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• MAY 2020
The Current
RIVER CROSSING
Ready Responder – Coldiron takes service beyond SVFD By Craig Howard
Current Contributing Editor
Whether it’s a wildfire, tsunami or a veteran in turmoil, Darrin Coldiron has made it a habit to respond to suffering. The healing art is simply part of the Montana native’s approach to life, borne out of his own challenges as a child and a search for meaning as he grew into adulthood. The quest has brought him to the teeming jungles of Sri Lanka, the flood-drenched terrain of North Carolina and Haiti’s rubble-strewn streets. In every scenario, Coldiron arrives with an equal blend of compassion and resolve, taking others by the hand and lifting them to higher ground – sometimes literally.
back their lives. What began as the nonprofit Community Focused Disaster Response in 2005 morphed into what is now known as Veterans Community Response or VCR. The effort has lived up to its mission, providing a unique network of support that includes restorative retreats and engaging veterans in dynamic community service. “It was a matter of replacing empty gestures for vets with real understanding,” Coldiron said. VCR has been on the scene after the Okanogan Complex wildfires in central Washington, in North Carolina following Hurricane Florence and in other areas shaken by natural disasters. Coldiron’s full-time job doesn’t offer much respite from his volunteer pursuits. He has worked as a firefighter with SVFD since 2000 and says he appreciates the culture of an agency that puts citizens first while placing the work in context. “We’re public servants,” he said. “Not heroes.”
Coldiron grew up in Missoula, one of three children raised by a single mom who worked at a health food store. “We were poor,” he recalls. “We never had a car or a TV. I remember a lot of walking and reading.” School was a struggle for Coldiron until high school when he enrolled in DECA, a program that taught marketing and business skills. A DECA counselor named Bryan Thornton became a mentor, encouraging Coldiron to set goals and realize his potential. “He recognized I was intelligent and capable, I just needed some guidance,” Coldiron recalls. “Before that, I didn’t have any goals or aspirations. It was so pivotal.” Coldiron’s grades improved and college became more than an abstract mirage. He also played football despite being one of the smallest players on the team. Outside of the classroom, he rallied for various causes like protecting the environment and raising
The journey has included Coldiron creating opportunities in his own backyard like a scholarship fund he launched with his employer – the Spokane Valley Fire Department (SVFD) – that has raised nearly $140,000 since 2011 and provided almost 50 scholarships to local community college students.
By the time Coldiron enrolled at the University of Montana in his hometown, he had grown enough to consider walking onto the school’s football squad. Instead, he signed on to play club rugby, a sport that would be part of his life for the next decade. “Rugby had such an impact on me,” he recalls. “You play all the positions and everyone on the field has an opportunity to make gamechanging plays. It’s a real team effort.” Coldiron did well in college but left one paper short of graduating. One day he was walking across campus and looked down to see anti-logging leaflets strewn on the grass – a paper product speaking out against the timber industry but littering campus. The irony stuck with him. “I realized that before I tell others what to do, I need to find out for myself,” he said. Coldiron emerged from along trip to the mountains with a career objective that seemed to match his quest to help others and make a difference. He began taking EMT classes with a goal of landing in the emergency medical field. By 1996, he had landed back in Missoula. The path would eventually lead him to apply with the Spokane Valley Fire Department in 1999. He was hired on in early 2000 and has been there ever since with the exception of numerous disaster relief excursions. There was the time he took off to volunteer in Haiti, helping those impacted by the 2010 earthquake that devastated many parts of the country and killed over 200,000. As in trips past, Coldiron’s SVFD colleagues stepped up to make sure he was covered.
Other times it has meant walking away, like a period after college when he worked as a bartender but left after realizing it was the sort of difference he didn’t want to make. “I was serving them their disease and I couldn’t do that anymore,” he recalls. After Coldiron worked intermittently over the course of several years to complete around 75 projects in Kamari, Sri Lanka following the Indian Ocean tsunami, he felt compelled to help with another sort of rebuilding work – giving combat veterans
teachers’ salaries.
Photo by Craig Howard Darrin Coldiron has served as a firefighter with the Spokane Valley Fire Department since 2000. The Montana native has been the catalyst for a variety of impactful projects including Veterans Community Response and a scholarship program for local college students.
“Darrin is a special guy,” says SVFD Chief Bryan Collins. “He has a really interesting life story and just has an amazing heart. He’s so admired and respected here. He fits in anywhere we put him. His focus is not on himself but how he can See COLDIRON, Page 4
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Continued from page 2 help people. You look at the year he spent in Sri Lanka, helping people he didn’t even know – pretty impressive.” Now 50, Coldiron is not sure where the future might take him after his firefighting days are over. He’s thought about studying bamboo construction or pursuing rehabilitation of land to restore the ecosystem. Ocean river cleanup is also on the list. “Who knows?” Coldiron says. “Maybe I’ll just go and plant of bunch of trees.” Q: You’ve been a firefighter for 20 years now. Why has this been such a good fit for you? A: Working in public service is a great career. It’s so important to view this job from the standpoint of being in service, not trying to live some hero trope. We serve the public in their most vulnerable and troubled times. It is a great honor and privilege. Most often, the service we render is not exciting. It’s helping up a grandparent who was fallen out of bed, maybe helping to clean them up after they have soiled themselves, getting them back to bed. It’s shoveling a driveway and sidewalk of someone who needs that help. It’s driving the roads and getting to know the people we serve, helping to assess property and provide guidance to a homeowner or business in ways to better protect their lives and property. Q: Valley Fire is celebrating its 80th anniversary this year. As you well know, this is an agency that supports the community well beyond what’s included in
the job description. What’s so unique about the culture of this department? A: First, I think all of Spokane is a fantastic community. And I come from Missoula, so I know great towns. Spokane has so much to offer, a great mix of outdoor enjoyment and cultural offerings. I have been very blessed to call this home. There is a culture at Spokane Valley Fire of going the extra mile, that our work is more than our 24-hour shift. The people I work with want a better community and they are working to build that better community. So many Valley firemen are out working in the community in their off time – coaching youth sports, supporting families of cancer victims, providing aid and comfort to our more underserved community members. In my 20-year career, I have worked alongside a number of other agencies. What Spokane Valley Fire has is something special. When I’ve talked to many other cops and fireman about public service, many see service as something they do on the job. In Valley Fire, service is a way of life. Building and strengthening great community is important to a huge percentage of Valley firefighters. Q: When you started the nonprofit that would be known as Veterans Community Response in 2005, you talked about it going beyond the “empty gestures.” What have you done to accomplish that? A: The nonprofit originally started in response to the Indian Ocean tsunami. The Missoula Rugby community and Big Sky Brewing Company asked me to represent our community and be
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the point man for an aid mission to Sri Lanka. This formed the group that built into the 501c(3) nonprofit Community Focused Disaster Response. We ended up working in the Tamil Village of Komari, Sri Lanka from 2005 to 2008. We worked in all phases of disaster response, including rubble clean up, well cleaning, rebuilding and restarting school, housing, agriculture, health, economic development, community enrichment, etc. While in Komari, we became close with the military units working in the area, especially the Special Task Force Police unit who had Komari in their purview. The chief inspector of the area STF camp, Thusan Deshapreya, and I became good friends. Later, when the 28year Sri Lankan civil war heated up again, Deshapreya lost his leg to a Jonny mine while leading his me on patrol. VCR friends who knew Deshapreya personally and by story joined together and purchased a prosthetic limb so Deshapreya could continue his career in police. I feel a strong sense of connection to the universe and I believe that I get tasked out on projects that need doing. Thar is what brought me to Sri Lanka. In 2007, while flying home from Sri Lanka, I felt called to work with combat veterans. After many conversations with U.S. combat vets asking what they needed from the citizenry, who was doing good work and what were they doing, we started shifting our focus towards serving veterans. Initially, we held a pair of “Welcome Home” community fairs/concerts for returning combat vets and the community. After meeting with Mike Ogle at the Spokane Vet Center, we built a partnership in
hosting outdoor therapeutic retreats for returning combat veterans. Our retreats are based on three pillars: The Clinical – trauma clinicians providing care before, during and after the retreat; The Fraternal – we help the veterans to rebuild a family like team around them and The Spiritual – Native American Elders use a variety of different ceremonies and cleansings to guide spiritual healing and reawakening. In 2015, we changed the name of the nonprofit to Veterans Community Response to better reflect our mission. We have a strong community service wing. Our team members, both combat veterans and others, do local wildfire fuels reduction work and local service projects and we also respond to regional and international disaster response missions with a partner agency. Q: We’ve all been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in some way. In your many experiences of dealing with all kinds of crises, can you offer any advice on how to cope with the closest many of us have come to a disaster? A: This is a new one for all of us here in the USA, isn’t it? Some of the effective things we can do is to give each other a little more slack right now. Remember that everyone is highly stressed. Try to lead with a smile and a forgiving attitude. Maybe lay off the horn and the finger and the cussing while driving and on social media. Remember that we all have so many of the answers we seek inside. Take time to meditate, summon up your inner power. The human being is an amazing creature. Trust your intuition.
