Chuck Bowden will tell you he’s a small-town kid and coach’s son.
Growing up in Prosser, Washington, a close-knit farming town on the banks of the Yakima River, Bowden was always around the gym. His dad, Mel Bowden, is in the Washington State Coaches Hall of Fame for a career that included a state 1A boys’ basketball title in 1967 and 16 years at the helm of the program. The Prosser High fieldhouse is named in his honor.
So when Mel Bowden’s son interviewed for a coaching job with a “big school” like Central Valley in 1991, it was a crossover of worlds for someone who spent his playing days as David pitted against the Goliaths of Washington prep sports.
Bowden got the job and started that spring as throwing coach for boys’ track and field. It wasn’t long before a teaching position became available and then the head coaching position for track. Beginning in the spring of 1992, Bowden took over a program in a rebuilding phase.
After an inaugural season that included only one win and a tie for last in the Greater Spokane League, the surge upward began quickly under his guidance. Over the next 15 seasons, Bowden’s teams would place no lower than fifth in the league. Several runner-up finishes led up to the program’s first GSL title in 2007. More championships would follow in 2015, 2019 and 2021.
On the state stage, the Bears became a formidable presence. CV placed fourth among all 4A schools in 2007 and has won the combined state title, with ambulatory events, twice.
As for the transition from Prosser to the Land of the Giants, Bowden
discovered that CV – with its familycentric focus, strong community support and rich history – felt familiar.
“I told my mom once that I never thought I’d find a big school that felt like Prosser,” Bowden said. “Well, I did.”
Bowden has been a fixture at the campus on Sullivan Road for 33 years, leading the boys’ track program and spending time as an assistant for football and boys’ basketball along with serving as public address announcer for home football games. Former colleagues like Rick Sloan appreciate Bowden’s dedication to Bear Nation.
“Chuck bleeds CV blue,” said Sloan, longtime boys’ basketball head coach and assistant for football who is now retired. “He takes pride in everything he does, just the consummate professional. He never just goes through the motions. He’s an excellent coach and a highly
effective classroom teacher.”
Bowden learned early lessons about work ethic, character, and accountability from his father.
“I remember my dad’s status being one of great respect,” Bowden said. “He’s a man of high integrity.”
Bowden earned nine varsity letters at Prosser High in football, basketball and track while also playing baseball in the summer but his dad retired from coaching before his son suited up for the Mustangs. By the time Bowden graduated in 1985, he was a good enough basketball player to attract interest from Columbia Basin College in nearby Pasco.
Instead, Bowden enrolled at Eastern Washington University where head track coach, Jerry Martin, had seen him as an accomplished thrower in high school. Before long, Bowden was competing as an Eagle with an emphasis on the javelin.
As far as his career track went, Bowden was initially not keen on the idea of becoming a coach and teacher. An English class at Eastern in his sophomore year and a presentation by longtime Ferris High track coach Herm Caviness changed that.
“Those were both turning points,” Bowden recalls.
As Bowden was finishing his student teaching and wrapping up is degree in Social Science with a minor in English, he was pretty sure the road would lead back to the Yakima Valley. That was before learning about the part-time opening at CV.
Bowden and his wife Theresa, a nurse, have been married since 1994 and raised four kids as Bears. Their oldest, Erica, is now a teacher while their son, Parker, was on the track team at Eastern and won the Big Sky title in the 110-meter hurdles. He now competes professionally with an eye toward the next Olympic Trials. The Bowden’s twin daughters, Brianne and Noel, both participated in volleyball and track at CV. Brianne works as a teacher while Noel is an artist.
Always game for the next challenge, Bowden stepped up to coach boys’ cross country for the first time last fall. He began the season with only seven runners but finished with 16. As practiced kicked off this August, that number was closer to 30.
The buy-in is typical for Bowden whose focus on “team first” has included starting traditions like the entire track team gathering around the oval to cheer for the 4 x 400 relay team in the meet’s final event. It’s a family-like energy that feels a lot like what you’d find in a small town.
“I’ve realized that you don’t need 100 kids to run a program,” Bowden said. “No matter how old I get or how long I coach at CV or in the GSL, that small-town kid is always there.”
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your appreciation for the value of community and neighbors looking out for each other?
A: You can’t hide in a small town. So, if you have an issue, many will know about it. But you learn a way to communicate. Combine that reality with a closeness that comes from a small town and it provides a warm, supporting environment. My mom and dad were westside people but they found a home in Prosser. I still feel it to this day even though I’ve lived in Spokane for the past 33 years.
Q: You grew up around sports with your dad as a coach. What did high school athletics mean to a town like Prosser?
A: I remember being in town and people would comment on how I did a great job in the game. It wasn’t like you had fame, it was more like people shared in the joy that came from the sports experience that you were a part of. Games offered an opportunity for people to come together. In the first
six or seven years my dad coached basketball, Prosser was something like 106 – 21 and it was really fun, a special time as he would say. In years where you didn’t win, there were grumblings like you’d imagine in a small town but there was more support, a pulling together.
Q: What kind of influence did you see your dad have on the student-athletes he coached over the years?
A: When my dad was inducted into the Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame, over 40 people traveled to his induction. The guy organizing it commented that it was one of the largest turnouts he’d ever seen. The number of former players who go out of their way to keep in touch, or come to visit, it is very telling as to the impact he had. But it was managers, statisticians, students –his impact was not limited to just the athletes on his team. The respect people in the community have for him, the respect people in other towns have for him is very telling. I remember as a kid being in the mall in Yakima and he would stop and talk. Kids who played against him
would come up and connect.
Q: It sounds like you weren’t always set on a career as a teacher and coach. What eventually made the difference in deciding on that as a career track?
A: Because both my parents were teachers, I think I originally had the idea I was going to be different. I remember having an active mind when it came to business ideas. As an 18-year-old kid, you may think you know what you want to be when you grow up but the truth is that your journey will lead to where you belong. I found my way at EWU. By the time I decided to major in education, my eyes had been opened to the fact that I didn’t have to be my parents, I could be myself.
Q: What lessons did you learn as an athlete that have continued to have an impact on your life long after your competitive days were over?
A: My final year at EWU as a javelin thrower did not end as I wanted it. It’s a longer story to tell but it shaped me into the man I have become. I have drawn upon the lessons I learned at EWU, especially from Jerry Martin (my coach), lessons that have served as the foundation for who I am today.
Q: What was the adjustment like going from a “small school” in Prosser to coaching and teaching at a “big school” in Central Valley?
A: I had a job offer near my home before I had an offer at Central Valley. To be honest, I never thought I would be hired in a 3A school (there was no 4A classification at that time) so I had this sense of calm when it came to my interviews at CVHS. I remember driving home from the second interview by myself thinking, “I am proud of who I am so if they don’t hire me, I’m OK.” From my first day in the classroom at CV, it felt like a small-town school even with so many kids. It was a great time in the Valley and soon, we really began to have some success in the mid to late 1990s. It was a glorious time for me as a young coach! Great mentors, great colleagues, great kids!
Q: How are you similar to your dad when it comes to coaching? How are you different?
A: It would be interesting to hear someone make that comparison.
