2024 March Current

MARCH

2024

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2

• MARCH 2024

The Current

RIVER CROSSING

March Marvel

– Calvary a catalyst for historic Gonzaga run

By Craig Howard Current contributing editor

When he attended University High volleyball games to cheer on his two oldest daughters, Casey Calvary was undisputably the biggest U-Hi fan in the building.

The former Gonzaga basketball standout, who stands 3 inches short of 7 feet and is still close to his playing weight of 225 pounds, tends to stand out. He has also grown accustomed to being recognized in public, whether at prep sporting events in Spokane Valley or in downtown restaurants.

“I’m surprised that people still remember,” Calvary says.

What they remember is an unprecedented run in the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament 25 years ago this month when a relatively unknown school with a name few could pronounce shocked favored schools like Minnesota, Stanford and Florida on their way to an improbable Elite Eight appearance. Calvary was a sophomore starter on the Cinderella squad that ultimately bowed out of March Madness after a narrow loss to the University of Connecticut, the eventual National Champion.

“Part of it was talent but it was really the attitude that we were going to win,” Calvary recalls. “Just that belief in ourselves.”

Calvary and his teammates composed an obscure but determined 10th-seeded squad that was the lowest seed to reach the Sweet 16 that year. After an opening round win against Minnesota at Key Arena in Seattle, the Zags faced second-seeded Stanford, a team that advanced to the Final Four the previous year and returned all five starters. Calvary scored GU’s first eight points on a pair of 3-pointers and an alley-oop slam dunk en route to an 82-74 win.

The national coverage the next day referred to “little known” Gonzaga taking down one of the elite programs in the country.

Calvary would experience two more significant journeys in the

tournament his junior and senior years as the Zags advanced to the Sweet 16 both seasons. He was named West Coast Conference Player of the Year in 2001 and went on to play professionally until 2008. His career took him to Japan, France, Australia and Spain as well as the Continental Basketball Association, a precursor to the NBA’s G-League.

The son of an Army pilot, Calvary was the youngest of two sons in a family that migrated from Germany to Alabama to the Bay Area before finally settling in Tacoma, Washington after Calvary’s dad was stationed at Fort Lewis. By then, Calvary was in fifth grade. He grew up playing baseball, football and basketball and snow skiing with his family but zoned in on basketball by his sophomore year at Bellarmine Prep after growing to 6’6. He threw down his first in-game dunk on an opening tip that season against Lincoln High School.

“By the end of my sophomore season, I was a college prospect,” Calvary recalls.

Every school in the WCC came

calling other than San Francisco.

By his senior year, Calvary had narrowed his choices to Colorado State and Gonzaga. He would end his GU career with 1,509 points. 757 rebounds and 207 blocked shots.

With the spotlight on the 25th anniversary of Gonzaga’s foundational squad this year, Calvary and his teammates have had a chance to catch up and reminisce about installing the groundwork for what would become a college basketball powerhouse.

“The bond that we share is fantastic and it’s still in place,” Calvary said.

Since his basketball career ended, Calvary has become an entrepreneur and worked in orthopedic sales.

Since late 2020, he has owned and operated COR Institute, an integrated approach to health and longevity that focuses on physical, emotional, nutritional and cognitive wellness.

Looking back on a magical March a quarter century ago, Calvary said Gonzaga’s bracket-befuddling stretch proves that success awaits those who sidestep the naysayers

Photo courtesy of Gonzaga University Athletic Department Casey Calvary was a sophomore starter on the Gonzaga men’s basketball team that defied the odds and advanced to the Elite Eight in the 1999 NCAA Tournament.

Calvary was also part of teams the following two seasons that qualified for the Sweet Sixteen.

and remain focused on rising to their potential.

“For people who were watching the transformation happen it was a pretty big deal,” Calvary said. “It sort of gives you that feeling that if you can raise yourself above expectations and where everyone wants to put you, then it’s probably going to happen – all you have to do is work and believe, those two things.”

Q: We’ve heard the cliches over the years like Cinderella, midmajor, underdog, etc. – that have attempted to define Gonzaga as a program that is not necessarily a college basketball behemoth when compared to the blue bloods of the sport. How much incentive was that to you as a player and the teams you played on from 1997 to 2001?

A: That’s not a good feeling when other people are putting in the time and working hard and they’re getting all the accolades and rewards and you’re not seeing anything that they’re doing that’s any better or different. There’s only place to prove that and that’s on the court.

For us, that chip on the shoulder, that motivation, was absolutely there against the players, against the schools. It’s great fuel when you’re playing against players who may have been recruited in front of you or schools that were rated higher. I loved all that underdog stuff.

Q: When you arrived on campus as a freshman in the fall of 1997, what were your impressions of the tradition and status of Gonzaga basketball at that time?

A: Once I put the Gonzaga jersey on, it was an interesting feeling. It was almost like your own last name.

You’re proud of your name. Now everything I do is going to represent this “Gonzaga” across my chest, so what’s that going to mean to people when they see it? That legacy and Gonzaga becoming what it is now is everything. Back when I got to Gonzaga, you couldn’t even buy a Zags’ hat in the mall. Nobody was wearing Gonzaga stuff around town.

Now you see it everywhere. For the community to take pride in us, we had to give them something. We thought we had the opportunity to do that in this town with the Kennel Club and some other things that were already established. It was just See CALVARY, Page 5

MARCH 2024 • 3

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• MARCH 2024

The Current

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The Current

CALVARY

NEWS

Continued from page 2 a question of how to grow it.

Q: As a dad of kids who are playing sports, what do you try to bring to that experience?

A: I think about the things that sports are going to bring to my children on the positive side: Camaraderie, learning to play as a team, learning to follow directions from a coach, practice, repetition, just getting better at things. But then there are the struggles that go along with it. I don’t know how much to push it.

All I really care about is my children being happy and healthy and safe and enjoying their lives. I don’t really care about athletic success but at the same time, it’s brought me a lot of wonderful things, so how much do I push it? I want them to have a childhood. Sports have a lot of unfortunate sides to them. You need to find a way to harvest the positive and avoid that other stuff.

