M A R C H
2020
GREATER SPOKANE VALLEY
PRSRT STD ECRWSS U.S. Postage Paid Permit #010 ZIP CODE 99019
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A VALLEY-WIDE COMMUNITY NEWSMAGAZINE
The Future is Bright
Youngest leadership team since the Spokane Valley’s incorporation, page 10
2020 CENSUS UNDERWAY PAGE 4
MEET YOUR NEW SV COUNCILMEMBER PAGE 2
SV LADIES B-BALL PLAYER LEGACY PAGE 18
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• MARCH 2020
The Current
RIVER CROSSING
Valley Roots – Hattenburg brings local pedigree to council
By Craig Howard
Current Contributing Editor
Attendees at meetings of the Spokane Valley City Council may glean a few bonus lessons in geography, history and even the finer points of a zone defense now that Tim Hattenburg is part of the governing board. Hattenburg spent two decades as a teacher and coach in the Central Valley School District before retiring in 1995. At one point, he was nominated for Washington State Teacher of the Year. A 1971 graduate of Central Valley High School, Hattenburg talks proudly of being a born-and-bred Valleyite. Before enrolling at CV, he attended Progress Elementary and Greenacres Junior High. After high school, Hattenburg enrolled at Spokane Falls Community College and went on to earn his bachelor’s degree in education from Washington State University. He latched on with CVSD as a teacher at North Pines Middle School in 1975. Hattenburg was one of four candidates on the primary ballot last August, vying for City Council Pos. 6 previously held by Sam Wood. Hattenburg and Bo Tucker moved onto the general election in November where Hattenburg collected just over 52 percent of the vote to become the newest representative of Washington’s 10th largest city. Hattenburg brought campaign savvy to his council pursuit, having made two runs for state legislature against incumbents Bob. McCaslin Sr. and Matt Shea in 2004 and 2008 respectively. While his quests for Olympia fell short, Hattenburg remained civically minded. He served 10 years as a board trustee with the Spokane County Library District from 2006 to 2016, spending time as chair and vice chair.
Hattenburg received endorsements from some familiar names in his latest plunge into politics. Diana Wilhite, Dean Grafos and Tom Towey – all former mayors of Spokane Valley – backed him last year. Hattenburg benefited from a robust team of around two dozen supporters knocking on approximately 18,000 doors leading up to the Nov. 5 vote. Hattenburg estimates that he and his wife Becky connected with approximately 7,000 households as part of the citywide canvassing. The terrain of Hattenburg’s campaign trail bore little resemblance to the Valley of his youth, the sprawling fields where he picked strawberries and raspberries each summer are largely gone. Farms have been replaced by suburban developments while retail corridors now stand where orchards once flourished. As a teenager,
Hattenburg also found summer work in East Wenatchee, pruning, picking and laying irrigation. At 16, Hattenburg was driving in the area of Sullivan and Sprague when a car collided with his vehicle. The incident left him with fractured vertebrae in his neck and set the stage for decades of chronic spinal issues. To date, he has undergone 13 back surgeries. Hattenburg’s positive disposition and ready smile would give little indication of his persistent back pain or nagging migraines. Besides his engaging approach, he makes it a point to walk three miles a day, Hattenburg grew up as one of eight children. His dad, Don, a World War II vet who served in the South Pacific, drove long-haul trucks for a living. Hattenburg remembers “stepping up” his academic game as a junior at CV, pulling better grades
Photo by Craig Howard Tim Hattenburg edged Bo Tucker with just over 52 percent of the vote to earn a seat on the Spokane Valley City Council in last November’s general election. The Spokane Valley native was a teacher and coach for 20 years in the Central Valley School District and spent 10 years as a trustee with the Spokane County Library District.
than he had his previous two years. He was also a standout distance runner for the Bears, striding to a personal best in the mile of 4 minutes, 28 seconds that stood as a school record for many years. Just as many of Hattenburg’s former students and athletes credit him for support and encouragement during pivotal adolescent years, he points to mentors like Stan Chalich and Bruce Wendleberg during his time at CV. “I had some good coaches and teachers growing up,” he says. Known as a fiscally conservative Democrat, Hattenburg was initially opposed to the idea of Valley incorporation. He eventually came around, applauding the city’s approach to contracting for municipal services like police and library. “It protects the city from economic downturns,” he said. Hattenburg and Becky have been married for 46 years. They are proud parents of three kids and have three grandchildren. Q: You were born and bred in the Valley. How do you think your background as a genuine local will behoove you in your new role as a representative of City Council? A: Being raised in the Valley I have seen many changes that affect the various neighborhoods throughout our entire community. Many new families have moved to the area as well as second and third generations of families that have always been here. I have had the opportunity to have taught and coached thousands of students over the years and see many of them on a daily basis. I enjoy hearing from the citizens in the Valley and share many of their concerns. We may not always agree on things, however I enjoy the dialogue and potential learning experiences. Q: What motivated you to run for City Council? A: I have always been involved in various community activities and issues such as schools, the library and issues that we face on a daily basis. I want to use my experience and knowledge to help work with
The Current
MARCH 2020 • 3
NEWS
our community and others to address our concerns. I was also approached by a number of people of various political beliefs to become more involved. It has been a very exciting and humbling experience. Q: You've seen a lot of change in the time you've lived in this area. What are some of the major transitions you've seen in the Valley over the years? A: The tremendous amount of growth in housing, businesses and industry. The school districts, especially the Central Valley School District, have really changed the landscape. I feel the city has handled this well as many people continue to relocate or remain here for the quality of life we offer. Q: What experience from your decade as a trustee with the Spokane County Library District do you think will translate into your responsibilities as a council member? A: First, listen to the concerns of the library patrons throughout the various communities in the library district. Also support the staff in their daily efforts to provide excellent service on a daily basis. Learning about budgets and services that represented an area of about 500,00 people was very educational and enlightening. Q: Speaking of libraries, what do you think the future holds for the library network within the city of Spokane Valley? A: We are in very good shape as far as our continued excellent service from the library and hopefully in the near future we will have the opportunity to pass a bond issue that build a new main branch across from our City Hall. Q: It sounds like you knocked on a lot of doors during your campaign leading up to the general election. What did you learn about this community in that process that maybe you didn't know before? A: It was surprising and exciting how many people supported the expansion of our park system. Also most people had positive things to say about how they enjoy living here. There were concerns about growth and the management of it. People were generally happy to see someone at the door on a personal level. It was great learning how much pride people have their community. Q: There had been numerous
efforts to incorporate the Valley before the vote for cityhood narrowly passed in 2002. What were your thoughts about incorporation back then and how do you feel the city experiment has worked out? A: At the time I was not in favor of incorporation because Spokane County had $20 million surplus budget and I was concerned that another layer of government with a separate budget would cause financial concerns in dealing with our infrastructure and other services. The city, especially early council members as well as mayors, did an outstanding job of managing our budget as well as providing our public services. Q: Do you have particular issues or initiatives that you will be championing in your first year as a council member? A: I feel we must continue to be fiscally responsible with our citizens’ taxes that allow us to continue to provide our essential services. I would like to see us to continue to expand our parks and purchase land when the opportunity presents itself. We also need to continue to work on various solutions regarding our homeless population. Q: How important do you think it is to have teamwork and positive chemistry at the dais even if council members don't always agree with each other? A: It is very important we have respect for one another’s particular beliefs and opinions. I believe that anytime you have open dialogue with another person you will always learn from that experience. It has been a very positive experience so far and the staff and council strive to be open to public input and concerns on a daily basis.
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• MARCH 2020
Valley Chamber
HIGHLIGHTS
NEWS
The time to be counted is now, Census 2020 By Nina Culver
Current Contributor
Information about the 2020 Census has been trickling out, but now the cities inside Spokane County are teaming up to help spread the word about the importance of participating in the census and how that translates into cash for local projects.
BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS.
DRIVING COLLABORATION.
CHAMPIONING OPPORTUNITY.
State of the City Spokane Valley
Business is expanding in Spokane Valley and the city is growing. Learn how we are building a community of opportunity in Spokane Valley through our ongoing focus on public safety, economic development initiatives, transportation and infrastructure projects, and pavement preservation at the 2020 State of the City with Mayor Ben Wick.
Upcoming Events Business Connections Lunch Friday, February 28th Government Action Committee Monday, March 9th Let’s Talk Shop Tuesday, March 10th After 5 Networking TT’s Brewery & BBQ Wednesday, March 25th Register online at spokanevalleychamber.org
New Members: December & January Becker Buick GMC Cascadia Screen Printing Churchill Mortgage
Date & Time: Friday, March 27th 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Location: CenterPlace Regional Event Center 2426 N Discovery Pl Spokane Valley, WA 99216 Underwriting Sponsors: BNSF Modern Electric Water Co. Numerica Credit Union Tickets are available for $40 per person or $450 for a VIP table of 10. Get more information and register at: spokanevalleychamber.org
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1421 N. Meadowwood Ln. Liberty Lake, WA 99019 | 509-924-4994 | www.spokanevalleychamber.org
The Current
Local cities and towns have funneled money to the Spokane Regional Transportation Council, which has joined forces with the Spokane International Airport, Spokane Transit, the Innovia Foundation and the Washington State Department of Transportation to hire Census Committee Coordinator Alex Panagotacos. This was done because the Census Bureau’s budget has not increased since the last census 10 years ago and the agency hasn’t been able to hire as many community coordinators, Panagotacos said. The cities and towns realized it was up to them to make sure there’s an accurate census count. “There’s a lot of money on the line,” she said. “It’s 10 minutes, 10 questions and impacts us for 10 years.” The census is critically important because federal money and representation in Congress is determined by the census count, Panagotacos said. She estimates that Washington gets $13.7 billion in federal funding each year, which pays for programs like Head Start, WIC, foster care, student loans, school lunches and highway construction projects. “That’s really a conservative estimate,” she said. “Our slice is the pie is set by the (census) count. If there’s an undercount, our slice of the pie gets smaller, but we’re all still here and still hungry.” It’s estimated that each person not counted in the census will cost the state over $3,000 in funding every year for 10 years, Panagotacos said. “That’s funding that can pave roads, provide school lunches, really essential services,” she said. The number of representatives
each state gets in the House of Representatives is also determined by the population determined by the census. “If we get undercounted, it affects our representation in Congress,” she said. “We could gain or lose a seat in Congress.” Organizations and businesses also look at census data to determine what services to provide and where, Panagotacos said. The census is changing with the times, however. Most people will not get a paper form to fill out in the mail. Instead, almost all Spokane County residents will get a postcard in the mail sometime between March 12 and April 20 asking them to go online to fill out the short questionnaire. It will ask for the name, age gender and race of each person living the household as of April 1 and each person’s relationship to each other, if any. Some areas of the county, including more rural areas with limited broadband internet, will get a paper questionnaire sent to them in the mail. Other parts of the county, including small areas near Newman Lake, Spangle, Rockford, Fairfield and Waverly, will have questionnaires brought to their door by a Census Bureau employee because a census questionnaire cannot be mailed to a post office box. Everyone is asked to respond to the census no matter what their immigration status is, Panagotacos said. “It’s everyone,” she said. “Even if you’re not a citizen, our representatives represent you.” One thing not on the census questionnaire is any question about the immigration status of those responding, as was suggested last year. Many groups voiced concerns that undocumented immigrants would refuse to respond to the census because they would be afraid of being deported. “It’s not on there, but it did do some damage,” Pantagotacos said. “It really scared some people.” By law the Census Bureau cannot share the information it
The Current
MARCH 2020 • 5
NEWS
gathers with other government agencies, Pantagotacos said. “There is a U.S. code that protects our data,” she said.
said. “The hope is that it makes it more accessible,” she said. “They’re also hoping to save some money.”