My dad never told me how I should be, he and my mom just gave me unconditional love and support. I remember them coming to watch a C-squad basketball game I was coaching. We were playing University. We won and the normal competitiveness of the rivalry had me fired up. I really got on my big guy that game. After, as were standing in the gym, my mom and dad came up. Dad loved being around CV people, so they were visiting and talking. At one point, my dad found the perfect moment away from everyone and pointed out I had gotten on our post pretty good. In a perfect manner I’m not sure I can explain, I remember him sharing with me that it was more important how I picked him up after getting on him rather than just thinking a win would do that. He was really good that way. It was huge advice that impacted me for the rest of that season. I’ve never thought of myself as a good coach, I’ve just been lost in the joy of coaching. But, that advice, like all his advice, impacted me. I think we share a positive view of people.
Q: The COVID-19 pandemic put a hold on high school sports for a significant period. How were you able to mentor and support studentathletes when practices and games were not happening?
A: We had a boys’ team that would have contended for a state 4A title, possibly the best team I’ve ever seen since being at CVHS. But it was how the sport just disappeared that was the most disheartening. So, my focus immediately turned to the kids who lost their senior season, the kids who were possibly no longer seeing an amazing sport of opportunity. If you do your job right as a coach, it is the daily interactions, not the games or meets, it’s the one-onone moments with athletes and the whole team moments where you can have the greatest impact. And this happens most of the time without realizing what impact you are having on people. Everyone will say they are in it for the kids, everyone. But kids know whether that is true or not, real or not. Covid made me realize I had to be there for people –athletes, kids, colleagues.
Q: As you start your 34th year at CV this fall, what do you consider the most rewarding part of your work?
A: Dr. Rick Rigsby said, “Ego is the anesthesia that deadens the pain of stupidity.” I’ve never seen myself as a great teacher or coach. I just love the idea that I can be better! My first year teaching, the legendary Sue Dar shared this advice. She said, “Mr. Bowden, just remember that a quarter of the kids will love you, a quarter of the kids will not like you, and all the rest will call you Mr. Bernard rather than Mr. Bowden.” It has proven to be very true. For as much as you might think you are known, most do not know you. It matters most what I am to the kids I directly teach and coach and interact
with. Rather than focusing on what I think I am, I just challenge myself to be better at what I do. As I start my 34th year as a coach, I am so thankful that I found education as a career and that I found the Spokane Valley. My life is richer because of it. The most rewarding part of my work is being able to watch young people grow up to become adults no one could predict, to find their way regardless, and for the many colleagues in the CVSD who have accepted me and taught with me or coached with me. My cup runneth over when it comes to the colleagues, and parents, that I’ve shared my journey with!
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 509-456-2233, if not in progress, to report a crime.
September is National Preparedness Month. This year’s theme is “Prepare to Protect. Preparing for disasters is protecting everyone you love.” To help you and your loved ones prepare for fall hazards, such as hurricanes, drought, wildfires and more, the National Weather Service (NWS) launched its Fall Safety Campaign on September 1.
1. Remain vigilant after extreme weather passes. The storm may be over, but dangers remain, so watch out for downed power lines and damaged buildings, and always avoid floodwaters.
2. Take simple actions to protect yourself and your loved ones. For example, if your community is impacted by a drought, try to conserve your household water use by turning off the water while brushing or taking shorter showers. Look to your local officials for additional guidance during a drought.
3. When encountering flooded roads or walkways, Turn Around, Don’t Drown. Half of flood fatalities occur in vehicles. Dangers can lurk below the surface of the water like erosion and potential collapse of the road surface.
4. Know the difference between a NWS Watch and Warning. For example, the graphic below describes a High Wind Watch (which means be prepared) and a High Wind Warning (which means take immediate action).
Always be sure to check your favorite weather app for the latest weather conditions and alerts before you head outside.
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While details about the organization and scope of the city of Spokane Valley’s homelessness program are still being worked out, funding for those details is beginning to take shape.
At its July 25 meeting, Spokane Valley’s City Council unanimously approved two measures that will help direct future funding towards homelessness — one providing a specific pot of money and another taking steps to ensure the city receives federal money it’s entitled to for such purposes.
Resolution 23-009 declares the city’s “intention and commitment” to start and operate a local homeless housing program. It also authorizes the City Manager to begin action on operating such a program while authorizing the creation and hiring of an additional accountant to manage program funding.
In signaling its intentions to operate a homeless housing program, state law allows the city to take control of a percentage of recording fees now collected by the county on its behalf for homeless housing and assistance surcharges under the Homeless Housing and Assistance Act — receiving a portion of those fees equal to 30% of what the city receives in its local portion of Real Estate Excise Tax (REET) monies. According to information provided to the council, those fees that could have been collected between 2019 — 2022 averaged just over $722,000. This range doesn’t include the $1.06 million collected in 2021, which is viewed as “an abnormally high year for collections.”
Substitute Senate Bill 5386 amended those fees, thus reducing the amount Spokane Valley could foreseeably collect by 11.3%. The new total estimated average annual revenue from recording fees that
would go towards the homeless housing program is now $640,000.
Per state law with regards to homeless housing, the city must set up a process defining how it wishes to operate its own program.
“This process would allow the city to then ultimately put forward and utilize the funds for those purposes that council wanted to in the operation of its homeless housing program,” Deputy City Manager Erik Lamb told the council.
Part of that process requires the city to set up a homeless housing task force. The task force is required to produce a five-year homeless housing plan describing how it will address the issue, which must be consistent with state law and goals regarding homeless housing, and may include locally established performance measures.
Some of the eligible activities covered in the plan are costs of developing affordable housing for homeless persons and services for formerly homeless individuals and families residing in transitional or permanent housing that are still at risk of homelessness. Also included are operating subsidies for transitional or permanent housing, services provided to help prevent homelessness, temporary services for those leaving state institutions and other state programs, outreach services and rental vouchers payable to landlords for persons who are homeless or below 30% of the median income or in immediate danger of becoming homeless.
Lamb said concurrent with this process would be city staff working with Spokane County officials on how to receive recording fees. These fees currently go towards a wide variety of purposes, most of which are under contracts with the county that run through the end of 2023.
The city doesn’t wish to assume responsibility for these contracts, and Lamb said they would work with county officials to allow them to complete the 2023 contractual requirements while setting up the city so it can begin receiving recording fees in 2024. It also gives the city more time to work establishing its homeless housing task force and for it to produce its five-year plan.
The resolution also calls for creation of a new full-time equivalent accounting position to administer the recording fee revenues for the program, something already discussed and proposed at the
council’s recent budget workshop. The position would cost $132,565 annually, with $64,000 (10%) reimbursable from recording fee revenue per state law. The rest would be paid out of the city’s general fund.
Also at the meeting, the council officially approved authorizing the City Manager to execute a cooperation agreement with the county to continue as part of the urban consortium receiving Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding from the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The agreement also enables the city to continue receiving Home Investment Partnership Program (HOME) and Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) program funds.
The proposed agreement includes new language establishing a city of Spokane Valley funding set-aside for receiving money from all three funds based upon its percentage of the county total population, less the city of Spokane’s population. That amount in 2023 is estimated at $780,597 after subtracting administrative costs, but is contingent upon the total amount received by the county from HUD.
Additional language gives the Spokane Valley City Council control over allocation of any of these funds towards “any regional homeless entity.” It prohibits the county from directing any city funds towards such an entity, requiring City Council agreement to use these funds for such an entity should the county decide to participate in a regional homeless plan.
A group of former city of Spokane officials have been meeting with representatives from local jurisdictions — including Spokane Valley — and homelessness service nonprofit organizations for the past three-plus months to come up with a regional plan addressing the issue. At a June 28 news conference, the group presented preliminary plans for reducing homelessness in the county by 40% over the next two years — a plan including establishment of a regional board to oversee application of existing resources and one that would rely on federal, state and local funding to support.