Q: It’s pretty clear that if you and your teammates had believed all the so-called experts 25 years ago, you never would have made it past Minnesota, let alone Stanford and Florida, and started a basketball revolution at a small Jesuit school in Spokane. What lessons can we learn from not believing those negative voices in our lives?

A: That’s a huge deal. You can’t accept the label that people put on you. People who tell you you’re not smart or not good looking or that you’re not good at something.

They’ll tell you all kinds of things.

You don’t need to listen to them. I think with GU, some people labeled it as overreaching. We knew we had talent and if we outworked people, we could do amazing things, so I think that was an example for the region when it came to exceeding other people’s expectations, not our own. Not everyone is dealt the same hand. My parents were loving and supportive but some people don’t have that. You have to have some community that brings you together.

Q: Can you talk about what that ’99 team meant to the greater Spokane community in terms of civic pride and being acknowledged as something other than a city in Seattle’s shadow?

A: Spokane has a chip on his shoulder because we’re constantly shunned by Seattle. You look at something like the North/South Freeway that’s taken 300 years to build. We always take the backseat to Seattle. So, for us to be better than U-Dub and to be a basketball capital

of Washington was a big deal. When people think about basketball in this state, they think about the Zags.

When we’re winning, the community is winning. We’re taking pride in who we are. It’s awesome.

Q: How did the passing of your former GU teammate Jeremy Eaton last year from cancer affect you?

A: It’s really hard for me because I wanted him to have the life he built for him and his son and be able to spend that time with him. He was so funny and such a good dude. When I came in as a freshman, we had too many bigs that year. The coaches already knew I wasn’t going to redshirt. The coaches came to Jeremy and asked him to redshirt and he agreed. But instead of being upset at me, he worked super hard and got better. Not only that, he took me in and was so good to me when he could have been mad at me.

Q: After qualifying for 25 straight NCAA Tournaments, a dozen Sweet 16s and two Final Fours and playing for the National Championship twice, this is a program that has developed some serious expectations.

Do you think the average Zags’ fan understands how it all began in 1999 with the program’s first March Madness win since the tournament began 60 years earlier?

A: I don’t know if everyone knows what happened or if they understand how difficult the path was or how tough it is to navigate the NCAA Tournament as a lower seed. It seems that now, every time the team has a little struggle, people will criticize the coaches or the guys and I don’t think they know how much that hurts. You want to be unconditionally loved by your fans because criticism comes from everywhere else. We don’t need it from our own fans. Sometimes, I think we forget the past because we’re so quick to be disappointed or forget in sports that there are ups and downs and momentum and chemistry are a thing. I think we may understand but we don’t keep it in the forefront of our minds. This team now, when they lose a few games, it’s not like they’re not trying hard or not making an effort.

Q: Finally, when March rolls round, do you start to get that anticipation like you did when you were playing?

A: I love the tournament. I’m not a huge sports nut but I do think the NCAA Tournament is the most fun sporting event in the world. There’s nothing like it. I like going to the early round games because you get to see so much basketball. I go crazy for March.

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• MARCH 2024

The Current

Introducing the

Safety Awareness Channel 2024 January Malicious Mischief Hotspots

Published Date: 2/5/2024 Prepared by Spokane County Sheriff's RIG 9 Unit

Spokane Valley Districts

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The maps provided depict where citizens have reported Vehicle Thefts, Burglaries, Malicious Mischief and Thefts. The Spokane Valley Police Department and the Spokane County Sheriff’s office analyze this data to determine high crime areas and where to allocate resources.

Citizens who have been a victim of crime are encouraged to call 911, if the crime is in progress, or Crime Check at 4562233, if not in progress,(! to report a crime.

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The following are tips to help poisoning mishaps in various situations. Remember that if there is an emergency to call 911, if you need assistance with a poison control issue call poison control at 1-800-222-1222.

Medicines • Keep all medicines, and potentially poisonous substances, in locked cabinets or out of the reach of children.

• Keep medicines in their original containers, properly labeled, and store them appropriately.

• Never share prescription medicines. If you are taking more than one drug at a time, check with your health care provider, pharmacist, or call the toll-free Poison Help line (1-800222-1222), which connects you to your local poison center, to find out more about possible drug interactions.

• Have a working carbon monoxide detector in your home.

The best places for a CO detector are near bedrooms and close to furnaces.

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Household products • Household cleaners and disinfectants can make you sick when not used properly. Always follow the instructions on the product label to ensure safe and effective use.

• Bleach is especially toxic and should not be mixed with anything other than water.

• Keep all household cleaners and potentially poisonous substances in locked cabinets or

MARCH 2024 • 7

The Current

2024 January Burglary Hotspots

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Refrigerated foods should not be left out at temperatures above 40 degrees F (5 degrees C).

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Incident counts summarizes the events within 1/4 of a mile of each other. The heat map shows the density of events within the area. e Big

• Do not use food containers (such as cups or bottles) to store household cleaners and other chemicals or products.

Published Date: 2/5/2024 Prepared by Spokane County Sheriff's RIG 9 Unit

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• MARCH 2024

Valley Council deals with property purchase, construction, SCRAPs and appointments

By John McCallum

Current correspondent

City buys Carnahan Road property After meeting in executive session, the City Council voted unanimously at its Feb. 27 meeting to purchase property along the west side of Carnahan Road between 2nd and 3rd avenues. City staff negotiated an appraised sale price of $630,000 for the two parcels with the owner, Wheeler Investment & Development LLC. According to Spokane County’s SCOUT property search system, both parcels together were appraised by the county in 2024 at $454,100 and were purchased by Wheeler in 2022 for a combined $464,000.

Spokane Valley City Services Administrator Gloria Mantz told the council the funding for the purchase – which also includes an occupied residence – would come from $2 million the city had set aside from the $16 million it received in federal Coronavirus Local Fiscal Recovery Fund in 2022. The $2 million was withheld from the Affordable Housing and Homeless call for projects for property acquisition, and Mantz said local providers of affordable housing have indicated more land is needed in Spokane Valley for this purpose.

