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It’s construction season in spokane valley Current projects, where they are, and the expected completion page 10 DECADES OF SV SERVICE PAGE 2

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IN MEMORY OF PAT STRETCH PAGE 16

• JULY 2021

The Current

RIVER CROSSING

Cornerstone Clerk – Bainbridge approaches two decades with city By Craig Howard

Current Contributing Editor

Shortly before she left her job as the city clerk in Moscow, Idaho in 2003 to accept a similar role with the newly formed city of Spokane Valley, Chris Bainbridge faced some skepticism. “I remember talking to the city administrator in Moscow and he said, ‘They don’t even have a city center,’” Bainbridge recalls. “I told him, ‘Well, they will.’” Nearly two decades later, Bainbridge is still firmly entrenched as Spokane Valley city clerk, working out of a City Hall building in the U-City area that is the centerpiece of an emerging municipal center which seemed like a mirage to some when Bainbridge began her tenure.

Washington, D.C. Her dad worked in a civilian role as the director of electronics and communications at the Andrews Air Force Base, handling communications for all NASA flights. Bainbridge began taking piano lessons at 8 and learned to appreciate composers like Bach, Mozart and Chopin while becoming polished enough to enter several competitions. Her mother also played while her maternal grandmother provided the keyboard accompaniment for silent movies.

U.S. Forest Service. Bainbridge found work at the Thurston County prosecutor’s office. When Clark was hired as a teacher at the University of Idaho, Bainbridge enrolled at the Moscow campus at the age of 33, eventually earning an English degree with a minor in Psychology.

been slow but steady. Her goal is to return to aerobics, a 25-year hobby.

Bainbridge spent 13 years with the city of Moscow, beginning as an office manager in the Parks and Recreation department before being appointed to deputy city clerk/ administrative assistant and finally city clerk.

Q: When you started with the city of Spokane Valley 18 years ago last month did you have any idea that your tenure as city clerk would last this long?

After graduating from high school, Bainbridge worked at a credit union and took classes in shorthand. Around that time, she met her future husband Clark, who was serving in the Air Force. Next year, the couple will celebrate 50 years of marriage.

One day, she saw a flyer for the city clerk job in Washington’s newest city.

After stints in California, North Carolina and Florida, Bainbridge, her husband and their young family – now consisting of three kids – settled in the Seattle area in 1978 where Clark worked for the

Last year, along with the many challenges created by COVID-19, Bainbridge battled severe back issues, eventually undergoing surgery for multiple pinched nerves in November. The road back has

“I went up for the interview,” Bainbridge recalls. “It never felt overwhelming. It was just amazing to be part of a city that was just starting out.”

Diana Wilhite, who was part of Spokane Valley’s first City Council and served as the city’s second mayor, said Bainbridge was “like a mother hen” to the inaugural governing board after cityhood became official on March 31, 2003. “Chris was always wiling to listen and explain the details of what we needed to do to comply with all the rules and regulations,” Wilhite said. “She was there to support us and remind us of what we had to do to run as a city. She also had incredible patience because we must have asked a million-and-one questions.” When it comes to employee numbers at City Hall, Bainbridge has the distinction of having the second one handed out. Few would question her status as the record holder for most municipal meetings attended in the city’s history. “Yeah, I’m a meeting nerd,” she said. A native of Maryland, Bainbridge grew up on the outskirts of

Photo by Craig Howard Chris Bainbridge has called the city of Spokane Valley her professional home since June of 2003, less than three months after the city incorporated. The longtime city clerk previously worked in the same role in Moscow, Idaho before becoming the second employee hired by the new city.

“I knew if I pushed myself to get back to work that would help me to get back to normal,” said Bainbridge who took two months off after her surgery. “I wanted to be fully functional.”

A: I was thrilled to be a part of such an enterprise. I remember thinking at the time how exciting to be on the ground floor of a brandnew city. Almost like a kid who thinks summer fun will never end, or that things will always be the same as they are at the moment, I was living in the moment and basking in the idea that such excitement would never end. I never thought about any ending date for my tenure. All I was thinking was that I was ready and up for the challenge for this new part of my life. Q: What do you remember about those early years of the city? How much did your background with established jurisdictions help you find your bearings and provide insight to colleagues with less experience? A: I felt fortunate to join such a dedicated, knowledgeable staff. We were an incredibly small team who worked together to get things moving and we were all finding our own bearings. From my point of view, there was an almost instant camaraderie with everyone working individually yet coordinating with each other when needed, all to get this new city rolling. My experience and comfort dealing with legal documents such as ordinances, resolutions and contracts and of editing those draft documents served me well, especially when it came to organizing everything that was needed to finalize a draft document. Once finalized, executed and organized, the documents were easily accessible to council, staff and the public. Q: The original Spokane Valley See BAINBRIDGE, Page 5

JULY 2021 • 3

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BUSINESS

• JULY 2021

The Current

MacKay Manufacturing Opens on the job Trade School By Nina Culver

Current contributor

Well trained machinists have been on the wish list of every local manufacturing company for years. One company, MacKay Manufacturing, has taken the unusual step of hiring a teacher and opening their own school to create the needed workforce. “The lack of trained workers has been an ongoing problem for decades,” said company vice president Katie MacKay. “We turn down work currently because we don’t have the machinists.” MacKay and other companies have been working with Spokane Community College and North Idaho College for years to try to attract people to their machinist training programs. “It’s not yielding what we need,” she said. “People can have a very good career in manufacturing. I just don’t think that’s advertised.” About 18 months ago the company hired Cal Christen, who ran the night shift machinist training program at Spokane Community Colleges for many years until the program recently ended due to lack of interest. But he didn’t do any teaching for the first year. “He worked on the shop floor just to learn how things work,” she said. Christen has 50 years of experience as a machinist and has been a teacher for years. MacKay said she wanted more than just an experienced machinist for the job. “We hired a real, legitimate teacher,” MacKay said. “Cal is the best of both worlds.” Five months ago, Christen took on his first student for one-on-one instruction. The student gets full-time pay and benefits, MacKay said. “Their full-time job is learning from Cal,” she

said. So far, the miniature school is working out well, but MacKay said they plan to enroll only one student at a time for a while until their curriculum is dialed in. There is a waiting list of interested potential students. MacKay said the students don’t have to have any experience. She looks for what she calls “soft skills.” “Do they communicate well?” she said. “Do they play well with others? Do they show up for work on time?” Their current student worked in the company’s maintenance department for three months so they could learn about him and his work ethic before determining if he would be a good fit for their school program, MacKay said. They’ll likely do that with future potential students as well, she said. MacKay Manufacturing has been in Spokane Valley for decades. It began under former owner E.A. Sprow in 1946. Her father, Mike MacKay, worked at E.A. Sprow Inc. and he and his wife bought the business in 1986, creating MacKay Manufacturing. Her father is retired now, MacKay said, but he’s still involved in the company. “He still pops in quite often,” she said. MacKay Manufacturing makes products based on specifications provided by their customers and delivers the finished product to the customer. “We are a contract manufacturer,” she said. “We don’t make any products of our own. We can make individual pieces or we can do complex assemblies.” They make surgical instruments and medical devices in addition to parts for the military and space exploration, MacKay said. Few of

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Photo by Nina Culver MacKay Manufacturing has opened their doors to become a classroom for the next generation of manufacturing employees. their customers are local. “Most of our product goes worldwide to companies that are publicly traded,” she said. MacKay Manufacturing currently has 170 employees and 100 of them are machinists. The company doesn’t employ any salespeople because they’re operating at maximum capacity and have no availability for more work, MacKay said. There are machinists working seven days a week, 24 hours a day. The company owns 90,000 square feet of space in three buildings, though not all of it is in use. MacKay said she has the space and the work to keep 125 machinists busy, but there simply aren’t enough trained workers to be had. Other companies are doing what they can to attract new workers as well. Several local companies, including MacKay Manufacturing, have teamed up to offer a Production Manufacturing Academy for high school juniors to expose them to three different methods of manufacturing.