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SVFD Report – April 2020 Current News sources
Spokane Valley Fire Department (SVFD) crews responded to a total of 1,400 emergency calls from March 15 – April 15, 2020. • Emergency Medical Services 1094 • Fires 111 • Building Alarms 85 • Motor Vehicle Accidents 36 • Dispatched and cancelled enroute 33 • Hazardous Materials 14 • Service Calls 11 • Vehicle Fires 7 • Technical Rescue 6 • Auto vs Pedestrian 3 Highlights and the news include: Total calls for service remained consistent, 1401 the month prior to 1400. Calls for EMS dropped from 1144 to 1094. Motor Vehicle Accidents dropped from 71 to 36. Fires saw a dramatic increase from 67 last month to 111 this month. Of Note: • Spokane Valley Fire Department (SVFD) received a generous donation from Country Financial to purchase UV Cleaners for the SVFD Fire Stations. UV Cleaners are used to clean and disinfect reusable EMS supplies. Instead of having to use harsh chemicals, crews can now use the UV light technology. With a touch of a button equipment is sanitized and ready to use again in 5 minutes, a dramatic improvement to cleaning and sanitizing with harsh chemicals. SVFD is very grateful for this generous donation from Country Financial. • Spokane Valley Fire Department (SVFD) is experiencing an increase in calls regarding possible illegal burning. Warmer spring weather and social distancing has residents outdoors doing yard work and spring cleaning. We want to remind area residents that burning of garbage, including construction material, and the use of burn barrels are prohibited in the region. Burning outdoors, including yard debris, is not allowed in most areas of Spokane County. Recreational fires are allowed at this time. Outdoor burning regulations , requirements, and restrictions can be viewed at
SpokaneCleanAir.org/burning. • Spokane Valley Fire Department (SVFD) has seen an increase in 9-1-1 calls for chirping/ alarming CO Alarms due to the alarms’ end-of-useful-life. As a result, we hope to educate the public on the sounds a CO Alarm makes for a better understanding of when to call 911. CO alarms last between five to ten years, depending upon the manufacturer. Check the back of your alarm to see the date of manufacture stamp. If renting your residence, check your lease to determine who is responsible for replacing the batteries and expired CO alarms. • Spokane Valley Fire Department (SVFD) has signed up to use a tool to help track COVID-19 in the SVFD Fire District. The International Association of Fire Chiefs, along with technology partners First Due and Esri, have created a National SelfReporting System, allowing the public to self-report critical COVID-19 related information directly to their respective First Responder Agencies. Data shared via Community Connect's HIPPA compliant platform will not be used for any other purpose and is 100% secure with bank-level encryption and security protocols. Community members who want to self-report can create an account at: https://www.communityconnect.io/ covid-19 Incidents: Structure Fire, April 8 - Spokane Valley Fire Department (SVFD) firefighters were dispatched at 3:44 pm today for a report of a residential structure fire in the 16300 block of E 9th Lane. A 911 caller reported a home’s deck on fire near the south side of Shelley Lake in eastern Spokane Valley. Firefighters arrived to heavy fire coming from the rear of a residential home that had begun spreading into the home’s interior. Firefighters from Ladder 1, Engine 7, and Medic 7 began pulling handlines to attack the fire from both the exterior and interior of the home. Additional crews performed a search of the building for any occupants or animals still inside, established a fire hydrant water supply, used chainsaws to vertically ventilate the roof, and numerous other fireground jobs. Firefighters had the main fire knocked down roughly 30 minutes after arriving on scene. Crews will remain on scene for several hours extinguishing hotspots and overhauling the structure. See SVFD REPORT, Page 6
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Connect with SVFD at: spokanevalleyfire.com. For department news, safety information, and timely updates, find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
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Possible Illegal Burn, March 9, approximately 10:15 a.m. - Spokane Valley Fire Department (SVFD) units responded to a possible illegal burn call. Upon arrival, crews found a homeowner in the front yard removing bushes and waste, initiating spring yard cleaning. There was a 2 foot commercial fire pit in the driveway, clear of any surrounding flammables, with fresh twigs and branches from the yard cleanup. The debris was burning in the fire pit. Crews educated the homeowner on what was legal to burn. The fire was extinguished with a garden hose and crews returned to service.
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Extrication Call, March 16, approximately 9:09 a.m. Spokane Valley Fire Department (SVFD) responded to a call of a moving violation that required extrication on Trent Avenue. Three vehicles were involved in the accident. One person was trapped inside one of the vehicles. The extrication plan included removal of the roof, driver’s side door, and the steering wheel. Once removed the person was transported for further medical attention.
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The fire started on the home’s back deck and was discovered by two teenage residents of the home, who unsuccessfully attempted to put out the fire with an extinguisher. The fire cause is under investigation at this time. The home was heavily damaged by fire and is uninhabitable, and Red Cross was contacted to assist the family. The Spokane Valley Fire Department would like to remind residents to safely monitor all outdoor cooking fires and have them at least 10 feet away from any flammable structures.
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There were no injuries reported of the home’s occupants or any animals. One firefighter sustained a leg injury and is being evaluated at Valley Hospital. A total of 12 fire suppression vehicles and 4 command vehicles responded staffed by a total of 40 firefighters. Automatic aid assistance was provided by Spokane County Fire District #8 and the Spokane Fire Department. Additional assistance provided by Avista Utilities and a standby ambulance from AMR.
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SVFD REPORT
The Current
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Prepared By: Spokane County IT in conjunction with Spokane County Sheriffs Office on 4/3/2020
MAY 2020 • 7
The Current
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Prepared By: Spokane County IT in conjunction with Spokane County Sheriffs Office on 4/3/2020
SAFETY TIP OF THE MONTH With COVID-19 making its way through our community, we would like to remind you to please “Stay home and stay healthy.” If you do need to go out, please remember to;
2. Only buy what you need. The recent onslaught of over buying of items has caused shortages in the immediate food supply in our community. The only way for those to replenish is to give them time to transport and restock those items. Please only purchase what you need. 3. Wash you hands! Remember to wash your hand after each outing you may embark on.
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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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Safety Awareness Channel
4. Keep surfaces clean. COVID-19 can survive on surfaces for extended periods of time. Wipe frequently used surfaces daily to contain contamination.