The providers indicated the Carnahan property would work for affordable housing developments, and that they would be interested in pursuing grants for those if the city purchased then leased or deeded the land for that purpose.

“The acquisition of land is one of the biggest barriers to our providers right now,” Mantz said.

State and federal law requires municipalities purchasing land that requires a tenant relocation to pay for the costs of that location. The council approved $9,040 to assist the current tenants at Carnahan in relocation, something Mantz

NEWS

said they were capable of doing by March 16.

Citizens petition council to review SCRAPS contract Spokane Valley City Council may take up a review of the city’s 20-year contract with Spokane County Regional Animal Protection Service (SCRAPS). Dozens of citizens have helped pack City Hall Council Chambers at the Feb. 20 and Feb. 27 meetings to protest SCRAPS alleged mistreatment of animals — including euthanasia of otherwise healthy dogs and cats, an accusation SCRAPS officials have denied as being unnecessary.

At both meetings, Councilman Al Merkel moved during the advanced agenda portion to add this discussion and review to an upcoming meeting, but each time failed to receive a second to bring the motion to a vote. At the Feb. 20 meeting, City Manager John Hohman, while acknowledging the issues at SCRAPS, said city staff had more important issues on their hands, particularly dealing with adding police department personnel.

At the Feb. 23 meeting, Hohman said they had added the SCRAPS contract to the pending agenda list, and would discuss with staff when to bring it forward to council.

2024 construction projects City engineering managers Erica Amsden and Robert Lochmiller presented council with an overview of upcoming capital projects in 2024 at the Feb. 20 meeting.

Overall, Spokane Valley is looking potentially at almost $19.66 million in projects this year, with $15.66 million of that in road-related work.

One project, the $4 million Phase 1 construction of Balfour Park downtown, began last year and has less than $1 million of remaining work.

Most of the funding for the projects comes from city funds.

About $4.3 million in funding is coming from a mixture of sources, mostly state and federal grants but also $340,000 from Spokane Transit Authority to help pay for the $4 million Sprague Avenue Stormwater Project.

That project, which will reduce Sprague Avenue to three lanes between North Herald and North University roads, will include a new stormwater system, swales, curbs, sidewalks, pavement preservation and landscaping and a pedestrian

crosswalk signal at Balfour Park.

The project has some citizen opposition — mainly from the lane reduction — with Councilman Al Merkel unsuccessfully trying to add a motion to pause the project for further consideration by council.

Other projects include $4.3 million of improvements to South Bowdish Road between E. 12th and E. 22nd avenues, including a roundabout at E. 16th Avenue; $1.2 million of new pavement on E. 16th Avenue between South Evergreen and South Adams roads and $1.6 million in improvements to the intersection of East Mission Avenue and North Pines Road — a project schedule for 2023 but pushed back to 2024.

Also slated for this year is $1.5 million first phase of pavement preservation work on East Indiana Avenue east of Sullivan to the Interstate 90 on/off ramp intersection, and $1.5 million of local asphalt replacement, along with stormwater retrofits, to streets between South University and South Pierce roads and 32nd to 35th avenues. The local street work will use the uni-rate process the city adopted last year with some success.

Planning commission appointment chaos The City Council approved four new members to the city’s Planning Commission — three at a somewhat tumultuous Jan. 30 meeting and the fourth at the Feb. 6 meeting.

Eight individuals applied for the open positions. Nominated and approved to serve at the Jan. 30 meeting for the standard, non-paid three-year terms are John Robertson and Justin Weathermon.

Vadim Smelik was nominated and approved for a one-year term, ending Dec. 31, 2024, to replace Karl Granrath, who resigned in December, 2023 but whose term was not up. Nominated and approved at the Feb. 6 meeting to serve a twoyear term, replacing Val Dimitrov

The Current

who resigned in January, is Matthew Hurd.

Questions arose early on in the nominations about the process in selecting commission members — which according to city statute is handled solely by the mayor, with the council acting to either approve or deny the mayor’s selections.

Several of the applications submitted were sparsely filled out, and Mayor Pam Haley told the council she had attempted to contact the applicants for interviews but was not able to reach any of them.

Councilman Al Merkel expressed reservations about voting to approve someone without having enough information, and told the council that he had taken it upon himself to call the applicants and interview them. Councilman Rob Higgins admonished him for this move, asking if he was trying to make Haley “look bad” and reiterated the city statutes delineating the process.

“Nowhere does it say City Council should be interviewing people,” Higgins said. “It’s the Mayor’s appointment to make.”

Merkel said the Planning Commission is one of the most important citizen bodies the city has, given its role in issues such as zoning changes, development approval and maintaining the city’s comprehensive plan. He noted that it’s important to take the time to vet applicants.

“Maybe the process is broken,” he added.

Councilman Ben Wick also stressed the importance of the Planning Commission, particularly in dealing with some of the undue burdens placed on city’s by the state, such as upcoming changes surrounding the planning for affordable housing. He felt more information was needed on the applicants.

In the end, the council voted 5-2 to approve the new members, with Merkel and Wick voting no.

Photo courtesy of the City of Spokane Valley A Google maps photo shows the scope of the $4 million Sprague Avenue Stormwater Project (red). The Spokane Valley county library branch is in the upper left portion of the photo.

The Current

Just for the birds: Library events feature birdwatching walks, attracting birds to your yard

By Stacey Goddard, librarian Spokane County Library District

Between the longer days and milder weather, it’s easy to look ahead and start dreaming about spring and outdoor activities that come with the season. I’m especially looking forward to the birdwatching programs and bird walks happening at five locations throughout the county.

The “Introduction to Birdwatching” presentation by the Spokane Audubon Society takes place at Spokane Valley Library (22 N Herald Rd) on Thursday, April 11, at 6:30pm. We learn how to set up and use binoculars, how to identify birds, and what apps

Fall prevention classes help improve quality of life for those age 60+

By Philip Helean, Educator Aging & Long Term Care of Eastern WA

Every 11 seconds, an older adult is treated in the emergency room for a fall.

