If an Inland Northwest version of Mt. Rushmore is ever carved into the side of Mt. Spokane honoring local journalism legends, Mike Vlahovich has secured a slot.
Vlahovich’s roots in regional media trace back to 1948 when he was 4 years old and his father, John Vlahovich Sr., purchased the Valley Herald. The middle of three sons, Vlahovich grew up around the printing press, stacking copies of the Herald and inserting ad flyers into each issue.
It was an era of pre-computer print journalism still defined by the industrial heart of each publication –the linoptype, a hand-set typesetting machine responsible for the letters and words on each page.
“Everybody worked together,” Vlahovich said of his formative years spent alongside his brothers and dad at the Herald office. “The newspaper was the hub back then. It’s where everyone got their information.”
From an early age, Vlahovich began following sports – both local and national – by scouring the newspaper for the latest news and scores. He followed his future alma mater, Washington State University, as well a pro teams like the Green Bay Packers, Boston Celtics and Brooklyn (later Los Angeles) Dodgers.
“From the time I could read, I kept up on football, basketball, baseball and later track and field in the sports pages,” Vlahovich said.
One of Vlahovich’s earliest sports memories dates back to 1954 and the World Series pitting the New York Giants against the Cleveland Indians. That September, Vlahovich was a fifth-grader at Opportunity Elementary watching a grainy, black-and-white TV when Giants’
centerfielder Willie Mays made a sprinting over-the-shoulder catch still regarded as one of the greatest plays in baseball history.
Vlahovich played sports as well as following them. Early in his youth baseball career, he realized that he had a better chance of carving out a career as a reporter than an athlete. At West Valley High School, he latched on with the basketball squad as manager. The head coach was Jud Heathcote, who would go on to success at Washington State, Montana and Michigan State where he led the Spartans to a national title in 1979.
Heathcote became a mentor to Vlahovich who transferred into the West Valley School District after his family moved from the Central Valley School District following his eighth-grade year. At West Valley High, Vlahovich ran track, served as senior class president and maintained a B average. When he graduated in 1962, Vlahovich packed his bags and headed south to Pullman, enrolling at Washington State.
At WSU, Vlahovich was recruited to write for the school paper, The Daily Evergreen. While the invitation seemingly came from out
of the blue, Vlahovich is convinced that an old friend from West Valley – who became assistant coach on the Washington State basketball team –had something to do with it.
“It had to be Jud,” Vlahovich said. “No one else there knew that I was a writer.”
After rising to Daily Evergreen sports editor and earning his degree in Journalism, Vlahovich was drafted into the U.S. Army. He served two years, including one year in Vietnam where he was assigned clerk duties in the country’s central highlands but still experienced several close calls.
“It was dangerous,” Vlahovich said. “Looking back on it, you could maybe say I was lucky.”
By 1968, he was back in Spokane Valley working for his dad at the Herald. He would emerge as the area’s sage of sports over a span of close to a quarter century before the Herald was sold in 1992.
Rick Sloan remembers being interviewed by Vlahovich as a standout quarterback at Central Valley High School in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Later, when Sloan was the head coach of the CV boys’ basketball program and assistant for football, Vlahovich was still there, reporter’s notebook in hand.
“Mike was just a good guy who cared about what he was doing,” Sloan said. “He was an old-school reporter who not only watched the game and wrote about it, he was uncanny about keeping meticulous stats throughout the game. He was unbelievable that way. Mike was always fair and balanced in his writing. He cared about the studentathlete and felt they deserved to be recognized.”
Vlahovich moved onto the Spokesman-Review in 1992 and was a fixture there for 18 years, mostly covering high school sports. Other assignments surfaced in his tenure, like interviewing Pete Carroll when he was head coach at USC and being called away from state wrestling in 1999 when an upstart squad from Gonzaga began pulling upsets
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during March Madness.
“It was all hands on deck,” Vlahovich recalls of the Zags’ Cinderella run that year.
Since 2010, Vlahovich has contributed to the Liberty Lake Splash and Greater Spokane Valley Current and stepped up to fill various assignments for the Spokesman. When a pair of legendary coaches – Herm Caviness (Ferris track and field) and John Owen (Central Valley and North Idaho College wrestling) passed away recently, Vlahovich got the call to write both retrospectives. After Sloan announced his retirement from coaching in 2018, he called the Spokesman with a request that Vlahovich do the write-up.
Vlahovich and his wife Tambra have been married for 42 years. They are proud parents of three grown kids – Jared, Linse and Brett – all graduates of University High School.
Q: Most of us would probably not recognize the Valley that you and your family moved to in 1948. What are some of the most significant changes you’ve seen in this area during the time you’ve lived here?
A: In the late 1940s there was no Spokane Valley as such. Residents said that they lived and worked in Opportunity or Pasadena Park or Millwood, the only incorporated city, or Trentwood. But even as they expressed their individuality, people were quick to inform you that they lived in the Valley, not Spokane. Each was, more or less, selfcontained with its own post office, school, mom-and-pop stores. Small clusters of housing developments
dotted the Valley. A residential street would run a block or two or maybe four. Kids could ride their bikes along Sprague, Argonne or Broadway with no fear of traffic, even though there no sidewalks. Most of the streets were unpaved. Sprague Avenue was U.S. highway 10. I-90 did not yet exist.
Q: What kind of influence did your father have on you both from a personal and professional standpoint?
A: Dad was early to rise and gone again after dinner, either writing a story on the linotype machinery at the office, selling advertisements or attending a meeting with other leaders in a community that was becoming less agrarian and more cosmopolitan, or he was reading about the latest advances in print technology. People often came to him for advice. The name stood out. There was only one Vlahovich in Spokane.
Q: During its heyday, just how popular was the Valley Herald?
A: The Valley Herald was incredibly successful. Leave the world’s problems to the daily papers. People wanted to know about their neighbors in the community. We had correspondents in Dishman, Millwood, Otis Orchards, Greenacres et al. It seemed like everyone took the paper because the area was small enough that “everybody knew your name.” Then you had the sports rivalries. Every school accused us of favoring the others.
Q: You’ve seen a lot of changes in journalism over the 50-plus years you’ve been part of the industry. What do you think have been some of the most significant ones?