Spokane Valley has been working on its own plan addressing the issue of homelessness within its city limits for several years. Council members had expressed previous concerns those efforts could be thwarted by the county directing federal funding towards a regional homelessness entity.
By Ashley Humbird Current contributor
"Knights' Pride Runs Deep" is a favorite saying among the educators, administration, and students who attend the public schools that make up the East Valley School District.
The East Valley School District was officially founded in the early 1900s as a response to the growing population in the eastern part of Spokane County. Initially, the district consisted of a few one-room schoolhouses scattered across the rural area. As the region experienced suburbanization, the district's population grew, necessitating further infrastructure development.
As the East Valley community continues to grow, it is important to provide the students within the district the same opportunities
as those in neighboring districts.
Brian Talbott is in his second year of navigating the district as Superintendent. “When I first arrived here and saw all the infrastructure around us in regards to industry, I had in my mind that we were well connected with these businesses,” Brian recalls his initial thoughts about the goings-on in the
district. “It quickly became clear that we were not as established as I had assumed.”
Doug Edmonson joined the East Valley Administration Team as the CTE director to make those connections. A School Career and Technical Education (CTE) program is a specialized educational pathway offered within schools that focuses on providing students with practical skills and knowledge related to specific careers or industries. CTE programs are designed to prepare students for a variety of career opportunities, helping them develop relevant skills, gain hands-on experience, and acquire knowledge that can directly translate into the workforce.
There are many characteristics of a CTE program. How these apply to students in their daily school education can include working with tools, equipment, technology; helping students acquire skills that directly relate to their chosen career path.
Edmonson began his East Valley career on July 1st, 2022, and within his first year, he launched numerous programs that enrich the education of students not only at the high school level but also at the district's elementary and middle schools.
“Doug hit the ground running!” Superintendent Talbott shared
about Edmonson’s first year creating the new CTE program.
“I started working on how I can build this out starting at the elementary age, getting students and parents excited. Then on to the middle school and on to the high school.” Doug had previously been the CTE director in Mead School District where he worked primarily with 8th through 12th grade. The challenge for his role in East Valley was incorporating programs K-12, though the bulk of funding would only be allotted to the typical 8th through 12th.
He started by partnering with the Historic Flight Foundation to coordinate Flight Nights for the students in the East Valley district.
“Flight Nights are a chance for students to get excited about aviation. It’s an hour and a half opportunity for parents to let their students explore the planes at the Historic Flight Foundation. It’s a collaboration with the Historic Flight Foundation where there are $30 million worth of old planes that all fly. It’s a working museum!” Doug explains about getting students in the district excited about a career they might not have been previously exposed to.
Edmonson also coordinated multiple successful trades nights with over 150 different companies
in attendance to share their industry with students. Over seven hundred people were able to participate last year and learn about career options.
“One of the injustices that public-school education has done over the last couple of decades is we have almost exclusively told students that they must go to college to be successful. In essence, we have then vilified or minimized the importance of the trades, and though I think that college should be an option for every kid, so should the trades.” Talbott explains. His “Future Ready” slogan and the meaning behind it, “You don’t have to go to college to be successful or to have ‘arrived’. Bringing the program here allows us to show all the different options that are out there. That students are unlikely to be aware of.”
New CTE Programs heading into the start of the 2023 school year
Bill Close recently retired after 38 years of service with the East Valley district after helping keep the wood and metal shops alive, despite closures across the nation in recent years. Since the shops were still in use in the school, the East Valley CTE program was awarded a $200,000 grant to update their woodshop, metal shop, and other programs at the high school. They had 38 days to purchase the new equipment. Edmonson reached out to local youth to help bring the shops up to modern standards and help revamp the workstation flows.
The woodshop received a new drill press, new workbenches, new stools, new wood lathes, and a new bench planer. The metal shop received new welding bays, new air compressors, new vents, and new combination welders.
The district collaborated with AJAC (Advanced Manufacturing Apprenticeships) to establish apprenticeship programs for students. In exchange for using the recently upgraded metal shop to instruct an evening adult apprenticeship initiative, the students were granted apprenticeship opportunities. These opportunities are limited to 6-10 students based on successful application approval. Students will have the chance to participate in an after-school apprenticeship program. Upon finishing the two-year program, they will be positioned within a nearby manufacturing enterprise.
In the upcoming fall semester, a fresh course will be introduced as part of the recently launched Ground School initiative. Within this Ground School program, students will have the opportunity to enroll in classes that provide fundamental insights into aviation. The curriculum will incorporate drone-related courses tailored for 7th and 8th graders at the middle school level. However, specialized aviation courses will be accessible for students ranging from 9th to 12th grades. The inspiration for both the drone and aviation classes arose from the positive outcomes of flight nights conducted in the previous school year.
Explaining the significance of the Ground School, Brian enthusiastically discusses Doug's innovative project, describing it as a form of driver's education but for aviation. He emphasizes that pursuing such training privately would not only require students to arrange their transportation, but also bear personal expenses for the program. The creation of the Ground School introduces an alternative path and a unique exposure opportunity that students would not typically encounter.
East Valley School District has additionally introduced state-ofthe-art 3D printers and laser cutters that will be integrated with various shop programs. The aspiration
See KNIGHTS, Page 13
Currently, the East Valley School District holds the distinction of being the highest poverty district in Spokane County, which presents various challenges. In the autumn of 2022, the district successfully passed a capital levy through a vote. This levy, approved by the district's voters, aimed to address several key needs using taxpayer funds:
1. Replacement of the East Valley Middle School roof.
2. Repair or replacement of the Trentwood roof.
3. Addressing minor HVAC problems.
4 .Installation of digital reader boards at all schools in the area.
5. Implementation of enhanced security measures at necessary schools.
However, due to recent state legislation, the school district will not be able to collect the full amount of over thirteen million dollars that the voters initially approved. Instead, the district will collect around 10.8 million
dollars, resulting in approximately 2.4 million dollars in uncollected funds. This legislative change adjusted the permissible amount a district can collect from taxpayers based on the district's property valuation. While this change was successful for most of the 290+ districts in Washington state, it had adverse effects on East Valley School District. To adapt to this situation, the district has incorporated savings into its annual budget.
Despite grappling with a reduced budget, the district remains committed to allocating $40,000 for purchasing back-toschool supplies for all its students. Additionally, as part of a state program, every student within the district will be eligible for free breakfast and lunch throughout the entire school year.
Looking ahead, the East Valley School District is planning to propose an Educational Programs and Operations (EP&O) levy in early 2024. This levy, which will appear on the ballots in February 2024, is set to take effect from January 1, 2025. The primary purpose of this levy is to provide funding for school programs, staffing, services, supplies, and to supplement state and federal funding.
On the golf course, in the classroom and on the volleyball court, Spencer Cerenzia excels. The West Valley senior maintains a 4.0 grade point average and is in the running for Class of 2024 valedictorian. She has lettered twice in volleyball and is a co-captain this season as a right-side blocker. Cerenzia has been named to the All Greater Spokane League first team in golf the past three seasons. She placed eighth at the State 2A Golf Championships in the spring and was part of a second-place WV team trophy with her sister, Melia, a freshman, who finished second. Cerenzia won the 2023 Washington Junior Golf Association district title in the 16-18 bracket and captured third in the WJGA Idaho Championships. Her all-time best round is 72. She is also a volunteer at St. Luke Lutheran Church in Spokane.