The program is overseen by Wade Larson at Wagstaff Inc. “It’s a very eye-opening opportunity for a high school student,” she said. The first session was held in 2019, but the second was cancelled in 2020. The next session, which is full, is scheduled in July. Students who participate earn a stipend that they can use to help pay to attend a trade school. MacKay said she wishes that high school students knew that there are good, well-paying jobs that don’t require a college diploma. “You don’t have to rack up debt,” she said. “You don’t have to do that to get a good job.” While operating their own school won’t lead to a flood of new workers, MacKay said she thinks it will help. “If I can get a couple people a year up to speed, that’s a win for me,” she said. “We believe this is going to work. We’re going to try it and give it our all and see how it pans out.”

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The Current

BAINBRIDGE

NEWS

Continued from page 2

City Council faced a steep learning curve and workload in the process of starting a new city. What did you try to do as city clerk to make their work more manageable? A: One of my main jobs was to make sure that each council member had what they needed for each council meeting, that each document was written clearly and that the packet materials were presented in an organized manner so that each meeting’s agenda was easy to follow and comprehend. Reading the agenda materials was essential for council members. Most of us know it’s easier to edit a document than to draft one. I didn’t draft most of those council documents but I did read through everything with an editor’s eye to ensure that each document was in its best form. And I delivered those council packets to council members with enough time for them to read through and digest the packet materials prior to the meeting. Q: I think most people have heard of the job of city clerk but don’t really have an understanding of what the job entails. How would you best describe it? A: There are just two of us in the city clerk’s office and I would best describe the job as diverse and busy. I like to refer to myself as the city’s historian because, well, I am. I keep a database of every action considered and completed at every council meeting which makes it easy to find past documents and discussions. The clerk’s office is also responsible for the management of all city records including storing, archiving and destroying based on a schedule form the Washington State Archives. The city clerk not only prepares and distributes the material for all council meetings, she attends those meetings, takes minutes, and is the council’s parliamentarian. And I get to administer oaths of office when the need arises. Q: In what ways have you seen the city of Spokane Valley establish its own identity in the time you’ve worked there? A: I think people recognize that we are a relatively new, well-oiled city with low taxes, convenience in service and a modest and knowledgeable staff ready to take the steps necessary to help citizens. We are not ‘the city of the Valley’

but rather proudly, we are the city of Spokane Valley. There has been hard work, too, to clean up the area. When I first came here, it seemed boarded up buildings were prevalent. Much of that is now cleaned up and I know the citizens are appreciative. We have an open and, I think, easy budget process so citizens can easily see what they are paying for and our permit center’s well-earned reputation is that of ease, affordability, convenience and superb customer service. Q: Attending meetings is not exactly a favorite pastime for most people, yet for you, it’s an essential part of the job. How have you been able to successfully navigate this responsibility, especially when many meetings can be time consuming, fairly tedious and layered with complex and/or technical topics? A: Meetings can run smoothly or not, be well-orchestrated or not, be productive or not, and can end after a decent amount of time or not. If the meetings are well-planned and the documents well-organized, then the meeting participants are prepared and things evolve as they should. I enjoy council meetings. I see it as not only a time for council to consider so many issues, but for our staff to shine as well as they share their individual expertise. We are a remarkable city to have accomplished so much in so little time and meetings are an important factor in determining what needs to be done, when it needs to be done, by whom and for how much. Q: As we approach the 20th anniversary of Spokane Valley incorporation in 2003, what are you most proud of when it comes to this city? A: Easy question. I am most proud of our staff. We have held it together through thick and thin and even through efforts to disincorporate, but we worked through it because we believe in our city. There were times in the past when I was contacted by other entities tempting me to leave this fine city. It’s not that I didn’t think about it, because I’m generally up for a challenge. But it was always the thought of working with such a great staff that stopped me from moving on. This small staff, now grown just a little since incorporation, is one of the best groups of people I have ever had the pleasure of working with. I am honored to be this city’s city clerk.

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The Current

Introducing the

Safety Awareness Channel 2021 May Malicious Mischief Hotspots

Published Date: 6/7/2021 Prepared by Spokane County Sheriff's RIG 9 Unit

SAFETY TIP OF THE MONTH

Spokane Valley Districts

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

The maps provided depict where citizens have reported Vehicle Thefts, Burglaries, Malicious Mischief and Thefts. The Spokane Valley Police Department and the Spokane County Sheriff’s office analyze this data to determine high crime areas and where to allocate resources. Citizens who have been a victim of crime are encouraged to call 911, if the crime is in progress, or Crime Check at 4562233, if not in progress, to report a crime.

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The Benefits of Installing Security Cameras on Your Home Deputy Chris Prevention Unit

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Not long ago, most homeowners likely believed that installing a security camera system on their home would be too costly, too complex, and difficult to operate. Now, however, advances in the technology of these systems have made them affordable. And, if someone like myself can set up and operate one of these systems, anybody can! CCTV, or “closed-circuit television” systems, are a fantastic way to protect your home. Let’s discuss some of the many benefits of having a CCTV system installed as a form of home security: 1. Visible video cameras are an excellent deterrent! Bad guys, particularly burglars who are looking for a home to enter, just might think twice about breaking into your house if they believe they will be recorded doing so. In this way, the presence of cameras may help prevent you from becoming the victim of a crime. Which leads me into the next benefit… 2. Recording creates evidence! If a burglary, theft, or some other type of crime should occur, law enforcement can often use the video recording from the system to identify, and even prosecute, the perpetrator. The CCTV system that I have on my home helped me do exactly that, on more than one occasion! 3. The ability to check up on the kids or elderly family members in real time. It’s always nice to have another set of eyes on your children as well as your aging relatives when they are home alone. Adding remote video will allow you to log in and check up on them from your office computer, tablet, or smart phone. Indoor cameras can also be used to keep an eye on younger kids and their babysitters.

JULY 2021 • 7

The Current

2021 May Burglary Hotspots

Published Date: 6/7/2021 Prepared by Spokane County Sheriff's RIG 9 Unit

Spokane Valley Districts

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

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4. Checking up on your pets. Ever wonder what mischief your furry friends are getting into when you’re away? Worried about an older pet that might need special attention? With a home security camera, you can ensure that your four-legged loved ones are safe and sound. And, not gnawing through the leather on your new sofa! 5. Saving money on homeowners insurance. Most major insurers will offer lower premiums if you choose to protect your property with a CCTV system. If you piggyback an existing security system with CCTV, such an advanced system could net up to a 15% discount on rates. This, of course, depends on many other factors, but I have been informed that such discounts do exist. So, what to do now? It’s time to do your homework, and begin shopping! It’s important to first ascertain what your specific needs are, and what your budget will allow. Most modern systems are digital, so there are no pesky cassette tapes to replace- the data that is recorded by the cameras is stored to a hard drive (or the cloud), just like your home computer. Some questions to ask yourself should include: 1. How many cameras do I need? 2. Do I need/want cameras indoors, outdoors, or both? 3. Do I want cameras that are activated by motion, or always on? 4. Do I want the ability to check the cameras remotely, as discussed above? 5. Should I use wired, or wireless cameras? 6. Is IR, or infrared technology important (this allows recording in dark conditions)? 7. Do I want audio monitoring as well, so I can hear what happened/ is happening? There are other less expensive ways to achieve a little bit of video security, such as “doorbell” cameras, and even systems that have only one or two channels. Just remember, like anything else, you get what you pay for. I installed my system a few years ago, at a cost of roughly $2000. There are systems for $500, and there are systems for $20,000. Doorbell cameras can be had for around $150. So, if you’ve been considering a CCTV system, now is a great time to do some research and see what’s available to help protect your home. Be safe, everyone!