A: I’ve always believed that Watergate changed the way news
is presented and not entirely for the better. When The New York Times got wind of Richard Nixon’s chicanery instead of reporting the news and letting the reader decide, the print industry began looking for other scandals to uncover and has divided the country, particularly in politics.
Q: College athletes are now being paid through Name-Imageand-Likeness endorsements while compensation for professional athletes has reached astronomical levels. Is the realm of high school sports the last remaining sanctuary of amateur athletics?
A: Don’t get me started. I wrote a story in the Splash/Current that it would prove detrimental and people disagreed with me. I stand by my belief. When I was at WSU, the student body was literally “True to Your School.” You lived with an athlete for four years whether a classmate in a dorm or fraternity/ sorority. Win or lose you were loyal. Now it’s “one and done” or the transfer portal, Name-ImageLikeness. I admire Drew Timme for staying four years at Gonzaga and soaking up the college atmosphere. I did. Of course, I wasn’t an athlete. Heck, I was lucky to stay in school. Might not have if not for various sports classes.
Q: I’m sure you have a slew of memorable moments in all your years as a sportswriter, Do you have one highlight that stands out above any other?
A: The 1968 Olympics. I was about ready to leave Vietnam to end my stint in the Army. My brother Jerry and I corresponded and I got a wild hair that we should go. We had no tickets but there were plenty of scalpers. We settled into the seats above the medals podium and were right above the ceremony when
John Carlos and Tommie Smith raised their arms with gloved hands. The next day, we found seats a few rows above the long jump pit. Bob Beamon unleashed a mighty jump. Did my best to convert meters into feet and was stunned when it was over 29 feet. Never knew my math was correct until we got back home. Lastly, we found seats in the end zone for the high jump and were there to witness (Bob) Fosbury Flop.
Q: How do you think your life may have been different if Jud Heathcote had not been coaching and teaching at West Valley High School when you were a student there?
A: If Jud Heathcote hadn’t been in my life? I can’t imagine. I was a sophomore in a dominant freshman class. We qualified for state basketball my senior year. He told me I was one of the best basketball managers he’d ever had. We both ended up at Wazzu. He asked if I wanted to be the Cougars’ manager. I had already committed to be sports editor for the Daily Evergreen. Life takes you where you’re supposed to be.
Q: Finally, what has covering sports for so many decades taught you about the human condition?
A: Sitting under a basket, clipboard and camera in hand, I always believed the athletes deserved all the accolades they received. They are willing to put themselves out there in the public eye, risking embarrassment and failure. Some became leaders and future successes, some fell by the wayside. My one fear is that the club programs today are sending the wrong message to youngsters whose parents shell out money in the belief they’ll get a college sports scholarship rather than preparing them for the real world.
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.
Current news sources
1. Test carbon monoxide and smoke detectors
Hold the test button down until you hear a loud siren. If you don’t hear anything, replace the battery. We also recommend replacing your CO detectors and smoke alarms once every decade.
2. Update the outside
Inspect roofing
Look for leaks and missing, damaged, or loose shingles. Ice dams that formed over the winter can damage your roof and lead to expensive repairs down the road.
Test your garage door
Make sure the auto-reverse feature works by placing an object underneath the garage door. If the door doesn’t reverse when it encounters the obstacle, it requires too much force and should be repaired.
Check exterior damage
Look for leaves or vegetation and clear any debris to make sure water flows freely.
Get your air conditioning system serviced
This will ensure it’s working properly for the hot months to come.
Repair or replace damaged window screens
This will help protect your
home from outside bugs and critters. Add door and window sensors for a little extra security.
Clean road salt from entrances
This is important to avoid damaging concrete, asphalt, and wood. Road salt can also damage pets’ feet, so be sure to keep your walkway clear once the snow and ice is gone.
3. Fix up living areas
Clean the fireplace
This helps prevent soot accumulation, which could fuel a chimney fire. It’s also smart to make sure you have a fire extinguisher on hand to keep near your fireplace.
Check electrical outlets
Ensure they’re not overloaded to prevent an electrical shortage or power outage. Outlet safety covers are also a good step to take when babyproofing your home or keeping curious little fingers away from danger.
Check caulking
Fix caulking on weather stripping and windows to prevent drafts or water from getting in your home. Add a water leak detector under your sink or the hot water heater to prevent pooling and other water damage.
Change furnace filters
This will keep airflow unobstructed. If the furnace is clogged, it has to work harder, which will cause it to wear out faster.
Flush hot water heater
Remove sediment so your water heater keeps performing at its best. Sediment buildup makes it harder for the heater to heat the same amount of water.
Clean the washing machine and dryer
This helps remove odors and keeps the machines running smoothly.
This past month the Spokane Valley City Council adopted measures dealing with issues ranging from construction to stormwater discharge enforcement and closing city-owned property.
Construction
Spokane Valley is casting its net in search of some federal funding for upcoming road projects.
At the Feb. 21 study session, Council approved city staff’s request to apply for funding from the 2024 Congressionally Direct Spending request process. The city will apply for $3 million for each of the following projects:
Bigelow-Sullivan Corridor: Sullivan/Trent Interchange
South Barker Road Corridor
Argonne Bridge at I-90
Spokane Valley has already secured over $18.21 million funding in various amounts for each project, and would be required to provide a 13.5% non-federal match if awarded funding. Engineering Manager Adam Jackson said the city has been successful with receiving funding from this program in the past.
Also on Feb. 21, Council authorized staff to apply for a $10 million grant from the Federal Local Bridge Program for the Sullivan/ Trent Interchange. The program does not require a specific nonfederal match, and Jackson said the project “will compete well” for the funding.
At the Jan. 31 session, Council approved a funding application from the federal RAISE (Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity) Program for the Sullivan/Trent Interchange project. Spokane Valley will ask for just over $17.21 million of the project’s almost $42.63 million estimated cost.
Also at the Jan. 31 session, Council
approved a $349,760 contract to NA Degerstrom for reconstruction of the Mission Avenue bridge deck over Evergreen Road.
The project is $133,654 over the engineering estimate of $216,106.50 — over half of which is due to differences in actual cost and estimates of the polymer overlay for the bridge. The bid is within the project budget, however, due to a $433,248 grant from the Federal Highway Bridge Program.