Tony Belko calls running “a marker of self-discipline.” During his prep career to this point, the West Valley senior has achieved high marks. As a junior, he won the District 2A Cross Country Meet and placed third at regionals. At state, Belko ran to a 13th place finish. He holds a personal record of 16 minutes, 31 seconds in the 5K (3.1mile) distance and was named to the All Greater Spokane League first team in cross country last year. Belko qualified for state in the 3,200-meters last season and holds a P.R. of 9:41. His best in the 1,600 is 4:31. Belko said his dad has helped him develop a consistent work ethic. “He’s always motivating me to get to that next level.” Belko is a Running Start student at Spokane Community College and maintains a 3.83 grade point average.
If they ever build a version of Mt. Rushmore in Millwood, Dan Mork’s image will be part of the monument. In 1981, Mork became the youngest person elected to the Millwood City Council and went on to serve 24 years. Afterward, he completed eight years as mayor, guiding Millwood’s transition to becoming a non-charter code city in 2008. He was known as an effective communicator who strengthened connections with residents and businesses. “The key is listening to what people say,” Mork said. He led projects like the resurfacing of Argonne Road, re-establishing the Millwood Christmas Tree Lighting and massive donations of potatoes to Second Harvest Food Bank. Mork has worked with HollisterStier for 46 years and is an expert in allergy prevention. He and his wife Kathy are proud parents of two kids, Sara and Seth, and have six grandchildren.
Continued from page 11
is to eventually incorporate dedicated classes for imparting the foundational principles of advanced manufacturing technology.
PT Sports Medicine Class will join the array of classes accessible to students with the CTE program expansion. The instructor, who has served as the athletic trainer at East Valley High School for the past few years, will transition into a full-time role within the district to all students within this class to gain proficiency in injury assessment and contribute to injury mitigation on the field.
“If you want to go down a medical pathway, cool, but let’s talk about what that is and all the options that you have,” Edmonson shares. “We want to be able to show them all the areas.”
“I didn’t come here to be a savior. We needed to rally and unify the community. And the best way to rally and unify is around kids. It’s really hard to be against kids. The first year was really about looking, listening, learning as much as you can, and then starting to make systemic changes,” said Superintendant Talbott.
In addition to the new CTE program making its debut at the start of school on August 29, East Valley High School is welcoming a new principal, Ryan Arnold. Arnold excitedly comes to the East Valley district from having previously worked in the Mead and Nine Mile Falls districts. He is a Shadle Park High School graduate and Spokane native who attended Eastern Washington University. Arnold does not hesitate to share that schooling was not his “thing” as he struggled with a learning disability and went to college to just go and be with his friends, not really having a direction or career path. After returning as an alumni coach to Shadle Park, he realized that he enjoyed teaching and helping students learn and succeed. He returned to college and received his Masters in teaching. He proceeded to teach in the Mead district and begin his accreditation for an administration role.
“I fell in love with all things Ed. I knew this is where I wanted to be. Emphasizing the idea of belonging within Mead was something that hit my soul and heart. Something
that I want to bring here to East Valley is that sort of understanding that we all belong here and all our differences aren’t meant to scare anyone. Our differences need to be celebrated.” Arnold enthusiastically shares his about his new role as Principal of East Valley High School.
“What attracted me to East Valley is the fact that although we are bigger, we’re not big BIG, we have that small community feel that rallies behind each other and loves tradition. We see our students that are in this system go out and then come back. We have multi-generations of kids that have come through here. It’s because our Knight pride truly does run deep.”
The role of principal has now become a passion for Arnold and his desire to bring joy and community to the high school student body is infectious. He is excited to “‘Hit belonging.’ My quote that I tell kids all the time is that no one belongs here more than you. And I really want to create opportunities where kids feel like this is a safe space and a place where they belong.”
The new changes can be seen not only within the walls of East Valley High School, but also on the outside, easily visible from Sullivan. The 2,000 square foot mural was commissioned by the East Valley High School Booster Club and was painted over the summer by an East Valley alumnus. Ariel Sopu, who graduated fifteen years ago, returned to her teenage stomping grounds and created an inspiring design on a west-facing wall.
In large letters, the name Knights is surrounded with old English typography spelling out the school’s fight song.
Students who choose art as a career option are often jokingly referred to as “starving artists,” though in today’s world of graphic design and marketing, that phrase does not inspire laughs so much as it does naivety. Art comes in many different forms, from creating and painting a 2,000-foot mural to designing the next business advertisement; there are many avenues students can pursue.
That, in a nutshell, is the benefit of the new CTE program. It allows students to examine all the facets of a career path and helps pave the way for future generations of East Valley students.
Financial literacy for Retirement
A free educational workshop for a successful retirement
Wednesday, September 20th
Liberty Lake Library, 23123 E Mission Ave, Liberty Lake, WA 99019
5:30 pm to 7:30 pm
Light Food Provided
Subjects covered:
Social Security Election
How to get all you can.
Long Term Care, Medicare, Charitable contributions
Estate Planning
Wills, Trust, POA’s
How to navigate inflation in markets today
RSVP:
Guest
ContaCt
spokanelivingwater@gmail.com
By Nina Culver Splash Contributor
Student numbers are being checked daily in the Central Valley School District as administrators work to determine the number of teachers the district will need on the first day of school. Any teachers that might be added will come from the list of 58 teachers who did not have their contracts renewed last spring.
Districts work off of estimates as to whether their student enrollment will rise or fall each year. “We started this in January,” said Tim Nootenboom, associate superintendent of human resources.
Based on projected student enrollment and the loss of one-time federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER) dollars meant to help districts during the pandemic, the district knew it had to cut 96 certificated staff members. By law, districts had to notify teachers by May 15 if their contracts will not be renewed, well before the district passed its $232 million general fund budget in July.
After retirements and resignations were taken into account, 58 teachers were given letters of non-renewal.
Superintendent John Parker said it was the decision of the previous superintendent to use the one-time ESSER funding to pay for additional staff, knowing that the funding would not be renewed, and that he wasn’t going to second guess that decision. “We were trying to put money where the greatest needs were,” Parker said.
Generally speaking, districts try
to avoid using one-time funding to pay for ongoing costs, he said. “I’m unclear if there was an exit ramp,” he said.
“We invested a lot of that in staff,” said district spokeswoman Marla Nunberg of the ESSER funding. “It was not sustainable.”
Salaries account for 88 percent of the district’s general fund budget, leaving few other areas to cut funding in order to balance the budget.
In addition, the district appears to be growing more slowly than anticipated. Early estimates were that enrollment this fall would be up 400 students from last year, but now that number looks like it will be up around 175 students instead, Parker said. “It was a decrease from what we anticipated,” he said. “We are trying to do the best we can at estimating with this rapid growth we’ve been having.”
Over the summer there have been additional teacher resignations, allowing the district to call back eight teachers who were laid off. More can be called back if the number of students showing up for the first day of school is greater than anticipated, but the district is proceeding cautiously, Nootenboom said.
Emails have been sent out to parents seeking to confirm whether students will be attending Central Valley schools. “We do daily enrollment counts,” he said. “We’re not going to overcommit early.”
Parker said the district has put the laid off teachers on a list giving them priority for hiring for any vacant or new positions that might be added through August 2025. “We met with all of our individuals we had to nonrenew,” he said. “We tried to keep some on as core substitutes, where they are guaranteed to substitute daily.”
