November 2016 Splash

NOVEMBER

PRSRT STD ECRWSS U.S. Postage Paid Permit #010 ZIP CODE 99019

2016

Landmarks of Liberty

Fallen Heroes Circuit Course promotes healing, awareness, page 12

LEGACY RIDGE RESIDENTS SPEAK OUT PAGE 4

LOCAL ATHLETES SOAR AT PARALYMPICS PAGE 26

AUTUMN PHOTO ALBUM PAGE 35

2 • NOVEMBER 2016

The Park Bench

Involved and Invested – Kennedy takes civic role seriously

By Craig Howard Splash Editor For years, Mike Kennedy has added food for thought to the menu at Liberty Lake City Hall.

A regular at City Council meetings and a former member of the planning commission, Kennedy consistently contributes discerning insight during the public comments portion of the council agenda. His remarks reflect a savvy grasp of municipal issues as well as a vested interest in the policies that affect day-to-day life in the community he and his wife, Betty, have called home since 2002.

“Mike is concerned about the community and is willing to speak up,” said Mayor Steve Peterson.

“He has been involved in the planning commission and was always prepared. He was on the Town Square task force and was very active in that campaign. He has a good grasp of city finances and is always the voice of common sense.”

When the city was looking for someone to serve as a facilitator for a council retreat in 2012, Kennedy was selected. Peterson recalls him “doing a nice job of meeting with and relating to all of the council members to ensure a productive meeting.”

Born in Spokane, Kennedy was the middle child in a family of five kids. He remembers spending part of each summer in Liberty Lake, catching perch, swimming and staying in a lakeshore cabin.

The trademark dance pavilion was still standing back then, the same structure that would later be replicated at Liberty Lake’s signature greenspace, Pavillion Park.

When Kennedy was in the third grade, his family moved to southern Oregon and planted roots in the small town of Riddle, site of

NEWS

The Splash

the nation’s only nickel ore mine.

When Kennedy arrived in his new home, he was disappointed to learn that there were not stacks of nickel coins lining the streets. It was in his third grade class that Mike met Betty. The two have been, in his words, “best friends ever since.”

Kennedy graduated from high school in 1963 with thoughts of pursuing a music degree. He had become an accomplished tuba and string bass player but when a scholarship to the University of Oregon didn’t quite cover all of the necessary expenses, Kennedy decided to enlist in the Navy.

He would report to Pensacola, Florida and eventually study photography after completing basic training. Kennedy caught the break of a lifetime when he latched on with the Blue Angels, the Navy’s dynamic flight contingent, as an assistant public relations officer.

His travels with the group would take him to far-off places like France, England and Finland. This month, he will be part of a Blue Angels’ reunion, celebrating the 50th anniversary of the crew’s first tour of Europe.

Mike and Betty have been married since 1966 and celebrated their golden anniversary this February.

They are parents to a daughter, Michelle, who passed away five years ago and a son, Michael, who also lives in the Liberty Lake area.

When Kennedy’s military stint was up, he and Betty moved to Spokane, the city of his childhood.

He found work with a furniture company before capitalizing on a random chance to be part of the recovery department at Old National Bank. Employing a strong work ethic and the opportunism that would characterize his career, Kennedy rose to the rank of corporate loan officer.

Kennedy’s professional path would follow that of a self-made business owner after his time with the bank. He had made solid connections in the local financial field and his people skills carried over to a successful RV business that he started with seven vehicles. Later, Kennedy flourished as an independent owner in the telecommunications industry where his company would eventually employ over 100 people.

Mike and Betty lived in the Liberty Lake community, but just outside city limits, until this March when they bought a home just east of City Hall. Now that he has an address within municipal boundaries, Kennedy has not ruled

Liberty Lake resident Mike Kennedy has been a member of the city’s planning commission and the task force for the Town Square project. The Spokane native moved to the Liberty Lake area in 2002 with his wife Betty.

Photo by Craig Howard out the possibility of running for City Council where he would have full-time dibs on public comments.

Q: When you think back to the summers you spent at Liberty Lake as a kid, what are some of your memories?

A: As a kid living on the north side of Spokane, my brothers and I thought it was special that there was a place like Liberty Lake where the family could spend time in the summer. We still have great memories of walking on the beach, being able to go fishing and swimming all day long and go up into the surrounding hills, build tree forts and pretend that we were on a deserted island. Our imagination was our Internet and computer games of today.

Q: You grew up in a small town in southern Oregon. What do you think are some of the advantages and disadvantages of rural life?

A: Having lived in Spokane and then moving to a town in southern Oregon with less than 600 people, there of course are differences and similarities. In reality, the advantages are the same with limited options. Your focus is still on your immediate and extended family, the neighborhood where you live, your school, church and sporting activities. Some of the disadvantages are there are far less businesses for employment for beginner and career jobs. When towns have limited employment, they are unable to sustain growth and unable to provide jobs which support taxes to allow better education, community safety, roads and infrastructure Q: As a resident of Spokane

from the late 1960s through the early 2000s, what did you appreciate about living in that city? What did you not enjoy?

A: Spokane allowed us more options for employment and education opportunities than a small town did. It was a great area to raise our children. The many job opportunities gave us the experience to start our own business, which lead to employing over 100 people at one point.

Fortunately, the positives were greater than the things we did not enjoy.

Q: What were some of the lessons you took away from serving on the city of Spokane's planning commission?

A: One important lesson – get involved in your community! It allowed me to not just focus on the present but to see the larger picture on how growth and employment would shape Spokane’s future which affects all of our daily lives.

One of the things that we worked on was a comprehensive plan that would impact the next 20 years.

A tremendous amount of time was spent on trying to forecast sustainable growth that once again affects all of the residents’ lives.

Some of the planning works well and some does not – the important thing is that we have a plan to move forward on and realize that circumstances can change the plan but we are still moving forward.

Q: How did your time on that board differ from your tenure on the city of Liberty Lake's planning commission?

A: Very little, the goals are

See KENNEDY, Page 5

The Splash

NOVEMBER 2016 • 3

The 24th Annual Liberty Lake Leaf and Beach Cleanup

Scheduled for November 12-13 from 8:00 am to dusk.

The City of Liberty Lake is co-sponsoring this annual program with the District. Leaf, beach, and yard waste will be picked up in front of residences within the Liberty Lake Sewer and Water District boundaries (if you receive water and/or sewer service from LLSWD, you are eligible for pickup).

The purpose of the cleanup is to protect the lake, aquifer, and river from nutrient loading from stormwater.

- all material must be bagged or contained for easy loading.

- bags should be as close to the street as possible.

- acceptable items include: leaves, yard/garden vegetation, weeds, pine needles, and grass clippings.

- we will NOT pick up the following: rocks, stumps, trees, limbs, shrubs, sod, or pumpkins.

- the schedule could change due to inclement weather.

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4 • NOVEMBER 2016

NEWS

City fields questions, concerns at Legacy Ridge open house

council meetings on issues ranging from the public notice process that preceeded approval of Legacy Villas to traffic and bus safety issues anticipated to increase after the complex is built. At the Oct. 4 council meeting, Becky Newman said she and her fellow Legacy Ridge neighbors felt marginalized by the city.

By Craig Howard Splash Editor

The parking lot was full and seats were scarce at a city-sponsored, standing-room-only open house on Oct. 13.

Fittingly, much of the conversation at Liberty Lake City Hall focused on density.

Over 100 people, most of them residents of the Legacy Ridge neighborhood, wedged into City Council chambers last month to voice concerns over the repercussions of a new apartment complex, Legacy Villas, being built just down the hill. The city of Liberty Lake hosted the gathering after it became clear that a dedicated agenda would be necessary to address the topic.

A number of Legacy Ridge residents have spoken out at recent

“It appears to many of us that you have disrespect or disregard for us – that you don’t have our best interests in mind,” she said.

Another Legacy Ridge resident, Ellen Williams, calculated that with an average of two cars at each of the 258 Legacy Villas apartment units, another 516 vehicles will be emptying out onto two streets.

“That’s the traffic you’re going to be looking at on Country Vista and Legacy Ridge Drive,” she said.

Jack Barata, new to the Legacy Ridge community, said his concerns boiled down to “safety and congestion.”

At the conclusion of public comments on Oct. 4, City Administrator Katy Allen assured Legacy Ridge inhabitants that the open house would be about “working through what the impacts

are.”

to put the numbers in perspective.

“This is your meeting,” Allen said.

“I think these are problems we can address. We want to put safety first.”

“We aren’t that far off base with other local communities,” she said.

“The demographics are changing but I wouldn’t compare us to New York.”

Allen began the open house by recounting the modern-day development of Liberty Lake and the vision of Bill Main, Sr. who mapped out residential areas with single family homes, parks, walking trails and views of nearby golf courses. Jim Frank and Greenstone Homes would take the plan to the next level, starting with the Meadowwood neighborhood and continuing through with Rocky Hill and the River District.

Allen described how construction of single-family homes began to fill out the community grid in the 1980s. By the time Liberty Lake incorporated in 2001, single-family lots were not nearly as abundant and multi-family dwellings were building momentum. Allen said the current ratio of single-family to multi-family homes in Liberty Lake stands at 65 percent to 35 percent.

In response to a resident remark that Liberty Lake was trending toward a multi-family percentage closer to New York City, Allen tried

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The Splash

Amanda Tainio, the city’s Planning and Building Services manager, provided some background of the process that led to the Legacy Villas complex being approved. A timeline of the project showed a pre-application conference taking place on April 4 of this year, followed by the application being submitted on June 21.

A number of public notices were issued regarding Legacy Villas, most of them being distributed in mid-July. Along with postings in the Spokesman-Review and on the city’s website, a notice was mailed to all property owners adjacent to or within a radius of 150 feet of the construction site on July 13.

The city also complied with sign posting obligations and mailed public notices to all parties who had issued recent comments on multifamily housing with the city.

“We completed all the necessary requirements for public notice,” said Tainio.

Unlike a recent appeal to the city by a developer interested in building a large, mixed-use apartment complex between Signal and Madsen on the north side of Appleway, the Legacy Villas project did not mandate a zoning change, public hearing or review by City Council. Allen made it clear that these types of developments are permitted “as long as they are consistent with our land use and comprehensive plan.”

In addressing concerns over parking, Tainio said Legacy Villas has been approved for 545 spaces to be located in on-site garages, buildings, open lots and carports.

Legacy Villas will be completed in two phases, Tainio said, with the first phase available for occupancy beginning next spring. The entire project is expected to be finished by summer of 2018. Tainio said the complex will be built with “highend materials” and consist of “nicelooking buildings.” Rental prices will be similar to Big Trout Lodge, an apartment development just to the east.

Tainio pointed out that nearly one quarter of the of the Legacy Villas property will be set aside for native vegetation.

“You’re looking at 22 percent of the property being open space,”

See LEGACY, Page 36

The Splash

KENNEDY

NEWS

Continued from page 2 basically the same regardless if you reside in a large or small town. The important thing to realize is the people who serve on the planning commission are doing their best to make decisions that will positively affect all of us.

Q: Why was it a priority for you and your wife to relocate to the Liberty Lake area in 2002?

A: As I mentioned earlier, reliving great memories and building new memories – a small town feel with big city advantages.

Q: You've now lived just outside Liberty Lake boundaries as well as within city limits.

Have you noticed much of a difference between being part of Liberty Lake proper as opposed to the general Liberty Lake community?

A: Very little. It is important to realize that we all live in Liberty Lake. The decisions made by local government affect everyone regardless if you live within the city limits or the surrounding area. If we live outside the city boundaries, don’t assume that we don’t want the best for where we live. Let’s not lose sight that we all live in zip code 99019.

Q: You and your wife have achieved at a high level as your own bosses. What do you think are some of the keys to running a successful business?

A: We all have dreams, goals and desires of success in our lives. I realized to accomplish any of those, I cannot do it alone, I have to rely on others to share those goals and how can they obtain theirs through supporting mine and I supporting theirs. I can start something, but at that point,”I” has to be replaced with “we.” When many get behind a mutual goal, it is amazing to watch.

It is natural for people to follow a mutual dream.

Q: What do you enjoy most about living in Liberty Lake?

A: We have been fortunate to travel extensively and see many areas we could live. Where we chose to live is Liberty Lake, because our son Mike and our grandson Hayden are close by. We like the accessibility of everything we have here. We live in a fourseason area, we have access to multiple golf courses, lakes, excellent trails, parks, schools, shopping and medical facilities.

Most of these can only be utilized in the summer months. The one thing

that we do not have and most other cities do, is a central place where the people can gather. In 2001, when the city was formed, one of the goals was to have a community center. This facility would allow a gathering place to be utilized by citizens and organizations such as Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, homeowner associations, Rotary, Kiwanis, Lions Club and a multitude of organizations that can come together at one location. This is where I see all of our citizens being able to interact with many, many people and realize the importance of all of our common dreams, goals and desires that we want for our families. That need has not changed, and recently brought to a vote where 56 percent said “yes” to several things that would accomplish this. I hope the 56 percent does not let the dream or the overwhelming need die.

Q: You are a regular at City Council meetings. Why is that important to you and why do you think more citizens don't attend or get involved in municipal government?

A: I understand that I need to be involved and know the issues and decisions that will impact me and my family’s lives. More individuals are aware of what is going on at the federal and state levels of government than what is going on in their own community.

Our City Council decisions have a huge impact on our financial lives on a daily basis. We all need to get out of your comfort zone, ask questions, find out what is going on in your neighborhood and in your town. Are there “for sale” signs on property? What is the zoning for that property? How will that development affect your daily life? Attend City Council meetings on somewhat of a regular basis so you will know who your council members are and be able to ask them questions directly. Don’t rely on your friends and neighbors for answers to questions they may not know. It is sad when we have council member positions to be filled and we can’t get more than one person per position who is willing to take the time to actively campaign, wave their signs, knock on doors to gather votes. On the other hand, if a council position becomes available there is no shortage of many applicants who are willing to fill the position. The true test will be in the next election cycle how many of these applicants are willing to put in the time and effort that it takes to win the position.

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6 • NOVEMBER 2016

NEWS

Police Report The following items were reported by the Liberty Lake Police Department from Sept. 19 to Oct. 17. The report is listed in chronological order.

Hit and run - A woman was arrested for Hit and Run and Insurance Fraud on Sept. 20 at 2:02 p.m., at the 21000 block of East Country Vista Drive. Complainant reported to officers that someone had hit her vehicle and fled the scene even after a witness had tried to get the suspect to stop. The victim’s vehicle was moved outside of the parking lines from the force of the impact. An officer was able to reach the suspect at her place of employment after further investigation of the subject vehicle.

The suspect admitted to the hit and run and said she intended to make contact with the complainant, but was in a hurry, so left. The suspect said she had already reported the incident to her insurance company.

When the officer asked the suspect if the insurance company would advise him she had called and reported she’d hit someone’s vehicle and left the scene, the suspect told the officer the insurance company would probably report she’d told them someone had struck her vehicle while unattended. The suspect was booked into Spokane County Jail for Hit and Run and False Claims.

Theft - On Sept. 20 at 9:08 p.m., LLPD responded to the 15000 block of North Liberty Lake Road for a theft. Complainant reported that an unknown male left the location without paying for a box of wine valued at $3.99.

Harassment Under a suspicious circumstance, LLPD reported to the 1300 block of North Whitman Lane on Sept. 21 at 6:54 p.m. Complainant reported that her boyfriend’s ex-girlfriend came into her work and confronted her.