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• JULY 2021

Council looks towards 2022 with options By Lincoln DoWright Current Contributor

Housing Action Plan

With the assistance of a $100,000 Washington State Department of Commerce Grant, the City of Spokane Valley analyzed the current availability of housing and a needs assessment to come up with a series of strategies and policy recommendations that would promote greater housing diversity and affordability for residents of all income levels. The study began back in 2019 and was assisted by Maul, Foster, and Alongi (MFA) as well as ECONorthwest. The Housing Action Plan gave city council recommendations for how to promote housing diversity and diversity throughout Spokane Valley.

NEWS

Construction is slated to begin this summer. 2021 Legislative Session Briahna Murray and Holly Cocci from Gordon Thomas Honeywell, The City of Spokane Valleys contract lobbyists, provided an end of the legislative session recap, as the session ended in April. They covered the city’s main priorities being: The Pines Grade Separation project, which was included in the funding proposals for both the House and Senate versions of a transportation revenue package, although ultimately it wasn’t passed during this session.

Installation of bio-infiltration swales along Appleway Blvd from Farr Rd to University will begin, according to the Spokane Valley Request for Council action, with most of the new swale areas being sodded.

The Spokane County Fair and Expo Center expansion project to build, a new $10 million building on the site connecting the fairgounds with the Avista Stadium, was a second priority for Spokane Valley. The city had requested $4 million for the estimated $10 million building, but was appropriated $750,000. Ms. Murray said thanks should be extended to Senator Padden, and Representatives McCaslin and Chase for their help in securing the funding, but also noted that she had received feedback from Senator Padden that the request was too large for any single year capital request.

The project, which is 75% funded by a Washington State Department of Ecology Grant, was awarded to LaRiviere Inc for $1,667,086 ($227,344 over the estimated costs). The increased costs were covered by additional revenue from city fund 402, the Stormwater fund.

Also included on the city’s legislative agenda was advocating for the Washington Wildlife Recreation Program, which provided $1 million to the City of Spokane Valley as a reimbursement for the Flora Rd / North Bank River Trail property acquisition.

This plan was accepted unanimously by the city council who further discuss implementation of recommendations in the future. Appleway Improvements

Stormwater

Code Update

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Enforcement

Program

Starting in early 2020, the Spokane Valley Code Enforcement division is made up of two full time code enforcement officers and a full time city attorney to whom cases are referred to following a property owners failure to address a violation before the compliance deadline. The code enforcement program was created to help enforce the city’s nuisance property regulations with the most common types being; accumulations of trash, junk vehicles, and accumulation of broken machinery or equipment. Other types of code compliance cases include zoning or building code violations, clear view triangle obstructions, and animal keeping. In 2020, 647 calls for service were made to the code enforcement division, up slightly from 639 the year before. Of these, 21 were referred to the attorney’s office for some form of legal action. Examples of code compliance cases were complaints of people living in RV’s and the difficulty of being able to confirm people ‘living’ in the RV when a habitable home is also on the property. Another example were complaints regarding parking with multiple vehicles looking to be parked in the front yard. However the challenge is that the current city code doesn’t regulate parking on the city Right Of Way, which isn’t easily recognizable from the street. For cases that are found as violations, the city’s goal is voluntary compliance. The City Council had many questions about specific properties, their particular situations, and staff started to develop considerations for enhancements that would help

with enforcement. Additional discussions are scheduled for the City Council in the coming months and an additional code enforcement officer was included in the initial 2022 budget discussions. City Program

Bridge

Preservation

The objective of the city’s bridge program is to ensure public safety through inspection, rehabilitation, and replacement of National Bridge Inventory (NBI) Bridges. Spokane Valley has 13 city-owned bridges, 3 railroad owned bridges, and a number of Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) Bridges. The program is overseen by WSDOT Local Programs office and calls for routine inspections at least every two years, underwater inspections every five years, and primary safety inspections on railroad owned bridges every two years. They City doesn’t currently have restrictions on any of the city owned bridges, but is working on a six year capital program to be able to maintain our local bridges. The $300k to $800k annual budget has not been included in the pavement preservation discussions and it was pointed out by Pete Fisch, the city bridge program engineer, that there are very limited opportunities for grants to cover bridge preservation projects. The total city budget for bridge maintenance in 2021 is $115,800 and includes a quarter of one employee’s time. Spokane Program

Valley

Aquatics

While there are ongoing efforts for recruiting staffing for the summer program, staffing levels

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NEWS

remain at 33%. Despite the staffing challenges the city has released a schedule to open two pools at a time on a two week rotation providing the opportunity for each neighborhood to have an opportunity to access the pools this season.

Within the schedule is also a plan to host lifeguard certification classes in the pool that isn’t open for public use. The goal is to help provide future staffing. Similarly, the city announced they will be expanding their Paws in the Pool program this year by adding a second pool location. The program is hosted on the last day of the swimming season (scheduled for August 22nd this year) and allows citizens to bring their pets to also enjoy the pool. This year the event will be hosted at Valley Mission and Park Road Pools. Mullan Project

Road

Preservation

The road preservation project will grind and overlay Mullan Road from Broadway to Mission Ave, and includes the installation of ADA curb ramps, pavement patch repairs, channelization, intelligent transportation system (ITS) conduit, and signal upgrades for the Mission intersection. The contract was awarded to Inland Asphalt Paving in the amount of $1,529,790 which was just within the engineers estimate for the project at $1,539,100 and will be beginning construction this summer. Committee Appointments The City Council confirmed the appointments of Spokane Valley resident Amanda Tainio and Spokane Valley Housing and Homelessness Coordinator Arielle Anderson, for a three year term, and Councilmember Arnie Woodard, for the remainder of 2021, to the regional Housing and Community Development Advisory Committee (HCDAC). Jenny McClenathen was appointed to the Spokane Housing Authority for a term of 5 years. There was a 5-2 split vote for the appointment of City Councilmember Linda Thompson to the Spokane Regional Transportation Council (SRTC) to serve in Spokane Valley’s second representative position that was recently established with the ratification of the updated interlocal

agreement that establishes the SRTC council. Councilmembers Higgins and Woodard opposed.

