January 2022 Current

JANUARY

GREATER SPOKANE VALLEY

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• JANUARY 2022

The Current

RIVER CROSSING

Mr. Dependable – Veteran Kinney bolsters community causes

By Craig Howard

Current Contributing Editor

The scene was a fitting one for Mark Kinney – defender of the underdog.

Last month, Kinney’s alma mater – South Dakota State University – was pitted against Washington State University in a men’s basketball game at the Spokane Arena. Kinney was among a small group of fans clad in the Jackrabbit blue and gold, drowned in a sea of crimson and grey.

Grants and get through four years,” Kinney recalls. “If not for that friend, I wouldn’t have gone to college.”

In high school, Kinney was the co-editor of the student newspaper and latched on as a freelancer with the Brandon Valley Reporter, the town’s weekly paper, earning $5 a story. When he enrolled at SDSU, he began taking journalism classes but switched to sociology.

His sophomore year, Kinney was offered an ROTC Air Force scholarship.

Kinney earned his degree in 1987 and headed to Sacramento for navigator training. It was the first

time he had ever flown in an airplane and marked his introduction to the West Coast. After completing his training in Merced, California, Kinney returned to his home state where he spent six years at Ellsworth Air Force Base. Marriage followed.

Kinney returned to the Inland Northwest after transitioning from the military to be near his kids who were living in the area with his former wife. His two daughters graduated from University High School, just a few miles north of Kinney’s home in Spokane Valley.

By the time he transferred to Fairchild Air Force Base, Kinney’s family had grown to include two daughters and a son. Kinney served at the base in Airway Heights from 1994 until 2000 when he was sent to Florida and later Illinois. He finished his career in the Air Force in 2007.

“I’ve seen Spokane Valley develop an identity since I’ve been here,” Kinney said. “It’s a giving and supportive community.”

The contest was tied going into the final seconds when a Jackrabbit player calmly sunk a three-pointer at the buzzer for a 77-74 win.

Kinney points to mentors like Bob Fisher, former MCOC board president, and Madeline Bafus, former executive director of Family Promise of Spokane, for helping him navigate the nonprofit world while exemplifying compassion and care for the less fortunate.

The perpetual good sport, Kinney celebrated the win without slighting Cougar Nation. A few hours later, the SDSU football team defeated Villanova to advance to the semifinals of the Football College Subdivision playoffs.

Kinney accepted a job with Thrivent Financial (formerly Thrivent Financial for Lutherans) in November of 2014 but has remained on the MCOC board. In May of 2018, Kinney transitioned to Numerica Credit Union in his current role as a financial advisor.

“It was a good day for the Jackrabbits,” Kinney said.

Years ago, it was Kinney in the role of underdog, looking at the prospects of a college education from the outside in.

A native of South Dakota, Kinney grew up in Brandon, a small community just outside Sioux Falls, the largest city in the state. He was one of 180 in his graduating high school class and worked for three years as the assistant manager of a restaurant after receiving his diploma.

One of Kinney’s friends from high school had dropped out of SDSU a few years previously but called him one day with the news that he was re-enrolling. He asked Kinney if he would like to tag along.

“I was able to get some Pell

Kinney enrolled at Whitworth University after planting permanent roots in the area, eventually earning his master’s in administrative leadership in 2011.

Prior to receiving his diploma, he joined the board of Mission Community Outreach Center (MCOC), a nonprofit in northwest Spokane that provides clothing, hygiene items and housewares as well as operating a diaper bank. In October of 2011, Kinney was named executive director of MCOC.

Kinney’s efforts as an advocate for the underdog have included nine years with the East Spokane Kiwanis Club where he is a past president and as a board member with Feed Spokane, a nonprofit specializing in food rescue.

Photo by Craig Howard Spokane Valley resident Mark Kinney served 20 years in the Air Force before transitioning into a career that has included stops as director of a nonprofit and financial advisor with Thrivent Financial and currently Numerica Credit Union. He is also a member of East Spokane Kiwanis and on the board of Feed Spokane.

The Current caught up with Kinney recently to discuss his diverse professional career, dedication to community causes and other interests of a transplanted Jackrabbit.

Q: What were some of your first impressions of the Inland

JANUARY 2022 • 3

The Current

Northwest when you came here during your service in the Air Force?

A: Having grown up in relatively flat eastern South Dakota surrounded mainly by corn and soybean fields, this area was quite a contrast. I came to Fairchild Air Force Base in the summer of 1988 for Air Force Survival Training and was awestruck by the natural beauty of the Inland Northwest. I also discovered my pine pollen allergy, but that’s manageable!

Q: You’ve had experience behind the scenes of the nonprofit field as a board member and former executive director of Mission Community Outreach Center in Spokane. What are some aspects of social services that are perhaps not appreciated or misunderstood by those from the outside looking in?

A: There’s a very great need for nonprofits like Mission Community Outreach Center, Feed Spokane, Spokane Valley Partners, Naomi and others in the Spokane area. We are fortunate to have a variety of social service agencies that provide services to those in need among us. I hope people will choose to support an agency they think is doing worthy work. Most local nonprofits operate on very tight budgets and are excellent stewards of their resources. They have to be.

Q: Kiwanis is another organization that you’ve been involved with over the years. What are some of the most rewarding parts of participating in a service club such as this?

A: Membership in a service organization like Kiwanis is rewarding but it’s also a lot of fun.

The fellowship at our meetings and events is amazing! Kiwanis Clubs focus on activities that support kids and that’s the primary reason I belong to the East Spokane Kiwanis Club. The Spokane Valley Club is amazing too. I know all local Kiwanis Clubs are looking for new members.

Q: What are some of the major changes you’ve seen in the Valley since you moved here in 2007?

A: Spokane Valley has come into its own and has gained a distinct identity from Spokane. I’ve noticed substantial improvements to our city over the years – we maintain

great schools, constantly improve the municipal infrastructure, and the city of Spokane Valley does a solid job of providing basic services to its citizens. I’m excited about the new library and Balfour Park project and the Spokane Valley Performing Arts Center project will be a wonderful addition in terms of increasing arts and cultural events.

I’ve also ridden the Appleway Trail numerous times. Improvements like these make me proud to live here.

Q: From your time in the Air Force, to leading a nonprofit to being part of Thrivent Financial and now Numerica Credit Union, are there certain common threads that bind together your professional timeline?

A: Each organization focuses on service, and the Air Force, Thrivent Financial, and Numerica Credit Union are member-based. If I have a choice of being a member or a customer, I’ll always choose membership.

Q: You recently joined the board at Feed Spokane. What can you tell us about this unique nonprofit?

A: Feed Spokane is a food rescue program that receives food that might otherwise go to waste and distributes it to area feeding programs that, in turn, put it to good use feeding the hungry. Feed Spokane operates on a very small budget and has only two paid employees. The rest of the work is done by volunteers. Where would we be without volunteers?

Q: Finally, we are embarking on a New Year after another challenging one. What are some of your personal hopes, goals and aspirations for 2022?

A: My brother Kevin and I turn 60 in May, so I’ve been reflecting a bit more than usual and I have set some goals for my 60th year.

One of my goals is to get back on my bicycle as soon as possible this spring. I took a nasty fall on my bike last summer and broke my ankle, but I should be ready to go when riding season resumes. My hope is we might have more peace, love, and understanding in this country and around the world.

Understanding comes through listening and if we achieve that, the other two should follow.

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NEWS

• JANUARY 2022

SVFD Report – Nov. 2021

not in the room.

Current News sources

Spokane Valley Fire Department (SVFD) crews responded to a total of 1802 emergency calls from Nov. 15 – Dec. 15, 2021.

Emergency Medical Services 1505 Car Collisions

82

Fires

69

Building Alarms

51

Dispatched and route

Cancelled 43

Service Calls

19

Other

9

Hazardous Materials

8

Auto vs Pedestrian

6

Technical Rescue

5

Vehicle Fires

5

en

Highlights and the news include: Total calls for service decreased from 1858 last month to 1802 this month.

• Calls for EMS decreased from 1514 to 1505.