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• MAY 2020
NEWS
Work at city hall continues amidst emergency declaration By Bill Gothmann Current Contributor
City Supplies Funding for Senior Meals City Council provided $8000 in supplemental funding to Greater Spokane County Meals on Wheels (Meals on Wheels). They provide meals to those senior citizens who request them, many of whom are delivered to the requester’s home. With the need for social distancing, Meals on Wheels has had a significant increase in the number of new requests in the past months, increasing their costs. Council member Pam Haley noted that Meals on Wheels is soliciting donations of face masks. They also need more volunteers. Grant to Spokane Valley Partners Spokane Valley Partners (SVP) has, for over 60 years, provided such services as food, clothing, diapers, and other services for those in need throughout the Spokane Valley community. Because of the COVID-19 virus and the resultant loss of jobs and wages by individuals, the needs for services have substantially increased. Meanwhile, a primary source of funding, collections taken by churches, has decreased with the cessation of church meetings. Discussions between SVP and the City has produced a phased system of grants to bolster SVP’s services to individuals whereby grants will be made in $25,000 allotments for up to one year to SVP. SVP will provide monthly reports to the City. Council approved the agreement, beginning with the first $25,000, capping the maximum at $50,000. Gambling Taxes Postponed Council
members
have
been
contacted by several businesses offering gambling asking some relief from the City’s gambling tax because of the effect of the COVID-19 virus on small business profits. Council member Pam Haley observed that other cities are helping out small businesses by reducing or postponing utility taxes, but Spokane Valley owns no utilities. Council discussed both providing a waiver of taxes and postponing when they were due. The City Attorney noted that the City cannot forgive a tax that is due. After considerable discussion, staff proposed and Council agreed to postpone first quarter taxes until September 30 and second quarter taxes until November 30. The 2020 Budget includes a revenue estimate of $366,000 in gambling taxes including $67,000 from punch boards and pull tabs, $1,000 from Bingo and raffles, $13,000 from amusement games, and $285,000 from card games. However, the effect of the COVID-19 virus upon future revenues is unknown. Acquisition of Flora Property Delayed In a rather lengthy debate, Council decided to delay for two months the decision to acquire the 46-acre Flora Road property. As discussed in last month’s The Current, Washington Department of Transportation (WSDOT) has declared as surplus four parcels of land adjacent to Sullivan Park, east of Flora, south of the Union Pacific tracks, and north of the Spokane River. The Council is very anxious to purchase it, but is concerned that the effect of the COVID-19 on businesses will adversely affect City finances. They asked staff to ask WSDOT if the decision can be delayed and staff reported that a six month window might be possible. As a result Council
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decided to delay a decision for two months. WSDOT is required to offer it to a public entity such as Spokane Valley first, before offering it to a private entity. Discussion noted that private entities, one a sand pit, the other an apartment complex, wish to buy the property. Balfour Park and Flora Road Grants Considered The City is considering applying to the Washington Recreation and Conservation Office (RCO) for grants for developing Balfour Park and purchase of the Flora Road property. The City would be requesting $500,000 for the Balfour Development Project and $1,000,000 for the Flora Road acquisition. The City is proposing to construct Phase 1 of the Balfour Park project, estimated to be approximately $2.5 million. The purchase price for the land purchase is $2,091,600, which was established by appraisal. RCO will be holding a technical review of the grant applications in September and the funds would be available in July of 2021. However, there was some concern whether, because of the COVID-19 virus problem, the legislature would release the funds. Should the City scale back the initial development of Balfour to $1 million? After some discussion, it was decided that staff would examine what effect a $1 million Balfour project would buy the City and report this back to the Council. Centerplace Roof Repair Plan Changed In November of 2019, City Council agreed with staff to have the Centerplace roof repaired using standing seam metal roof materials. With the opening of bids for the job, staff found bids ranging from $498,762 to $1,317,690. Because of the wide range of bids, “After careful consideration, staff decided it was in the best interest of the City to reject
The Current
all bids and re-bid the project.” With the possible decrease in revenues due to the COVID-19 virus, staff thought that Council might want to consider a less expensive option. Updating their estimates, Architects West estimates the metal tile would cost $721 thousand and last 50 years, whereas the composition roof would cost $607 thousand and last 15-30 years. Furthermore, future roof replacement would be less expensive because the metal roof requires replacement of both insulation and decking and shingling does not. Thus, reshingling is estimated to cost $250$325 thousand. Council agreed to the use of composition shingles. Staff will put bids out and return seeking approval of the winning bid. City to Dispose of Surplus Property Council approved disposal of over 200 items of equipment, including monitors, printers, servers, ipads, switches, laptops, scanners, cameras, projectors, UPS units, and other miscellaneous items. These items are considered inoperable, obsolete, or they are excess to the City’s operating needs. The City Manager may dispose of these at public auction, bid, or other sales methods. If the equipment is unsellable, it may be discarded as scrap. Community Development Block Grant Requalification The U.S. Department of Housing and Community Development (HUD) makes grants to entities to improve low-to—moderate- income areas of communities. These grants can be used for a number of activities including acquisition of property, construction of public improvements, code enforcement, addressing deterioration of a community, and public assistance services. No more that 15% of HUD funds may go to human services, and no more than 20%
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to administration and planning. The remainder is for capital projects. Only certain entities are eligible to serve as direct recipients of HUD grants: qualified urban counties of greater than 200,000 population, principal cities of Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSA), and other cities of greater than 50,000 inhabitants. The City of Spokane is its own entitlement area since it is a principle city within an MSA. Spokane Valley has, thus far, chosen to be part of the Spokane County’s entitlement area which also includes the cities of Airway Heights, Cheney, Deer Park, Fairfield, Latah, Liberty Lake, Medical Lake, Millwood, Rockford, Spangle, and Waverly. All 12 of these cities are represented on the County’s House and Community Development Advisory Committee (HCDAC). Each year, these 12 cities and human services agencies apply for HUD grants. The County examines each application and assures that the project satisfies the exacting requirements of HUD. HCDAC reviews the proposals and determines which are granted funding. Because Spokane Valley is the “big dog”among HCDAC cities, the County and the City agreed to grant the City 20% of the HUD funds after deducting administrative costs. This brings an average of about $285,000 per year to the City. Every three years, the City has to reapply for entitlement. Staff presented four alternatives for determining how Spokane Valley can requalify for HUD grants in the future. Option 1: They can be their own entitlement city. This would require them to develop extensive plans and add administrative staff to oversee all HUD requirements, estimated to require three more employees. Option 2: They could accept entitlement and, perhaps, hire the County to do the administrative work. Option 3: They could work only through the State CDBG program, in which case, they would receive much less funding. Option 4: they could continue being part of the County’s urban program. Mayor Ben Wick and Deputy Mayor Brandi Peetz wanted to know more about whether the County could do Option 2. Advocating Option 4, Council member Arne Woodard, who serves on HCDAC commented, “I see what staff does. It would be an unreal learning curve. Let’s stay with Option 4 for another three years.” Council member Rod Higgins added, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” Council has not yet made a decision. Staff will contact the County about Option 2 and report back to Council.
NEWS
Adams, Ella, and Conklin Sidewalk Contracts Awarded
Council approved awarding a $334,541.65 contract to Wm. Winkler Co. to install a new sidewalk on the east side of Adams Road between 16th and 22nd Ave. Their bid was about $39,000 below the engineer’s estimate. The project is funded in part by a $313,758 grant from the Washington State Transportation Improvement Board. Council also approved awarding a combined $452,008 contract to National Native American Construction for two projects: installing a new sidewalk, curb and for widening the pavement on the west side of Ella Road between Broadway Avenue and Alki Road; and for installing a sidewalk with curb and gutter to fill the gap on Conklin Road between the Appleway Trail and Riceland Lane. This contract was about $10 thousand above the engineer’s estimate, primarily due to requiring two mobilizations. A Community Development Block Grant will supply 71% of the project funding. North Sullivan Contract Awarded
Fiber
Optic
Council approved a $729,981.50 contract to Power City Electric for installation of a conduit and fiber optic as part of the City’s Intelligent Transportation System. This installation would link the traffic light controllers on Sullivan between I-90 and SR-290 (Trent) to the Spokane Regional Traffic Management System. A $790,790 Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality grant from the Feds will supply 72% of the funding. Avista Awarded
Relocation
$11.7 million in additional grants. Instead, the City could apply for a $17.9 million BUILD grant for the Pines Grade Separation Project (PGSP) requiring the City to obtain an additional $1.7 million in grants. Council chose applying for the PGSP. Council will finalize this decision in a later meeting. Automobile Charging Stations Grant The Spokane Regional Transportation Council (SRTC) and Avista Corp. intend to apply for a grant from the Washington Department of Commerce to provide automobile charging stations for the Spokane Region. Spokane Valley’s installation would provide two stations for City Hall and two for Centerplace. One of the stations would charge a car in 30 minutes and the remaining three would take 90 minutes for a full charge. Avista will provide the matching funds for the grant. Thus, “Most likely, the City will have zero matching responsibility.” Annual operation and maintenance for all four stations is estimated to be $2,150 and the city could charge a consumption fee. Council consented to staff coordinating with SRTC for
MAY 2020 • 9
submittal of the grant application. Council Meetings on Video Citizens can watch Council meetings live on Channel 14 at 6PM on Tuesday or live on the internet by going to www.spokanevalley.org/ svtv, clicking on “Council Meetings 2020” and clicking on “in progress.” Alternatively, citizens can join the live meeting via Zoom by following the directions on the same page. Past meetings can be seen on this page by clicking on the “Council Meetings [year desired]”, then clicking on the particular meeting of interest. Council Briefs • Council approved moving to a first reading a proposal to vacate approximately 500 ft. of Chronicle Rd., the alley between 12th and 13th between Chronicle and Carnahan, and 13th Ave. between Chronicle and Carnahan. The Planning Commission voted not to vacate 12th between Chronicle and Carnahan because the City may need it. Staff noted that most of these rights-of-way are located in a wetlands and are cannot be developed. • Council heard an update to its chapter of the Hazard Mitigation Agreement with the County.