JULY 2021 • 9

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2022 Budget Discussions Begin At an all day retreat City Manager, Mark Calhoun, and staff go department by department through their proposals for the 2022 city budget. This meeting marked the first of many touches for the Spokane Valley City Council. The initial budget proposal projects city revenues increasing by $3,132,981 or 6.43% from the 2021 budget and projected to total $51,822,200. Reoccurring expenses on the other hand are projected to increase by 3.96% or $1,799,180 over the 2021 budget and proposed at $47,245,907 showing an reoccurring revenues exceeding reoccurring expenses by $4,576,293. However, with the decline in the telephone utility tax, which funds the street fund operations $2,683,519 is needed to maintain the operation. Leaving a proposed overall budget surplus of $1,756,774. Not included in preliminary budget proposal was a larger than normal series of optional supplemental budget requests, which included items such as a dedicated police officer to expand the city’s ability to respond to increased homelessness, repairs and maintenance at the Spokane Valley Police Precinct building, new paint and carpet in numerous rooms at CenterPlace, plumbing repairs at city pools, discussion of a generator for backup power at CenterPlace, two additional employees in the engineering division to handle the increased street construction projects, an additional officer / supervisor for the Code Enforcement division, replacement of the financial management software, a generator to provide backup power for the city’s maintenance shop, which maintains the city plows and snow operations, an additional dump bed truck for the street maintenance operations, and the replacement of the pond liner at the Mirabeau Springs which appears to have been damaged by a fallen tree during one of the last wind storms. In total the supplemental requests added up to $2,597,100 with $938,400 in recurring and $1,658,700 of nonrecurring expenses for the general fund.

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• JULY 2021

Construction projects are currently underway By Nina Culver

Current contributor

Road construction season is well underway in the Spokane Valley area, with projects organized by the City of Spokane Valley, Spokane County and the Washington Department of Transportation filling the streets with traffic cones and lane closure signs. The City of Spokane Valley is responsible for most of the projects, which range from street preservation grind and overlay projects to construction on an overpass over the Burlington Northern Santa Fay Railway lines just south of Trent Avenue at Barker Road. Spokane County Spokane County is continuing the project to widen and improve Bigelow Gulch Road and Forker Road between Market Street in Spokane to Sullivan Road in Spokane Valley. The Bigelow Gulch/Forker Road Urban Connector project has been completed in phases, the first

COVER STORY of which was done in 2008. The project was on hiatus for several years, but there has been a phase completed each year since 2017, said project manager Mick Flugel. This year is Phase 3, which is a four-lane road plus a center turn lane from Wylie to Argonne. The $2.8 million project is being paid for by Spokane County, with the assistance of earmarked funding from the Washington State Legislature. Construction on the new segment began on April 26 and should be complete in mid-September or early October, Flugel said. The county is building one half of the road at a time, so there will be limited impact on traffic except for a week when both sides will be shut down as the county transitions from one side to the other, Flugel said. The timing of the weeklong shutdown of Bigelow Gulch is yet to be determined, he said. “We’re building the south side of the project first,” he said. “The existing Bigelow Gulch is still open.” The next phase, which includes Forker Road from Progress Road to the intersection of Wellesley Avenue and Sullivan Road, involves bringing a new section of road between East Valley Middle School and East Valley High School. The school district had to relocate several

sports fields to accommodate the road. The project will also include an underpass so students can safely cross the road, Flugel said. That phase of the project, Phase 6, may go out to bid late this year with construction hopefully happening next year, Flugel said. The final phase of the project, Phase 2, involves Bigelow Gulch between Freya and Jacobs. The County is still working to acquire the needed right-of-way for the project and construction is tentatively scheduled for 2023, Flugel said. Spokane Valley • Evergreen Road Pavement Preservation, Sprague to Broadway – Construction began June 9 and is expected to be complete in late July. The $1.4 million project includes a new layer of asphalt on the street as well as ADA sidewalk ramp upgrades and traffic signal improvement at the intersection of Broadway and Evergreen. Traffic is down to one lane in each direction. • Browns Park playground and shelter construction – A new playground, small restroom and picnic shelter were recently completed, bringing to an end a series of construction projects that began in 2015. The new play equipment is ADA accessible. The eight-acre park at Pines Road and

The Current

32nd Avenue now includes 15 sand volleyball courts, a basketball court, a splash pad, a large picnic shelter and a walking bath. The cost of this summer’s project was $740,000, part of which was paid for by a Department of Commerce grant. • Appleway Boulevard stormwater improvements – Construction on this project is expected to begin in late summer. Swales will be installed along Appleway Boulevard between Farr Road and University Road to help filter stormwater before it gets into the Spokane Valley-Rathdrum Prairie Aquifer. The $1.4 million project also includes the construction of a multi use pathway to extend the Appleway Trail westward from the trailhead at University Road. • Mullan Road Pavement Preservation, Broadway to Mission – The $2 million project, which includes traffic signal improvements at Mullan and Mission, will begin on July 6 and should be complete the first week of September. Traffic on Mullan Road will be restricted to one or two lanes, depending on the phase of construction. Mission will be closed at Mullan and a detour route will be available. • Park Road sidewalk project, Sharp to Mission – A new sidewalk will be installed on the west side of Park Road this summer. The

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estimated cost is $600,000.

COVER STORY

• Sullivan Road overcrossing deck repair – The northbound lanes of the railroad overpass just north of Indiana Avenue will be resurfaced beginning in late July and ending in early August. Traffic will be reduced to one lane in each direction. The $300,000 project is funded by a federal grant. • Balfour Park street frontage improvements – The roads around Balfour Park and the vacant land slated for an expansion of Balfour Park, will be widened and improved to accommodate the expanded park and a new Spokane Valley library branch. Herald Road, Balfour Road and Main Avenue surrounding the park will all be improved. Construction on the $1 million project will begin in July. The Balfour Park expansion and library, being built by the Spokane County Library District, are both in the design phase. • Local access street preservation – Select streets between Appleway Boulevard and Eighth Avenue west of Park Road will be repaved this summer. Streets will be closed intermittently as construction progresses. The cost of the project is $1.2 million. • Argonne Road/Montgomery Avenue concrete intersection – The project to reconstruct the intersection in concrete is expected to begin in July and last for 10 weeks. There will also be traffic signal improvements, ADA sidewalk ramp improvements and new stormwater facilities. Montgomery Road will be closed at Argonne and a detour will be in place. Traffic on Argonne Road will be reduced to one lane in each direction. The $3 million project is being paid for by a mix of city funds and state grants. • Barker Road/BNSF Railway grade separation project – The project, which will replace the atgrade crossing on Barker Road and build a roundabout at the intersection of Barker and Trent Avenue. Construction began in March and is not expected to be complete until the summer or fall of 2022. Barker Road is closed at Trent Avenue and detours are in place. Businesses remain open. The city is contributing $3.6 million toward the $26 million project, with the rest coming from state and federal grants. • Barker Road widening, Spokane River to Euclid – The city is

JULY 2021 • 11

Spokane Valley seeks input on street funding By Nina Culver

Current contributor

widening Barker Road and adding a center turn lane, curb improvements, stormwater improvements, water line improvements in partnership with Consolidated Irrigation District No. 19 and new sewer pipe in partnership with Spokane County. The project began last year and was recently completed. • Barker Road/Union Pacific Railroad crossing improvements – This project includes improvements to the intersection at Barker and Euclid as well as improvements to the Union Pacific crossing. It also includes a 10-foot-wide multi use path from the Spokane River to Trent Avenue that connects to the Centennial Trail as well as sewer and water main improvements. The $1.85 million project is estimated to begin in the fall or next summer. • Barker Road Homes street

preservation – Residential streets east of Barker Road between Euclid Avenue and the Spokane River had sewer pipe installed and were repaved in a project that began last year and was recently completed. The $3.4 million project was paid for by the city and Spokane County, which installed the sewer line. Washington State Department of Transportation The Harvard Road bridge over Interstate 90 is being widened to add another northbound lane in a project that also includes the realignment of the I-90 westbound on-ramps to make it easier to merge onto the freeway. The project started last year and resumed in mid-February. Some or all lanes of I-90 underneath it close overnight for construction, which is generally from 9 p.m. to 4 a.m.