Even if there is no injury, falls carry a heavy impact to quality of life. Many older adults fear falling, and if the fear is intense, they may limit their activities and social engagements. This can result in further physical decline, depression, social isolation, and feelings of hopelessness.

Ultimately, the fear of falling may lead to loss of independence.

In 2022, the number of fallrelated fire department calls were: 2,927 for the City of Spokane Fire Department, 3,200 for Spokane Valley Fire Department, and 10,000+ for all of Spokane County.

LIBRARY and books are best to refer to when you’re birdwatching.

And then on Saturday, April 13, registered participants meet at Doris Morrison Learning Center (1330 S Henry Rd) to take a guided walk through the Saltese Wetlands to practice their new birding skills. The trails for this walk are accessible.

If you’re looking to explore other parts of Spokane County, one of the other four birdwatching presentations and walks may be just what you’re looking for.

The first presentation is at Cheney Library (601 First St) on Tuesday, March 19, at 6:30pm with a birdwatching walk at Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge on Saturday, March 23. The second takes place at North Spokane Library (44 E Hawthorne Rd) on Thursday, March 28, at 6:30pm, and the corresponding walk is at Waikiki Springs on Saturday, March 30.

Heading even farther north, you can attend the presentation at Deer Park Library (208 S Forest Ave) on Thursday, April 18, at 5pm, and the

The rate of fall-related deaths among Spokane County residents ages 65 and older was the highest for all Washington state counties during 2017 to 2021.

Aging and Long Term Care of Eastern Washington (ALTCEW) has partnered with Spokane County Library District (SCLD) to bring the fall-prevention class “A Matter of Balance” to the library.

The classes are designed for older adults who are concerned about falls and also for those who want to improve their flexibility, balance, and strength.

Participants need to be 60 or older, mobile (with or without the use of an assistive device such as a cane or a walker), and able to problem solve.

During the class, participants learn strategies to change their viewpoint to see falls as controllable, set realistic goals for increasing activity, identify environmental adjustments to reduce risk factors for falls, and learn gentle movement to increase flexibility, strength, and balance.

Classes are led by two trained

MARCH 2024 • 9

walk is at Bear Lake Regional Park on Saturday, April 20. Out on the West Plains, the final presentation is at Medical Lake Library on Monday, May 6, at 6:30pm, and walkers meet up at Waterfront Park on Saturday, May 11.

Please note that registration is required for each of the walks. You can sign up at www.scld.org/birdevents.

If you’re interested in having more daily birdsong in your life, the Spokane Audubon Society is presenting the workshop “Attracting Birds to Your Yard” at Argonne Library (4322 N Argonne Rd) on Tuesday, April 16, at 6:30pm.

They show you how to provide for birds’ basic needs and how to make your yard safe for birds.

Also, be on the lookout for Birding Backpacks, coming to our Library of Things this spring. These backpacks contain everything you need for a successful birding experience, including binoculars, bird identification guides, maps of local trails, and much more. To learn more about the Library of Things, you can visit www.scld. org/things.

volunteer coaches over eight sessions of group discussion, problem-solving, brainstorming, and “A Matter of Balance” exercises.

Each participant receives a workbook. Session seven includes a visit from a guest health care professional who demonstrates how to get down on the ground safely, how to get up, and answers any medical questions related to falls.

The “A Matter of Balance” classes are free. You can sign up to attend the eight-session class at Otis Orchards Library (22324 E Wellesley Ave) on Tuesdays and Thursdays, April 9–May 2, at 1–3pm. Sign up at www.scld.org/ ot-balance-class.

Get Your Toes Tapping & Your Heart Soaring Celebrate the luck of the Irish at the library with high-energy musical performances from two fantastic bands.

For all ages

Arvid Lundin & Deep Roots ARGONNE LIBRARY 4322 N Argonne Rd Tuesday, March 5, 7–8pm

Floating Crowbar OTIS ORCHARDS LIBRARY 22324 E Wellesley Ave Wednesday, March 6, 7–8pm SPOKANE VALLEY LIBRARY 22 N Herald Rd Thursday, March 14, 7–8pm

You can find additional class offerings at other SCLD libraries by visiting www.scld.org/ balance-classes.

If you have questions about the class or can’t attend the scheduled sessions, you can call the ALTCEW office at 509-4582509 to get more information and learn about other fall-prevention help.

www.scld.org

10

• MARCH 2024

COVER STORY

Strip club purchase to aid Helping Captives in expanding mission

discussion was how much he did not understand the brutal things that had happened to these woman in the name of the Christian Church, such as ugly protests, accusations of being sinners and other hateful gestures made at them as they came and went from work.

Current correspondent

“The message to the Church is, we need to love these ladies,” he said. “God created all of us.”

By John McCallum

On a cold, rainy mid-February morning, Caleb Altmeyer stood in the main room of the former strip club, looking about in the low fluorescent lighting at the matte-black walls and the orange and red checkered dingy carpet, one part of which was smudged and scuffed from where the stage used to be.

Standing there, Altmeyer reflected on a bit of irony with his location. The building on East Sprague Avenue began life in 1938 as the Dishman Theater, but was eventually purchased and operated as Déjà vu Showgirls in April 1989.

It is the same month and year Altmeyer, the co-founder and chief executive officer of the human trafficking rescue organization Helping Captives, was born.

Helping Captives, a Christ-centered mission assisting women escaping human trafficking regain their lives, began as HRC Ministries in 2015. After moving five times over nine years as it grew, Helping Captives saw an opportunity for permanent roots by purchasing Déjà vu — along with another half-acre of land to the southeast along Appleway — for $915,000, according the Spokane County SCOUT property reporting website.

their place of employment as a place of exploitation and human trafficking.

Speaking at the event, Bear Paw Camp owner and pastor Jason McQuinn, called out “the demons that have been in these walls,” noting “We’re serving you and all the demons around here an eviction notice.”

At one point, a “Notice of Eviction” addressed to Satan was stabbed to a wall with a knife.