• Motor Vehicle increased from 77 to 82.

Collisions

• Vehicle Fires decreased from 11 last month to 5 this month.

• Fires saw a decrease from 88 last month to 69 this month.

• Auto vs Pedestrians collisions increased from 3 last month to 6 this month.

Please • Drive Safely with winter and colder temperatures here.

• Be careful with portable heaters. Keep flammable items away from them and turn them off when

• Cooking during the holidays is the leading cause of fires. Be sure to watch “the pot” during cooking.

Do not leave the cooking area when cooking.

Have a very safe and Merry holiday and a Happy New Year Media Releases: Dec. 3 - Spokane Valley Fire Department (SVFD) responded at 4:18 am to the 1400 block of S Warren for a reported structure fire. Callers to 911 stated the house next door was on fire, and the residents were outside.

The first arriving unit, Engine 7 from Evergreen Station, confirmed a working structure fire in a small single-family residence. An exterior fire was noted to be extending into the attic space. Initial crews deployed hose lines to the front of the property for extinguishment of the immediate fire area, and cooling of exposures.

Most of the damage was contained to an exterior breezeway connecting the home and the detached garage.

The residence was evacuated, and a quick search of the house confirmed no life hazards, and the utilities were turned off for responder safety. During overhaul, the home was boarded up, and residents are able to return, pending utilities being re-connected. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

A total of six Engines, two Ladder trucks, and three command vehicles were dispatched, with most of the response quickly returned in service due to quick knock down of the fire by initial arriving units. There were no injuries reported, by civilians or firefighters. Units from Fire District 8 responded as part of automatic aid.

Festive celebrations, flickering lights and winter greens are hallmarks of the holiday season, but they also

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present fire risks that can quickly turn this festive time of year into a devastating one. The Spokane Valley Fire Department would like to remind residents to use GFIs or protected cords for holiday lighting. Some lights are only for indoor or outdoor use, but not both. Replace any string of lights with worn or broken cords or loose bulb connections. Read manufacturer’s instructions for number of light strands to connect, and make sure the tree is at least three feet away from any heat source, like fireplaces, radiators, candles, heat vents or lights.

Media Release Dec. 7 - Spokane Valley Fire Department (SVFD) responded at 6:12 pm to the 1617 N. University for a reported structure fire. Callers to 911 stated a room in the basement of the house was on fire, and initially one occupant was still inside.

The first arriving unit, Engine 1 from University Station, confirmed all occupants were now out of the structure and a fire was in the basement of the structure. Firefighting crews entered the structure with charge hose line for fire attack and successfully located the origin of the fire and extinguished it. The fire was confined to one room in the basement and structure remained intact.

The secondary crews performed quick search of the house confirmed no life hazards, and the utilities were turned off for responder safety. During overhaul, the home was boarded up, and the two residents along with their four dogs are presently displace and staying with family. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

A total of five Engines, two Ladder trucks, and three command vehicles were dispatched, with crews returned in service after the quick knock down of the fire by initial arriving units.

There were no injuries reported, by civilians or firefighters. Units from Fire District 8 and City of Spokane responded as part of automatic aid.

Festive celebrations, flickering lights and winter greens are hallmarks of the holiday season, but they also present fire risks that can quickly turn this festive time of year into a devastating one. The Spokane Valley Fire Department would like to remind residents to use GFIs or protected cords for holiday lighting. Some lights are only for indoor or outdoor use, but not both. Replace any string of lights with worn or broken cords or loose bulb connections. Read manufacturer’s instructions for number of light strands to connect, and make sure the tree is at least three feet away from any heat source, like fireplaces, radiators, candles, heat vents or lights.

Media Release Dec. 8 – Spokane Valley Fire Department (SVFD) responded to a reported residential fire at approximately 10 PM tonight in the 20100 block of Crestwood Lane.

The responding crew from SVFD Station 4 in Otis Orchards saw flames from Trent. Upon their arrival, Engine 4 observed flames showing from two sides of the structure. Engine 4 attempted to knock down the fire with a pre-connected hose line but ran out of water. Additional engines connected a hose to Engine 4 to provide them with water, but they also ran out of water.

The closest hydrant was a half mile away. Newman Lake and Hauser Lake Fire Departments each provided a water tender to help provide water for the fire. SVFD engines and the two tenders shuttled water non-stop to battle the fire. Due to the size of the fire when crews arrived, the limitations of fire hydrants in the area effecting water supply, a large portion of the

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residence was destroyed.

JANUARY 2022 • 5

NEWS

The residence had last been occupied in June and was being prepared to be sold.

A total of 15 fire units responded to the call including units from Newman Lake and Hauser Fire Departments and Fire District 8 as part of the mutual aid response. One firefighter was injured and transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

SVFD would like to remind residents to please stay away from fire and emergency scenes when crews are working. The additional traffic creates safety and traffic hazards for both crews and the public.

Media Release Dec. 10 - Last week, Spokane Valley Fire Department (SVFD) used Neighbor’s Public Safety - “Ring Doorbell” as a way to alert residents that a fire had occurred in their area.

Many citizens use Ring Doorbell as a security camera for their home. Ring was used for the fire at 4:18 a.m., December 3 in the 1400 block of S Warren for a reported structure fire.

Callers to 911 stated the house next door was on fire, and that all residents were outside.

Spokane Valley Fire and Ring began conversations to implement the program back in 2020. SVFD is happy to announce its initial use was successful.

“The program is designed to provide information and education about incidents in the area and how neighbors and the surrounding community can keep these same incidents from happening in their homes,” said SVFD Fire Marshal, Greg Rogers. “We are always concerned about our own loved ones at home, and this is a tool that helps us provide a message on how to keep something from happening in your home.”

Ring Neighbors is a social space that allows public safety agencies the ability to share important safety information with their communities to help make them neighborhoods safer. Ring Neighbors is a completely free feature in the Ring app and can be joined without a Ring Device.

“You do not need to own a Ring device or have a home security system. This is a free app that allows residents the ability to communicate with their neighbors about crime and safety. This interface also allows local public safety agencies to join Neighbors to help keep residents safe

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For more information on how ring notification works, contact Spokane Valley Fire Department’s Prevention Division at 509.928.1700 or visit spokanevalleyfire.com.

Media Release Dec. 13 - Spokane Valley Fire Department (SVFD) The Spokane Valley Fire Department responded to a reported apartment fire at 2718 N. Bowdish, The Eagle Point Apartments.

Initial calls from multiple residents of the apartment complex to 911 reported large amounts of smoke coming from an apartment in the complex and that the resident of the affected apartment was outside.

Two residents from nearby units located the on-site working fire extinguishers and attempted to put the fire out but due to quantity of smoke were unable to affect extinguishment.

The first responding crew was Valley Ladder 8 from Station 8 a few blocks away. Valley Ladder 8 upon arrival reported smoke from the affected apartment and completed a rapid-fire attack to control the fire to the apartment of origin. The additional SVFD responding crews were assigned primary search of the adjacent units to confirm no extension of fire into the adjacent units and all occupants of those units were safely out of the units until crews could control the fire and deem the area safe again for residents.

There were no injuries, and the occupant of the unit is currently displaced and being assisted with housing issue.

The fire was contained to the unit of origin which is currently uninhabitable and all other units in the complex are unaffected.

The fire is investigation.

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A total of 12 fire units responded to the call comprised of 3 Ladder Trucks, 6 Engines and 3 Command Staff.

Through automatic aid agreements part of the initial response included crew from City of Spokane and Fire District 9 which were returned to service in their respective districts after the fire was quickly controlled.

Spokane County Sheriff’s deputies were also on scene to aid with crowd control.

SVFD would like to remind residents to please stay away from fire and emergency scenes when crews are working.

See SVFD REPORT, Page 13

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• JANUARY 2022

The Current

Introducing the

Safety Awareness Channel 2021 October Malicious Mischief Hotspots Spokane Valley Districts

SAFETY TIP OF THE MONTH

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Published Date: 11/9/2021 Prepared by Spokane County Sheriff's RIG 9 Unit

Spokane Valley Districts

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The maps provided depict where citizens have reported Vehicle Thefts, Burglaries, Malicious Mischief and Thefts. 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.