The City of Spokane Valley has debated for years about how to adequately fund the needed street preservation projects in the city so the roads stay in good shape. The city council formed a 22 member Streets Sustainability Committee in March to examine the issue and determine how best to move forward. The committee has met three times so far to examine videos and presentations on street preservation and current funding, said city engineer Adam Jackson. “Realistically, pavement and asphalt and roads and the funding of such can be a pretty boring topic,” he said. The topic may be boring, but it affects everyone who lives and works in Spokane Valley. If a street is not too damaged, a simple grinding down of the top couple of inches of asphalt and the pouring of a new layer of asphalt will easily maintain the street. It’s a much cheaper option than a full reconstruction, which involves digging up the road bed and starting over. For years the only dedicated funding for street preservation projects has come from a telephone utility tax, which has been steadily shrinking as people give up their landline phones. “We’ve relied heavily on the telephone utility tax,” Jackson said. “As that tax declines, that lowers our budget.” Each year, the city typically sets aside a portion of any surplus funds for street projects as well, Jackson said. But city staff and council members recognize that there will be years when the city doesn’t have a surplus, he said. Many residential streets in Spokane Valley are in good shape because they were repaved when sewer was put in. “The vast majority of our funding goes to our busy arterials,” Jackson said. “Right now, our city spends $8 million a year on preservation and maintenance. If we want to keep our streets, overall, in the condition they are today, we need to double that.” The members of the committee include representatives from businesses, school district, utilities, social service organization and transportation and also three citizen representatives.

• JULY 2021

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Student of the Month Paysen Phelps made Scottie Nation proud in his four years at Freeman High School. The recently graduated senior sported a 3.65 grade point average and served as ASB vice president. Phelps was part of service projects for the Joya Penny Drive, veterans’ assembly and other efforts. He was a standout lineman in football and also participated in basketball and golf, contributing to district titles in the latter two this year. He served as a team captain for football and basketball. Phelps has been part of Future Farmers of America (FFA) and was a board member and accomplished trap shooter. He also runs a lawn mowing business. He will be attending Boise State University and majoring in construction management. “I’ll miss the people the most,” Phelps said of moving on as a senior.

Athlete of the Month Ellis Crowley has been a prolific presence for Freeman athletics since her freshman year. She excelled in basketball and volleyball and was part of a Scottie hoops squad that placed third at state last year. This season, she earned Northeast A League Defensive MVP. Crowley contributed to a fourth-place state trophy in volleyball as a junior. She played golf for three years, advancing to state as a sophomore. This year, she played fastpitch softball. Crowley graduated with a 4.0 GPA and was part of National Honor Society. She also has served with the Ronald McDonald House Teen Board and was part of Future Farmers of America and Future Business Leaders of America. Crowley will attend the University of Washington and major in biology with a career goal of being a dermatologist.

Citizen of the Month For nearly two decades, Terry Powell has been a pillar at Spokane Valley Partners, providing support and encouragement for visitors to the agency’s food bank. “Terry volunteers so much of his time that many people think he’s an employee,” said Cal Coblentz, SVP executive director. “Everyone loves working with Terry because of his gentle and kind demeanor. He has been a real cornerstone during COVID.” A native of Louisiana, Powell remembers his mom fixing meals for everyone in the neighborhood. “We didn’t have much but we made sure everyone had enough to eat.” he said. Powell helps cook a weekly dinner at Advent Lutheran Church, continuing his family’s tradition. He has also volunteered with Feed Thy Neighbor and Neighbors Feeding Neighbors food ministries. Powell is the proud dad of three sons.

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JULY 2021 • 13

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Generosity

Bank is blessed to be a part of this community. We are inspired day after day by the responsibility of sharing the word of God and moving much needed food into our community. Our partnership with second harvest, local grocery stores, and the hearts of our over 30 volunteers allow us to experience what generosity is all about. Ben and Angie Sharkey, Pastors of North Bridge have had a heart for this community their whole lives. Both born and raised is Spokane, their passion is the people of it. “Our mission statement as a church is Helping People Know Jesus’ Love, that’s the goal of everything we do,” they said.

By Jason Long and the team at NorthBridge Church Current News sources

Generosity is an incredibly important character trait. Everyone gets on board when you talk about being generous. Most of us love to give, it is part of our DNA. The rush that we receive when we give to someone in need, whether it is volunteering or simply helping someone, is unparallel to anything we can create on our own. The importance of being generous in our lives cannot be understated. When we are generous, we may never know the impact it has on someone’s life. Sometimes we are limited in our thinking. We may think that we need more finances, time, or energy to be generous. When the truth is we can be generous with whatever it is that we have in our hands. A smile really does go along way. Taking a few moments to encourage someone in the store or a neighbor can change the trajectory of their life, or at least their day. Today you can take a moment to think about how you can be generous, in your community, in your family, or at your workplace.

Spokane is an amazing community. You can tell by people all over the country that are now moving here. Spokane does an excellent job at taking care of those in need. Whether it’s the homeless, the hungry, or the sick, there are so many programs and systems here for people no matter their status in life.

All signs are in— I’ve had a great first term!

Northbridge Church and Food

Generosity is the lifeblood of everything that happens at and through North Bridge. With the recovery ministry, Sunday gatherings, mobile food banks and more, they are doing all they can to give this community hope! Jason Long, the current food bank director, said “I just simply responded to a nudge from Jesus Christ to do something different with my life. I love people and the things I have experience in my life truly give me a solid platform to believe in and help

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others. What an excellent way to start a relationship with people, by being generous with food. I Love it!” In June alone North Bridge Food Bank was able to serve 1533 people with the food they needed to be healthy and take care of their families. North Bridge loves being able to partner with PACE in educating people on character traits. Training people on how to have great character traits is vitally important to a healthy community and society. If you desire, you can partner with us here at North Bridge by simply going to www.northbridge.life and finding out more information, donating finances or signing up to volunteer. You can be generous with whatever you have. Go be generous today. Jason Long is the North Bridge Food Bank director. He always believed God would move him into full time ministry so when the opportunity presented itself he took a leap of faith and started full time ministry at North Bridge. His goal is to show people that Jesus loves them and to be available to anyone who needs help.

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• JULY 2021

The Crest

In Memory of Pat Stretch By Nina Culver

Current contributor

Retired veteran, homeless advocate, community volunteer and Spokane Valley city council candidate Pat Stretch was killed in a climbing accident on Mt. Hood on Memorial Day weekend, only days after his own father died. Stretch, 64, was climbing the Old Chute route with his oldest son when he fell 500 feet. His sister, Traci Kadoya, said both are experienced climbers and had climbed Mt. Hood before. “They’ve climbed that mountain together several times,” she said. “He’s made it to the top before and he did this time. They were coming down and it was icy. He slipped.” Rescue teams quickly responded and Kadoya said the family is grateful they were able to bring her brother down. “We just owe them a lot,” she said. “It meant a lot to us to get him off the mountain.” Stretch was born in Butte, Montana, and the family moved to Spokane Valley in 1968, when he was in the sixth grade. He was the oldest of five children and his younger brother, Jerry, was born only 11 months after him. They had a tight bond that lasted until his death. “Those two were the best buddies in the world,” Kadoya said. He graduated from West Valley High School and then joined the U.S. Coast Guard. He served for 21 years,