When officers arrived the subject had already left the location. The complainant was advised on how to obtain a no-contact order.

Arrest - A man was arrested at Valleyway and Molter on Sept. 22 at 8:12 p.m. for obstructing. He was observed by an officer to be traveling down the middle of the roadway without no lights on his bike. After being contacted by the officer and provided reasons for the stop, the bicyclist refused to provide his name and identification. He was cited and released for obstructing and given a traffic citation for not

having a light on his bicycle.

Theft - On Sept. 24 at 10:57 p.m., LLPD received a report of theft from a building located at 1800 block of North Pepper Lane.

Complainant reported that while staying at the location, a bag containing $500 worth of clothes and cash was stolen from inside a dresser drawer.

Theft - LLPD responded to a vehicle prowl on Sept. 24 at 1:48 p.m., at the 1400 block of North Samantha Road.

Complainant reported that someone had broken into his vehicle and stolen a stereo with an estimated value of $150.

Theft - On Sept. 25 at 11:57 p.m., LLPD responded to the 22000 block of East Appleway Avenue for theft. Complainant reported that $77 in fuel was stolen from the location.

Suspicious car - At 6:43 a.m., on Oct. 10, LLPD responded to a suspicious vehicle at the 19000 block of East Cataldo Avenue.

Parking Violation - On Oct. 10, LLPD responded to a parking violation at the 21000 block of East Country Vista Drive.

Theft - On Oct. 10 at 8:55 a.m., LLPD responded to a theft at the 2300 block of North Madson Road.

Complainant reported while staying at the location that a necklace valued at $600 had been lost or stolen.

Theft - LLPD responded to a theft call on Oct. 10, 2016, at 3:57 p.m., at the 24000 block of Pine Point Court. Complainant reported that a package with a value of $20 had been stolen from her porch.

Theft - On Oct. 10 at 10:59 p.m., LLPD responded to a theft at the 1200 block of North Liberty Lake Road. Complainant reported that a man, estimated to weigh near 175 pounds and stand 5’11” wearing a green hoodie left the location without paying for three small bottles of alcohol totaling close to $5.

DUI - A man was arrested for DUI on Oct. 11 at 10:55 a.m., at North Liberty Lake Road and East Appleway Avenue after he struck another vehicle while under the influence. He continued by striking a building and then proceeded to travel in the roadway up onto the median causing damage to a tree.

An involved person was taken to a nearby hospital to be treated for injuries she sustained during the accident.

Suspicious people - On Oct. 11, at 3:39 p.m., LLPD responded to a suspicious circumstance at the 600 block of North Knudson Street.

Complainant reported two males and a female going door to door selling carpet cleaning.

Fraud - LLPD responded to a fraud on Oct. 11 at 4:17 p.m., at the 22000 block of East Country Vista Drive. Complainant wanted to report his ex-wife had attempted unsuccessfully to procure funds from his bank account.

Drug call - On Oct. 11, 2016, at 5:17 p.m., LLPD responded to a drug call at the 700 block of North Molter Road. Complainant reported they had found a blue pipe at the location. An officer picked up the paraphernalia and it was logged into property for destruction.

Vehicle blocking LLPD responded to a vehicle blocking on Oct. 12 at 1:04 a.m., at North Liberty Lake Road and East Country Vista Drive. A Jeep was reportedly parked in the middle of the road with no one present. An officer checked the area and no vehicle could be found.

Alarm - On Oct. 12 at 2:09 a.m., LLPD responded to a suspicious circumstance at North Timberfield Lane and South Valleyway Avenue.

An officer checked the area after complainant reported the alarm reset continued to go off. Nothing was found and the building was secure.

Vehicle blocking - At 2:22 a.m., on Oct. 12, LLPD responded to a vehicle blocking at North Liberty Lake Road and East Settler Drive.

An officer attempted to contact the registered owner, but was unsuccessful. The vehicle was towed.

Arrest - A man was arrested on Oct.12 t 10:05 a.m. for domestic violence assault that took place at the 21000 block of East Country Vista Drive.

Fraud - On Oct. 12 at 4:18 p.m., LLPD received a report of fraud from the 22000 block of East Country Vista Drive. Complainant reported someone had stolen her identity and used it to obtain payments from unemployment totaling $1,400.

Suspicious circumstance - At 8:31 p.m. on Oct. 12, LLPD responded to a suspicious circumstance at East Country Vista Drive and North Eagle Street.

Officers found the gate to a new

The Splash

school construction site to be open.

After checking the location and not finding anything, Officers cleared the location and secured the gate.

Suspicious person - On Oct. 13, at 9:11 p.m., LLPD responded to a suspicious person at the 19000 block of East Maxwell Avenue.

Complainant reported a female and male driving a white van had pulled into a nearby residence and started loading items into the vehicle. When an officer arrived, the van was gone. The residence was secure and there were no signs of forced entry. The complainant reported they did not know the home owner and there were currently people working on the home.

Burglary - At 9:21 a.m. on Oct. 14, LLPD responded to a burglary at the 23000 block of North Main Avenue. Complainant reported that her home had been burglarized in previous months and the motion sensor in the garage was going off.

An officer arrived at the location and found the garage door ajar.

Upon entry, it appeared that someone had fallen in the garage, tripping the alarm.

Abuse/neglect/sexual assault - On Oct. 14 at 2:37 p.m., LLPD received a referral for a child abuse/neglect/sexual assault. Contact was made with the referring agency who said they wanted to make police aware of the situation while they investigated further.

Trespass - At 8:20 p.m. on Oct. 15, LLPD responded to a trespassing call at the 19000 block of East Broadway Avenue. Complainant reported that individuals were putting things in the dumpster at the location. Upon officer contact, it was discovered that the individuals were removing license plates and two sets of keys from the dumpster.

Both were trespassed from the location.

Theft - On Oct. 16 at 3:15 a.m., LLPD responded to a theft call at the 22000 block of East Appleway Avenue.

Complainant reported that a female drove away from the location without paying $48.01 in fuel.

The Splash

NOVEMBER 2016 • 7

The Lookout MEMO from the

Mayor

By Mayor Steve Peterson “Plan your work and work your plan” is an adage that applies to government at this time of year. Fall is budget season when plans for 2017 are formulated and 2016 work is completed.

Accomplishments in 2016 were striking!

We had impressive sales tax revenue, record building permits, the Mission/ Molter roundabout was completed on time and under budget, the state legislature dedicated funds for the Henry Road interchange and our library forged new partnerships.

Liberty Creek School is taking shape

for opening September 2017 and our comprehensive/development plans have been updated. Town Square received an overwhelming 57 percent majority for the project but unfortunately fell 103 votes short of the 60 percent needed for bond passage.

The 2017 work plan includes: reconstruction of Liberty Lake Road from Appleway to Country Vista with new lights and turning opportunities, a comprehensive transportation study with preliminary designs to map our projects into 2020 and master planning for city facilities including the future Town Square project prospects.

We continue to enhance our employees’ job performance with upto-date technology to provide service with a decrease of human cost but the reality is wages continue to creep up 2 to 3 percent every year. Katy Allen, our

city administrator, has been instrumental in stretching the tax dollars by securing outside funding for projects, by looking for ongoing efficiency in how we deliver services and by motivating top-notch employees. She and I understand that the city must do these things because a major source of revenue, property tax is limited by a state-mandated 1-percent cap.

It’s imperative to understand Liberty Lake’s property tax dollars are consumed solely by the police department and library! That 1 percent is very important for us to maintain our services and has been included in our budget. It’s less than $5 per household but represents a whole lot more!

You’re encouraged to review our budget online at www.libertylakewa.gov for the complete picture. It represents our blueprint for maintaining Liberty Lake as Spokane County’s premier address!

Garden Notes

Mulch is great for plants, especially in the winter. Mulching woody plants for the winter helps to maintain soil temperatures and prevent frost heave. Frost heave can actually push plants up out of the ground, exposing the roots and killing the plant. I have good luck mulching with pine needles, as they tend to stay in place, allow air to circulate, allow water to filter through to the soil, are easy to handle and easy to remove in the spring. Plus, they are easily assessible when you help a neighbor rake up the yard.

Record year for building in Liberty Lake

By Zach Johnson Permit Technician What a great year it has been for the city of Liberty Lake Planning and Building department.

The record number of permit applications show that we are growing. These larger volumes mean that the need for a new and improved permitting system is in order and will be put in place for 2017. We are looking forward to a more streamlined process which will allow us to maximize our very talented building department.

We have such a great committed staff that is thankful for the booming economy to allow us to get out there and get the work done. What an exciting time as the growth has spurred a deeper look into what we want our city to look like. The roundabout at Mission and Molter is another step in the right direction to improve our traffic flow as well as making our city all the more beautiful.

We are getting the new K-2 elementary school, Liberty Creek, set to open in the fall of 2017, keeping our little ones closer to home. Between commercial buildings and a lot of new residential construction, it has been a banner year for construction in Liberty Lake.

All of this surely brings more life to our great city and prepares us for our bright future!

The late autumn agenda for plant care

By Joice Cary

City Horticulturist November is the time to wrap up the year’s garden season. Cutting back the herbaceous plants, cleaning out the beds, adding fresh compost to age through the winter are on the chore list.

As the temperatures drop, it is time to prune the trees and woody shrubs that don’t bloom in spring.

Spring bloomers like lilac and rhododendron get cut back after they bloom in the spring.

November is also the Thanksgiving month. I am thankful for our beautiful, bountiful planet that provides so generously. Nov. 24 is a good day to hug a tree and say “Thanks.”

November 2016

Where are we in the budget process?

By R.J. Stevenson Finance Director While families are gathering around the table to pass that turkey and gravy, the city is thinking about passing the budget. So, where exactly are we in the budget process?

In reality, the budget process for the city never really stops. We are consistently measuring how the city is performing against the budget and we take that into account when we make decisions going forward.

For instance, sales tax revenue is monitored monthly; any increases or decreases above or below what we expect is analyzed and presented to City Council. From there, we try to determine how it will affect future years. The same process goes for expenses.

When would a citizen know that the budget is being put together?

For Liberty Lake, that officially starts in July. A notice is sent out that a public hearing will be held, and the city is wanting to hear what priorities are important to the citizens. During August, city departments are formalizing their department budgets.

In September, the mayor and staff are incorporating the department budgets and reviewing the revenue sources that will support the services that the city provides.

In mid-October, the mayor makes his presentation to City Council regarding the budget. Then, City Council reviews the proposed budget, listens to testimony from the public in regards to the budget, asks questions, makes adjustments and adopts the budget sometime before Dec. 31.

If you would like to see the budget for next year, please visit our website and download the 2017 Budget.

You can also find the MBQ’s (Mayor Budget Questions) that reflect the questions the City Council is asking about the budget.

https://www.facebook.com/libertylakewa • www.libertylakewa.gov

8 • NOVEMBER 2016

MAKE YOUR HOLIDAY PARTY

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NEWS

Council debates next step for Town Square project

By Craig Howard Splash Editor

It might be time for a new slogan on the T-shirts promoting Liberty Lake’s most discussed capital project: “Meet me at the follow-up meeting for Town Square.”

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After the vote for a proposed community center/library/aquatic facility fell just over 100 ballots short of the required 60-percent supermajority on Aug. 2, talk of the subject at City Hall has been generally subdued. An official regrouping took place at the Oct. 4 council meeting as City Administrator Katy Allen and Mayor Pro Tem Shane Brickner served as moderators of a workshop on just where the city goes from here.

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Allen said possibilities for the site include everything from planting grass to setting aside municipal funds to build a civic facility of some sort. Others have wondered if the city might place the proposition on the ballot again.

“I know there are a lot of opinions out there,” Allen said. “We’re hoping for a general consensus of council as to what direction we want to go with Town Square. In the last 60 days, we’ve all listened to our neighbors. We now have a lot of ideas as to how these people voted and why.”

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Allen has talked with Central Valley School District Superintendent Ben Small and Spokane County Auditor Vicky Dalton about ideas for a new ballot route. CVSD finally received approval from voters for a $121.9 million capital facilities bond last February. The district’s last construction initiative had passed in 1998.

In seeking “fact-based feedback,” Allen said the city has the option of utilizing a local group like Robinson Research that would provide “scientific, quantitative feedback about the project.”

“It would be a review of what the election results tell us about Town Square,” Allen added. “I think it would be an investment in listening to our community about this proposition in a more objective, scientific way.”

Brickner said any agreement to commission a survey would need

The Splash

to include a determination of “what we are going to do with the results.”

Council Member Odin Langford disagreed.

“Let’s get the feedback and see what people are going to say first,” he said.

Council Member Dan Dunne voiced his support for gathering citizen input on a project that collected over 56 percent of the vote.

“I value strongly the idea of collecting information from voters,” he said.

Allen stressed that the research is not meant to provide a stamp of approval for Town Square.

“The purpose of this is not to move forward with the project,” she said. “It’s to ask, ‘Is it a different project or it no project?’”

Cost of the work by Robinson Research would range from $7,000 to $8,000 and take between three and four weeks, according to Allen.

Those surveyed would be “people who voted and would be likely to vote,” with a sample size of 300 to 400 residents, she said. The city has already allocated $185,000 for the project and spent $155,000 to this point, mostly on the designbuild process that led up to the August vote.

Several election options are approaching if the city chooses to place Town Square on the ballot again. The earliest would occur next February, followed by elections in April and August. If Town Square was featured in a stand-alone special election, it would run the city around $12,000. Cost on a more traditional ballot could be as much as $4,000 less.

Allen said Robinson Research has conducted similar studies in cities like Wenatchee and Cheney as well as in Kootenai County. The results in Cheney led to a restructuring of the ballot language in a vote for a large-scale sports facility.

Instead of stressing the benefits to economic development, the project emphasized the value to local teams and athletes.

While some council members supported the idea of delving into voter opinions, others were ready to move on.

“We’ve already put it out to a task force, the voters have voted and there was all the time and effort our city employees put in,” said Council Member Jessica McGuire. “I just feel like we asked the community and I don’t feel like we need to

See TOWN SQUARE, Page 9

The Splash

NOVEMBER 2016 • 9

TOWN SQUARE

Continued from page 8 spend more money on it.”

Allen pointed out that voter education is also critical leading up to an election. Despite an extensive informational campaign, Allen told stories of residents calling City Hall the day before the Aug. 2 ballot “asking how they should vote.”

Council Member Bob Moore acknowledged that the city “still needs a community center and a lot of people still think we need a pool.” He stopped short, however, of supporting a survey of voters.

“It doesn’t make sense to spend $7,000 or $8,000 to find out something we already know,” he said. “We know why the people voted the way they did. I’d rather put that money into a construction fund.”

Council Member Hugh Severs said he wasn’t so sure the city had a sufficient grasp of voter opinion.

“I don’t think we have an idea why people voted like they did,” he said. “The best thing we can do is come up with the facts and move forward with them.”

Charles Campbell, a member of the city’s planning commission,

chimed in on the discussion, telling those around the dais, “one thing we need to agree upon is that the city needs a community center.”

“We have really nothing in this city for the community,” he said.

“We can’t hold events for the community.”

When the vote was finally called to commission a study, Langford, Moore, McGuire and Cris Kaminskas opposed the idea while Severs, Brickner and Dunne voted for it.

The 4-3 decision seem to leave the future of Town Square in limbo.