Funds
As part of the Barker Road/BNSF Railroad Grade Separation Project, Avista must move its gas, fiber, and distribution/transmission lines to land acquired by the City for the project. Avista estimates the cost will be $748,992.63 and Council agreed to cover the cost. This work will be funded as part of the more than $24 million in funding for Barker/BNSF project obtained from seven sources. BUILD Grant for Pines to be considered The US Department of Transportation issued a call for projects under the BUILD (Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development) program. The City could apply for a $25 million grant jointly with the County for the Sullivan/Barker corridor, obligating the City to obtain an additional
Photos screenshots from zoom Due to the Covid-19 isolation measures initiated by Governor Inslee, Spokane Valley councilmembers were forced to continue their weekly meetings vitrually. Citizens can also attend the zoom meeting by going to spokanevalley.org.
10
• MAY 2020
Who is Doris Morrison By Ben Wick
Current Publisher
Many might be asking who is Doris Morrison and why is the Saltese Flats Interpretive Learning Center named after her? Back in 1892 the Morrison family purchased the land that was known as Lake Saltese with the idea of draining the lake and using the fertile land for farming. Despite a brief interruption during the Great Depression, the Morrison Ranch still thrives on this family homestead. Currently run by Bud Morrison, the ranch still raises cattle, but is changing course as Morrison has started to diversify the family business into construction by building some homes along the northern edge of the property. However, the family has deep roots and is packed with historical knowledge thanks to his mother, Doris. “Doris, a school teacher from Seattle, moved to the Saltese Ranch in 1930,” says Bud Morrison flipping to the page in the first book of the family album. The keepsake, which is in remarkable
COVER STORY shape for its age, is one of fourteen that historizes the people and events of his family from 1887 all the way to present. “She loved to scrap book and had the best handwriting,” continued Morrison. Even in her 80’s Doris was quite active. Morrison proudly turns to another album and points out a couple of pages which contained letters sent in the 1990’s from Doris to President George Bush offering prayers during the Persian Gulf war, and right next to them were signed letters she received from the President thanking her for her letter and prayers. The Interpretive Center, which is slated to include a number of interactive learning and historical displays, is going to be a venue that celebrates Doris’ past of being a school teacher and showcase her passion for making and documenting history. With the prior donation of some land to help make the interpretive center a reality, Bud and his family continue to work with Spokane County advocating for the Saltese Flats wetland reclamation area and the coming Interpretive Center. Bud quickly says “This isn’t about me, its about Doris. People might not know who Doris is right now, but they will.”
The Current
Doris Morrison Interpretive Learning Center funding in the site as a future possibility said place Bud Morison, whose family cattle By Ben Wick
Current Publisher
Nearly a decade in the works, the Saltese Flats wetlands restoration area is starting to take shape. Funding for a new community amenity, not previously seen before in the Greater Spokane area, has been secured. Thanks to a $500,000 grant in the Washington State Legislature’s 2020 capital budget, the Doris Morrison Interpretive Learning Center is starting to take shape. The project originally started back in 2006 as an alternative site for discharging the effluent water [byproduct] from the Spokane County Wastewater Treatment facility being constructed then at the old Stockyards facility location off of Freya, in case Spokane County couldn’t get the permit to discharge straight into the Spokane River. While ultimately Spokane County was able to get the permit to discharge into the river, Spokane County, seeing the growth potential of the greater Spokane Valley area. The County continued developing
ranch dates back to 1892, and from whom the county finalized a deal to buy 300 hundred acres of land including a surface water permit in 2010.
While the deal originally selling the land to Spokane County included a promise for the development of an interpretive learning center on an additional donated three-acre parcel adjoining the purchased property, the location of the center has changed a few times. “Originally the Interpretive Learning Center was going to be on the three-acres we donated” said Bud. “But the neighbors objected with the concern over the potential additional traffic.” Then it was proposed to be included within a larger building on the Central Valley High School’s new high school property off of Henry Road, but soon after Central Valley acquired the Spokane Gun Club Property and moved construction of the new Ridgeline High School there. However, Commissioner determined to home for the
Spokane County Mary Kuney was find a solution and learning center. A
Contributed document This page highlights an article from the Spokesman Review and documents their efforts to improve the Saltese Wetlands and is Shown with Chief Saltese of the Coeur d’Alene tribe. This page is from book 10 of the fourteen that Doris Morrison compiled to memorialize the Morrison family history.
The Current
committee was established to work out potential locations. While not finalized, the current planned location is in partnership with Central Valley School District.
COVER STORY
MAY 2020 • 11
Central Valley School District Superintendent Ben Small says, “We believe in this project’s value to our Central Valley community and therefore our Board of Directors is in the process of donating three acres of land as well as access easements so that the project is able to benefit as many citizens as possible.” “The premise is truly multidimensional, covering both science and history content areas,” said CV Teacher Jennell McLaughlin. “Imagine kindergarten students studying the ecosystem and the plants and animals that live near the ponds. Fourth grade students could gather geological data on rocks and soil samples. Fifth graders could study the human interactions and reclamation of the natural habitat. Spokane Community College students and faculty have already been working in the Saltese Flats for several years on research projects.” Kuney, who is excited to see the project come to life, spent a good deal of time over the last year traveling around the state working with legislators to share with them the possibilities that could happen with the Doris Morrison Interpretive Learning Center. “We are very pleased and grateful for the $500,000 award from the state legislature.” Combined with the $900,000 the County has already set aside for the development of the center, it provides a $1.4 million budget for the project. “We will likely go out for bid for an architect in the coming months and potentially go into construction a year from now in early 2021” says Spokane County Environmental Sciences Engineer Ben Brattebo.
Photo by Danica Wick The Saltese Flats Wetlands area will be the future home of a trail system for all to enjoy and the Doris Morrison Interpretive Center which will immortalize Morrison’s ideals of education and history. “We are going to see a lot of activity even this summer” says Brattebo. “This area has varied scenery with seasonal change and we will see how the restoration unfolds” Next steps for the wetlands restoration is giving the water time to do the work. With the water control system in place and no effluent from the County Wastewater plant, the wetlands are being recharged with the natural watersheds from Mica peak and the surrounding area. “With the addition of the water we set the stage and let the water work.”
“We have already accomplished a lot” Brattebo continued. “In 2018 and 2019 we completed all of the water control features and most of the trail.”
Last year, Spokane County had applied herbicides to try and remove the planted grasses used to raise the cattle and with the return of water saw some of the natural wetland vegetation already starting to return. “We are going to be doing another year of herbicide treatments this year and will probably add some seed to help it along this fall.” Continued Brattebo.
Referring to the 5 miles long pedestrian trail loop that circles the wetlands area. With nearly 1.5 miles of the trail being gravel and elevated to run along the edge of the wetlands. Brattebo goes on to say “While we won’t be having any formal ribbon cuttings, we hope to open the gravel trail segment to the public sometime in May” and full trails are hoped to be in place by next spring.
In addition to the state grant received by Spokane County, Ducks Unlimited, another partner in the wetlands restoration project, received a $473,000 grant from the Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office (RCO) to do additional restoration on 124 acres, 60 of which they had previously donated to Spokane County, and will be performing strategic excavations
to give variation in the water depth within the wetlands. To-date Spokane County has invested $5.4 million into the project
with more investments on the horizon. This area is planned to be a great asset for the Spokane Valley and surrounding communities.
12
• MAY 2020
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Student of the Month
Athlete of the Month
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Rachel Ellingwood’s senior year may have ended earlier than anticipated but the honor student at West Valley High School is already looking ahead to the next challenge. She was part of WV’s award-winning robotics program since her freshman year and a coleader in electronics and pneumatics her last three years. She was a member of the WV squad that reached the semifinals of the World Robotics Championship last year. The senior maintains a 4.0 grade point average and is a member of the National Honor Society. She has also participated in Link Crew, a program which mentors and encourages younger students. For the last three years, she has been a counselor at a summer STEM (Science, Technology, Math and Science) camp. AP Physics and AP Chemistry were two of her favorite classes. Ellingwood will attend the University of Washington this fall.
