2023 June Splash

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Congratulations to the first graduating class of

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LARSON CONTINUES BOAT PARADE PAGE 2

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2 • JUNE 2023

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DOCKSIDE that first year,” Larson fourth year as what Tichy describes Ripple Effect – participated as “a kick-off to our community said. “I was truly humbled.”

“It was truly amazing how many

Larson at helm of Boat Parade, Light Up Liberty Lake

By Craig Howard

Splash Contributing Editor

The weeks leading up to Independence Day in 2020 did not carry the same festive anticipation in Liberty Lake as in summers past.

The COVID-19 worldwide pandemic set down in Washington that March, casting uncertainty over social events and holiday gatherings.

The fireworks show over the lake as well as the city-sponsored display had been canceled along with the Liberty Lake Community Fourth of July Parade, a staple of the summer calendar since 1988.

Annie Tichy, longtime organizer of the Fourth of July neighborhood parade in Alpine Shores, said the aquatic procession “gave people a chance to celebrate.”

“It was what everyone needed,” Tichy said. “I watched it from my yard and cried happy tears. It was just very uplifting.”

The following July, the Boat Parade once again stepped up as a replacement for Independence Day events put on hold due to the pandemic. This July 3 at 4 p.m., the occasion – now with a sponsor,

Tobler Marina – will celebrate its celebration.” The Alpine Shores parade will follow on July 4 at 11 a.m. with both fireworks shows scheduled for that evening along with the city’s popular agenda in Pavilion Park.

Larson and her husband Steve have special memories of the Fourth as it relates to their residence on Lilac Lane near the shores of the lake. It was on July 4, 1987 that they made an offer on the home and, not long after, moved to Liberty Lake from Spokane’s South Hill. The couple – who raised three daughters and now have seven grandchildren

It seemed like the traditional celebration of patriotism would have to be tucked away on a shelf, at least for the time being.

“We were looking to raise our children in a small-town community,” Larson said.

Larson grew up in Meridian, Idaho, a suburb of Boise. She was the youngest of four siblings, all brothers. Time near the water was locked down on the family calendar each summer, mostly at a cabin in the shadows of Cascade Lake and nearby Lake Payette. Larson remembers family gatherings highlighted by picnics and sparklers each Fourth of July.

Larson graduated with a degree in education from the University of Idaho which is where she met her future husband. Marla and Steve were married in 1979 and spent two years in California before relocating to Spokane, where Steve grew up.

In the summers of his youth, Steve would venture out to Liberty Lake with friends to spend time on and near the water.

In 1982, Larson began a career in education that would span nearly 30 years. Her professional journey started in the Central Valley School District as a special education resource instructor, teaching reading, writing and math. After earning her master’s degree in counseling in 1989 from Eastern Washington University, Larson spent 12 years as a counselor at University High School. She wrapped up her career as a reading coach at Greenacres Elementary.

Looking out over the lake that June, Marla Larson felt her community could generate some sort of rally to counteract the gloom and anxiety brought about by the virus. How about an outdoor event that would be safe but still provide an opportunity for civic bonding and Independence Day cheer?

How about a boat parade?

“At the time, things just seemed so daunting,” Larson recalls. “Our community has always had all these wonderful Fourth of July events and they were all canceled. The boat parade idea was something that developed pretty late. I talked with (neighbor) Karen Toreson and things just kind of snowballed. We put flyers together and got the word out.”

The turnout for the inaugural Liberty Lake Fourth of July Boat Parade was beyond what Larson could have imagined. An estimated 100 boats took part. The festivities served as a unique diversion from the malaise of the pandemic and provided a reassuring link to traditions established long ago.

– have been here ever since.

“My education background combined with raising our children in the same school district was the best of both worlds,” Larson said.

Photo by Craig Howard Marla Larson and her husband Steve have called Liberty Lake home since 1987. Larson was the catalyst behind the inaugural Liberty Lake Boat Parade in 2020 when the traditional Fourth of July procession through Alpine Shores and both local fireworks shows were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

She also was the architect of the first-ever Light Up Liberty Lake campaign last winter that raised money for local families in need through the sale of illuminated stars.

Over the years, Larson has carved out time to contribute to a variety of community causes, including PTA, Make-a-Wish, Special Olympics, Vanessa Behan Crisis Nursery and Lumen High School. She also served on the research committee leading up to the construction of Liberty Lake Elementary.

Last winter, Larson launched another community initiative – this one on dry land. A campaign See LARSON, Page 4

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LARSON

Continued from page 2 called “Light Up Liberty Lake” raised funds for local families in need through the sale of illuminated holiday stars at Ace Hardware.

“We hope this program will continue and be even bigger and better to support our families in need during the holidays and also light up our community with stars,” Larson said.

Tichy says Larson has “done a lot for the community and for schools.”

“She’s just very kind and caring,” Tichy said. “As a neighbor, she’s always been there.”

Q: How would you describe the Liberty Lake community you and your husband moved to 36 years ago?

A: At that time, it was very undeveloped. The only store we had was the Zip Trip at the corner of Appleway and Liberty Lake Drive.

Grocery runs required us going to Spokane Valley. Legacy Ridge, the River District and most housing north of Sprague did not exist. Many of the homes around the lake were still original summer home cabins.

Q: You grew up near lakes in your native Idaho. In what ways does living near the water ring familiar to you?

A: Most memories at the lake both past and present would include water skiing, swimming, beach fires and roasting marshmallows with family and friends. Activities on the lake during the winter months included ice skating and hockey on the frozen lake.

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restore hope among you and your neighbors?

A: The inaugural boat parade helped fill the void left by the traditional parade being canceled.

The boats allowed for social distancing while still celebrating the holiday with neighbors. For spectators, viewing from their homes, the public launch and park while decorated boats passed by was uplifting. There was music, people from the boats threw candy to children on the beach, and the mood was festive and fun.

Q: Your family was part of the first Liberty Lake Community Fourth of July Parade in 1988. How has that event engrained itself into the fabric of Liberty Lake holiday culture?

A: The parade is significant as it symbolizes the start of the Independence Day celebrations.

Families and neighbors have gathered for years to watch decorated golf carts, bikes and unique performances come together to kick off this day. The mood is festive, light, entertaining and especially exciting for the young children. Today, many of the original participants are watching their children and the next generation carry on this tradition.

Q: Speaking of community connectivity, you were the catalyst behind the inaugural Light Up Liberty Lake campaign last winter.

How do you feel this first effort turned out?

A: Everyone in our neighborhood was very disappointed that activities were canceled. The overall mood seemed to be very subdued and lacked the traditional sense of community. People missed the land parade, neighborhood gatherings and barbecues with family and friends. It was difficult to scale back this wonderful holiday celebration.

A: Feedback during the inaugural event has been favorable and I believe it was a success. Ace Hardware was a great partner and the roundup program raised almost $2,000 for the local schools and families in need. The side benefit was seeing illuminated red, white and gold stars throughout the community. In these trying times, it’s nice to see the sense of cohesiveness and togetherness to support our community. The Light Up campaign is an example of the generosity and support we share in the Liberty Lake community. Liberty Lake has given so much to us and giving back to the community is one of the greatest gifts of all. It’s my hope this will continue for a long time supporting families in need and lighting up our wonderful community.

Q: In what ways do you think that inaugural boat parade help

Q: Your career in education spanned nearly three decades.

Q: Take us back to the months before the Fourth of July in 2020.

What do you remember about the mood of the community and the sense that Independence Day traditions would be sidelined at least for that summer?

JUNE 2023 • 5

The Splash Between your work in special education and as a counselor, what do you recall as some of the most rewarding aspects of your professional journey?

A: When thinking of a significant rewarding experience one could share from an educator’s point of view, I feel that when working with students, there are just too many rewards to name only a few examples. There are numerous moments feeling rewarded by a student showing thanks and appreciation.

For example, when that one student with an IEP (Individualized Education Program) sees success, a thank-you for writing a resume or recommend for that senior or helping with a college scholarship, mentoring a student through conflicts at home or with friends, affirming and helping rephrase negative feelings about themselves and providing some communication skills and tools to help in lifelong lessons.

The handwritten notes and verbal signs of appreciation educators receive mean the world no matter how large or small. But, if I were to name one, it would be the day a high school student walked in my office and thanked me for putting on the all-school mock drunk driver accident and simulation assembly.

There were a lot of moving parts and pieces with students involved, law enforcement, D.A.R.E. officers, emergency vehicles and staff to pull this off, but to this one student, and hopefully more, it empowered and saved he and others the night of prom from crawling in a car with an intoxicated driver. I will never forget this grateful and emotional moment.

Q: When you hear the word “family” what are some of the first thoughts that cross your mind?

A: It’s my belief that living a life dedicated and devoted to family is one of the most rewarding attributes one can achieve. My parents were the foundation of my journey and instilled a strong work ethic and many memories of special times together. These times of bonding and quality experiences helped maintain a relationship with my extended family and gave me direction with my own immediate family. They are my pride and joy and both my husband and I are forever grateful our three daughters and their husbands returned to

Liberty Lake to raise their children.

Our grandchildren light up our world! Together with my husband we’ve shared countless memories and the time devoted to family is immeasurable.

Q: With the Fourth of July right around the corner, what are you looking forward to the most and what are your hopes for the fourth annual Boat Parade?

A: We are looking forward to a good old-fashioned Fourth celebration with all the activities of family and friends together. The boat parade should hopefully be the best ever! We anticipate a record number of participants with awards for Best Overall, Most Creative, Best Themed, Most Patriotic and Honorable Mention. With the help of our sponsor, Tobler Marina, we have a great band hired that will play for two hours on the dock at Dreamwood Bay. Boaters may anchor to enjoy live music provided by the Jesse Quandt band.

Q: You make it very clear that the Boat Parade is a team effort. What can you tell us about the committee that puts this event together and a little more about what people can expect for the fourth annual parade across the lake?

A: The committee includes Linda Uphus, Jamie Lakoduk, Emily Risley, Jeanie Mower, Jenny Womack and my three daughters, Britney, Nikki, and Makenzie.

They all have provided a plethora of talents including artistic talent

by Linda which you’ll see on the posters displayed around Liberty Lake, organizational and techy type skills, selection of the band and just young spirited enthusiasm to help carry this very fun event forward these past two years. The parade this year will be led by Ross and Kelli Schneidmiller in their beautiful Mullins boat and our sponsor, Tobler Marina, will be judging decorative boats. The grand prize winner will receive a Boards by Brit charcuterie board. Mayor Cris Kaminskas will lead us in a patriotic send-off before the singing of the National Anthem. The committee is raising money for the band at the Liberty Lake Yard Sale on June 17 at 2129 N. Wilmington. Also a QR code is on the posters distributed around local businesses and on the city Facebook page. We look so forward to seeing decorated boats and spectators on July 3!

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News and Notes

By Craig Howard

Splash Contributing Editor

• Former Liberty Lake Police Chief Brian Asmus presented Council Member Tom Sahlberg with a Meritorious Service Award from the Central Valley School District at the May 2 council meeting. The nomination stated that Sahlberg “has been the most active volunteer in Liberty Lake since 2012 with a true sense of giving and caring for our community. His life is committed to serving others. He works with all members of our community to make Liberty Lake Together an ever-growing reality.”

Sahlberg has been a volunteer with the Planning Commission, Parks and Arts Commission, Friends of the Library, Friends of Pavillion Park, Civil Service Commission, Snow Angels and the Spokane Regional Law and Justice Commission among other groups.