Mayor Steve Peterson maintained that gathering voter feedback “is still a valid tool as we move forward.”

“The goal here is to make sure we have all the information possible before we engage citizens,” Peterson said. “We’re trying to plan for the future and build for the future. I’m trying to stay ahead of the curve.”

Langford emphasized that his vote against the research was not a vote against the project.

“I’m not against a community center,” Langford said. “In fact, I’m for it. We just need to get the people involved. It’s their money. Let’s get out and talk to our neighbors.”

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Mayor introduces 2017 budget with eye to future

By Craig Howard Splash Editor It has become an annual tradition for Mayor Steve Peterson.

At the end of each year, the city of Liberty Lake approves a budget for the pending 12 months. Each fall, Peterson provides his outline of the city’s financial strategy, knowing his plan will undergo tinkering and tailoring by the City Council before it is approved as the guideline of revenue and expenditures for the upcoming year.

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At the Oct. 18 council meeting, Peterson presented his latest funding narrative which includes a proposed 1 percent property tax increase for 2017. The hike would translate to $4 per year for the average household and raise approximately $20,000 for city coffers.

“We’re looking for savings and additional funding options,” Peterson said.

Despite the modest funds generated, Peterson said the increase would help the city counteract potential losses on the sales tax side, a revenue source that is traditionally more volatile.

Financial Director R.J. Stevenson echoed the mayor’s sentiments later in the meeting.

“Not knowing what’s going to happen with sales tax, this (1 percent increase) puts us in a better position,” Stevenson said.

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Stevenson has described to council how the city’s rapid growth includes the challenge of keeping up with required services that range from road maintenance to public safety. Covering the cost of those services without a diverse tax base could be problematic, Stevenson says.

The city has the option of incorporating the 1 percent shift or “banking” the increase for the future. Council Member Cris Kaminskas, who has opposed adding to the property tax rate in past years, asked Stevenson to project budget scenarios over the

next five years with and without the hike.

Council Member Bob Moore recommended the governing board table the 1-percent discussion until a full quorum was present (Council Member Odin Langford missed the Oct. 18 meeting with an excused absence). Moore added that it would be helpful to consider the proposed increase after he and his colleagues had a chance to review the mayor’s budget.

“We need to put it into context,” Moore said.

To take effect in 2017, the city needs to file its intent to raise property tax with Spokane County

by Nov. 30. Council has been encouraged to submit “MBQs,” (mayor’s budget questions) leading up to the second reading on the budget scheduled for Dec. 6.

Council is expected to approve the budget at its Dec. 20 meeting.

Peterson’s budget features an emphasis on parks, recreation, trails and open space, including a new fund set aside for the Trailhead golf course/pro shop master plan.

River access, the Liberty Lake Upland Trail, Barefoot in the Park and Orchard Park, the emerging greenspace on the north side of town also earned earmarks. Overall, Orchard Park is listed as a $2.5 million project with construction slated to begin next year.

“I want to make sure our stewardship continues to make Liberty Lake Spokane County’s premier address,” Peterson said.

New to this year’s budget are dedicated funds for underground utilities, community messaging and building contingency. A major renovation of Liberty Lake Road, similar to the work done in 2015 on Appleway Avenue, is also on the docket.

On the general fund side, Peterson’s proposal includes a $350,000 transfer to the municipal facilities fund and $100,000 for a storage building. The mayor has alo recommended $100,000 for upgrades to irrigation at Pavillion Park and the same amount for multi-use fields next to the new Liberty Creek K-2 School.

Municipal employees would receive a 2-percent pay boost in the mayor’s 2017 priorities. A new

See BUDGET, Page 11

The Splash

NOVEMBER 2016 • 11

BUDGET

Continued from page 10 police officer would be added as well as a temporary building inspector and a full-time front desk assistant at City Hall. Also being proposed are benefits for year-round parks staff and a restructuring of the salary scales for library employees.

“We want to provide fair and competitive salary adjustments for our staff,” Peterson said.

STA presentation A contingent from Spokane Transit Authority (STA) appeared at the Oct. 18 meeting to present the facts on Proposition 1, a proposed sales tax increase on the Nov. 8 ballot that is meant to maintain, improve and expand the region’s public transit service.

If approved by a simple majority or any margin over 50 percent, the initiative would mean an additional one-tenth of 1 percent sales tax in 2017 and the same increase two years later. STA officials say the funds would support over 25 regional transit project over the next decade.

Peterson, who serves on the STA board, said “public transit is important to Liberty Lake.”

“Working together, our goal is to make a transportation system that is the best in the country,” he said.

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Despite buffer zones that have kept marijuana retailers out of Liberty Lake to this point, it appears at least one pot shop will now be established in city limits. The business, which has been approved for a license through the city, will be located on the far east end of the boundaries and construct a standalone building that will adhere to city design standards.

In reaction, council unanimously passed an ordinance on Oct. 18 establishing a six-month moratorium on any applications from marijuana-related businesses.

There was also talk around the dais about an outright ban on the industry in Liberty Lake, an approach taken by 78 jurisdictions throughout Washington. Another 93 cities currently have moratoriums in place.

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The Freedom Five – History lessons brought to life through Fallen Heroes

COVER STORY

Capt. Victoria Ann Pinckney of the Air Force who died in a plane crash on May 3, 2013. Pinckney’s family came to Liberty Lake from Colorado for the dedication and have returned several times since.

“I feel happy for these families because, as I’ve talked to them, that’s really what their fear was, that the memory of their loved ones would be lost,” Wiese said. “I think these memorials have really helped the families. They have a connection there.”

By Craig Howard Splash Editor

Just a few miles from her home in Spokane Valley, Jenifer Gorman can see an image of her son surrounded by cheerful parkgoers in a pastoral, tree-lined setting.

The plaque of former Marine Cpl. Josh Dumaw stands proudly in Rocky Hill Park, part of an outdoor exercise station that was dedicated on Sept. 21, 2013 as the first installment of the Fallen Heroes Circuit Course. The idea to dedicate sites to five fallen soldiers from each branch of the military was introduced in 2012 by former Marine Bob Wiese who lives just to the north of the park.

Dumaw, a graduate of West Valley High School, enlisted as a Marine in 2007. He was killed in Afghanistan on Sept. 21, 2013 while protecting his fellow soldiers.

Gorman said she and other family members and friends visit the station on a regular basis to heal and remember.

“The course has impacted our family in a very positive way,” she said. “We have some family that find it easier to visit with Josh there rather than the cemetery.

It's so much easier to feel closer to Josh at a fitness course because he would be using it.”

Recently, one of the Marines who had served with Dumaw visited the area. The Fallen Heroes site was on his list of destination points.

“We took him to see the course and he loved it,” Jenifer said. “He agreed that it fit Josh and who he was.”

Dumaw’s son, Bodie, was born three months after his father died.

The dedication of the site took place

The Splash

The dedication ceremony for the Town Square Park Fallen Heroes site took place in freezing conditions on Veterans Day, Nov. 11, 2014. The station salutes the Navy and Corpsman Greg Vercruyssee who was killed in Vietnam on June 7, 1967. Pictured from left to right are Jason Spinden, a member of the Navy and a Fallen Heroes committee member, John Kerr who served with Greg in Vietnam, Dean Vercruysse, Greg’s brother and Bob Wiese, Fallen Heroes founder.

File photo on his third birthday. Now 6, Bodie uses the exercise equipment when he visits with his grandmother and mom, Kailyn.

“I love to watch people as they read the bio with Josh's picture on it,” Gorman said. “It brings such pride that he made that big of an impact and continues to do so. I hope those that utilize the course will truly understand the sacrifice of those that were chosen to be honored. I hope the course is enjoyed, and treated with the respect that it deserves. Thank you all for honoring our sons and daughters and for keeping their memories alive.”

Wiese formed a committee in late 2012 to help coordinate the project. By September of 2015, all five stations were in place.

Along with support from around 20 local businesses and residents who raised over $16,000 for the individual plaques, the course received major financial backing from the city of Liberty Lake for the exercise equipment and incidental costs.

“Everyone really rallied behind

this and worked together from the start,” Wiese said. “What we have today is a result of the synergy between the committee and the city. I can say it’s better than what I had envisioned.”

Mayor Steve Peterson said the effect of the project has been well worth the investment.

“I hope it gives us a greater appreciation of our military and reminds all of us about the true cost of freedom,” Peterson said. “I know that the families all visit the sites at least once a year or more.

I believe they really appreciate this community remembrance of their loved ones’ sacrifice.”

In addition to the mayor and City Council, Wiese gives credit to former Parks and Recreation Director Michelle Griffin and Planning and Building Services Manager Amanda Tainio for their help in coordinating each site.

“They were both a tremendous help,” Wiese said.

The Dumaw/Marines station in Rocky Hill was followed by an installment in Pavillion Park saluting

Dean Vercruysse was only a second grader in June of 1967 when his brother, Greg, a Navy corpsman, was killed in Vietnam.

Over 47 years later, Dean attended the dedication of the Fallen Heroes station on Veterans Day in November 2014 when Greg’s story was told. Since then, Dean and his mother, Hazel, have made the pilgrimage regularly to Town Square Park to honor Greg’s memory.

“We visit often and also visit and pay our respects to the other fallen at the other stations,” Dean said. “It has shown my mother and I that others still care about the fallen. We have been able to meet wonderful caring members of the community of Liberty Lake. It has given us closure in a wonderful way.”

John Kerr, who was serving in Greg’s company the day he lost his life, drove to the Inland Northwest from upperstate New York to speak at the dedication. Wiese, who keeps in contact with Dean through emails and social media, says the installment and its meaning helped Kerr find solace.

“He said it was the missing piece of his recovery 47 years later.”

Located on grounds utilized for the Liberty Lake Farmers Market, the Vercruysse station receives many visitors throughout the year. Wiese said the reaction and interest he’s seen at the site are typical of the way the community has responded to the Fallen Heroes network.

See HEROES, Page 13

The Splash

HEROES

Continued from page 12

“Seems like every time I’m at the Farmers Market, I’ll look down and see an older couple or I’ll see a family in front of the plaque and they’re talking about it,” Wiese said.

Dean said credit for the course goes to the committee and city that took the time to invest in the memory of each fallen hero.

“I hope others will realize and appreciate the wonderful caring people and elected officials of Liberty Lake who have worked to build an outstanding community,” he said. “I hope that those who see the stations take a moment to reflect on the brave young Americans who go into harm’s way to serve their country.”

When Liberty Lake resident Kristi Dodson joined the Fallen Heroes committee, she was focused on how the project would add to exercise options in the community.

The entire course spans 5.56 miles and features a wide variety of high end exercise equipment.

“It started with me thinking this was a great way to work out,” Dodson said. “Now that I’ve met these Fallen Heroes families, it’s more about the people we are honoring and who they were and what they’ve done. Just putting a face and a story to this project, it became much more than just an exercise course. It has become an emotional investment.”

The station honoring Cpl. Kelly

COVER STORY

Grothe and the Army runs parallel to the first fairway at Trailhead golf course on a north/south trail.

A 2004 graduate of Central Valley High School, Grothe died on May 3, 2007 in Iraq when helping fellow soldiers who had been injured.

The dedication ceremony for Grothe took place on May 25, 2015 and included members of his platoon who had served with him in the Middle East.

Dodson said the stations and the stories of the Fallen Heroes have brought history lessons to life, shedding light on themes like liberty, freedom and sacrifice.

“You’re in the park and you explain to your child who that person was,” she said. “Our kids are growing up in a community where they are aware of five different fallen heroes. Before, these holidays like Veterans Day and Memorial Day were just days off school. Now they can put a face to them. I know parents who are explaining to their kids why these stations are there and teaching lessons.”

The final station was dedicated on Sept. 11, 2015 at Nature’s Place Arboretum just east of City Hall. Seaman Clint Miniken, who died during a rescue call off the Washington Coast on Feb. 12, 1997, is honored there.

Tricia Usab, a local attorney and Fallen Heroes committee member, recalls getting to know Miniken’s family in the time leading up to the

See HEALING, Page 31

The Fallen Heroes Circuit Course has been guided by a volunteer advisory committee since the project began to gain momentum in late 2012. There are now Fallen Heroes stations at five sites in Liberty Lake honoring each branch of the military. Members of the committee are pictured above at the Rocky Hill Park station honoring the Marines and Cpl. Josh Dumaw. From left to right: Tricia Usab, Jason Spinden, Tim Homer, Bob Wiese, John Munro, Kristi Dodson and Amy O’Donnell. Not pictured: Kathy Whybrew.

Photo by Craig Howard

City honors Fallen Heroes with unique holiday tradition

NOVEMBER 2016 • 13

network “really encourages people to pause and take a moment to reflect on those that gave their lives so that we can enjoy something as simple as safely walking down this beautiful path.”

With family in the military, Steve Peterson has a special appreciation for the sacrifice of those who serve.

“These monuments memorialize the legacy these service members leave and show gratitude for all of the service members from this community whom they represent,” Prince said.

During his tenure as mayor of Liberty Lake, Peterson has been a catalyst in the successful effort to complete the Fallen Heroes Circuit Course honoring five local soldiers who died while serving their country. Now each year, the city goes the extra mile by adding a unique dimension to each station.

The wreaths are brought to the quintet of sites on Memorial Day, the Fourth of July and Christmas.

Liberty Lake resident Bob Wiese, a former Marine who brought the idea of a circuit course saluting fallen soldiers to the city in 2012, said the gesture has not been lost on all those connected to the project.

Peterson came up with the idea to place wreaths at the respective sites on certain holidays after visiting a friend’s gravesite.

“It’s amazing that they do that,” Wiese said. “It means a lot. The wreaths really add to the stations on those holidays.

It’s just another example of the mayor and the city having incredible support for Fallen Heroes.”

By Craig Howard Splash Editor

“It was near Veterans Day and I saw how they had decorated all of the service men and women’s plots,” Peterson said. “Upon returning to Liberty Lake, I asked (Office Assistant) Tricia (Prince) to get the necessary things together to do the same. She really took the lead and provided the creativity.”

Prince served in the U.S. Army from 1994 to 1998 and the Idaho National Guard from 2001 to 2004. She says the Fallen Heroes

Prince said the wreaths have become popular ornaments, especially when the snow falls.

She said the task of delivering the decorations “has become kind of personal.”

“I guess I want to make sure that the monuments don’t just become signs or another fixture that people walk by,” she said.

“It might start a conversation or put the thought in someone’s mind for a moment. I also want the families to know that we, as a city, continue to honor their loved ones even after the dedication ceremony.”

Wreaths, courtesy of the city of Liberty Lake, are placed at each of the five Fallen Heroes stations on Christmas, Memorial Day and the Fourth of July. Mayor Steve Peterson began the holiday tradition as a way to salute the sacrifice of veterans.

Contributed photo

COMMUNITY

14 • NOVEMBER 2016

The Splash

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Nov. 5 | Otis Orchards Fire Station #4 Open House, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., 22406 E. Wellesley. The Spokane Valley Fire Department invites the community to drop by for free family fun. Meet your firefighters and check out the fire engines. Tour the fire station, try on firefighter gear, take pictures and enjoy tasty treats and cool giveaways. We’re also collecting donations for the Otis Orchards Food Bank. More at 892-4155 or www.spokanevalleyfire.com.