Contributed photos

retiring as a chief warrant officer. He worked in juvenile detention at Camp Outlook for a couple years before moving to Spokane, where he earned a degree in organizational management from Whitworth University. He was a victim/witness specialist in the Spokane County Prosecutor’s Office for five years and then worked as a project administrator for the county’s Housing and Community Development Committee for 15 years. He retired two years ago. Stretch was married and divorced three times and had seven children. He was a good father, as well as a good uncle and grandfather, Kadoya said. “He was just so caring,” she said. “He’s always been so, so good with his kids.” Cal Cobletz, executive director of Spokane Valley Partners, said he got to know Stretch when he worked for Spokane County. He would come to Spokane Valley to help with the homeless count each year. When Stretch retired, he began volunteering in the food bank every week. “He had a great understanding of poverty issues,” Cobletz said. “I always had good conversations with him.” Stretch joined the Spokane Valley Partners board about a year ago. He helped out where needed, including with the mobile food bank truck every Friday. “He was a real fixture and someone we trusted,” Cobletz said. Stretch was athletic and energetic and had a perpetual smile, said Cobletz, who described him as “the nicest guy you’ll ever meet.” Shortly after he retired, Stretch ran

for an open Spokane Valley city council position with three other candidates in 2019. He came in third in the primary with 17.5 percent of the vote and did not advance to the general election. At the time he said the city needed to address its homeless issue as well as making sure infrastructure kept up with growth. He called himself a centrist candidate. “I’m not way over on the right and I’m not way over on the left,” he said at the time. He had recently filed to run for a city council seat again, this time to challenge incumbent Pam Haley. Kadoya said he told her he wanted to run again because he thought he could make a difference. “He always wanted to be helping,” she said. “He really would have been fabulous at it.” There are two other people who signed up to challenge Haley, Marty Butler-Stonewall and Wayne Fenton. “He waited until the very last minute to sign up,” she said. “In his mind, if there was a good candidate, he wasn’t going to run.” Family has always been at Stretch’s core, Kadoya said. When he was still working and his mother Barbara had dementia, he took every Thursday off work so his father, who was her caregiver, could go golfing. “He had no regrets,” Kadoya said. “He was really glad he did that.” He and Kadoya’s husband, who has been battling cancer for four years, would play backgammon online every night. Often, they would end up talking on the phone as they played, cracking jokes. Stretch knew it was something her husband enjoyed, but

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wasn’t too tiring when he had bad days. “It’s something that they could do,” she said. “They would just have so much fun.” Stretch’s father, Edwin, died May 26, bringing him and his siblings together. “All five of us had lunch together on Friday and then he left,” she said. Stretch died the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend, only days after his father. Kadoya said she’s upset that he left only days after their father’s death, but she understands why he still went on the trip. “He wanted to go be with his son,” she said. “He just felt that that’s what dad would want him to do.” Still, it will be strange not seeing him at the family cabin on the Pend Oreille River near Ione every summer. “It’s going to be so sad to go up there and not have him there,” she said. “We’re all going to miss him.” Stretch is survived by his seven children; Matthew Stretch, Trisha Stretch, Danica Smith Burgner, Dusty Smith, Travis Rogers, Chase Stretch and Chery Stretch; his four siblings, Jerry Stretch, Traci Kadoya, Peggy Barnes and Rudy Stretch; seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. The family will have a memorial service for Stretch at 11 a.m. on July 9 at the Spokane Valley Church of the Nazarene. A funeral service will follow at 1:30 p.m. at the Washington State Veterans Cemetery in Medical Lake. Those planning to attend are asked to RSVP online at https://www.eventcreate.com/e/ patrickstretchmemorial.

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JULY 2021 • 17

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• JULY 2021

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Ridgeline premieres with stellar coaching lineup

Dave Myers began his coaching career at Lincoln High in Tacoma as offensive coordinator. He was later named head coach at Garfield High in Seattle after completing grad school. Bellevue’s Interlake High was Myers’ next stop where he served as head coach for three years. After moving to Spokane, he worked at the offensive coordinator at CV from 2016 to 2018.

By Craig Howard

Current contributing editor

Don’t know the Ridgeline High School colors yet? Unsure of the mascot attached to a variety of teams and sports across fall, winter and spring seasons? Don’t worry. Falcon Nation – arraigned in green and silver – will take flight in the next few months. With practice for fall sports just around the corner, the muchanticipated high school on Country Vista Drive in Liberty Lake will debut with a collection of coaches rich in experience and success. “First and foremost, these are great people,” said Grady Emmerson, Ridgeline’s assistant principal for Athletics and Activities “We feel very fortunate that we have the staff we have and they’re going to be in our building. We’re not going to be judging our coaches on wins and losses – it’s going to be about the experience the kids have.” Ridgeline will premiere with around 900 students – an enrollment that will not include seniors for the 2021-22 school year.

The Falcons will compete in the Greater Spokane League as a 3A school, drawing from Greenacres and Selkirk middle schools. While Central Valley will feel the brunt of Ridgeline students who would have historically competed as Bears, Emmerson said the new school “will mean more opportunities for kids to join these (sports) programs and open up more spaces at CV.” Coaches for most sports at Ridgeline – with the exception of boys and girls golf, boys tennis and boys soccer – are in place. Longtime CV band director Eric Parker will lead the Falcon music program while Abbie Lentz will be the head cheer coach. Girls soccer Tiera Como played soccer at Eastern Washington University and served as the goalkeeper coach at Gonzaga University. She began coaching with the Spokane Valley Junior Soccer Association and later helped coach the boys team at Cheney High School and was an assistant at University High. She has been part of CV soccer in different roles for the past 10 years and has also been an official at the semi-pro level. Football After playing briefly in college,

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Girls cross country Molly Barnhart has been a track and field coach at CV for the past five years. She has also been a long-term substitute instructor at Gonzaga Prep and was an assistant coach for girls basketball this past season. Boys cross country When he ran at Mead High, Kieran Mahoney learned how to build a powerhouse cross country program from legendary coach Pat Tyson. It didn’t take long for Mahoney to lead the Bears to the 4A state crown; that happened in 2012. Robust participation and unwavering commitment defined the program. In October 2017, in the middle of a season with one of his best teams, Mahoney suffered the loss of his mother, Patricia, after she was hit by an impaired driver. In June 2018, shortly after resigning from CV, Mahoney broke his pelvis while biking. Now, the challenge of growing a new program into a title contender has brought him back. Volleyball Whitney Abell spent nearly a decade coaching with the NBC Volleyball Camp. She also coached on the middle school, high school and club levels on the westside of the state before returning to Spokane where she taught and coached at her alma mater, North Central High. She has earned two Coach of the Year awards in the GSL and been an assistant for the Renovators Volleyball Club. Girls basketball A native of Pasco, Clyde Woods brings a resume that includes experience as an AAU coach, assistant at Rogers High for the boys program, head coach for boys and girls teams at Garry Middle

School in Spokane and rebuilding the girls program at Othello High as head coach. For the last five years, he has been an assistant at Gonzaga Prep. Boys basketball Freddie Rehkow makes the transition from girls basketball to boys hoops after establishing CV as one of the top programs in the nation. Following a tenure as head coach at East Valley, the former Bears’ assistant led his teams to 209 wins in 11 years, including an 83-1 record in his final three years. That span featured two state 4A titles and the championship trophy at GEICO Nationals in 2018. Wrestling After high school, Brice Gretch made the transition from Montana to wrestle at Wartburg College, a Division 3 school in Iowa. He stayed in the Hawkeye State to coach at several smaller schools before moving to Spokane in 2017. He has served as an assistant at CV for the past four years. Baseball Jeramie Maupin has spent the last four seasons leading the Bears on the diamond. He served as the junior varsity/assistant coach for the three preceding years. Maupin’s other coaching stops include Mainland High in Daytona Beach, Florida and Heritage High in Vancouver, Washington. Fastpitch softball

softball/slowpitch

Alyssa Rasmussen hails from Southern California where she played fastpitch softball for nationally prominent programs like Mission Viejo High and So Cal Athletics. She earned a scholarship to the University of Georgia where she lettered for four years. After college, she coached a variety of sports in California and Washington. Girls tennis A native of Liberty Lake, Russ Tarmann coached freshman football at CV for seven years. He served as the girls tennis assistant coach for three years and was the head coach last season.