You could say Spencer Shipman has stepped up to the plate during his time at West Valley High School. The senior shortstop has earned varsity baseball letters since his freshman year and, as a sophomore, was part of a team that placed fourth at state. He was an All Great Northern League second team selection as a sophomore and a first team pick last year when he hit close to .400. Shipman has competed with the Baseball NW select team the past two summers. One of Shipman’s most notable efforts came after a classmate passed away during open-heart surgery and he organized a “purple out” game in her honor in which he and his teammates donned purple jerseys to honor the student. He maintains a 3.6 grade point average and will continue his baseball career at the University of Portland.
Jan Munson spent 28 years as an educator in the Central Valley School District, teaching at three elementary schools – Adams, Greenacres and Progress – as well as Greenacres Middle School. She served with the Women’s Auxiliary at the Salvation Army for 10 years, raising funds and awareness. Munson now volunteers through Opportunity Christian Fellowship in Spokane Valley, helping with the church’s clothing and food banks. She is also a vocalist with Project Joy, a collection of seniors who bring their love of music to the community. Jan was married to former Spokane Valley Mayor Rich Munson for 46 years before his passing in 2011. She has a bachelor’s degree in sociology from San Jose State. Munson also served as a coach for youth soccer and a volunteer leader in scouting. She is proud of her three grown kids and four grandchildren.
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MAY 2020 • 13
The Current
School districts rolling with the punches
#WE ARE IN THIS TOGETHER #TOGETHER WE CAN
By Nina Culver Current Contributor
Now that it is official that school will not be back in session this school year, questions are turning to what the school districts do now in terms of school work, lunches and high school graduations. All the local school districts – East Valley, West Valley, Central Valley and Freeman – have stepped up their online instruction in recent weeks. Homework packets are being sent home to students who need them. Teachers are using technology like Zoom to keep in touch with their students. All four districts say they will continue providing free lunches and breakfasts to students who need them through the scheduled end of the school year in mid-June. “What we assume is that it will continue through June 19, which is the last day of school,” said West Valley School District Superintendent Gene Sementi. West Valley, like other local school districts, usually participates in a summer meal program that is funded by the federal government. That will provide a way to get meals to students who still need them. “Assuming that that’s still funded, we’ll do that,” he said. Sementi said the district typically feeds 100 students a day at two sites during the summer. But right now they have six sites running to meet the demand. “We’re serving between 600 and 700 day now,” he said. “It’s been consistent.” It’s enough to make Sementi wonder if more people might need the summer meal program than usual. “It might not drop off as much this summer,” he said. The Freeman School District, located on Highway 27 a few minutes south of Spokane Valley, has 900 students. “As of this week, we were serving 370 students breakfast and lunch every day,” said Freeman School District Superintendent Randy Russell. Freeman uses buses to deliver its meals to the students scattered across the sprawling district. The bus drivers and staff members also deliver homework packets to students. Freeman doesn’t typically participate in
the federal summer meal program and has no plans to do it this year, Russell said. However, there is a free meal site in the nearby town of Fairfield during the summer. Central Valley School District is currently serving meals at 15 sites and will continue through June 12. In the first month after schools closed the district handed out more than 138,600 meals. The district is also partnering with Spokane Valley Partners in the Food for Thought program, delivering 600 weekend food bags to families in need each Friday, said district spokeswoman Marla Nunberg. Central Valley plans to have a summer meal program as well. The East Valley School District typically hands out 1,200 sack lunches and breakfasts every Monday, which is homework packet pickup day, said Superintendent Kelly Shea. There are about 750 sack meals given out each day during the rest of the week. There will be a meal program during the summer as well, but Shea’s not sure if it will look like their normal summer meal program or something more. “East Valley has provided for summer meals for kids at the different park sties throughout Spokane Valley,” Shea said. “At the very least we’ll do that.” What is still to be decided in many districts is what will happen with high school graduation ceremonies. Most are hoping to be able to have ceremonies as scheduled in June, but they’re also working on alternative plans in case it’s not safe to hold gatherings then. “There’s still too much unknown
for us to make a firm decision,” Shea said. “Our hope is that we can keep our June 8 date. That’s probably unrealistic at this point, but we are holding out hope.” Ideas being considered include having a virtual ceremony on June 8 with perhaps a barbecue for graduating seniors later this year or having a graduation ceremony later in the summer. That might be problematic as some students might leave the area by then, Shea said. “We’ve been looking at those different options,” he said. Like many other districts, they are doing what they can to recognize senior students, Shea said. The district hosted at Be the Light event on April 17 and had the names of each graduating senior painted on the football field. In Central Valley, the district placed yard signs at the home of each senior. The names of each graduating student were painted on the football fields at Central Valley High School and University High School. The staff of both high schools put together a video for their students that have been posted to YouTube. The district sent out a survey to parents about what to do about the high school graduation ceremonies and will make a decision after that information has been tallied, Nunberg said. The Freeman School District has been posting pictures of each senior on Facebook and yard signs were placed in the yard of each graduating student. The district still hopes to have a graduation ceremony and an academic awards night, Russell said. But what
those events will look like is still up in the air. “We’re just trying to figure out how best to offer them,” he said. Plans are also being discussed about holding a drive-thru prom. “We’re working out all the details,” he said. “High school students are pretty creative and high school staff are pretty creative, too. I think they’re going to come up with something pretty special.” The Freeman High School graduation is scheduled for June 6. If an in-person ceremony isn’t possible, plans are underway to have a parade that day that will travel from town to town in the district, Russell said. West Valley High School and Dishman High School are still hoping for in-person ceremonies in June, Sementi said. But contingency plans are underway to move the ceremonies to mid-August if necessary. “We’re expecting to postpone them,” he said. “Our hope is and our plan is to stick with it and have an in-person event with seniors and families.” Students at the small Spokane Valley High School will have a different experience, however. Sementi said a handful of staff members will visit the home of each graduating senior with a cap and gown and have a small ceremony right in their front yards. “It’s a very personalized graduation,” he said. The district is taking a wait and see approach to possibly rescheduling graduation ceremonies, Sementi said. “We’re not going to make that decision until we have to,” he said.
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MAY 2020 • 15
The Current
Courage By Gretchyn A. Carter
The definition of courage is bravery or the ability to do something that frightens one. To me, however, courage is so much more. To have courage is not always easy. It means pushing past things that can scare you, harm you, and overall terrify you. To have courage is to stand up and decide you don’t want your fear, whatever it might be, to control you. Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe once said, “Courage is the commitment to begin without any guarantee of success.” I agree with him as we dive headfirst and take a risk without knowing the outcome, holding onto courage tightly. I am inspired by people like Thomas Edison who were not afraid to fail. We have his many inventions that have made our society better because he had the courage to try over and over until he met with success. Nancy D. Solomon exclaimed, “You get in life what you have the courage to ask for.” I interpret this to mean that without being brave and bold, our fears will keep us from accomplishing our goals. For example, all throughout history we’ve seen courageous people pushing past frightening circumstances to achieve their dreams. Take Harriet Tubman for instance. She led hundreds of slaves to freedom. I’m sure she was afraid at times, but she grasped courage and marched on to a better life not only for herself, but for others also. In his book, Grenade, Alan Gratz says, “Being brave doesn’t mean not being scared. It means overcoming your fear to do what you have to do.” I find these words very true as it explains that to have courage doesn’t mean not being afraid. It
means choosing to face fear. A great example is during World War II. Think of all the terrified people who chose to fight their fears rather than let the terror of war control them. Maybe it was joining a resistance or army, trying to survive concentration camps, passing out forbidden information, putting their lives at risk to help people who were in danger, or maybe something as simple as hoping for a better future. Especially today with the COVID-19 virus going around, we need to be brave. It can be scary to have life as we have known it come to a halt. We need to stand bravely amid the fear of losing loved ones, being isolated for an undefined period, and the uncertainty regarding the future. As we move forward, let us remember the wisdom of Winston Churchill, “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” Gretchyn is a 6th grade student at Greenacres Middle School. She enjoys spending time with her friends and family. In her free time, she mostly likes to be outside, and she likes cross country, painting and writing.