The information is also anonymized after it is collected, leaving behind only statistics about population, age and race. “Your personal identifying information goes one way and your demographic information goes another,” she said.
Those who do respond are encouraged to fill out the questionnaire completely. “You can leave things blank, but that might trigger a non-response follow up from the Census Bureau,” she said.
If people don’t respond to the initial post card inviting them to go online and fill out a questionnaire, they’ll receive four reminders. The third reminder will come with a paper census questionnaire that can be filled out and returned. “If you don’t respond by the end of April, that’s when someone will show up at your door,” she said. The Census Bureau hopes the online questionnaire will make it easier for people to respond and increase participation, Panagotacos
For the next few weeks Pantagotacos will be focused on educating people about the census and its importance. Billboards are going up around Spokane County and community forums are planned in Deer Park and Airway Heights in April. The dates and times will be listed at www. spokanecensus.org. Pantagotacos compares the census to a big party, though it’s one with important issues on the line. “We all need to RSVP for that party so there’s enough pizza to go around,” she said.
Your census responses are safe and secure. The Census Bureau is required by law to protect any personal information we collect and keep it strictly confidential. The Census Bureau can only use your answers to produce statistics. In fact, every Census Bureau employee takes an oath to protect your personal information for life. Your answers cannot be used for law enforcement purposes or to determine your personal eligibility for government benefits.
By law, your responses cannot be used against you. By law, your census responses cannot be used against you by any government agency or court in any way—not by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), not by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), not by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and not by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The law requires the Census Bureau to keep your information confidential and use your responses only to produce statistics.
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Your responses to the 2020 Census are safe, secure, and protected by federal law. Your answers can only be used to produce statistics—they cannot be used against you in any way. By law, all responses to U.S. Census Bureau household and business surveys are kept completely confidential.
Responding to the census helps communities get the funding they need and helps businesses make data-driven decisions that grow the economy. Census data impact our daily lives, informing important decisions about funding for services and infrastructure in your community, including health care, senior centers, jobs, political representation, roads, schools, and businesses. More than $675 billion in federal funding flows back to states and local communities each year based on census data.
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• MARCH 2020
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Current Contributor
See SV COUNCIL, Page 8
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By Bill Gothmann
City Hall Wall Now Stabilized After the City moved into its new City Hall in 2017, staff noted extensive cracking on both the interior and the exterior of the curved wall on the east side of the Council Chambers. In 2019, the City contracted with a structural engineer to examine the cause. They determined it was due to settling because of improper soil compaction and improper construction. The City installed ten micro-piles to stop the settling, supports extending 30-35 feet down to bed rock. They then hired Simpson Engineering to monitor the foundation over time, and they found that the settling has abated. However, the City wants to wait the spring and its thaw to assure permanent stability. During the investigation, they noticed stresses in the drywall in the ceiling and along the east wall. The City called in a consultant to examine, not only the tiles, but the steel structure. The City installed a temporary wall from floor to ceiling in the back half of the Council Chamber so the investigation and the work would not impede Council meetings. The investigative work, will determine what action, if any, should be taken. The City has authorized $500,000 for this effort. However, it is expected that ultimately, all of this work, including the legal consulting, would be paid for by Meridian, the original contractor for the construction of City Hall. Staff assured Council that the building is safe to occupy. City Developing Action Plan on Homelessness Senior Administrative Analyst Morgan Koudelka, assisted by Deputy City Attorney Erik Lamb, presented a homelessness action plan to Council during their Feb. 11 all-day workshop. Koudelka identified three categories of homeless camp sites: (1) camping on three city-owned properties that have permanent bans on camping
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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. Bi g G
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2020 January Theft IBR Offenses Hotspots
Dense
Prepared By: Spokane County IT in conjunction with Spokane County Sheriffs Office on 2/6/2020
Dense
Prepared By: Spokane County IT in conjunction with Spokane County Sheriffs Office on 2/6/2020
SAFETY TIP OF THE MONTH March is national poison awareness month. Please take the time to go through your home and remove an unwanted products that may be harmful. Remaining products should be stored out of reach of small children. Take a moment to talk with you family about the types of products in your home, how to use them, and what to stay away from. If there is an incident with ingestion of a potentially harmful product contact poison control immediately at 1-800-222-1222 for advise and assistance.
8
• MARCH 2020
NEWS
SV COUNCIL
Continued from page 2 (Balfour Park, Centerplace/ Mirabeau Meadow, and City Hall), (2) camping on other city-owned property, and (3) camping on private property. Category 1 campers would immediately be contacted, informed of the ban, provided information on outreach services, and informed they must leave immediately. If they refuse, police would be called and cite them for trespassing. Category 2 camp site cases would be passed along to an outreach team consisting of SNAP (Spokane Neighborhood Action Partners) and Frontier Behavioral. This team would visit the campers, distribute copies of the camping ordinance and inform them of the City’s approach. If the camper is generating a lot of complaints, is in a high visibility area, or does not cooperate with the team, the City would remove them as soon as a shelter bed is available. If the camper is cooperating and cleaning up after themselves, the team and the City will work with them toward obtaining housing. For Category 3 campers, if there are complaints, the Outreach Team and the City would work with the home owner to resolve the problem. If the property owner wants them removed or will not cooperate with the City, the issue will be turned over to Code Enforcement and the City Attorney to determine further action. The City would take possession of a camper’s property if they fail to remove it or must leave the property behind. In such a case, the city will log, sort, identify property that must be disposed, and store the remaining items for 60 days. A second possibility is that the City would rent storage space in the owner’s name and give them the responsibility of paying for it. Geiger work crews could be used
Over 80
to clean up sites. The City has set up a “Huddle Team” that includes Code Enforcement, City Attorney’s Office, Public Works, Spokane Valley Fire Department, Spokane Valley Police Department, Mental Health CoResponse Teams, and Outreach Team. They will meet weekly or as needed to compare information, monitor progress of camps and individuals, and coordinate steps. They will also be adding signage, setting up SmartGov to serve as an encampment data base, and provide signage. The City will be educating the citizens in ways to help the homeless without enabling bad behavior and poor choices. County and City Join for Sullivan/Bigelow Gulch Grant Spokane Valley and Spokane County are jointly applying for a federal INFRA grant, a grant that emphasizes freight. The City believed that the Pines project was not the best fit for such an application, but a joint grant that improves both Bigelow Gulch and Sullivan would be favorably received. It would allow both parties to leverage their participation while allowing the City to fix Sullivan problems as soon as Bigelow Gulch is done. Letters of support will be sought from many partners. The application window is very short – 44 days. Therefore, the County and the City have jointly hired a consultant to prepare the grant. Sullivan/Wellesley Intersection Debated In 2018, Council decided by a 6:1 vote, to have a signalized intersection at Sullivan and Wellesley rather than a roundabout. The City recognized that, when the county’s Bigelow Gulch improvement program is completed, much more traffic, especially truck traffic, will be traveling the
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The Current
Wellesley/Sullivan corridor. As a result, staff has been working with the County to combine the county’s Bigelow Gulch improvements with the City’s Wellesley/Sullivan improvement. Recently, Council wished to revisit the roundabout decision. Staff noted that the design is 90% complete and right-of-way acquisition is in process. As a result, a change to a roundabout would cost an additional two million dollars, delay the City’s work by one year, and require separating the County’s Bigelow Gulch and the City’s intersection projects. Mayor Wick and Deputy Mayor Peetz argued that, since safety is the primary object and the roundabout has a much better safety record, changing plans was justified. However, Councilmember Haley argued that the great statistics of roundabouts was for auto traffic, whereas the primary concern should be children pedestrians, since the intersection is between two schools. She also noted that school officials and the public favored the signalized intersection. Since five of the Council members spoke favoring the signalized intersection whereas Peetz and Wick spoke in favor of the roundabout, no action was taken. Thus, the City will continue implementing the signalized intersection. Sales Tax Rebate Approved As discussed in last month’s The Current, the State Legislature approved a 0.0073% sales tax rebate for jurisdictions to be used for qualifying expenses relating to affordable and supportive housing. This is not a new tax. It is a returning to the City a portion of the sales tax we now pay to the State. Such rebate funds cannot be used for homeless housing. The rebate is expected to return $178,000 per year for 20 years back to the City. In order to take advantage of this rebate, Council unanimously passed
enabling legislation. Three Sculptures Accepted Council formally accepted the donation of three sculptures by the Spokane Valley Arts Commission. “Huckleberry Daze” is a bronze, lifesize sculpture by Jerry McKellar of a bear sitting on his haunches enjoying life. In 2004, McKellar supplied several original fiberglass bears for the streets of the City of Spokane, which were then painted by local artists and auctioned to raise funds for the Ronald McDonald House. Later, he cast the image in bronze. “Indomitable Spirit” by McKellar is a tribute to man’s strength of spirit and determination to never give up. It shows three persons: one is cast in stone, another bound and kneeling, and another broken free. “Rock Star” by Bob Wilfong is a stylized, bronze sculpture of a figure playing the guitar. Staff will be back on March 10 to discuss placement of each of these sculptures. New Financial Management Software Required The City has been notified by Tyler Technologies that they are no longer providing substantive updates to the Eden financial management software used by the City. In addition, the City has noticed declining customer service. This software is being used by a number of cities. Because new software would touch every aspect of the City, replacing it requires a complex effort to determine which system on the market would provide the best fit for the City. The City has drafted a Request for Qualifications seeking a consultant to assist in the selection, estimated to cost $70,000 for eight months of work. The cost for the new software will be substantial. This will be discussed further at the June 16 budget workshop. Significant Changes to Bus Routes Planned
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The Current
MARCH 2020 • 9
NEWS
Spokane Transit Authority (STA) is planning to make changes to nine Spokane Valley bus routes. Route 71, Mirabeau Point Express, will go from the Mirabeau Park and Ride (MP&R) to both the University District and the County Campus. Route 72, Indiana/Mission, will go from the Liberty Lake Park and Ride (LLP&R) to the MP&R via Mission. Route 98, Sprague/Appleway, will go from the LLP&R, service Ridgline High School, then to the Valley Transit Center (VTC). New Route 92, SFCC/VTC, will go from the VTC, and then will travel via Argonne, Upriver Drive, Frederick, Maxwell and Pettit to SFCC. Route 94, East Central/Broadway/Mission, will be routed from the MP&R to Mission, Broadway, Eighth, Fifth, Second, and eventually the STA Plaza. Route 93, East Valley, will start at MP&R and terminate at East Valley High School. Route 96, Pines, will go from VTC, south on University, then east to Pines, then north to MP&R. The Section to East Valley High School will be deleted, being serviced by Route 93. New Route 71, Mirabeau/ Pinecroft Express, will be an express route from the MP&R to the VTC. Existing route 95, Mid-Valley, will be discontinued. Some paratransit area, because it will be within ¾ of a mile of an STA route, will be added north of Spokane River and two very small areas, one west of Barker, north of Mission, and the second, south of East Appleway. STA has an on-line survey open until March 2nd. After that, there will be follow-up surveys, a hearing in July and, if approved, these changes will take effect in May of 2022. Notifying the Public of Land Use Changes Staff updated the Council about the current policies for notifying the public about any developments taking place in their neighborhoods. There are four classes of development. A type I development is one that provides minimal impact to the neighborhood, such as a building permit within a permitted zone that satisfies existing building policies. In this case, only the applicant receives notice. A type II permit requires notice to adjacent properties. This would notice such changes as a binding site plan, a division of land for office, commercial or industrial zoned properties or a manufactured home park. Type II would also include alterations to subdivisions and binding site plans. Subdivisions of properties, variances, and conditional use permits require a type III permit.
