February 2020 Splash

FEBRUARY

2020

THE

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LIBERTY LAKE

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COMMUNITY NEWSMAGAZINE

Community Collaborator

Harry E Nelson Citizen of the Year recipient CVSD Superintendant Ben Small page 10

LIBERTY LAKE EXPANSION UNDER WAY PAGE 4

LLPD WELCOMES NEW OFFICERS PAGE 18

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT VSCO GIRLS PAGE 27

2 • FEBRUARY 2020

The Splash

DOCKSIDE Healthy Stride

Whybrew recognized as community catalyst

By Craig Howard

Splash Contributing Editor

Daniel Ruettiger would appreciate the determination of Kathy Whybrew.

The hero of the movie “Rudy” who overcame staggering odds to play football at Notre Dame University most likely passed Whybrew on the sidewalks of South Bend, Indiana at some point decades ago. Whybrew grew up near the campus and still talks fondly of the Fighting Irish, even though her college path eventually took her to Purdue University where she graduated with a degree in education.

When Whybrew was diagnosed with Follicular Lymphoma, a sub-type of Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma in 2016, she tackled the challenge like Rudy running down a first-string fullback.

The focus and resolve during her treatment and recovery was typical of Whybrew’s approach to life – fearless and ferociously optimistic.

“I had to be strong for my family,” she said.

Whybrew celebrated two years of remission in November. She teaches special education at Greenacres Middle School and inspires her students with an unwavering energy that is palpable in the classroom.

In the Liberty Lake community, Whybrew is known as a lightning rod for civic engagement. She helped start the Liberty Lake Community Tennis Association in 2006, served on the Fallen Heroes Circuit Course committee that established exercise stations in honor of military sacrifice and been a catalyst for efforts to build Liberty Lake Ballfields and campaign for a new community center and library.

“Kathy is enthusiasm and energy,” said Steve Peterson, former Liberty Lake mayor. “She puts families, kids and the community first. She has had quite an impact on Liberty Lake since she’s lived here.”

Whybrew

and

her

husband

Howard migrated to Liberty Lake in 2004 from Michigan with their kids – Emma, Calvin and Nelson – who were 1, 3 and 6 at the time. She joined the Liberty Lake Moms and Friends Group and immersed herself quickly in other family-centered activities such as soccer and swimming.

Whybrew’s dad – who passed away two years ago – worked as an engineer while her mother was a nurse. As Whybrew was considering career paths of her own as a kid, one avenue emerged ahead of the rest.

“We felt embraced Whybrew recalls.

Whybrew’s career as a teacher included a tenure at Liberty Lake Children’s Academy where she taught pre-school from 2007 to 2015.

At Greenacres, she is known for creative and inclusive programming such as donut parties and projects like making fleece ear warmers for the less fortunate.

quickly,”

The communal environment rang familiar to Whybrew who grew up surrounded by family and friends who convened and served at the local Presbyterian church, volunteered at summer camp and made it a point to ensure that everyone felt part of something bigger.

“Our family had a big farm in a wooded area and we would host these picnics,” Whybrew said. “My parents were always serving. It’s just what we did. When I got to college, my friends would say, ‘You know, Kathy not everyone grew up like the Waltons.’”

Whybrew was a good student and active in sports growing up. She played volleyball, basketball and tennis and served as senior class president at Clay High School in South Bend.

“I learned not to fear failure,” she says.

“I knew most of my life that I wanted to be a teacher,” she says.

“It’s brought people together,” she said.

Q: You were a lifelong Midwesterner before moving to Liberty Lake in 2004. What were some of your first impressions of this area after you relocated?

A: When we moved to Liberty Lake, my first impressions of Liberty Lake were that everyone seemed really outdoorsy. People walked their children to school in the mornings and went back after school to walk them home again. I loved that the students at Liberty Lake Elementary played outside in all weather conditions.

People were friendly and inclusive.

Photo by Craig Howard Kathy Whybrew moved to Liberty Lake from Michigan with her husband Howard and their children in 2004. She is a teacher at Greenacres Middle School and has been involved in a variety of community endeavors, including the Fallen Heroes project, Liberty Lake Ballfields and the Liberty Lake Community Tennis Association.

I loved that our pediatrician, eye doctor and dentist were in Liberty Lake. We lived close enough to walk to Albertson's, the bank and to Great Clips.

Q: How did being raised in a family that valued community and service influence the development of your priorities as you were growing up?

A: My parents, Larry and Alma McClelland were always involved in our church and the neighborhoods where we lived. They were social and often volunteered to host groups in our homes. They had large bonfires and provided tractor/wagon rides throughout their property. Our church owned a camp in Michigan about 25 minutes north of South Bend, Indiana. Our family was very active in attending all of the camps, in addition to being involved in the maintenance of the grounds, cabins, docks, canoes, tractors and lawn mowers on the property. One of my parents was always a member of the board of directors of the camp.

In 2000, I became the director of the camp. After we moved to Liberty Lake in November 2004, I continued to return to Michigan, with our three children, during the summers of 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008 to run the camp.

Q: Why did you decide to go into teaching?

A: I have always loved learning and school. I have also always loved the social aspects of school. I had to study and work hard in school. I was an A/B student. I babysat a lot in my teen years. In elementary school, I hosted my younger neighbor kids for crafts and activities on our side covered-porch. I grew up going to summer camp and I idolized the directors of the camp. I loved that they provided guidance and fun for everyone. They taught us skills, songs and games. We shared meals and worship together. I enjoyed spending time with people of varying ages. I spent two summers in high school lifeguarding and I enjoyed the children. I volunteered at the Youth Service Bureau in South Bend the summer before I started at Purdue University. When considering a major at Purdue, elementary education and special education seemed to be the See WHYBREW, Page 5

FEBRUARY 2020 • 3

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4 • FEBRUARY 2020

OpenEye Expands in Liberty Lake

By Nina Culver

Splash Contributor

Big changes are in store for Liberty Lake business Open Eye as the company looks toward a significant expansion this summer and finalizes a new majority partner that purchased most of the company in October.

Open Eye makes video surveillance equipment and software as well as providing cloud services to store and manage the video output from the surveillance cameras. The company was founded in 1999 in downtown Spokane by a few Gonzaga University graduates who started out assembling computers that were sold to local school districts and other businesses.

“It was just a few people,” said marketing and communications specialist Ryan Patterson.

The company moved to its current 27,000 square foot building

BUSINESS at 23221 E. Knox Ave. in Liberty Lake in 2007 when they outgrew their space in downtown Spokane.

“We ran out of space and we ran out of parking,” Patterson said.

The building felt spacious when the company first arrived in 2007, but it’s now bursting at the seams.

The building’s lobby is filled with cubicles and the reception desk was walled off to create offices. The parking lot is often overflowing.

“We’ve been running out of space for a few years now,” said marketing and communications specialist Ryan Patterson. “It’s a big production to move everything.”

Part of the reason for the cramped quarters is that everything is all under one roof – software developers, tech support, assembly, shipping and inventory storage. “All of our software is developed here in Liberty Lake,” Patterson said. “We have everything here.”

Plans are underway to move to 1730 N. Madsen, a 60,000 square foot facility less than a mile away from their current location. A contractor will be selected soon and the company hopes to have everything complete and ready to move into this summer, Patterson said. “Right

now it’s kind of a shell,” she said of the new building on Madsen.

Vice president for product and marketing Ian Siemer said the company currently has 100 employees on site and about 30 outside sales reps around the country. There are plans to double the number of software engineers as well as increasing the number of assemblers and other workers, but most of those new hires will have to wait until the move to the new building is complete.

‘We’re bursting at the seams here,” he said. “Sales are increasing so we have to have to have more people doing assembly in back. As an organization we’ll double our employment in Liberty Lake.”

Open Eye simply can’t cram anything else into its current building. Over the years a second story was added to the building and other changes were made, but there’s no more room. There’s not even a large meeting room where employees can gather, Siemer said.

“All the public and flex spaces are filled with cubicles,” Siemer said. “We’re very anxious to finish the building.”

The Splash Siemer hasn’t quite been with the company since the beginning, but he started within a few years of its launch. He first started working with the company as a computer assembler.

As technology changed, the company shifted away from computers. “We’ve been in the video surveillance industry since 2001,” he said.

The company began writing its own software about 10 years ago. They sell their equipment to installers like Allied Security and also work with large companies and school districts to install networked surveillance systems that are easily managed off-site, Siemer said.

“Everyone is trying to do more with less,” he said.

Open Eye’s systems allow the easy retrieval of video clips that may need to be saved, Siemer said, particularly if they show on-site accidents or other incidents.

Though the systems are designed to enhance security, that’s no longer their only function, Patterson said. “It’s not just about security anymore,” she said. “It’s also to improve people’s business.”