Citizens who have been a victim of crime are encouraged to call 911, if the crime is in progress, or Crime Check at 4562233, if not in progress, to report a crime.

! (

Published Date: 11/9/2021 Prepared by Spokane County Sheriff's RIG 9 Unit

11-15 >15 2 Miles

It’s that time again; Winter in the great Pacific Northwest. Your Spokane Valley Police Traffic Unit wants you to be safe and not have to deal with the headache of being involved in a collision or costly repairs. Below are a few safe driving tips: p Slow down. Speed LIMITS are determined for normal driving conditions. Driving on snow and ice is not ideal as it’s harder to control or stop your vehicle on a slick or snow-covered surface. p Increase your following distance to give you plenty of time to stop for vehicles and/or obstacles ahead of you. p If you do start to lose control of your vehicle in snow/ice conditions, remember: • Remain calm, don’t panic and remember to drive your car.

• Look ahead at where you want to go, try to pick a fixed object in the distance and steer toward that object.

• Abrupt steering, braking and throttle inputs are not your friend; Make small, smooth inputs to allow for as much traction as possible.

• You can do 100% braking -OR- 100% steering, but not both at the same time. Try to do most of your braking in a straight line. If you need to steer, ease off the brakes. p Allow more time for travel.

The last thing you want to do is be in a hurry while traveling on snow covered or icy roadways. p Inspect your tires and check your tire pressure at least once a month. Inspect the tread and sidewalls for any cuts, punctures, bulges, scrapes, cracks, or bumps.

JANUARY 2022 • 7

The Current

2021 October Burglary Hotspots

Incident counts summarizes the events within 1/4 of a mile of each other. The heat map shows the density of events within the area.

Thierman

Barker

McKinzie

Molter

Simpson

Harvard

Kenney

Henry

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11-15 >15 2 Miles

1

Published Date: 11/9/2021 Prepared by Spokane County Sheriff's RIG 9 Unit

Spokane Valley Districts

Incident counts summarizes the events within 1/4 of a mile of each other. The heat map shows the density of events within the area.

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Published Date: 11/9/2021 Prepared by Spokane County Sheriff's RIG 9 Unit

Spokane Valley Districts

a hm Dis

The recommended winter tread depth is at least 5/32 of an inch or greater on all tires; and don’t forget to check your spare tire. Consider installing snow tires for increased traction. p Keep your gas tank close to full whenever possible. p Check your headlights, brake lights, turn signals, emergency flashers and interior lights to make sure they are all in good working order. p You can quickly go through a lot of windshield wiper fluid in a single snowstorm. Make sure your vehicle’s windshield washer reservoir is full of “winter” fluid.

Make sure defrosters and all windshield wipers work. Also keep all windows clear of snow and ice for visibility. p Do not text or drive distracted; obey posted speed limits; and always drive sober. Both alcohol and drugs can impair safe and responsible driving by affecting things such as coordination, judgment, perception, and reaction time. And remember, always wear your seat belt. Speed, impairment and failure to wear a seatbelt are the most common problems when it comes to serious injury and fatality collisions.

Following these tips will allow you to have safe travels this winter.

Please slow and down and be patient with other drivers on the roadway.

A little kindness goes a long way these days.

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11-15 >15 2 Miles

8

• JANUARY 2022

Spokane Valley accepts multiple donations

By Lincoln DoWright Current Contributor

Expo Expansion Project Grant Opportunity Back in October the City Council authorized the City Manager to apply for an American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Travel, Tourism, and Outdoor Recreation grant for the Expo Center Expansion Project. In the prior discussion the it was noted that Spokane County had mentioned that they were willing to contribute $1.25 million towards the project, however it was later clarified that the county was not willing to contribute the money towards this project. After reviewing the grant funding, award range and criteria the staff recommended increasing the ask from the Economic Development Administration (EDA) to $4.25 million from the $3 million we talked about before. To date the city has secured $1 million from its Capital Reserve Fund, $3.5 million from the Lodging Tax fund, and $750,000 from the 2021 stage Capital

NEWS

Budget and if successful with the EDA grant would have $9.5 million of the estimated $10 million project.

Annual Contracts

Street

Maintenance

The City Council renewed the street sweeping contract with AAA Sweeping for 2022 in their second of four possible annual extensions of the contract with a 3% increase in the hourly rate bringing the estimated 2022 amount $584,875.20.

Similarly the city council renewed the street maintenance contract with Poe Asphalt Paving Inc in the second annual renewal of four possible renewals with an increase in Washington state prevailing wages the contract for 2022 will be $1,530,307.70.

Donations Accepted by the City At the December 14th City Council meeting the City received some large community donations.

The first of which was from The Wolff Company who also own The Riverhouse Apartments along Indiana just west of Flora. In

recognition of the partnership with the City of Spokane Valley over the years and especially with the joint development of the Centennial Trail access point along Indiana, Fritz Wolff had commissioned a metal art sculpture of two dragonflies. The artwork is being created by local artists Bill and Karma Simmons and has a value over $25,000. The City thanked the Wolff company for their donation and look forward to having a dedication ceremony this summer. The sculpture which is between 15 and 20 feet wide will be placed in the roundabout at the trailhead.

The same night, the city council amended their agenda to accept a donation of 22 acres of land from local land developers Five Fifty LLC led by Ken Tupper. Tupper who cited multiple complements about working with the city and their friendly permitting process had gone above and beyond.

Their development at the northern edge of the City was originally in and bordered a floodplain which the city and developer worked together to implement flood control measures and ultimately change the flood plain

Contributed image The Wolff Company commissioned this metal art sculpture of two dragonflies and donated it to the City of Spokane Valley.

The Current

designation reducing the insurance requirements for the surrounding neighborhood residence while allowing the development. While the City had looked at this property back in 2019/2020 as an option for potentially locating a proposed softball complex before being ruled out due to the layout and the conversation about a potential partnership at Plantes Ferry Park.

The City Council unanimously thanked Tupper and the Five Fifty LLC Group for their donation. While the donation has no strings to the city, it was with the hope for the city to establish a neighborhood park at the location at some future date.

The land itself is the undeveloped section north of the neighborhood around East Valley Middle School west of Progress immediately south of the new Bigelow Gulch roadway and Forker.

2022 Lodging Tax Allocations The City Council accepted the recommendation from the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee (a committee made up of two Spokane Valley Hoteliers, two recipients of the lodging taxes, and one city council representative). The HUB Sports Center was awarded $55,000; JAKT received $6,500 for starting a Brews, Beats, & Eats event, $6,000 for a Craft Beer event, $30,000 for Crave!, and $17,000 for the Spokane Valley Farmers Market; Northwest Winterfest $45,000; Spokane County Fair and Expo Center $64,000; Spokane Valley Heritage Museum $27,000; Spokane Valley Summer Theatre $20,000; Valleyfest $24,000; Valleyfest Cycle Celebration $3,500.

Also in a separation action the city made their first allocation from the lodging tax fund dedicated to capital improvements, with an allocation of $3.5 million towards the new building at the Fair and Expo Center. While the allocations were approved, Councilmember Woodard cited concerns over support for Northwest Winterfest.

Also during the public comments section Lance Beck CEO of the Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce concerns over the capital investment with the building at the Fair and Expo Center and asked Council to delay the decision to award the capital funds. Mayor Wick gave some additional background about the conversations

The Current

JANUARY 2022 • 9

NEWS

RE BU STR IL OO DI NG M

that led to the development of the Fair and Expo Center project one of a slate of projects that have been and are under development.

Councilmember Woodard also supported the project citing that the city has been making investments across the city and that this is a good project and this area of the city is in need of investment. All awards were approved by the city council.

Balfour Park Update In previous discussions with the City Council, the city was planning to jointly pursue the development of Balfour park with the Spokane County Library District in an effort to achieve cost savings partner for a joint project award. However, in recent discussions with the library district it does not look like the library district is interested in moving forward with a joint project.