In this case, notice is published in the Valley Herald and mailed and posted to properties within a 400 ft. radius of the development. These notices are paid for by the applicant. Staff can and many times does extend this radius to 800 ft. in cases where wider impact is anticipated. This extension of notice is paid for by the City. The City tries to post notices along corridors affected by the project. Type IV noticing is required of Comprehensive Plan Amendments, which can involve both text changes and area rezones. Sixty days prior to Nov. 1, the City notifies the public that “the amendment process has begun.” This notice is given to the City’s newspapers, posted on all of the City’s official public notice boards, and copies sent to all affected agencies. If it involves a land designation or rezone, it can require a type III public hearing and the accompanying postings, mailings, and publishing. Notices are also required by the State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) for certain action. In general, each application is screened to see if a change affects the environment per SEPA. Most type I applications are exempt. Where not exempt, a notice of threshold determination is sent to a number of agencies and is incorporated into the type notices discussed above. The threshold may be Determination of NonSignificance (DNS), Determination of Significance (DS), or Mitigated Determination of Non-Significance (MDNS) when “there is assurance that specific enforceable mitigation will successfully reduce impacts to a nonsignificant level.” Council Briefs • The City approved permitting wall signs in aesthetic corridors, as discussed in last month’s The Current. The City had inadvertently deleted signs from aesthetic corridors when the code was written. • Mayor Ben Wick appointed Fred Beaulac and Sherri Robinson to the Planning Commission for threeyear terms. He appointed Matthew Walton to the Commission for a oneyear term to fill the unexpired term of Commissioner Michael Phillips, who resigned due to health reasons. • Mayor Wick appointed Colleen Heinselman and Greg Repetti to the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee. • Mayor Wick appointed Tes Sturges to the Board of Commissioners of the Spokane Housing Authority.
JOIN US FOR THE
2020 Spokane Valley Mayor’s Ball Sat, March 28th 6 pm Mirabeau Park Hotel tickets available at
https://svball.ticketbud.com The 20's are back and so is the Spokane Valley Mayor's Ball. Come enjoy music, delicious dinner, and great company as we celebrate The City of Spokane Valley's birthday. Formal or 1920’s era attire Any proceeds will be donated to a local high school music program. No city funds or resources will be used for this event.
10
• MARCH 2020
COVER STORY
The Current
Future bright for youngest leadership team in city history By Danica Wick
Current Co-Owner
On Jan. 7, 2020 the Spokane Valley City Council elected their mayor, Ben Wick and deputy mayor, Brandi Peetz. Although there is supposition over what changes these two may try to implement in their new leadership roles, the first difference was blatantly evident. These two are far younger than their predecessors and indeed the youngest leadership team since Spokane Valley’s incorporation in 2003. And while the role isn’t exactly what they thought it would be and has been more time intensive than originally anticipated, they are enjoying the opportunity to work for the city of Spokane Valley. “You know, it’s a lot of fun,” said Wick. “I think it’s a great opportunity to be able to help represent our community and I really appreciate that opportunity. I think there’s a lot more excitement going on and there’s a whole lot more meetings than originally anticipated, but it’s because we have so many great things going on that it’s more.” Peetz said she is looking forward to the road ahead. “I just think it’s going to be a really good year,” she said. “We have the opportunity to do some really big things this year. Keeping it positive and keeping Spokane Valley in the forefront is the priority.” The average age of a representative of this version of the City Council, without Wick and Peetz, is 67 years old, making these two community leaders almost half that. Before Wick was chosen by his council peers to serve as mayor, Mike DeVleming was the youngest at
Photo by Danica Wick New Deputy Mayor Brandi Peetz (left) and New Mayor Ben Wick (right) were selected by their fellow council members January 7, 2020 to fill these leadership roles.
43 when he served as the first mayor of Spokane Valley. Although the combined ages of Wick, 37, and Peetz, 33, may just reach the average for the remaining members of the City Council, it doesn’t mean they are lacking in experience. Both were active during college in their student government and continued to stay involved in their community in various ways until deciding to run for council. “We’re not new,” Wick said. “I have six years of experience on City Council. We’ve been here, we’ve seen things. We have learned a lot. Maybe it’s my gray hair that’s making me blend in a little bit more since people usually think I am older than I am.” With this fresh, vibrant team, adjustments at Spokane Valley City Hall are bound to surface. Already there seems to be a new energy level in the offices of mayor and deputy mayor’s office and this team is looking toward the prospects of Spokane Valley. “Times are booming in Spokane Valley,” Wick said. “We’re taking a look at the future and what direction we want to go as a city an as a community. We (the council) did a parks master plan, which the people came back overwhelmingly and said again we need more park land. If we don’t take advantage of some of these opportunities now, when are we going to find them again?” Right now, the City Council is looking at 1516 acres north of Sullivan park to make that a “true regional park up against the river,” a DOT surplus property near Flora and Barker with 45 acres of beachfront access to the Spokane River, possible improvements at Plantes Ferry Park, as well as CenterPlace and Mirabeau Meadows improvements. As the council looks to the future, serving their community is at the forefront of these two young leader’s minds. Some may think there is a disconnect between the older and younger generations, but these two believe there is an advantage to their age – that they are able to connect with all citizens. “I think it’s important that we are accommodating the citizens who are already here, but also keep in mind that many people are hearing how great Spokane Valley is and want to move here,” said Peetz. “We want to make sure that everything we’re doing is in Spokane Valley’s best interest. I think the
public is a huge focus. We will continue to illicit that and even get more.