• The 33rd annual Liberty Lake Community Parade will take place July 4 at 11 a.m. in the Alpine Shores neighborhood. Line-up for the procession begins at 10 a.m. and no cars or pets are permitted.

Longtime residents Jay and Sandy Rydell will serve as grand marshals.

Food and games will follow the parade.

• Mayor Cris Kaminskas noted that the most recent contract negotiations between the city and the Liberty Lake Police Department “were the best I’ve been involved with in my time with the city.” The mayor said collective bargaining agreement with the Liberty Lake Police Guild was “truly a collaborative process that gets us back to where we should be.” The contract, which covers wages, hours and working conditions, will run through Dec. 31, 2025. It was ratified by 18 out 18 guild members and unanimously approved by council.

“Thanks for your service,” said City Administrators Mark McAvoy. “We couldn’t do anything we do without you.”

• Sahlberg gave kudos to Liberty Lake-based Adorkable Flowers and Gift for their work in organizing the inaugural May Day celebration in Town Square Park.

NEWS

• Kaminskas told council that the Greater Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce continues to get the word out on behalf of local companies in need of employees for “hands-on” labor. “We’ve heard about the tech companies laying people off but then, on the flip side, the Valley Chamber companies and the city as well are having trouble hiring people.”

• Organizers of the fourth annual Liberty Lake Boat Parade are looking forward to the event on July 3 beginning at 4 p.m. This year’s parade has a sponsor for the first time – Tobler Marina out of Hayden. Awards will be given out in various categories. Live music at Dreamwood Bay, a private lakeside community, will be part of the festivities with boats welcome to anchor in the bay for the concert.

• The Association of Washington Cities annual conference will be held June 20-23 at the Spokane Convention Center.

• Operations and Maintenance Director Jennifer Camp told council about a new use of TextMyGov where residents can text “Waste Bin” to 509-255-7445 to report garbage receptacles that need to be emptied.

The program was implemented in late April with stickers on waste bins. “It’s a simplified way to respond to a concern.” Camp said the same approach could be used to report vandalism at city parks.

“I could see this growing more in terms of maintenance as a way for citizens to report concerns to us,” she said. Camp gave credit to Communications Specialist David Goehner for proposing the idea.

• McAvoy said on May 2 that the city had received 155 completed responses to the Strategic Planning Survey. “We’re looking for a lot more,” McAvoy said. “We want to hear your input.” The campaign features a tagline of “Take five minutes and help shape the next five years in Liberty Lake.” The survey will be open for the next several months. Residents can respond to the survey at www.libertylakewa. gov.

• Council approved and authorized the mayor to accept the donation and installation of the Never Forget Veterans Garden “Monument at Orchard Park in the amount of $922.

• Council authorized the mayor to sign the agreement for the purchase and installation of a shade structure at Rocky Hill Park to cover the playground equipment at a cost of $33,863.53.

• Phil Champlin, executive director of the HUB Sports Center in Liberty Lake, gave a presentation at the May 16 council meeting on a campaign to add four synthetic turf fields with lights at the complex.

Champlin said addition of the fields would bring an economic impact of

Contributed photo Students from Selkirk Middle School help plant a Tulip Tree at the City of Liberty Lake’s Arbor Day Celebration May 15, 2023.

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over $5 million annually through tournaments and other events. He added that surrounding businesses would also benefit through job creation. The HUB has already secured 17.5 acres for the project.

“This would expand our capacity to serve,” Champlin said. He requested that the fields be considered as a Tax Increment Financing (TIF) project that would include a long-term lease through the city to operate and provide programming at the site.

Council did give the HUB a verbal commitment of $250,000 for the project in January from the Tourism Capital Fund toward the project.

• The city celebrated Arbor Day with the planting of a tulip tree at Orchard Park on May 15.

Around 75 students from Selkirk Middle School were in attendance.

The ceremony is part of the city’s designation at a Tree City USA through the Arbor Day Foundation which began in 2003.

• Kaminskas was selected to serve on the Spokane Regional Transportation Council’s Administrative Committee.

• Joe Ader, executive director with Family Promise of Spokane, gave a presentation to council on family homelessness and the nonprofit’s response to the issue on May 16. The organization provides rental assistance to prevent homelessness and offers low-barrier homeless shelter facilities and case management to support families facing housing insecurity. Ader said 95 percent of families served

by Family Promise since 2020 have retained permanent housing. The organization was responsible for 49.9 percent of all formerly homeless individuals from Spokane County shelter programs being rehoused in 2022. Ader said that ratio is at 57 percent for this year. “We rebuild the network of connections for these families,” Ader said.

• Registration is still open for the second annual Winter Glow Spectacular Golf Tournament at Liberty Lake Golf Course on Saturday, June 10. The entry fee of $125 includes green fees, golf cart and lunch with proceeds benefiting Winter Glow. There is also an opportunity to provide support by sponsoring a door prize, gift card or hole. To register or sign on as a sponsor, visit www.libertylakewa. gov and click on Civic Alerts.

JUNE 2023 • 7

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The Lookout Strategic plan survey: Take five years to help shape the next 5 years of Liberty Lake!

• What makes you feel most satisfied about living or working in Liberty Lake?

• What would you rank as the city’s most important priority areas of focus for the next few years?

Liberty Lake residents, employees and visitors have through the end of June to share their voices in helping guide City Hall on its new strategic plan that will direct the city’s next phase of development during 2024 to 2028.

• What future opportunities are you most interested in seeing the city address?

People can also provide survey responses at the Farmers Market on Saturdays at the city’s tent.

Members of the Community Engagement Commission will be there with iPads to assist

The survey can be found at the top of the city’s homepage at www.libertylakewa.gov.

Among the questions on the survey:

• What makes you feel most unsatisfied about living or working in Liberty Lake?

Take the strategic plan survey at www.libertylaekwa.gov

Change to North LL Road will be permanent in June The need for the “Road Closed” sign that commuters have been seeing on the southbound slip lane on North Liberty Lake Road across from Walgreen’s since 2021 is about to become permanent.

Work is targeted to be completed by the end of June to close the slip lane that had once allowed drivers to turn east into the parking area between Walgreen’s and McDonald’s.

Police and city engineering staff determined that the lane needed to be closed following a few accidents and several nearmisses while the lane had been open a few years ago.

people who’d like to take the survey there.

Or, visitors can just scan a QR code at the tent for taking the survey later at home. All responses will remain confidential.

Survey items were generated from a workshop by the Liberty Lake City Council during March.

After the public survey closes at the end of June, city staff and the City Council will begin reviewing the findings and use the result to develop an action plan to guide how the city makes decisions, allocates resources, and delivers services for the next five years.

Coming on Saturday, Aug. 5, to Pavillion Park

Games • Food • Car Show Bands • Vendors • Beer Garden • Touch-A-Truck Vendor spots open for local businesses! Inquire at 509-927-8890.

Watch for details at www.libertylakewa.gov & City of Liberty Lake Facebook!

The planter area near the lane will be extended to replace the previous driving area. Bacon Concrete of Spokane will be performing the work to add about 150 feet to the existing center lane planting area.

Things to know for enjoying Fourth of July in Liberty Lake “This will make the road safer

and we needed a longer cueing lane to I-90 during peak hours to reduce congestion,” said City Project Manager Phil Messick.

June 2023

Clip this item to your refrigerator as you prepare your local plans for celebrating the Fourth of July!

• The 33rd annual Liberty Lake

Community Fourth of July Parade at Alpine Shores will kick off local activities at 11 a.m. Participants may begin lining up at 10 a.m. with decorated golf carts, bicycles, and wagons (but no cars or pets).

Longtime area volunteers Jay and Sandy Rydell will serve as the grand marshals for this year’s parade.

• At Pavillion Park, the Liberty Lake Kiwanis Club will open the snack shop for Fourth of July starting at 5 p.m. And, returning from last year, Too Slim and the Taildraggers will bring music to the Pavillion stage beginning at 7 p.m. The city’s fireworks display from the ballfields will start soaring at 10 p.m.

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

ng Under Influence)

2

8 • JUNE 2023

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ehicle Prowls / Vehicle Theft /

Introducing the

15

Safety Awareness Channel 5

Mischief

/ Assault DV / Simple Assault / Suspicious Vehicles 36 Lake Road. While enroute, officers vehicle was located in North Spokane Police Report 2023-88001731 Fatality Traffic were advised it was a possible and the registered owner was taken /a Weapon 7overdose. Officers arrived and into custody for a Firearms Violation.

Accident, 04/02/2023

- Nov. 2020

Splash news sources

Total incidents generated by olations Officers and emergency calls for service last month

536

Traffic Collisions/Hit & Runs / Injury Collisions 5

Vehicles Citations (Traffic/Criminal/NonCriminal)

16

DUI (Driving Under Influence) 2 Thefts / Vehicle Prowls / Vehicle Theft / Burglaries 15 Malicious Mischief 5 Argument / Assault DV / Simple Assault / Assault w/a Weapon 7 Parking Violations

1

Officers responded to the parking lot of Safeway for a vehicle vs pedestrian accident. The victim was later pronounced deceased at the hospital. Detectives and traffic accident investigators responded and spoke with the driver and witnesses as well as thoroughly documenting the scene. Drugs, alcohol, and speed were ruled out as factors of this collision.

2023-88001838 04/10/2023

Medical/Drugs,

Officers responded to the report of an unresponsive subject on the floor in the bathroom of a business located in the 1200 block of N Liberty

administered one dose of Narcan to the subject, who was then treated and transported by medical staff to the hospital. Officers took the associated drug paraphernalia for destruction.

1

2023-88002166 04/28/2023

Shooting,

36Officers responded to the report

of shots fired in the parking lot of 21000 E Country Vista Drive. They arrived and located a vehicle with multiple gunshots through the windows. They spoke with several witnesses, processed the scene, and collected evidence. The following morning, dayshift officers obtained surveillance video and developed leads on a suspect vehicle. The

Further investigation is ongoing to develop probable cause for the crime committed in Liberty Lake.

Please call 911 immediately for emergency assistance when needed and call Crime Check if you see something you feel may need our attention. If you don’t hear back from Crime-Check in a timely manner, please call, and request officer assistance. The Liberty Lake Police Department would like to remind everyone to keep their belongings out of sight or out of your vehicles and to ensure your doors always remain secure to prevent theft.

Stay well and be safe!

JUNE 2023 • 9

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NEWS

Mayor vetoes library ordinance decision by City Council

collective background of the current Library Board of Trustees.

Splash Contributing Editor

“On the other hand, the Library Board of Trustees has over 96 years of professional experience in libraries and education. Among them, they also hold the following masters degrees: Library Sciences, Special Education, Curriculum and Instruction, Early Childhood Education, Educational Leadership, and a School Library Endorsement. In addition, one of the board members is an attorney in the library industry. The board is made up of educated and trained professionals; Let them do what they were appointed to do.”

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Less than a week after the Liberty Lake City Council voted 4-3 on an ordinance that would give it increased oversight on policies at the Liberty Lake Library, Mayor Cris Kaminskas issued a written statement vetoing the decision and offering suggestions on alternative courses of action.

At the May 16 council meeting, a winding journey of seven months seemed to reach closure as Council Members Jed Spencer, Wendy Van Orman, Chris Cargill and Mayor Pro Tem Phil Folyer voted in favor of Ordinance 119C which included several changes to the existing document outlining the roles of council and the Library Board of Trustees.

Council Members Dan Dunne, Annie Kurtz and Tom Sahlberg voted in the minority.