Last year the company began looking for a minority investor to fund its expansion, Siemer said.

The company was approached by Alarm.com, who instead proposed purchasing a majority ownership.

The deal was struck last fall.

“It’s just a really great alignment,” Siemer said.

The original Open Eye founders still have a minority ownership share in the company. “All the key executive leadership will remain in place,” he said.

Despite the acquisition, most people won’t notice anything, Patterson said. “We’re still in the transition phase,” Patterson said.

“We are a subsidiary of Alarm.com, but we will continue to operate as Open Eye. The only thing that will change for our customers is we’ll be able to do things faster with more people.”

Photo by Nina Culver Vice President for product and marketing, Ian Siemer is anxiously awaiting the opening of their new building.

Siemer said he’s proud of what a small group of local people was able to create in Open Eye. He said the company prides itself on hiring local talent. “We’re just really excited to stay here and bring in more local talent and grow,” he said.

FEBRUARY 2020 • 5

The Splash

WHYBREW

Continued from page 2 perfect fit for me.

Q: What are some of the parallels between an effective teacher and an effective parent? How about some differences?

A: The parallels are you have to build mutual respect, you have to care about each other and you have to help your children and students build self-reliance. Differences include the understanding that I cannot control my students' home lives or their parents' parenting skills or parenting styles. Kids learn the most from their parents. Parents are their children's first teachers. The communication that happens between a child and their parent is essential. How parents model their respect towards others and themselves is key. How they honor or respect our laws and our planet is also very important. Kids learn all of these things from the parents starting at a very young age. Within the home and within the classroom, love banishes fear. If students and children feel loved and cared for, they lose the fear that has built up inside of them. We all need to be free to try and fail. It's how we learn new things. Unconditional love is what this life is about.

Q: You were part of the committee that rallied support for a quintet of Fallen Heroes stations. What were some of your takeaways from this effort?

A: The Liberty Lake Fallen Heroes Circuit Course (LLFHCC) was an opportunity to provide our community with something bigger than itself. The dedication of these courses brought families, relatives, friends, classmates, neighbors and soldiers together to honor the fallen soldiers. We relied on donations from lots of local businesses to fund these stations. We received great monetary support and hands-on support from many in the community. The most touching were those where immediate family members of the fallen soldiers formed friendships with the members of our committee. I personally use the machines by City Hall (Seaman Clinton P. Miniken) and the machines along the trail on Liberty Lake Road.

(Army Corp. Kelly B. Grothe). I like to touch the signs and say, “Thank you” to the guys when I'm there.

Q: As an experienced educator in many subjects, you know how to convey a lesson. Now as a cancer survivor, what advice would you

offer to those going through a similar experience?

A: I'm a cancer survivor! My advice is to always be hopeful! Take everything one day at a time. Accept help! Laugh! Give hugs and let others hug you. Find the good in bad situations. Celebrate on your good days. Be compassionate. Let yourself cry. Learn from those around you.

Look for ways to help and support others that are suffering. Be useful!

Hope comes from having a purpose.

We should always be thinking about what we will do or accomplish next.

No event nor person is able to stop the driving force within us.

Q: You've been involved in past efforts to establish a new community center and library in Liberty Lake.

The recent library needs assessment only confirmed the ongoing issue of inadequate space. What do you think it will take to make one or both of these projects a reality?

A: Homeowners need to realize that a great community takes great efforts to remain great. It takes money to keep Liberty Lake a desired destination/location for residents and businesses. The community center/ library and aquatic center did not get the 60-percent super majority in 2016. It was not due to the lack of information or planning done by the committee or architects. Lots of doorto-door conversations took place. A ton of research went into the proposal.

The problem was that a lot of people didn't even vote on the bond. The citizens desire and need a community center. Our library is not large enough to host community events.

We need a second gathering place.

Taco Bell is where our teens hang out and Starbucks is the only other venue for all of the other age groups.

We have to be forward-thinkers. We have to be willing to support growth and pay it forward. We have to purposefully build our community.

It does take a village.

An entire community of people must interact with children for those children to experience and grow in a safe and healthy environment. I had that with our church, our neighborhood and within my neighborhood schools. My family, here in Liberty Lake has also been blessed with a village. These friends and families grew out of our community preschools, schools, scout troops and churches. I recently heard that you only gain knowledge from talking with other people and from the books you read. A community center/library is the solution for those two things.

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6 • FEBRUARY 2020

The Splash

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Police Report - Dec. 2019 Splash news sources

Total incidents generated by Officers and emergency calls for service last month 682 Traffic Collisions/Hit & Runs / Injury Collisions 8 Citations (Traffic/Criminal/ Non-Criminal) 71 DUI (Driving Under Influence) 3 Thefts / Vehicle Prowls / Vehicle Theft / Burglaries 23 Malicious Mischief 3 Argument / Assault DV / Simple Assault / Assault w/a Weapon 15 Parking Violations 1 Suspicious Vehicles 21 Theft, 12/05/19; Officers responded to the report of Theft located at Liberty Lake Town Square after City Employees discovered the Automated External Defibrillator (AED) housed at this location had been stolen. Report

taken no suspects at this time.

Domestic Violence W/ Weapon, 12/06/19; Officers responded to the report of a Domestic Violence involving a weapon located in the area of N. Molter Rd and E Valleyway Ave. The male suspect involved was safely taken into custody and no one was injured during the incident.

After

completing the investigation onscene, the involved male was transported to the Spokane County Jail and booked for Assault 2nd DV. Theft, 12/17/19; Officers responded to the report of a Theft located at 1304 N Liberty Lake Rd (Safeway). Arriving, Officers contacted the described female

suspect who had stolen alcohol from the store.

Through their investigation the Officers were able to determine the same female had potentially committed additional Thefts. The female was taken into custody and transported to the Spokane County Jail where she was booked on a felony charge of Retail Theft.

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FEBRUARY 2020 • 7

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The Lookout The Community Corner

By Katy Allen City Administrator We have all heard or experienced firsthand that “the traffic” is getting horrible in Liberty Lake.

During peak hours, commonly referred to as “the morning and evening commute times,” there are a lot more cars on the road going to and from work, school, the grocery stores or just to run errands.

Having a strong job market, a growing population, two elementary schools and a middle school, along with only one connection to I-90, all contribute to what we are experiencing during between 7 to 8 a.m. or between 3:30 to 5 p.m. – the morning and evening peak hours on most weekdays.

In this issue of The Lookout, I’d like to share what the city is doing to improve our transportation system.

Our primary goal is to increase “through put” (efficiency), provide for safe turning movements at intersections, improve circulation options and provide safe pedestrian routes. The City Council approved funding in this year’s budget and there are several projects are already underway.

Corridor Study – The Corridor Study is underway. It is important to have current traffic data in order so we can to identify the best traffic management solutions ( i.e. roundabouts vs. traffic signals) at key intersections. Some of those key intersections include Legacy Ridge Drive., Kramer Road and Mission Avenue at Country Vista Drive. We plan to have the study completed this spring so we can prioritize, fund and begin design.

Traffic

signals

with

brains

–

Citizen volunteers make Winter Glow Spectacular possible

When Liberty Lake citizens are asked to help by volunteering for projects around the city, they don’t just show up, they arrive in full force! The city facilitated volunteers for Winter Glow Spectacular, a 40-day light display and approximately 100 citizens put in over 1,000 hours of volunteer time to make this event one that thousands visited from Nov. 23 through Jan. 1. Rich Reilly, vice president and project director for Winter Glow appeared before Liberty Lake City Council on Jan. 7 to thank the community for their overwhelming support that will keep this event going in the Spokane area. There is much enthusiasm from citizens and Mayor Brickner about the possibility of Winter Glow returning in 2020. The mayor expressed what many citizens think – “We are very excited to

Technology exists to allow traffic signals that can respond to real time data. These “Smart Traffic Signals” incorporate technology to enable the signals to respond to traffic flows, volumes and backups, thus greatly improving the efficiency or through-put at key intersections. This technology will be incorporated in traffic signals along Liberty Lake Road and Appleway; we will utilize this technology at the new Signals on Appleway at Madsen and at the entrance to Ridgeline High School.

These projects are scheduled for construction 2020 and 2021 respectively.

Flashing beacons – The 2020 budget includes $605,000 to design several flashing beacons to create safe pedestrian crossings throughout the city. Once designs are complete, the City Council will be reviewing the estimates in order to make funding decisions for construction this year.

Harvard

Bridge

widening,

February 2020 westbound on ramp extension and Henry Road overpass – These three projects received state funding approval last spring and are currently on the “pause” list due to the passage of I-976.

However, we are actively moving these important projects forward and continue to strongly advocate for construction funding. We are also mindful of the harsh reality of “losing construction funds” due to passage of I-976. The city continues to commit resources to the projects, and recently City Council approved an agreement with the Washington Department of Transportation and funded design work.