Many of the men — including some who frequented Déjà vu as customers — were moved emotionally by the main purpose of the ceremony, which was to dedicate the building to its new purpose, not look back at what it used to be. Altmeyer was disappointed with the stage smashing language and how the event was portrayed in the media, reminding those in attendance and afterwards that it was not meant to attack and accuse people who worked or frequented Déjà vu as evil, but rather to dedicate the building to God. After the ceremony, Altmeyer and other organizers met with the former Déjà vu employees, who presented them with sequined crosses to be given to victims of human trafficking. One thing Altmeyer said stood out from that

From Altmeyer’s perspective, whether it’s nude dancing or selling women for money or drugs, it’s men who are responsible.

“The reality is, this whole industry is based on men making money off women taking their clothes off,” he said. “It falls back on guys. Men are the ones who frequent these and other types of establishments, which opens the door for possible exploitation and trafficking.”

A growing industry preying on the lonely According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), human trafficking is the “fastest growing and second largest criminal industry in the world,” with 27.6 million listed as being in “modern slavery” in 2022.

In the United States, the National Human Trafficking Hotline Data Report for 2021 received 51,073 “substantive phone calls, text, Webchats, emails or online tip reports nationwide” referencing cases or issue of human

trafficking. Washington ranked 10th among the U.S. states and territories for number of reports with 955, with California first at 5,257, followed by Texas (3,534), Florida (2,984), New York (1,662) and Michigan (1,186).

Of the 10,360 trafficking situations reported in the U.S., 72% (7,499) were sex related. While 51% did not specify a venue, pornography led the list of specified venues at 11% of reports, followed at 8% each by illicit massage/ spa businesses and hotel/motel-based, with 7% residence-based commercial sex.

Far down the list at 1% was hostess/ strip club based, with 47 reports.

Of the number of identified sex trafficking situations, 62% were adults and 84% were female.

Trafficking is “currency “ for Valley gangs Spokane Valley Police Chief David Ellis said there are a couple of ways human trafficking is occurring in the city. One is through illicit massage/ spa parlors, and the department was given some beefed up tools to deal with these in May, 2023 when the City Council approved incorporating state regulations for massage therapists into the city’s codes along with measures giving police greater latitude to enter suspected businesses to check for compliance.

The biggest area for human trafficking however is street gangs, Ellis said. More and more, gangs are incorporating trafficking into their financial repertoire, finding it easier and more lucrative than selling drugs.

“It’s harder to prove a prostitution case, in human trafficking terms,” Ellis said.

“This will allow us to finally have a home,” Altmeyer said.

Dedicating to love, not hate

Both gangs and the illicit massage parlors prey on lonely women, girls, who lack structure in their lives and yearn for companionship. While the parlors tend towards trafficking Asian women, Ellis said gangs are turning mostly to local women for their revenue.

While needing remodeling before it can be used for its new purpose — Altmeyer said the interior will likely be gutted — the former strip club got off to a somewhat rough start with its new purpose.

Altmeyer told the SpokesmanReview the men of Bear Paw Bible Camp contacted them about holding a prayer service at the former club.

The ceremony took place Saturday evening, Feb. 3, with several hundred men attending — at one point bringing in and erecting a wooden cross behind the stage.

Some materials promoting the event characterized it as a “men’s revival and stage smashing,” and several former Déjà vu employees showed up to protest the event; taking issue with what they felt was a portrayal of

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“That is their currency that they’re making money off of,” he added.

It’s a story human trafficking survivor Nicole tells in a video on the Helping Captives website. After a failed adoption attempt, Nicole was in and out of foster care homes 17 times until she was first trafficked at age 16, something she didn’t understand at the time.

Photo by John McCallum During the Feb. 3 ceremony dedicating Déjà vu to God, this eviction notice addressed to Satan was affixed to a wall in the main stage area.

“I thought this is just what the drug world is,” she says in the video. “I didn’t think it was human trafficking, I just thought it was, like, survival.”

Nicole said she lost track of time

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in that world, a world filled with daily chaos “whether it was someone overdosing or fighting or girls trying to run, always something going on.” When she was rescued after law enforcement apprehended her traffickers, she had been in that world for almost 14 years — nearly twice the average survival rate for trafficked women.

Personal stories lead to action It was another story that got Caleb Altmeyer and his family started in helping victims of human trafficking. In 2014, a pastor friend of Caleb’s father, Randy Altmeyer, brought a close family friend to talk to him — and she related a story about how she had been trafficked since age 6.

The story moved Randy, who was the Union Gospel Mission’s (UGM) Men’s Shelter Director, and he told it to the rest of the family.

The next day, Caleb was at a staff meeting at his place of work at a downtown Spokane youth ministry program. They opened the meeting with communal prayer, and Caleb told the story of the trafficked family friend and asked them to pray for her.

After the meeting, a coworker approached Caleb and told him she had been trafficked from a young age by someone who worked in the state prison system. Altmeyer said she broke down in tears relating her story, profoundly moving him so much that he realized the need to act.

After much prayer, introspection and discussion, the Altmeyer’s started HRC Ministries — HRC referring to Harry Altmeyer, Caleb’s grandfather and long-time executive director at UGM, Randy and Caleb. They opened a safe house and counseling services for women escaping human trafficking, offering long-term care for victims from other cities.

It didn’t take long before they knew there was a big need for their services.

“We thought we would help maybe 2 – 3 women,” Caleb Altmeyer said.

“We had 21 women come through the safe house in the first nine months.”

Helping Captives’ healing mission According to its mission statement, Helping Captives provides “residential, trauma-informed, therapeutic stabilization services to adult female victims of human trafficking by offering medical, spiritual, mental and emotional care as well as 24-hour housing and food.” The organization reaches out to the larger community by offering “education and resources to individuals, families, churches, schools, first responders, businesses, bikers and

COVER STORY

MARCH 2024 • 11

anyone potentially coming into contact with survivors.”

Helping Captives services include addiction treatment, case management through on staff support specialists able to obtain any needed services, civil legal assistance through another nonprofit agency and education/job training that includes facilitating and supporting employment. Long-term housing, 18 – 24 months, is available for those actively participating in the program along with transitional, low supervision housing for those who have successfully completed one year of the program.