City staff gave an update to council on the progress on the design which will be at 90% by the end of December and asked if the council wanted to shelf the design at that point or independently advance the park infrastructure improvements (estimated to be a $3.875 million project and is fully funded in the cities capital projects fund from prior years unspent revenues).

While cautious about not getting the cost savings from having a joint project the city council agreed to continue moving the project forward independently with the plan to go out to bid in February for a 2022 project construction Proclamations Mayor Wick proclaimed the month of December as National Impaired Driving Prevention Month and urged every community member to play a role in the fight against impaired driving due to drunk, drugged, and distracted driving.

Custodial Services Update In a review of the custodial service contract, city staff noted that they believe they could better serve the needs of City Hall for the same or less money by hiring a dedicated employee to provide custodial services than continuing to contract for the service. The City Council gave consensus to not renew the contract for custodial services at

PHASE 1 CONSTRUCTION FUTURE PHASES ( TEMPORARY SEEDED AREA)

Contributed image The design of Balfour Park, above, will enter into phase 1 construction the spring of 2022.

City Hall and to create an employee position for the custodial position.

2022 Fees With a projection for 2022 at $3,317,500 or 6.36% of the total general fund revenues the city council suggested last year that the fees related to building, planning, and parks and recreation would be adjusted annually to keep up with inflation. For 2022 the city council approved a 4% increase across the board for all planning and building permits. The Parks and Recreation Fees were also adjusted but primarily in response to the change in the facilities in order to maintain cost recovery and competitiveness.

Most parks related permits had not been raised for 10 years.

Interim City Manager City Manager Mark Calhoun had announced his retirement from the City effective December 31st 2021. The Spokane Valley City Council unanimously approved a contract with Deputy City Manager John Holman to be the interim City Manager while the search for the permanent

replacement is conducted. The city hired Prothman to help conduct the official recruitment for the next city manager. It was also noted that after the November city council election results came in Councilmember Haley asked that the city stop the search until the new city council (with Laura Padden replacing Linda Thompson starting January 1st) determines which direction they want to go in.

While Councilmembers Higgins and Woodard agreed, Mayor Wick, Deputy Mayor Peetz and Councilmembers Thompson and Hattenburg stating that the search only provides information and options for the new council and continued the search.

Association of Washington Cities Center for Quality Communities Scholarship Cities across the state of Washington are eligible for nominating one high school senior from their jurisdiction for the Association of Washington Cities Center for Quality Communities Scholarship program. The City Council unanimously agreed with

Mayor Ben Wick nomination of Emma Reincke from University High School.

Upcoming Agendas The City will be conducting a swearing in ceremony for the recently elected city council members on Tuesday January 4th starting at 5:30pm and immediately followed by the first council meeting of the year where they will select the 2022 – 2024 Mayor and Deputy Mayor. On January 11th, the city is planning on having a hearing for the Transportation Improvement Plan (TIP) as well as voting on the proposed amended TIP, adopting a proposed ranking of the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Projects, and considering the renewal of their federal lobbyist contract, January 18th is scheduled to have a number of board and committee appointments including appointments of councilmembers to committees, Lodging Tax Advisory Committee members, Salary Commission members, and a number of others; and January 25th has an update on District Court Services.

10

• JANUARY 2022

COVER STORY

Giving, to help kick-start the community this new year

By Ben Wick

Current Publisher

Family Promise sheds light on hidden homelessness On the surface, it doesn’t appear Spokane Valley has a homelessness problem.

Those without permanent homes to the west, in the city of Spokane, are often visible in the downtown corridor, carrying signs and seeking out shelter. In Spokane Valley, those images are rare.

Yet if you ask Leslie CamdenGoold, who works for the Central Valley School District as a counselor with the H.E.A.R.T. (Homeless Education and Resource Team) program, she will tell you that 385 K-12 students in that district qualified as homeless in the 2020-21 school year.

That’s almost 400 kids without a permanent home.

“I think what we’ve come to realize in Spokane Valley is that our homelessness is more hidden,” Camden-Goold said. “We need to realize and get out of our minds that homelessness is just about a guy living under a bridge, that

perception of homelessness. You can’t go by the surface, you have to understand what people are going through. People are hurting.”

Camden-Goold is one of many H.E.A.R.T. counselors who collaborate with Family Promise of Spokane (FPS), a nonprofit that has been helping local families exit homelessness since 1997. Of the families FPS serves, 17 percent come from the greater Spokane Valley area.

“Family Promise has been invaluable,” Camden-Goold said. “They’ve advocated for our students to be in school, they’ve gotten families housing. They’re out-of-the-box creative thinkers.

They really meet families where they’re at and support them.”

FPS operates three low-barrier family shelters in Spokane, providing safe emergency housing for families in times of crisis. Last summer, FPS opened the Family Infant House to help new moms and babies as well as expectant moms.

“When families show up at the doorstep of one of our shelters, it’s not so much that they have run

Family promise

out of money or other resources – they’ve run out of community,” said FPS Executive Director Joe Ader. “We help them restore that.”

FPS collaborates with over 100 local entities in areas like housing, health insurance, employment, mental health counseling, food security, education, substance abuse treatment and more to give families the best possible chance at success.

Case management is an important piece of the FPS approach as families are connected with resources that help them achieve long-term stability. Case management is provided up to two years after families leave a shelter.

Over 90 percent of those families remain housed within that time frame.

FPS is celebrating 25 years of ending homelessness in 2022. From rental assistance to emergency shelters to positive, consistent encouragement, the organization specializes in transforming despair into hope for families like Monica’s.

“Family Promise taught me that I was worth caring about,” said Monica, a single mom of three who stayed at the FPS main shelter last year and is now permanently housed.

FPS is part of a nation-wide Family Promise network that

The Current

features over 200 chapters in 43 states. It was founded in 1986 by Karen Olson, a former marketing executive who began working with local churches in her hometown of Union County, New Jersey to provide shelter space.

Bill Gothmann is an elder with Valley Church of Christ and a supporter of FPS along with his wife Pam. He said fellow members of the church “have enthusiastically worked together to help Family Promise.”

“It makes sense for us to support Family Promise,” he said. “I’ve seen how they take care of families in the Valley and other places. We have had a great experience being part of their mission.”

Want to help?

To learn more about Family Promise of Spokane, visit www. familypromiseofspokane.org or call 509-768-3083.

Greater Spokane County Meals on Wheels Our mission is made possible by the generous support of local donors and partnerships with both public and private agencies. Through our partnership with Aging and Long Term Care of Eastern Washington, we are able to provide both home delivered meals throughout the county as well as congregate group dining at 12 locations throughout Spokane County.

Because of this public/private partnership, Greater Spokane County Meals on Wheels is able to take $0.91 cents of every private donor dollar and put it directly to the mission and the meals as opposed to overhead. We believe in unprecedented accountability to our funders and excellent stewardship of all funds received.

A Vision for a Healthy Future Over the next decade, Spokane County will witness a large demographic explosion in the senior population. We are committed to pursuing the partnerships, processes, and capacity to serve this generation with dignity. We recognize that our seniors may find themselves in a season of life where they need a little help, but we must never forget that this is only after a lifetime and a generation of them serving the rest of us. GSC Meals on Wheels invites you to join us in our pursuit and ensure every senior experiences the joy of a meal in each day to come.

The Current

COVER STORY

Greater spokane county meals on wheels

their offerings they need additional space and are undergoing a capital campaign to construct a new 59,000 sq ft theatre building in the Mirabeau Park area next to the Tru

by Hilton Hotel and CenterPlace Regional Event Center.

This includes a 475+ seat Main Stage, a 200 seat Studio Theatre (with flexible seating), and a third floor event space for upwards of 400 people. The event space can host two events at one time (if necessary) and has 180° sweeping views of the Idaho mountains to the southeast and Mt. Spokane and the Spokane River to the north.

• Washington State statistics tell us that 23% of seniors live alone.

• In Spokane county, we can estimate 19,200 isolated and foodinsecure seniors.

• Spokane meals on wheels organization, puts $0.91 out of every private donor dollar providing meals to seniors in our area.