Finally, Council adopted an agreement with Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR) regarding the crossing on Barker Road at Euclid Avenue, allowing the estimated $3 million corridor improvement project to continue while the two parties resolve a federal lawsuit. The city is required to execute an at-grade crossing agreement with UPRR as part of the project, but a 2021 agreement draft contained UPRR language requiring the city pay $8,670 per year for maintenance of the crossing signal.
The city objected, noting it does not pay for maintenance at other signal crossings. In 2022, the Utilities and Transportation Commissioned ruled for the city, but UPRR has appealed the ruling’s validity to federal court.
The agreement also states the city will pay for signal improvements and right of way purchase, increasing the project cost by $678,658.84 total; an amount anticipated and included in secured federal and state funding.
At the Feb. 7 meeting, council
approved two change orders for the Barker Road/BNSF grade separation project. One order for $12,897.11 involves costs for reviewing the contractor’s temporary erosion control plan while the other for $208,953 is for standby, rental and overhead costs associated with the delay with BNSF in reviewing bridge footing plans and work.
The changes bring the total project cost to over $13.29 million; $1,434,364 over the original bid of $11.637 million by Max J. Kuney Company in January 2021. The city has secured $26 million in funding for the project, but city engineer Gloria Mantz said that doesn’t mean there is $13 million left in funding.
Councilman Ben Wick noted there are two more grade-separation projects to be built, and wondered if future contract language could limit the number of change orders.
Council passed two ordinances at its Jan. 31 session. Ordinance 23-003 dealt with city-owned property not designated for public use.
The ordinance specified motor vehicles placed on these properties are subject to impoundment, deemed any non-park property acquired by the city closed and set up a $149 plus court costs, fees and assessments fine for any violation.
Ordinance 23-004, which amends Chapter 22.150 of the city’s code in order to install an implementation and enforcement program “to prevent, detect, trace and eliminate illicit connections and discharges”
into the city’s system, was adopted after Council moved for adoption on the first reading. The implementation and enforcement program is required by the city’s Phase II Municipal Stormwater (MS4) Permit and the Department of Ecology.
New language requires the city manage increased stormwater and surface water runoff from private property, along with language for management standards, review process, conditions of approval and deviations and appeals. It lists water discharges exempt from the prohibitions as well as prohibited non-stormwater discharges.
It also spells out water treatment requirements for swimming pools, hot tub, spas and other uses that control dust or wash down facilities. Language allows the city to enter private property for enforcement purposes, and if necessary, require third-party annual inspection of uses to ensure compliance with standards.
At the Feb. 7 meeting, Council adopted on first reading Ordinance 23-005 which revises Chapter 19.300 by providing criteria used in considering privately-initiated, sitespecific land use map amendments and zoning map amendments. A review of the chapter indicated a lack of criteria could allow more intense zoning and land use designations to intrude into less dense uses.
Coming up…
The following items are tentatively scheduled for upcoming meetings. Items can be deleted or added as needed.
March 7 — Action item on closing Flora Road between Trent and Garland; non-action reports from the Sports Commission, potential airport expansion and alternates being considered by the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee and discussion of a compost procurement ordinance.
March 14 — Consider a motion on a potential grant opportunity with the Spokane Regional Transportation Council’s call for projects, first reading compost procurement ordinance.
March 21 – Update on STA’s new strategic plan, compost procurement ordinance, consideration of a local access preservation services contract bid award.
March 28 – Meeting cancelled.
For the Spokane Valley City Council, the word “home” is a knife cutting two ways.
One way involves what to do to help city of Spokane Valley residents who are homeless through services and other steps.
The other deals with physical homes and a bill rapidly making its way through the Washington State Legislature that would change practices for single-family zoning that could virtually eliminate the concept.
Proposed by 22nd District Democrat Rep. Jessica Bateman, House Bill 1110 would change R-1 zoning by requiring cities increase their lot densities through more units per lot, referred to as “middle housing,” than the current single home. The bill is supported by social justice and environmental groups along with builders and Realtor organizations.
With a population of more than 75,000 residents, Spokane Valley would be required to allow at least four units per lot in R-1 zones, at least six units per lot within a half mile walking distance of a major transit stop or community amenity and at
six units per lot if at least two are affordable housing.
A substitute bill passed out of the Committee on Housing allows any type of middle housing — duplex, triplex, fourplex, townhouses, etc. — as part of the lot requirements. It also specifies the square footage of affordable units be equal to the average square footage of market-rate units on the lot.
Standards for middle housing must not be more restrictive than those for single-family, detached homes. The bill also puts requirements on off-street parking, which must be allowed and requires a maximum of 1-2 off-street parking spaces per unit.
Both city staff and councilmembers expressed concerns about HB1110. Planning Manager Chaz Bates said it would require big changes in the city’s municipal code housing sections that include removing portions of that chapter, permitted uses matrix changes and modifications to offstreet parking requirements. It would also require regulations for singlefamily housing that are currently exempt from shoreline regulations.
City Manager John Hohman said if the proposed bill passes it would undo almost 20 years of work the city has done in planning.
“This is not smart growth,” Councilman Tim Hattenburg said.
“This is a slap in the face to our staff and what we’ve been doing in the city of Spokane Valley.”
Councilman Ben Wick noted the bill specifies units per lot while Spokane Valley uses units per acre, asking what the difference is. Bates said she hasn’t been able to identify the difference.
Councilman Arne Woodard, who testified about the bill during committee in Olympia, said he is worried about impacts the proposed density increases will have on the city’s infrastructure — including utilities and emergency services. These infrastructures, including traffic entry and egress from some subdivisions, are based upon singlefamily density, and could need to be resized and replaced in some cases.
“This severely impacts Spokane Valley,” Councilwoman Brandi Peetz said, calling the proposal an “unfunded mandate” from the state.
According to the bill’s fiscal note, the state has estimated implementing the measures would require a budget of just over $1.9 million in the 2023-2025 biennium, and around $1.56 million –$1.57 million from 2025 – 2029. The money would be used to fund 5.6 full-time equivalent employees in the Department of Commerce, and a .1 FTE employee in the Environmental and Land Use Hearings Office who would technically assist cities with implementing changes.
The bill does include language whereby cities could delay or modify the requirements with alternate
criteria if they can show empirical evidence such changes are needed.