This agreement includes the city’s commitment of $6 million and coverage of any overages in Liberty Lake.

Thanks for your patience as the city continues to proactively implement transportation improvements that will add to our safety and quality of life here in Liberty Lake.

City staff is extending the facilitation process of citizen requests for help to all four seasons. With winter upon us, this group would help with snow shoveling, snow blowing or helping someone get a car out of snow, possibly as one-time requests. Volunteers provide their own tools or other equipment unless the citizen does and are strictly volunteers, not affiliated with the City of Liberty Lake.

Each time it snows and you need help with shoveling, please call the city of Liberty Lake at 755-6727 or 755-6714 weekdays. Or, go to our website www.libertylakewa.gov and type “Snow Removal” in the search box. Set up a website account and complete a request each time it snows, and we’ll get you help as soon as we can.

Winter Season Note: The city does not keep an Citizen Assistance ongoing list for help, each call is Group on a one-time basis. https://www.facebook.com/libertylakewa • www.libertylakewa.gov create activities that bring this community together.” Approval is necessary from the City Council for that to happen with many hoping for a unanimous vote.

8 • FEBRUARY 2020

City Council News and Notes – February 2020

By Craig Howard

Splash Contributing Editor

• Finance Director RJ Stevenson told council that auto and RV sales were key factors in the rise of sales tax revenue in 2019. The city had projected $3.2 million in income and came in at just over $3.5 million for the year.

• Permitting revenue checked in at $811,000 for 2019, up significantly from the city’s anticipated amount of $500,000.

• The city has budgeted $170,000 for snow removal in 2020 • A recent survey showed that one-third of LL residents are under 18 years of age.

• Spokane Valley Fire Chief Bryan Collins said the department recently graduated its most recent class of recruits. A total of 14

NEWS

firefighters/EMT/paramedics have joined the agency.

• SVFD’s ARU (Alternative Response Unit) program will be expanded to include lower acuity, non-life-threatening response calls.

• SVFD will be building a new fire station on an 8-acre parcel near Katerra off Barker Road.

• With Tax Increment Financing Tool (TIF) set to expire in December 2021. County Commissioner Al French has proposed that it be extended for another five years. The proposal has the support of SVFD, the Spokane County Library District and the city.

• Calls to the Liberty Lake Police Department were up 14 percent from 2018 to 2019.

• The city will be working with Ameresco on an energy audit to identify ways to conserve costs.

Ameresco anticipates the city saving between 20 to 30 percent in power expenditures by implementing the changes.

• The inaugural Winter Glow in Liberty Lake benefited from over 1,000 hours of volunteer time.

• The city has reached an agreement with Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) on terms and conditions for the Henry Road to Harvard Bridge project. The design portion of the Harvard Bridge widening and addition of a westbound I-90 ramp has been completed. The new Henry Road overpass “will provide some great circulation,” said City Administrator Katy Allen. The city will be responsible for the design of this project with WSDOT handling construction management. The city is committed to $6 million as well as any overages. “Moving forward with the design puts us in a very positive position,” Allen said.

Council has approved the Henry Road design work with H.W. Lochner at a cost of $1.4 million.

The projects remain on hold due to the passage of I-976 and the uncertainty about transportation funding across the state. “We’re optimistic that we can keep this thing moving,” Allen said. The city would get close to $678,000 back if everything stays on budget.

The project would need to go over budget by 35 percent for the city to receive no funding back.

• The city has spent around $26,000 on de-icer this winter compared to just under $57,000 last winter.

• Washington State Parks is seeking a grant through the Recreation and Conservation Office for a complete trail overlay to supplement support of trail upkeep already provided by Liberty Lake and other local jurisdictions. The city contributes $20,000 annually toward trail maintenance.

Photo by Craig Howard Shane Brickner took the oath of office on Jan. 7 to become the third mayor in the history of Liberty Lake. Brickner previously served as mayor pro tem and as a member of City Council.

• The council vote for mayor pro tem ended in a tie at the Jan. 21 meeting with Mike Kennedy and Cris Kaminskas each receiving three votes. Council Member Hugh Severs – who missed the meeting due to illness but sent a letter in support of Kaminskas that was

The Splash

read into the record – was not part of the vote. Mayor Brickner called for a revote at the Feb. 4 meeting.

• Brickner handed out Certificates of Appreciation at the Jan. 21 meeting to Bridgette Harris for her work with the Parks and Arts Commission and Tom Sahlberg Phil Folyer for their efforts with the Planning Commission.

• The Planning Commission has established seven goals as part of a project to rewrite the city’s landscape code. The proposed changes will eventually be presented to the City Council for consideration.

• The Parks and Arts Commission is discussing a second Story Walk project that would be installed in Orchard Park this spring. The first Story Walk – featuring components of a book in stands along a walking trail – is part of the terrain at Rocky Hill Park.

• The City Council will hold a retreat on April 19 at City Hall from 2 to 6 p.m. Topics on the agenda will include the strategic plan, city facilities and municipal policies needing review.

• Brickner will serve as a delegate from the city to the Greater Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.

Council Member Mike Kennedy will serve as an alternate.

• Council voted to approve funding for a lobbyist in Olympia at a cost of $2,000 per month over the three-month legislative session.

The lobbyist will represent the interests of the city, Spokane Valley Fire Department and Central Valley School District with the cost being split evenly between the three entities.

• Council approved the Spokane Symphony’s agreement with Friends of Pavillion Park in the amount of $15,000 to cover the annual Lud Kramer Labor Day Concert in Pavillion Park.

• On Jan. 21, council approved a donation agreement to accept a gift of $6,250 from Ross and Kelli Schneidmiller toward the Pavillion Park mural.

The Splash

FEBRUARY 2020 • 9

NEWS

City experiences continued surge in development

By Craig Howard

Splash Contributing Editor

Lisa Key understands the concept of a community caught up in construction.

Liberty Lake’s current director of Planning and Engineering worked for the city of Hayden, Idaho for part of a building boom that saw residential development increase at dramatic levels. In 1990, the town’s population stood at around 5,000.

By the time Key left in 2011, it was over 11,000.

“It was connected to the housing bubble,” said Key who served as Hayden’s Community Development director from 2003 to 2011.

These days, Key works for the ninth fastest growing jurisdiction in Washington state. At the Jan. 21 City Council meeting, she updated the governing board on Liberty Lake’s continued surge in development with numbers from 2019 that show a city expanding at a steady pace.

Last year, the city issued Certificates of Occupancies for 239 dwelling units, including 143 singlefamily residential homes – a 22 percent increase over 2018.

The new homes cropped up in a variety of neighborhoods – most of them on the north side of town in the River District. Trutina led the way with 43 single family homes.

River Crossing South featured 27 while River Crossing East had 18.

Other areas of note included Legacy Ridge West (36 single family homes) and Rocky Hill North (30).

“I’m not surprised at the growth,”

Key said. “When I came here (from the city of Spokane) I was eyes wideopen. I knew this was a high-growth area.”

Key’s latest council report included news that her department is handling 258 active building permits, including 148 new homes, 16 residential additions/remodels, six multi-family buildings (57 total units), 10 new commercial buildings and five commercial additions and remodels.

“As the economy continues to be strong, we have homes coming in a good, manageable pace,” said City Administrator Katy Allen.

On the commercial side last year, the city issued Certificates of Occupancies for 18 new commercial structures totaling 264,487 square feet.

Key said the trend will likely continue in 2020 as a number of commercial groups have held predevelopment meetings with the city.

“I have a running list,” Key said.

“I think we’ll have some decent commercial coming in.”

Meanwhile, demand for residential development continues in earnest with pre-sold homes defining the market. Key said Legacy Ridge West is the only area in town features “speculation” homes not already claimed by a buyer.

Key said at the current pace, the city would likely approach buildout of 18,600 by 2040. The population currently stands at just over 11,000.

Allen moved to Liberty Lake in 1983 and remembers Safeco

Photo by Craig Howard Residential and commercial construction continued at a significant pace in Liberty Lake last year with the city ranking as the ninth fastest growing jurisdiction in Washington. The city issued 143 Certificates of Occupancies in 2019 for single family homes, like those pictured above in the River District. and Hewlett Packard as the sole commercial entities while most of the residential areas had been established south of Sprague, beyond what would become Liberty Lake city limits nearly two decades later.

“The rest of it was basically golf courses and a lake,” Allen recalls.

A master plan created by developer Bill Main Sr. mapped out residential growth that would take place later in the 1980s around the newly built Meadowwood Golf Course and beyond. Jim Frank and Greenstone Homes continued the vision with projects like Rocky Hill. By the mid-1990s, homes were sprouting in the neighborhoods along Settler and Homestead in the shadows of an emerging community greenspace known as Pavillion Park.