The Current
We’ve got to meet people where they are and most people have some form of social media or use webpages or technology.” Wick added, “We’re not leaving out the more traditional generation. We are still going to be doing a State of the City at the end of March. It’s going to be a luncheon with face-toface opprtunity. I’m still going to service clubs, still going to community meetings, giving talks and discussions. I am still out there.” Amid all the talk of change with these two at the helm, the priorities will remain the same. Over the next two years the council will continue to focus on what
COVER STORY
is best for the citizens for Spokane Valley. “Fiscal responsibility, public safety, transportation, infrastructure and parks,” Peetz commented. “We are still true to those priorities and I don’t see that changing.” “We’ve got to keep Bridging the Valley going,” Wick said. “We have got to get the Barker grade separation project built. We need to look at housing development. I think we need to look at the density and how we’ve designated that. Do we want all the development everywhere? Do we want to focus the residential development where we want to see it and how we want to see it? Personally, I think we need more diversity in our housing. I think we need to protect some area so we can still have our heritage.” With the seven council members having diverse backgrounds, ages and life experience, the city of Spokane Valley team is stronger now, than ever. “There are seven of us on council,” Wick said. “We all have different perspectives we can bring in. The more dialogue and conversations we can have together the better the decisions that are going to be made.” Peetz added, “We all have different expertise, so being able to lean on one another and come together for a common goal is going to be good.” As they lead the Spokane Valley team forward, their final goal is to build relationships with not only their fellow council members and community, but also with other jurisdictions and businesses around them. “Being able to work with Centennial Properties developing a new hotel or trying to make connections for a nonprofit that needs assistance or trying to work together for a grant,” Wick said. “One of the new transportation projects is Bigelow Gulch connecting into Sullivan corridor. We are partnering with Spokane County on a joint project utilizing federal funding. When has Spokane Valley ever partnered with Spokane County to do a joint project? We haven’t in the history of our city, but we are now.” Peetz said she sees more doors opening for collaboration. “I think it’s important to note, too, the amount of people that have reached out to give their congratulations and offer the opportunity
MARCH 2020 • 11
to work together,” Peetz said. “Everybody’s willing to collaborate this year and I think that says a lot. Not just about our leadership, but the leadership in other jurisdictions in our surrounding areas. I just think everyone’s willing to take a step forward and work together.” Wick is optimistic that this rendition of city leadership will only encourage increased involvement. “That’s why I think we’re bringing people together,” he said. “I think a lot of people are excited to work with us. We are taking advantage of the opportunities that are here for our city.” Editor’s note: For the sake of full disclosure it should be noted that Ben Wick is also the Owner and publisher of this publication. And that the writer of this story, the co-owner, is his wife. We believe this story is an important one to tell and we wanted to let you get to know Ben and Brandi. In that respect there are few people more qualified to write this. Spokane Regional Site SelectorDemographics Take it with the appropriate grains of salt. Demographics Report (City of Spokane Valley, Washington)
Population (2019)
Popu TOTAL
99,011
Age Distribution (2019)
Age D
30k
20k
15k
20k
10k
10k
5k
0k
04
59
1019
2029
3039
4049
5059
6064
0k
65+
TOTAL
%
04
6,459
6.52
0
59
6,270
6.33
5
1019
11,871
11.99
1
2029
13,352
13.49
2
3039
14,556
14.70
3
4049
11,484
11.60
4
5059
11,875
11.99
5
6064
6,281
6.34
6
16,863
17.03
6
65+
Sex (2019)
Sex (
TOTAL
%
Male
48,805
49.29
M
Female
50,206
50.71
F
This graphic was downloaded from the City of Ethnicity Distribution (2019) Spokane Valley website. For more information go to 100k www.spokanevalley.org 50k
Ethni
100
50
12
COMMUNITY
• MARCH 2020
The Current
Calendar of Events
COMMUNITY EVENTS Feb 27 – Mar 1 | Spokane Home and Yard Show Various times. Spokane Fair & Expo Center, 404 N Havana, Spokane Valley. See hundreds of products and services, discover the latest trends and get expert advice from the pros all while enjoying the feature landscape displays. Tickets are $8 and valid all weekend. More at custershows.com. Mar 7 | Liberty Lake Kiwanis Father Daughter Dance - Mirabeau Park Hotel, 1100 N Sullivan Rd, Spokane Valley. The Annual Father Daughter Dance. Fathers and daughters of ALL ages (0 – 18 yrs) have a special evening of dancing and prizes. Tickets and more see mirabeauparkhotel.com Mar 7 | Spokane Valley Methodist Church Dinner Auction – 4:45 p.m., Spokane Valley Methodist Church, 115 N Raymond Rd, Spokane Valley. Featuring a “Chasing Adventures” themed dinner auction to raise money in order to help send youth and children to camp. Tickets are $15 for adults, $7 for children under 12, and 5 and under are free. Mar 14 | HUB Crab Feed Fundraiser - 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. CenterPlace, 2426 N Discovery Pl, Spokane Valley. Help raise funds to support the outreach programs and events at the HUB Sports Center. All are welcome but seating is limited to 200 so please RSVP. For more, call 509-927-0602. Mar 17 | Neighborhood Watch Meeting - 6 p.m. Spokane Valley Library, 12004 E. Main Ave. Do you really know what it takes to keep your neighborhood and your property safe? Show Criminals that you are
not willing to be their victim. Come hear from SCOPEs Neighborhood Watch Coordinator and County Sheriff Deputy David Morris. All are welcome but please RSVP. For more, call 509-477-3055. Mar 28 | Spokane Valley Mayors Ball – 6 p.m. Mirabeau Park Hotel, 1100 N Sullivan Rd, Spokane Valley. The 20s are back and so is the Mayors Ball. Come enjoy live music, a delicious dinner, and great company as we celebrate the City of Spokane Valleys Birthday! For tickets see svball.ticketbud.com RECURRING ACT 2 Senior Classes | Affordable classes offered by Community Colleges of Spokane to those who are retired or planning to retire. A wide range of courses from geology and history to exercise and art are offered at CenterPlace, 2426 N. Discovery Place, as well as other locations throughout the area. For more, search for “Act 2” at scc.spokane.edu. Baha’i Fireside Conversation | 5 to 6 p.m., third Thursday of the month, Spokane Valley Library, 12004 E. Main Ave. Discussion of Baha’i teachings, history and perspectives on resolving the challenges facing humanity. All are welcome. For more, call 599-2411. Café Card Club | 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., Tuesdays, On Sacred Grounds, 12212 E. Palouse Hwy., Valleyford. Play pinochle, cribbage, or hearts. For more, call 951-7039 or email onsacredgrounsrising@gmail.com. Christ Cakes Young Adult Bible Study | 6 to 7 p.m., Sundays, The Salvation Army, 222 E. Indiana Ave., Spokane. This group is for men and women, ages 18-35 and includes snacks and sweets.
Catholic Singles Mingle | Meeting times and locations vary. This group, with no dues, is for single adults of all ages. More at www.meetup.com/ Catholic-Singles-Mingle. Free Last Sunday Lunch | Spokane Valley United Methodist Church, 115 N. Raymond Road, Spokane Valley - 12:30 p.m. on the final Sunday of every month in the church’s Fellowship Hall, Room 115 Grange Meeting and Dessert | 6:30 p.m., third Wednesday of the month, Tri-Community Grange, 25025 Heather St., Newman Lake. The public is welcome for this communitybased service organization. For more, call 226-2202. Men’s Weekly Bible Study | 7 a.m. Tuesdays. Millwood Presbyterian Church, 3223 N. Marguerite Road, Millwood. The men’s weekly Bible Study meets in the Reception Hall with different members sharing in the leading of the study. All men are invited to join. More at www. milwoodpc.org. Rockford Crochet Class | 10 a.m. to noon, Saturdays, Harvest Moon, 20 S. First St., Rockford. Free classes. We have crocheters, knitters, embroidery, quilting and needlepoint. Come and share what you are doing. For more, call 291-3722. Spokane County Library District | Locations include Argonne, Fairfield, Otis Orchards, and Spokane Valley. Special events and weekly activities for all ages including book clubs, children’s story times, classes, Lego club, teen anime club and writing clubs. More at scld.org. Spokane Valley Eagles | 16801 E. Sprague Ave. Breakfast served Sundays 9 to 11:30 a.m. Lunch
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served Thursdays 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. followed by bingo from 1 to 3:30 p.m. More at www.foe3433.com. Spokane Valley Partners Food Bank | Weekly distribution takes place Wednesdays and Thursdays at 10814 E. Broadway Ave. by appointment. Appointments are available during the following days/times: Wednesday, 11 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. to 3:15 p.m., Thursday, 11 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. (reserved for age 60 and over and physically-handicapped people with limited mobility). Address verification required. To make an appointment, call 927-1153, ext. 10, Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. Spokane Valley Senior Citizens Association | 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays at CenterPlace, 2426 N. Discovery Place. Activities include bridge, billiards, book club, Red Hat Ladies, Mahjongg, ACT II classes, foot care, Medicare assistance, monthly excursions to Northern Quest Casino, Meals on Wheels location and more. Annual dues are $25/single or $45/ couple. For more, call 926-1937 or visit spokanevalleyseniorcenter.org.
MUSIC & THE ARTS Feb 8 – May 3 | Pompeii: The Immortal City Exhibit – Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture, 2316 W 1st Ave, Spokane. Visitors plunge into the heart of the drama and the ruins of the ancient city. Artifacts and artworks excavated from Pompeii and interactive mechanical models take them into the world of a firstcentury Roman city. Spectacular immersive moments allow visitors to
Teresa P., Member-owner
Joanna R., Member-owner
Ruth T., Member-owner
The Current
experience the destruction of the city and to identify with the inhabitants of that time, immobilized by the volcano’s ashes. Tickets are $19.50 For more, visit northwestmuseum. org. Mar 13 – Mar 22 | Puffs, box show – 7 p.m. Fridays through Sundays. TAC at the Lake, 22910 E. Appleway Ave., Liberty Lake. For seven years a certain boy wizard went to a certain Wizard School and conquered evil. This, however is not his story. This is the story of the Puffs… who just happened to be there too. For more, visit tacatthelake.com. Mar 14 – Mar 16 | Play Auditions and Auditions class - Into the Woods – 6 p.m. TAC at the Lake, 22910 E. Appleway Ave., Liberty Lake. Multiple characters are available. Auditions will consist of cold readings of selected scenes from the script. For more, visit tacatthelake. com. Mar 20 – Mar 22 | The Unexpected Guest Various times. Ignite! Community Theatre, 10814 E Broadway Avenue, Spokane Valley. A readers theatre production of a “suspect-full” Agatha Christie murder mystery. For tickets and more visit igniteonbroadway.org. Mar 21 – Mar 22 | Spokane Symphony Movies and Music: Star Wars: A New Hope Concert. 8 p.m. and 3 p.m. respectively, Martin Woldson Theater at the Fox, 1001 W Sprague Ave, Spokane. Watch the first-ever Star Wars film in its entirety on The Fox Theater’s giant screen, with John Williams’ Academy Award-winning score played LIVE by the Spokane Symphony. Come early for pre-concert activities in the lobby. Tickets start at $20 available at foxtheaterspokane.org or at 509-6241200. RECURRING The Fire Brigade| 7 p.m., first Saturday of the month, Ignite! Community Theatre, 10814 E. Broadway Ave., Spokane Valley. Ignite!’s improv troupe fires up family-friendly comedy. For more, visit igniteonbroadway.org. Pages of Harmony | 6:30 to 9 p.m., Wednesdays, Thornhill Valley Chapel, 1400 S. Pines Road. Four-part, a cappella harmony, men’s barbershop chorus. More at pagesofharmony.org. Spirit of Spokane Chorus | 6:45 p.m. Tuesdays, Opportunity Presbyterian Church, 202 N. Pines Road. Make new friends by joining this women’s chorus, specializing in four-part, a cappella harmony in the barbershop style. More at 218-4799. Spokane Valley Camera Club |
COMMUNITY
7:15 p.m., third and fourth Monday of the month (September through April). Liberty Lake Sewer and Water District building, 22510 E. Mission Ave., Liberty Lake. All levels of ability—students through experienced photographers—are invited to learn. Social events include field trips and workshops. More at 951-1446 or www.sv-cc.org Spokane Valley Quilt Guild | Meetings at 6:30 p.m. on the first Tuesday of February, April, June, August, October and December at Valley Assembly of God Church, 15618 E. Broadway Ave., Spokane Valley. Open to all interested in sharing ideas and skills of our quilting craft. Participants can access a comprehensive library, engage experienced teachers and participate in community service projects. More at svqgspokane.com. Western Dance Center | 7 p.m. Every 1st Saturday of the month. Enjoy lines, contras, fold and easy squares, no experience necessary. 1901 N Sullivan Rd, Spokane Valley. Suggested donation of $8 per person. More info by calling 509-979-2607.