Parker said about 20 of those teachers have been made core substitutes and a few have been given long-term substitute positions. A long-term substitute is needed if a teacher goes on a leave of absence for any reason. Even if a teacher who was laid off takes a job with another district this year, they would still be a priority rehire next year, he said. “We’re trying to piece them together with the first opportunity,” he said.
Parents did raise concerns earlier this year that if certain teachers were laid off that entire programs, such as theater or music, might go away as well. In particular, the teacher who oversaw the theater and choir programs at Ridgeline High School was slated to be laid off and parents and students flooded a school board meeting in March to express their concerns about losing those programs.
Nunberg said that programs like theater and choir will not be lost. “All the major programs are still happening this year,” she said.
Parker said that though student enrollment might not grow as much as originally thought this year, he expects the district’s growth to continue since construction in Spokane Valley is booming. New apartment complexes, in particular, continue to be built at a rapid pace. “This is a destination place for a lot of families,” he said.
Central Valley is the state’s 27th largest school district and the goal is to be nimble enough to move and add staff as necessary as quickly as possible, Parker said. “When you have 29 schools, you really have to coordinate,” he said.
Nootenboom said it’s important for the district to maintain “right size staffing levels.” “We have a number of checks and balances in place to make sure any additions are either budgeted or have a revenue source,” he said.
The Spokane Valley City Council suspended its tworeading rule at its Aug. 22 meeting and unanimously approved an ordinance establishing a property condemnation process through eminent domain for the city’s proposed $40 million Pines Road / BNSF Grade Separation Project, slated to begin as early as spring 2024.
The approval is a precautionary measure taken in the advent negotiations to acquire property for the project’s right of way should breakdown and potentially delay the start of construction.
“This is just the next step if we can’t reach an agreement with property owners,” city engineering manager Erica Amsden told the council.
Seven properties have currently been acquired through the early right-of-way (ROW) acquisition process, including three donated by Avista. The final ROW phase involves partial acquisitions from 12 property owners involving 15 parcels, with the city finalizing agreements with six of these owners.
Two of these last six, Avista and BNSF (Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway) are considered “low risk” for acquiring. Four are considered “high risk:” Lawless, Lawless Farrow Investments, BBR Investments and BNM Investments. These four own seven parcels between them.
Amsden said staff continue to seek negotiations with these final property owners, and would utilize the eminent domain route only as a final resort should negotiations fail. Only the four high risk owners are considered to potentially require eminent domain procedures.
Under eminent domain, the
city must pay property owners “just compensation” for any property that is condemned. The process requires litigation through Spokane Superior Court.
Misty Staker, BNM Investments’ registered agent, expressed frustration to the council with the city’s negotiations. Staker said she found the process to be “very elementary,” noting documents often contain mistakes, questions are going unanswered by city staff and some of the facts being used are in error.
“I don’t think this should go through,” she said.
Councilman Arne Woodard agreed with Baker, but noted eminent domain, while distasteful, was essential for the public needs.
“To keep projects on schedule we sometimes have to do this,” he said. “I do not like the condemnation and eminent domain laws, but at times you have to do it to get everyone to the table and proceed with a public project that is of the utmost importance to the community.”
The City Council unanimously approved a Lodging Tax Grant agreement at its Aug. 8 meeting to award $2 million to Spokane County as part of the $23 million Avista Stadium renovation project, home of the Minor League High-A Spokane Indians.
According to news sources, Spokane County has agreed to spend up to $8 million on the project, provided the Indians can come up with a matching $8 million. Other funding includes state and potentially federal sources.
Spokane Valley’s share comes from the 1.3% portion of lodging taxes collected, and can only be used for specific purposes.
“This portion of the tax is restricted for use on capital costs of tourism venues,” city accountant and budget analyst Sarah Farr told the council.
The county originally asked for $3.25 million over three years. The city’s Lodging Tax Committee approved $2 million, leading to county Chief Executive Office Scott Simmons to request the entire
amount be made available in 2023.
The council approved his request, sending the proposal back to the Lodging Tax Committee for review and final recommendation. Council gave its final approval on the $2 million at its Jan. 31 meeting.
Councilman Arne Woodard said he was “proud” to have voted in the affirmative to support the renovation project. The need to upgrade the 65-year-old facility comes from Major League Baseball’s raising the standards for minor league ballparks in the country by 2025.
“One of the things that Spokane Indians Stadium, then Avista Stadium, has been is a kind of anchor for entertainment during the summer months for decades,” Woodard said, adding the organization has always been focused on creating sports opportunities for area youth.
Work includes $16.5 million in player improvements such as new locker rooms, training facilities and dugouts. Also being added are spectator amenities, including new field-level seats at the end of the dugouts along with a modernized video scoreboard.
With no questions or comments at its Aug. 8 meeting, the City Council suspended its ordinance reading rules and adopted amendments to its comprehensive plan document and map changing zoning designations allowing the addition of open parks space to the city’s inventory.
The changes involve four parcels of land in the city’s northern section bordered by North Forker Road, North Progress Road and North Bigelow Gulch Road to the northwest, east and northeast respectively and East Caprio Avenue and East Crown Avenue to the southwest. The amendment changes 19.45 acres of Single Family Residential and 4.41 acres of Neighborhood Commercial zoning to Parks/ Open Space zoning.
The state’s Growth Management Act (GMA) allows jurisdictions to make changes to their comprehensive plans and maps once a year. Spokane Valley’s process began in December, 2022, and included
meetings and approvals from its Planning Commission as well as City Council.
At their Aug. 29 meeting, City Council unanimously adopted a draft of the 2024 city budget goals. The goals place the highest priority on funding public safety, including not only maintaining and improving levels of service of law enforcement but also improving the criminal justice process.
Maintaining and improving transportation infrastructure and pavement preservation, actively supporting local businesses and industries to improve and grow economic development and increasing communications with Spokane Valley residents were also listed. City Manager John Hohman said city staff added homeless and housing goals since the council last addressed the document at the July 25 meeting.
The document will also contain fiscal policies used by the city to support its budget. Financial Director Chelsie Taylor said these management and objectives were typically included in the back of previous budgets, but would be moved to the front as a one-page explanation of the process.
“This is everything that the budget is accomplishing or trying to accomplish as we move forward through that year,” she added.
There was some discussion on one of the financial objectives — the Service Level Stabilization Fund, fund 121. The fund is meant as a reserve for use in the advent of an economic downturn making it difficult for the city to cover monthly expenses until other measures can be enacted to deal with the event.
The fund was originally set to a level equal to about 14% of the annual budget, roughly $5.5 million. Taylor said that figure represented about 8 – 9% of the current budget, and proposed raising the amount to $8 million to bring it back in line with the 14% goal.
Options for doing this will be presented at future council meetings. The final budget is scheduled to be adopted at the Nov. 21, 2023 council meeting.
By Craig Howard Current Contributing Editor
The world was a different place in 1958 – just ask graduates of Central Valley High School who earned their diplomas 65 years ago.
The U.S. launched its inaugural satellite that year while the first stereo recordings became available. Many were listening to songs like “At the Hop” by Danny and The Juniors, which topped the charts that January.
The average cost of an American home was $12,750 while a gallon of gas ran 31 cents. “The Donna Reed Show” was popular on black-andwhite televisions across the country while moviegoers flocked to films like “South Pacific.”
“It was a simpler time,” said Karen Toreson, one of 174 students in CV’s Class of 1958.