Allen said the city has benefited from funding mechanisms like the

Harvard Road Mitigation Fund, Tax Increment Financing (TIF) and Local Infrastructure Financing Tool (LIFT) that “help us take care of the infrastructure” in developing neighborhoods.

“We also have the advantage in that Spokane County built a road system that has capacity for growth along arterials like Country Vista and Appleway,” Allen added. “We also don’t have to deal with the kind of deferred (road) maintenance that many other cities do.”

Allen said as the local housing stock ages, the city is seeing more permit requests in areas like plumbing, roofing and general remodeling. In addition to Key, Liberty Lake features five staff members in Planning, Engineering and Building Services.

The department completed 320 building inspections in November alone.

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10 • FEBRUARY 2020

COVER STORY

The Splash

Community Winners at a glance: Heart of the Community: Valleyfest founder and CEO, Peggy Doering Runner up: Jim Reincke Entrepreneur of the Year: Newspaper publisher and Spokane Valley Mayor Ben Wick Runner up: C.J. Curtis, owner of The Garden Coffee and Local Eats Educators of the Year as chosen by their school district: Analisa McCann, Broadway Elementary School, Central Valley School District Lois Musser, Trent Elementary School, East Valley School District Denise Conrad, Freeman Elementary and Middle School, Freeman School District

Photo by Pia Hallenberg Spokane Valley royal court (left to right) Katie Carter, Hannah Keihn, and Reganne Bond

Suzanne Ruth-Scott, Spokane Valley High School, West Valley School District Lifetime Achievement Award: Wayne Frost Non-profit of the Year: Blessings Under the Bridge Runner up: Greater Spokane County Meals on Wheels Small Business of the Year: Movher, LLC Runner up: The Garden Coffee and Local Eats

Photo by Pia Hallenberg The Central Valley High School Orchestra play entertains attendees.

Medium Business of the Year: Modern Electric Water Co. Runner up: Canopy Credit Union Large Business of the Year: Spokane Teachers Credit Union Runner up: Avista Chamber awards: Chamber Champion: Wanda Buderus, BECU Chamber Volunteer of the Year: Danielle Milton, Spokane County Library Chamber Ambassador of the Year: Jim Reincke

Photo by Ben Wick The Liberty Lake Splash Owner and Publisher Ben Wick received the award “Entrepreneur of the Year.”

The Splash

COVER STORY

FEBRUARY 2020 • 11

2019 Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce at a Glance The chamber is 99 years old It has 623 members with 123 new members added in 2019 4649 attendees participated in 121 programs and events 23 ambassadors attended 30 ribbon cuttings $24,000 awarded in scholarships to nine students 49 percent of members are based in Spokane Valley 33 percent in Spokane 11 percent in Liberty Lake 4 percent in North Idaho 2 percent on West Plains 1 percent out of the area

Photo by Danica Wick Harry E. Nelson 2019 recipient, Central Valley School District Superintendant Ben Small, addresses the attendees of the Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce Gala.

Superintendent Ben Small named Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year

By Pia Hallenberg Splash Contributor

Though he was a little sad he couldn’t convince his teenage son to come along and share the festivities, it was a beaming Ben Small, superintendent of the Central Valley School District, who was named Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the year at the Gem of the Valley Gala on Jan. 24 at Mirabeau Park Hotel.

“Thank you, thank you, thank you,” Small said during the ceremony. “I am humbled and deeply honored to receive this award.”

Small has been the Superintendent of the Central Valley School District for 11 years, and he shared how he knew he had found his right place in life.

During the Valley View Fire in 2008, Small said he saw the community come together during a wildfire that claimed 11 homes.

“We turned a high school into a shelter and suddenly we were getting pizzas donated from every pizza place in town,” Small said, adding that pallets of water and other necessities just showed up. “I knew I had found my home.”

This is the 17th time the Greater Valley Chamber of Commerce has awarded a citizen of the year award.

The award is named after Harry E. Nelson, the owner and publisher of the Spokane Valley Herald and a dedicated chamber supporter until his death in 1959.

Past recipients include Mike DeVleming, the first mayor of

Spokane Valley; Peggy Goering, founder and organizer of Valleyfest, and Chuck Hafner, high school principal and city council member.

Lance Beck, president and CEO of the Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce, said that the group of past recipients gets together and selects the nominee - which is then approved by the board.

“It’s a lively discussion if you can imagine, because there are many deserving candidates,” Beck said.

“But Chamber staff stays out of it.”

Each citizen of the year award recipient gets a “label” - Small’s is “Community Collaborator.”

Small shared one example of collaboration between Central Valley School District and Liberty Lake’s OpenEye, a cloud-based video surveillance company.

Students get to visit OpenEye, work on computers and learn about the technology being developed there, and employees at OpenEye in turn donate and help assemble brand new bicycles for the students.

“That’s about a lot more than just

donating bikes to kids,” Small said.

Small thanked the Central Valley School District community for continuing to pass bonds - and he singled out Spokane Teachers Credit Union’s Marty Dickinson for a round of applause for her work the bond campaigns.

“I stalked her to get her to come back and do it again,” Small said jokingly and the crowd laughed.

2015 was the first time in 14 years Central Valley School District had a bond approved.

“Ben is here, he is approachable and he is engaged,” said Kelly Fukai, who introduced Small. “He cares. He’s a friend and he is a friend of this community. We hope we can keep him here.”

Small believes the he through his work with the Greater Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce can help create a better community through education.

Small said he will continue to work with local businesses to create opportunities for students and for businesses who are struggling to hire qualified workers.

“Let’s build our Valley future together,” Small said.

COMMUNITY

12 • FEBRUARY 2020

The Splash

Calendar of Events COMMUNITY EVENTS Feb 27 – March 1 | Spokane Home and Yard Show Various times. Spokane Fair & Expo Center, 404 N Havana, Spokane Valley. See hundreds of products and services, discover the latest trends and get expert advice from the pros all while enjoying the feature landscape displays. Tickets are $8 and valid all weekend. More at custershows.com.

RECURRING

ACT 2 Senior Classes | Affordable classes offered by Community Colleges of Spokane to those who are retired or planning to retire. A wide range of courses from geology and history to exercise and art are offered at CenterPlace, 2426 N. Discovery Place, as well as other locations throughout the area. For more, search for “Act 2” at scc.spokane.edu.

Baha’i Fireside Conversation | 7 to 8 p.m., third Thursday of the month, Spokane Valley Library, 12004 E. Main Ave. Discussion of Baha’i teachings, history and perspectives on resolving the challenges facing humanity. All are welcome. For more, call 599-2411.

Catholic Singles Mingle | Meeting times and locations vary. This group, with no dues, is for single adults of all ages. More at www.meetup.com/ Catholic-Singles-Mingle.

Free Last Sunday Lunch | Spokane Valley United Methodist Church, 115 N. Raymond Road, Spokane Valley 12:30 p.m. on the final Sunday of every month in the church’s Fellowship Hall, Room 115 Grange Meeting and Dessert | 6:30 p.m., third Wednesday of the month, Tri-Community Grange, 25025 Heather St., Newman Lake. The public is welcome for this communitybased service organization. For more, call 226-2202.

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.

Spokane County Library District | Locations include Argonne, Fairfield, Otis Orchards, and Spokane Valley.

Special events and weekly activities for all ages including book clubs, children’s story times, classes, Lego club, teen anime club and writing clubs. More at scld.org.

Toastmasters, Liberty Lakers #399 | 5:45 to 7 p.m., Wednesdays at the Liberty Lake Library, 23123 E. Mission Ave., Liberty Lake. This is a speaking and leadership development club.

MUSIC & THE ARTS Feb 8 – May 3 | Pompeii: The Immortal City Exhibit – Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture, 2316 W 1st Ave, Spokane. Visitors plunge into the heart of the drama and the ruins of the ancient city. Artifacts and artworks excavated from Pompeii and interactive mechanical models take them into the world of a first-century Roman city. Spectacular immersive moments allow visitors to experience the destruction of the city and to identify with the inhabitants of that time, immobilized by the volcano’s ashes. Tickets are $19.50 For more, visit northwestmuseum.org.

Feb 14 – March 1 | Gulliver’s Travels

– Various times. TAC at the Lake, 22910 E. Appleway Ave., Liberty Lake. The play takes audiences on all four famous voyages, from Lilliput to Brobdingnag to outer space and to the land of the noble Houyhnhnms and the comic Yahoos. Gulliver’s Travels is a joy for actors and audiences everywhere. For more, visit tacatthelake.com.

Feb 14 – March 1 | Fireflies Various times. Ignite! Community Theatre,10814 E Broadway Avenue, Spokane Valley. A slow cooking romance of two feisty retirees as we present Fireflies, our Valentine to you. $15. More at igniteonbroadway.org.