• We aim to include at least 33.3% of recommended daily dietary intakes.

• We cover all 1,800 square miles of Spokane County in our deliveries.

MAKE A DIFFERENCE GSC Meals on Wheels delivers food to homebound seniors throughout the entirety of Spokane County, all the way to the county line in every direction. This means we are likely serving seniors in your very neighborhood and we need your help! Volunteering as a delivery driver takes approximately one hour to one and half hours one day a week and provides a much-needed service to our seniors. You can deliver as an individual, delivery as a family, or even as a business to support your community. Fill out an application below for more information and thank you for choosing to be a part of something greater!

volunteer@gscmealsonwheels.org Want to make a donation? Our 501(c)(3) tax ID is 91-1042546.

Spokane Valley Summer Theatre With a mission to enrich, entertain and serve the community in a safe, professional environment.

The Spokane Valley Summer Theatre provides musical, theatrical, educational and cultural programming that celebrates and further develops the artistic talents of the community.

The Spokane Valley Summer Theatre group has been producing three high quality theatre productions each summer as well as student camps utilizing the Central Valley High Schools Theatre but has recently announced an initiative to give community members access to and the ability to participate year-round. In order to expand

In addition, the SVPAC will have four soundproofed practice rooms and two studios for music instruction, a caterer’s kitchen, full fly-system, hydraulic grid-system trap room beneath the main stage, spacious scenic and costume shops, rehearsal room, a large box office serving both performing spaces, three permanent and multiple portable concession/bars, green rooms and dressing rooms for both performance spaces, two “star” dressing rooms, offices, meeting room, three lobby spaces, over 4,000 sq.ft of storage and twice as many restroom stalls for women!

The Conservatory is the educational programming component of SVPAC. It serves regional youth in areas of the general performing arts (workshops, classes, summer camps, family showcases/performances, etc.) The Conservatory program will benefit approximately 700+ students

JANUARY 2022 • 11

annually in the SVPAC facility. It will offer 35-50 classes and camps for after school and summer programming.

With an estimated construction cost of $36 million Spokane Valley Performing Arts Center could use your help to become a reality.

The anticipated ground-breaking ceremony is scheduled for August / September 2022 and welcoming mainstage productions beginning in June of 2024. To see how you can help reach out to Capital Campaign Director Lorna Walsh lorna@ svsummertheatre.com or 509-9395114 or donate online at www. spokanevalleypac.com/donate Spokane Angels Walking alongside children, youth, and families in the foster care community by offering consistent support through intentional giving, relationship building, and mentorship, Spokane Angles a local non profit is making a difference.

Young people who have grown up within the foster care system have experienced instability in their lives and often disproportionately suffer with learning disabilities, limited life skills, health issues, and emotional and behavioral struggles that lead to negative developmental outcomes. Youth who age out of foster care without having been adopted or reunified with their families have less financial, emotional, and social support than their peers, yet they are often expected to be as self-sufficient as See NON-PROFIT, Page 13

VISIT OUR OFFICE OR MAIL US AT: Greater Spokane County Meals on Wheels, 12101 E. Sprague Ave, Spokane Valley, WA 99206 Call us at (509) 924-6976 Have general questions? Drop us a line at info@gscmealsonwheels. org Have questions about volunteering? Send your query to

Spokane valley summer theatre

12

• JANUARY 2022

The Current

brought to you by

Student of the Month

Athlete of the Month

Citizen of the Month

Colby Blegen has achieved on a titan level at University High School.

The senior maintains a 4.0 grade point average and is a member of National Honor Society. Each weekday, Blegen participates in practice for Jazz Band at 6:35 a.m. He has been part of the group since his freshman year and has been playing the piano since he was 11. He was named Outstanding Soloist at a music festival hosted by Washington State University. Blegen has taken nine AP classes and is part of Capstone, a two-year, researchbased program. His subject is alternate notations to sheet music. Blegen also competes on the U-Hi Knowledge Bowl team. He attends Berean Bible Church and is part of the youth group there. He earned his Eagle Scout in 2019. Blegen plans to major in mechanical engineering in college with a minor in music.

Katie Christensen is a pillar for the University High School girls’ basketball team. The senior tallied 12 points, eight rebounds, three blocks and three assists in a recent game against Ferris. She had a 19point effort last season against the Saxons. Christensen also plays AAU basketball, most recently with the Northwest Blazers. She maintains a 4.0 grade point average and is a member of the National Honor Society. As ASB president, she was the catalyst, along with fellow student Abby Allen, for a homecoming fundraiser that raised $12,000, $9,000 of which went to the U-Hi booster club. Christensen serves as a student representative on the board of Spokane Valley Partners Food Bank & Family Services and helped organize the Titan Fun Run to benefit the cause. She plans to serve a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Steve Hauschild describes himself as “a guy who tried to make things a little better.” The West Valley High grad has been a youth mentor, PTA volunteer and youth sports coach. He is a dedicated father to three sons – Tyler, Mike and Dave – now grown.

Hauschild and his wife April celebrated 39 years of marriage in December. They attend Southside Christian Church and have helped with Young Life, a program that promotes Christian values among youth. Hauschild is a board member with the West Plains Chamber of Commerce and a trustee with Greater Spokane Inc. as well as a past board member with the local chapter of American Legion Baseball.

He is the market leader and director of business lending for Boeing Employees Credit Union (BECU) and has been a catalyst in establishing the credit union in Eastern Washington since 2016.

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

OUR MEMBERS ARE WHAT MAKE US. MORE THAN JUST MONEY

Federally insured by NCUA

JANUARY 2022 • 13

The Current

NON-PROFIT

Continued from page 11 those who have familial support and guidance. This lack of assistance and resources combined with the various traumas these youth have experienced negatively affects their success and overall well being. As a result of having to overcome a childhood of abuse and neglect, removal from their parents, unstable living arrangements, multiple foster placements, and weak support systems, youth who age out of care enter young adulthood without a healthy foundation upon which they can build their futures and work to break the generational cycles that affect youth in care.

THIS IS WHERE YOU COME IN The heart of the Spokane Angles Dare to Dream program is to walk alongside youth as they navigate through life’s challenges.

The youth in the Dare to Dream program need the wisdom, advice, encouragement, and community that mentors can provide. Mentors meet practical and emotional needs as well as provide guidance through developmental milestones.

The goal is for youth to be engaged and to feel supported and equipped to navigate life. A mentor commits to meeting with the youth every other week to set goals and help them achieve their dreams. These relationships will hopefully last a lifetime, but the program is a year commitment. Mentors matched with a high school student are strongly encouraged to stay with the youth until high school graduation.

The simple act of telling a

Naomi community youth “I believe in you,” “You are special,” and “You are going to do great things” can change their path completely.

One example being: 9 year old male, looking for a male mentor, in Otis Orchards. He’s hoping for someone he can do outdoor activities with and sports, caregivers are wanting him to have another positive male role model in his life.

Families need support too and if your whole family is wanting to get involved with helping others then you should consider the Love Box Program. The Love Box program provides fostering families (caregivers, children in foster care, and biological/adopted children) with community and holistic support. This wrap-around support enables caregivers to continue to do the important and meaningful work

Spokane angels

of being foster parents. As a Love Box group, you will be matched with a local foster family based on location, compatibility, and scope of needs. When our families are matched with committed volunteers who show up monthly, parents feel supported and children gain a greater sense of normalcy, relational permanency, and self confidence.

each of them have different chores throughout the week. Slabaugh said before these moms need to figure out how to work a job, they need to learn how to manage their own homes.

Volunteers seek to build relationships with their family by spending quality time with the whole family: playing games, sharing a meal, and being intentional. They can also create and deliver personal care packages based on current practical needs.

We tell our volunteers to think of themselves as the fun “auntie” and “uncle” who visits once a month to bring love, encouragement, and hope. This program requires a one year commitment, but the connections and impact last a lifetime. There are 38 families on the waitlist needing support from other community members.