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Section 2 of the revised ordinance states council could “individually approve or reject all current Liberty Lake Public Library policies retroactive to each of the latest adopted versions currently in place as of February 21, 2023 along with any new or revised policy from this date forward with a simple majority vote.”

In her statement, issued May 22, Kaminskas said she considered “the changes made to ordinance 119C as a short-sighted versus a long-term solution.” Her decision represents the first veto of a council vote by a Liberty Lake mayor since the city incorporated in 2001.

The new wording in Section 2, Kaminskas said, “sets the Council and Library Board up for a never-ending cycle of submittals and rejections until the Board submits something the Council approves of. The way this is written, there is no discussion about the policies, just an approval or rejection.”

The mayor made reference in her statement to the experience of the council members who voted in support of the ordinance in contrast to

“The four Councilmembers who voted to implement these changes have a total of approximately 16 years of experience on City Council (Councilmember Van Orman being the outlier with 10 – the others have an average of 2 years each), and none have degrees or professional experience in libraries or in education.”

The mayor’s decision means council needs a supermajority vote – at least 5-2 in favor – to override the veto. The discussion is expected to take place at the next council meeting on June 6.

Board of Trustee Chair Brad Hamblet applauded the mayor’s action but said “it still doesn’t mean it’s a done deal.”

“Where it will go from here is still a question mark,” he said.

Hamblet said the phrasing in Section 2 of the approved ordinance from May 16 raised issues with he and other members of the board.

“My concern with the way it was worded was that they (council) could go back and change what we had already worked on and there would be this back and forth,” he said.

Kaminksas recommended the following changes to the ordinance: “Neither the Council nor the Mayor will initiate any new or revised policies. Proposed changes to any of the Library Policies will be submitted to Council during the quarterly reports from the Board of Trustees. The council will review, ask questions, and discuss the proposed changes and provide feedback to the Board of Trustees with the intent to coming to an agreement on a final version of said policy.”

At the close of her statement, Kaminskas included the following suggestion to the city’s governing board:

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NEWS

JUNE 2023 • 11

the council will deny any book ban I think that ultimately gets to what you’re getting at. You don’t need to confirm that there wasn’t a book ban.

The confirm is meant to say they did not ban a book.”

Folyer said he wanted to include the word “confirm” based on the possibility of legal action.

“There’s been previous discussion that has revolved around if there’s a book ban and there’s a lawsuit and if the council doesn’t confirm or agree with the Board of Trustees and it gets challenged in a court of law, I want to be able to say as a council member, “Yes, I supported that decision by the Board of Trustees,” he said. “At least then, the board and the council are going down the same path. I think we should have the ability to agree with the board and have it on record.”

Boutz said if council “wants the option to do that, then you can leave it that way.”

FIle Photo “I encourage the Council to select one member from each ‘side’ of this issue to meet with a member of the Library Board to engage in true collaboration on these issues.”

Sahlberg said the council would be wise to listen to the mayor’s counsel.

“I hope we follow her direction,” he said. “To me, the mayor has given the council a potential path forward to avoid dissension and discord and get us back on track to Liberty Lake together.”

On the majority side, Folyer provided a written statement to The Splash on May 23: “The statements in the recent letter from the mayor make it very clear that some on the council are simply not qualified to make these types of decisions due to professional and educational experience. I fear this approach will be a slippery slope going forward with other matters the council regularly considers as the legislative body for the city. From the beginning of this discussion, all I heard was that the City Council wanted to ban books which were simply not accurate. Therefore, a statement was added to the ordinance saying the council or mayor would not do that by a vote of 6-1. Apparently, that was not acceptable or maybe that wasn’t the real issue after all. I stand by my comments in open public council meetings, “The City Council is the legislative body with the duty to approve or deny ALL ordinances, resolutions and policies of the city for ALL departments of the city.” The mayor has the authority to veto an

ordinance for any reason they may feel appropriate, that is a part of how a city functions. I respect that, all I ever wanted was the same in return as a council member. I’m not sure where the discussion goes from here or how this decision impacts future actions by the council. I’m hopeful we can all gain something useful from this discussion and move forward for the benefit of all.”

Spencer said he was “disappointed in the mayor’s decision.”

“I feel we as a council made a thoughtful effort to include the Library Board of Trustees and the public in crafting a revised ordinance that was also out of date,” Spencer said. “I feel like we did our job as legislators.”

Van Orman, who has served both council member and mayor, pointed to state law (RCW 35A) that gives policy-making authority to the City Council.

“The Library Board of Trustees is the recommendation board, the advisory board,” Van Orman said.

“I am not against the library board, I appreciate what they do but we have a mayor who wants the library board to take over policy-making legislation.”

Dunne said it would be up to the city attorney to interpret the RCW as it related to library oversight and the council. He called the mayor’s veto “the best reflection of the outpouring of community participation regarding this issue.”

“This was a significant change

that was proposed and a significant change requires significant agreement,” Dunne said. “We did not have that as a council. A simple majority of 4-3 is not sufficient.”

Both public comments portions of the May 2 and May 16 meetings included robust testimony in support of the Board of Trustees retaining final say over library policies.

A council workshop on May 2 began with a conversation about new wording in Ordinance 119C that states, “The City Council or mayor will not initiate any book ban.

The City Council will confirm or deny any book bans by the Board of Trustees. The City Council’s decision regarding book bans by the Board of Trustees will be final.”

“We’re talking about book bans here, that’s what the crux of the whole three months of discussion has been about,” said Folyer. “I think that’s a reasonable ask that we put our trust in the Board of Trustees if they go so far as banning a book, it should come to council.”

City Attorney Sean Boutz asked Folyer to clarify the “confirm or deny” portion of the amendment.

“There could be confusion between confirm or deny a book ban depending on what the board does,” Boutz said. “I don’t think that, in my opinion, captures exactly what you’re trying to get at which is if there is no book ban it doesn’t come to council.

We could potentially revise it to make sure there isn’t that confusion with regard to confirm. If you say

Folyer said the intent of the motion “is to agree or disagree with a book ban decision by the Board of Trustees.

It’s as simple as that.”

Council Member Kurtz recommended “some fine-tuning so that’s it’s not confusing later and we have to redo the ordinance.”

“You want to have the intent match up with words on the page,” Kurtz said.

Council Member Dunne brought up a question about when requests are made to add items to the library’s collection that was addressed by Library Director Jandy Humble.

“We get a lot of book requests, sometimes we do deny those requests,” Humble said. “Generally, it’s because we can’t buy that book anymore because it doesn’t exist.

Those are not considered book bans.”

Council Member Cargill said he supported Folyer’s wordsmithing with some reservations.

“I’ll vote in favor of it but I still have concerns about removing the citizen’s right about coming to the council regarding something that’s in the library,” he said. “But having said that, this is what we’ve been talking about the entire time and putting something like this in, I think this is a good step in the next direction we’re trying to take.”

Council Member Sahlberg said he was encouraged by the motion as it related to public feedback.

See KAMINSKAS VETO, Page 12

12 • JUNE 2023

KAMINSKAS VETO Continued from page 11

“I think we’ve been tone deaf up to this point in regard to all the input we’ve had from citizens and I think this addresses that,” he said.

Ultimately, council voted 6-1 in favor of adding the language.

“This really leaves the decision to the board,” said Kaminskas.

After the vote, Kurtz brought up another motion that would prevent the council, mayor or board from restricting access to books at the library.

“Until we come up with a definition of ‘restrict’ I’m opposed to putting that in,” said Cargill.

Kurtz’s motion eventually failed 4-3 with Cargill, Folyer, Spencer and Van Orman in the majority.

Kaminskas said the vote would not change the current library policy of allowing access.

“This does not mean that access will be restricted, it just moves it to another piece of policy versus ordinance,” she said.

The Splash

NEWS

In the “Powers and Duties of the Board of Trustees” section of Ordinance 119-C, Dunne proposed a change to the original wording that stated the board “shall have the power to do the following: Adopt such bylaws, rules and regulations for the guidance of the Board of Trustees and for the use of the Liberty Lake Public Library subject to City Council approval.”

Dunne’s revision stated, “The City Council may reject any bylaw, rule or regulation adopted by the Board of Trustees only by a majority plus one vote. In which case, the Board of Trustees may issue a revised bylaw, rule or regulation.”

“I find a simple majority here to be insufficient,” Dunne said.

Cargill said Dunne’s motion would conflict with the wording in Section 2 of the ordinance discussed at the previous meeting that states council could “individually approve or reject all current Liberty Lake Public Library policies…along with any new or revised policy from this date forward with a simple majority vote.”

Kurtz’s motion to change simple

majority to super majority failed at the meeting.

Boutz said the latest proposal was “an example of trying to reconcile the various version and make sure there isn’t conflict.”

Folyer said he supported a majority plus one margin on budget decisions that affect the operations of the library but not on Dunne’s motion.

“Every other discussion this council has, it says simple majority,” he said.

Dunne’s motion failed 4-3 with Cargill, Folyer, Spencer and Van Orman in the majority.

Later in the regularly scheduled council meeting, the governing board voted to amend the language in Ordinance 119-C to specify that all voting members of the Board of Trustees must be residents of the city of Liberty Lake despite Humble’s comments that the library considers residents to be all those who live within 99019 and 99016 zip codes, including addresses near the lake, south of Sprague Avenue.

After

council

voted

4-3

to

add language to Section G of the ordinance that gave the Board of Trustees authority to adopt/revise library policies, subject to Section 2F, giving council oversight of library bylaws, rules and regulations, Kurtz proposed moving the second read of Ordinance 119-C to a special meeting where council “can focus on the ordinance in full.”

“We’ve heard from the community tonight that it’s taken us seven months and we’re not done,” she said. “We’ve started subjects, we’re coming back to subjects, we’ve had workshops. I would really like to have a special meeting for however long it takes to get this nailed down.”

Sahlberg added, “I don’t know what we’re voting on.”

“There’s been so many revisions and so many changes,” he said. “I’m opposed having the governance of the library given to the City Council and I can’t tell where we’re out with that.”

Boutz said his intent as city attorney was to capture all the proposed revisions to the ordinance so “it would just be up for a vote.”

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New homes in Spokane, Liberty Lake, Post Falls & Coeur d’Alene. greenstonehomes.com

The Splash

NEWS

SVFD Report – April 2023 Splash news sources

Spokane Valley Fire Department (SVFD) crews responded to a total of 165 emergency incidents for April 2023.

By the numbers: Emergency Medical Services 138 Fire Suppression

13

Tech Rescue (includes 6 Motor Vehicle Collisions) 6 Other 5 HazMat 3 Percentage Breakdown Incident Category

of

Of note: • Emergency Medical Services accounted for 83.64% of all SVFD incidents.

• Fire Suppression (fire and Building Alarms) was 7.88% of all SVFD incidents.

Safety Message • We continue to emphasize Driving Safely. Schools will soon be out, and more children will be in parks and on roads.

• Be careful with yard equipment and anything that can spark a fire. May is Wildfire Awareness Month. As we move into those warmer temperatures be aware of anything that can potentially start a fire. Do not put cigarettes out in potted plants or throw them out of car windows. The potential for fire from an improperly disposed of cigarette is extremely high.

• Wear your life jacket (PFD) while recreating near or on rivers and lakes. Every year SVFD rescues people not wearing life jackets out on area rivers and lakes.