Feb 17 - 18 | Play Auditions – All My Sons 6:30 p.m. Ignite! Community Theatre,10814 E Broadway Avenue, Spokane Valley. Multiple characters are available. Auditions will consist of cold readings of selected scenes from the script. More at igniteonbroadway. org.

RECURRING The Fire Brigade| 7 p.m., first Saturday of the month, Ignite!

Community Theatre, 10814 E. Broadway Ave., Spokane Valley.

Ignite!’s improv troupe fires up family-friendly comedy. For more, visit igniteonbroadway.org.

Pages of Harmony | 6:30 to 9 p.m., Wednesdays, Thornhill Valley Chapel, 1400 S. Pines Road. Four-part, a cappella harmony, men’s barbershop chorus. More at pagesofharmony.org.

Spirit of Spokane Chorus | 6:45 p.m.

Tuesdays, Opportunity Presbyterian Church, 202 N. Pines Road. Make new friends by joining this women’s chorus, specializing in four-part, a cappella harmony in the barbershop style. More at 218-4799.

Spokane Valley Camera Club | 7:15 p.m., third and fourth Monday of the month (September through April).

Liberty Lake Sewer and Water District

oops ... too much water down the drain? a dripping faucet

a running faucet (or shower)

a flush

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gallons per minute

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30

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(YOU PAY $14.94 EACH MONTH TO USE AN AVERAGE OF 240 GALLONS OF WATER PER DAY)

For more information please call: 509-922-5443

building, 22510 E. Mission Ave., Liberty Lake. All levels of ability— students through experienced photographers—are invited to learn.

Social events include field trips and workshops. More at 951-1446 or www.sv-cc.org Spokane Valley Quilt Guild | Meetings at 6:30 p.m. on the first Tuesday of February, April, June, August, October and December at Valley Assembly of God Church, 15618 E. Broadway Ave., Spokane Valley. Open to all interested in sharing ideas and skills of our quilting craft. Participants can access a comprehensive library, engage experienced teachers and participate in community service projects. More at svqgspokane.com

HEALTH & RECREATION RECURRING Al-Anon Meetings | Mondays, 1:30 to 2:30 p.m., Liberty Lake Library, 23123 E. Mission Ave. No meetings on holiday Mondays. Is there a problem of alcoholism with a relative or a friend? Al-Anon family groups can help. For more, call 425-344-9280.

Al-Anon Family Meetings | Tuesdays, noon to 1 p.m., Opportunity Christian Church, 708 N. Pines, Spokane Valley. Is there a problem of alcoholism with a relative or a friend?

Al-Anon/Alateen family groups can help. For more, call 456-2125.

Decreasing Anger Group | 3 to 4:30 p.m. Tuesdays, the Vet Center, 13109 E. Mirabeau Parkway, Spokane Valley. Eligibility: combat veteran from all eras, military sexual trauma survivors. For more, call Steve at 8934746 to make an intake appointment.

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

More at 892-5255 or eastpointchurch. com.

Family and Friends of Addicts| 6 p.m.

Wednesdays, The ONE Church, 15601 E. 24th Ave., Spokane Valley. Support group utilizing tools and principles to help navigate relationships with

The Splash addicts and finding peace, strength and hope. For more, call 590-2422.

HUB Sports Center | 19619 E. Cataldo Ave., Liberty Lake. Various activities and events occur throughout the week including: • Pickleball drop-in: 12:30 to 2:30 p.m.

Monday through Thursday; 9:30am to 11:30am Tuesday and Thursday; 6 to 8pm Wednesday and Sunday. $3/ seniors, $5/non-seniors.

• Classes including Kenpo Karate, Taekwondo and Fit for YOUR Life.

See hubsportscenter.org for cost and times.

COMMUNITY

Mindful Music & Movement | 12:30 to 1:20 p.m. Wednesdays, Willow Song Music Therapy Center, 21101 E. Wellesley #102-103, Otis Orchards.

All are welcome to this session specifically designed for adults living with chronic health issues.

Session addresses physical function, vocal wellness and strength, selfexpression, breath work, movement, and increase of mood through music experiences, as facilitated by boardcertified music therapist, Carla Carnegie. $10 per person. For more, email carla.carnegie@gmail.com or call 592-7875.

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 Parks and Arts Commission | 4 p.m. on the first and third Mondays of each month, City Hall, 22710 E. Country Vista Drive Liberty Lake Kiwanis | 6:45 a.m. on the first through third Wednesdays of each month, City Hall, 22710 E. Country Vista Drive. Fourth Wednesday, the club meets at noon at Barlows, 1428 N. Liberty Lake Road

• Homeschool PE: 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. 1st and 3rd Wednesday of each month.

CIVIC & BUSINESS

Liberty Lake Running Club | Meets at Liberty Lake Physical Therapy, 6:30 p.m. Thursdays through October.

Weekly three mile run/walk. Earn T-shirt after six runs.

Feb. 28 | Business Connections Lunch – 11:30 a.m., Mirabeau Park Hotel & Convention Center, 1100 N Sullivan, Spokane Valley. Come and connect with local businesses and business leaders over lunch. Tickets: $35 per person for members or $45 for future members. For more or to register, visit spokanevalleychamber. org.

Friends of Liberty Lake Municipal Library | 2 p.m. the last Wednesday of each month, Liberty Lake Municipal Library, 23123 E. Mission Ave.

RECURRING

Liberty Lake Centennial Rotary Club

Military Sobriety Support Group | 10 to 11:30 a.m., Spokane Vet Center, 13109 E. Mirabeau Parkway, Spokane Valley. For more, call Steve at 8934746.

Liberty Lake Lions Club | Noon to 1 p.m., every first and third Wednesday of each month at Barlows, 1428 N. Liberty Lake Road. For more, call Alene at 869-7657.

FEBRUARY 2020 • 13

| Noon to 1 p.m. every Thursday at the Liberty Lake Sewer and Water District building, 22510 E. Mission Ave. For more, visit LibertyLakeRotary.org.

Liberty Lake Merchants Association | 11:30 a.m. Tuesdays, Liberty Lake Portal, 23403 E. Mission Ave., Suite 120. For more, call 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 | 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. Submit items for The Splash Community Calendar by the 15th of the previous month by emailing editor@libertylakesplash. com. Priority is given to noncommercial local events open to the public.

16th Annual Kiwanis Father Daughter Dance March 7, 2020 6:30 pm - 9:00 pm Mirabeau Park Hotel Early bird $55 per couple before Feb 14. $60 per couple at the door Additional daughter $20.

Dinner and dance package for 2 $114, $199 for dinner, dance, room, and breakfast.

Go to libertylakekiwanis.org Flowers available. photos available. Kiwanis Fundraiser. Raffle prizes and give aways.

Sponsorship opportunities available. Contact Paul Nigh at 661-331-9521 for details

A fundraiser hosted by the Liberty Lake Kiwanis club that invests in the children of our community.

14 • FEBRUARY 2020

It’s your home.

Expect more.

By Rep. Bob McCaslin

Someone recently asked if I had a theme for this year’s legislative session. “As a matter of fact, I do!”

I said.

“It’s your home. Expect more.”

For many residents around our region, living in their homes has become unsafe and unaffordable as they struggle to understand a state government that seems – on its best days – unaccountable, and sometimes downright unconcerned.

Chronic homelessness has increased by about 240 percent in the last three years while Olympia’s solutions are providing safe drug injections sites and spending more taxpayer dollars.

Childcare has skyrocketed by almost $2,000 per year, median home prices across the state continue to go up, and our state gas tax remains one of the highest in the nation.

We have a governor who bounces from one environmental scheme

The Splash after another, seemingly ignoring the drastic cost increases they would bring to every Washingtonian.

In addition, state government is suffering from data breaches, foster care mismanagement, and the early release of dangerous criminals by the Department of Corrections.

While many families continue to struggle with the rising costs of homeownership, childcare and transportation, some in Olympia continue to want more of your hard-earned money. We are seeing proposals for new and increased taxes, including a state income tax, something the voters of this state have rejected time and time again.

However, many of my colleagues and I have a different idea of how things should be.

We need to support law enforcement as they try to clean up our streets and allow them to enforce existing laws. We also need to stop enabling destructive behavior and start expecting accountability from those who seek services. We can still help people get clean, get treatment, and get shelter while helping them

better their lives in the long run.

We also need to make living in our state – our homes – more affordable.

To that end, I’m introducing House Bill 2284. This bill will allow daycare providers more flexibility when satisfying education requirements for their professional licensure.

As daycare providers struggle with increases in minimum wage, continuing regulations, and reimbursement rates from the state that are nowhere near the costs of providing care, more and more have decided to close their doors and go out of business. This lack of options and access only increases the competition for available facilities and drives costs higher for parents. My bill will help providers keep costs down by giving them more options when meeting their mandatory education requirements.