Nov. 5 | Farm and Food Expo, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Spokane Community College, 1810 N. Greene Street, Spokane. More than 90 classes will be offered in this full day of farm and homestead education that every small acreage farmer, garden enthusiast and foodie will want to know. Tickets are $65-$75. For more information, call 535-7274, ext. 214.

Nov. 5-6 | Central Valley High School Fall Craft Fair, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Central Valley High School, 821 S. Sullivan Road, Spokane Valley. This annual community event features local vendors and benefits the CV Marching Band and Color Guard.

Nov. 12 | 24th annual leaf and beach cleanup, 8 a.m. to dusk.

The Liberty Lake Sewer and Water District and the city of Liberty Lake co-sponsor this program that collects leaf, beach and yard waste in front of residences within the LLSWD boundaries. If you receive water and/or sewer service from the district, you are eligible for the pick-up. The procedure will be the same as in past years; all material must be bagged or contained for easy loading by the crews. Please limit materials to leaves, yard/ garden vegetation, weeds, pine needles and grass clippings. Please no rocks, stumps, roots, trees, limbs, sod, pumpkins or shrubs.

Store waste material close to the street for ease of loading. Keep bags as light as possible. Bagged, contained and/or piled aquatic weeds on beaches or docks will be picked up during the week of Nov. 14. (only in accessible areas, otherwise material must be bagged and placed in an accessible area). For more information, call LLSWD at 922-5443 or the city at

755-6700.

Oct. 13-Nov. 24 | Genealogy Instruction, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. each Thursday through Nov. 24, Liberty Lake Library, 23123 E. Mission Ave. Learn and use a free genealogy database to research and chart your family history back four generations in this sevenweek class taught by Grant Ely whose degree in Genealogical Research and 10 years’ teaching experience will give participants the tools, experience, and question and answer time to acquire productive research skills in this fascinating topic. The class is free but size is limited to 10 and registration is required. Call the library at 232-2510 for details.

RECURRING ACT 2 senior classes | Affordable classes offered by Community Colleges of Spokane to those who are retired or planning to retire.

A wide range of courses from geology and history to exercise and art are offered at CenterPlace, 2426 N. Discovery Place, as well as other locations throughout the area. More at www.sccel.spokane. edu/ACT2.

Military Sobriety Support Group | 10 to 11: 30 a.m., Spokane Vet Center, 13109 E. Mirabeau Parkway, Spokane Valley.

Call Steve at 893-4746 for more information.

Baha’i Fireside Conversation | 5 to 6 p.m., third Friday of the month. Spokane Valley Library, 12004 E. Main Ave. Discussion of Baha’i teachings, history, and perspectives on resolving the challenges facing humanity. All are welcome. More at 599-2411 or www.bahai.us.

Catholic Singles Mingle | meeting times and locations vary.

This group, with no dues, is for single adults of all ages. More at www.meetup.com/CatholicSingles-Mingle.

DivorceCare Recovery Support Group | Tuesdays 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Eastpoint Church, 15303 E. Sprague Ave. Learn how to heal from the deep hurt of divorce and discover hope for your future. DivorceCare for Kids (ages 5-12) meets at the same time and location. Cost is $25 for workbook. More at 892-5255 or eastpointchurch.com.

Grange potluck and meeting | 6 p.m., first Wednesday of the

month, Tri Community Grange, 25025 Heather St., Newman Lake.

A potluck will be followed by a 7 p.m. meeting for this communitybased service organization. Call Jerry at 509-226-2202 or email jerrylpeterson@comcast.net.

Liberty Lake Library | 23123 E. Mission Ave., Liberty Lake.

Various clubs and weekly meetings including book clubs, children’s story times, LEGO club, computer drop-in class, knitting club, and more. More at www.libertylakewa. gov/library.

Men’s Weekly Bible Study | 7 a.m. Tuesdays. Millwood Presbyterian Church, 3223 N. Marguerite Road, Millwood. The men’s weekly Bible Study meets in the Reception Hall with different members sharing in the leading of the study. All men are invited to join. More at www.milwoodpc.org.

Pancreatic Cancer Action Network | 6:30 p.m., the first Monday of each month. Liberty Lake Municipal Library, 23123 E. Mission Ave., Liberty Lake. More at www.pancan.org or 534-2564.

Spokane County Library District | Locations include Argonne, Fairfield, Otis Orchards and Spokane Valley. Special events and weekly activities for all ages including book clubs, children’s story times, classes, Lego club, teen anime club and writing clubs.

More at www.scld.org

MUSIC & THE ARTS Nov. 11-12 | “Disney’s Beauty and the Beast Junior,” Nov. 11 at 7:30 p.m. and Nov. 12 at 2 p.m. Kroc Center, W. 1765 W Golf Course Road, Coeur d'Alene.

Presented by Out of the Shadows Theater, this production features actors with disabilities who are accompanied onstage by ablebodied shadow actors. Molly Allen Jack Bannon will be on stage as narrators This is a new theatre company under the umbrella of Specialized Needs Recreation, a non-profit 501 c(3) organization.

For more information, call Wendy Carroll at 208 765-2764.

RECURRING Country Jammers Dance | 1 to 3:30 p.m., first and third Sunday of the month. Newman Lake Grange, 25025 E. Heather Lane,

The Splash

COMMUNITY

Newman Lake. Free (donations welcome). More information at jandg2@comcast.net.

Drop-in Square Dance Lessons | 7 to 8:30 p.m. (through May 18). Western Dance Center, 1901 N. Sullivan Road. Square dance lessons for $3 per person; no partner needed. More at 2709264.

Pages of Harmony | 6:30 to 9:30 p.m., Wednesdays. Thornhill Valley Chapel, 1400 S. Pines Road.

If you enjoy singing, you will love the four-part, a cappella harmony of this men’s barbershop chorus.

More at www.pagesofharmony.org.

Spirit of Spokane Chorus | 6:45 p.m., Tuesdays. Opportunity Presbyterian Church, 202 N. Pines Road. Make new friends by joining this women’s chorus, specializing in four-part, a cappella harmony in the barbershop style. More at 218-4799.

Spokane Novelists Group | noon to 4 p.m., second and fourth Saturday of the month. Otis Orchards Community Church, 23304 E. Wellesley Ave., Otis Orchards. A support/critique group for writers. Open to anyone with an interest in writing fiction (no memoirs, nonfiction, poetry, etc., please). Participants should bring 5-10 pages to read aloud and 6-8 copies for others to read along and critique. More at 590-7316.

Spokane Valley Camera Club | 7:15 p.m., third and fourth Monday of the month (September through April). Liberty Lake Sewer and Water District building, 22510 E. Mission Ave., Liberty Lake. All levels of ability—students through experienced photographers—are invited to learn. Social events include field trips and workshops.

More at 951-1446 or www.sv-cc. org Spokane Valley Writer’s Group | 6:15 p.m. the first and third Thursdays of the month. Lakeside Church, 23129 E. Mission Ave. This supportive critique group welcomes adult writers. More at 570-4440.

Teen Writers of the Inland Empire | 4 p.m., first Thursday of the month (except holidays).

Spokane Valley Library, 12004 E. Main Ave. Writers (sixth grade and older) meet to write and share their work. More at 893-8400.

HEALTH & RECREATION Nov. 1-Dec. 31 | Fall Futsal

League. The HUB Sports Center runs two sessions of a fiveaside futsal league for ages 9-14 with session one taking place November/December each Tuesday night and session two running January/February on Fridays. Each session is six weeks. Sign up for both sessions online to receive a discount. For more information, call 927-0602 or visit www.hubsportscenter.org.

Nov. 9 | Beginner’s pickleball clinic, 10 a.m. to noon, the HUB Sports Center, 19619 E. Cataldo, Liberty Lake. Come and learn the game of pickleball, a hybrid of tennis, ping pong and racquetetball. The HUB’s expert instructors will teach you the basic skills and rules of this exciting game. Clinics take place on the second Wednesday of each month.

Registration is just $10/person. All participants will have the option to stay for our drop-in play from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. each day for free. For more information, call 927-0602 or visit www. hubsportscenter.org.

Nov. 11 | Multi-sport clinic, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., the HUB Sports Center, Liberty Lake.

This day of fun and games will feature instruction in basketball, volleyball, futsal/soccer, wiffleball, dodgeball, pickleball and more.

For kids in the first through sixth grades. The 9 a.m. to noon option is $30. The 9 to 3 clinic runs $55 and attendees are encouraged to bring a lunch. For more information, call 927-0602 or visit www.hubsportscenter.org.

Nov. 18 | Finding Your Balance and Igniting Your Joy, 6:30 p.m., Willow Song Music Therapy, E. 21101 Wellesley, Otis Orchards.

This is a mindfulness-based class, exploring the connection with the physiology of stress and tension and well-being. Includes a guided progressive muscle relaxation.

Understand how to use music mindfully to support body, mind and soul optimum function, discover your rhythm and learn how to reduce stress. $25 per person. For more information, call 509-592-7875 or visit www. willowsongmusictherapy.com.

RECURRING

HUB Sports Center 19619 E. Cataldo Ave. Various activities and events occur throughout the week including: • Badminton open gym: 7 to 9 p.m. Tues., $5/person • Basketball open gym: Noon to 1 p.m. Tues. and Thurs., $4/person • Pickleball drop-in: 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. Mon. through Thurs.; 10 a.m. to noon Tues. and Thurs.; and 7 to 9 p.m. Wed. and Sun. $2/ seniors ($4/non-seniors)

See CALENDAR, Page 16

NOVEMBER 2016 • 15

You can be anything with a

LIKE US ON

NO REFERRAL NECESSARY

SMILE!

Here at our office we believe a confident, healthy, beautiful smile can help you accomplish anything.

Come in and let us give a smile that will take you where you want to go.

Make Your Appointment Today

509.892.9284

LIBERTY LAKE: E. 23505 Appleway Ave. Ste. #204 LINCOLN HEIGHTS: E. 2420 29th Ave. Ste. #200

www.DrScottRalph.com

SPOKANE FALL FOLK FESTIVAL

21 years of celebrating our cultural diversity

Nov. 12 - 13 Saturday - 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. • Sunday - 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The Lair – Spokane Community College 1810 N. Greene FREE PARKING Free Family Fun All Day! Dance • Music • Workshops Jam Sessions • Craft Sales • Children’s Activities 8 stages • 100 performers

Folk, Bluegrass, Old-time Celtic, Hawaiian, Blues, Scottish, Middle Eastern, Japanese, Native American, African, Klezmer, English Contra Dances Performers’ schedules & info at www.spokanefolkfestival.org.

The Fall Folk Festival is sponsored by the Spokane Folklore Society

Ma

16 • NOVEMBER 2016

COMMUNITY

T h e N a t i o n a l ly A w a r d - W i n n i n g C e n t r a l V a l l e y h i g h s c h o o l T h e a t r e D e p a r t m e n t P r o u d ly P r e s e n t s

CALENDAR

Continued from page 15 • Classes including Kenpo Karate, Modern Farang-Mu Sul, and Zumba Aerobics. See website for cost and times.

CIVIC & BUSINESS

N ove m b e r 2,3,4,5,9,10,11,12 T ic k e t s $ 8 - $ 1 2

Oct. 5-Nov. 16 | Growing Up Again: Parenting Ourselves, Parenting Our Children, noon to 2 p.m., Spokane Vet Center, 13109 E. Mirabeau Parkway, Spokane Valley. A free, seven-week class based on the book co-authored

by Jean Illsley Clarke and Connie Dawson. This course offers information about ages and stages of development, ways to nurture our children and ourselves, as well as tools for personal and family growth. This class is offered to veterans and their significant others in any stage of parenting.

Veterans hoping to reflect on how they were raised in an effort to resolve current issues stemming from childhood are also encouraged to attend. Call 4448387 for more information.

RECURRING

7 : 3 0 p m c u r ta i n

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Central Valley School board | 6:30 p.m. on the second and fourth Mondays of each month, CVSD administration building, 19307 E. Cataldo, Spokane Valley.

Liberty Lake City Council | 7 p.m. on the first and third Tuesdays of each month, City Hall, 22710 E. Country Vista Drive.

Liberty Lake Library Foundation | Noon the first Wednesday of each month, 23123 E. Mission Ave. Liberty Lake Merchants Association | 11:30 a.m.

Tuesdays, Liberty Lake Portal, 23403 E. Mission Ave., Suite 120.

More at 999-4935.

Liberty Lake Municipal Library Board | 10:30 a.m. the first Thursday of each month, 23123 E. Mission Ave. Liberty Lake Planning Commission | 4 p.m. on the second Wednesday of each month, City Hall, 22710 E. Country Vista Drive.

Liberty Lake SCOPE (Sheriff’s Community Oriented Policing Effort) | 6:30 p.m. on the first Wednesday of each month, City Hall, 22710 E. Country Vista Drive.

Liberty Lake Sewer and Water District Board | 4 p.m. on the second Monday of each month, 22510 E. Mission Ave.

What’s happening at

As we near the end of our first year under new leadership, we would like to say “thank you” to all of you for your continued support. We have learned a lot this year co-hosting a candidate forum, creating the 1st Anuual Election Guide, and continuing to support other organizations that benefit our community. We will continue our mission of “Honoring local communities and encouraging citizen involvement” as we look toward 2017.

Here are a few things we have in the works for 2017 • • •

•

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CVHS Performing Arts Center | 821 S Sullivan Rd, Spokane Valley

Purchase your seats now at cvtheatre.com

Underwritten in part by:

CVHS tre

Thea s Booster

In the coming months will be expanded to being delivered directly to 20,000 homes and businesses in the Spokane Valley area.

February’s issue will spotlight a special valentine’s section for those of you who would like to send your loved ones personal messages to show how much you care all month long.

Due to increases in costs, we will be implementing new pricing for advertising beginning January 2017. We are currently offering advertisers the opportunity to lock in current prices for the next year before these increases take effect. Our sales department would be happy to assist you with all your advertising needs. Call or email scott@libertylakesplash.com We are now offering advertising gift certificates.

Call for more details 701-7126 or 242-7752

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LIBRARY

NOVEMBER 2016 • 17

Books that are coming soon Children’s “Dinosaur Rap” W CD by John Foster

“Word of Mouse” by James Patterson

Go on a rhythmic romp through the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous eras to meet the prehistoric creatures every child loves: dinosaurs! With colorful artwork and a funky fresh beat, Dinosaur Rap introduces children to paleontology, the relative sizes of dinosaur species and the abstract concept of time.

James Patterson's newest illustrated middle grade story follows the illuminating journey of a very special mouse, and the unexpected friendships that he makes along the way.

What makes Isaiah so unique?

First, his fur is as blue as the sky-which until recently was something he'd never seen, but had read all about. That's right--Isaiah can read, and write. He can also talk to humans...if any of them are willing to listen! After a dramatic escape from a mysterious laboratory, Isaiah is separated from his "mischief" (which is the word for a mouse family), and has to use his special skills to survive in the dangerous outdoors, and hopefully find his missing family. But in a world of cruel cats, hungry owls, and terrified people, it's hard for a young, lone mouse to make it alone. When he meets an equally unusual and lonely human girl named Hailey, the two soon learn that true friendship can transcend all barriers.

“ The Fix-It Man” by Susan Hood Meet Joshua James, the fix-it man. If he can t fix it, no one can!

When a stinky problem arises, Joshua James takes matters into his own hands with a little help from his younger sister, Sophie.

This playful read-aloud story with catchy text and imaginative illustrations is sure to inspire young inventors everywhere.