Media Release April 12 The Spokane Valley Fire Department (SVFD), The Spokane Fire Department (SFD), Spokane Regional Clean Air Agency (Spokane Clean Air), along with surrounding fire agencies, have recently been experiencing an increase in possible illegal burning calls and uncontrolled fires. Warmer spring weather after a long winter has residents outdoors doing yard work and spring cleaning. We would like to remind area residents

that burning garbage, including construction material, and the use of burn barrels is prohibited in our region. Burning outdoors, including yard debris, is not allowed in most areas of Spokane County.

Recreational fires are currently allowed until burn restrictions are put in place later this summer.

“As we hop into what appears to be a typical Inland Northwest spring, it’s time to bring wildland awareness to the top of our minds!

Fire can spread quickly in dry fuels left over from winter, so let’s start to raise our seasonal awareness levels this week.” – Deputy Fire Marshal Brett Anderson – Spokane Valley Fire Department “To minimize smoke from outdoor fires, Spokane Clean Air has field staff responding to reports of illegal burning, including on weekends when needed.” – Lisa Woodard, Communications Manager – Spokane Clean Air. Recreational fires that get outof-control are a common cause of wildfires caused by people. You can be held financially responsible for the cost of fire department response and any property damage it caused.

“Wildfires are not usually a concern during the Spring in the Pacific Northwest; however, we have already seen several small grass fires locally. We encourage people to use caution when burning recreationally.” – Fire Marshal Lance Dahl – City of Spokane Fire Department If you are following regulations, please remember to “Be Fire Smart”: • Use clean, dry firewood or manufactured logs, • Burn 25’ away from any structure, like a house, garage, or fence, • Have an extinguisher or charged water hose nearby, •

Stay near the fire,

• Keep any fire small; no larger than 3’ wide and 2’ tall, and •

Put out the fire completely!

For more information on outdoor burning and restrictions, visit www.

SpokaneCleanAir.org/outdoorburning Media Release April 17 On Wednesday April 19th, the Spokane Valley Fire Department (SVFD) will officially unveil our new

140,000 sq ft. maintenance facility.

The recently completed $8.1 million dollar shop includes seven 63’ long apparatus bays, one vehicle bay a fabrication shop, and a pumping station needed to certify SVFD’s apparatus pumps annually.

Our former shop could not fit three of our apparatus inside without filling the entire shop, which made maintenance in the winter extremely difficult.

Currently, SVFD has 9 frontline Engines and two frontline Tillers.

An additional three reserve Engines, one training Engine, one reserve Ladder Truck and one reserve Tiller.

There are also about 40 support vehicles and three Brush Trucks.

SVFD has a supervisor and three mechanics to maintain all the department’s motorized equipment, from chainsaws to apparatus and vehicles. That includes rebuilding a motor or pump when needed.

“SVFD is thankful to the citizens of our Fire District for helping provide a facility that has the capacity to keep our vehicles responding every hour of every day to their emergencies and also keeps our maintenance staff safe and healthy from potentially harmful agents.” – Chief Frank Soto JR. – Spokane Valley Fire Department The maintenance site also includes a $1.1 million-dollar oneacre reinforced cement driving surface for certifying our front and back Tiller drivers annually.

A normal asphalt parking lot or cement runway could not support this annual certification due to the weight and speed on cornering that is required for the annual certification of our 27 drivers.

Media Release April 30 Members of the Spokane Valley Fire Department (SVFD) and the City of Spokane Fire Department acted swiftly Saturday night to extinguish a fire in a duplex in the Spokane Valley near Thierman Rd and 3rd Ave. The fire was extinguished within 20 minutes of the initial dispatch being sent out.

Automatic Aid resulted in multiple units from both the Valley and the City arriving rapidly on scene, aiding in the quick knockdown. Units involved included VE6, VE1, VE2, V22, and V31 from the Spokane Valley Fire

JUNE 2023 • 13

Department as well as SE14, SE8, and SL1 from the City of Spokane Fire Department.

During every structure fire, a standardized series of events occur including, rapidly extinguishing the known fire, checking the structure for fire extension into hidden areas, a rapid primary search of the entire building for occupants, and a more thorough secondary search of the entire building for occupants.

Other actions can include removing or covering valuables that could be damaged during suppression activities, as well as removing debris resulting from the fire. These events can occur more quickly when there are more units on scene, early in the fire operation.

There were no firefighter or civilian injuries reported, and the cause of the fire is under investigation.

Three residents were displaced with the Red Cross providing aid to them. Two cats and a lizard were rescued from within the structure.

As always, thanks to American Medical Response for standing by as medical support during the fire operation.

Incidents: Tech Rescue, April 23 SVFD responded to a cat stuck on powerlines. SVFD Firefighters hoisted a ladder against the powerpole and were able to safely rescue the feline and bring her down safely.

Fall, April 12 Wednesday night, Spokane Valley Fire Department Engine 3, Engine 4, and Valley 22 responded to a call for an elderly person who was injured after falling from a horse. SVFD Firefighter/Paramedics were able to use our off-road vehicle to reach the person and safely transport them approximately a half a mile to a waiting ambulance.

Public Outreach and Education: Smoke Alarm and CO Alarm Installs April and YTD Entire Fire District Connect with SVFD at: spokanevalleyfire.com.

For department news, safety information, and timely updates, find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

14 • JUNE 2023

Violet Abernathy Ridgeline High School Graduate Parents: John and Shannon Abernathy University of Montana, She plans to study Speech Pathology

The Splash

Autumn Agnew

Central Valley High School Graduate Parents: Shannon and Kelley Agnew Autumn will be attending Corban University in Salem, OR to play Basketball and study Business

Trevin Beck

Makayla Beckett

Kaira Campbell

Matthew Christensen

Ridgeline High School Graduate Parents: Jeff and Ellen Beck Eastern Washington University

Ridgeline High School Graduate Parents: Jamie Cleary, Chan Esperas, Josh Beckett Makayla will be attending University of the Pacific to play beach volleyball and pursue the field of medicine.

Central Valley High School Graduate Parents: Caitlin & Greg Voigt Kaira plans to attend Eastern Washington University in the fall.

Ridgeline High School Graduate Parents: Reed and Sara Christensen Planning a career in Aviation

Wyatt Dryer

Jace Dunham

Ridgeline High School Graduate Parents: Steve & Melissa Dyer Attending Washington State University in the Fall

Ridgeline High School Graduate Parents: Amber Dunham & Joe Vigliotta/ Andy Dunham & Alivia Hewitt Attend WSU

Emily Agnew

Tyler Agnew

Travis James Alvarez

Spokane Valley Tech Graduate Parents: Jennifer Agnew, Eric Agnew Will be attending Eastern Washington University to study Computer Science

Ridgeline High School Graduate Parent’s: Chad and Sonja Alvarez Travis plans to either pursue a career in either being a firefighter, or a police officer.

Alayna Bell

Emree Bratner

Brock Brito

Alivia Bruno

Meghan Christensen

Alexa Crane

Hayden Dodson

Kelsie Dryden

Ridgeline High School Graduate Parents: Tyson and Michelle Crane Attending BYU-I in the fall

Gonzaga Prep High School Graduate Parents: Blaine and Kristi Dodson Hayden will be attending Grand Canyon University to study Business.

Ridgeline High School Graduate Parents: John and Kara Stoker and Dave and Megan Dryden Eastern Washington University for pre physical therapy

Madison Faulkner

Katelyn Fay

Emma Fredekind

Washington State University, graduating with her Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology and a minor in Business Administration.

Parents: Jennifer Agnew, Eric Agnew She plans to attend Whitworth University to pursue her Masters in Business Administration.

Ridgeline High School Graduate Parents: Darrel & Janna Moss, Matthew Bell Attend Brigham Young University-Idaho to study Psychology

Ridgeline High School Graduate Parents: Reed and Sara Christensen Attending SUU for Accounting & Aviation

Talia Emmerson

Ridgeline High School Graduate Parents: Grady & Rian Emmerson Will be attending Washington State University - Majoring in Nursing

Ridgeline High School Graduate Parents: Phil & Shawna Brantner Attending Western Washington University (in Bellingham)

Ridgeline High School Graduate Parents: Jason & Amanda Faulkner EWU - Nursing

Graduate of Ridgeline High School Parents: Kristina Kripaitis and Neal Brito Plans to attend the Georgia Institute of Technology to study Physics.

Ridgeline High School Graduate Parents: Scott and Karrie Fay Katelynn will be entering her junior year in the fall at Eastern Washington University, majoring in psychology.

Isabella Andresick Grace Alliance Christian School Graduate Parents: Mark & Kelly andresick Bella will attend college in the fall or spring to pursue educational endeavors that will compliment, enhance and further her artistic gifts.

Luke 1:37 “ For with God nothing will be impossible.”

Ridgeline High School Gaduate Parents: Mat & Holly Haneke Attending Concordia University Irvine

Ridgeline High School Graduate Parents: Dirk and Nicky Fredekind Plans to study business at Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego while running XC and track.

JUNE 2023 • 15

The Splash

Callen Johnson

Landon Johnson

Luke William Johnston

Katherine Kautzman

Ridgeline High School Graduate Parents: Kent and Dina Johnson attending Spokane Falls Community College for two years and will pursue a degree in Music Performance.

Ridgeline High School Graduate Parents: Tessa & Ross Johnston Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, AZ. Planning to study: Bachelors of Science degree with an emphasis in Forensic Psychology

Spokane Valley Tech Graduate Parents: Josh and Olevia Kautzman Katherine plans to pursue a Biochemistry degree at Western Washington University

Cassidy Kuhlman Jack Lavelle Parents: Johnny & Julie Kuhlmann Headed to WSU with plans to continue on to Orthodontics

Michael Lemm

Jaden Long

Ridgeline High School Graduate Parents: Jeremy and Cynthia Lemm attending Iowa State University in the fall studying aerospace engineering

Ridgeline High School Graduate Parents: Jenny & Jerrett Long Jaden plans to attend Washington State University

Lucy Lynn

Ridgeline High School Graduate Parents: Matt & Kristy Lavelle Plans: Montana State University

Dakota Means

Hannah Mostek

Izzy O’Reilly

Teagan O’Reilly

Addie Parsons

Central Valley High School Graduate Parents: Andrew & Colette O’Reilly WWU, Mathematics/Computer Science

Ridgeline High School Gradute Parents: Jessica and Josh Parsons Washington State University

Jillian Persicke

Lily Pesnell

Juliette Poinand du Fontenioux Di Cicco

NJai Quaintance

Kaydin Renken

Kaitlyn Richardson

Aliyah Griffin

Nick Hoskins

Central Valley High school Graduate Parents: James & Stephanie Griffin Plans to take a year off from school and work.

Central Valley High school Graduate Parents: Todd and Marla Hoskins Plans on attending Arizona State University

Ryan Keeling

Ridgeline High School Graduate Parents: Kelly and Lisa Keeling Will attend EWU majoring in Business

Ridgeline High School Graduate Parents: Jeff and Tracy Means Undecided .

Ridgeline High School Graduate Parents: Brad and Jayme Pesnell Plans after graduation: Will attend Boise State University in the fall to major in Business with an emphasis in marketing.

Ridgeline High School Graduate Parents: Justin & Erica Mostek Attend the University of Montana; Majoring in Business Administration

Ridgeline high school Graduate Parents: Chris and Adrienne Di Cicco Juliette has accepted an invitation to join Up With People “VOICES” tour. She will be part of an international cast that will travel to various regions of the world for a semester.