I’m also sponsoring legislation to make the maintenance and preservation of our roads a priority with the Washington State Department of Transportation’s (WSDOT) planning process.

House Bill 2285 would prioritize our existing transportation infrastructure without raising taxes, increasing fees or disingenuously moving money around the various transportation programs.

If we make preservation and maintenance a priority in the planning process, we can begin to address the backlog we have in maintaining existing roads. We are near a crisis point, but raising taxes is not the answer.

I also believe we should eliminate the practice of title-only bills, end closed-door negotiations, and get back to results-based budgeting. We need to ask if this program or that project is still yielding its intended benefit to the public, rather than just assuming it is and continually funding it each year in the budget.

A business can’t operate like that; why should the state?

And finally, we should allow basic law enforcement training here in eastern Washington. Currently, law enforcement agencies must send their prospective officers to the west side of the state to receive training.

All the while paying for hotels, food, See MCCASLIN, Page 25

brought to you by

Student of the Month

Athlete of the Month

Citizen of the Month

Not many high school students have co-founded an outreach program to help people who are homeless but Olivia Rachoy has. The Central Valley senior started a project with her dad that provides backpacks with food, clothes and hygiene products to those in need. She also volunteers at a rehabilitation center, assisting patients who undergo therapy before they return home. In the summer, she is a leader at Vacation Bible School.

Rachoy maintains a 3.86 grade point average and is a member of the National Honor Society. She is part of Link Crew that provides support and mentoring to freshman students.

“It helps get me out of my comfort zone,” she said. Rachoy has been the recipient of two PACE Student of the Month awards in the Integrity and Caring categories. She would like to pursue a career as a dietician.

Noah Sanders grew up playing basketball at Pavillion Park and on a hoop in the driveway of his family’s Liberty Lake home. These days, Sanders is one of the Greater Spokane League’s top players. The Central Valley senior scored 21 points in a season-opening win over Gonzaga Prep and has continued as a catalyst for the Bears on both ends of the floor. CV, 14-1 at presstime, is currently ranked third among 4A teams in Washington. In a win over Ferris, Sanders tallied 24 points. He had 17 in CV’s 6360 victory over rival University in the Stinky Sneaker game.

Sanders was sixth man as a junior.

In the summer, he is part of the Eastern Washington Elite squad.

He has also been a member of two winning teams at Hoopfest. In the classroom, Sanders maintains a 3.6 grade point average.

It’s taken a special leader to chair the inaugural Liberty Lake Parks and Arts Commission and Laina Schutz has fit the bill. After two years in the role. Schutz was recently selected to serve another term. She has been a catalyst in the group’s efforts to raise awareness and appreciation of community art but is quick to deflect credit. “Everyone on the commission is so dedicated and hardworking,” Schutz said. “I’m just proud of the amount of work we’ve done in such a short time.” Schutz also serves as president of the Liberty Creek PTA and is a member of the Liberty Lake Centennial Rotary. Schutz earned a degree in business from the University of Mary Washington in Virginia and a master’s in sports management from Virginia Commonwealth University.

She and her husband Derek are proud parents of three children.

THE

LIBERTY LAKE

COMMUNITY NEWSMAGAZINE

&

Thanks you for all you do in our community

The Splash

FEBRUARY 2020 • 15

NEWS

SVFD Report – January 2020 Splash news sources

Crews responded to a total of 106 emergency calls in the greater Liberty Lake area* from December 15, 2019 – January 15, 2020: • Emergency Medical Services 90 • Motor Vehicle Accidents 7 • Building Alarms 3 • Dispatched and cancelled en route 2 • Fires 2 • Hazardous Materials 1 • Service Calls 1 The *Service area for SVFD Station #3 in Liberty Lake Calls for service are up from 93 last month to 106 this month in the Liberty Lake Area.

Illegal Burn, December 17, 7:43 p.m. - Spokane Valley Fire Department (SVFD) responded to a possible illegal burn. A neighbor nearby called in thinking garbage was being burned in the backyard of a neighboring home. Valley Engine responded and upon arrival found the homeowner burning in an approved fire pit with approved fuel source. Crews thanked him for his safety precautions and returned to service.

Moving Violation – December 31 – Around 4 a.m. Spokane Valley Fire Department responded to a call to a moving violation where they found a portion of chain link fence that was destroyed by a vehicle. Liberty Lake Police Department(LLPD) was also on scene. There was a section of chain link fence that was taken out by a vehicle and tire tracks leading away from the scene. Crews surveyed the scene and helped the police locate a license plate that was presumedly left behind by the vehicle that drove into the fence. The Police ran the plate number and it came back to a Liberty Lake resident. LLPD went to follow up with the address of the license and SVFD Crews returned to service advising LLPD they would return to service if medical attention was needed.

Alarm System – January 12 – Around 4:37 a.m. – Spokane Valley Fire Department (SVFD) responded to an Alarm System call. Crews arrived on scene and found a family that was sheltering in their vehicle in the driveway. Crews positioned the Fire Truck in front of the residence

and began an investigation of the alarm activation. Crews found that the alarms were not in alarm but were chirping. The instructions on the back of the detector indicated the alarms were possibly past their "life span". The CO detector from the truck did not indicate a CO problem. Crews took all the alarms down and advised the homeowner to try changing all batteries and testing them to see if the chirping stops with the advice that if they still chirp it would indicate the alarms needed to be changed out with new alarms. Crews installed a new smoke detector that all fire crews have on their trucks to make sure there was a working alarm in the home.

Structure Fire – January 15, 3:03 a.m. – Spokane Valley Fire Department responded to the reporting of a fire. Upon arrival, the initial objectives were to ensure the safety of any potential occupants and determine the extent of the fire.

Initial observations were extremely limited as smoke obscured direct visualization of the involved structure. Crews found a 20’ x 30' building partially under fire. Crews noted that no exposures were threatened and the homeowner had suggested that the building was unoccupied. Crews quickly worked to extinguish the fire. The cause is under investigation.

About SVFD-Spokane Valley Fire Department serves the City of Spokane Valley, City of Liberty Lake, City of Millwood and the surrounding unincorporated areas of Spokane County with a combined population of 125,000 across 75 square miles. SVFD firefighters and paramedics responded to more than 17,280 emergency calls in 2017. Established in 1940, SVFD is an Accredited Agency by the Commission on Fire Accreditation International, one of only a handful in Washington State.

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18 • FEBRUARY 2020

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About and for Liberty Lake seniors

Congrats new LLPD recruits

By Nina Culver

Splash Contributor

The ranks of the Liberty Lake Police Department expanded by two this fall, bringing the department to an all time high of 13 officers. That number is slated to go up to 14 in 2020, said Police Chief Brian Asmus.

Only one of those positions is new to the roster, however. The department had previously been at 12 officers for several years, but five officers had left the department since late 2018. One resigned, another took a job with the Spokane Police Department and two more began working with the Cheney Police Department.

Asmus said he’s been working all year to fill the vacancies as they came up, but it’s been difficult to find qualified applicants. He said he would often only get three or four applications every time a vacancy was announced and not everyone could make it through the application process, which includes a background check, polygraph and psychological evaluation.

“It’s a national issue,” he said of the lack of good applicants. “We hired five new people in 2019. We were just now able to get back to

where we were.”

The department has also hired a new chaplain to replace John Thompson, who died in October 2018 after nine years with the department. The new chaplain, Ron Bauer, was a chaplain with the Los Angeles Police Department for 30 years before he retired. He moved to the Liberty Lake area to be closer to his family, Asmus said.

“What an amazing man and a great fit for our agency,” he said.

One of the new officers, Jeff Isaac, was born in Spokane but grew up in Raymond, Washington. He worked as an EMT/firefighter for 11 years, first in his hometown in Raymond and then for Spokane County Fire District 4, where he was a resident firefighter at Station 44.

Isaac said he got into firefighting because his father had been a firefighter/paramedic in Raymond and it seemed like the thing to do.

“I grew up around the fire station down there and knew everyone there,” he said. “I was in that environment for so long, it seemed like the right thing to do.”

But Isaac had always felt drawn to police work and got hired by the Washington State Patrol in 2016, graduating from the police academy in 2017. “It was time for a change,” he said. “I wanted to be a police officer.”

He worked in Okanogan County, Pacific County and Whitman County while he was with WSP. Isaac said he was up away from his wife and three children up to a week at a time when he worked in Whitman County because he had to live in a fire station to be close to his WSP duty station. He applied to work in Liberty Lake so he could be closer to home.

“I’ve kind of had my eye on Liberty Lake for a while,” he said.

“Everybody loves working for Chief Asmus. Nobody has anything bad to say about him. My wife and kids are a lot happier with me here. I’m home every night.”

Isaac said he also likes the town.