“The Red Bandanna: A Life. a Choice. a Legacy” by Tim Rinaldi

The next installment of Bernard Cornwell’s series chronicling the epic saga of the making of England, "like Game of Thrones, but real" (Observer, London) the basis for “The Last Kingdom,” the hit television series coming to Netflix in Fall 2016 and where the series begins.

One Sunday morning before church, when Welles Crowther was a young boy, his father gave him a red handkerchief for his back pocket. Welles kept it with him that day and just about every day to come; it became a fixture and his signature. When the Twin Towers fell, Welles's parents had no idea what happened to him.

Eight months after the attacks, however, his mother read a news account from several survivors who said they and others had been led to safety by a stranger, carrying a woman on his back, down nearly 20 flights of stairs. After leading them down, the young man turned around. "I'm going back up," he said. The survivors didn't know his name, but despite the smoke and panic, one of them remembered a single detail clearly: the man was wearing a red bandanna.

Saturday afternoons, November 5th and 12th from 2:30 – 5:00 pm Wednesday November 16th and 30th from 5:30 – 8:00 pm

National Novel Writer Month is a wonderful opportunity to pull the writers in our community together and support each other toward their goal. This amazing annual program encourages people of all ages to write 50k words in 30 days.

Light snacks will be provided, and participants are invited to bring their own as well. For more information, contact Kristi Fridye at 509-218-6436 or Kristi_fridye@ yahoo.com

Wildtree Freezer Meal Class Thursday, November 10th 6:00 - 8:00 pm

Bring your own protein and we provide the rest of the ingredients. You go home with a freezer meal that will feed 4-6 adults. Space and supplies are limited. More specific instructions will be given to those who register at goo.gl/znBYrm

CHILDREN’S ACTIVITES Nerf Wars

Adult’s “The Flame Bearer” by Bernard Cornwell

ADULT ACTIVITES NaNoWriMo

“The Boy Is Back” by Meg Cabot In this brand-new novel from No. 1 New York Times bestselling author Meg Cabot, a scandal brings a young man back home to the small town, crazy family and first love he left behind. Reed Stewart thought he’ d left all his smalltown troubles including a broken heart behind when he ditched tiny Bloomville, Indiana, 10 years ago to become rich and famous on the professional golf circuit. Then one tiny post on the Internet causes all of those troubles to return.

Friday, November 4th Drop off 5:45 pm, Game 6:00 7:30 pm, Ages 10 and up Sick of fighting your battles with a controller? Dust off your Nerf gun and join us for an after-hours Nerf gun war. Make the library your battlefield!

• Participants should bring their own Nerf gun and darts.

• Participants must write initials on darts.

• If you don’t own a Nerf gun, contact Jandy, the Children’s Librarian, to reserve one of ours.

All participants must get a permission slip signed in order to participate. Those without a permission slip will be turned away. Get a permission slip: At the Circulation Desk or on the Children’s Page of the library webpage.

www.libertylakewa.gov/library

23123 E. Mission Ave. Liberty Lake • 232-2510

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18 • NOVEMBER 2016

Funds when you need them Variable rates as low as

3.74% APR* Fixed rates on up to 3 advances at once

No appraisal fees

PUT YOUR EQUITY TO WORK PAY FOR HOME IMPROVEMENT OR DEBT CONSOLIDATION Owning your own home is a huge achievement – and it’s a great asset. You can use the value of your house to apply for a Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC). Fund home improvement projects or consolidate debt at lower rates.

It’s up to you.

As a not-for-profit credit union, BECU is committed to helping our members make smart financial decisions.

We offer super low rates and we’ve waived appraisal fees because we want to help our members get ahead in life.

VISIT US Spokane Valley 615 North Sullivan Road, Suite D Spokane Valley, WA 99037 Spokane Division 916 N Division Street Spokane, WA 99202

APPLY ONLINE www.becu.org/heloc

www.becu.org 800-233-2328

Federally insured by NCUA *The rate for the Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC) is based on the highest Prime Rate as published in the Wall Street Journal as of the date of any rate adjustment plus a margin (3.74% APR as of 9/1/2016). APRs do not include costs and rate may vary monthly (maximum 18% APR) and are subject to increase after account opening upon default. During the credit advance draw period, payments equal monthly payments of interest, subject to lesser of $100 or your balance and principal is not reduced. At the end of the draw period, your monthly payment will increase equal to the principal and interest amount necessary to pay the loan balance over the remainder of the loan term amortized over 180 months. The actual rate may be higher than the advertised rate for loans exceeding 70% combined-loan-to-value (CLTV) or if you have lesser creditworthiness. Not every applicant will qualify.

The APR for a Fixed Rate Advance (FRA) as of 9/1/2016 is as low as 3.99% APR. FRAs provide for up to 15 years of fixed monthly principal and interest payments, depending on the amount advanced. FRAs are subaccounts of a HELOC. Owner-occupied property must be located in one of the following states: WA, OR, CA, AZ, KS, MO, IL and PA. Non-owner occupied property must be located in the State of Washington. Certain third party costs may apply that range between $0-$1,999, depending on the location of the property, the amount of the loan and other factors. Additional state or local mortgage fees or taxes may apply. Property insurance and, if applicable, flood insurance required. Home Equity Line of Credit Account Fixed Rate Advances provide for up to 15 years of monthly principal and interest payments, depending on the amount advanced. An Automated Value Model (AVM) may be obtained in lieu of an appraisal at no cost to member.

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Cranberry Facts

Eat a Cranberry Day November 23

Did you know the cranberry is one of only three fruits native to North America? The other two are the blueberry and the concord grape. They are only of the only foods we eat that bounce and float. This is from the air pockets they have.

Native Americans called the them sassamanesh, atoqua, and ibimi. Besides food they used them is celebreated annually since 2000 to for medicine and dye. Germans called the berry promote the cranberry’s health benefits craneberries because the flower on the vine looks that make it a super fruit. like the neck of a crane, gradually it was shortened to what we know today.

Cranberries are grown in Massachusetts, Wisconsin, New Jersey, Oregon and Washington.

It takes about 450 to make a pound. Americans eat 400 million pounds per year.

Sailors ate them to prevent scurvy.

During WWII American troops ate about one million pounds per year.

20 • NOVEMBER 2016

The Splash

Homemade Bread Day is November 17

Recipe Box Quick Monkey Bread INGREDIENTS: ½ c. sugar 1 tsp. cinnamon 1 c. brown sugar ¾ c. melted butter 2 cans of refrigerator biscuits DIRECTIONS: 1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a tube pan.

2. Cut biscuits into quarters. Mix cinnamon and sugar to dip or shake biscuit pieces in.

Arrange in pan.

3. Mix brown sugar and butter. Pour over biscuit pieces.

4. Bake 30 minutes. Or until no longer doughy in the center. Cool in the pan ten minutes before turning upside down onto serving plate. Serve warm.

The Splash

NOVEMBER 2016 • 21

PACE Trait CITIZENSHIP

Positively contributing to society and community as well as dutifully respecting authority and the law Bread Facts Bread might be the only food eaten by every race, culture and religion

Congratulations to Landon!

He’s the latest

KiDDS Dental No Cavity Club winner!

Landon won a $25 gift card to Toys R Us and a photo session with

Call our office to schedule an appointment to see if your child is cavity-free!

891-7070

Grow Up Smiling!

1327 N. Stanford Lane, Suite B, Liberty Lake 509.891.7070 www.GrowUpSmiling.com

Find out about all of our events and contests on Facebook!

Animal Facts

Every month we will feature an information Ancient Egyptians are usually credited with on a different animal. Cut them out and collect inventing the oven and discovering yeast as a them all! leavener. Rome had a bakers guild in 150 b.c.

One bushel of wheat makes about 40 loaves of white bread or 60 whole wheat loaves.

In 1890, 95% of the bread eaten in America was made by women at home. Only 70% was made at home by women in 1910. By 1920, most bread eaten in America was made by men in factories.

In the early 1930’s sliced bread became widely available.

It takes a combine about 10 seconds to harvest a bushel of wheat Moldy bread used to be used to disinfect cuts.

In the 1500’s workers got the burned bottom, the family got the middle and company got the upper crust.

Whoever eats the last piece of homemade bread is supposed to kiss the cook

Tenrec - Madagascar - 6-16”, 5 grams - 4 lbs - Lives up to 10 years - 25 species - Solitary - Nocturnal - Hibernates - Has spines similar to a porcupin or hedgehog - 300 heartbeats per minute - has up to 32 offspring and 28 teatsm the most of any mammal - eats worm and insects

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22 • NOVEMBER 2016

Author Spotlight

Materials: A variety of dried beans School Glue Construction or other sturdy paper Outline of a dog head

o

ll i m a c i D Kate Katerina DiCamillo was born in Philadelphia in 1964 but was raised in Florida. She earned an English degree from the University of Florida. While working at a book warehouse she submitted her draft which became Because of Winn-Dixie.

Kate writes books that usually feature animals for children of many different reading levels.

She is one of only six people to win two Newberry Medals. In 2003, she won for The Tale of Despereaux.

In 2013, she received her second for Flora and Ulysses.

There have been numerous other awards bestowed upon her including the appointment of "National Ambassador for Young People's Literature," by the Library of Congress.

Her books Because of Winn-Dixie and The Tale of Despereaux have been made into family friendly movies, so over Thanksgiving break have a read-aloud and then watch the movie to decide which version you like best.

Many of Kate Di Camillo’s books prominently feature a large eared dog, so we thought this dog mosaic would be the perfect craft. We just drew a quick outline, but you could print one if you prefer.

Directions: 1. Start with the outline of the dog’s head that you have either chosen or created.

2. Decide how you would like the beans to be arranged. We recommend that you start gluing at the eyes and working your way outward.

Have fun making “markings” to create your unique dog.

Books We Recommend

Kate DiCamillo is another of those writers where it is hard to choose which book to recommend so we've chosen two of her lesser known books

Tales from Deckawoo Drive (Series) ages 6-9

This is a spin-off series to her hugely popular Mercy Watson series which currently includes three books. You'll find many of the same quirky characters that made you giggle in the original series. The illustrator, Chris Van Dusen's cartoon artwork makes a great addition to the story.

Raymie Nightingale, 2016 ages 10 and up

Another set of quirky characters but this book is sad. It is also inspiring.

A story of three girls in a baton twirling competition and their unlikely friendship helping them each to deal with problems n their lives.

Bink and Gollie, 2010 ages 6-10

This book won the Theodore Geisel award in 2011. This book contains three funny related stories about a pair of odd couple friends and their adventures. Its cartoon illustrations by Tony Fucile add to the humor.

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NOVEMBER 2016 • 23

Student of the Month On weekday mornings around 6:45, you can find Ryan Hunter out for a brisk jog with his fellow Central Valley High School cross country runners. The “zero-hour” class is simply part of the routine for the dedicated senior who is part of state’s top-ranked 4A team. At the prestigious Richland Invite this year, an event that CV won, Ryan broke his personal record by 30 seconds, completing the 3-mile course in 16 minutes, 12 seconds. Ryan has participated in cross country all four years and is also part of the Bears’ track squad. Last season, he qualified for districts in the 3,200 meters. His p.r. in the event is 10 minutes flat while his best time in the 1,600 meters is 4:36. A member of the National Honor Society, Ryan maintains a 3.95 grade point average. Running at CV “is all about the team and the sense of family,” Ryan says.

Citizen of the Month

& Thanks you for all you do in our community

Conducting the award-winning Central Valley High School marching band is no easy task.

For senior Sydni Fawson, the responsibility means having the focus, leadership and comprehension to coordinate both the music and the movements. Sydni served as a backfield conductor as a junior and rose the drum major status this year. Between the flute and piano, The Liberty Lake resident is part of the school’s jazz band, symphony, pep band, concert band and wind ensemble. She says “friendship and camaraderie” have been her favorite aspects of participating in music at CV over the past four years. Sydni maintains a 3.93 grade point average and is a member of the National Honor Society. Through her church, Syndi has volunteered with Blessings Under the Bridge, a local nonprofit that provides food and supplies to homeless residents.

The Community Box is brought to you by

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Building High 509-481-5536 Performance Smile Makers

Athlete of the Month A 19-year resident of Liberty Lake, Pat Lutzenberger has been central to several causes that have carved out the community’s identity. In 2004, Pat originated the idea of the annual tea that benefits the Liberty Lake Library. She is also a longtime member of the library’s board of trustees, a group that sets the direction of the library. She also volunteered for the Liberty Lake Yard Sales in the early years of the event and has been part of the Liberty Lake Kiwanis since its inaugural year in 2001. For a decade, Pat was co-advisor of the “K-Kids” program that emphasized community service at Liberty Lake Elementary and was honored with three Chase Youth Commission awards. Pat also was part of the organizing committee for the Kiwanissponsored Father Daughter Dance for 13 years. She and her husband, Mike, have three children and four grandchildren.

HELPING YOU GET THE MOST FROM YOUR MEDICARE. Mary Sloan

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24 • NOVEMBER 2016 Brought to you by

About and for Liberty Lake seniors Striders set healthy pace for constructive exercise, friendship

By Jamie Borgan Splash Correspondent Carol Stobie and Judy Lanphear have a congenial rapport and warm sense of familiarity as they talk about their participation in Striders of the Inland Northwest.

The two easily finish each other’s sentences and can fill in the gaps in one another’s stories.

Their familiarity is built upon having walked thousands of miles together as members of the Striders over the years. Striders are a robust group of walkers who meet several times a week for fitness walking and exercise.

Lanphear, 79, has been a Striders’ member since moving to Spokane from California in 2002 and Stobie, 78, joined the organization shortly after they started a Spokane Valley chapter and has now been walking with the group for nearly 20 years.

Neither had ever been a part of a fitness club, nor had a regular regime of exercise before joining.

In fact, Stobie recalls thinking she’d never be interested in joining a group like the Striders upon seeing them exercising at Spokane Valley Mall. She says wryly, “a few months later, I was a member.”

For Lanphear, her introduction to Striders came when she attended the Senior Wellness Conference in Spokane. She sat down for lunch

There are around 30 members of the Valley Striders group that gather for walks at scenic sites like Manito Park on Spokane’s South Hill. Over 70 members are part of the group. The age range of the local Striders organization spans from 60 to 92. Those who participate say the social aspect of the group can be just as important as the exercise element.

Photo by Judy Lanphear with some Striders members and joined shortly thereafter.

Watching Stobie and Lanphear interact, it’s easy to see how the camaraderie of the Striders could be infectious and easily draw others to membership. In addition to their regular Tuesday, Thursday and Friday walk at 8 a.m., the group meets twice a week at the Valley YMCA for exercise classes, taught by long term instructor Shari DeGuire, to focus on strength, stretching and balance.

“We do all kinds of exercise, but we don’t get on the floor,” Carol says. “Otherwise, we might never get up.”

Striders don’t have to be members

Along with treks on picturesque trails at Mirabeau Point Park (above) Striders meet weekly for breakfast, hold awards ceremonies and participate in fundraisers for local nonprofits. While refreshing walks at locales are ideal in spring and summer, the Striders move their jaunts inside to the Spokane Valley Mall in the winter.

Photo by Carol Stobie

of the YMCA to participate in the classes. Each Strider pays $15 for annual dues and $2 fee per session at the YMCA. In the winter months, walks are moved inside to the Spokane Valley Mall. If the weather is not as harsh, groups stride along the Centennial Trail near the mall.