Ridgeline High School Graduate Parents: Bruce and Elisa Johnson Callen will be attending the University of Idaho and will major in Civil Engineering

Central Valley High School Graduate Parents: Andrew & Colette O’Reilly University of Washington, Public Health

Genesis Preparatory Academy Graduate Parents: Neil and Melissa Quaintance

Ridgeline High School Graduate Parents: Jeremy and Becky Renken Kaydin will be attending SFCC on a basketball scholarship to pursue Sports Medicine.

Ridgeline High School Graduate Parents: Mom Trina Richardson, Step Dad OB Gilstrap, and Dad Michael Richardson After graduation, Kaitlyn plans to continue her education at the University of Washington studying Sociology.

Gonzaga Prep Graduate Parents: Aaron and Lora Lynn Lucy plans on attending Yale University in the fall where she will be playing on the basketball team. She plans on majoring in PreMed.

Ridgeline High School Graduate Parents: Ellyn and Jamie Bankey, Keith and Katie Persicke Jillian will study nursing at Montana State University in the fall

Cayla Rickard

Ridgeline High School Graduate Parents: Matt & Tauni Rickard Plans to attend Spokane Falls Community College to study Early Childhood Education.

16 • JUNE 2023

The Splash

Romy Robinson

Kaleb Rydell

Grace N. Shar

Justin Simpson Aliyah Spence Ridgeline High School Graduate Parents: Andrew & Saori Simpson Plans to pursue BS in biology at EWU then attend Med School

Ridgeline High School Graduate Parents: Todd & Laurie Spence WSU studying nursing

Alex Stewart

Srikar Surapaneni

Alexandra “Allie” Tate

Nicholas Vigliotta

Halley Walter

Tayler Waltermire

Isaac Webster

Central Valley High school Parents: Dennis and Kim Walter Attending Whitworth University in the fall. Majoring in biology and a minor in art.

Ridgeline High School Graduate Parent: Sally Waltermire Attend Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, majoring in Business

Ashlyn Wilding

Kara Wills

Ridgeline High School Graduate Parents: Chad and Stacey Robinson Attending University of Washington

West Valley High School Graduate Parents: Kyle and Laura Rydell Headed to Montana State University (Bozeman MT) Majoring in Architecture/ Engineering

Central Valley High School Graduate Parents: Dr. Naim Shar and Yara Nemri Grace will be attending Western Washington University

Ridgeline High School Graduate Parents: Satish & Sowmya Surapaneni Plans to attend Arizona state university business school.

Ridgeline High School Graduate Plans to attend Colorado State University studying Wildlife Biology and participate in Honors program.

Jaelyn Wesche

Corrine Westby Daelyn Wiese

The Community School Parent: Marcus Wesche SCC – Arboriculture Urban Forestry

Madisen Hively

Ridgeline High School Graduate Parents: Scott and Shelbie Hively Madisen will be attending the University of Arizona.

Ridgeline High School Graduate Parents: Bryan and April Westby Corinne will be attending Central Washington University to study Health Science and play volleyball

Ridgeline High School Graduate Parents: Joe Vigliotta & Amber Dunham/ Ara Vigliotta Undecided

Ridgeline High School Graduate Parents: Bobby & Angela Wiese, Daelyn will be attending Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University for a degree in Aeronautical Science

Brady Thompson Madeline Murphy Ridgeline High School Graduate

Ridgeline High School Graduate

Parents: Casey and Tiffany Thompson

Parents: Ken and Kelley

Brady plans on attending WSU in the fall.

Maddy plans to attend the University of Alaska to study Kinesiology and compete in gymnastics.

Ridgeline High School Graduate Parents: Kevin & Rebekah Wilding Ashlyn will attend BYU-Idaho in the Fall

Ridgeline High School Graduate Parents: Jason & Tami Wills Attending Western Washington University in the fall studying Psychology and Behavioral Neuroscience

Ridgeline High School Graduate Parents: Glenn and Debra Stewart.

He will be attending the University of Idaho, studying Biochemistry.

Ridgeline High School Graduate Parents: Jeremiah and Heather Webster Attending Washington State University to study mechanical engineering.

Kinalee Zent

Ridgeline High School Graduate Parents: Laramie Zent, Anousone Zent Nursing at GCU

Congrats Class of 2023 THE

LIBERTY LAKE

COMMUNITY NEWSMAGAZINE

JUNE 2023 • 17

The Splash

Graduating Class of 2023 Violet Abernathy • Emily Abraham • Ataviah Adams • Lorna AdamsSmith • Mikyla Adams-Smith • Alexis Aitken • Zachary Allen • Emily Allison • Catarina Alonso Munoz • Travis Alvarez • Patrick Alvaro • Colin Ambrose • Evan Andersen • Craig Anglesey • Marco Arreguin • Abigail Baddeley • Tyler Baker • Eliska Balcerova • Jacob Bartholomew • Brooke Basnaw • Trevin Beck • Makayla Beckett • Alayna Bell • Hayden Bennett • Lexi Bierman • Erin Birdsill • Zachary Bosak • Rebecca Branom • Emree Brantner • Brock Brito • Hailey Bronec • Alivia Bruno • Mercer Brunt • Chesney Bushman • Isaac Carpenter • Anna Cartee • Delia Chase • Dakohta Chavez • Alexis Chavez Rios • Dallin Christensen • Matthew Christensen • Meghan Christensen • Landon Coddington • Shelby Cooper-Retzloff • Katlyn Crain • Alexa Crane • Colton Croff • Tyler Crum • Teagan Cummings • William Cummings • Miles Daines • Dominic Daly • Sean Davis • Gabriel Daymude • Zachary Deane • Ariana Delgado • Reghina Dirtu • Kelsie Dryden • Jace Dunham • Sam Duran Navarro • Anthony Dutcherson • Wyatt Dyer • William Ehlers • Emmy Elvidge • Talia Emmerson • Madison Faulkner • Katelynn Fay • Landon Fitting • Carl Ford • Trinity Frazier-Gese • Emma Fredekind • Zachary Genovese • Kylee German • Noah German • Nathan Goode • Sarah Granneman • Andrew GrgurichMartinez • Molly Griffiths • Brian Grimes • Jordan Gundlach • Connor Gurley • Owen Haines • Hailey Hale • Katelynn Hale • Avery Hamblin • Samantha Hamry • Gunner Hansen • Danae Harris • Kaitlyn Headrick • Ryan Heskett • Andre Hesler • Isaiah Hill • Madisen Hively • Erik Holtan

Ridgeline High School Class of 2023 Graduation June 10, 2023 at 8:30am McCarthey Athletic Center, 801 N Cincinnati St, Spokane, WA 99258 • Aiden Howard • Lincoln Hughes • Kate Hunter • Faith Jackson • Sophia Jensen • Isaac Jeppson • Luke Jeppson • Kaitlyn Jimenez • Dallan Johns • Callen Johnson • Landon Johnson • Shaydon Johnson • Luke Johnston • Gloria Joran • Isabelle Kangas • Ryan Keeling • Isabella Kelp • Paul Kieslich • Brandon King • Angela Kirichenko • Kya Knudsen • Avery Koesel • Cameron Kreider • Zoe Krogh • Cassidy Kuhlmann • Bailey Larson • Corey Larson • Jack Lavelle • Landon Lee • Michael Lemm • Michaela Leno • Avery Lewis • Eryn Lewis • Kameron Lewis • Hannah Lind • Louise Lode • Cambrea Lombardo • Jaden Long • Christopher Mahn • Titus Main • Cameron Malloy • Holden Masterson • Sophia Mazzoletti • Kelsey McDevitt • Dakota Means • Jersey Measel • Andrew Miller •

Kaylee Mitchell • Samuel Moore • Skyler Morgan • Hannah Mostek • Samantha Mowery • Madeline Murphy • Jackson Nichols • Tyler Nixon • Shawn Noon • Clayton Olson • Gavyn Olson • Heather Ostrander • Charley Palm • Anna Palmelund • Aiden Parker • Adelaide Parsons • Ludovica Paternostro • Melanie Perez • Jillian Persicke • Lily Pesnell • Brayden Phillips • Gunnar Pietz • Angel Pina • Logan Plumb • Tabitha Plumley • Juliette Poignand du Fontenioux Di Cicco • Brevin Potack • Matthew Presley • Kallon Quimby • Cohen Rachoy • Jack Rau • Kaydin Renken • Owen Rich • Isaac Richardson • Kaitlyn Richardson • Cayla Rickard • Anna Riley • Brooke Robertson • Ramona Robinson • Rubi Rodriguez • Nathan Rosas • Kaitlyn Rose • Ariana Rowley • Ryan Rowley • Jacob Rubino • Gramoz Sadiku • Joseph Santiago • Jeremy Schreiber • Anna Sessions • Ellie Sheffield • Kennedy Simonowski • Justin Simpson • Savannah Smith • Triniti Smith • Luke Snel • Aliyah Spence • Daniel Stepp • Alexander Stewart • Julia Stewart • Preston Stroh • Brianna Suarez • Srikar Surapaneni • Ryan Sutter • Wyatt Sutton • Sasha Takasaki • Alexandra Tate • Giulia Taufer • Sloan Taylor • John Terebessy • Trey Thomas • Addison Thompson • Brady Thompson • Kylie Thompson • Angela Topov • Parker Troye • William Van Amburg • Nicholas Vigliotta • Matthew Villano • Taylor Waltermire • Gabriel Webb • Isaac Webster • Corinne Westby • Jacob Wharton • Jacob White • Joshua Wick • Christian Wicklund • Emily Wickstrom • Daelyn Wiese • Ashlyn Wilding • Samantha Willmon • Kara Wills • Elise Wirthlin • Faith Wisenor • Gracie Wohl • Kinnalee Zent • Noah Zimmerman

18 • JUNE 2023

The Splash

Brooklyne Stobie Adams Elementary

Samaya Lamont

Bowdish Middle School

Ella Felker

Chester Elementary

Jacob White

Evergreen Middle School

Cade Rasmussen

Liberty Lake Elementary

Kazlinn Dickerson

McDonald Elementary

2023

PACE AW ARD HONOREES!

Congratulations!

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

Learn more at:

Samantha Carpinteyro Broadway Elementary

Zachary LeBaron Central Valley High School

Ethan Salazar

CVVL Elementary

Alexa Joyner

Jamie Green

Greenacres Elementary

Mica Peak High School

Torren Northcutt

Melecio Bernal

Greenacres Middle School

Bailey Dickson

Horizon Middle School

North Pines Middle School

Brayan Valdez

Opportunity Elementary

pacecommunity.org

#paceawards2023

Lacey Halloway

CVVL Middle School

Ezra Stirtz

Liberty Creek Elementary

Layla Stroh

Ponderosa Elementary

JUNE 2023 • 19

The Splash

Landon Gibson

Tyler Agnew

Progress Elementary

STEM Academy at Spokane Valley Tech

Landon Johnson

Camryn Anderson

Hailey McCullough

Hadley Sheridan

Ridgeline High School

Riverbend Elementary

Jameson Murphy

Selkirk Middle School

Barrett Downard

South Pines Elementary

Izzi Danley

Spokane Valley Learning Academy

Summit School

Kayda Lee

East Farms STEAM Magnet

Brady Flahavin

East Valley High School

Marin Harless

Sunrise Elementary

East Valley Middle School

Zoe Lederle

Kalissa Eller

Olivia Berg

Trentwood Elementary

Kesslyn Lally

Al Nordin

Tekoa High School

Esmund Weber

Centennial Middle School

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Thanks to all of those that donated last year, the fireworks extravaganza was an incredible success. Due to the new position of the barge, people reported the Over the Lake Fireworks Spectacular was visible all over Liberty Lake, even in the River District.