“Ninety days is a blink of an eye,” she said. “You can’t build skills or emerge from trauma but two years gives you time to build a foundation. The skills we focus on are not job skills, they’re parenting, domestic skills, interpersonal skills and recover skills.”

You can reach out to Spokane Angles via their website at www. spokaneangles.org Naomi Community Naomi is a transitional housing organization for homeless single mothers that are recovering from addiction, domestic abuse or other trauma. Although Angela Slabaugh, Naomi’s executive director, said she prefers to call it a “transformational community,” instead of transitional housing.

Naomi’s program has these families live and work together. In their houses, the mothers take turns planning and cooking meals and

Many transitional homes focus on job skills and are around 90 days in length, Slabaugh said, but Naomi’s program is for up to two years.

Naomi also asks the community for donations. Canned foods and other food items are always needed Slabaugh said, but other household products like paper towels and cleaning supplies help out a lot.

She said that Naomi doesn’t receive state or federal funding, so it is always looking for monetary donations as well.

NAOMI desires to foster transformation.

Through safe community, authentic relationship and a whole lot of grace, NAOMI women are breaking free from cycles of trauma, dependency and poverty.

Your partnership makes this possible. Give now and your gift will be DOUBLED up to $10,000 thanks to two amazing match donors!

Want to find out more?

To learn more about ways to support Naomi or to seek help through the agency, call 926-6492 or visit www.naomicommunity.org.

Brought to you by

JANUARY 2022 • 15

The Current

Share your creativity with others!

For all ages & abilities Theme: HAPPINESS Create a mini art piece using library supplies.

Return your art to the library for the

Mini & Virtual Art Show in February.

Sign up before the spots fill up!

Learn more at www.scld.org/art-show www.scld.org

16

• JANUARY 2022

The Crest

Four years on council, a lifetime of service

By Nina Culver

Current Contributor

Serving on a city council has been nearly a lifelong dream for Linda Thompson and as her first and only term on the Spokane Valley city council comes to a close, she reflects that it wasn’t what she expected.

“I really wanted to serve in some policy making way,” she said. “I wanted to be local and I wanted to be non-partisan. I have discovered it’s not non-partisan. I tried very hard to focus on the issues. Truly, it is very partisan.”

Thompson said she just wanted to do what was best for her constituents, but that isn’t how it worked out. While Spokane Valley is overall a republican area, there are some more progressive voices on the council, of which Thompson was one. In the last decade, the majority on the council has swung back and forth from progressive to conservative. “The lines were drawn and it was a battle for control,” she said.

With Thompson’s election loss to Laura Padden, wife of state Senator Mike Padden, control will once again swing back to a more conservative viewpoint. When Padden announced her run, Thompson said she knew it was likely that she would lose, but hoped that people would look at her record during her time on the council.

Thompson said she greatly enjoyed creating the Spokane Valley Youth Voice, a group of local teens who met to talk about safety, mental health, homelessness and substance misuse.

The group also sometimes advocated for various issues, including before the city council. “At one point we had 50 kids in the room,” she said.

Thompson said she pushed developers to include open space in multi-family housing projects and advocated for handicap accessible playground equipment at Brown’s Park. She advocated for all neighborhoods to have equal access to parks and voted to purchase land to be used for future parks. “There’s only so much land,” she said.

Thompson said she supported a purchase of body cameras by the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office, which provides policing for the city

under a contract. “I’m also the one who advocated putting a homeless coordinator in the budget and the council supported it,” she said. “I wanted to make sure we had the resources locally. We were working on some great things to address that and I hope that doesn’t go away.”

She also worked to have training on diversity, equity and inclusion made part of the required training for those seeking a certificate of municipal leadership. Thompson said she constantly found herself at odds with some of her fellow council members, particularly when she talked about making sure everyone was included.

“I talked a lot about equity,” she said. “That was a change from what the council was used to. When I talked about equity, there were those on the council who rolled their eyes and harrumphed.”

She said she enjoyed her time serving on the Association of Washington Cities, a group that represents all

280 cities and towns in Washington State. “I have loved my Association of Washington Cities work,” she said. “I was on the board there. We’re a strong voice for local control.”

It took time for Thompson to reach her goal of serving her community.

She ran as a democrat for a state House of Representatives seat in 2008 and lost. In 2013 she applied for a vacant Spokane Valley council seat and the council could not break a 3-3 tie between appointing her or Rod Higgins. Higgins won a coin toss and was appointed to the council, where he still serves.

Losing the most recent election may be a blessing in disguise. Thompson had lost one brother previously, her younger brother died of a heart attack in August and her parents are getting older. “I feel like my parents need me desperately now,” she said.

She also has four grandchildren she’d like to spend more time with and her husband has been asking her to cut back, she said. “I loved my time on council,” she said. “I really enjoyed everything I did and only grew weary toward the election. It’s very hard to be an independent or non-partisan. Even

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though I lost, I feel like I’m going out as a successful council member.”

Thompson said she hoped when she was elected that once the election was over, the council members would work together as a team to lead the city, but that never happened. “I want to be in places where people are kind,” she said.

During her time on the council, Thompson said she felt fully supported by the city staff, who always answered her questions. She particularly praised city manager Mark Calhoun, who is retiring at the end of the month. She described him as having a great heart for the city. “He is a kind man,” she said. “He’s exceeded all the goals.”

Thompson will continue her work as executive director of the non-profit Greater Spokane Substance Abuse Council, a position she has held since 1993. “This is where my heart is,” she said. “That’s where my focus will be and my work.”

Once she is no longer on the council, Thompson said she’s considering doing something she’s been thinking about for a while, something a little wild: dyeing her hair blue. “I’m probably going to do that now,” she said.

Photo by Nina Culver Spokane Valley City Councilmember and Greater Spokane Substance Abuse Council Executive Director Linda Thompson reflects upon her time on the City Council.

JANUARY 2022 • 17

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Believing Thomas – CV linebacker scales obstacles in gridiron return

By Craig Howard

Current Contributing Editor

The Central Valley caravan to Wenatchee on Sept. 3 looked more like a motorcade to a state playoff showdown instead of the season opener against a non-conference opponent.

Interest was piqued in Bear Nation for CV’s contest against Eastmont for reasons that landed beyond the football field – and the parade of 180 miles from Spokane Valley to Chelan County was dotted with sky blue and white. Starting outside linebacker Brandon Thomas – who sat out the entire 2020 season after being diagnosed with osteosarcoma and having his right foot amputated just above the ankle – was making his highly anticipated return.

A lightweight prosthetic now served in the role of Thomas’ s former foot. Yet as he sprinted onto the turf that early autumn night, all anyone saw was a football player with a degreeof courage and resilience that soared off the charts.

“So many people made the trip to Wenatchee for that game,” said Brandon’s dad Devon. “To see him run out on the field, I almost missed it because there were so many tears.

He was out there making plays, being the Brandon we knew he could be.”

Brandon’s mom Melanie said while the return to football was special, her son’s recovery from a lifethreatening condition was the real victory to be savored.

“At first, you’re just praying that your kid will be alive,” she said.

“Football wasn’t even on our mind. I just have this sense of pride that he’s been wiling to commit and work so hard. If it’s important for your child, it’s important for you as a parent. I’m so happy to see him achieve that.”

The prospect of Thomas playing again for the Bears at any point in the future appeared precarious in the spring of 2019 after surgery to remove his ailing foot. The procedure was carried out on May 29 after

doctors determined it was Thomas’s best chance to avoid the cancer metastasizing and spreading to his lungs. The same form of bone cancer was diagnosed in West Valley’s Jace Malek, a University of Idaho football commit, who passed away in 2016 at 18.

Lingering soreness in his ankle while Thomas was competing in track led to X-rays and an MRI that discovered the condition. Thomas would spend 90 of the next 120 days after the surgery undergoing chemotherapy.

“I’m just looking for the good news because the bad news is going to be there,” Thomas said that July. “I

don’t try to explain the ‘why.’ You’ve just got to keep moving. I just try to stay strong.”

CV head coach Ryan Butner wasn’t sure what to expect from his onetime All Greater Spokane League first-team linebacker as the 2021 campaign approached. One thing Butner did know – Thomas would bring unparalleled energy and optimism to any challenge.