There are over 70 members of the Valley Striders group and a large group that walks in Coeur d’Alene.

While Striders is not specifically limited to seniors, their youngest member is “around 60” Lanphear says and their oldest is 92. Both Lanphear and Stobie agree that the 92-year-old is a dynamo and able to outwalk members 20 years younger.

The group is open to people at all fitness levels; many have never been regular exercisers, but understand the importance of staying active as they age. Some walk with canes or oxygen tanks.

Members can walk as far and as fast as they want and each member is responsible for tracking their own mileage.

While the main purpose of Striders is related to physical health, seeing the friendship built between members like Stobie and Lanphear, it’s easy to understand the large role community plays in the group’s success. In addition to all their physical activities, members meet weekly for breakfast, hold regular awards ceremonies to celebrate each other’s mileage achievements and participate in fundraisers for other Valley organizations, like

Meals on Wheels.

Stobie asserts that the friendship and camaraderie of the group is absolutely key to keeping members coming back; it’s so much easier to do regular exercise “if people are waiting for you,” she says. Both assert that their members are healthier than non-active seniors and heal more quickly from falls and surgeries.

In addition to their participation in Striders’ activities, both Lanphear and Stobie contribute other talents to keeping the group going. Both serve on the board of the organization and Stobie helps organize walking events in the summer while Lanphear puts together the group’s newsletter and helps with any computer work that needs to be done. They serve as energetic ambassadors for the group, fielding calls from new members and keeping members up to date on organizational happenings.

Despite being self-described as “engulfed” in the Striders, both Lanphear and Stobie also participate in other community events. Until recently, Stobie was on the board of Monarch Arts in the Valley, an organization that brings art to seniors in retirement communities, who might not otherwise be able to experience it. Both also have an interest in photography and have had their photography displayed at the Senior Wellness Conference.

They took turns winning first place though, so each of them would have a chance.

The energy Stobie and Lanphear have for Striders and the benefits it brings to the senior community is inspiring and palpable. As Stobie says, “there’s no reason to be bored” as a senior. She says there’s so much to do in the community and so many ways to be involved and so many talents for seniors to share. These talents, she adds, not only benefit the community, but also those participating.

Lanphear and Stobie are a delightful testament to how much one can give – and the strides one can make – with a little help from some friends.

Want to learn more?

If you are interested in learning more about Striders of the Inland Northwest, call Judy Lanphear at 8921293 or Carol Stobie at 926-1697 or visit www.striders-inw.org.

The Splash

NOVEMBER 2016 • 25

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SPORTS

26 • NOVEMBER 2016

Local athletes soar at Paralympic Games and beyond

By Mike Vlahovich

Splash Sports Editor For two weeks in Rio de Janeiro, Paralympians were rock stars, basking in the limelight of crowds often larger than those at the Olympiad that preceded them.

When out in public they were besieged by adoring denizens who sought the competitors out for pictures and autographs.

Teresa Skinner, director of ParaSport Spokane and a Team USA coach for her third straight Paralympic Games, absorbed the scene too, as the competition – and the attention – spanned from Sept.

7-18.

“Rio was unbelievable in positive ways,” said Skinner, perhaps best known as the founder and longtime director of Spokane-based Team St. Luke’s before starting ParaSport Spokane three years ago. “They did an incredible job. Everywhere we went in Rio, if any of us had our gear on, people knew we were athletes.”

is largely societal.

“Returning home can be discouraging just based on the way they are treated,” Skinner said. “I wish Americans would see them as the amazing athletes they are and not focus on the disability.”

She and her husband, David Greig, run nonprofit ParaSport Spokane which had two wheelchair athletes at the Paralympic Games, among them world-record setting wheelchair discus gold medalist Rachael Morrison.

Morrison came here two years ago from Michigan to train under Skinner and Greig. She competes in the F52 category for athletes with limited shoulder, arm and hand functions and no leg or trunk function, hers the result of a form of transverse myelitis that attacks the spinal cord.

Also competing in Rio was former Central Valley High standout Austin Pruitt, who set state wheelchair meet records in every event from 100-through-1,600 meters while in high school. He raced in the 800 meters, finishing sixth in the finals at Rio. Though ambulatory,

Sadly, she added, that level of appreciation and respect ended when American athletes came home.

“As soon as we were back in the U.S., every single one of those athletes became invisible again,” she said. “I think honestly that was the hardest part.”

Unlike, perhaps, their able-bodied counterparts, the Paralympians don’t often return to ticker tape parades. Skinner said the challenge

he has cerebral palsy which puts him in the T34 category (Like Pruitt, University graduate Trayton Dwyer also has cerebral palsy and is playing wheelchair basketball at Southwest Minnesota State University.)

Josh Brewer, another Paralympian with local ties, was a major contributor to the Team USA rugby squad that earned a silver medal in Rio. Brewer, a triple amputee, attended University High School as a freshman and sophomore before moving to the Vancouver area. He began his adaptive sports career with Team St. Luke’s.

Skinner arrived in Spokane in 1995, initially coordinating sports for St. Luke’s Rehabilitation Center, overseeing activities for youth and adults. After 17 years she decided to go in a different direction and, with Greig who came here from Canada where he ran a similar program, started ParaSport in August 2013.

University High graduate Trayton Dwyer has not let the effects of cerebral palsy get in the way of his journey to becoming an elite adaptive athlete. Dwyer trains with ParaSport Spokane, a program founded in 2013

by Teresa Skinner who founded a similar program, Team St. Luke’s, in 1995.

Contributed photo

“I started with wheelchair rugby, then added a junior basketball program and track and field, swimming, power soccer, strength and conditioning, a whole lot of stuff,” she said.

Skinner says. “There is no difference between you and me athletically. If they have the competitive drive, we provide the opportunity and the chances to compete at the national level.”

As the program expanded, she became involved with the Paralympics beginning in 1996. It was seeing the athletes perform in Atlanta, she says, that influenced her to up the bar here.

She admits the competitive drive doesn’t come easily for youngsters burdened by disability. That’s what Skinner, Greig and ParaSport Spokane are there for.

“I knew we were decades behind in Spokane,” she said. “After that experience, oh my gosh, I said, ‘We need to do something back there.’”

Rachael Morrison, a local adaptive athlete who trains with ParaSport Spokane, set a world record in the discus throw on her way to a gold medal in Rio de Janeiro at the 2016 Paralympic Games in September.

Contributed photo

The Splash

She works with high school coaches in various capacities as the sport expanded into the WIAA Star Track competition that sent Pruitt on to international recognition. He currently is in his fourth year at the U.S. training center in California.

“The biggest thing is, everybody should have access to sports,”

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“There’s not a level playing field,” Skinner said. “Driving that drive and spirit makes you a success in life, not just in sports.”

Want to find out more?

To learn more about ParaSport Spokane and how to get involved or donate, contact Teresa Skinner at 999-6466 or visit www. parasportspokane.org.

(There will be further stories about the journeys of Dwyer and other adaptive athletes in upcoming issues.)

The Splash

Sports Notebook

By Mike Vlahovich Splash Sports Editor When the returning 2015 Greater Spokane League rushing leader transferred into Central Valley then fled and never touched a football, what was there to sweat?

Braeden Orrino, the Bears second leading pass receiver who last year had a handful of carries, filled the bill. Orrino slipped seamlessly into a full-time role in the backfield this year and heading into its season finale, a game against Gonzaga Prep for the GSL championship, is on the cusp of a 1,000-yard rushing season with a league leading 976 yards.

He twice gained more than 200 years in a game, including 265 against Ferris and leads the league in scoring with 15 touchdowns.

Bears’ quarterback Conner DeGeest is second in the league in passing and overall had thrown for 1,529 yards and 12 TDs. Defensively, following a season opening 48-11 battering by Coeur d’Alene, only once did the team allow over 17 points in a game.

CV crushed rival University 55-16 improving to 7-1 overall and 4-0 in the 4A portion of the GSL with an eye on

Final Point Sports teaches life lessons about a level playing field

By Mike Vlahovich Splash Sports Editor

Growing up, my mother would admonish us, “If you can’t say something nice about someone, don’t say anything at all,” and “keep your opinions to yourself.”

Sage advice, but falling on deaf ears as witnessed by the polarizing cacophony that passes for discourse these days.

It includes partisan party politics venom, gender bias, religious intolerance and gun slingers versus those who want guns left outside the tavern doors, all egged on by its plethora of sophomoric Facebook eviscerations of those they consider unenlightened.

The most divisive of late – apart from the idiocy of The Donald versus Hillary – is race. Fifty-plus years after the Civil Rights Act, though much has changed for the better, rancor between whites and blacks, it seems, has us tramping back to the era of Jim Crow.

Short of sending all politicians to Jupiter (I jest, although real donkeys and elephants in the White House and Congress might be able to get more done) how do we bridge this divide?

Being a one-dimensional guy my theory is that sport is the best place to start.

Black and white thrust together in an

post-season.

SPORTS

Soccer back in hunt

category.

Cross country thrives

The young Bears provided firepower from all over and headed to the postseason after tying Mead for the GSL championship.

Central Valley girls’ and boys’ cross country teams were both in the top three in Greater Spokane League competition.

Both teams went 12-1 overall, but CV lost to Mead in their league encounter.

The girls shared second place with North Central with one-loss records, CV beating the Indians on a tiebreaker.

Any number of players scored, led by sophomores Maggie Ames and Kailyn LaBrosse with nine each. Senior Natalie Cabiad and sophomore Kaelyn Barnes scored five apiece.

Volleyball shares third Although it was a rough year overall for a largely inexperienced squad, Central Valley found itself alone in third place heading into its GSL finale and likely shared the spot.

A bitter pill was its loss to rival University, in three sets, one of the teams vying for that third position.

Veterans off last year’s state placer carried the Bears.

Sydney Johnson and Paige Wollan were the most likely point scorers at the net. Wollan, a junior, led the team in blocks.

Setter Hannah Wampler, another junior, set the table, one time credited with 44 assists. And sophomore Sami Smith, was a digs leader, along with Johnson who factored in nearly every atmosphere requiring teamwork in order to succeed, is proof that the races can co-exist and if nothing else a place them where they might learn to understand one another.

Roughly 80 percent of NBA basketball players and nearly 70 percent of NFL football players are black enabling them to see a world through the eyeglasses of the majority, a vastly different view for those who grew up in poverty and discord. Whites can better understand the minority plight and empathize.

Working side-by-side with a common goal can show how much they need each other and have each other’s backs.

The locker room can be a means for meaningful discussion about how we resolve divisiveness in a country that is constantly being bombarded with hate. In constant contact, they have the best chance of conveying publicly that perhaps we aren’t so different other than for the colors of their skins.

My nephew-in-law, Jason Wilson, is black. East Valley’s boys’ basketball coach and my niece Tracie have three intelligent, beautiful/handsome and athletic mixed-race children, two daughters and a son I like to claim as surrogate grandchildren. They all play sports, although the eldest, Sophia, a freshman at EV takes after my late folks, preferring music and reading. The other two are in elementary school. Gabbie, is advanced athletically, a terror in youth soccer and basketball. Their son, JJ, was slower out of the blocks, but is becoming fearless day-by-day and shows athletics hops.

Kearan Nelson, led the nine-deep team winning most of the races and finishing second twice to lead the veteran team. Anna Fomin, ran number two and Gabrielle Ford number three for the team season long. Alexis Beard and Anna Pecha are other veteran contributors.

The boys were 7-2 and third in league.

As many as 11 runners completed in a varsity race. Evan Peters, Joey Nichols and Ryan Kline were steady presences.

Unfamiliar territory Central Valley’s slow-pitch softball team found itself looking up from fourth place heading into the post-season with a 13-7 record.

But the Bears did get home run power from Macie Reynolds who, in one game, hit a grand slam and walk-off home runs.

Among the many names in this hitting oriented game were veterans Maci Peha and Jordan Schneidmiller.

At family gatherings, Jason and I usually huddle up and talk – what else?

– basketball.

Our best friends’ daughter adopted an infant girl from Ethiopia. She is my other granddaughter. She’s impish, but exceptionally bright and athletic. I have a picture of her striking a soccer ball with form that would make a World Cup player envious and she’s in early elementary school. We bonded instantly.

I can’t presume to walk in shoes other than my own. As she got older Sydney became self-conscious about her ebony skin living as she was in a white environment.

In this contentious world, we don’t see color, just a beautiful loving family that gathers sometimes 20 strong and enjoys each others’ company.

My daughter, Linse, taught P.E. and Health three years at Cleveland High, an inner city Seattle school with a substantial black enrollment. She empathized learning about the poverty and hardships those students face. They were drawn to her, some begging her to stay when she transferred to another school.

Sports bridges racial divides, she says, and stress teamwork among youngsters who normally wouldn’t mingle. She recognized that if you want to, whether in poverty or wealth, you can still play the game together.

Rather than polarize a country by vilifying people who don’t share our beliefs, we need to come together, resolve our differences and compromise.

I may be a cockeyed optimist, but given

NOVEMBER 2016 • 27

From Tee to Green – Local golf results From Splash News Sources

Liberty Lake Women’s Golf Club held their annual championship over three-week span with dates of Aug. 16, 23 and 30. Jackie Babin emerged as the club champion.

Other results from the tournament are as follows: Flight 1: gross: Rose Jones, first; Gisue Peters, second Net: Rose Smith, Skidmore, second

first;

Joyce

Flight 2: gross: Ann Eure, first; Cheryl Hull, second Net: Carol Schultz, first; Leslie Sevigney, second Flight 4: gross: Lee Sonderman, first; Elise Bozzo, second Net: Alison Block, Jacobsen, second

first;

Terry

Overall net: C.C. Marshall The Liberty Cup play-off was held on Sept. 20 with a field that featured monthly winners from throughout the season. The lineup of competitors included Sabina Pinch, Marilee Codd, Chrissie Tamura, C.C. Marshall, Joyce Skidmore and Gisue Peters The overall winner was CC Marshall.

Trailhead Ladies Golf Club – Aug. 31 Flight A: gross, CC Marshall, 46; net, Kathleen Kennedy, 30 Flight B: gross, Deanna Hauser, 51; net, Hedy Longworth, 28 Flight C: gross, Dawn Kissinger, 57; net, Susan Kinyon, 32 Chip-ins: Karen Feyk, Eleanor Badinger, Nancy Wendelburg Birdies: Kathleen Kennedy Sept. 7 Flight A: gross, Sammie Fletcher, 49; net, Kathie Krestyn, 35 Flight B: gross, Hedy Longworth, 54; net, Eleanore Badinger, 35 Flight C: gross, Karen Feyk, 54; net, Susan Kinyon, 35 Chip-ins: Larsen

Kathie Krestyn, Bobbie

Sept. 14 Flight A: gross, Sammie Fletcher, 49; net, Bea Carroll, 33 Flight B: gross, Ann Parman, Deanna Hauser, (tie) 55; net, Dawn Kissinger,Carol Oyler, (tie) 34 Flight C: gross: Karen Feyk, Susan Kinyon, (tie) 63; net, Shirley Roberts, 38 Chip-ins: Karen Feyk the nature of athletics, I believe the best place to start can be in the locker room where you can say something nice about someone else regardless of race.