The show must go on! With generous contributions from community members like you, this year’s Liberty Lake Fireworks spectacular will be the most memorable show on record.

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The Splash

Filing Week Wrap Up

By Nina Culver

Splash contributor

Some familiar names will be on the ballot in Spokane Valley and Liberty Lake in August as incumbents drew challengers and multiple people filed to run for positions that will be vacated by those currently in office.

In Spokane Valley, three people filed to run for Position 2 to replace Brandi Peetz, who was elected in 2017 and recently announced she was not running again. Those vying for the open seat are Jessica Yaeger, Rachel Briscoe and Adam Smith.

On Yaeger’s website she states that she is running “to address the concerning decline in safety, condition and livability within our cherished community.” She also states that “crumbling infrastructure” and “out of control crime” must be dealt with while also “hunting down drug dealers.” She is listed as the Chapter Chair of the Spokane County chapter of Moms for Liberty.

Smith, owner of Spokane Valley Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, previously ran for a Spokane Valley council seat against Arne Woodard in 2019.

In Position 3, incumbent Arne Woodard has filed to run again and will be challenged by Al Merkel, who previously ran against Woodard in 2019 and lost. Woodard has held his seat since 2011 and served as Deputy Mayor twice. Merkel also ran unsuccessfully for a council seat in 2017 and has previously served as a Republic Precinct Committee Officer in Spokane Valley.

Retired educator and incumbent Tim Hattenburg filed to retain his seat on the council in position 6 and is being challenged by Rob Chase, who was elected state representative in 2020 and Spokane County treasurer in 2010 and 2015. Chase also ran unsuccessfully for multiple position in the State Senate, U.S House of Representatives and Spokane County Commissioner.

Every seat on the Liberty Lake City Council is on the ballot this year and all drew challengers, though Mayor Cris Kaminskas will be on the ballot unopposed. In council position 1, incumbent Phil Folyer has filed for reelection and will be challenged by Linda Ball. Ball previously applied to fill a vacant city council seat in 2022.

Dan Dunne, who has served on

NEWS

the city council in 2012, drew two challengers for his Position 3 seat; Larry Marshall and Keith Kopelson.

Kopelson was previously appointed to the Liberty Lake City council in 2012 and served until 2016.

Position 4 incumbent Jed Spencer, who was appointed to the council last year, is facing a challenge from Travis Scott, founder of RainierDigital. Scott posted on his LinkedIn page that he believes the country is too divided. “There’s also an attack on our freedom and a push for big government (from the party that preaches no big government,” he wrote. “They want to tell us what we can read. Who we can love. How we should pray. Don’t be fooled.

When they start the train of taking freedoms away, it doesn’t stop once it’s left the station.”

Position 5 incumbent Annie Kurtz is being challenged by Mike Behary, a city planner in Coeur d’Alene who previously ran for a city council seat in 2021. Position 6 incumbent Tom Sahlberg opted not to run for reelection and his seat is being sought by Michael Hamblet and Mike Kennedy. Kennedy previously held the seat until he stepped down in early 2022.

JUNE 2023 • 21

sex education law approved by the Washington State Legislature. On her website Jerdon writes that more transparency is needed between the school board and the community, along with community values and local control.

drawn interest from former Spokane Valley Mayor and Spokane Valley Fire civil service commissioner Diana Wilhite, former firefighter and state legislator George Orr and recently retired firefighter and arson dog handler Rick Freier.

District 4 incumbent Keith Clark, a board member since 2007 and current board president, is being challenged

by Anniece Barker. According to her website Barker was the founder of A Voice for Washington Children because she “strongly believed that our District and parents should be able to determine what curriculum it taught in its schools – curriculum that reflects its community values.”

In the East Valley School District, board members Theresa Noack and Laura Gates are unopposed. In the City of Millwood, council members Kelly Stravens, Andy Van Hees and Shaun Culler are also unopposed.

A seat on the West Valley School board has also drawn several interested people. In District 3, incumbent Christy White will not be on the ballot. Her seat is being sought

by Tricia Phillips, Amy Anselmo and S. John Dubois. Incumbent Adam Mortensen is running unopposed for reelection in District 4.

In the Spokane Valley Fire Department, former firefighter and longtime board member Bill Anderson has not filed for reelection to Position 5. The vacant seat has

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In Position 7, Wendy Van Orman is attempting to keep the seat she was appointed to in early 2022.

She previously served as a council member from 2001 to 2007 and was Mayor of Liberty Lake from 2008 to 2011. She is being challenged

by Teresa Tapao-Hunt, a special education teacher who currently sits on the Liberty Lake Library Board of Trustees.

There are also plenty of challengers for seats on the Central Valley School District board, with inexperienced newcomers pitted against longtime incumbents. In District 1, incumbent Cindy McMullen will face off against Jeff Brooks. McMullen previously served on the Central Valley school board for 24 years, including serving as president five times. She rejoined the school board in December 2015.

In District 3, longtime incumbent Debra Long is being challenged by Stephanie Jerdon. Long was elected to the school board in 2003 and since then has held several state leadership positions with the Washington State School Directors Association.

In 2020 Jerdon became involved with A Voice for Washington Children, which worked to get Referendum 90 on the ballot with the goal of rejecting a comprehensive

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Abbie Baddeley has the distinction of being the first salutatorian for the inaugural senior class at Ridgeline High School in Liberty Lake. She maintains a 4.0 grade point average and has been a member of the National Honor Society since her sophomore year. The senior is part of Link Crew, providing support and advice to freshmen. “It’s really cool to mentor them and talk with them like an older sibling,” she said. A native of Liberty Lake, Baddeley has participated on the Falcons’ tennis squad the past two years and has “helped build community and tradition” as a team leader. She attends Valley Real Life Church and is a volunteer with the kids’ ministry program. This year, she has taken five AP classes, including physics, chemistry, calculus, government and literature. She will attend the University of CaliforniaSanta Cruz and study astrophysics.

You could say that Macgregor Dawkins has soared to success at Central Valley High School. The senior placed first in the long jump at the Sub-District 8 4A meet with a mark of 21 feet, 11.75 inches.

He was part of a Bears’ squad that captured the district title and placed third in the Greater Spokane League regular season. He finished fifth in the long jump at regionals. Dawkins ranks sixth on CV’s all-time record holder list for the long jump. He also competed in the triple jump and high jump. Last season, Dawkins qualified for state in his signature event and placed 10th among 4A competitors. He maintains a 3.9 grade point average and is part of the Leadership program. Dawkins will continue his academic and track pursuits at Missouri Valley College where he plans on studying exercise science.

As a program director for the state Office of Behavioral Health Advocacy (OBHA), Gail Kogle says her objective is “to advocate for people who feel they don’t have a voice.” The Liberty Lake resident oversees four regions for OBHA and serves in an ombuds capacity for people with behavioral health concerns. “I can help them understand what’s happening,” she said. Prior to OBHA, Kogle worked for Goodwill and Granger, helping secure employment for people with severe mental health diagnoses. Kogle has served on the city of Spokane Valley Planning Commission and was the facilitator of a Department of Justice grant in 2007 focused on drug eradication and general clean-up in the Edgecliff community. She has also served on the Board of Directors for Spokane Valley Partners. Kogle is the proud mom of a grown son and also has a grandson.

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www.hubsportscenter.org extended play,” head coach Alyssa freshman infielder Quincy Coder, singles title and a No. 1 seed to the Falcon District 8 tournament.

Rasmussen said. .458, 26 RBIs. Baker took third at sub-districts Ridgeline graduates three Soccer springs sports seniors: and was the No. 3 seed to District Savannah Smith, Samantha Ridgeline finished the season Mowery and Lexi Bierman. Smith third in the GSL with a 6-3 record, 8, with senior Jack Rau and Evan teams wrap up led with a .589 batting average and 8-5 overall. They lost their final Anderson placing third in doubles named All-GSL 2nd team as a two regular season games, both by to earn a No. 3 seed to districts. Luke season, look was catcher. heartbreaking 1-0 scores to league- Pell and Brock Brito placed sixth in said Mowery stepped champion Gonzaga Prep (April 26) sub-districts but advanced to the ahead to 2024 up Rasmussen District 8 tournament in the No. 5 as a pitcher and first baseman, and second-place Mead (April 28).

By John McCallum Splash contributor

Baseball The Falcons finished the 2023 season with a 10-11 record, 9-9 in Greater Spokane League play, placing fifth overall in the 4A/3A league.

Ridgeline went 3-2 in the final five games, including playoffs. They swept an April 25 doubleheader from North Central, winning the first game 13-3 and the nightcap 11-8 on Craig Anglesey’s walk-off three-run home run in the bottom of the eighth inning.

posting a .449 average at the plate.

Bierman played middle infielder, making key plays in big moments.

“These girls will be missed but we are excited for what's to come for them,” Rasmussen said.

Rasmussen said players to watch in the future include junior infielder/outfielder Maggie Carvo, who hit .468 with 11 RBI and 25 runs; sophomore infielder/ outfielder Lilley Triplett, .340), three home runs, 12 RBIs and 19 runs and

In the District 8 playoffs, the Falcons lost 3-2 to visiting Hermiston (Ore.), with Zach Olson and Landon Lee scoring goals.

Tennis The Falcon boys finished 7-2 in the GSL, third-place, and 9-4 in overall match play. Some of the highlights included seniors Tyler Baker and Callen Johnson winning the men’s doubles title at the Inland Empire tournament, with Johnson also winning the GSL sub-district

slot.

“Overall, Ridgeline advanced six of their 10 varsity players to districts and had an amazing season,” head coach Freddie Rehkow said.

Earning All-GSL honors were Johnson and Baker, both 1st team picks, Rau on 2nd team and junior Zander Palm an honorable mention.

Other Ridgeline spring sports teams were either still competing in state events or did not submit seasonending results by press time.

The Falcons lost on the road at Lewis and Clark on April 28, 3-1, but rebounded to blank the visiting Tigers 5-0 on May 2, pitchers Luke Ferguson and Brendan Stevenson combining for the four-hit shutout.

In the District 3A playoffs opening round, the Falcons had no answers for Mt. Spokane, losing 11-1 to the GSL champion Wildcats to end the season.

Fast pitch softball Ridgeline finished the season with an 8-12 overall record, 8-10 in GSL 3A action, sixth place. The Falcons went 4-2 in league play down the stretch, April 25 – May 8, posting wins against Gonzaga Prep (9-8), North Central (24-2), Ferris (14-3) and Lewis and Clark (21-4) and losses against Cheney (14-4) and Mt. Spokane (16-3).

In District 8 playoff action, Ridgeline lost to GSL champion Mt. Spokane 10-0 and on the road in Kennewick to Southridge High School, 11-1, to end their season.

“I am proud of the team for the grit and fight it took to get us to

Photo by John McCallum Sophomore goalkeeper Brady McMahon secures the ball as teammate Caden Thompson looks on during first-half action in the Falcons 3-1 win over Ferris on April 19.

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JUNE 2023 • 29

30 • JUNE 2023

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About and for Liberty Lake seniors

Yoke’s Favorite Retires

By Ashley Humbird Splash contributor

Jean Simpson, a remarkable woman who has recently embarked on a new chapter in her life as she gracefully embraces retirement. With a career spanning decades, Jean's passion and dedication to the community and her employers have left an indelible mark on the landscape. Jean has always been known for her unwavering commitment, relentless work ethic, and community forward thinking. Now, as she bids farewell to her nine to five job, Jean looks forward to indulging in well-deserved rest, pursuing her hobbies, and cherishing quality time with loved ones. Her retirement marks the culmination of a remarkable career and the beginning of an exciting new adventure.