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16
• MAY 2020
The Crest
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About and for Liberty Lake seniors
Business changes to help with COVID epidemic By Nina Culver
Current Contributor
Like many businesses across the country, Emergent VT in Spokane Valley made a lot of changes in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, but their shift was to fill a void in personal protection equipment (PPE) supplies. The company usually makes specialized ophthalmology equipment. As orders dropped, CEO Dennis Winters considered what he and his half dozen employees could do. “I was looking around to see what we could do to help,” he said. He considered making face masks, but his equipment wasn’t compatible. Winters had laser cutters and relationships with suppliers who make sheet plastic, so he decided to make face shields for first responders and health care workers. The shields are lightweight, adjustable and can be sterilized and reused. “We are able to make several hundred a day,” he said. His wife, Katie RushforthWinters, was on board with the plan. “We just felt like we should do more,” she said. “We felt helpless. People were shouting for
equipment. “
It was an easy shift to begin making the face shields, she said. “We realized we had that equipment already,” she said. “It was an easy transition.” Since then Emergent VT has been shipping face shields around the county in batches of 100 or more. Shipments have gone out to a disabled adult facility in Utah, a hospital in Iowa, an adult care facility in Los Angeles and a care facility in Yakima. A batch of face shields also went to a hospital on the Navaho Nation reservation, which has seen a high number of COVID-19 cases. “They’re in dire need,” RushforthWinters said. Winters said he’s been trying to spread the word that his company has face shields available. “A lot of people are still in need and they don’t know where and how to get it,” he said. “This is all organic. We’re trying to find folks in need of them.” Other than the batch sent to Yakima, Winters said he hasn’t provided any of the face shields to local hospitals or care facilities. “If we can get the word out, we’d like to help locally as much as possible,” he said. Emergent VT may still be up and running, but it isn’t making any money on the PPE equipment. “This is 100 percent donation,” Winters said. “We’re donating our time and we’re doing everything at cost.” The only problem has been the occasional difficulty getting sheet plastic. Winters said he’s been in contact with some manufacturers who are taking orders that won’t be delivered in June despite their factories running 24 hours a day. “It’s been incredibly difficult, but because I have previous relationships with suppliers, I’ve been able to get material,” he said.
Contributed graphic A model of the mask design that Emergent VT will be changing their business model to make.
Winters said he’s happy to ship the shields to whoever needs them. “There’s a lot of social workers and people you don’t think of who aren’t in the hospitals that are also on the front lines,” he said.
Photo by Nina Culver Emergent VT CEO Dennis Winters has changed his business model during the COVID-19 pandemic to meet the need he sees for the community. There’s a link for donations on the company’s web site, www. emergentvt.com. A donation of $5 pays for one face shield. People who donate enough for a full batch of 100 face shields can select where the shipment will go. One woman, whose father served in the New York Fire Department in the 1940’s, donated money to pay for 200 face shields to be shipped to the New York Fire Department. Each was inscribed with her father’s name and badge number. There are laser etched messages on each of the face shields. Donors are encouraged to provide them. “We’re writing messages of hope on each one,” Winters said. Winters, who is an engineer, launched Emergent VT in 2013 with his brother Benjamin, a developmental optometrist. “It’s just a really small operation,” he said. “It started with my brother and my cousin.” The company started in a kitchen, then moved to a garage before finally moving into a shop space. The company now has a small manufacturing facility at 2224 N. Locust Road in Spokane Valley and
has added a couple more employees to the roster. His brother specializes in physical therapy for eye problems in children, such as wandering eye. He had the idea that better equipment would help his work on nonsurgical eye treatments. “It’s such a very niche industry, the products they use for therapy aren’t very professional,” Winters said. Emergent VT started making the therapy equipment that the children usually take home as part of their treatment. “This is a huge, huge need,” Winters said. At first the company was still busy as the pandemic started to take hold. “We were doing great, business-wise, because these are take-home therapies,” he said. But as clinics closed, orders slowed to a trickle. The company has four employees other than the Winters brothers and Winters wanted a way to keep them working. Winters said his company will keep making face shields as long as there is a need and as long as they can get the needed material. “We’re happy to continue to donate time,” he said.
MAY 2020 • 17
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• MAY 2020
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Sports and COVID-19 By Steve Christilaw Current contributor
One of the most enjoyable aspects of high sports is how you must always expect the unexpected. But Spring 2020 didn’t just throw a major curveball at the season, nor did it just come out of left field with something unexpected. COVID-19 forced area public schools to close down beginning March 16, and with that brought a halt to the Spring Sports season just as it was about to begin playing games. No practices, no games. The Washington Interscholastic Activities Association Winter season did not escape the touch of COVID-19. The WIAA announced that a spectator who attended the State Class 2A/1A tournament in Yakima had tested positive for the
Corona Virus, as did an official at the Class 4A/3A tournament in Tacoma. Students from Central Valley were in the midst of an epic run at the Tacoma Dome, with the Girls wining the school’s sixth state title and the CV boys reaching the championship game. West Valley’s girls reached the Class 2A championship game in Yakima. The WIAA said March 17, one day after all schools closed their doors, that it was planning for a return to the season after schools reopen on April 24. “It’s a well-known and oftenused phrase that all coaches try to instill in their athletes – “Control what you can control,” new WIAA Executive Director Mick Hoffman said in a news release on the WIAA website (wiaa.com). “We are taking that wisdom into account and operating with the information that is available to us at this moment to plan for when we as educators can
return to our athletic endeavors.” Hoffman outlined a plan to hold Spring State Championship tournaments in all sports as scheduled, with the season concluding on May 30 to avoid conflicts with graduation. WIAA restrictions on practices were waved so that, once schools reopen, athletes could get the 10 practices required to participate in games/meets in just five days – suggesting that schools could hold a school-wide conditioning session before classes start for the day and then hold sportspecific practices after school. “As part of that creative solution, we do recommend that schools and leagues organize a continuation of the regular season for schools that do not advance to State Championships,” Hoffman wrote. “These games may be played through the end of State Championships on May 30. While nothing will be able to replace the time taken away from these students, especially seniors, providing more avenues to create lifelong memories
with their teammates should be the ultimate goal.” This plan, however, has grown more pie-in-the-sky with each passing news conference by governors across the country. Major League Baseball closed Spring Training in both Florida and Arizona and has hinted that it may start the 2020 season in June. The NBA and NHL cancelled games and both March Madness and the entire Spring season of NCAA sports were cancelled along with its championship tournaments in all sports. State Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal appeared less-than-optimistic about when schools will return to a regular schedule when he appeared on KIRO Radio’s Dori Monson Show in Seattle March 17. “We’re likely to be in this all the way to the fall and beyond,” he said. “This could be our reality next school year because we don’t have a vaccine in place likely for another 12 months.” Reykdal said his immediate mission is to get students learning right now, but he’s also parallel planning for when the state education infrastructure could look like in six or seven months. Reykdal said the projected scenario initially outlined by the state and the WIAA is not a certainty. He and his staff must plan for an extended closure if necessary. “We are hoping for the current time frame we’re on, but I’m not in the business of hope,” Reykdal said. “I’m in the business of being ready. We’re going to prepare for the worst-case scenario.” He said health officials are indicating that the peak of the CORVID-19 crisis may not come until May or June, with a shock wave hitting the state’s health care system to follow.
File photo Tournament cancellations were a major loss in revenue to the loss to local jurisdictions.
To add heft to Reykdal’s projection came with the State of Washington ordering gyms, yoga studios, roller rinks, trampoline parks and a while raft of area businesses (like barber shops) closed via an emergency order.
MAY 2020 • 19
The Current
Golf courses were closed temporarily while managers sought for ways to implement social distancing and sanitation measures established by the Centers for Disease Control and the Department of Health.
Sports Center is idle, canceling a huge middle school basketball tournament as well as the Pacific Northwest Qualifier for volleyball. YMCA basketball, club basketball and volleyball and walk-in pickleball also has been canceled.
Some golf courses opened under those new regulations by March 21. Among the new regulations include increased cleaning schedule for restrooms and all other facilities. Smaller groups and single-ridership in golf carts is allowed and tee times staggered every 10 minutes to reduce congestion. On the course, the flag must remain in the cup at all times and a three-foot circle around the cup is set as a gimme area so players can pick up their ball rather than reach into the cup (which will be sanitized daily). And range balls and baskets will be sanitized each time they are retrieved.
Tournaments are a major revenue stream for the non-profit, and the economic impact of a prolonged closure will be substantial. And with the prospect of a prolonged closure of all gathering places is daunting.