“You feel welcome here,” he said.

“Everywhere you go you get a handshake, you get a smile. You don’t get that anymore in policing.”

Officer Derek Arnold, who started work in early October, agrees that the community has been welcoming. “Everyone is very nice,” he said. “I was used to being called names daily. It’s different.”

Arnold grew up in Springfield, Oregon, and joined the Army when he turned 18. He was on active duty from 2003 to 2012, serving in the infantry. He was a squad leader and platoon sergeant when he left and served for two years in the Army National Guard.

Arnold said he was searching for a career after the Army when he moved to Issaquah. He took classes at Bellevue Community College and worked as a security guard for Microsoft for a year. He earned his degree in general studies through the American Military University, then heard that the King County Sheriff’s Office was hiring.

“I’ve always had that drive to help others,” he said. “At the time King County was hiring pretty vigorously. It took a long time. I was about ready to give up when they called.”

He worked for the King County Sheriff’s Office from 2013 until he left in early October. Arnold said he and his wife got tired of their long commutes and were looking for someplace quieter to live. “We were just tired of the rat race,” he said. “Our move over here was for quality of life.”

He went on a ride along in Liberty Lake in March and Arnold said he liked what he saw. “It was a little bit more quiet, a bit slower pace,” he said. “I’ve noticed the sense of community here is different than it was over there.”

Both officers say they like the tight knit group of officers who work the streets in Liberty Lake every day. “This department makes you feel like you’ve been part of the family for years,” Isaac said.

FEBRUARY 2020 • 19

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CV girls’ hoops squad again among GSL elite

By Craig Howard

Splash Contributing Editor

A week after losing its season opener to Gonzaga Prep in overtime on Dec. 3, the Central Valley girls’ basketball team faced the topranked 6A team from Oregon on a neutral court.

After three quarters, CV trailed Beaverton High School by only one point.

While the Bears went on to drop the game by a 62-54 margin, head coach Felice Orrell made note of an important moral victory.

“I was just really proud of the girls and the way they competed,” Orrell said. “I think that game gave us a lot of confidence.”

The offense has been led by senior point guard Peyton Howard who averages 12 points and four assists a game. Howard – bound for Seattle University – was a reserve on the 2017-18 team that won the 4A state title and went on to capture the Geico High School National Championship.

“Peyton definitely gives us that competitive edge,” Orrell said. “Her basketball I.Q. is really up there. It’s almost like having another coach on the court.”

Junior Mj Bruno has sparked the Bears at nearly 13 points and close to seven rebounds a game.

“Mj just brings great energy,” Orrell said.

In the Bears’ 50-49 win over University on Jan. 15, CV trailed 39-31 going into the final quarter.

Bruno paced a comeback with nine points in the frame including a critical offensive rebound tip-in that secured the victory.

“It was our biggest win of the

Turns out the Bears’ first two opponents were fortunate to face them when they did. CV reeled off seven consecutive wins after the 0-2 start. They wouldn’t lose again until Jan. 7 against Mt. Spokane. In late December, CV defeated Sunnyside and Moses Lake in a holiday tournament, an effort that Orrell found encouraging based on the team emergence from a long layoff.

“We came out a little stagnant but we fought through it,” she said.

CV lost six seniors, including four starters, from last year’s squad but restocked with a roster consisting of juniors and seniors. Orrell is familiar with the rich tradition at CV having won two state titles as a player, including an undefeated senior campaign in 2002. She has implemented a high-powered offense that relies on pushing the ball, fluent passing and baskets from everyone on the court.

“We don’t really need one person to score 30 points for us to win,” Orrell said.

Photo by Erik Smith Photography Central Valley vs. Gonzaga Prep

year,” Orrell said of the Stinky Sneaker triumph. “I was just super proud of our kids.”

Senior post Michael Pitts was also a catalyst in the win over the rival Titans. She took two offensive charges at key junctures and finished with nine points and four rebounds.

For the year, Pitts is averaging nearly seven boards per game.

“She’s been great, just a really positive leader,” Orrell said of Pitts who sat out last year. “I feel like she can post up but she can also push the tempo and take it outside.”

Senior Anika Chalich is third on the team in scoring at just over 10 points a game.

“She has a great shot from the outside but she’s not onedimensional,” Orrell said.

Junior Chloe Williams has stepped up to average nearly seven points per contest.

“Chloe has improved so much for us,” said Orrell. “She’s stealing the ball, dishing it and really good

at the rim.”

While the offense has been impressive, Orrell said she has also been proud of the team’s focus and effort on the defensive end. CV has held opponents to 40 points or under in eight games.

“We’ve held some good teams to some low point totals this season,” she said.

The Bears will close out the GSL schedule this month with important matchups against Lewis and Clark at home Feb. 1 and a rematch with University on the road Feb. 4. The regular season comes to a close on Feb. 6 at Lewis and Clark.

Orrell said the Bears are focused on getting back to the state tournament, a familiar place for a storied program.

“The biggest thing is just to increase the confidence in all areas and try to grow every game,” she said. “I know our kids take pride in being part of Central Valley basketball.”

The Splash

Final Point

By Mike Vlahovich Splash Sports Editor

What makes a successful coach?

It’s a question that’s been in the back of my mind in my years as a sports aficionado.

I suppose there’s an easy answer.

Send your kids to camps, put them on traveling teams, spend money and time year around and with a nudge from club coaches, maybe even encouraging athletes to play at the same high school, anyone can coach.

But it’s not the only answer. In my years covering high school sports and knowing numerous coaches it’s not just a matter of talent. Coaches all begin at the same starting line. Not all of them make it to the finish.

There have been nice guys and miserable guys who finished first and last. There have been paranoid coaches who couldn’t win for losing and those who couldn’t even enjoy their wild successes.

There have been condescending coaches who bred disdain and taught their charges for rub their successes

SPORTS

under the noses of their rivals and those who instilled respect for their opponents.

but unfortunately retired before the league change and state playoffs came about.

When I first met University football coach, Dave Holmes, he had returned from successful college coaching stints at Eastern Washington University and the University of Hawaii.

Rick Giampietri’s personality was the polar opposite of Dean’s. Pleasant and humble, he succeeded, winning a state title with the Bears.

I felt intimidated the first time we sat in the locker room and talked football. He wasn’t about wins and losses. He wanted to see of his college coaching approach could resonate with high schoolers. He introduced weight training which is now a staple of area high schools.

West Valley football coach Greg Gavin played for Holmes at Eastern.

He was charismatic, stressed weights and had two state finalists, including a state title. After he left for CV, his successor didn’t succeed, but the successor of his successor, Jim Clements, got the Eagles back to state with his own style.

He was more philosopher than coach, but motivated the Titans who put an end to the speculation that Valley schools couldn’t compete against their city brethren when leagues merged. U-Hi won the opener as newcomer in the Greater Spokane League. I was intrigued.

EV’s football success was the result of master motivator Bob Shill.

He liked the “us-against-them” psychological approach that worked when the Knights moved up in class from A to AA. He shocked heavily favored WV that first year and ultimately went on to win a football state title in two finals trips.

Charlie Dean, with his downhome southern drawl with an “awe shucks” schtick belied a brilliant football mind and motivator who inspired a legendary run of success.

Joe Feist became a good friend of mine. We talked every week at WV. He took the Eagles basketball to state nearly every year he was, but never felt comfortable despite his success.

He told me he wasn’t a big weight lifting fan. He scarcely lost,

CV’s Dale Poffenroth won four

FEBRUARY 2020 • 21

state titles as girls basketball coach.

His ultimate successor, Freddie Rehkow won a national title. They were polar opposites – one dour and curt, the other other upbeat and effusive. Both were winners. Some would say EV girls basketball coach Rob Collins is unconventional. But the Knights have been a state tourney mainstay.

Some coaches stay calm, others are rabid. Some sit comfortably on the bench, others nervously pace the floor. Both personalities can succeed.

Some scarcely utter a word, others are effusive.

You watch pro football and Pete Carroll is considered as much cheerleader as coach. They say it couldn’t be done at that level. Two Super Bowl appearances and this year’s post-season effort that give rest to that lie. Seattle was sixth best among 16 NFC team and made the post-season when Sports Illustrated predicted a 7-9 season.

Is there a common denominator?

Danged if I know. But let’s hope my alma mater, WSU’s new football coach, with a different personality and approach can cut a successful niche of his own.

|

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LOCAL LENS

24 • FEBRUARY 2020

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THE NEIGHBORHOOD SOUND -

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Submit your entries to TheSound@libertylakesplash.com

t as

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Photo by Je nrise on the frozen la h rain this week. it su w g ’s in 0 z e4 Ama s get into th temperature

NEWBERG, ORE. (January 22, 2020) - Local students were among those who earned dean’s list recognition at George Fox University for the fall 2019 semester.