The seniors who called CV home for the 1957-58 school year attended a school that was only in its second year on Sullivan Road. Many had started as Bears when campus was much farther to the east at the current site of Greenacres Middle School.
Since 1968, Toreson, her husband Skip and other members of the Class of ’58 have been gathering for regular reunions every five years. The events and venues have varied over the years, from boat trips to snow ski getaways to picnics and dances.
The latest gathering took place on July 22-23 with a dinner and brunch at Darcy’s in Spokane Valley. The theme? “Bears Need to Come Out of Hibernation.”
“The last two have been more settled,” Skip said.
Karen was part of a three-person planning committee for this year’s
festivities along with Nancy James and Barbara Schanz. A total of 26 alumni attended, accompanied by 13 guests. There have been 71 members of the class who have passed away over the years.
“My favorite part is just remembering and being brought up to date on families,” said Karen, who lives in Liberty Lake. “There’s a lot of reminiscing. It’s good to be there and support your friends.”
The layout at Darcy’s included class pictures, annuals, memorabilia, vintage football programs and other conversation pieces. As part of the event, a directory of alumni was also complied. Those unable to attend inperson were mailed a directory.
“We had a classmate who lives in New York say she had so much fun looking through the directory and trying to figure out who was who,” Karen aid.
Jim Custer was the school photographer in 1958 and played football until he broke his wrist on a trampoline. He would go on to become an elite trampolinist, topnotch ice skater and a member of the
renowned Ice Capades troupe for six years. After graduating from CV, Custer was part of active duty with U.S. Coast Guard which he joined as a reserve at the beginning of his senior year.
For Custer, the reunions are an opportunity to relish shared memories and savor enduring friendships.
“We get a chance to reflect on our growing up years and the camaraderie we had back then,” he said. “Things have changed but we haven’t changed. We still have the same morals.”
Custer – a name familiar to many for his background as a maestro of large-scale antique and home and yard shows – says the music of the era was defined by bands like the Platters, Drifters and Four Seasons.
“It was music you could actually understand,” he said.
Custer is part of a group of ’58 grads who live in the area and get together once a month for lunch. Custer and three of his former classmates -- Lloyd Herman, Ron Meyers and Doug Flegel – all
started first grade together at Vera Elementary.
“Isn’t it very unique that we’re all still in the Valley?” Custer said.
A trio of grade schools – Vera, Opportunity and Greenacres – fed into Central Valley Junior High back then, where students attended from seventh through ninth grade. Incoming CVHS students began as sophomores.
Some alumni from 65 years ago have attended every reunion. One of CV’s most beloved teachers, Les Smith, attended the last gathering in 2018. Peter Gladhart, who was in a band with Skip Toreson, served in the Peace Corps and earned his PhD from Cornell, made his way up from the Willamette Valley in Oregon in July to be part of his first reunion.
From medical challenges to the passing of spouses and other family members, the homecomings provide a welcome cushion for old friends often facing similar adversity.
“There have been ups and downs for all of us,” said Skip. “It makes you feel better when you can share what you’re going through and support each other.”
Don Ressa may be the closest thing the Greater Spokane League has ever seen to Connie Mack.
Both Ressa and Mack hold the distinction of coaching under one banner for 50 years – Ressa for University High School and Mack for the Philadelphia Athletics. Mack is enshrined in the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York. Ressa is an inductee in the Washington State Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame in Tacoma.
Mack managed 7,755 games in his career but Ressa has the better winning percentage.
Ressa began at University High School in 1971 as a junior varsity coach and eventually inherited the head coaching reins from Dan Iyall in the spring of 1979. He would manage the U-Hi nine for the next three decades, winning five GSL regular season championships and compiling 362 career wins.
“Here I was in my hometown, teaching and coaching,” Ressa recalls. “It was a really good deal.”
Ressa eventually turned the head coaching duties over to Scott Sutherland and was an assistant on teams that won back-to-back GSL titles in 2008 and 2009. After he retired as a teacher in 2011, Ressa hung up the cleats but returned a few years later, serving as an assistant through the 2022 season.
Ressa said the main reason for exiting the coaching arena was to spend more time with family, including rooting for his grandson, Nolan Wohl, a varsity baseball player at Ridgeline High School in Liberty Lake.
On the gridiron, Ressa was an offensive and defensive coordinator
and carved a reputation as one of the best offensive line coaches in the region, mentoring players like Joe Dahl and Chris Dyko who went on to careers in the NFL. Ressa roamed the U-Hi sidelines for 37 seasons.
“Don was a great O-Line coach,” said Ken Van Sickle, a three-sport standout at U-Hi who went on to serve for years at the school’s athletic director . “He just had a great mind as far as coaching technique and teaching players how to block.”
It’s baseball, however, that is Ressa’s lasting signature.
“He’s a legend,” Van Sickle said. “When you talk Spokane baseball, everyone knows Don Ressa.”
Ressa grew up on the north side of Spokane playing the Lilac City’s version of sandlot baseball under the streetlights at the corner of Glass and Normandy. He learned the game at nearby Clark Park and became good
enough to play varsity at Gonzaga Prep where he was a gritty catcher and nifty fielding third baseman. His senior year, Ressa earned All-GSL second team recognition.
“I didn’t strike out much, I always put the ball in play,” Ressa recalls.
Ressa played for Spokane Community College after graduating from G-Prep in 1967 and impressed the coaches at Whitworth enough to earn an offer. He was a three-year starter for the Pirates, managed by legendary coach Paul Merkel.
“I was a good small-college baseball player but I had to work really hard at it,” Ressa said.
It was at Whitworth that Ressa began his journey as an art instructor, particularly in ceramic arts. He earned his Fine Arts degree and went on to launch the first ceramic arts program at U-Hi. He would return to Whitworth for his master’s in teaching.
In addition to decades coaching baseball and football, Ressa wore other hats at U-Hi over the years, including events manager, Fine Arts chair and JV coach for girls and boys basketball. He was also recognized as “The Voice of the Titans” serving as public address announcer at home basketball games.
“Don had a great career at U-Hi,” Van Sickle said. “His impact on the school was huge.”
Jon Spear, a 1999 U-Hi grad who earned All-GSL first-team honors as a senior first baseman, said Ressa taught more than baseball.
“Part of my love of the game I got from him but even more than that were the life lessons about hard work, loyalty and working as a team,” Spear said. “Those are the things that stick with you.”
Spear is among a group lobbying for the baseball field at U-Hi to be named in Ressa’s honor. The only hold-up seems to be a head-scratching policy that the honoree needs to have expired to be recognized, something Ressa has said he’s “in no hurry for.”
Ressa’s last season in the dugout proved to be a memorable one as the Titans captured the 2022 regular season GSL crown. This spring, U-Hi was pegged as one of the favorites to win it all before dropping their first three games. Head Coach Kevin May consulted with Ressa after the slow start and the team promptly won 15 games in a row.
For me, he’s been kind of a father figure,” said May, a 1995 Titan grad who played for Ressa. “The impression he left on me inspired me to be a coach like him. I’m the head coach now but I still kind of look at this as his program.”
May said his old coach “always wants what’s best for the program.”
“He stresses that accountability piece and being a good teammate,” he said.
Contributed photo
Don Ressa was a fixture at University High School for five decades. He served as head baseball coach for 30 years beginning in 1979 and worked as an assistant after that, stepping down after the 2022 season. Ressa also established himself as a well-respected football assistant for 37 years.