Jean’s roots can be traced back to the small town of North Bend, Washington, nestled in the Cascade Mountains and picturesque landscapes. Born and raised in this tight-knit community, Jean experienced the quintessential small-town upbringing, where neighbors were friends and bonds were built for a lifetime. North Bend, with its vibrant community spirit, offered Jean a nurturing environment to flourish. It is from this idyllic backdrop that Jean's values of community, resilience, and authenticity were firmly ingrained, helping to shape who she is today.

“I grew up in a small school. We had maybe 150 kids in our graduating class at the time. Now Mountside High School is one of the largest high schools in the state.”

Jean's first job as a waitress at the local Chinese restaurant named Hang Chow, marked the beginning of her professional journey at the age of 16 in 1974. Amidst the fast pace restaurant atmosphere, she learned customer service skills and the art of multitasking at a young age while attending high school. During her time at the restaurant, she developed a fondness for Pork Fried Rice and it has remained her go to selection to this day. It was an experience that shaped her work ethic and laid the foundation

for her future success.

Liberty Lake in 2000.

After graduating high school in 1976, Jean found herself working at a local truck stop in North Bend, embarking on a new chapter of independence.

Ken’s Truck Town was a newly opened truck stop and Jean worked there from 1976 until 1985. During that time Jean meant her husband who was from the Spokane area and they married in 1983.

Building on her foundation of customer service skills from her first job at Hang Chow, Jean continued to have a strong work ethic and learn valuable lessons about resilience and adaptability in the workplace while at Ken’s Truck Town.

In 2000, the Safeway in Liberty Lake officially opened and Jean was one of the first hires for the store. “There wasn’t much in Liberty Lake at the time.

There wasn’t even a city at the time that I started. We were living out that way and you had to drive all the way into the Valley just to get groceries.” Jean started working and commuting to Liberty Lake back when much of the surrounding area was fields.

Jean embarked on an exciting adventure as she moved to Spokane in 1985, her husband's hometown.

Adjusting to unfamiliar surroundings, she embraced the opportunity to discover a different culture, build new connections, and create a home away from home.

When the chance came to start a new job in Spokane, Jean went to the newly opened REI in downtown Spokane in 1986. After working there off and on while having her daughters for a number of years, she left to become a Assistant Pre-school Teacher.

While working as an Assistant Preschool Teacher, Jean was told about a new store that was going to open in

“When I left Yoke’s,” Jean explains as being one of just two remaining employees from the original hiring in 2000, “I had been in the same building for three transitions.” The store changed from Safeway to Yoke’s in 2016.

Among the myriad of community volunteering opportunities that Jean has participated in throughout the years including volunteering from for children’s schools PTA group, and helping to host and coordinate Relay for Life, Jean found herself drawn to the enchanting world of community theatre. With her background in creativity and passion for the arts, it was a natural fit. Jean enjoyed the camaraderie and shared passion that lives in the theatre community.

Through her involvement, Jean discovered the transformative power

of theatre in fostering self-expression, fostering connections, and instilling a sense of joy within both the performers and the audience.

During her 23-year career in the store, Jean worked in different departments. Most of her career was in the bakery where she was known as the “Cookie Lady.” Building a rapport with the customers and community was an important part of Jean’s career.

Teachers from local elementary schools would bring their students out for a field trip to see Jean and the tour bakery. The students were always left smiling as they got their cookie from Jean before leaving after an educating trip.

Today Jean is retired from her decades long career. “I am retired, with a capital R!” Jean shares about her recent retirement. “It doesn’t even sound like a word in my vocabulary yet. I retired on Good Friday, April 7th, and it was a very good Friday.

I wanted to choose a day that had a special meaning of some sort. Not for religious purposes, but because it was going to be a very good Friday. And it was!”

Her daughters are now both residing in the Spokane area and she is looking forward to more time she can spend with her grandchildren.

Jean recently relocated to the Spokane Valley and her downstairs room is dedicated to her grandchildren and their toys.

As Jean settles into her retirement, her commitment to community volunteering remains steadfast. With a wealth of experience, newfound free time, and a heart brimming with compassion, she will continue to make a lasting impact on the lives of others.

Whether it's through her involvement in local theatre productions, lending a helping hand at charitable organizations, or championing causes close to her heart, Jean's dedication to community service knows no end.

Jean’s unwavering commitment to giving back not only enriches the lives of those she serves but also brings her a deep sense of fulfillment and purpose.

Jean's retirement is far from a life of idle leisure; it is a gateway to a new chapter of selflessness, inspiration, and leaving an enduring legacy in her community and family.

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Spokane Valley Tech brings Story Walk to life

By Ashley Humbird Splash contributor

Alternative high schools play a crucial role in the education system by providing a valuable option for students who may not thrive in traditional settings. These schools recognize that not all students learn the same way and offer alternative approaches to learning, tailored to individual needs. Spokane Valley Tech takes it one step further and offers students the chance for handson experience and learning with possible college credits earned.

The Splash the current Story Walk at the Rocky Hill Park in Liberty Lake. A Story Walk is a series of stands along a pathway that display children’s stories. The Liberty Lake library curates’ the stories depending on the season. The chance to merge a community project with a learning endeavor involving students from Spokane Valley, Liberty Lake, and surrounding areas presents a distinctive opportunity.

Community projects play a vital role in fostering a sense of unity, empathy, and responsibility within a society. They serve as a powerful way to bring about positive change, bring people together to address local needs, and create lasting impacts. In recent years, an inspiring trend has emerged: high school students actively participating in community projects.

Spokane Valley Tech’s mission is “We promise to develop our students’ capability and confidence to pursue their professional, social, and civic goals.” To help build on their civic goals, community projects are encouraged for the students to partake in.

The process of creating the story board stands and frames is no easy feat; students are the primary developers in every stage of the process. To create a story board, there are many stages involved: design and planning, material preparation, assembly and alignment, welding, and the post-welding processes.

Mark Bitz has been the school’s Advanced Manufacturing Teacher for the past ten years, but at the end of the school year, he will be retiring.

The class that he teaches is unlike traditional high school classes in a number of ways.

Jacob Clodward, a current Junior at Spokane Valley Tech, is enrolled in the manufacturing and engineering class where he receives guidance from advisor Mark Bitz. Jacob is one of three leads on the story board

project and has been working on every stage of the process. “We start with the frame pieces that holds the acrylic that is the window that you’ll be able to see the story through. The frame is made up of four angle iron pieces that we cut on the band saw.

We created templates that we test them against and they have to be within 1/16 of an inch of the correct size,” Jacob explains about the first stage in the manufacturing of the story board frames. “We’re making 22 story board frame and stands and so with 4 pieces each we need 60 of them. We make them in batches of ten in about 30 minutes.”

After the initial cutting has been done, the students remove any burrs and sharp edges using grinders or deburring tools. After the edges are clean, they are ready to move onto the second stage in the process; assembly and alignment.

To make sure that all the story frames are consistent and interchangeable between the stands, the students created a pattern to help insure all the frames were identical, known as a jig. “Nobody teaches this,” Mark describes a jig made by his students. “This is something you would have to learn through work.

To get the frames precise enough so that they could be interchangeable with just one frame, we had to create this. The students had never seen this type of clamp, never thought

One of the primary differences is that he encourages students with trial-and-error procedures.

“It is project-based and that’s what makes us different. Instead of just doing assignments and taking tests, typically they will learn the concept and then have to apply it. Our projects tend to be real life kind of projects,” Mark explains how the program works and that many of the past student projects are being used in the shop as carts, tool storage and other usable projects.

The class is two hours and twenty minutes long, providing students about 15 minutes of instruction and the remainder of the class as a hands-on, problem-solving session.

This spring, Mark Bitz’s engineering and manufacturing classes have taken on the community project of creating story board stands for the “Story Walk” at Orchard Park in Liberty Lake. This year’s Story Walk will be similar to

Photo by Ashley Humbird Spokane Valley Tech Students hard at work fabricating the stands for the new Story Walk for Orchard Park.

of this idea. I didn’t tell them to do it like this, but I helped work them into it. And they came up with it and made it. The first thing was a holder with just one side. That didn’t work.

I said ‘Well, do you think it could work with more sides?’ They go, ‘I don’t know. Lets’ try it.’ And they tried it and it worked.”

Following the assembly and alignment stage, actual welding begins. The instructor makes the process of welding look deceptively easy. Welding joins metal pieces using intense heat. The heat source, such as an electric arc or flame, melts the metal at the joint, creating a molten pool. As the pool cools and solidifies, it forms a strong bond between the pieces. In some cases, filler material is added to strengthen the weld and fill gaps. Students take every precaution and wear protective gear including a welding helmet, safety glasses, and a welding jacket or apron.

Once welding of the story stand and frame is complete, it moves onto the final stage of post-welding where tools will be used to remove rough edges through grinding. Surface coatings, like powder coating, will also be applied in this final stage.

The students work on more than just the manufacturing. They begin the project by engineering the design and moving the shop equipment into an assembly flow that would be beneficial to the manufacturing process.

Junior Morgan Cavanagh is the class’s project manager. Although she is in a different class, she has taken on the role of project manager for the creation and production of the story stands and frames. She works to keep the class on schedule and on time. “This was a huge commitment.

One of the beginning processes of getting involved was asking ‘Is it even possible?’ So we had to do a lot of planning with time and schedules to see if we could even complete it before the end of the year. But it’s a huge opportunity for the school and it’s great experience for these guys.

They get to learn all about problem and finding solutions.” Morgan displays a spreadsheet of when specific goals and tasks need to be completed.

Engaging in community projects that go beyond the confines of See STORY WALK, Page 36

JUNE 2023 • 35

The Splash

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36 • JUNE 2023

The Splash

YOUR LOCAL ROOFER

STORY WALK Continued from page 34

the classroom provides high school students with a number of advantages. These projects offer hands-on learning opportunities and practical insights into real-world challenges, while imparting valuable skills. By participating in these initiatives, students not only deepen their comprehension of community needs but also foster empathy and compassion. These experiences also prepare them for success in career pathways following high school, equipping them with the necessary tools and perspectives for real-life situations. By actively participating in community projects, students gain a well-rounded education that extends beyond traditional academics, positioning them favorably for future endeavors.

Free Estimates

Protecting what matters most.

“It’s huge for us to have a project like this. Since after high school they are many people who get a get hired after coming out of this school. It’s a way to show a project that we’ve www.spokaneroofing.com done since we don’t have industry experience at this age. It’s a way to look back on the story stands and s s years’ past, sale-goers pour over this guide As in past,urgyard pour to over this guide to Signature Burger on the day ofyard theyears’ event. vent. re Burger ers sale-goers SignatuG R E E N S T O N E ature B NEW n EW frames and show that they worked g N E Si N O T eout will also be available to flip S EW and N E E Ntheir Rshopping. potential items plan Premium their scout out potential itemsday andofGplan day of shopping. $3 ,00 0 Premium BECU is collaboratively with others and proud including an interactive map to suppor tal replicaAofdigital the guide willofalso available to flip replica the be guide will also be available to flip All ads include All$3ads Advertise your business inproduct the to life. They t ,00 0 Liinclude placement placement berty La the brought a real ,00 0 ke $3 ded in the guide.