LIBRARY

The Current

Online Book Club sees vibrant discussion, upcoming author visit By Gwendolyn Haley, librarian Spokane County Library District

Spokane County residents have been reading in 2021! Over 600 people have joined the SCLD Online Book Club since it began in January, reading and participating in vibrant discussion about the books in online forums. You can join at no cost and learn more about the online book club at www.scld.org/online-club. So far, we’ve delved into true crime with “I’ll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman’s Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer,” written by Michelle McNamara, and historical fiction set in the post-Civil War era

Add library virtual events to your summer to-do list By Erin Dodge Current Guest Correspondent

This month and through the rest of the summer, you’ll find library programs for just about anyone. Families can take home activities to craft, kids can explore “Summer Camp Read-a-Rama,” and adults can guard against identity theft by shredding personal, financial documents on “Free Shred Day.” You can sign up for all online library programs and takehome activity kits at www.scld.org/ events. Parents and caregivers for toddlers, preschoolers, kindergartners kick off July with live “Online Storytime” on Thursdays at 6:30pm and Fridays at 9:30am. Hear great stories and sing songs with some of your favorite librarians every week through August. Each storytime requires registration. “Book-Talk Teasers” for teens is where you can find out what everyone else is reading this summer and listen to some chapters from great books. Sign up to share your favorite summer reads with other teens on Wednesday, July 7, at 1pm. Explore “Extreme Science with Radical Rick” with on-demand videos that show you cool projects you can make, geared for kids in grades K–5 and older. “Let’s Make Cartesian Divers” starts July 5, “Let’s Make Robobugs” starts July 19, “Tumble Toys” starts

with Paulette Jiles’s novel “News of the World.” For the current book selection, readers voted for “The Alice Network,” by Kate Quinn, a fictional account of a female spy recruited to the real-life Alice Network in France during World War I and an unconventional American socialite searching for her cousin in 1947. It’s a gripping story of spies, courage, and daring and is one of NPR’s Great Reads of 2017. Speaking of NPR, starting on August 5, the online book club is reading “Susan, Linda, Nina, and Cokie: The Extraordinary Story of the Founding Mothers of NPR,” by Lisa Napoli. This nonfiction book focuses on news media history in the years after the Civil Rights Act of 1964 when women in the workplace still found themselves stuck in jobs considered “women’s work” or blocked entirely from jobs in specific fields. This was especially true in August 2, and “Wobblebots, New & Improved!” starts August 16. Each video is available for two weeks. Experience a theater troupe in your living room with the on-demand program “Traveling Lantern Theatre: Legends & Myths from Mount Olympus.” Whimsical and daring adventures await you from this ancient civilization by the sea, July 11–18. Mythology and Percy Jackson fans won’t want to miss “Trivia: The Rick Riordan Mythology Universe” for all ages on Friday, July 16, at 6:30pm. It’s barbeque season! Spice up your backyard feasts by signing up for “Spices for Grilling,” presented by Elz Tastes and Tea Market, on Wednesday, July 14, at 7pm. Small samples of each spice described in the program will be available for in-library and curbside pickup for

JULY 2021 • 19

the news business, until pioneering nonprofit National Public Radio came along in the 1970s and four remarkable women changed the news media landscape forever. We’re kicking off this book club selection with author Lisa Napoli in a virtual visit on Thursday, August 5, at 6:30pm, presented with media partner Spokane Public Radio.

SPECIAL PRESENTATION BY AUTHOR

Lisa Napoli

In this program titled, “The 24Hour News Cycle & How It Created a World of News Junkies,” Napoli will talk about “Susan, Linda, Nina, and Cokie” as well as her book “Up All Night: Ted Turner, CNN, and the Birth of the 24-Hour News Cycle.” Discover how these key figures were instrumental in changing daily news for Americans. This is sure to be a fascinating discussion with the author that you won’t want to miss. You can register for this event at www.scld.org/ napoli-event. registered participants. This one is sure to fill up fast! Check out “Jeff Evans: Amazing Virtual Magic Show” on Monday, July 26, at 11am. Budding magicians can then practice tricks August 1-31 with the on-demand program “Jeff Evans: How to Do Paper Magic Tricks.” Magician Jeff Evans shows you how to perform 10 amazing paper magic tricks using only printed paper, scissors, and glue. Other programs in July and August include “SCORE Workshop: Security Strategies for Small Business,” “Medicare 101,” “Picture Book Chat,” “Learn to Tie Dye,” “Expanded Food & Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP),” “Nailed It! Cupcake Edition,” “Doodle Journaling,” and “Tween Harry Potter Camp.” Get full descriptions and sign up at www.scld.org/events.

The 24-Hour News Cycle & How It Created a World of News Junkies Presented with Media Partner Spokane Public Radio DISCOVER The extraordinary story of the founding mothers of NPR The inside story of the upstart CNN & the dawn of 24-hour news cycle ONLINE EVENT Thursday, August 5, 6:30–7:30pm

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• JULY 2021

The Current

Alliana Golden

Adams Elementary

Melaina Morris

Bowdish Middle School

Diana Morzhakova CVVL Middle School

Lauren Jackson

Evergreen Middle School

Kate Northcutt

Liberty Lake Elementary

Jaret Maland

McDonald Elementary

2021

PACE AW ARD HONOREES!

Congratulations!

Join us in celebra ng these students in our community who were selected by their schools for showing outstanding character throughout the year. Congratula ons to this year’s honorees and their families and thank you for “Bringing Character to Light.”

Learn more at:

Allison Carpinteyro Broadway Elementary

Dominic Talcott Central Valley High School

Logan Kossuth

Chester Elementary

Henry Ditto

Pixel Stephens

Greenacres Elementary

Mica Peak High School

Reagan Rothley

Jason Anderson

Greenacres Middle School

Kailee Alteneder

Horizon Middle School

North Pines Middle School

Atta Erickson

Opportunity Elementary

pacecommunity.org

#paceawards2021

Chloe Wigen

CVVL Elementary

Kevin Lamanna

Liberty Creek Elementary

Haley Moore

Ponderosa Elementary

JULY 2021 • 21

The Current

Amber Anderson

Boaz Godfrey Summit School

East Valley High School

Sophia Gum

Hayden Anderson

Peyton Miller

Joey Williams

Jerry Koontz

Progress Elementary

Riverbend Elementary

Brenna Abrahamsen Selkirk Middle School

Mason Belgarde

South Pines Elementary

Chloe Moore

STEM Academy at Spokane Valley Tech

University Elementary

Josie Krum

East Valley Middle School

East Valley Parent Partnership

Zoey Murphy

University High School

Otis Orchards Elementary

Ophelia Bloom

Mialyn Omeasoo

Continuous Curriculum School

Owen Wheeler

East Farms STEAM Magnet

J.R. Depell

William Powell

Centennial Middle School

Seth Woodard Elementary

Gracie Jensen

Lily Russert

Trinity Cobbs

Freeman High School

McKenna Finley

Dishman Hills High School

Cal Duris

Freeman Middle School

Millwood Kindergarten Center

Benson Side

Madison Juhnke

Cale Haeg

Khloe Erickson

Pioneer School

Trent Elementary

Tekoa Elementary

Mae Miller

Trista Bogenreif

Trentwood Elementary

Riley A. Hayes

Freeman Elementary

Tekoa High School

Ness Elementary

Orchard Center Elementary

Rylan Windhorst

Pasadena Park Elementary

Spokane Valley High School

Sorrel Stewart

West Valley City School

Trentin Hobbs

West Valley High School

Congratulations!