Traditional undergraduate students must earn a 3.5 grade point average or above on 12 or more hours of graded work to earn a spot on the dean’s list.

Liberty Lake, WA Grace Ammon, sophomore, biology Abigail Sims, sophomore, biology and psychology Photo by Pam Sw ee A snow Angel on ney the back of my truc travels k..... Safe

OR ROLL VOST'S HON O R P R O F Y QUALIF have duate students Y STUDENTS ra IT g S er R d E n u IV g N in sity. To U w 20) - The follo hitworth Univer WHITWORTH 0 2 W , 3 at 1 r y te ar es u m r an se ash. (J erage of 3.75 o r the Fall 2019 av t fo s in u o SPOKANE, W p at est d ll ra o g R aintain a st's Honor students must m achieved Provo e at u d ra g er d n e list, u be named to th e semester. better during th A Liberty Lake, W Grant Hill

BOZEMAN – Montana State University has announced its undergraduate honor rolls for fall semester 2019.

There are two MSU honor roll lists: the President’s List and the Dean’s List. To be eligible for the lists, students must be enrolled in 12 college-level credits. This list was current as of Jan. 14 and includes all registration corrections or grade changes processed to that date.

The 1,261 students with a perfect 4.0 grade point average for the semester were named to the President’s List. An asterisk follows their names below.

The Dean’s List includes the 3,643 students earning grade point averages of 3.5 or above for the semester.

Liberty Lake, WA Erica Casey* Torrin Girard

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I am writing to convey my gratitude to the Parks Departments of Post Falls and Liberty Lake for the winter plowing of the Centennial Trail and Liberty Lake Trail systems. Like a lot of people in the Inland Northwest, I can get a bit of cabin fever this time of year. Thankfully, our fine parks department folks plow our local trails so those of us that choose to do so can be active outside year-around! By the way, this makes life a little easier for our loved ones that have to put up with those of us afflicted by cabin fever during the winter.

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Send a check and subscription address to P.O. Box 363, Liberty Lake, WA 99019. Subscriptions must be

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The Splash is committed to serving Liberty Lake through excellent community journalism. We can’t do it at all without you, our readers, and we can’t do it for long without support from our advertisers. Please thank our business partners and look to them when offering your patronage.

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Continued from page 14

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I believe an innovative plan like this will allow law enforcement officers to have more connection to the communities in which they serve and will reduce costs for all involved.

This session is a quick, 60-day session. There is much to do and very little time to do it. If you have comments or suggestions on how we can make living in your home safer and more affordable, or how we can make state government more accountable, please reach out to me with an email or phone call. It is an honor to serve you in Olympia.

Rep. Bob McCaslin, R-Spokane Valley, represents the 4th Legislative District. He is the assistant ranking member on both the House Education committee and the House Early Learning and Human Services Committee and is a retired teacher.

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Index of advertisers

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

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Windermere 22

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Liberty Lake Smile Source

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Of note: This thank you message was produced by The Splash’s advertising team, which works its tail off on behalf of partner businesses, helping them share their messages through advertisements. This is an independent function from The Splash’s editorial team, which has its own evaluation process to determine the community news stories and features it pursues. For more information about a win-win partnership that expertly markets your business to thousands of readers (while making this home-grown community newspaper possible), email advertise@libertylakesplash.com. With story ideas, contact editor@libertylakesplash.com.

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VSCO Girls, Unfiltered: A primer for the rest of us

ON THAT NOTE

FEBRUARY 2020 • 27

By Josh Johnson Splash Contributor

Last summer, I started experiencing symptoms of anxiety I have come to refer to as “Panic! At The VSCO.” But “Stranger Things” happened, and now I have high, high hopes.

Yeah, maybe I should explain.

It all started when my two Liberty Lake daughters, ages teen and tween, began adopting the term, “VSCO Girl” (pronounced like “disco” with a “v”). Were they becoming VSCO Girls? Were they Mean-Girling VSCO Girls? What even is a VSCO Girl?

Scrambling for clues, I would walk into a room and exclaim something like, “You two seem to be having a regular VSCO ball in here!”

“Sksksk,” they would respond.

“And I oop-!”

Before “Stranger Things,” I might have been flummoxed by this foreign language. But then I remembered these same daughters and I dig-dug out my Nintendo 64 recently to play classics like Galaga and Pac-Man, a video game session inspired by the hugely popular Netflix show set in the ‘80s of my childhood. (I mean, it’s one thing for me to think the circa 1984 “Palace Arcade” scenes were rad, but the kids were stoked to the max! And so outwardly I was all, “Have a cow, kids, you are barfing me out.” But inside I was like, “Psych! This is wicked tubular. We can veg like homies!”)

If this Netflix generation can embrace things important to a Gen Xer like me, surely I could walk a mile in platform VSCO Vans.

But I would need a Dustin.

Fortunately for me, one of the region’s leading VSCO instructors is my niece. At 16, Rachel Kimberley is versed in VSCO vernacular, but she also can speak the language of fragile, elderly uncles. When she was just 10, she baby-stepped me through the confusion and betrayal I experienced during that whole Prince Hans plot twist in “Frozen.”

Up for another challenge, Rachel agreed to teach me the ways of the

Photo by Josh Johnson From left, Liberty Lake’s Ali Hassett and Rachel Kimberley (pictured in September at Pavillion Park) served as VSCO instructors for this article.

VSCO. Knowing this wouldn’t be easy, she enlisted the help of fellow VSCO sensei, Central Valley High School student and Liberty Lake resident, Ali Hassett.

“A VSCO Girl is someone who fits a certain aesthetic,” Rachel began.

And with that, the girls barely took a breath breaking down the VSCO bona fides of beachy bracelets and Birkenstocks, shell necklaces and scrunchies, Hydro Flasks and hair in a messy bun, AirPods and oversized T-shirts — “with shorts under them, so you can’t tell they are wearing pants,” Ali explained, adding that the whole vibe is “supposed to look effortless, but you put a lot of effort into it.”

“Yeah, like you have to make it perfect, but you say, ‘just woke up,’” Rachel agreed.

Not that the girls are complaining, as apparently this VSCO thing has really taken off.

“It’s nice to have it be trendy to not look super nice all the time, to be able to wear shorts and T-shirts and still be considered trendy,” Ali said.

“You can look more natural, have your hair in a bun, and that’s kind of cool.”

This particular craze has its roots in a photo editing app called VSCO that is known for accentuating a laidback, beach day feel with its photo filters. (Helpful tip: The app’s most popular filters are probably C1, F2 and G3, so I would totally start there

if you ever find yourself across the table from a VSCO Girl, playing Battleship.)

“If (VSCO) had started as not being annoying, I would definitely want to embrace it more,” Ali said.

Unlike Instagram and similar social media sites, VSCO photos shared within the app cannot be “liked” or commented upon. This adds a level of purity to the VSCO allure. VSCO Girls have a look, but they are unpretentious about it.

Extreme typecasts aside, both girls embrace the practical, easygoing and purposeful aspects of VSCO wholeheartedly, and Ali in particular.

In fact, VSCO Girls are often quite outward-focused and practical, particularly when it comes to environmental causes.

In online caricatures especially, however, VSCO Girls can be portrayed as annoying, with overthe-top references to catchphrases like “sksksk,” “and I oop-” and “#savetheturtles” (see breakout, “VSCO Vocab”).

By the end of our conversation, Rachel and Ali had not only put my mind at ease about my daughters’ VSCO sensibilities but had gained an ambassador. Emboldened by the lesson of “Stranger Things,” I suggested that perhaps older folks should break out a few VSCO moves ourselves.

“The good part is that some people actually want to save the turtles, like there’s actual VSCO girls that fight to save turtles, like no joke, so that’s kind of cool,” Rachel said.

So cool that Rachel and Ali would self-identify as VSCO Girls?

“I feel like we’re VSCO, but some people have a certain personality that goes with it, and we just don’t have that personality,” Rachel said of the exaggerated representations.

Ali said there is a style of VSCO that is more pure and pragmatic, like her cheerleader friend who is collecting plastic bottles to bring attention to trash in the ocean and its impact on endangered species.

“But I don’t say, ‘And I oop’ unless I’m joking around,” she laughed.

“If my mom started wearing shell necklaces and big T-shirts, I would be like, ‘What are you doing? What is going on?’” Ali said, letting me down gently. “I think it’s more of a high schooler type thing.”

Fine.

But it’s still pretty cool, this bridging of the generation gap through mutual interest and understanding. Now I know VSCO. As my old Army friend, Joe, likes to remind me, “Knowing is half the battle.”

A version of this story first appeared on coffeejosh.com, where Liberty Lake’s Josh Johnson introduces readers to inspiring people and great coffee shops in the Inland Northwest.

28 • FEBRUARY 2020

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