The Spokane Valley YMCA remains closed, as are large gyms like MUV Fitness. The prospects for summer programs for little league and rec league softball, baseball and volleyball, as well as swimming programs, are in flux. Normally at its busiest, the HUB
Final Point By Mike Vlahovich Splash Contributor
There’s an adage in coaching that goes “You don’t want to be the man who follows the man. You want to be the man who follows the man that followed the man.” The inference is that the newcomer is filling big shoes and expectations to duplicate the success of his or her predecessor is pressure packed. So leave that for the other guy to fail before taking your turn. Central Valley basketball coaches Felice Orrell and Mike Laws defied the odds when they brought home state finalist trophies, Orrell winning the girls WIAA 4A state title as a fillin rookie and Laws finishing second with the 4A Boys in the tourney in his second year at the helm. Laws followed Rick Sloan who had been a post-season regular with one state finals effort. Orrell, who had been asked to help Ryan Bragdon after uber-successful Freddie Rehkow retired. The
Sara Teal, owner of Millwood’s Mellow Monkey Yoga was in the process of shifting her class schedule to the Internet when the state ordered all gyms closed. “When a self-employed single mama closes down shop, you can safely bet she didn’t make that decision lightly,” she wrote on her Facebook page. “Please support your small, local businesses right now.” The studio’s student base was large enough to support an online effort and the early reviews of the change were positive. In fact, Teal said her teachers indicated a willingness to continue offering online sessions after the studio reopens. Bears had a legion of state titles on Rhekow’s girls resume and Orrell wasn’t even an in-building teacher when she got the call. She was a homemaker living, “literally” she says, across the street from CV. Rehkow won three state titles in four years and a national championship to boot during his tenure. Bragdon had a fourth-place finish when Rehkow retired before he was summarily fired just before the start of the season. Too late to hire a coach, Orrell was thrust into the fire. What a debut! The Beas lost their first two games to open the season and lost only once the rest of the year. “First year, state title,” she told me. “Like no pressure, huh?” As long as they were growing and getting better every day, she said, the execution would follow. As a former Bear, Felice Moore, played as a 6-foot-2 post on two state title teams for Dale Poffenroth in 2001 and 2002 following a sixthplace her sophomore season (“It was a magical time,” she says), and
File photo Golf courses have had to under go changes in sanitation measures in order to reopen amid the current closures. “Technologically it was more simple than I thought it would be,” she laughed. “Part of the challenge is that my teachers were really uncomfortable doing things on video. “But afterward, several of them
is still among the top 30 scorers in CV history. She ultimately played four years at Eastern Washington University, went on to teach elementary school and coach basketball at Eastmont in Wenatchee so she was no novice. Then, she and her husband, a law enforcement officer, moved back to be closer to family with two children, a boy, 5, and girl, 1, in tow. be.
It was almost like it was meant to What can she do for an encore?
“I’m still considered and interim,” she said. “Hopefully they’ll have me back,” she deadpanned. “I think I’m a shoo-in.” No, duh. “This is my niche and my family is always going, ‘this is your calling in life.’ It’s a fun sport and a fun game.” Players MJ Brunio was a firstteam All-GSL. Peyton Howard was second team and Anika Chalich honorable mention on the state champs.
told me they wouldn’t mind doing some of their classes online.” Teal offers her online classes through the Mellow Monkey Yoga website (mellowmonkeyyoga.net) after preregistering.
Like Orrell, Mike Laws is a CV graduate. The Bears lifer, played basketball and returned to teach and assist in basketball. In his second year as head coach at his alma mater he almost won it all. When I talked with Laws after he took the job, he said being a head coach was what he aspired to after being a long-time assistant. His teams would be more up-tempo and offensive minded, looking for the basket quicker than his predecessor. Plus, the Bears had more size and were underclassmen that debut year. Gavin Gilstrap, a 6-foot-10 load was growing into his body and became a force this year. He joined Jayce Simmons as first-team AllGSL. Noah Sanders, a CV legacy in his own right, was a second-team selection. The Bears finished 24-3 and won the league title. “It’s going to change some things,” he prophesized last year. This year bore him out. Two finalists, one a titlist and other runner-up, and a combined 47-6 record. It can’t get much better than that.
20
• MAY 2020
Green looks good on you!
The Current
Keep reading with the Spring Reading Challenge By Gwendolyn Haley, librarian Spokane County Library District
Here we are in the middle of “homeschooling” or what my youngest calls “keep practicing to not rot your brain.” My family of five has been together nonstop for the longest period of time since… ever. And it’s a struggle. It’s a struggle to be patient sometimes, to have kind words for one another, and to keep from giving in to cabin fever. The kids miss their friends, and we all miss everybody. If you’re struggling too, I wanted to share some good news from the Library District. Even though our libraries are temporarily closed, your neighborhood librarians have been working to find ways to connect with you virtually. One of those ways is our Spring Reading Challenge for all ages. Using our online tracker, Beanstack, you can earn badges for every half-hour you Find creative gardening ideas and how-to instructions for many gardening projects and topics. Visit www.scld.org/hobbies-crafts.
Making the most of the library’s digital resources By Erin Dodge Current Guest Correspondent
Watch videos and get instructions for garden building, home improvement, and repair projects. Visit www.scld.org/homeimprovement.
Learn how to start your own edible garden and more in these 6-week instructor-led courses. Visit www.scld.org/galegardening.
www.scld.org
When you’re learning, working, or relaxing at home, Spokane County Library District has digital resources to help and save you money. The District’s Digital Library, accessed at www.scld.org/digitallibrary, offers over 50 digital resources categorized to help you find what you are looking for. From the drop-down list of categories in the upper rightside of the web page, you can browse through the categories to see what resources are available. Category offerings include early learning (ages 3–8); ebooks, audiobooks and comics; health and wellness; hobbies and crafts; homework help and tutoring; online classes; job and career help; and movies, TV and music. You’ll need to have your library card number and PIN/password ready to log in to most resources. If you find that you don't have that information, you can send a message to library staff using the Ask about Your Account form at www.scld.org/
spend reading and for doing stay-athome, stay-healthy activities. The activity badges are divided up into three age groups: early learners (pre-kindergarten through grade 3), youth (ages 8 and older), and adults (everybody else). There is some overlap in ages for early learners and youth, so you can explore activities for both to see which ones are a good fit for your child. To earn an activity badge, you complete at least two activities from the checklist. Badges can all be completed without leaving home. Perfect for these weeks of social distancing. Activity badges are separated into themes, including explorer, maker, builder, mover, writer, and virtual visitor. There are 12 reading badges, one for every 30 minutes of reading up to 360 minutes. There are two ways to access Beanstack: in your web browser at https://scld.beanstack.org and on your smartphone with the Beanstack Tracker app. You’ll find links for downloading the app at www.scld. org/apps. If you use the app, you’ll find an ask-about-account to get help. If you don’t have a card with Spokane County Library District, you can sign up for one online, at no cost, to get access to all of the great digital resources that the library has to offer. Signing up for a new library card takes only a few minutes, and you can get your card at www.scld.org/getcard. If you are looking for the ease of using apps on your phone, tablet, or other mobile device, some library resources have an app and can be found at www.scld.org/apps. To keep kids learning while still having fun, check out these reading resources: TumbleBook Library, TumbleBookCloud Jr., TeenBookCloud, OverDrive for kids and teens, and hoopla. For academic subjects, kids and parents have access to World Book Online (digital encyclopedia), CultureGrams, eLibrary from ProQuest, Science in Context, and HelpNow for homework help and live online tutoring, offered daily from 2pm to 10pm. For adults looking to expand their knowledge, the Library District has online courses with Gale Courses, Lynda.com, and Pronunciator, the language learning resource. If you are currently seeking a
embedded timer to track your reading minutes once you’ve added the book you’re reading. My daughter starts her own timer for tracking her reading— that’s winning! As she says, “Keep practicing to not rot your brain.” Challenge accepted! When you sign up for our Spring Reading Challenge, I highly recommend opting to have book recommendations emailed to you every week. It’s a great way to explore titles that are new to you. If you have signed up for our previous reading challenges using the Beanstack platform at scld.beanstack. org, you can use your same login information and select the Spring Reading Challenge to get started. I encourage you to visit the Library District’s Digital Library at www.scld. org/digital-library, where you’ll find a multitude of digital picture books, read-alongs, eBooks, and audiobooks, both downloadable and streaming options, with our digital resources OverDrive, hoopla, and TumbleBooks. I invite you to check out a digital book and accept the Spring Reading Challenge! job, JobNow offers help for writing a resume and cover letter, with interviewing techniques, and more. Veterans can get job help and assistance navigating VA benefits with the VetNow resource. For home businesses, entrepreneurs, and anyone looking to start a side hustle, these business resources can help you: Business Source Complete, DemographicsNow, ReferenceUSA, and ABI/INFORM Trade & Industry. If you’re a news buff, you can get your daily information download from NewsBank and US Newsstream. Crafters, hobbyists, and anyone looking to try new hands-on projects will want to check out Hobbies & Crafts Reference Center, Home Improvement Reference Center, and the latest digital resource Creativebug. When you are looking to have a family movie night, start a virtual book club, or just get your chill on, the library has you covered. Read and listen to great books with OverDrive and hoopla. Watch TV shows and movies with hoopla. And read digital magazines with Flipster. Don’t let boredom or cabin fever get the best of you. Just head on over to the Digital Library where your next adventure awaits!