Lucas Sizov

Spokane Valley Learning Academy

Sunrise Elementary

Jesse Stevens

• JULY 2021

The Current GREATER SPOKANE VALLEY

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Current contributor

With 2020 behind them, the HUB Sports Center is enjoying more normalcy and is excited to be able to offer youth and the community the opportunities they missed due to the pandemic restrictions. “In 2020, the HUB Sports Center was fully open for 75 days, partially open for 165 YO U LO VE days and closed for 125 days,” states Executive Director, Phil Champlain who has been with the HUB Sports Center since 2009. With three full-time and eight part-time staff, the 66,760 square foot facility located in Liberty Lake, WA., has something for everybody. From birthday parties to sports camps to recreational play, you are sure to find something that piques your interest.

YOU DE SER VE obituaries, letters to the editor Announcements, and story ideas are encouraged. Submit them in writing to publisher@valleycurrent.com. Submissions should be received by the 15th of the month for Liberty Lake, Post Coeur best chance of publication in theFalls following & month’s Current. Subscriptions

GREATER SPOKANE VALLEY

By Tie Lemerond

community

Liberty Lake, WA 99019 YOU WA NT

HUB Sports Center rebounds from covid with a summer line-up

Correction policy The Current strives for accuracy in all content. Errors should be reported immediately to 242-7752 or by email to editor@valleycurrent.com. Confirmed factual errors will be corrected on this page in the issue following their discovery. Advertising information Display ad copy and camera-ready ads are due by 5 p.m. on the 15th of the month for the following month’s issue. Call 242-7752 for more information. Advertising integrity Inaccurate or deceptive advertising is never knowingly accepted. Complaints about advertisers should be made in writing to the Better Business Bureau and to advertise@valleycurrent.com. The Current is not responsible for the content of or claims made in ads. Copyright © 2020 All rights reserved. All contents of The Current may not be reproduced without written permission of the publisher.

Pickleball

Over the past few decades, Pickleball has been gaining popularity and the HUB sees it fair d’Alene. share of players. At times, you can expect to see 5-6 courts of action taking place. Interested players should know that you do not have to wear a mask when playing, or if you have been fully vaccinated. Sign up in advance for court time at http://www.hubsportscenter.org/ pickleball or in person at the HUB. Pickleball is offered: Tuesday & Thursday from 10:0012:00pm Monday-Thursday 3:00pm

from

1:00-

Monday & Wednesday from 6:00-9:00pm (June 7-September) Fit for YOUR Life Exercise Classes: These classes meet twice weekly. HUB Batting Zone The HUB has one 40’ cage and two 20’ cages. There are two configuration options for your team or individual softball/baseball training. Sign up to reserve your

ON THAT NOTE

The Current

time by calling or visiting their website. Sports Camps The HUB offers multiple sports camps throughout the summer including, but not limited to: • Nigel Williams-Goss Basketball Skills Camp: Youth Skills Camp for boys and girls ages 7-15. There is a $275 registration fee and the deadline for registration is July 24th. Do not wait, this skills camp sold out in the previous three years. https://hub.configio.com/ pd/1082/nigel-williams-goss-skillscamp-2021 Camp Includes • Direct Training with Nigel Williams-Goss •

Form Shooting

•

Shooting Drills

•

Perimeter and Post Defense

•

Pick in Roll Reads

•

Ball Handling

JULY 2021 • 23

• Signature Offensive Move Training •

Conditioning Training

•

Passing Drills

• Team Offensive Defensive Training

and

• Live 1 on 1, and 5 on 5 Competition Pat Powers Volleyball Camp: This camp will be held on Saturday & Sunday, August 14-15th. Players are sure to learn a great deal about volleyball during this two-day camp. Register soon! This camp sold out early last year and there are not many slots left. www.Vbclinics.com Police Activities League This fun, hands-on event provides opportunities for youth to interact with local law enforcement in a positive activity and help to establish respect and understanding. The Police Activities League is a partnership between HUB Sports Center, Spokane Valley Police Department, Liberty Lake

Contributed Photo The HUB Sports Center pivoted to outdoor movie nights during the pandemic, which were so popular they are bringing them back for the summer even though they have reopened. Police Department, Central Valley, West Valley and East Valley School Districts. Participating youth need to be pre-registered before attending. Students are placed in groups will rotate through various sport stations as well as a Science-TechnologyEngineering-Mathematics (STEM) station. Pre-register at http:// hubsportscenter.org/pal Karate and Taekwondo The HUB has one karate and one martial arts instructor. Students ages 6 thru adult can pre-register for monthly classes. Birthday Party Packages The HUB offers two birthday party packages. Each package includes up to 15 guests and more guests can be added for an additional charge. Party hosts are provided to organize games and keep your guests moving. Your kids are sure to have a wonderful time! A two-week notice is recommended. Liberty Lake Throw Down Community Cornhole Tournament August 28th from 11am – 8pm. This event will be held offsite at Orchard Park. There will be a professional/competitive division, a social division, and a youth division. Sand Bagger Division – This competitive division requires teams to bring their own bags and offers a Grand Prize of $1000 to the Winning Team.

Contributed Photo From basketball to pickleball, HUB Sports Center is the home for many sporting events.

Social Division – The grand prize is $300 for the Winning Team in this division. Mini Bagger Social Division – For kids 13 and under. The grand prize is $50 for the Winning Team.

There will be something for everyone: Music, beer garden, food trucks, and other events. Pre-registration is required for the tournament. https://www. hubsportscenter.org/throw-down/ Drive-In Movies Are you looking for a throwback experience? Well look no further. The HUB is hosting a series of outdoor drive-in movies throughout the summer. For only $20 per carload, your family can enjoy movies on a 50ft screen. Sound is broadcasted through FM stereo. You have the option of listening from your car radio or you can bring a portable radio if you choose to sit in lawn chairs or on a blanket outside of your vehicle. You can also bring your own snacks or purchase from the food truck on site. This is a family event and alcohol is NOT allowed. Movies are scheduled through October. For a list of movies and movie times, visit the HUB Sports Center website. Executive Director, Phil Champlain, closed with this message to the community, “Our purpose is to provide events that have a positive impact on the youth and the community. We are looking forward to doing this more as we get back to a more normal routine. We have missed everybody and missed being able to provide these opportunities. We are looking forward to servicing the community and youth once again.” The HUB Sports Center is located at 19619 E. Cataldo in Liberty Lake. To view more information on any of these programs, events, or for the full list of offerings, go to https:// www.hubsportscenter.org

• JULY 2021

The Current

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