“There were some reservations at first but they were put aside very quickly,” Butner said. “Brandon brought leadership, competitiveness and positivity. It was pretty apparent right away that this was not a publicity stunt. Brandon earned every single minute he played.”

Butner met with Brandon, his parents and his team of doctors and physical therapists to go over reasonable plans for practices and games. The team adjusted its weekly schedule to focus on defensive drills

Photo by Erik Smith – Erik Smith Photography After sitting out the 2020 football season to heal from an amputated foot brought on by osteosarcoma, Brandon Thomas returned to the field as a starting outside linebacker for Central Valley. He finished with 71 tackles and earned All Greater Spokane League honorable mention.

on the days that Thomas was there.

By game time, he was ready to go.

“There were a few instances in practices, where we were like, ‘OK, he’s still got it,’” Butner said.

Thomas said it took adjust to acclimate to the prosthetic. He wore one for everyday use and another for football. That model arrived just two weeks before the Eastmont game.

“At first it felt very awkward,” he said. “It didn’t feel remotely like my leg at all. It took me a month or two to get used to it. Now, I can rely on it. It almost feels like my second leg. Once I got my coordination down with my right and left leg, it was smooth sailing from there.”

In April, just a few months before the start of football practice, a stress fracture was discovered during one of Thomas’s regular cancer scans. He sat out a month but stayed on track with his upper body training, spurred on by his older brother and best friend Josh, a former basketball player at Eastern Washington and current CV assistant basketball coach.

By the time practices rolled around, Thomas was on the field. As the season unfolded, Thomas established himself as a presence, recording 71 tackles and five forced fumbles. He earned All GSL honorable mention for a Bears’ squad that finished 7-1 in league play and 7-3 overall.

“Brandon is an impact player,” said Gonzaga Prep head coach Dave McKenna. “You’d never know he was playing with a prosthetic. I told him that what he’s done is amazing.

He’s gotten through this with a smile on his face. He’s shown that if you live life with a sense of gratitude, it opens up a lot of doors, not just football doors but life doors.”

Thomas and his dad both point to a play in the game against Mt. Spokane that left no doubt about his capability on the field. As a Wildcat receiver was preparing to make a catch a few yards from the line of scrimmage, Thomas converged quickly, arriving in time to knock away the pass and send the opponent to the turf.

“It changed the energy of the game,” Devon said. “It showed he could be a force in the middle, not just a good player with an amputation. It was clear he belonged on the field.”

See THOMAS, Page 21

JANUARY 2022 • 19

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LIBRARY

• JANUARY 2022

Spokane County LIBRARY DISTRICT

Challenge to read more for a better world

By Gwendolyn Haley, librarian Spokane County Library District

I have a challenge for you: Read more in 2022.

Share your creativity with others!

In the upcoming

MINI & VIRTUAL ART SHOW in February 2022 For all ages & abilities Create art for the theme: HAPPINESS Registration is open now.

Two ways to submit!

Learn more at www.scld.org/art-show

www.scld.org

Before you turn the page to read something else (oh, the irony!), here are some great reasons to spend more time reading in 2022 and one way to jumpstart your year.

Reading can reduce your stress levels (we could all use that!), improve your memory, and help us all be more empathetic (the world could use more of that too!).

No matter your age, spending even just 20 minutes a day reading can make a better you! This is the stuff of New Year’s resolutions.

To jump start your year of reading more, you can sign up for “Read for a Better World,” Beanstack’s 5th Annual Winter Reading Challenge, sponsored by

SCLD Online Book Club features “The Song of Achilles”

By Erin Dodge Current Guest Correspondent

Hundreds of readers from around Spokane County joined the SCLD Online Book Club in 2021.

Following this success, Spokane County Library District is starting off 2022 with the readers’ book pick of “The Song of Achilles,” by Madeline Miller.

Readers can read, discuss, and learn more about the novel and its topics in the club’s moderated online discussion forum, starting January 1 and continuing through the end of March.

“The Song of Achilles” was the winner of the 2012 Orange Prize (now called The Women’s Prize for Fiction) and is a unique retelling of the legend of Achilles and the Trojan War from Homer’s “The Iliad.” This novel is packed with action and unveils an epic love story, and you don’t have to be a scholar in Greek mythology to enjoy the trip back to ancient

Lerner Publishing Group. During this one-month challenge, you will have all of January to read at least 600 minutes (30 days X 20 minutes = challenge completed!)

It’s easy to sign up on the library’s Beanstack website at https://scld.beanstack.org.

Keeping track of your reading is also easy, and you can track your minutes on the website or using the Beanstack Tracker app, available for Android and iOS devices, downloadable at www. scld.org/beanstack-app.

This reading challenge is available for readers of all ages.

You can read any book you’d like.

And for the month of January, you’ll have access to selected eBooks from Lerner Publishing, available exclusively through the #WinterRead2022 challenge. That means you will have instant access to dozens of titles with no holds, wait times, or borrowing limits.

These titles help readers of all ages explore diversity, empathy,

Greece to experience the lives of its heroes.

Anyone in the community can join the book club at no charge— even without a library card. All participants can check out the book selections through their library or get a copy through their preferred method, such as at a local bookstore.

However, one perk of being an in-district library card holder is the free and immediate check out of the eBook version of the club’s current book selection through Freading, which means no holds or waiting. If you don’t have a library card, now is a great time to get one at no cost at www.scld. org/library-card.

A book club bonus is all of the additional content related to the book that’s curated by the moderators. If you find yourself intrigued by things you discover while reading, you can dive deeper by following the suggested content and further reading.

This makes the book club perfect for those interested in lifelong learning or personal growth, as well as for people who just want

The Current

and action through literature. You can explore books from bestselling and acclaimed authors, including Irene Latham and Charles Waters (“Can I Touch Your Hair?: Poems of Race, Mistakes, and Friendship” and “Dictionary for a Better World: Poems, Quotes, and Anecdotes from A to Z”), Shelley Rotner (“All Kinds of Friends”), Angela Johnson (“Girl Like Me”), Kao Kalia Yang (“A Map into the World”), Bob Raczka (“Niko Draws a Feeling”), Lee Wind (“No Way, They Were Gay?: Hidden Lives and Secret Loves ”), and Traci Sorrell (“Classified: The Secret Career of Mary Golda Ross, Cherokee Aerospace Engineer”).

Additional classic titles in this offering include “Twelve Years a Slave,” “Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass,” and “Little Women.”

Lerner Publishing will award book collections, signed books, and virtual author visits to libraries and schools that win the reading challenge. So, reading in 2022 is a win-win-win for all of us! to read for relaxation.

You’ll find this same flexibility with the online discussion forums.

You can participate in discussions or just gather new information and perspectives without interacting.

To learn more and sign up for the SCLD Online Book Club, head over to www.scld.org/onlineclub.

JANUARY 2022 • 21

The Current GREATER SPOKANE VALLEY

A VALLEY-WIDE COMMUNITY NEWSMAGAZINE

EDITOR/PUBLISHER

Ben Wick

ben@libertylakesplash.com CO OWNER

Danica Wick danica@libertylakesplash.com

CIRCULATION

Larry Passmore

circulation@libertylakesplash.com

CONTRIBUTORS

Nina Culver, Lincoln DoWright, Craig Howard

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.

Subscriptions Subscriptions for U.S. postal addresses cost $12 for 12 issues. Send a check and subscription address to P.O. Box 363, Liberty Lake, WA 99019. Subscriptions must be received by the 15th of the month in order for the subscription to begin with the issue printed the end of that month.

Correction policy The Current strives for accuracy in all content.

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

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THOMAS

Continued from page 18 Brandon’s achievements have ascended beyond the gridiron to the classroom where he maintains straight A’s.

“We want him to be as amazing off the field as he is on the field,” said Melanie.

Thomas hopes to be back next season as a Bear. He has petitioned the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association for another year of eligibility to make up for the year lost to surgery and rehabilitation.

For Thomas, the life lessons of his road back continue to resonate.