MAY 2020 • 21
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The Current
ON THAT NOTE
The best advice in the Galaxy (Grind) By Josh Johnson
Current Contributor
On Wednesdays, Mike and Joe confront Earth’s cosmic challenges at a Galaxy Grind not very far, far away. What’s wrong, Chewbacca? Not able to make that jump to hyperbole? Fine. Here’s how Mike puts it: “We meet for coffee and cream cheese cinnamon rolls and try to solve the world’s problems.” (At 12402 E. Saltese Road, the coffee shop is walking distance from Mike’s house, though, so there’s that.) While the pair may not be going head to head with the Galactic Empire, from the moment I learned about their weekly coffees, I was angling for an invite. Mike Vlahovich, 75, and Joe Connor, 71, are longtime friends and Spokane legends in their own right. Mike spent more than five decades covering local sports (the first half when his father, John, owned the Spokane Valley Herald), and he is a member of the Inland Northwest Sports Hall of Fame’s Scroll of Honor. Joe spent decades running a successful independent insurance agency in Spokane. A Gonzaga graduate, he is a season ticket holder for men’s basketball games. (The same winter day I crashed their coffee get-together, they reconvened in the evening with their wives to watch Gonzaga at the Kennel.) For two hours, we talked politics, life lessons and Gonzaga basketball. While the best advice in the Galaxy (Grind) should include trying the cinnamon rolls, here are four even more important gems I’m carrying with me in 2020, courtesy of a conversation with my own version of Obi-Wan and Yoda. The love of money is the root of all kinds of … generosity? Joe lists many reasons that drove him to a career as an independent insurance agent, but two are particularly to the point: 1. “I don’t like working for people.” 2. “I like money.” The former reflects the values of many entrepreneurs who want to reap the rewards (and/or any other related consequences) of their own efforts. The money thing, though? Joe and Mike are lifelong Catholics. I’ve spent most of my life in nondenominational Protestant churches. Some version of 1 Timothy 6:10 rings familiar: “The love of money is the root of all kinds of evil.” “People don’t understand how money is; people think it gives them power and stuff like that,” Joe
explained. “I don’t see it that way. It’s like you are a steward, and you have to go back in and help other people out. … It’s the opportunity to help people.” As with most things, it’s the misuse and abuse of money that is the problem. You have to avoid the grip of greed. “Like my dad used to say, ‘You can’t spend your way to prosperity,’” Mike said. You can, however, give your way into a prosperity of a whole different kind. Be yourself – the ‘yourself’ that has a plan Whenever Joe encounters a young person — from neighbors and friends to the stranger taking his restaurant order — he invariably turns the topic to education and asks, “Where are you going to college?” “You don’t ask a kid, ‘Are you going to college?’ You ask, ‘Where are you going to college?’” Joe smiled. “Assume the sale.” He explains it’s a process of leading them through questions to embrace a direction for themselves. “Have a plan,” Joe said. “I think that’s really, really important. The questions that I ask are all intended to … try to get them to think for themselves. What are you going to do? Open ended questions like that help them become the best that they can be.” It doesn’t have to be a four-year business degree from Gonzaga, it just has to be a plan that honors – and maximizes — one’s own God-given abilities, Joe and Mike explained.
“Everybody is successful if they do the best they can with what they have been given,” Mike said. A value system serves as a great compass Before Mike had even declared his major in journalism at Washington State University, he was surprised to be offered the job as sports editor of the Daily Evergreen. Little did he know, another tempting offer was right around the corner from legendary basketball coach Jud Heathcote, who Mike knew from West Valley High School. “Jud Heathcote calls up and says, ‘Do you want to be the manager on the Cougar basketball team,’” Mike recalled. “It was like the next day after I had committed to (The Daily Evergreen), but I was already committed so I went that way.” Not only did Mike not seem to regret the choice he made, he talks about the episode with an aura of unblinking clarity: Reneging on his first commitment was never even an option. “The lesson here is something that’s really important to us, I think: You’ve given your word,” Joe added. “There are times when you’ve given your word and you see, ‘Oh, I think I might have made a mistake.’ You still have to go through with it, and that’s a value system.” Both Mike and Joe credit family and their Catholic upbringing with instilling the type of value system that serves as an anchor for life, for success and – you knew it was coming back to
Photo by Josh Johnson Joe Connor, left, and Mike Vlahovich meet weekly at Galaxy Grind in Spokane Valley.
MAY 2020 • 23
this – for Gonzaga basketball. That’s right, Joe is convinced the success of Gonzaga basketball is rooted deep within the Jesuit tradition. He would know. He played for legendary Gonzaga coach Dan Fitzgerald in eighth grade while attending a private Catholic school in San Francisco. Joe also played on the Gonzaga freshman basketball team in 1966. As much as he loves Coach Fitzgerald (who would end up at Gonzaga much later), he believes the enduring success at Gonzaga is more about the school’s Jesuit values than the various GU personalities with accomplished resumes. “The value systems they had back then are the same value systems they have now,” Joe said. “(The university) has grown and expanded, but the value systems haven’t changed. … We have a core that’s consistent that does not change year after year after year. … That’s why GU is doing so well.” Don’t shine the spotlight on yourself Mike spent five decades as a prep sportswriter in the same community. While many sportswriters may dream of working the sideline of a Super Bowl, Mike has found greater fulfillment in celebrating his neighbors. He has spent the equivalent of years of his life at local high schools — walking hallways, visiting practices and pacing sidelines with a notebook in hand. Many area scrapbooks are filled with stories and photos with Mike’s byline, and he is always ready with a story of the joy he has found in celebrating the accomplishments of other people. It wasn’t just his job; Mike found ways to encourage others through the years through coaching youth sports and volunteering with schools, a passion Joe shared as well. Both Mike and Joe believe strongly in mentorship (it’s probably why they let me tag along on this particular Wednesday). They are consistently on the lookout for opportunities. In fact, Mike recently began sharing lunch once a week with an Opportunity Elementary School student through the PrimeTime Mentoring program. It’s an apt setting, across the street from the first home he purchased in the Valley decades ago. Maybe this is what Mike really meant by “solving the world’s problems.” It’s not as much about making a political point over coffee; it’s about investing in another person, one at a time. 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.
24
• MAY 2020
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i
ud ncl
inspection, and charging system check
We handle fleet accounts
all tires on special
*most vehicles
ALL-SEASON
TIRE SALE
Roll into spring with big savings CALL US FIRST FOR YOUR TIRE NEEDS!
OIL CHANGE & SEASONAL CHECK-UP
$
Call us today to book your snow tire change over
and many more
16010 E. Sprague Ave. Spokane, WA 99205 | (509)924-1681
19
95
• 45 point inspection • Up to 5 qt. of oil PLUS • Brakes, Fluids, TAX Lights, Anti-Freeze SYNTHETIC BLEND • Tire rotation ONLY $2995 PLUS TAX • $89 value Most cars/light trucks. Not valid with any other special offer. Coupon required. Exp.5/31/20.
Instant Credit • Same Day Service • Customer Shuttle • Nationwide Warranty • Certified Technicians
SPOTLIGHT YOUR 2020 GRADUATE
We are continuing with our tradition to showcase the graduating class in our June edition. Please send: 1. Name 3. Plans after graduation 2. Photo 4. parents names to danica@libertylakesplash.com