The Splash

28 • NOVEMBER 2016

18th Annual Friends Of Pavillion Park Cordially Invites You To The

Liberty Lake Holiday Ball

Enjoy An Elegant Evening Of Dinner & Dancing With Silent & Live Auctions Saturday, December 10th 5:00pm in the Grand Pennington Ballroom At The Historic Davenport Hotel For more information or to purchase tickets go to www.pavillionpark.org Tickets $75 / person Contact: pavillionpark@yahoo.com THIS EVENT BENEFITS FOPP IN ITS CONTINUED EFFORT TO SUPPORT THE CONCERTS, MOVIES AND ACTIVITIES THAT TAKE PLACE THROUGHOUT THE LIBERTY LAKE COMMUNITY EVERY SUMMER. Reservations are limited and will be accommodated on first come first served basis

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HISTORY

The Splash

Jones set early standard for farming, agricultural research

By Ross Schneidmiller

Liberty Lake Historical Society For 20th century Spokane, Arthur D. Jones' name was synonymous with real estate. Having been engaged in that business since 1887 in the Inland Empire, Jones built up a substantial realty business that also included rentals, loans and

insurance.

crop failure.

It might surprise many then, that his passion was farming. Jones operated a farm and ranch that extended from the north shore of Liberty Lake more than three miles nearly to the Spokane River.

The farm operated as one, but in the beginning, was owned by multiple entities. Common to all was Jones as a major stockholder, officer and manager. One of the entities, the Railway Land & Improvement Co. was composed largely of stockholders of the Inland Empire Railway System, and its holdings consisted of farmlands and town sites along the Spokane and Inland.

According to his great grandson Petyr Beck, "Arthur D. Jones had a keen fascination for growing wheat, particularly the diseases of wheat such as wheat rust. Although he was comfortable in the boardroom, he much preferred to be out in the wheat fields instead of out on the golf course."

Jones' learned spirit, his concern for wheat diseases and the agricultural practices he employed went a long way toward being able to make the claim, at the farm's sale in 1937, that it never had a

The Arthur D. Jones Farm and Ranch was 2,000 acres with 1,300 in dry-land cultivation, 500 in pasturage and the balance in orchard and lake shore. Gold Coin, a hardy winter wheat variety, was the principal crop grown for years.

The Liberty Lake farm produced consistently good crops. Jones'

NOVEMBER 2016 • 29

policy was to sow early and, as a result, his harvest was usually the earliest in the area.

Jones experimented with new farming innovations like the combined harvester but stayed with the more labor intensive practices of binding, shocking and threshing until technology provided his best results.

Jones was remembered at his memorial service as "a man of wisdom and foresight." At the time of his passing in 1934, Spokane bore admirable infrastructure attributed to his ambition and ability. Having acquired farmland and town sites and being an advocate of good planning, it seems Jones would be pleased at what the Liberty Lake community has become.

This plat map shows ownership of the Arthur D. Jones Farm & Ranch in 1912. Jones was a major stockholder and manager of A.D. Jones & Co. Home Securities Co. and the Railway Land Import Co. The pictures are of the farm’s harvest in 1911. Clockwise from left: A stationary threshing machine a mule-pulled harvester, Jones inspecting the results of a Blewett Light-Draft Harvester and Jones with family members standing on stacks of grain.

Photos courtesy of the McGoldrick Family Collection

The Splash

30 • NOVEMBER 2016

SVFD Report – November 2016

Spokane Valley Fire Department crews responded to a total of 76 emergency calls in the greater Liberty Lake area* from Sept. 17 through Oct. 17: • Emergency medical service calls - 54 • Motor vehicle accidents – 3 • Fires – 5 • Service calls – 2 • Building alarms – 7 • Hazardous materials - 1 • Dispatched and cancelled en route – 4 *Service area for SVFD Station #3 in Liberty Lake Outdoor burn ban lifted – The fire danger burn restriction issued

by SVFD and the city of Liberty Lake on July 29 was lifted on Oct. 3. This means outdoor recreational fires that comply with regulations are now allowed, including woodburning backyard fire pits and campfires. However, open burning

of yard waste, garbage and fields is prohibited at all times. Violators may be fined.

Garbage can fire – Oct. 6 – Shortly after 11:45 a.m., SVFD crews responded to a reported trash can fire in the parking lot of the Pepper Tree Inn at 1816 North Pepper Lane. Upon arrival, crews found the remains of a plastic garbage can that had burned next to the wall of the building. A hotel guest had alerted an employee who used a fire extinguisher on the fire which had grown to 3 foot flames. The cause of the fire was undetermined. The loss was estimated to be $300.

Unauthorized burning – Oct. 10 – SVFD crews responded to the 23600 block of East Sharp Court shortly after 4:30 p.m. They found a homeowner burning in a burn barrel outside his home. The crew assisted the homeowner with extinguishing the fire and provided information about approved methods of burning. Use of burn barrels is prohibited at all times.

Motor Vehicle Accident – Oct. 11 – Shortly after 10:30

a.m., SVFD crews responded to a reported motor vehicle accident at 1600 N. Liberty Lake Drive near the Appleway intersection. Upon arrival, crews found a driver and a passenger inside the vehicle.

They used extrication equipment to force open the passenger door.

The passenger sustained minor injuries. The driver was taken into custody by the Liberty Lake Police Department.

Kitchen Fire – Oct. 13 – SVFD crews responded to a reported oven fire in the 1800 block of NorthWolfe Penn Street shortly before 10 p.m. They arrived to find the fire contained and the homeowner standing in the doorway. The homeowner asked the crew to help determine the extent of the problem, which was found to be food on the top element of the stove that was smoking while the oven was on broil.

Building Alarm – Oct. 17 – Crews responded to an alarm call in the 21500 block of East Rockrose Lane at 5:30 p.m. Upon arrival, they could hear a water flow alarm and see water flowing from the garage.

The resident said there was no fire

but he had been using heat in his garage to dry out a stained door which set off the garage sprinkler.

Crews turned off the sprinkler, replaced the head and returned the alarm system to service.

About SVFD - Spokane Valley Fire Department serves the cities of Liberty Lake, Millwood, Spokane Valley and unincorporated areas of Spokane County including the communities of Otis Orchards, Pasadena Park, and the area surrounding Liberty Lake, with a combined population of 125,000 across approximately 75 square miles. In 2015, SVFD firefighters and paramedics responded to more than 15,800 emergency calls.

Established in 1940, the Department operates 10 stations providing fire suppression, emergency medical services, technical rescue, vehicle extrication, hazardous materials response, swift water rescue, fire investigation, fire prevention, commercial property inspection, CPR and fire safety training. SVFD also offers free home fire safety checks and smoke detectors. For more information call 928-1700 or visit www.spokanevalleyfire.com.

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The Splash

NOVEMBER 2016 • 31

HEALING

to assume anything.”

“It would be fantastic and we would support it but we don’t want to creep up on the scope of the project and take advantage of the generosity the city has shown us,” he said.

Continued from page 13 ceremony.

“I had the privilege of being the direct point of contact for Seaman Clinton Miniken’s family through the dedication process and when I think of him, I think of the personal stories that his family told me about him and his goals and aspirations to serve others, which developed from a very early age,” Usab said. “I think the dedication ceremony for each circuit course station and the process leading up to the ceremony gave each family an opportunity to tell us about the person behind the plaque, and through those stories each station gained life and meaning.”

Dixie Miniken, Clint’s mother, said the initial reaction to news of the unique memorial was jarring because it revived the sadness of the incident. Time has changed that, she says.

“We now view the Fallen Heroes station as a significant honor to our son as well as the other service members,” she said. “We were fortunate to have the support of a

Annual Homeowner’s Meeting Wednesday

Nov. 16th 7:00 pm City Hall

22710 E. Country Vista

There will be a drawing for three gift cards for those in attendance www.meadowwoodhoa.com

Wiese has also mentioned the possibility of an annual circuit course race that would serves as a fundraiser to generate proceeds for the families of the Fallen Heroes.

For committee members like Usab, the project has brought new meaning to the term “hero.”

The Fallen Heroes station at Pavillion Park was dedicated on Memorial Day, May 26, 2014. The site salutes the Air Force and Capt. Victoria Ann Pinckney who died in a plane crash on May 3, 2013.

Photo by Craig Howard large number of friends and family accompany us to the dedication.

We hope people will remember the sacrifice not only of the service members but also their families and friends.”

While Dixie has not been back to the site since the dedication she says “some friends and family have visited and left flowers.”

“We plan to visit in the near future,” Dixie said.

As for the future of the Fallen Heroes campaign, Wiese says there has been some talk of installing a station in remembrance of a fallen police officer in Orchard Park, a greenspace slated for the River District on the north side of Liberty Lake. A site saluting a firefighter would also be part of the expansion.

Still, after all the support from the city, Wiese said he and his fellow committee members “don’t want

“Every time I look at a station, I think about the person we honored and his or her family,” she said.

“Each person was special, not just because of what they did, but because of who they were.

Each individual did so much for our country but each hero was so much more to his or her family.

They were all exceptional people, driven by a call to service. They impacted many people during their short lives and through this project they impacted me. I hope these stations and the heroes they have been dedicated to continue to influence the people in our community in a positive way.”

The Splash

32 • NOVEMBER 2016

Arboretum’s first bench honors influential volunteer

By Tyler Wilson A holiday guide for the Spokane Valley, Liberty Lake, Millwood, Otis Orchards, Newman Lake and Rockford areas

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Splash Correspondent The city of Liberty Lake wouldn’t be quite the same without the contributions of John and Sally Duenow.

John and Sally moved to the area just before the formation of the city itself and John was a founding member of the local Kiwanis Club.

They also worked to establish Nature’s Place at Meadowwood, the city arboretum located between Country Vista Drive and Garry Drive just east of Liberty Lake City Hall.

“We were a part of a lot of new beginnings in Liberty Lake and we’ve enjoyed that,” Sally said.

“We really enjoyed being part of the history.”

John Duenow passed away May 27, 2015, following a battle with pancreatic cancer. Sally recently donated the arboretum’s first bench in honor of her husband.

“I wanted to put something there in memory of him,” she said. “We lived up behind there before it was an arboretum. We went down there a lot, walking the dog.”

fight. He remembers John serving popcorn at a Kiwanis movie night just weeks before his passing.

“It was a busy night, it was hot and there was a big crowd, and all he said was, ‘I’m just kind of getting old I think,’” Peterson said.

“He worked to the very end.”

Prior to moving to Liberty Lake with Sally in 2000, John enjoyed an extensive teaching career, including 30 years as a professor of music at Eastern Washington University in Cheney. John and Sally are parents of three sons.

In addition to his numerous contributions to the Kiwanis Club, John was especially active with the Food 4 Thought program which provides weekend meals for students on the free and reduced lunch program in area school districts.

The Duenows were both part of the group who worked to establish Nature’s Place.

“Sally and John were very instrumental in getting that off the ground,” Peterson said.

With the bench now in place, Sally still enjoys going down to the arboretum space. The family dog, “Tuffy,” is there by her side.

“I remember when I walk past,” she said. “It brings back very fond memories of Liberty Lake and all the things they’ve done here and all the wonderful things they’ve made happen.”

Duenow’s contribution included the cost of the bench, plaque and installation – totaling $1,558, according to Amanda Tainio, Liberty Lake Planning and Building Services manager.

“Someone using the bench has views of the Legend Tree and the surrounding hillsides, the community garden and other arboretum features,” Tainio said.

“The new Duenow bench will set the design style and color for future memorial benches within the arboretum.”

Liberty Lake Mayor Steve Peterson knew John well from their time together in Kiwanis.

“John was a terrific individual and very dedicated to the community,” Peterson said. “I always called him the ‘Iron Man of volunteering.’ (Sally and John) always volunteered and they worked hard.”

Peterson said John continued volunteering after his diagnosis and didn’t tell many people about his

Liberty Lake resident Sally Duenow and her dog “Tuffy” take a break on the inaugural bench at Nature’s Place Arboretum. Sally donated the bench recently in honor of her late husband, John, who passed away last year.

Photo by Craig Howard

The Splash

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The Splash

34 • NOVEMBER 2016

Community drive has nourishing effect on Food 4 Thought

While the drive and associated donations will help meet the needs of these children, Dockrey says more is always needed and appreciated.

“Food 4 Thought has struggled this year to find enough resources,” Dockrey explained.

“We lost a major donor and that, combined with a lower than normal food bank inventory, has made the first weeks very interesting.”

By Shaun Brown Splash Correspondent

However, help has begun sprout up from other places.

What does 11,500 pounds of food look like? If you’ve been to the store lately, you’ve seen pumpkins in large bins. Imagine 16 bins that size, full to overflowing with chili, oatmeal, fruit cups and more. Or think of a 16-foot U-Haul truck full to the ceiling.

On a rainy Saturday in September, residents in the community put bags of food on their porch and members and missionaries from nine congregations of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) fanned out across Liberty Lake, Otis Orchards and the Spokane Valley to collect those food donations for the Food 4 Thought program which provides weekend food to local students on the freeand-reduced lunch program.

Due to the wet weather and fewer participants, the total food count was down a little from last year’s 14,000 pounds, but Food 4 Thought founder Pat Dockrey was still very pleased with the results, calling out Cheloye Penwell and her husband Brian who took on the volunteer role of event coordinators this year.

“Cheloye Penwell and her minions did a great job both in the planning of the event and in the actual food collection,” Dockrey said.

Of the 845 volunteers who helped on Sept. 17, Cheloye said, “We appreciate all those who came out

“We received a very generous $4,000 donation from the Liberty Lake Portal which has really helped get us ready for the rest of the year,” Dockrey said. “And Spokane Valley Partners has been, as always, very supportive even though they are having their own financial issues.”

Spokane Valley Partners provides a place for the food to be stored, sorted and packaged for delivery to the Valley schools.

A large-scale community food drive on Sept. 17 collected around 11,500 pounds of food and over $5,000 in cash donations for the Food 4 Thought program which provides weekend meals for 370 students on the free-and-reduced lunch program in Valley schools.

Contributed photo in a very wet day to help children and young people here in our very own backyard.”

Penwell pointed out that congregations in the Spokane Valley also placed bins in their church buildings during the month of September to help supplement what was collected door to door.

“The rain probably had a negative effect on the drive, but I do not think it was very much,” Dockrey added. “I enjoyed my time in the truck at the Central Valley parking lot discussing various things with the elders.”

The term “elders” is often used in reference to the young men who serve as LDS missionaries, several of whom helped load the trucks for the drive.

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Collection points were located at Central Valley High School, the LDS church in Liberty Lake and the LDS church on Wellesley in Otis Orchards.

Throughout the morning, volunteers dropped off donated items and drove off to collect more. Lots of young kids in soccer gear, having helped gather donations en route to a game, piled

out of vehicles to run up the ramp with their collections.

In addition to the food donations, cash contributions came flowing in as well.

“We collected about 11,500 pounds of food and have received a bit over $5,100 in donations,” said Dockrey. A donation of $125 to the program makes it possible to provide weekend food for one student for the entire nine-month school year.

According to Penwell, “reports from the school districts are showing that the food provided by the Food 4 Thought program is making a difference in attendance and graduation for at-risk children.”

The cash donations from the drive will ensure that 41 children can be served this school year.

However, according to Dockrey, Food 4 Thought is serving about 370 students each week in the East Valley, West Valley and Central Valley school districts, making sure that there is reliable nutrition over each weekend during the academic year.