The substitute bill with amendments from public comment passed out of the Committee on Housing and was scheduled for an executive session in Appropriations on Feb. 23.
Considering a regional approach to homelessness
Spokane Valley has been working on its plan to address homelessness in the city, and was recently asked by the city of Spokane to join it and the Spokane County Commissioners on a work group that will come up with a regional approach to the issue. A volunteer group of three former city of Spokane officials is working to establish the work group consisting of elected officials and staff from each of the three municipalities to conduct a 90-day “due diligence” study of how such an agency might be created and organized.
The work group’s findings at the end of the 90 days would be presented to each entity for further discussion and consideration.
Originally presented at the Spokane Valley City Council’s Jan. 31 meeting, further discussion on joining in the process was pushed to the Feb. 7 meeting so staff could gather more information about what was being proposed, including a work group rollout announcement press release. At the Feb. 7 meeting, council still had reservations about what was being proposed and was to be said in the press release, noting that it should be about a regional rather than county approach and questioning the feasibility of proposed community forums and receiving and evaluating public comments within the 90-day period.
City staff forwarded the council’s comments to the volunteer group, who incorporated most of them into a revised press release, which the council reviewed at its Feb. 21 and was mostly pleased with the revision. A decision to join in the effort was postponed, however, until it was known whether the other two entities would take action on the joint statement.
The city is holding a public meeting to take input on its proposed Homeless Action Plan. The meeting takes place from 4 – 6 p.m. Wednesday, March 8, at Center Place Event Center, 2426 N. Discovery Place. Written comments on the plan are accepted through March 10 at erobison@spokanevalley. org.
There’s something to be said for persistence.
People who supported the creation of a new city in Spokane Valley tried and tried and tried again to get incorporation approved by voters, most notably with four failed tries in the 1990’s. The names and the boundaries of the proposed city changed over the years, until at last the incorporation effort was successful in 2002, though it squeaked through with 51 percent approval.
The city, which officially incorporated on March 31, 2003, will celebrate its 20th anniversary this year, prompting people to look back at the lengthy journey that preceded incorporation.
The city will host a free community celebration from 5 to 7 p.m. on March 31 at the CenterPlace Regional Event Center, with live music, hors d’oeuvres and a nohost bar. An official anniversary proclamation will be read at 6 p.m. and a historical presentation from Jayne Singleton, director of the Spokane Valley Heritage Museum, will begin at 6:30 p.m.
Additional events will be scheduled later in the year, including a mobile historical display that will visit local events. An updated schedule will be posted at www.spokanevalley. org/anniversary.
The lengthy debate over incorporation mostly focused on two things – local control and taxes. Opponents worried that creating a new city would cause taxes to go up, while supporters countered that taxes would not rise. Supporters also pushed the message that a new city would be able to take control over its affairs instead of relying on Spokane County to plow streets and do other tasks.
During one of the efforts in 1994, The Spokesman-Review published a special section dedicated to the incorporation effort. Supporters used their space to argue that taxes would go down, economic prosperity would increase and
law enforcement coverage would improve. “Local control always means better services,” they argued.
In that same special section, a group called Concerned Citizens for the Valley, argued the opposite. They argued that the city could impose a business and occupation tax and a utility tax, among others, that would increase the amounts residents were paying. They also worried about a negative impact on businesses.
“The possibility of the formation of another city in Spokane Valley will serve as a negative impact on the location of new businesses and, therefore, employment opportunities for Valley citizens.”
During one of the failed campaigns, supporters tried to make the point that Spokane Valley was a cash cow for Spokane County. In an effort to drive their point home, they procured a fiberglass cow and decorated it with dollar signs and other items, bringing it to various community events. Singleton said she recalls it being in a parade as well.
The cow has since been donated to the Heritage Museum, where it sits in a grassy area outside. “I can’t believe they took her on roller skates through the courthouse,” Singleton said.
Singleton, who then worked with the Greater Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce, became convinced about the benefits of incorporation after a presentation from supporters to the chamber’s board during the final incorporation effort. Those supporters included several who had been involved in other incorporation efforts around the state.
“These gentlemen were professionals,” she said. “They knew all the answers.”
The Chamber voted to support incorporation, which was seen by many as an important endorsement. Supporters commissioned various feasibility studies, including a financial study that showed that the new city would have an immediate
budget surplus, Singleton said. Armed with these facts, supporters campaigned hard.
“We did a lot of presentations,” Singleton said. “It was well organized.”
She said she believes the final incorporation attempt succeeded where others had failed because it was more professionally run and less of a grass-roots effort. “It was real serious,” she said. “At some point in the incorporation campaign I was thinking this was going to be a successful outcome.”
Attorney Cary Driskell was working for the law firm Trunkenbolz, Rohr and Driskell when he first got involved in the incorporation effort. One of his firm’s clients was a longtime incorporation supporter and asked Driskell to be their volunteer legal
counsel because of a threat of a lawsuit from the City of Spokane, which wanted to annex what was known as the Yardley district between Havana and Fancher. That area was included in the proposed boundaries of Spokane Valley.
Spokane did, in fact, sue, but the case was later withdrawn. Driskell became one of the cochairs of the incorporation effort. As a resident of the proposed new city, Driskell said he saw the low level of service provided by Spokane County. Even though the area looked and felt like a big city, they were given a level of service that might be expected in a rural area, Driskell said.
The work was not done after the incorporation effort squeaked out a victory. The city was to be a
city manager form of government, meaning that the manager would run the city while the city council elected one of their members to be a largely ceremonial mayor who would also run the city council meetings.
Then came months of transition committee meetings, where a lot of decisions needed to be made. Would the city contract with the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office for law enforcement services or would they create their own police department? Who would maintain the streets? What would the city’s development codes be?
Driskell served on the courts transition committee and volunteered to write the new city’s criminal code. “I found the work interesting,” he said.
Local attorney Howard Herman, an incorporation supporter, wrote a guest column in The Spokesman-Review on June 15, 2002 advocating that Spokane Valley become a contract city, providing few services itself while contracting others to do tasks like plowing snow and providing law enforcement.
“In my view, there’s nothing the city needs that it can’t buy off the shelf,” Herman wrote. “Trying to provide those services inhouse means starting a serious of bureaucracies. Bureaucracies start out innocently enough, but then they develop voracious appetites for money and personnel, after which they develop labor pains.”