“My understanding of pain and loss and staying positive has really come a long way,” he said. “I feel that God has put me through this for a reason. My story has helped me grow but I think it’s also helped other people who hear it.”

Thomas has spoken to patients at Sacred Heart Children’s Hospital about his experience while encouraging them to forge on as he did. Butner said his star linebacker’s example takes inspiration to another level.

“I don’t know if we realize the magnitude of what he’s been through and how normal he’s made it,” Butner said. “We don’t see the struggle or the pain. I hope people are able to understand how significant and incredible this has been, just the journey Brandon has been through.”

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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Liberty Lake Family Dentistry •Tate Law Office Kiwanis Liberty Lake • Spokane County Library District

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

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Advertising integrity Inaccurate or deceptive advertising is never knowingly accepted. Complaints about advertisers should be made in writing to the Better Business Bureau and to advertise@valleycurrent.com. The Current is not responsible for the content of or claims made in ads.

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Advertising information Display ad copy and camera-ready ads are due by 5 p.m. on the 15th of the month for the following month’s issue. Call 242-7752 for more information.

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

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• JANUARY 2022

SVFD REPORT Continued from page 5

For residents or occupants of facilities with onsite fire extinguishers its always recommended you make yourself aware of their location, you never know when you might need one.

Media Release Dec. 13 – Spokane Valley Fire Department (SVFD) responded around 9:30 a.m. to the 10400 block of East Mission Avenue for a reported structure fire. Callers to 911 believed a house was on fire, seeing large flames and black smoke. Crews arrived to find a car on fire under an awning

The Current

about 1 foot from the garage and starting to spread to the building.

The fire was knocked down within the first 10 minutes of being called into 911. The fire was contained to the car and carport and did not extend into the garage or attic.

Calling 911 quickly helped keep this fire contained to minimal damage.

This is the second fire today in a matter of hours. Last week Spokane Valley Fire responded to 19 fires, 1 car fire, 29 car collisions, and 1 car versus pedestrian collision.

SVFD asks citizens to please practice winter fire safety and driver safety as we continue through the remainder of 2021 and this holiday season. More home fires

happen in the winter months than any other time of year.

Incidents: Structure Fire – Nov. 15, 8:45 a.m.

- Spokane Valley Fire Department (SVFD) crews dispatched for a reported structure fire at a house on the southside of 8th and Pines. The owner was burning freshly fallen yard debris in a wood stove that sent up a plume of smoke. All other responding units were canceled. A person called in and reported a neighbor was burning green yard waste in his woodstove.

VE1 contacted the homeowner who was unaware of the dark smoke being produced from burning. Crews provided Legal Burning information and education and then returned in

service.

Vehicle Fire – Nov. 25, 4:30 p.m.

- Spokane Valley Fire Department (SVFD) Valley Ladder 10 crews (VL10) responded to the report of a car in the median. VL10 crews arrived on scene to find a vehicle in the median with smoke coming from the engine compartment. All occupants were safely out of the vehicle. VL10 blocked traffic in the north lane and crews investigated the situation.

While investigating another call for a vehicle rollover collision came through from dispatch near where crews were currently with the vehicle fire.

Spokane Valley Police Department was also on scene and had already used his small dry chem on the fire to put it out. VL10 then used both water extinguishers to cool the engine compartment. VL10 verified there were no injuries on the occupants and then returned in service.

Extrication – Dec. 7, 11:30 p.m.

– Several Spokane Valley Fire Department (SVFD) crews were dispatched for the report of a car collision requiring extrication. The patient was in the rear seat of the car behind the driver seat. Their foot was trapped underneath the B post on the driver’s side. SVFD crews developed a Plan “A” and a Plan “B” for extrication.

Plan “A” was to use the ram tool from the passenger side B post to the driver side B post and push the B post off the foot. Plan “B” was a side out cut on the driver’s side. One team worked on plan “A” while another team began popping off the driver’s door in preparation of plan “B.” The remainder of the crews worked on stabilization and securing the battery.

Crews were able to successfully free the patient’s foot using plan “A”.

Connect with SVFD at: spokanevalleyfire. com. For department news, safety information, and timely updates, find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

You Can Read The Greater Spokane Valley Current Online!

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ON THAT NOTE

The Current

JANUARY 2022 • 23

Young dancer gets runner up

By Nina Culver Current Contributor

When Jack Kramer was born missing half his heart seven years ago, doctors told his parents that he had a 50/50 chance of surviving his first open heart surgery when he was a week old. But the boy, now 7, has beaten all the odds and has gone as far as being a finalist in a “Military Kids Have Talent” competition this year for his dancing.

The family submitted a video of him dancing to the virtual competition.

There’s nothing formal or choreographed about the dancing. It’s simply a boy dancing for the pure joy of it. “Honestly, I didn’t think it would get very far,” said his mother, Robyn Kramer.

His father, Kyle Kramer, is a Huey helicopter pilot based at Fairchild Air Force Base. Many of the scenes in the compilation video feature Jack Kramer dancing while wearing his father’s flight helmet or dancing in front of his father’s helicopter. “He was obsessed with dancing with his father’s helmet,” he said.

The family was soon notified that Jack Kramer had advanced to the finals. The announced prize was a family trip to Universal Studios.

“He was excited,” she said. “I was surprised. We were just doing it for something to do for fun.”

However, he didn’t win the competition. “The girl who won was really good,” she said. “I didn’t tell him at first. I felt bad, because he really wanted to go to Universal. He was upset, but he got over it pretty quickly.”

Robyn Kramer is just happy that he can dance. When he was first born in Alabama with hypoplastic left heart syndrome, a lot of the news from his doctors was bad.

“As soon as he came out, they knew something was wrong with him,” she said. “Basically, the left side of his heart did not develop.

It was not detected while I was pregnant.”

The baby was immediately flown to a bigger hospital. A social worker told her to pack for a month and she and her husband had to

Contributed photo Jack Kramer seen with his canine friend, makes the best of an effort to keep exercising through the pandemic. drive to the next hospital. “It was horrible,” she said.

He survived his first surgery, but doctors warned that he might have brain damage and he might need a feeding tube to survive.

“They told me he might never walk, might never talk,” she said.

After two months he went home, but after only a week he was back in the hospital again because his blood oxygen levels dropped to the 60s. “We had him flown to Boston Children’s, because they’re the best at treating his condition,” she said.

He had his second open heart surgery at four and a half months, then another when he was two and a half. He’s also had several heart catheter procedures. But despite it all, Jack Kramer is a remarkably normal boy.

“Besides being small, you can’t really tell there’s anything wrong with his heart,” she said. “He’s incredibly smart. He’s a really good

reader. He loves science.”

He currently gets regular checkups at Seattle Children’s Hospital. The family is set to be transferred to Houston in March and there’s a good hospital there for his checkups, his mother said.

She said she knows he’s been lucky to make it this far, since children with his condition can be fine one day and in heart failure the next.

“The stats are 60 to 70 percent of these kids will make it to five years old,” she said. “They don’t have anything past that.”

His mother said he knows that kids are more resilient than adults, but she still worries about him, particularly because he’s on blood thinners. He’s also more susceptible to other diseases because of his heart condition. “He’s got so much metal in his heart and bovine grafts, so many foreign things in his heart,” she said.

His dancing began as a result of

COVID. Stuck at home, unable to go swimming like he usually did, Jack was bored. He began picking bright, upbeat music to dance to.

“He’s always liked music a lot,” his mother said. “He would just dance and it would occupy him. He was really into it. I would take videos and send them to my sister.”

He has an eclectic taste in music.

His mother said he likes Marshmello and Twenty One Pilots. His dance video he submitted was set to “Blinding Lights” by The Weeknd, a song he often likes to dance to.

His cardiologist wanted him to exercise to keep his heart strong, so she encouraged him. He’d dance through the living room with his younger sister or by himself, moving to the beat. Despite his newfound dancing skill, he still prefers to focus on music and is currently trying to learn to play the trumpet and the ukulele. “He’s more into the music part,” she said.

24

• JANUARY 2022

The Current

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