HEALTH & RECREATION RECURRING Al-Anon Family Meetings | Tuesdays, noon to 1 p.m., Opportunity Christian Church, 708 N. Pines, Spokane Valley. Is there a problem of alcoholism with a relative or a friend? Al-Anon/Alateen family groups can help. For more, call 4562125. Decreasing Anger Group | 3 to 4:30 p.m. Tuesdays, the Vet Center, 13109 E. Mirabeau Parkway, Spokane Valley. Eligibility: combat veteran from all eras, military sexual trauma survivors. For more, call Steve at 8934746 to make an intake appointment. DivorceCare Recovery Support Group | Mondays 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., Eastpoint Church, 15303 E. Sprague Ave. Learn how to heal from the deep hurt of divorce and discover hope for your future. DivorceCare for Kids (ages 5-12) meets at the same time and location. Cost is $25 for workbook. More at 892-5255 or eastpointchurch.com. Family and Friends of Addicts| 6 p.m. Wednesdays, The ONE Church, 15601 E. 24th Ave., Spokane Valley. Support group utilizing tools and principles to help navigate relationships with addicts and finding peace, strength and hope. For more, call 590-2422. GriefShare Support Group
MARCH 2020 • 13
(Mondays)| 6:15 to 8 p.m. Mondays, The ONE Church, east entrance, 15601 E. 24th Ave., Spokane Valley. Most recent program began Feb. 20, but join at any time. Designed to help cope with loss, whether recent or years ago. For more, call Sue at 2941664 or Jere at 710-3354. GriefShare Support Group (Thursdays) | 10 a.m. Thursdays, Spokane Valley Church of the Nazarene, 15515 E. 20th Ave. Most recent program began Jan. 17 and runs 13 weeks, but join at any time. If you have lost a loved one and are dealing with grief, stop by to share or just listen. For more, call 926-1545. HUB Sports Center | 19619 E. Cataldo Ave., Liberty Lake. Various activities and events occur throughout the week including: • Homeschool PE drop in classes: 1st and 3rd Wednesday from 10:30am to 11:30am • Pickleball drop-in: 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 9:30am to 11:30am Tuesday and Thursday; 7 to 9 p.m. Sunday. $3/ seniors, $5/non-seniors. • Classes including Kenpo Karate, Taekwondo and Fit for YOUR Life. See hubsportscenter.org for cost and times. Homeschool PE: 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. 1st and 3rd Wednesday of each month. Military Sobriety Support Group | 10 to 11:30 a.m., Spokane Vet Center, 13109 E. Mirabeau Parkway, Spokane Valley. For more, call Steve at 893-4746. Mindful Music & Movement | 12:30 to 1:20 p.m. Wednesdays, Willow Song Music Therapy Center, 21101 E. Wellesley #102-103, Otis Orchards. All are welcome to this session specifically designed for adults living with chronic health issues. Session addresses physical function, vocal wellness and strength, selfexpression, breath work, movement, and increase of mood through music experiences, as facilitated by boardcertified music therapist, Carla Carnegie. $10 per person. For more, email carla.carnegie@gmail.com or call 592-7875. Yoga in Rockford | 5:30 p.m. Wednesdays, Rockford Park, 20 W. Emma St., Rockford. In case of inclement weather, classes will be held at Dave’s Autobody, 8 W. Emma St.
Mar 24 | Building a Sustainable Nonprofit – 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., SCORE/SBA, 801 W Riverside, Spokane. This workshop is for people thinking about, or in the early phases of, starting a nonprofit organization and focuses on those areas that will help you build your nonprofit on a strong foundation for long-term sustainability. Tickets: $25 per person pre-registered or $40 at the door. For more or to register, visit Spokane. score.org or call 353-2821 Mar 25 | After 5 Networking – 4:30 to 6 p.m., TTs Brewery & BBQ, Spokane Valley. Business connection event organized by the Greater Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce. Free to members, $10 non-members. For more or to register, visit spokanevalleychamber.org. Mar 27 | Business Connections Lunch, State of the City of Spokane Valley – 11:30 a.m., CenterPlace Regional Event Center, 2426 N Discovery Pl, Spokane Valley. Come and connect with local businesses and business leaders over lunch and hear from Spokane Valley Mayor Ben Wick. Tickets: $40 per person. For more or to register, visit spokanevalleychamber.org.
CIVIC & BUSINESS
Submit items for The Current Community Calendar by the 15th of the previous month by emailing editor@valleycurrent.com. Priority is given to noncommercial local events open to the public.
RECURRING Spokane Valley City Council | Regular meetings held the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month at 6 p.m. in Council Chambers at Spokane Valley City Hall, 11707 E. Sprague Ave., Ste. 101. Council study sessions are held the first, third and sometimes fifth Tuesdays at 6 p.m., also in Council Chambers. Millwood City Council | Regular meetings at 7 p.m. on the second Tuesday of each month at Millwood City Hall, 9103 E. Frederick Ave. Spokane Flag Museum | Sponsored by the Sons of the American Revolution and the Fairmount Memorial Association, details the rich history of the American flag, Monday-Friday 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Saturdays 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Pines Cemetery, 1402 S. Pines Road, Spokane Valley. For more, call 9262753 or visit fairmountmemorial. com/south-pines-cemetery. Spokane Valley Kiwanis | 6:45 a.m. Tuesdays, Valley Hospital Education Center, 12606 E. Mission Ave. More at spokanevalleykiwanis.net. Greater Spokane Valley Rotary | Noon to 1 p.m. Wednesdays, Darcy’s, 10502 E. Sprague Ave. More at svrotary.org.
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About and for Spokane Valley area seniors
Former SCRAPS director promotes pet projects for according to RC. seniors “She’s a lot more relaxed,” he By Craig Howard
Current Contributing Editor
Most people know Nancy Hill as the former director of Spokane County’s animal control agency who transformed the organization in over two decades at the helm. Hill’s 6-year-old Labrador mix Zoey knows her best as the human who tosses the tennis ball and gives her duck and potato dog treats. In the backyard of Hill’s Liberty Lake home, Nancy and her husband RC regularly run Zoey through fetch drills that scarcely put a dent in the dog’s energetic disposition. Since retiring in March 2018, Hill is on the opposite end of Zoey’s kinetic spectrum,
said.
Hill will be the first to tell you that Zoey has played a role in her smooth transition away from the working world. “It’s been proven that pets give a you a sense of purpose, a sense of routine,” Hill said. “They need you.” An AARP/University of Michigan survey of over 2,000 people ages 50 to 80 found that 88 percent of seniors who owned a pet said their dogs or cats helped them enjoy life to a greater degree while 79 percent said their furry friends reduced their stress levels. Another study published by AgingCare.com reported that
pets help lower blood pressure, increase social interaction and physical activity while reducing general loneliness. Hill said it is important for seniors to pick the right sort of pet for their particular stage in life and environment. She recalls a woman adopting a rambunctious lab mix from SCRAPS for her grandmother only to bring the dog back just a few days later. “It just wasn’t the right match for her grandma,” Hill said. “You have to make sure it’s a dog you can manage.” Senior pets are often a good fit for senior owners, Hill says. Older dogs and cats can often be among the last adopted at a place like SCRAPS which offers discounts on adoption fees for such animals. “I’ve seen seniors who are not very ambulatory really enjoy a dog that just lies around most of the time,” Hill said. “And a lot of dogs are just fine with that.” Nancy and RC take Zoey to nearby Rocky Hill Park for walks and to scamper after his favorite ball or stick. “Cats are good pets too, but dogs get you moving,” Hill says. Growing up, Hill’s mom was allergic to cats and dogs, so she compromised and found a parakeet for a pet. When she went away to college, Hill discovered an abandoned hound at a local junkyard and brought it home. Dogs and cats have been staples at her residence ever since.
Photo by Craig Howard Nancy Hill served as director of Spokane County Regional Animal Protection Service (SCRAPS) from 1985 until her retirement in March of 2018. She now lives in Liberty Lake and enjoys time with her dog Zoey, a rescue animal.
Hill’s first foray into the animal protection field was as a volunteer for the ASPCA (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals). Before landing at SCRAPS in 1986, she worked as a zookeeper, hydrologic technician and a state parks employee. Hill began her tenure at SCRAPS as an animal control officer after being selected
among 150 applicants. She was promoted to director in 1995 and championed a number of key initiatives, including the transition to a regional model in 2014. A year later, SCRAPS moved from its rickety headquarters in the Spokane Business and Industrial Park to a modern, spacious structure on Trent Avenue that has been well-received by animals and humans alike. Hill spent a total of 32 years at SCRAPS, a span highlighted by rescue incidents involving everything from a Bengal tiger to a python. Once, she retrieved a dog who was precariously stuck on a cliff at Riverside State Park. Hill said she retired to spend more time with her mother who was dealing with congestive heart failure. Her mom passed in December at the age of 96. “She had an amazing life,” Hill said. “She wanted to be in her home and she wanted to be with family and she was.” Hill said she keeps up with a few of her former colleagues at SCRAPS but has been careful not to hover. “I think once you’ve been the boss somewhere, it’s hard to go back,” she said. “I do miss the animal welfare world – the public, the staff, the volunteers and, of course, the animals.” Hill supports causes like the Higher Ground Animal Sanctuary in Greenbluff and also serves on the board of a nonprofit called Beyond Pink that promotes the benefits of thermography, an early detection method for breast cancer. Regardless of what her day brings, Hill knows Zoey will always be there to greet her enthusiastically at the door. “She means a lot to us,” Hill says. “She’s always glad to see us when we get home. A dog like Zoey just adds so much to life.”