A city council election was held in November 2002 and everyone wanted to be a part of the new city. Mike DeVleming, who would become Spokane Valley’s first mayor, recalls that 49 people filed to run for a city council seat. In addition to campaigning, he had to pay attention to the various transition committees.
“There were a lot of transition committees that a lot of us were trying to attend,” he said.
DeVleming said he wasn’t involved in any of the incorporation efforts, but he watched them closely. He thinks it was a belief that the City of Spokane was going to try to attempt to annex a lucrative business area centered on East Sprague that helped convince voters that the time was right to
incorporate.
“There was kind of a vibe that hey, this might pass this time,” he said.
Once it did pass, he decided to run for city council because he wanted a role in determining the direction of the new city, DeVleming said.
The first elected council members were DeVleming, Diana Wilhite, Steve Taylor, Gary Schimmels, Rich Munson, Mike Flanigan and Dick Denenny. “It was my first experience being an elected official,” DeVleming said. “It was a huge learning curve.”
By the time the city officially incorporated, Driskell was working as a public defender. He was soon hired to be the new city’s first staff attorney. He remained with the city until retiring earlier this year. During his 20 years with the city, Driskell helped shape everything from nuisance codes to development regulations.
“I’ve written probably around 50 percent, but contributed to the rest,” he said. “I think all of it I’ve been involved in.”
Though the incorporation effort was successful, for a few years there was an effort from some to get the city to disincorporate. “They didn’t get much traction,” Singleton said. If being a city was a bad thing, why are there so many cities?”
Dean Grafos, a real estate developer and businessman, was initially against incorporation. He wasn’t sure the city could be financially viable. “Initially I thought It was best that we stayed under the county,” he said.
Grafos was a vocal part of the disincorporation effort before he won a seat on the city council and then served as mayor. He said that he decided that if the city was going to stay incorporated, he wanted to make sure it was done right. “I felt it was in the interest of the taxpayers that we had regulations that were friendly to property owners,” he said.
Since incorporation Spokane Valley has had eight mayors. All but two served only a single twoyear term. Mike DeVleming, a
See 20th ANNIVERSARY, Page 13
The exceptional is the norm for Tina Ngo. The senior at East Valley High School maintains a 4.0 grade point average and is a member of the National Honor Society. Ngo is a Spokane Scholar nominee in English. She is captain of the EV Knowledge Bowl team and is also part of a History Bowl squad that qualified for state. Competing as a “Mathlete” Ngo was named Best in School. She has also participated in band and tennis and is currently enrolled in four AP classes. “It takes a lot of studying outside school,” Ngo says of her club involvement. “What I like best is the sense of community and working with other people toward a common goal.” Ngo has volunteered with Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center and Habitat for Humanity. She plans on studying applied math and chemistry in college.
In the land of the Knights, Devin Pierce has displayed uncommon valor. The junior at East Valley High School recently placed third at the state wrestling meet in the 170-pound weight class after going undefeated in the Greater Spokane League and finishing first in the district meet and second at regionals. He was co-captain of the wrestling squad and went undefeated at the prestigious River City Duals and took fifth at the Tri-State tournament. He qualified for the Mat Classic as a sophomore. Pierce is a two-year letterwinner in soccer where he is also a cocaptain. He was part of a Washington East club team that took third in league last year. He competed in cross country as a freshman and sophomore. In the classroom, Pierce maintains a 3.5 grade point average and is a member of National Honor Society.
Being a good neighbor is routine for Renee Norris. The longtime Spokane Valley resident works as a lead Rapid Rehousing Case manager for Catholic Charities of Eastern Washington, helping families transition from homelessness to permanent housing. She worked for Family Promise of Spokane, a nonprofit dedicated to ending family homelessness, for eight years prior to joining CCEW. Norris has served on the planning team for Homeless Connect since 2012 and is also part of the leadership team with the Greater Valley Support Network. She served on the board of Mission Community Outreach Center and volunteers in several roles with Spokane Valley United Methodist Church. Norris also volunteers with Breast Intentions, a nonprofit that provides bras for lowincome women. Renee and her husband Paul have been married for 36 years. They are proud parents of two grown daughters, Katee and Ali.
Continued from page 11
customer service manager, would become the first mayor. The city’s first deputy mayor was Diana Wilhite, who would become mayor after DeVleming stepped down. Her deputy mayor was Rich Munson, who was elected mayor after Wilhite served a single term. Munson died in 2011.
After Munson’s single term, newly elected councilman Tom Towey served two terms as mayor. He was followed by Dean Grafos and then Rod Higgins, who served two terms. Councilman Ben Wick was elected Mayor in 2020 and he was followed by the current mayor, Pam Hayley.
Each mayor has a unique view of the city. DeVleming remembers the lengthy council meetings and huge amounts of reading required to build a city from scratch. “I love reading and I wasn’t able to read anything for pleasure for a solid two to three years,” he said.
He said his employer, Vera Water and Power, was very accommodating to his new role, but he still worked full-time. “I had a lot of 5 a.m. breakfast meetings because that’s the only time they could get a hold of me,” he said.
He also had two young children at home. “My wife, Penny, she was both parents quite often.”
Still, he and his wife enjoyed being “itty-bitty celebrities” as the city’s first mayor and first lady. While it was a ton of work, the job was an “absolute blast,” DeVleming said.
He said he loved working on things that he knew were going to make a difference for people. He enjoyed launching programs and events that continue to this day, including the city’s Christmas tree lighting ceremony. He also enjoyed working with his fellow council members.
“We all, in the end, pretty much agreed on what we were doing,” he said.
DeVleming and his wife are both retired now, enjoying traveling together and spending time with grandchildren, but he said he plans to attend some of the city’s anniversary events. “I’m enjoying the retirement life,” he said.
Tom Towey, who worked as a manager at Rosauers for 32 years, was mayor for the entire four years he was on the council. His fellow council members elected him to be mayor 15 minutes into his first meeting. “I was probably the least
informed person on the council,” Towey said. “I was really, really brand new.”
He credits the city staff, particularly City Clerk Chris Bainbridge, for his success. “They’re the one who actually taught me how to be a mayor,” he said. “They were 110 percent behind me and the council.”
