.

28

• FEBRUARY 2020

The Current

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