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Girls basketball players have been a hot Impact on tournament by Clarkston, will take her commodity this season game to a yet-to-be-determined college. sports By Steve Christilaw Current Contributor
There is a new state career scoring leader in Cashmere’s Hailey Van Lith – a player so impressive that the late Kobe Bryant and his daughter flew in to watch one of her games this season. And it should be noted that the mark she broke to set the new record? That belonged to the volleyball coach at Washington State University, Jennifer (Stinson) Greeny, who scored 2,881 points as a Davenport Gorilla before going on to play volleyball for the Cougars. The Seattle Times published a recent story about how the state turned into a hotbed of girls basketball talent, producing five seniors this season who are ranked among the top 100 in the nation. Van Lith signed a national letter of intent to play at Louisville. Garfield High’s Dalayah Daniels signed to play at the University of California. Jordyn Jenkins of Kentridge will play at Southern Cal, Meghan Fiso of Garfield signed with Michigan and Keeli BurtonOliver of Eastlake will take her game to Arizona State. All five are ranked among the top 100 recruits in the nation. The story cites the quality of AAU and club basketball programs that have given young players a head start against better and better competition. Dan Taylor, the head of the Washington State Girls Basketball Coaches’ Association and the girls basketball coach at King’s High School, told the Times that the number of AAU teams and tournaments has quadrupled over the last dozen years. “It’s as strong a year as any,” the managing editor of ProspectNation. com, Chris Hansen, told the Times. The story also points out that three Spokane Valley players who are headed off to play Division I college basketball next season, and all three are from University High School: Ellie Boni, who will take her game to Colorado State in the fall and twins Tyler and Jackson McCliment-Hall, who both will take their game to the University of Portland.
The Spokane Valley has a long and storied tradition when it comes to producing top women’s basketball players. It’s a tradition deep with talent and long on history. It’s a history that starts at West Valley, where a diminutive point guard named Lisa Comstock (Schultz) graduated and took her game to Eastern Washington University, where she put together an All-America career with the Eagles from 1982 until 1985. Just as importantly, ComstockSchultz went on to a long career coaching girls basketball at Lakeside. Comstock-Schultz was followed by former Eagle Shaniqua Nilles, who had a four-year career at Gonzaga before playing professionally in Copenhagen, Denmark and Victoria, Australia. University High has a deep history of its own. Jennifer Stinson’s brother, Mark, coached the Bjorklund sisters, Jami and Angie. Jami had a solid career at Gonzaga during the Kelly Gravesera. Legendary college coach Pat Summit flew into Spokane Valley to watch and recruit Angie Bjorlund, who had a stellar career with the Volunteers in Knoxville. East Valley has added its own share of talent to the collegiate ranks. Hannah Burland plays at LewisClark State and her cousin, Elle, plays for Holy Names University. Teammate Genesis Wilkinson is wrapping up her first season at Carroll College and current senior Brie Holecek, who was denied the chance to play in four straight state Class 2A tournaments when the Knights were eliminated in the district
Central Valley’s reputation for producing Division I college players is decades old. Coach Dale Poffenroth’s teams produced Emily Westerberg, a threetime All-Pac 10 honoree, and Reagan Pariseau, the first Sun Devil to play on four NCAA Tournament teams, who both had stellar careers at Arizona State. Current CV coach, Felice (Moore) Orrell, was an All-Big Sky Conference honorable mention post player at Eastern. Caitlin Courchaine, who knocked down three straight 3-pointers in a span of 30 seconds to seal a state championship for the Bears, took a year off from basketball before playing at North Idaho and Carroll College, where she joined CV teammate Katie Burke with the Fighting Saints. Freddie Rehkow’s teams include among others, the Hull twins. Orrell will send MJ Bruno on to play college basketball. The junior currently is ranked among the 50 best players in the state. Rehkow resisted the temptation to label the current class the best-ever, however. He pointed to the Class of 2007 that included both Angie Bjorklund and Kentwood’s Courtney Vandersloot, who had a record-breaking career at Gonzaga and currently plays for the Chicago Sky fo the WNBA. “These kids will have to perform at the next level before I think we can label them one of the best,” he told the Times. “Can they be? Absolutely! There is some major talent in Washington and this is definitely a talented class.”
By Mike Vlahovich Current Contributor
Ran into a high school coach at Craft and Gather restaurant (the former Painted Hills Golf Course property) a while ago and asked him how the proposed new boundaries in the Central Valley School District will impact sports when Ridgeline High School opens in 2023. He merely smiled. I can only imagine what coaches are thinking about the transition, the Bears in particular. A couple of maps that appeared in the Spokesman-Review tell the tale. Looking at a map of the current boundaries and you see a lot of blue. Central Valley’s begin at Evergreen on its west border and continues through Liberty Lake to the Idaho State line on the east. CV’s current enrollment based on Washington Interscholastic Activities Associate (WIAA) for 4A classification purposes was 1,673. By contrast, University attendance was listed at 1,245, some 430 fewer students that technically puts the Titans in the WIAA 3A class, although the Titans have opted to state stay at 4A for obvious reasons. Who wants to play second fiddle to big brother? The Titans did participate at the 3A level for a bit several years ago. Back then, at least one Titan’s coach, Don Owen couldn’t wait to move back up. U-Hi’s current boundaries are substantially smaller than CV’s, beginning as they do at the west side of Evergreen east to and ending at Argonne.
Contributed Photo CV ladies basketball won District 8 championship and went on to play at state.
Fast forward to Ridgeline’s opening in three years. CV’s boundaries and enrollment will be slashed, the recruiting territory scooped up by the new high
MARCH 2020 • 19
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school. The Bears will still begin at Evergreen, but the jagged east side boundary only runs roughly to Barker. A jagged piece of land west of Barker and then east to the state line is planned expected to be Ridgeline’s border. University’s current boundary will pick up a small chunk of land that currently belongs to CV students. In the beginning, U-Hi’s projected enrollment will be the biggest at 1,500 students. CV will drop to 1,367 and Ridgeline will open at 1,333. Current coaches will have to decide whether it’s wiser to move to a new school with room to grow or stay where they are. To all my coaching friends who won’t have retired and are pulling their hair out, this too will pass. Back in the Stone Age when I was in high school, West Valley’s east boundary was poached when Otis Orchards became East Valley. Students in the new had a choice of either finishing high school at WV or transferring to the new school. One of the Eagles’ best players, Denny Yale, opted for the latter
where he averaged more than 20 points per game. The Eagles qualified for state that year and took defending state champion Ballard, which had only lost once, to the wire before fouls and fatigue to their toll. I maintain to this day that had Denny Yale stayed at WV the outcome would have been different. Central Valley was state mainstay under the late Ray Thacker and finished sixth at state in 1963, the year University joined the league. Thacker was likely pulling his hair out. But by 196667 the Bears were back in state and won the tournament the following year.
k n a Th ou! Y Thank you Central Valley School District supporters and voters! Thank you for suppor ng our students, our schools and our community. Educa on is the heart of a healthy economy— beginning with providing students a well-rounded educa on that prepares them for future career success.
In 1969 both CV and U-Hi made state, the Titans placing third. Obviously there was room enough for two. Granted, it was easier to split the pot 50-50 back then than it will when the district divides 33-3333. You can feel the consternation of Central Valley coaches and parents. Based on history, however, this too will pass.
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accounts of the human spirit overcoming adversity from U-Hi grad Mitch Carbon’s remarkable triumph over cancer to the feats of Spokane Para Sport athletes
soaring to national and international acclaim.
In late 2015, Ben Wick – known by most for his service on the Spokane Valley City Council – stepped up with his wife, Danica, to purchase the Current and Splash
from Josh. The new owners live in Spokane Valley, are invested here and understand what matters to their neighbors. As handoffs go, the two papers could not have landed in better hands.
next five years, the future looks brighter than ever. Readership is growing, advertising is up and the stories keep generating talk. Thank you for the support, greater Spokane Valley. This is your paper.
The Current now has a 25,000 copy circulation with 15,000 being direct mailed to households across Current the Spokane Valley areafounder in addition to the 10,000 copies being available for pickup at over 250 weighs in on formative business locations. Aboutdays 9,000 copies of The Splash are distributed around the end of each month, of paper 5,500 of those through direct mail to every home and business in the greater Liberty Lake community. “Close, but that’s an interesting story in itself. You see, our agricultural heritage means many of our community place names and identities were formed around a patchwork of irrigation districts …”
By Josh Johnson
He was the stereotypical inky wretch, grizzled and grumpy. Coffee: black and bottomless. Blood type: CMYK.
“Yeah, yeah,” he interrupted. “The bottom line is that community newspapers thrive because of a shared sense of community. With such a mishmash of overlapping jurisdictions and loyalties, that’s a challenge in Spokane Valley.”
As the Current embarks on its
early to see the hot air balloons off at Mirabeau or floated frogs down Rock Creek in the annual regatta.
As for dealing with all the jurisdictional dividing lines, we employed twin strategies. One, we would hit the high points. In the early years, we did a “3 Up, 3 Down” feature to give “at a glance” news from around the community and we always made a point to dig deeper into the most important jurisdictional items. But mostly, we relied on strategy two: Write about the issues we have in common, because there are an awful lot of them.
coverage.
Of course, we also had so much fun along the way. There was our annual food bracket placing Valley eats in a single elimination competition. The idea here was to advance great Valley menu options through a bracket while sitting on couches watching the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Not a bad gig.
Advertise With Us and Let Us Brainstorm New Ideas for Your Business His opinion from decades in the business: Publishing a community newspaper was challenging enough on its own without doing it for Spokane Valley.
“What do you have, like three city or town councils in the greater Valley?” he asked me. “Four, because we want to cover Rockford, and of course there are thousands of unincorporated residents governed by Spokane County, so keeping tabs on the commission will be important, too.” “And four or five high schools?” “Four school districts, six high schools to report on.” “Shoot, you have like a billion water districts.”
And it was. And it is. But to this day, I remain convinced that even if I’m a Central Valley Bear and current owner and publisher Ben Wick is an East Valley Knight, our common interests far outweigh a couple miles of geography. And so, five years ago, when I led a team made up of greater Valley folks like myself to launch The Current, the name itself was intended to be a reflection of what holds us together, like the Spokane River winding its way through our neighborhoods. We wanted to build a community newspaper for everyone in the greater Spokane Valley, whether their kids attended East Farms or Seth Woodard, whether they rose
I wrote the cover story for the very first issue of The Current about homeless students in the greater Valley. This is an issue we should continue to address as a community, because suburban homelessness is a growing problem nationally, and it is one that isn’t always effectively fought with the same tools we would deploy downtown. By issue 12 (January 2013), we shared what we called our “One Valley Initiative.” These were four “topic threads” – Growing Business, Poverty in the Valley, Healthy Valley and Innovative Education – we used to help us focus and plan our
Indeed, owning and publishing The Current through its first 48 issues remains a highlight of my life, but I am certain I couldn’t say that save for one qualifying factor: We covered the greater Spokane Valley, my home and yours.