When he took office in 2009, a recession was underway and cities across the country were laying off staff and cutting programs. Towey said that thanks to city organizers, Spokane Valley was able to get by without painful budget cuts.
“Being a contract city, we didn’t have the financial obligation to support all the agencies,” he said. “We were very, very lucky that the first council had the foresight to vote for a contract city. We didn’t go through what the other cities went through.”
Towey said he enjoyed working with his fellow council members even though they didn’t all agree on every issue. “We really had a great council,” he said. “They rolled up their sleeves and went to work. A lot of times we had a heated discussion about the pros and cons of an issue, but we were able to work together.”
He counts his time as mayor
as a positive experience. “I really loved the challenge of the work,” he said. “I really had a positive experience as mayor.”
He’s spending his retirement years volunteering with various local groups, including the Spokane County Regional Animal Protection Service. “Sometimes it’s easier talking to dogs and cats than it is to people,” he said.
Grafos was elected mayor in 2014 after he had already served on the council for two years. Having that experience helped him when he took over the gavel, Grafos said. “You learn a lot of the procedures and if you’re going to get something done, the procedure to get things done,” he said.
He said he enjoyed getting out and talking to people and liked the job. “I kind of like being the mayor,” he said.
He said he believes he achieved his initial goal of making sure the city was heading in the right direction. “It’s wonderful,” he said. “I’m tickled that it came out the way it did. I hope we helped along the way.”
While he’s still working on a few real estate projects, Grafos said he’s mostly retired now and spending time traveling with his family.
Greater Spokane County Meals on Wheels is hoping the community will turn out for the March for Meals mall walk on March 3, one of the group’s biggest fundraisers.
Those who participate in the walk through the Spokane Valley Mall between 8 and 10 a.m. that Friday can earn trophies in categories like most laps, biggest group, most enthusiastic and best costume. There will also be door prizes, swag bags and challenges during the event.
Each lap through the mall is a bit less than half a mile. GWSMOW Executive Director Jeff Edwards said he’s grateful that the mall is allowing the group to use the space for free. “The Spokane Valley Mall has rolled out the red carpet for us,” he said.
The March for Meals has always been the group’s largest fundraiser in terms of the number of participants, regularly attracting between 150 and 200 people. “Prior to COVID, it was a pretty big event,” Edwards said. “There was a lot of participation.”
Participation has been down during the last couple of years, but Edwards said he hopes that the big crowd will be back this time. “This year we’re expecting a return to that bigger format,” he said.
Money raised during the event will go directly to providing meals to seniors in Spokane County, Edwards said. The organization receives about a third of its funding from the federal government through a partnership with Aging and Long Term Care of Eastern Washington and the rest comes from local governments, grants and private donations.
“Really, there’s no one funding
source that gets us to the finish line,” Edwards said. “It takes all of them.”
The organization provides homedelivered meals to seniors living all over Spokane County and also has a dozen group dining sites known as Silver Cafes. They served and/ or delivered 220,000 meals last year, Edwards said. “Rising food costs hit us pretty hard last year,” he said.
Despite those food costs that went $100,000 over budget, the difference was able to be made up with donations, Edwards said. The organization did not have to change its suggested donation of $5 per meal and plans to keep it the same this year. However, seniors are not turned away because of an inability to pay, Edwards said.
Greater Spokane County Meals on Wheels saw a 40 percent increase in seniors seeking meals in March and April 2020 as the pandemic hit, Edwards said. It has dipped slightly downward since then, but not significantly. “We’ve seen it go up and stay up,” he said. “A lot of them stayed on it.”
Organizations that assist seniors knew there was a new wave of seniors on the way, but COVID
accelerated that. “Even prior to COVID, we knew there was a demographic boom of seniors coming,” he said.
Edwards said his goal has always been to maintain services without having to resort to a waiting list. His organization has been able to avoid having a waiting list, but that hasn’t been the case in other locations. A few years ago Edwards tried to sign his parents up for Meals on Wheels where they lived in Memphis, Tennessee, only to find that there was a year-long waiting list.
“Hunger is a daily event,” he said. “You can’t wait six months. You can’t wait a year.”
Greater Spokane County Meals on Wheels is one of the community organizations to receive emergency funding during the pandemic, including money from the American Recovery Act. Edwards said he’s already planning for how to continue serving higher numbers of seniors once that money is gone. As always, his goal will be to maintain that service without a waiting list. “That money is going away in 2024,” he said.
Those higher numbers make
fundraisers like March for Meals all that more important. Registration is $20 per person, which includes a swag bag and a chance at prizes. Groups of five or more are $10 per person, as is youth registration. People can register the morning of the event or in advance online at https://gscmealsonwheels.org/ event/march-for-meals.
Those who can’t make it to the in-person event also have the opportunity to be virtual walkers. People can sign up on the website listed above to walk anytime during the month of March and either walk once or multiple times. Each mile walked means more chances to win prizes.
Virtual walkers can also register their dog to walk with them and receive a dog-themed swag bag for their furry pooch.
Edwards said that each meal the organization serves costs about $5 to produce, so a registration fee will pay for four meals. “Those local dollars stay local,” he said. “It takes community events like this. It’s just a way for the local community to come together or support the mission and pay for meals.”
By Craig Howard Splash Contributing Editor
As the only senior on the Valley Christian boys’ basketball team this season, Kaden Kenlein knew that the spotlight was his on Jan. 28 for a home contest against Chesterton Academy of Notre Dame.
While Kenlein shone on Senior Night with 19 points, he was happy to share the stage with his stepbrother Noah Burns who poured in 30 points in a narrow loss to the Panthers’ Northeast League 1B rival. The combined 50-point feat included Burns tying his older brother’s school record for most three-pointers in a game with eight.
“There’s nobody I’d rather have tie my record than Noah,” Kenlein said.
Due to often-smaller enrollment at 1B schools, teams are allowed to field eighth graders, meaning Burns could suit up and start for VC at 13. He led the Panthers in scoring this year at nearly 14 points a game.
Burns said having his older brother as a teammate was a key to his success.
“If I was having a bad game, he’d be there to pick me up,” he said. “Kaden was a real encouragement to me. He’s just a real good leader.”