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will be his last. After talking with students and seeing first-hand how he encourages kids to think outside of the box and find solutions, it’s no wonder he fosters a successful learning environment.

In his class are two students, Keegan Phillips and Jason Todd, both seniors, who placed 2nd at the national SkillsUSA competition in the Fall of 2022. The SkillsUSA competition helps students develop leadership, technical, and personal skills/capabilities which foster career success. Last year, fiftyfive students competed in seven regional events. Twenty-five earned the opportunity to compete at the state level, ten students won state championships, and nine students qualified for the national championships. Both Keegan and Jason will be returning this year and are hoping to defend their titles.

“This is typically a senior class,” Austin Hanin explains about why he and Jacob opted into the program with Mark. “A lot of Juniors stepped up and wanted to do this class because it’s Mr. Bitz’s last year as a teacher. He’s a really good teacher.

The way he teaches, he gives students a lot of responsibility. It’s something that we don’t see in other classes or other schools. And he teaches you how to learn, not how to do something. He’ll help show you how to do it, but encourages you to then learn how to complete it. If there is something you want to work on, he’ll help you get there.”

Once the story boards are completed, they will be installed as part of the improvements scheduled to be completed at Orchard Park in Liberty Lake.

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your project. There are regulations governing development activities across the entire Liberty Lake watershed.

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Please call 922-5443 and ask for the Lake Manager

www.libertylake.org

JUNE 2023 • 37

The Splash

Saturday, June 17, 2023 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Organized by

Sign up deadline June 5 to list your sale and information in the official guide.

All fees support your local Liberty Lake Kiwanis Club, with 100% of proceeds going back to our community.

REGIST TODAYER

Four registration options

1. Online: $15

Submit your registration and secure credit card payment at www.libertylakekiwanis.org Take advantage of add-on options like a highlight color, a black border or a bold title to help your sale stand out from the rest. Online ads can also exceed the 20-word maximum for a small, per-word fee.

2. Mail-in form : $20

Complete the registration form below and submit it along with your fee. Remember, registration must be received by June 5 to be included in the official guide.

4. Artisan Vendors: (online only): $45.00

Join in the fun at Pavillion Park and showcase your handcrafted goods.

Artisan Vendors are welcome at the $45.00 price and receive a 10-foot by 10-foot section in the park. This registration option is available at www.libertylakekiwanis.org. Add your listing to the official printed guide by submitting your $15 registration through the online portal listing Pavillion Park as your address.

Name Phone Address

WHAT DOES YOUR REGISTRATION PAY FOR? A supported event: The sales will be advertised and publicized through regionwide outlets, and the Kiwanis Club is working with local authorities and strategic vendors to ensure a safe and well-supported event.

Restrooms: Portable restrooms are provided throughout the community for attendees’ convenience.

Thousands of shoppers: Liberty Lake is flooded with shoppers for this event every June, so timing your yard sale to correspond with the annual sales is just smart business.

Please pay the registration fee to ensure the future of the yard sales. After expenses, all proceeds from the event will be reinvested by the Kiwanis Club into the community.

A listing “on the map”: Attract customers before the sale even begins by featuring your sale in the official event guide. A 20-word description of your sale is complimentary with your registration fee, and 10,000 copies of the guide will be distributed to not only every address in Liberty Lake — but at businesses and newsstands throughout the area in the days leading up to and during the sale. Returning this year will also be the interactive map, for easy access to listings on your mobile device!

20 18

PRSRT STD ECRWSS

Description (Not to exceed 20 words)

Payments should be made out to the Kiwanis Club of Liberty Lake. Mail them to The Splash, PO Box 363, Liberty Lake, WA 99019 along with the completed registration form. No phone or in-person registration is available. All proceeds will be used as scholarships for local graduates.

Questions?  For registration-related inquiries, contact The Splash at 509-242-7752 or advertise@libertylakesplash.com.  For general yard sale inquiries or with vendor questions, contact Liberty Lake Kiwanis at LLYardSales@gmail.com.

U.S. Postage Paid Permit #010 ZIP CODE 99019

Feature your business in the guide!

FREE

A limited number of advertising placements are available in the annual event guide. Call 509-242-7752 or email advertise@libertylakesplash.com to put your business and organization in front of thousands of eager shoppers in what is one of The Splash’s most dog-eared and poredover publications of the year.

Celebratin

g 25 Yea

rs!

Over 150 Participatin Artisan and g Hand Craft Homes ed Vendors in

Pavillion Park

Liberty Lake

Advertising Deadline: June 2, 2023

38 • JUNE 2023

The Splash THE

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LIBERTY LAKE

COMMUNITY NEWSMAGAZINE

Ben Wick

EDITOR/PUBLISHER

ben@libertylakesplash.com

Danica Wick

CO OWNER

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.

danica@libertylakesplash.com

Larry Passmore

CIRCULATION

circulation@libertylakesplash.com

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

CONTRIBUTORS

Craig Howard, Nina Culver, Ashley Humbird, Ross Schneidmiller

www.amaculate.com

“ IT’S THE LAW ”

The Liberty Lake Splash P.O. Box 363 Liberty Lake, WA 99019 Phone: 242-7752 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.

Additional copies are located at drop-off locations in Liberty Lake and Otis Orchards.

EN R ICH ED LIV IN G . LA STIN G VA LUE.

The Splash is brought to you by

THE

lifestyle

Wick Enterprizes community

YOU WA NT

Submitted materials

THE

Publishing House

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

In WASHINGTON Click or Call Two Business Days Before You Plan To Dig YO U LO VE

www.CallBeforeYouDig.org

Liberty Lake residents receive a complimentary copy each month. Subscriptions for U.S. postal addresses

Tate Law Office • Liberty Lake Family Dentistry John L. Scott • Liberty Lake EyeCare THE

LIBERTY LAKE

COMMUNITY NEWSMAGAZINE

THE Index of advertisers

outside of the 99019 ZIP code cost $20 for 12 issues.

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

quality

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

received by the 15th of the month in order for the subscription to begin with the issue printed the end YOU DESER VE of that month.

Correction policy The Splash strives for accuracy in all content. Errors

Inland Empire Utility Coordinating Council

www.ieucc811.org New homes in Spokane, Spokane Valley, Liberty Lake, Post Falls & Coeur d’Alene. should be reported immediately to 509-242-7752 or 21

HUB Sports Center

29

Pentagon

27

Amaculate Housekeeping

38

Inland Empire Utility CC

38

RPM Express Wash

10

Best Blinds and Awnings

1, 9

Jeff O’Shea

20

Banner Furnace & Fuel

5

John L Scott - Pam Fredrick

22

Children’s Choice Dentistry

25

Kiwanis of Liberty Lake

37

Affordable Arborist

363, Liberty Lake, WA 99019. Subscriptions must be

1-800-424-5555 or dial 811

City of Liberty Lake

7, 27

by email to editor@libertylakesplash.com. Confirmed factual errors will be corrected on this page in the is-

gr e e nst o ne 4ho me s.c o m Saltese Construction sue following their discovery.

Simonds Dental Group

40

Advertising information

29

Display ad copy and camera-ready ads are due by

Liberty Lake Church

31

Skyhawks

Liberty Lake EyeCare Center

22

Spokane Falley Farmer’s Market

22

5 p.m. on the 15th of the month for the following

Liberty Lake Family Dentistry

5

Spokane Roofing

36

month’s issue. Call 509-242-7752 for more information.

Liberty Lake Farmer’s Market

21

Spokane Valley Summer Theare

20

Spokane Valley Villa’s

38

35

Tate Law Office

32

32

The Family Guide

24

Columbia Basin Exteriors

3

CRAVE

35

Cutting Edge Landscaping

32

Cycle Celebration

29

Liberty Lake Sewer & Water District36

Eagle Rock Storage

35

Liberty Lake Smile Source

27

Glacier Roofing and Exteriors

40

Lilac Eye Care

Greenstone

12

Lonnie Castillo

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.

Advertising integrity Inaccurate or deceptive advertising is never knowingly accepted. Complaints about advertisers should be made in writing to the Better Business Bureau and

BRAND NEW Rental Units for 55+ Community at

Spokane Valley Villa’s Half Off First Month Rent! $2,300-$2,400 monthly

to advertise@libertylakesplash.com. The Splash is not responsible for the content of or claims made in ads.

Copyright © 2023 All rights reserved. All contents of The Splash may not be reproduced without written permission of the publisher.

13610 E Broadway Avenue Call (509) 216-0518 single story, attached garages, pet friendly, vaulted ceilings

The Splash

ON THAT NOTE

JUNE 2023 • 39

organize neighborhood watches, and focuses efforts around keeping the community a safe place. There is a Liberty Lake SCOPE Office which has many programs to choose from but most members have moved away and they are asking for help.

Katie Ferris is leading the effort to try and rebuild the office, if you are interested in community safety the SCOPE office number is 509-9539723.

What it takes to make a Community

By Ben Wick

Splash Publisher

Liberty Lake is growing quickly and we enjoy many opportunities to enjoy our community, from honoring our veterans and active military members over Memorial Day Weekend, to enjoying movies or concerts in the park. Liberty Lake has it all, but what isn’t so obvious is what it takes to organize all of these activities. In Liberty Lake it takes a village, a village of volunteers.

However the organizations who sponsor and lead these activities are shrinking and have fewer volunteers. For those new to Liberty Lake or those who have been here and have enjoyed the activities, there

are a few core clubs or service clubs who help organize these activities with the city. I would encourage you to get involved. I am not saying that you have to sign up and join one right away but we all have different passions, find one that fits into what your passionate about and attend a meeting or two or volunteer at one of their upcoming events.

Kiwanis is an organization that focus on serving the children of the world, the Kiwanis of Liberty Lake help organize the Movies in the Park events and utilize volunteers to setup and take down the movies and sell concessions each weekend as a fundraiser to give back to the community. Their meetings are Wednesday mornings at 7am at the Liberty Lake Library.

SCOPE or Sheriff’s Community Oriented Policing Effort is an organization that gets citizens involved to help law enforcement,

Rotary is a group of members who work locally and internationally to advance world understanding, goodwill and peace through service to others and have a shared responsibility to take action on the worlds most persistent issues. In Liberty Lake, the Liberty Lake Centennial Rotary sponsors the Military appreciation activities including the Memorial Day Luminary, the pancake breakfast benefiting Honor Flight, Hometown Heroes Banner Program, and the RIM Ride. They meet on Thursdays at noon at the Liberty Lake Library.

The Lions are another organization that believe is serving the community and leading by example, building relationships and improving the world through kindness. The Liberty Lake Lions Club is the one organizing the Bed Races which have survived the pandemic and are back. They also help support organizations like Sleep in Heavenly Peace with their bed building adventures to help

Contributed photo Liberty Lake Kiwanis Club 2023 Scholarship recipients. From Left to Right: Madison Gannon, Jillian Persicke, Maggie Mathes, Kaylee Mitchell, Jack Lavelle, Jenna Dubois, Hannah Lind, Parker Troye, Sara Hess, Brock Brito

ensure that kids have beds to sleep on. They meet at 5:30pm at Barlow’s on the 2nd and 4th Thursday of each month.

Each of these organizations is doing great things for the community but it takes people getting involved to help make it happen. If not every week works for you that’s ok, you don’t have to be at every meeting.

You don’t even have to be a member to attend their meetings. I encourage you to attend one or a few to see what they are like and find what or where your interest might be.

As the pandemic has shown us we are stronger together. Liberty Lake Together!

40 • JUNE 2023

The Splash

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