And it’s the home of current owners Ben and Danica Wick, who beautifully share the heritage of this now 5-year-old publication: a commitment and love for the Valley. The Wicks share this, I share this and I am going to take an educated guess that you are reading this right now because you do, too. And that, Mr. Grizzled Newspaper Publisher, is why this works.
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Whether it’s on the court or in the classroom, Samuel Reese excels. The senior at Valley Christian School maintains a 3.77 grade point average and was named the school’s Spokane Scholar in science. Reese is president of the senior class and has participated in Knowledge Bowl the last two seasons. He was part of a team that placed third in state and qualified for nationals in Chicago. Reese takes part in the Panther Project, a community service program that supports nonprofit efforts like Cup of Cool Water and Food 4 Thought. He attends East Valley Baptist Church. Reese has played basketball since his freshman year and has been team captain the past two years. He was named to the All District 7 honorable mention team as a sophomore. Reese would like to pursue studies and a career in sports medicine.
Phillip Croft has made it a point to not only achieve but soar. He made a splash in 2014 at the National Junior Disability Track and Field Championships, placing first in the 100, 200, 400, 800 and 1,500-meter races. The senior at Valley Christian School has gone on to a remarkable career as a wheelchair athlete in track and basketball with a goal of participating in the 2020 Summer Paralympics in Tokyo. A paraplegic from birth, Croft has not let the condition stand as a hurdle. “You can choose to be a negative person, just be mad the whole time, or you could be happy,” he says. Croft serves as ASB president and maintains a 3.8 grade point average. He competes with ParaSport Spokane. Last year, Croft was named Male Athlete of the Year at the Spokane Youth Sports Awards.
Neil Sullivan brought an impressive pedigree to his role with Sheriff Community Oriented Policing Effort (SCOPE) nearly five years ago. “Neil is a wonderful volunteer,” said SCOPE Director Rick Scott. “He brings a lot of great experience and is very dedicated.” Sullivan served 15 years as a reserve officer with the King County Police Department and also worked as a reserve deputy with Whitman County. A 1962 graduate of Central Valley High School, Sullivan went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Eastern Washington University. He worked as a controller for Seattle University and Gonzaga University and was the executive director of finances for Spokane Public Schools. In 1995, he was honored with the Outstanding Service Award by the Washington Association of School Business Offices. With SCOPE, he is the lead with the Citizens on Patrol program.
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LIBRARY
MARCH 2020 • 21
Books can help discuss difficult topics with children By Gwendolyn Haley
Spokane County Library District
Parenting includes the need to have difficult conversations with children. My family recently lost a beloved dog, Pepe, who had been with us for over 14 years. We have been spending time talking to each other about our feelings of sadness and grief. We have also taken time to remember all the things we love about Pepe. This shared remembering is inspired by the beautiful picture book The Tenth Good Thing about Barney, by Judith Viorst. I am grateful that we are able to express those feelings as a family, creating the space we each need to process. My youngest daughter told me that she didn’t think she had any more tears, and I told her that I might still have some more crying to do. We agreed that there isn’t a right
or wrong way to feel sad. As parents, we constantly navigate changes and the feelings they bring about with our children. Your family could be coping with a parent deploying in military service, a grandparent moving into the home or into long-term nursing care, a new sibling coming home, or the departure of a family member. Fred Rogers said, “Anything that’s human is mentionable, and anything that is mentionable can be more manageable. When we can talk about our feelings, they become less overwhelming, less upsetting, and less scary. The people we trust with that important talk can help us know that we are not alone.” Mr. Rogers got it right. And I often look to books to help me broach sensitive or difficult topics with my children. Sometimes, reading about someone else’s experience can help us give voice to our feelings.
Seeking resident artists at The Lab at North Spokane • Sculpt using molds Library plaster By Erin Dodge
Current Guest Contributor
If you create art of any kind, you may want to look toward Spokane County Library District. They are seeking applicants for their Resident Artists program. From October 2020 to January 2021, The Lab at North Spokane Library will host a different Resident Artist each month. In previous years, The Lab has been host to resident artists and creators who: • Paint with oil and acrylic • Create board games and graphic art • Decorate cakes, cupcakes, and other baked goods • Bind books and create handpainted book art • Make jewelry • Illuminate (hand paint) manuscripts
and
• Draw and create with mix media • Make prints using nontraditional techniques “The art scene is thriving in Spokane, especially downtown, and this program gives artists an opportunity to reach more people outside of that downtown core and share their art with people throughout Spokane County,” said Amber Williams, managing librarian of strategic initiatives. For this program, resident artists work on their art in open sessions and also teach at least twice during the month-long residency. The programs that an artist teaches can be educational and/or a hands-on experience. “Community members have shared that they are looking for new cultural experiences. For many people, the library is an unintimidating environment where they can experience and learn
I have read a book together with my child, where we talk about the difficult topic as we read. At other times, such as the onset of puberty, I carefully selected a book on the topic and gave it to my child to read on her own, along with the invitation to freely discuss any questions she had. One child had a list of questions, and the other preferred to process the information alone. As a parent, you know your child best and are best qualified to decide how to broach a subject. To help, you’ll find a tremendous number of resources at the library to broach difficult subjects. Library staff are glad to help you track down books, both fiction and nonfiction, on any subject and help you select the best one to start the conversation. You can also search the library catalog or browse the shelves in nonfiction to find a book on a specific topic. So if you have a difficult discussion looming, I invite you to stop by your local library or go online at www.scld.org to find books and resources to help.
something new,” said Gwendolyn Haley, library services manager. “This gives them a chance to try it out before investing a lot of time or money into a new hobby or activity.” When a resident artist is working during open sessions, anyone from the public who is curious can stop by the space and ask the artist questions about what they are creating. Resident artists often share their technique and process and discuss other related topics. Some artists also choose to have art supplies at the ready, so community members can try out different techniques. If you’re an artist and have a skill, ability, or expertise you can share with the community, then consider becoming a Resident Artist at The Lab at North Spokane Library. Applications open on March 2 and close on May 8, at noon. To learn more and apply, visit www. scld.org/resident-artists. You may also be familiar with the monthly Live Art Demonstrations at Spokane Valley Library. If you are interested in demonstrating, you can stop by the library or call 509893-8400 to speak to someone about participating.
Green looks good on you!
Find creative gardening ideas and how-to instructions for many gardening projects and topics. Visit www.scld.org/hobbies-crafts.
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
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• MARCH 2020
Diligence By Richard Denenny Current news sources
Exploring Commitment vs Goals: The Power of Persistence, Dedication and Hard Work Mike Nilson looked out across the room and, quoting Dr. John Berardi, started with a simple premise, “We overestimate what we can do in a day and underestimate what we can do in a year.” Mike, the Co-Founder of the U-District Foundation, then talked to the Lee & Hayes team about the difference between a resolution (goal) and a commitment. Mike used his personal journey, from a walk-on at Gonzaga to WCC Defender of the Year, to help illustrate what diligence looks like, and what it means to make a commitment, and to then be diligent in keeping that commitment. Specifically, Mike told the story of his disappointment about not earning a scholarship out of high school and his commitment to carry a basketball with him at all times, from the classroom to Prom, until he had earned a Division 1 scholarship. I watched our Team as Mike
The Current
gave one of the most powerful and incredible speeches I have ever heard. As eyes teared up and heads started to nod, Mike asked the room a question, “Who in this room is ready to make a commitment?” At this point, I expected complete silence, as it is always difficult to do anything, let alone share something personal, in a room filled with 50+ people, especially when the question is not expected. Instead, hands started to come out: • “I am committing to getting 20 minutes of exercise, 4 days a week.” • “I am committing to 5 minutes of quiet reflection each day.” • “I am committing to reading the Bible for 15 minutes each morning.” • “I am committing to 2 hours of reading and learning about investing each week.” And it continued, as Mike handed out Commitment Rings to each person who shared their commitment. I sat there in amazement, filled with pride to be associated with such an incredible group of people and inspired by Mike’s message and the example he
sets. Goals are cheap. Anyone can make a goal. Lose 20 pounds? Sure. Run a marathon? Why not? Teach my kids a foreign language? Of course. Grow revenue by 20%? Consider it done. Setting a goal is easy. Individuals and organizations are constantly setting goals, often at year-end or, for organizations, tied to some form of a strategic plan. Yet, most people and organizations lack the diligence required to meet the vast majority of their goals. The failure is in the diligent execution. I believe goals are only consistently achieved by identifying the specific, controllable, and easily achievable daily or weekly tasks that help lead to that goal. You then make a commitment to completing these “lead measures” and create some mechanism for ensuring accountability. For those in the room with Mike, the individual commitment was a lead measure that tied to a long-term goal. Wearing a Commitment Ring was a way to help enforce accountability. As individuals and organizations, I encourage you to go beyond merely setting goals and to not get overwhelmed at the magnitude
of setting an audacious goal. Set a goal, but then drill down into the specific (daily or weekly) things that you can do diligently and that you unilaterally control and that you know you can achieve. If your goal, for example, is to see your revenue grow by 20% over the next year, your commitment might be to make 20 calls each week to new or prospective customers. To ensure accountability, report to your Team each week on whether you met your weekly commit. You cannot magically, overnight, grow revenue by 20%, but you absolutely can control making 20 calls each week. Goals are easy to make, but often hard to achieve. Couple a goal with a commitment to achieve a specific lead measure and you will be amazed at what you can achieve. It is now time for me to spend 10 minutes stretching. *Lee & Hayes is very proud to be a partner and supporter of the U-District Foundation. If you are interested in learning more about the U-District and its vision of empowering kids through fun, fitness, and nutrition education, please visit http://udptfoundation. com/
16th Annual Kiwanis Father Daughter Dance March 7, 2020 6:30 pm - 9:00 pm Mirabeau Park Hotel Early bird $55 per couple before Feb 14. $60 per couple at the door Additional daughter $20. Dinner and dance package for 2 $114, $199 for dinner, dance, room, and breakfast. Go to libertylakekiwanis.org Flowers available. photos available. Kiwanis Fundraiser. Raffle prizes and give aways.