While the brothers first suited up together last year in the West Valley Summer League, the backyard hoop at home previously hosted a slew of one-on-one battles between the two. Kenlein claims he is undefeated in the overall matchup but Burns has a different recollection.
“I think I’ve won one or two times,” he said.
At 6’1, Burns stands taller than
his older brother at 5’11 though Kenlein has the advantage in girth. Burns was the tallest player on the Panthers’ squad this season. VC ran a pass and cut offense that focused on Burns as the first scoring option.
“The dynamic was so cool,” said VC head coach Todd Gossett. “Kaden was always looking out for his brother. He completely deferred when he could have been the man at all times. He was the most spectacular teammate, just facilitating for everyone.”
After averaging 13 points a game last year, Kenlein put up just over eight points per contest this season but led the team in assists. In a game against Wilbur-Creston-Keller, Kenlein assisted on every point scored by the Panthers other than
converted free throws.
“I’m not a fan of selfish basketball,” Kenlein said. “We had a young team and honestly this was like a building block year. It wasn’t going to help if I shot the ball every time. I wanted to be an example.”
In a Jan. 7 matchup against Chesterton at the HUB Sports Center, the Panthers held a ninepoint lead in the second half only to lose the advantage but claw back to go up by one. After a Chesterton player missed a pair of free throws in the waning seconds, Kenlein grabbed the final rebound to secure a 43-42 win. Right before halftime, Burns sank a half-court three-point toss, one of three such shots he converted during the season.
“That’s the loudest I’ve ever heard it at the HUB,” said Gossett. “It was standing room only. I know that game is something Kaden and Noah will remember for a long time.”
In the stands that night was a proud mom – Jessica KenleinBurns – who works as a College and Career Guidance counselor at Valley Christian.
“It’s just been one of the greatest things,” she said. “It’s rare for siblings that far apart to be on the same team together. I knew Noah would handle the basketball part of it OK but there’s a lot more pressure at this level. Having his big brother there was a big help.”
While Burns excelled on the court this year, basketball is viewed as his second-best sport. He is a standout pitcher and outfielder who struck out 14 batters in a club league game for the Spokane Crew last season and hit .700 in fall ball. Because VC does not field a baseball team, he will likely join the roster at Ferris High School as a freshman.
Kenlein, meanwhile, is headed to Grove City College in Pennsylvania this fall where he will study entrepreneurship.
Gossett said the brothers set a high standard both on and off the court.
“These kids are phenomenal,” he said. “They thanked me after every practice and were always courteous and grateful. They were the first ones in the gym and the last ones to leave.”
While Burns is looking forward to next season and being part of roster with more experience, he said having his older brother as a teammate will always be a highlight of his days at VC.
“I would say this would be my favorite year, just playing with my brother,” he said.
Kenlein echoed the sentiment.
“It
The Rapid Rabbit Run is a fund raiser for East Valley High School's senior all knighter for the graduating class of 2023. Join us for a 5 mile road race or a 3 mile places only run. Help support East Valley High School’s Senior all Knighter, it is a fun and safe way for East Valley Seniors to celebrate graduation!
5 mile Run: Second seed Bloomsday qualifier
3 mile Run: Places only
TIME: 10:00 a.m.
PLACE: East Valley High School, 15711 E. Wellesley Spokane Valley, WA.
ENTRY FEE: $25 with shirt $20.00 without shirt
Run with a friend and save 10% by registering as a two person team!
Run with four or more friends and save 25% by registering as a team of four or more!
Register On Line: http://eastvalleyhs.wix.com/rapidrabbitrun
By Mary Ellen Braks, librarian Spokane County Library District
Reading to and with babies, toddlers, and preschoolers is beneficial for children and for their parents and caregivers.
During the early years in a child’s development, the brain develops most rapidly. Reading together builds vocabulary skills, reading comprehension, narrative skills, letter knowledge, and an enjoyment of books.
In addition, reading together encourages and establishes bonding between a child and adult, which also promotes healthy brain development. And yes, you can start reading to your newborn!
Spokane County Library District offers the 1000 Books Before Kindergarten program to help you keep track of your reading and see your progress over time.
This reading program is for children from birth to five years old. And while reading 1000 books may seem daunting, when you read one book a day together, you’ll have met
Spokane County Library District has added the online resource Kanopy to its Digital Library. With Kanopy, you can view hundreds of movies, documentaries, foreign films, classic cinema, independent films, and short films.
Kanopy is a digital streaming service that provides an ad-free experience on your TV, mobile devices, and tablets as well as online in your browser. Viewing with Kanopy is instantaneous with no rental or borrowing time limit imposed.
Kanopy is available for no charge
this reading goal in less than 3 years. You’ll also have helped your child and the children in your care build skills that will help them get ready for kindergarten and beyond.
What’s great about this program is that you can read any book. And each time you re-read a favorite book, it counts toward your total. It also counts if a sibling, grandparent, or teacher reads to your child.
To get started, sign up for the Beanstack reading tracker at http:// scld.beanstack.org, and then select the 1000 Books Before Kindergarten challenge.
In Beanstack, you’ll earn badges as you make your way toward 1000 books. You’ll also find badges available for other activities to try that encourage language development. Once you’ve completed the reading challenge, you’ll get a certificate that celebrates your achievement of reading 1000 books.
to in-district library card holders— those with library cards that have numbers starting with 209.
To start viewing films and movies, you create an account with Kanopy using your library card information. You can get started in your browser at https://scld.kanopy.com, or you can download one of the apps for TVs and devices at www.scld.org/ apps.
Kanopy is easy to use, much like other movie streaming services. Once you create an account, you can save titles to your watchlist so you can view movies later and easily find movies you’ve started watching to continue at a later time.
You can browse different categories and genres that include documentaries and films based on true stories; world cinema; comedies, dramas, romance, thrillers, and horror; Oscar winners and nominees;
If finding 1000 books to read seems overwhelming, the library has you covered.
Stop by your library to browse our shelves of picture books in the children’s section, or stop by the service desk to ask for recommendations. You can also browse online, and place holds on titles in our sizeable collection of picture books at www.scld.org/ catalog-picture-books.
Another option for finding pictures books is to have our staff choose books for you using our Book Butler service at www.scld.org/ book-butler. When you submit the Book Butler form, you can include information about the types of topics and stories your child prefers (and those that have not been enjoyed) to get selections tailored to your child.