Transportation is provided if needed to appointments, shopping and other needs. The nonprofit offers weekly gym access, a co-dependency class and monthly fun activities and supportive counseling.

According to its annual Ministry Report, in 2023 Helping Captives provided services for 43 trafficking survivors, 534 nights of shelter, 10,375 meals and 13,633 total hours of care.

Many of the women came to the Spokane area from other cities through one of three national networks Helping Captives works with: Rescue America, Institute for Shelter Care and National Trafficking Shelter Alliance.

Healing the soul approach While Helping Captives welcomes all women regardless of age, race, color, creed or religion, the latter is a big factor in their treatment approach. Altmeyer said no one is required to attend chapel at Helping Captives, but many women seek out the organization because of its emphasis on a Christ-centered personal reliance.

Trafficking survivor Nicole said Helping Captives visited her every day in her hotel room prior to getting into their program. She said she was not ready to get a job, or even be completely sober, but she knew she wanted something different.

Helping Captives provided that difference.

“I think in the past, I just focused on sobriety and I think that’s why it didn’t work in the past,” Nicole said.

“And now, I focus on Jesus as my center piece.”

It’s this center piece Altmeyer firmly believes is the reason behind their success. So much so that when asked by the city of Spokane Valley to apply for a $1 million in Coronavirus Local Fiscal Recovery Fund grant to provide behavioral health programming, he turned it down.

Part of the contract to receive the

Photo by John McCallum Caleb Altmeyer stands next to the wooden cross erected during the Feb. 3 dedication ceremony. funds required the recipient to “use the Captives is looking at increasing their grant funds for secular purposes only.” current program from two full time and “How am I supposed to know what eight part time staff to six full time and is secular?” Altmeyer said, adding nine part time staff by the end of 2024. he has nothing against the city for its “This will allow us to double the approach. “We just want to work with number of women we can help,” the community as best we know how.” Altmeyer said.

Déjà vu key to a call for local focus, According to the 2023 report, expansion Helping Captives had just over $1.169 That work is becoming more local million in income — mostly from for Helping Captives. This past year, individuals, businesses and church Altmeyer said women began showing donations — against $934,779 in up at their current location on Sprague expenses. To meet the challenges of and at their thrift store high on fentanyl the new mission, Altmeyer said they and other drugs, wanting to escape that are embarking on a $1.5 million capital campaign to address Déjà vu, and a lifestyle. $1.5 million annual income campaign Altmeyer said they realized they to address staffing. were not set up for that mission, Standing on the faded orange and and decided to make a transition to red carpet in the dimly lit former strip providing emergency stabilization care, club, Altmeyer acknowledged the a 90-day program versus the longer 9 – campaigns are a big lift. But for an area 18 month long-term program. known for creating Father’s Day, a time “The idea is to get someone off to acknowledge the positive roles men drugs, stabilize their life so they can can play in their communities, it’s a get into effective long-term care,” needed and essential lift.

Altmeyer said. “There are only 10 “Our message is that our kids and organizations in the U.S. that provide our women are not for sale, that’s emergency stabilization care, so there’s why hundreds of men gathered here,” a huge need. That’s why this (Déjà vu Altmeyer said. “The reality is God really purchase) is such a big deal.” loves our city. There is still hope.”

To handle the load, Helping

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MARCH 2024 • 13

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S P O K A NE CO U NT Y LIB R A RY D I S TRI C T

East Valley High School's Annual

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5 mile Road Race: Second seed Bloomsday qualifier 3 mile Run: Places only TIME: 10:00 a.m.

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Make a Leprechaun Trap Catch the luck of the Irish! Build your trap for a leprechaun using library supplies.

For kids in grades 2–5 & their families SPOKANE VALLEY LIBRARY 22 N Herald Rd Wednesday, March 13, 4–5pm www.scld.org

14

• MARCH 2024

The Crest

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About and for Spokane Valley area seniors

there are some assumptions being City Manage Erik Lamb said.

Spokane Valley council gets made,” Finance Director Chelsea “This is a short-term plan,” Taylor said.

Councilwoman Laura Padden law enforcement increase The funding does not account added. “It will give us the buffer capability of handling increasing for increases in expenses for street to determine how we go forward price tag calls for service and other needs. maintenance. It also “only works” from here.”

By John McCallum

Current correspondent

Recognizing time is of the essence when it comes to Spokane Valley Police Department staffing issues, the City Council unanimously approved a funding mechanism at its Feb. 27 meeting that would allow existing city revenues to begin paying for the hiring of at least 10 dedicated officers.

The $2.125 million allocated, along with $624,000 in one-time costs for equipment and other needs, would pay for these officers, a lieutenant position hired in the Office of Professional Standards in 2023 and shared with the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office and a civilian contract analyst. The lieutenant position was recommended by Matrix in its police staffing report given to the council in November, 2023, while the analyst position was department recommended to help “collect, track and analyze the services being provided the City through the implementation process.”

The funding mechanism relies heavily on the newly-created Transportation Benefit District’s licensing fee and the streetwear fees received under the solid waste collection contract. Approved by council in December, 2023, the TBD tab fees are estimated to bring in $2.8 million in 2025 while the streetwear fee is estimated at $1.7 million.

City staff told council repurposing these revenue streams for street maintenance rather than street improvements would free up recurring General Fund money that could be redirected to law enforcement, at least the first batch of 30 new officers proposed in the Matrix report to bring the Police Department staffing levels up to

City and department staff estimate full staffing will cost approximately $6.2 million annually.

The one-time funding for equipment would be paid for using $1 million of the city’s portion of the federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding. All of the funding would be applied to the 2025 budget since Spokane Valley Police Chief David Ellis and other law enforcement officials told council it will take up to one-year for new hires to complete training and enter the field and 3 – 4 months for lateral hires to do the same.

The funding mechanism comes with a number of caveats. It is highly reliant on car tab fees, which if discontinued would require another source of law enforcement funding to be found. Also, it would not adjust with inflation since yearly tabs are set at a static $20.

The funding is also based on a flat sales tax reflecting an overall increase in 2023. Sales tax declined in the last two months of 2023, however, and if declining further in 2024 will require a revision to the funding analysis.