May learned those principles firsthand as a talented but tempestuous Titan. After throwing a fit following an off-game, May heard from his head coach.
“Don told me that no one is bigger than this team,” he said. “It was really a turning point for me, not only in baseball but in life.”
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Starting kindergarten can be exciting, fun, and a little scary. And that’s just for the parents. So, what does “being ready for kindergarten” actually mean?
Children need to have some basic skills so that they are ready to successfully learn and adapt to a kindergarten classroom environment. These skills include language, literacy, physical movement, math, science, cognitive ability, and social-emotional.
The first question you may have is: “How can my child begin developing these skills?”
Luckily, children start to gain
On October 14, 2023, skywatchers around the world will be treated to the spectacular sight of an annular solar eclipse. During this celestial event, the moon will pass between Earth and the sun, creating a stunning ring of fire as the sun’s outer edges remain visible around the dark moon.
Here in Spokane, we will be able to see about 70 percent of the eclipse. To find out where and when to get the best view, you can visit the NASA web page at https://bit.ly/2023-eclipse.
Observing an eclipse can be an awe-inspiring experience, but it is essential to do so safely by
these skills when they interact with you and their surroundings. To build each of the skill areas even more, there are activities that you can do at home with your child. Some of these you may already be doing, and some may be new to you. It is good to keep in mind that children develop at different rates, so if your child is not grasping a concept right away, you can try again at a later time.
To explore a variety of different activities, you can go to our Getting Ready for Kindergarten web page at www.scld.org/ kindergarten. There, you’ll find helpful information and lots of activities to try at home. All of these activities involve playful exploration because playing is how children learn.
Let’s take a look at one of the skills to give you an idea of what you’ll find.
As schools put a bigger emphasis on STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math), introducing early math skills to your child becomes more important. Early math skills
protecting your eyes. Never look directly at the sun with the naked eye because this can cause serious eye damage. It is also important to avoid using regular sunglasses, telescopes, or binoculars to observe the eclipse because they won’t provide adequate protection.
Instead, to watch the annular eclipse, use solar viewing glasses or handheld solar viewers specifically designed for eclipse watching. Alternatively, you can make a pinhole projector to view the eclipse indirectly. NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory provides instructions to create a pinhole camera at https://bit.ly/pinholeviewer.
Once your safety is ensured, enjoy this breathtaking celestial event and marvel at the wonders of the universe. The library invites you to get ready for the eclipse with us at our “Annular Solar Eclipse Planning Party” for all ages. Learn about the upcoming annular solar eclipse, make a
can include counting, number recognition, shape knowledge, sorting, patterning, one-toone correspondence, and math vocabulary. You can help your child with early math by making it fun and using numbers in everyday situations.
Some ideas are to have your child count out the number of napkins as they set the table or have them help you count as you measure ingredients for a recipe. Another idea is to pick a shape and explore your home to find objects that have that shape. When searching for rectangles, your child may find doors, windows, books, light switches, tables, and more.
Storytime at the library is also an engaging way to build skills needed for kindergarten. Each week, we read stories, sing songs, and interact and play during activities. Storytimes can also give parents and caregivers ideas for continuing skill building at home. You can find upcoming storytimes at our libraries on our event calendar at www.scld.org/ storytimes.
View the solar eclipse at the library.
SPOKANE VALLEY LIBRARY
Saturday, Oct 14, 9–11am
Plus, learn how to safely view a solar eclipse & make a pinhole eclipse viewer.
pinhole eclipse viewer with our supplies, and explore concepts in solar science with a variety of fun activities.
You can drop in for this program at Spokane Valley Library (22 N Herald Rd) on Wednesday, September 27, 4–5pm. Additional program dates include Thursday, September 28, 4–5pm at Otis Orchards Library (22324 E Wellesley Ave) and Tuesday, October 3, 4–5pm at Argonne Library (4322 N Argonne Rd).
Then, view the celestial event with us during our “Annular Solar Eclipse Viewing Party” at Spokane Valley Library on Saturday, October 14, at 9am. You’ll want to be on time so you can catch the full eclipse. If you still need to make a pinhole viewer, supplies will be on hand. This event is for all ages, and we will have solar science activities as well. You can find all of our eclipse programs on our event calendar at www. scld.org/eclipse-programs.
SPOKANE VALLEY LIBRARY
Wednesday, Sep 27, 4–5pm
OTIS ORCHARDS LIBRARY
Thursday, Sep 28, 4–5pm
ARGONNE LIBRARY
Tuesday, Oct 3, 4–5pm
Learn more at www.scld.org/solar-eclipse
www.scld.org
In the heart of Spokane Valley, nestled amidst suburban sprawl and commercial development, lies a resilient testament to the region's agricultural heritage – Thacker Orchard, one of the last standing apple orchards. As urbanization continues to transform the landscape, Thacker Orchard stands as a symbol of endurance, history, and the challenges faced by orchard owners in a rapidly changing world.
The roots of orcharding in the greater Spokane Valley can be traced back to the late 19th century. As pioneers settled in the area, they recognized that the combination of fertile soil and a favorable climate was ideal for fruit cultivation. Orchards of apples, cherries, pears, and other fruits began to dot the landscape, marking the beginning of an agricultural legacy that would shape the region for generations. Across the county, handouts were distributed labeling the area “Eden of America,” where people could escape the hustle and bustle of industrialized cities.
Throughout the years, the orchards of Spokane Valley prospered, becoming a crucial part of the local economy and community identity. Families would gather for harvest festivals, children would learn the art of fruit picking, and the sweet aroma of ripening fruit would fill the air. However, as urbanization surged, many orchards were swallowed by development, leaving only a handful of these living relics behind.
Amidst the tide of change, Mike Thacker works to preserve his family’s orchard legacy. Owned by the Thackers since the 1950s, the orchard now spans over 3 acres and boasts a variety of apple trees that have weathered the storms of time. When Ray and Irene Thacker, the patriarch
and matriarch of the Thacker family, purchased their property in the East Farms area in Spokane Valley, they did not have an inkling of the legacy they would leave behind.
They had moved to the promised Eden of America from North Dakota, and Ray had settled into a teaching position at Central Valley. While raising their family of 6 children, Ray was suggested
that an easy hobby to take interest in was orcharding. The Thackers planted over 6 acres of apple trees in just three varieties and began a lifelong passion.
"The struggle to keep the orchard alive is real," Mike Thacker remarks. "It's a lot more work than just a hobby, especially back then. We didn’t have all the niceties. We had to get our
fact," Mike points to a tall cement feature across the road on the southeast side of the property, "that is where the water came in. Underground, there is a big cement tank." Relics of the past still reveal themselves around the orchard, from farming equipment left under trees to apple boxes lined up against the storage building, never to be filled with apples again.
Owning an orchard comes with its unique set of trials. Changing climate patterns, invasive pests, urbanization, and disease outbreaks have become increasingly common, making it essential for orchardists to adapt their practices to ensure healthy and productive trees. Around 30 years ago, they replanted 3 acres of the orchard in ten varieties of semi-dwarf apple trees to combat some of the issues they were facing and to continue yielding a successful crop. The varieties they grow now include Gala, Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Romes, Courtland, Crispin, Granny Smith, Empires, and more.
Mike moved out of the Spokane area after going to college and taught in different locations across the state of Washington. He moved back in the mid-90s to help on the orchard and took a job teaching in the Freeman district. His brother Tom handled the day-to-day operations on the orchard and after the passing of their mother and father, took
ownership. Mike would assist his brother Tom in the caretaking of the orchard and help pick during the apple harvest. Tom passed away 3 years ago, and Mike has taken on the role of day-to-day operations of the orchard.