Sponsorship opportunities available. Contact Paul Nigh at 661-331-9521 for details
A fundraiser hosted by the Liberty Lake Kiwanis club that invests in the children of our community.
The Current
HISTORY
MARCH 2020 • 23
Oh, those “Rock Legends” Nuisance or Opportunity?
Jayne Singleton
Spokane Valley Historian & Director of the Spokane Valley Heritage Museum
Rocks, cobblestones, river rock and just plain stones are all names for gravel and everything in-between to large size boulders that are so plentiful in the Spokane Valley. In every area of the Spokane Valley, one can find a house, wall, foundation, chimney, property corner marker or other structure made from the rocks. Geologically speaking, the rocks were deposited, in general, by processes that shaped the land through glacial action or catastrophic floods. These processes “scabbed” the land, carved our Spokane Valley and also left a plethora of rocks on the land. Historically, Spokane Valley land was referred to as a, “gravely rocky soil that was arid and wouldn’t grow anything”. However, irrigation projects significantly changed the landscape, and the value of the land increased dramatically. The rocks that we battle as we clear our gardens and plant landscaping are actually beneficial when looking at them in a different light. Rocks naturally aerate the soil. The also warm the soil as they absorb the heat from the Sun.
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• MARCH 2020
The Current
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Spokane Valley Fire Department (SVFD) crews responded to a total of 1,396 emergency calls from January 15, 2019 – February 15, 2020. Incident Total • Emergency Medical Services 1150 • Motor Vehicle Accidents 90 • Building Alarms 49 • Fires 46 • Dispatched and cancelled enroute 27 • Hazardous Materials 14 • Vehicle Fires 8 • Service Calls 6 • Auto vs Pedestrian 3 • Technical Rescue 2 • Rescue Task Force 1 Highlights and the news include: Total calls for service were significantly lower this time period, moving down from 1568 the month prior to 1396. Calls for EMS dropped from 1290 to 1150. Motor Vehicle Accidents dropped from 101 to 90. Building Alarms dropped from 59 to 49. Fires remained consistent from 44 last month to 46 this month. Drive Slow, Move Over, and Pay Attention when First Responders have red lights flashing. Crews continue to experience unsafe conditions when responding to emergencies. We continue to ask that you pull over for First Responders to keep them and you safe. We want everyone to be able to go home safely. • The week of Jan. 20, 2020 was the first ever Community Risk Reduction Week (CRR). Mayor Ben Wick proclaimed the Week as Community Risk Reduction Week. o CRR week was a big social media success. Getting ahead of the call was the key message. Providing education around in home safety and reducing the risk of incident, safe and healthy practices such as reducing older adult falls, and community partnerships with businesses such as Novelis and smoke alarm installations, and Starbucks and the good samaritan program, were themes highlighted throughout the week. Illegal Burn, Jan. 26, 4:12 p.m.
- Spokane Valley Fire Department (SVFD) responded to a possible illegal burn. A neighbor called the incident in and reported it as a large yard waste fire. Upon arrival, crews found very light smoke coming from a backyard. They made contact with the home owner, who was burning in an unapproved pit, but had extinguished the fire prior to SVFD’s arrival. Crews provided illegal burn awareness materials to the homeowner making them aware of the rules of outdoor burning. Moving Violation, Jan. 26, 12:30 a.m. SVFD units responded to a call and arrived on scene with Spokane Valley Police regarding a single car involved accident. The car was partially blocking eastbound traffic on Sprague Ave. The Vehicle had struck a fire hydrant, which was still wedged under the front of the vehicle. Law enforcement on scene stated that the driver was intoxicated and had drug the fire hydrant under his vehicle for almost a half mile. They stated that there were no injuries, but were requesting Spokane Valley Fire to check on the status of the missing hydrant at the SE corner of Sprague and Havanna. Valley Engine 6 arrived and found where the missing hydrant was and had dispatch notify the water district of the accident and OOS hydrant. With no other problems found VE6 returned to service and Law enforcement proceeded with the incident. Structure Fire, Jan. 27 - SVFD units responded around 10 a.m. to a report of a house fire on East Broadway off of Evergreen in Spokane Valley. Residents moving into the home called 911 to report visible smoke and the smoke alarm going off. The family of 8 had been moving in today and had left to go pick up more belongs. Upon their return, they noticed the smoke and heard the smoke alarm. All residents were outside the home and pets were secured at another location. The fire was upgraded to a working fire. Spokane Valley Police and Spokane County Sheriff’s Departments responded to assist with the area. East Broadway was shut down as crews attacked the fire. Crews responded aggressively with an offensive strategy and were able to quickly knock the fire down. Smoke was ventilated from the home and the home itself, remains structurally intact. Preliminary investigation
MARCH 2020 • 25
The Current GREATER SPOKANE VALLEY
suggests that the fire started from one of the moving boxes that had been set on the stove. The Fire Investigator is on scene and will have a final report upon completion of his investigation. The Spokane Valley Fire Department would like to remind residents that kitchen fires rank as the number one cause of a house fire in the United States. Never place anything flammable on top or near a cooking surface. Structure Fire, Jan. 31 - SVFD units responded to a report of a structure fire in the 3400 block of North Donwood, off Barker Rd. A total of eleven apparatus and support vehicles responded, including five fire engines and 2 ladder trucks. Firefighters from the Sullivan station arrived at the single family residence within seven minutes of the first 911 call to find a mobile home with smoke and flames extending from the rear of the home, and neighbors used garden hoses to help hold the fire from spreading. Crews deployed fire attack hoses and used coordinated efforts with secondary arriving units to extinguish the blaze. Remaining crews performed a simultaneous search of the inside. After being assured the residents were not home at the time of the fire, more information was shared about a pet. Crews went back inside, with minimal visibility, and refocused the search, finding a small dog under a bed. Despite oxygen, and advanced efforts, the animal succumbed to smoke injuries. There no other firefighter or civilian injuries reported. The cause is currently under investigation; however, damage was extensive due to the construction materials and methods used in mobile homes and the intensity of the fire on arrival of fire units. Red Cross is on scene assisting with short term relocation and needs for the family. The Spokane Valley Fire Department would like to remind residents to be safe and smart when assisting prior to the arrival of the fire department. Use Caution, Call 911 to get help coming, and NEVER go inside to search for people or animals. Also, smoke alarms save lives. Remember to change the batteries in your smoke detectors when you change your clocks and test them monthly. More than onethird (38%) of home fire deaths result from fires in which no smoke alarms are present.
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3
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Simonds Dental Group
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8
Gus Johnson Ford
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18
BECU 12
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Central Valley Community for Ed 19
Joel’s Lawn Care
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19
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8
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24
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22
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3
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28
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17
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• MARCH 2020
The Current
SERVICE DIRECTORY CONSTRUCTION & REMODELING LOCAL AND EXPERIENCED
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ON THAT NOTE
MARCH 2020 • 27
2019 IACC Community Impact Award Micki Harnois Micki Harnois is an experienced City Planner, former Mayor, AWC Board Member, and current Town of Rockford Councilmember with over 30 years of public service experience. She began her time working for the Town of Rockford on the Planning and Zoning Commission, then moved to a Council position for many years, eventually becoming the Mayor of the Town of Rockford. She has since returned as a Councilmember. Micki is willing to take on tough challenges her community faces and taps into all her valued resources to get the job done. She played a role in securing funding for a countless number of projects including sidewalks, new lighting on Rockford’s 1st Street, and a $4,000,000 wastewater treatment facility upgrade. She has assisted with one of the Town of Rockford’s main thoroughfares being reclassified to allow funding for much needed resurfacing. In 2012, Micki secured a free income survey for the Town of Rockford resulting in them regaining eligibility for CDBG funds.
Project Involvement: Latah, Rockford and Waverly Shoreline Management Plan Update Town of Rockford/Lagoon Liner Replacement Town of Rockford/S First St. Sidewalk Town of Rockford/2014-2015 Collection System I&I Improvements Town of Rockford I&I Study Town of Rockford WWTF Quality Assurance Project Plan Town of Rockford 2015 Sewer Improvement Project Town of Rockford Well No. 4 Replacement Project Town of Rockford WWTF Rock Creek QAPP Town of Rockford/1st St. Lighting Project Town of Rockford/2018 Sewer Improvements Town of Rockford/2018 Wastewater Facility Plan Amendment Town of Rockford/TIB Applications Micki is on both the Board of Directors and the Small Cities Advisory Committee of AWC, which enables her to be a major advocate for all the rural towns, not just Rockford. She has been a liaison for Rockford, Spangle and Latah’s new required updates for their Comprehensive Plans and a lead on the Shoreline Master Plans for the area towns. She has been or is currently a member of the Palouse Scenic By‐Way Committee, the North Palouse Chamber of Commerce, SRTC, the Rockford Women’s Club, the Southeast Spokane County Fair Association’s Entertainment and Royalty Committees, the Fairfield Flag Day Committee, Rockford’s Tree City Committee and is a certified Lay Minister and Pianist at the Rockford United Methodist Church. Each summer, she and her son host “Movies in the Park” every Thursday night. She attends countless workshops and conferences like AWC’s Regional meetings and Annual Conference, the Spokane County Council of Governments and never misses an IACC Conference, all on her own dime. She has gained a great deal of valuable knowledge, guidance, and relationships that have benefited the Town of Rockford and many other towns with whom she has shared what she has learned. Along with attending the conference, Micki also encourages others to get involved in IACC, acting as a mentor and giving her knowledge away freely to those new to the community. She is always seeking out the opportunity to meet new people at the conference and values the friendships she has formed.
Additional Project Involvement: Town of Rockford Missile Base Road/Weaver Road Reconstruction Project Town of Rockford New Water Reservoir Town of Rockford Rock Creek Sewer Main Replacement Project Town of Rockford Emma Street Sidewalk Project Town of Rockford Park Improvements Town of Rockford – Police cars donated by Liberty Lake Town of Rockford – Service truck donated by Avista Town of Rockford – City sign donated by Avista
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• MARCH 2020
The Current
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