I wish you joyful adventures as you head on this reading journey with your little ones.
family friendly movies and much more!
Titles are continuously being added. For example, in the “Newly Added Documentaries” category, you can watch “Daring Women Doctors: Physicians in the 19th Century” and “Lady You Shot Me: Life And Death Of Sam Cooke.”
The “Oscar Winners and Nominees” category includes classics such as “Howard’s End” and “On Golden Pond” as well as more recent films such as “A Man Called Ove” and “Corpus Christi” and short films including “Skin” and “The Crush.”
With Kanopy you can throw a watch party with friends, plan a date night at home, schedule a regular family film viewing, and access free movies over Wi-Fi and internet while on the go.
The library invites you to discover great cinema wherever you are!
Kanopy
Stream Popular Movies & Acclaimed Films to Explore a World of Cinema
Oscar winners & nominees
Documentaries & foreign films
Comedies & romance
Drama & thrillers
Family friendly movies & much more!
Free with your library card.
www.scld.org/kanopy
www.scld.org
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Thirty-seven days into the current 120-day legislative session, elected officials from the 4th Legislative District are cautiously optimistic some good things can get accomplished despite being in the minority party in both Washington State legislative chambers.
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All three members of the 4th District delegation — representatives Leonard Christian and Suzanne Schmidt along with Sen. Mike Padden, all Republicans — are united in support of several issues important to constituents locally and statewide. Key among the former is funding for the North Spokane Corridor Project, referred to as the “North-South Freeway.”
The $1.5 billion project, begun in 2001 and on time for completion in 2028, will connect Interstate 90 at the Thor/Freya interchange with U.S. highways 395 and 2 near Wandermere, thereby ease northsouth traffic on major arterials in Spokane. Washington Gov. Jay Inslee’s transportation budget, however, halts project funding for the next six years due to rising construction costs, decreasing revenues and transportation needs elsewhere.
Schmidt told a town hall audience at Argonne Library Feb. 11 the move could negatively impact several transportation projects in Spokane. At the same meeting, Christian reiterated the project’s importance to the region, and noted the 4th District delegation is united with 3rd District Democrats in keeping funding for the project to allow completion.
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In a Feb. 15 interview, Padden said Inslee has backed away a bit from his initial decision about funding. The third-term state senator noted the governor could order work on the project to stop, as
has happened elsewhere in the state, but has not done so.
“It’s (North-South) going ahead, and really it should be accelerated,” Padden said.
Another area of unification for the 4th is House Bill 1363, and its Senate companion SB5034, concerning vehicular pursuits by law enforcement. The measure alters legislation passed a couple years ago making police pursuits more difficult, first by lowering the threshold required for engaging in pursuits from the current “probable cause” to “reasonable suspicion.”
The bill also eliminates provisions limiting pursuits to situations for identifying or apprehending individuals and modifies requirements related to supervisory oversight and communication. HB1363 has bipartisan support, and received a first reading and public hearing in the Committee on Community Safety, Justice and Reentry. It was scheduled for executive session on Feb. 16.
“Crime is up in every nook of our state,” Schmidt said at the town hall. “We need this up.”
When it comes to other legislation, priorities differ. Schmidt and Christian are each the prime sponsors on four bills.
Christian spoke at the town hall about his bills, specifically HB1660 and HB1331. The former would set a minimum bid of $1,000 for seized recreational vehicles sold at auction while the latter would establish a tax exemption for eligible new construction at public use airports. Christian said a Canadian aviation company is very interested in locating to Spokane, and the HB1331 exemption on construction materials could help spur their move.
Schmidt drew the audience’s attention to HB1333, which would create the “Domestic Violence Extremism Commission” in the Office of the Attorney General. According to the bill summary, the 13-member commission — recommended by an AG report in 2022 — would last for two years and deliver a report on “specific steps to adopt and fund a public health-style and community-based framework for proactively responding to domestic violent extremism.”
Schmidt disputed the intention of the bill, noting the AG’s Office is very “partisan.”
“We want to stop this bill,” she said. “This task force bill is dangerous.”
As the Olympia veteran, Padden is prime sponsor on 16 Senate bills. Several are measures he has been working on for years, such as SB5032, which would extend the felony driving under the influence look-back from 10 to 15 years and create a drug offender sentencing alternative for driving under the influence.
The bill has bipartisan support, advancing out of the Law & Justice Committee and the Transportation Committee and is now with the Ways & Means Committee.
Padden is also prime sponsor for SB5096, a bipartisan measure that would provide technical support and tax credits to businesses “considering certain employee ownership structures.” Padden said the bill came out of discussions with the Greater Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce, and has passed out of the Business, Financial Services, Trade & Gaming Committee and is now at Ways & Means.
One area of seeming divergence was on housing — specifically HB1110, which would virtually eliminate single-family zoning by allowing increased lot densities. Cities with at least 75,000 residents would be required to allow at least four units per lot and at least six units per lot within a half-mile walking distance of a major transit stop or community amenity and six units per lot if at least two are affordable housing.
The bill was a topic of concern at the Spokane Valley City Council’s Feb. 7 study session, with City Manager John Hohman stating if passed, it would essentially “wipe out” all of the zoning work the city has done the past 20 years.
HB1110 didn’t come up at the town hall until near the end of the meeting and only after an audience question. Neither Schmidt or Christian spent much time addressing the measure, with Schmidt noting it removes local control and Christian adding there was some “tweaking” that could be done to the bill.
Padden said the bill was “a big issue,” and agreed zoning issues should remain in local control. He said the bill is “short-sighted” and
is disappointed with some groups who support the measure, such as the Building Industry Association of Washington, Association of Washington Business and Washington Realtors.
“In the long term, they (builders and Realtors) do not want Olympia making the decisions (about zoning),” Padden said.
He acknowledged the need for more housing in the state, particularly homeownership. To help with that, Padden pointed
to SB5058, a bill he is sponsoring with bipartisan support to exempt buildings with 12 or fewer units, and less than two stories, from the definition of multiunit residential building, and thus some of the requirements.
“It would make these units more affordable,” he added.
Legislators encourage the public to go to their websites under www.leg.wa.gov to learn how to send comments regarding specific legislation.