"We've had to modernize certain aspects of the orchard, from adopting new irrigation techniques to using sustainable pest management practices. But we also hold on to the traditional methods that have been passed down through generations."
Beyond their economic contributions, orchards hold immense cultural value for communities. They stand as living museums, preserving the traditions, stories, and landscapes of the past. Local residents often reminisce about visiting the orchards during their childhood, picking apples with their grandparents, enjoying the delicious fruit, and learning about the land's history. Families have been making apple pie and applesauce for generations from apples grown in the Thacker
orchard.
"My mom could whip up an apple pie so quickly!" Mike recalls about growing up surrounded by apples. "Her pies were so good. My sister Honey’s pies are very close, but not to knock my sister or sister-in-law's pies, but they’re nothing as good as my mom’s pies."
As one of the last apple orchards in Spokane Valley faces the challenges of today's world, its story serves as an inspiration to the community and those invested in the future of agriculture in the greater Spokane Valley. Consuming the locally grown produce adds a layer of enjoyment knowing that you are getting the apples at the peak of freshness and tastiness
"I like the Galas," Mike excitedly shares about his orchard. "The Gala was a new variety when we put it in. Now it's pushing 30 years old. I like to pick it and eat it straight from the tree!"
"I want to keep the legacy here alive," Mike shares, talking about
the future of the orchard. "I enjoy it. I’m fully retired now. I’m not teaching or coaching now. I have always been a gardener my whole life. I knew how to run it. Or at least I thought I did!"
The fate of the Thacker apple orchard in Spokane Valley hangs in the balance, in the struggle to preserve agricultural traditions in a rapidly urbanizing world. Its survival rests not just on the shoulders of its owner but on the collective commitment of the community by helping to support the orchard and honor the history of the Spokane Valley.
The Thacker fruit stand is open Monday through Saturday from 9am to 5pm, and on Sunday from 11am to 4pm. They have a variety of produce currently available, and beginning in mid-September, they will begin to have apples ripen. This year, Gala apples will start at just $0.89 per pound. The fruit stand is located at 17015 E. Valleyway Ave Spokane Valley, WA 99037.
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September is when most students go back to school, but the loss of summer doesn’t mean that fun outdoor activities have stopped. Three big annual events fill September every year – the Spokane County Interstate Fair, Valleyfest and the Southeast Spokane County Fair.
The first event out of the chute is the Spokane County Interstate Fair scheduled for Sept. 8-17. The event is always packed with vendors, food, live music, animals, carnival rides and live entertainment such as rodeos and monster truck shows. The theme for this year’s fair is “It’s Showtime.”
Top musicians performing at the fair include Clint Black and Craig Morgan performing Sept. 12 and Martina McBride on Sept. 13. The PRCA Rodeo kicks off the fair on Sept. 8 and 9 and it will close with a tractor pull on Sept. 15 and a demolition derby on Sept. 16 and 17. Grandstand shows have a ticket price in addition to the fair admission at the gate.
The racing pigs will be back, with showtimes multiple times per day. There will also be daily kids pedal tractor races, mutton bustin’ and the Flying Fools High Dive Show. And of course people can always wander the barns and check out the ribbon winning animals, food and other exhibits.
Fair admission is $13 for adults Monday through Thursdays and $15 Friday through Sunday or $10 for seniors, youth and military. Kids 6 and under are free. Parking is $10 at the fairgrounds, or people can park at Spokane Community College and ride an STA shuttle to the fairgrounds for $2. A full schedule of events is available at www.spokanecounty.org/4606/ interstate-fair.
Valleyfest and the Southeast Spokane County Fair are on the same weekend, but with proper planning it is possible to do both. Valleyfest begins with the Hearts of Gold parade down Sprague Avenue beginning at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 22. The parade starts at Gillis Road
and heads east to Perrine Road.
What follows is two days of events, vendors, food and entertainment at Mirabeau Point Park and the CenterPlace Regional Event Center. The theme this year is centered on the 20th anniversary of the City of Spokane Valley.
“Valleyfest is embracing all things city with that in mind,” said Valleyfest Executive Director Peggy Doering.
That includes having some of the inaugural city council members serve as Grand Marshals of the Hearts of Gold parade and a special celebration with cake at 5 p.m. on Sept. 23 at CenterPlace. The city will also have a special display in Mirabeau Park. “They have a lot of fun things happening,” Doering said.
New this year is CultureFest, a cultural village in Mirabeau Park that will showcase world cultures. As part of CultureFest, all the entertainment in Mirabeau Park over the weekend will be multicultural and/or children’s groups, to include dancers, musicians and martial arts. “It’s a different vibe this year,” she said.
The Pacific Science Centre will be at CenterPlace with two planetariums and an astronomy exhibit from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 23. “It’s very exciting that we were chosen and accepted to host this,” Doering said. “Planetariums are huge things. Kids just love it.”
There will be live music during the day Saturday on the CenterPlace West Lawn, including performances by the Kevin Shay Band at 5:30 p.m. and Nu Jack City at 8 p.m.
Other changes this year include moving both the car show and the pancake breakfast to Sunday, Sept. 24. The breakfast will be served from 8 to 10 a.m. at CenterPlace with the car show outside CenterPlace from 9 a.m. to 3 :30 pm.
Fishing at the Falls will be back this year, as will several events at the Plantes Ferry Sports Complex on Sunday designed to get people hiking and biking. The events, launching at various times, include a 5K/10K run, a duathlon with a 5K run, 11 mile bike ride and another 5K run, and also a triathlon with a 1.5 mile boat trip on the Spokane River followed by an 11-mile bike ride and
a three mile run. There are small entrance fees for the multisport day events and online registration at https://valleyfest.org/multi-sportsunday/.
Admission to Valleyfest is free. Some parking will be available at CenterPlace, with additional parking available at the Pinecroft Business Park just to the west of Mirabeau Point Park. On Saturday people can also park at the Spokane Valley Mall and catch a free STA shuttle bus that will stop outside the Red Robin every 10 minutes from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. A full schedule of events is available at https:// valleyfest.org.
The Southeast Spokane County Fair is hosted by the small town of Rockford, located on Highway 27 a short trek south of Spokane Valley. There is tons of fun packed into three days from Sept. 22 to 24 at the fairgrounds.
The fair opens at noon on Friday, Sept. 22 and includes a carnival that opens at 3 p.m., followed by a truck pull at 5:30 p.m. Saturday kicks off with the Lions and Rockford Fire
Department pancake breakfast from 7 to 10 a.m.
One of the annual highlights is the parade down Main Street that kicks off with a kiddie parade at 10:15 a.m. Saturday. Check in is in front of the Military Museum on Emma Street and kids don’t need to register in advance. The main parade will follow the kiddie parade at 10:30 a.m.
Saturday’s events include a fun run and a cornhole tournament with cash prizes. You can’t miss the greased pig contest at noon or the tractor show following the parade. Live music and a dance will close the day beginning at 8 p.m.
Sunday, Sept. 24, is also Equine Play Day and will include lawn mower races down Main Street at 10 a.m., a cake walk, a watermelon eating contest, soap box derby and the Stan Seehorn Memorial Go-Kart Races at 2:30 p.m.
A full schedule of events and registration information for events such as the cornhole tournament and the fun run are available at https:// sespokanecountyfair.com.