“We had a huge sorting party last Friday with the Liberty Lake Kiwanis, LDS and Advent Lutheran churches all participating,” Dockrey said. “We were able to get it all sorted and ready to use. We have not yet spent any of the donation money. We have been discussing next year and are hoping to get other local churches involved.”

Penwell added her conviction about how important it is to keep Food 4 Thought alive in our community, remarking that “this excellent program must continue and hopefully with help from businesses, churches and the community at large, we can find a way to increase its long-term funding and support.”

Want to help?

To learn more about ways to support the Food 4 Thought program, contact Pat Dockrey at 370-0130.

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The Splash

LOCAL LENS

NOVEMBER 2016 • 35

Local Lens

Share your snapshots for The Splash’s photo page. Email photos@libertylakesplash.com with scenes from around town, community events and Splash Travels.

Celebrating the season with Thanks & Giving 0 9,90 6 2 $

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Autumn colors and scenes are abundant throughout the region this time of year. Clockwise from top left: Kids from Redeemer Preschool take a field trip to Carver Farms in Newman Lake; a pumpkin settles in at the community garden in Nature's Place Arboretum; sunlight shines through fall leaves at Liberty Lake City Hall; "Tess," takes a break at Pavillion Park; more fun at Carver Farms and a row of seasonal color along North Molter Road.

Photos by Danica Wick and Craig Howard

1421 North Meadowwood Lane #200 • Liberty Lake, WA 99019

The Splash

36 • NOVEMBER 2016

LEGACY

Continued from page 4 she said.

In responding to questions about density and more projects on the horizon, Allen brought up the city’s six-month moratorium on multifamily housing that is in place until Dec. 21 barring a vote by council to tack on more time.

Meanwhile, mixed-use development – which blends residential and commercial elements – is an approach the city is encouraging, largely because it can generate sales tax revenue to cover the services and infrastructure required when more residents are added. Williams, who has challenged the city on a number of issues related to Legacy Villas, told Allen that the ideal sort of mixed-use development can be found to the west of Liberty Lake, near downtown Spokane, in an area recently developed by Greenstone.

“When I think of mixed-use, I think of Kendall Yards,” she said.

“It’s wonderful.”

When it comes to mixed-use development in Liberty Lake, Williams had a question for the city.

“When does mixed-use turn into high density?” she asked.

Allen said the sort of mixed-use approach seen at Kendall Yards would require the city incentivizing similar development in Liberty Lake.

“It’s very challenging to downzone people and property,” said Allen. “What we’re trying to do is encourage a certain type of development.”

At several points in the meeting Allen referred to an undeveloped tract of 43 acres to south of Legacy Ridge owned by the Liberty Lake Land Co. Allen went on to emphasize the priority the city places on the traits that have made Liberty Lake the community it is today.

“That land has been vacant for 30 years,” she said. “When it

does develop, there’s a reason it develops. Look, we have a great city here. We have open space second to none. We have trails and golf courses. We want to preserve that.”

When it comes to funding infrastructure improvements in areas that are developed, Allen said the city benefits significantly from a program known as the Harvard Road Mitigation Fund.

With roots that go back the 1990s, the fund was organized as a way for developers to pay for upgrades to roads, water and sewer lines as part of new growth. City Engineer Andrew Staples said that developers who opt out of the program must pay for their own traffic study.

“This (fund) allows us to build transportation improvements in our city,” Staples said.

The city has commissioned a large-scale traffic study with the engineering firm of CH2M Hill that will be completed in late November or early December.

Several residents at the meeting asked why the study wasn’t completed before the city approved the Legacy Villas project.

Staples said the study is not focused on one aspect of local traffic such as the intersection of Country Vista and Legacy Ridge but the city’s entire transportation network. The report will address traffic scenarios assuming a full buildout of Liberty Lake proper, or around 25,000 residents.

“We want to make sure we address all those transportation needs,” he said. “The goal is to plan out how we make traffic move more safely and more efficiently.”

Allen said residents will be invited to provide input on the direction of future transportation projects once the traffic study is completed.

In perhaps the most-discussed traffic issue the city has seen since incorporation, several residents spoke out about the bus stop at the corner of Country Vista and Legacy Ridge. Drop-off and pick-up

times include motorists lined up in a precarious manner with passing vehicles representing a risk to kids.

Breanne Jones of Legacy Ridge said her family is one of several that has considered selling their homes and moving out the neighborhood due to the situation.

started,” Renfro said.

“This is a huge safety concern,” Jones said.

“When you say we don’t care about it, you’re wrong,” Brickner said.

Staples said that buses once utilized a turnaround loop on Legacy Ridge before a car/bus altercation occurred. He added the city has been in discussions with the Legacy Ridge Homeowners Association and the Central Valley School District to figure out a compromise.

Rick Doehle represented CVSD at the meeting, initially describing how the district is addressing growth with 10 schools currently in construction mode thanks to the passage of last February’s $121.9 million capital facilities bond. One of those buildings, the new Liberty Creek K-2 school, will mean all elementary-aged students in Liberty Lake not having to be being bussed out of the city.

Doehle provided some additional history of the Legacy Ridge/Country Vista bus stop, saying buses stopped using the turn-around when vehicles began parking in the loop. The private road is also not equipped to handle the weight and long-term impact of a bus, Doehle added. As ideas to improve safety conditions cropped up, several residents brought up the possibility of a traffic signal at Legacy Ridge and Country Vista.

Close to 10 representatives of the Legacy Ridge Homeowners Association advisory group attended the open house. Jeff Renfro of the committee said the organization welcomed input from residents on the bus stop and other issues and provided contact information for interested neighbors. The group has also established a Neighborhood Watch program.

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While municipal representatives received their share of criticism at meeting, Mayor Pro Tem Shane Brickner told those in attendance that “the City Council is just as concerned about traffic and schools as you are.”

Williams was one of several residents to question why the Legacy Villas developers did attend the open house.

“It shows a lack of effort on their part to work with the community,” she said.

Sgt. Darin Morgan with the Liberty Lake Police Department was on hand to provide an overview of public safety, saying that LLPD is aware of the bus stop concerns.

There have been incidents when bus drivers have called in violations including speeding motorists. As for the stigma of higher crime in multifamily housing developments as compared to single-family areas, Morgan said the rates have been “relatively close.”

“The crime rate is a little bit higher (in multi-family areas) but it’s also based on the apartment complex,” Morgan said.

Morgan said police patrol the Legacy Ridge neighborhood but also used the podium to point out that all residents of Liberty Lake “shouldn’t take our community’s safe conditions for granted.”

“We’re out there but we also need citizens to be self-stewards when it comes to safety,” Morgan said.

“Lock your cars and homes. When something happens or something looks suspicious, report it.”

Looking ahead, Mayor Steve Peterson reminded attendees that the city had recently purchased 23 acres on Legacy Ridge for trails and open space preservation.

“That was slated for housing but now it’s going to be greenspace,” he said.

Peterson prioritized infrastructure improvements and “staying ahead of the growth curve” as Liberty Lake continues to expand. Echoing a theme he has stressed repeatedly, the mayor said the emphasis on mixed-use development will generate the sales tax the city needs to pay for services. He urged those at the meeting “to help us define what mixed-use means.”

“Help us determine that percentage,” he said. “We need you to voice those concerns.”

The Splash

NOVEMBER 2016 • 37

Dear Editor: EDITOR/PUBLISHER

Ben Wick

ben@libertylakesplash.com EDITOR

Craig Howard

craig@libertylakesplash.com

GRAPHICS EDITOR

Danica Wick

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CIRCULATION Dean Byrns

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Jamie Borgan, Shaun Brown, Connlee Gray, Craig Howard, Ross Schneidmiller, Mike Vlahovich, Tyler Wilson The Liberty Lake Splash P.O. Box 363 Liberty Lake, WA 99019 Phone: 242-7752; Fax: 927-2190 www.libertylakesplash.com The Splash is published monthly by or before the first of each month. It is distributed free of charge to every business and home in the greater Liberty Lake area.

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Announcements, obituaries, letters to the editor and story ideas are encouraged. Submit them in writing to editor@libertylakesplash.com. Submissions should be received by the 15th of the month for best chance of publication in the following month’s Splash.

Subscriptions Liberty Lake residents receive a complimentary copy each month. Subscriptions for U.S. postal addresses outside of the 99019 ZIP code cost $12 for 12 issues.

Send a check and subscription address to P.O. Box

I feel it is important to share some important details about Liberty Lake with its residents. With the recent development of multiple apartment complexes within Liberty Lake, this year apartments comprise 30 percent of our city with single families at 70 percent.

I feel that a healthy balance of apartment to single family homes is critical to a developing city.

According to the NMHC (National Multifamily Housing Council), this apartment percentage is comparable to cities like Chicago, San Diego, Denver and Boston.

Places like Phoenix, Memphis, San Antonio and Philadelphia have a lower apartment percentage than Liberty Lake!

That said, this hold is lifted in 2017. Unfortunately, per the city representatives, the city can’t decline an application for apartment housing if it meets all the zoning and miscellaneous requirements.

Right now, the city is in discussion to identify what can be done to promote a healthy balance of our mixed use designated areas.

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Correction policy The Splash strives for accuracy in all content. Errors should be reported immediately to 242-7752 or by email to editor@libertylakesplash.com. Confirmed factual errors will be corrected on this page in the

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Our sincere appreciation to the following businesses for their foundational partnerships with The Splash and its partner publications:

Per the city, a majority of the vacant land available in Liberty Lake is zoned to allow the building of more apartments and very little property is left for single family homes. There is currently a hold that prohibits the city from approving new apartment complexes throughout the rest of the year, 2016.

I feel that it is critical that the city of Liberty Lake works to keep the apartment to single family homes in balance else we will lose the vitality and beauty of Liberty Lake, not Apartment Lake. We moved here because of the thoughtful planning that has gone into the development. We hope that this tradition will continue.

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Liberty Lake (Editor’s note: The “hold” referred to in this letter is a sixmonth moratorium the City Council has placed on new multi-family housing projects. It does not include mixed-use development – a blend of residential and commercial construction.

The current moratorium expires on Dec. 21. The council has the option to extend it or let it expire.)

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

Adorkable Flowers and Gifts 10 Amaculate Housekeeping 34 American Assest Management 28 Andrew Biviano 14 Banner Furnace & Fuel 5 BECU 18 Casey Family Dental 4 Central Valley Theatre 16 City of Liberty Lake 3 Coldwell Banker - Rob Brickett 35 Cornerstone Penecostal Church 30 CS Motorsports 23 Custom Fit Lighting 11 Evergreen Fountain 25 Family Medicine Liberty Lake 26 Friends of LL Library 14 Friends of Pavillion Park 28

Golf Cars Etc 8, 38 Greenstone 38 Jim Custer Enterprises 10 John L Scott - Pam Fredrick 3 Just Chillin’ Eats and Sweets 11 Kathrine Olson, DDS 8 KiDDS Dental 21 Liberty Lake EyeCare Center 3 Liberty Lake Family Dentistry 5 Liberty Lake Municipal Library 17 Liberty Lake Orthodontics 15 Liberty Lake Sewer & Water District 36 Liberty Lube 9 LIFT 28 Mary Sloan 23 Meadowwood Home Owners 31 Mumm For County Commissioner 30

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The Splash

38 • NOVEMBER 2016

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The Splash

Happy Birthday Hank – Lessons from a real-life American hero

ON THAT NOTE

NOVEMBER 2016 • 39

By Craig Howard Splash Editor

I first met Henry Hoyer Mumaw when I was volunteering with Meals on Wheels.

The warm lunches I delivered to the pastel-yellow home in Spokane Valley were always greeted with gratitude and small talk about local weather patterns or the latest news from politics or sports. Henry and his wife, Eudora, would clear out a patch on the small Formica table in their kitchen for the trays of food.

To me it seemed like the humble meal – and the accompanying conversation – represented the highlight of their day.

When Eudora passed away in 2009, Henry forged on bravely, although he would often drop down a few tones and talk about how much he missed his sweetheart.

Over the years, I learned more about Henry, known by most as “Hank.” Born and raised in Michigan, he enlisted in the Army at the late age of 29 and shipped off to join other U.S. troops during the height of World War II. After starting as a second lieutenant, he rose to the rank of captain.

I’ve read about the “Greatest Generation” in history books and seen grainy footage of World War II

A native of Michigan, Henry Mumaw enlisted in the Army at the age of 29.

He was born on Nov. 11, 1911. The day was later declared Armistice Day

by President Woodrow Wilson and is now known as Veterans Day. Contributed photo on PBS, but Hank lived it. He led a battalion, was wounded twice and dodged land mines in the forests of Italy and North Africa.

Hank sometimes talked about fellow soldiers who lost limbs or did not make it back to the states at all. He knew he was one of the lucky ones. Between 1941 and 1945, over 290,000 U.S. soldiers lost their lives in combat. Hank was among a list of American wounded that numbered over 670,000.

While over 16 million Americans were part of the armed forces during World War II, the Veterans Administration estimates that just over 850,000 of those real-life heroes are still with us.

Talking with Hank, I wondered if we truly take the appropriate time to stop and appreciate the sacrifices made by those who left their homes and fought for our freedoms in the humid jungles of Guadalcanal or the teeming beaches of Iwo Jima.

When we cast a ballot, worship at church or attend a City Council meeting, do we acknowledge the role played by Hank and other veterans to secure our everyday rights and privileges?

Henry “Hank” Mumaw was a longtime Spokane Valley resident and World War II veteran who passed away in 2012 at the age of 100.

Contributed photo

Getting to know Hank gave me an increased appreciation for the essential contributions made by those who served our country with courage and selflessness. Like others from his generation, Hank was quick to deflect credit for his efforts. He never once brought up the medals he won, saying his service was simply a matter of

Approximately 850,000 U.S. World War II veterans are still alive today. Over 16 million American soldiers served in the war that ended on Sept. 2, 1945.

Photo by Craig Howard stepping up to defend his nation, doing his part like anyone else.

Yet to me, Hank was one of the few genuine heroes I’ve ever known. Of all things, he was born on Nov. 11, 1911. Eight years later, the day was declared Armistice Day by President Woodrow Wilson in observance of the end of World War I a year earlier. In 1954, the holiday was renamed Veterans Day. In 2011, Hank celebrated his 100th birthday. When I asked him his secret, he’d talk about exercising every day – usually on a rowing machine or treadmill – eating an apple with dinner and swearing by his multi-vitamin. He reminded me, in some ways, of another World War II veteran, my wife’s grandfather, Stu Jardine, who was part of a Navy fleet in the Pacific and ran marathons in his later years.

Hank lived a quiet life for the most part, but welcomed visitors and always had an interesting story to

tell. One year, during the Christmas season, our family brought by some cookies and lingered for a while, singing carols. While delivering our rendition of “Silent Night,” Hank joined in unexpectedly on the final verse. He said later that such holiday songs had served as reassuring reminders when he and his fellow soldiers were stationed far from the festive traditions back home.

Hank passed away on a cold February day in 2012. I was asked to say a few words at his memorial service, held on the frozen grass of Pines Cemetery. The American flag that furled in the wind that morning seemed to fly with added meaning.

On Veterans Day and the 364 days beyond, I feel blessed to have called Hank a friend. He helped me see more clearly how sacrifice and integrity form the content of a person’s character. The lesson is even more remarkable when you consider for the last 40 years of his life, Hank was completely blind.

The Splash

40 • NOVEMBER 2016

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