“We’re looking at 2025 numbers and we have barely started 2024, so

if all other city departments limit their annual expenses increase to 3%, including staffing costs.

Annual budgeting incorporates a 4% average increase for salaries and a 5 – 10% increase for benefits.

“That will likely mean cuts in other services to make this float,” Taylor said.

Councilman Al Merkel questioned staff about the possibility of canceling some upcoming street projects — specifically the Sprague Avenue Stormwater project — in order to free up more General Fund money for law enforcement. City Manager John Hohman said doing so wouldn’t result in new recurring funding, as the funds were already dedicated to those projects.

“They have to be spent on stormwater-related projects,” he added.

Merkel said he appreciated this, but insisted there are existing street funds that could be utilized along with grants that could be moved to fund the street projects.

“This (law enforcement funding option) aligns recurring revenues with recurring expenses,” Deputy

Padden, Councilman Ben Wick and Deputy Mayor Tim Hattenburg all serve on the newlycreated Public Safety Committee, which worked with staff on the funding and recommended its passage.

Merkel also said he believed the process for funding law enforcement could be sped up. He noted citizens have been calling for action since the city received the Matrix report in October and it was presented to council in November, while he and Wick had been advocating at meetings in January for funding to get the initial round of officers hired.

Mayor Pam Haley reiterated that the main source of funding, the TBD car tabs, wasn’t passed until December — a mechanism opposed by Padden at the time and Merkel when he came on council in January.

“Until that was done (car tabs), the money wasn’t even available,” Haley said. “I believe that was the $20 fee council member Merkel would like to see go away.”

Merkel was undaunted in his stance on projects.

“I believe canceling those would pay for this and we wouldn’t need the car tab funds,” he said, adding he intends to continue to ask for stalling or canceling some projects to free up more General Fund revenue.

The approved funding mechanism allows the Police Department to begin advertising for 10 new officers. Five of those would be new hires, with a $10,000 signing bonus, and the other five would be lateral entry, with a $25,000 signing bonus.

Bonus would be paid half up front and the balance over the next 24 months.

MARCH 2024 • 15

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• MARCH 2024

The Current

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Phillips creates positive culture at U-Hi hoops helm

By Craig Howard

Current contributing editor

Accepting a coaching offer across the Cascades appeared remote at best for Garrick Phillips as winter turned to spring in 2006.

In fact, the prospect of the young coach donning hiking gear and scaling the mountain range that separates Western and Eastern Washington seemed more likely than leaving a program that had just completed a season for the record books. Phillips led Mt. Si High School in Snoqualmie to a 23-7 record in the 200506 campaign, capturing KingCo League regular season and district titles along the way before advancing to the state 3A semi-finals.

Phillips, then 36, had become a fixture at Mt. Si in 13 seasons as boys’ basketball head coach. In 1993, he took over a program on a 28-game losing streak after he had played four years of varsity basketball at the University of Puget Sound and served one season as a UPS graduate assistant coach.

Phillips began to gradually rebuild the program’s infrastructure, winning

three games his first season and five games the following year. By the end of Phillips’ third campaign, the Wildcats stood at 14-10 and finished a game away from qualifying for state. Meanwhile, the Snoqualmie area had been transformed into a high school basketball town.

“At Mt. Si, I really felt embraced by the community,” Phillips said.

By the time March 2006 rolled around, Phillips learned that the head coaching job at University High School had opened up. Phillips had roots in the Spokane area, growing up in the Mead School District before transferring to Northwest Christian where he was as standout in basketball and baseball.

Above all, the ties to the area had to do with family, more specifically his dad who had coached Phillips growing up and was now experiencing health concerns.

During spring break, Phillips came to Spokane and talked with U-Hi Principal Daryl Hart and Athletic Director Ken Van Sickle.

“Two weeks later, I came back and they offered me the job,” Phillips said.

Contributed photo Garrick Phillips was hired as the University High School boys’ basketball head coach before the 2006-07 season and is the longest tenured basketball coach in the Greater Spokane League. Phillips was an all-league basketball and baseball player at Northwest Christian School before joining the University of Puget Sound basketball squad and playing four years for the Loggers.

Van Sickle understood it would be difficult for Phillips to leave after cultivating Mt. Si into one of the state’s most respected basketball programs.

“I knew he enjoyed it over there and had a lot of success, but I also knew Garrick and his family were looking for an opportunity to get back to what he considered home,” Van Sickle said.

Van Sickle called the decision to bring on Phillips one of the best hires he made in his long tenure at U-Hi. “Garrick is a coach who is intense and loves to win but he also has a good balance,” Van Sickle said. “His players know he cares about them. Everyone, from the 12th kid on the freshman team to the varsity starter, feels like they are an important part of U-Hi basketball.”

Phillips finished 7-13 in his first campaign with the Titans but improved to 11 wins the following season. He recalls the initial reception from fellow Greater Spokane League coaches as anything but warm and fuzzy and learned quickly that the crosstown rivalry with Central Valley and their longtime coach Rick Sloan was serious business. The two later became good friends.

Jamie Nilles was head coach at West Valley when Phillips made his debut in the GSL. Phillps and Mt. Si edged Nilles and the Eagles by two points in the first round of state in 2006. Nilles remembers his counterpart on the bench becoming “one of the better coaches in the GSL.” “Garrick always has his teams wellprepared,” Nilles said. “He’s one of the good guys in our league. I have a lot of respect for him as a coach and person.”

The 2011-12 season was a landmark one for Phillips and the Titans. The squad was led by dynamic junior wingman Brett Bailey, headed for the University of San Diego and key role players like center Joe Dahl, known more as an offensive lineman who would go on to play for Washington State and the Detroit Lions.

The Titans gave prep powerhouse Rainier Beach all they could handle in the 3A state semifinals at the Tacoma Dome before the Vikings prevailed in the final quarter on their way to the state title. U-Hi would place third, the highest finish in school history.

In 18 seasons at U-Hi, Phillips has compiled a record of 215-189. He has won 354 games in his career against 352 losses.

While Phillips describes himself as “an average athlete and overly competitive” as well as “the world’s greatest rat ball player,” he says his top priority as a

coach is to help players develop into high-character, accountable individuals beyond the court.

“Wins and losses are important to me but they are second to the influence I have on kids and what they’re going to be later in life,” he said.

Van Sickle said Phillips puts an emphasis on team and “teaching kids the right things.” The coach keeps pictures of each of his squads in his classroom and can rattle off specifics of each roster, player and season, Van Sickle said. Meanwhile, high standards in the classroom are expected.

“The lowest grade on this season’s varsity was a B,” Phillips said of a squad that finished 12-11 and qualified for the post-season. “It’s the highest character team I’ve ever coached.”

Tanner Christensen was an All-GSL first team post player his senior year at U-Hi and went on to play two years at the University of Idaho after graduating as a Titan in 2018. He is now a starter for Utah Tech of the Western Athletic Conference and averages 11 points and seven rebounds a game for the Trailblazers.

Christensen said Phillips “made it clear to everyone on the team what our goals were.”

“He put me in situations where I could succeed and grow and prove what I can do,” Christensen said. “I had a really good experience in my three years on varsity there.”

Phillips is quick to give credit to his wife Kristina, a former college basketball player, for layers of support and encouragement over his 31 years of coaching.

“She totally understands the kind of commitment it takes,” Phillips says.

The couple’s two sons – Logan and Carson – attended U-Hi and played for their dad. Logan was just entering Kindergarten when the move from Snoqualmie to Spokane Valley took place.

A man of faith, Phillips grew up Christian and says his belief system and “wanting to be a positive influence” are what inspired him to pursue a career as a coach and teacher.

“We’re teaching kids life lessons through competitiveness and to focus on being a good teammate and having the respect of your teachers and classmates,” Phillips said. “A team is not going to achieve their maximum potential unless they have trust in each other.”

MARCH 2024 • 17

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West Valley junior Macy Osborn is making an impact on and off the court.

She scored nine points and collected 10 rebounds in a first-round state playoff win over Port Angeles Feb. 24. She tallied 16 points and had 15 rebounds in a victory against Shadle Park. She was All Greater Spokane League honorable mention for an Eagles’ squad that finished second in the 2A standings.

Osborn is a three-year letter-winner in volleyball and was named to the All GSL second team as a junior and honorable mention as a sophomore.

In track, she has lettered two years and competed in the triple jump, long jump, shotput, high jump and relays.

Osborn maintains a 4.0 grade point average and serves as ASB treasurer and National Honor Society historian.

She contributes to community service projects such as youth mentoring with Millwood Impact.

Appearances at the state wrestling tournament have become a tradition for Logan Utecht. The West Valley senior made his third trip to the Mat Classic in Tacoma last month, earning second place at 138 pounds.

He finished third as a sophomore at 126 pounds and runner-up as a junior at 132. Utecht has earned All Greater Spokane League first team honors all four years as an Eagle. He was named 2A Wrestler of the Year this season.

He was part of a WV squad the won the GSL 2A title and compiled an undefeated regular season mark.

For the year, Utecht was 33-3 and took home district and regional championships. He is a four-time district champ and has won regionals three times. “I’m always looking to get better,” he said. In the classroom, he maintains a 3.4 grade point average.

Steve Hauschild’s 44-year career in banking can be traced back to his family’s farm and lessons in the value of work.

The West Valley High grad grew up in the Pleasant Bigelow-Gulch area, feeding chickens, milking cows and clearing crop fields of rocks. He went on to earn a degree in business and accounting from Gonzaga University and an MBA from Washington State. After working for banks like Washington Mutual, Sterling and Umpqua, Hauschild was named market leader for BECU in 2016 and has been a catalyst in the credit union’s growing footprint across the Inland Northwest. Hauschild has been a volunteer with American Legion Baseball and attends Southside Christian Church where he also volunteers. Steve and his wife April reside in Spokane Valley and have been married since 1982. They are parents of three grown sons and have one grandchild.

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MARCH 2024 • 19

February ballot recap

How schools fared with their levy and bond asks

By Nina Culver

Current contributor

The recent special election results were mixed for many local school districts. For the first time in decades, some levies failed while others narrowly passed. School bonds, typically used for construction projects, also failed.

The results have left superintendents and school boards looking for answers as they consider the future of school funding.

The state does not fully fund some aspects of education. As an example, most districts rely on a Educational Programs and Operations (EP&O) levy to cover elective classes, all school sports, band, clubs, advanced placement classes – anything above the bare minimum.

Many districts also use levy money to pay for some teachers in order to reduce class sizes as well as non-teachers such as counselors, psychologists and school resource officers. It’s not unusual for many local districts to rely on levies to cover around 15 percent of their annual budget.

Levies require a simple majority to pass while bonds require a supermajority of 60 percent to pass. Levies expire and have to be reauthorized by voters every few years while bonds are typically onetime money requests that are paid off over time.

The West Valley School District had both an EP&O levy and a bond on the ballot last month, the first bond attempt in 20 years. The levy passed with 55% approval, but the bond failed with only a 51% yes vote. Superintendent Kyle Rydell said the district will be asking for feedback from voters about the bond by hosting a community meeting in March.

“The big thing is just feedback from our community,” he said. “Our voters told us how they feel about the bond.”

Rydell said the numbers showed that some people who voted for the levy also voted against the bond. He said he’s not sure if people didn’t like the projects included in the bond or if rising costs just make it a bad time to ask for more money.

The bond would have paid to build a new Centennial Middle School, a new City School and a new Spokane Valley High School. All three programs

are housed in aging buildings, some of which were never designed to be schools. The other major component of the bond was to have been to build classrooms for kindergarten students at each elementary school.

Rydell said that even though the bond failed, the district has to move forward with the kindergarten project.

The district currently has a kindergarten center, but needs that space to house the district’s preschool program. The lease on the building the district is using for the preschool program will end in 2025 and the district has already been notified that the lease will not be renewed.

“That has to happen,” Rydell said.

“We have to be out of that building by July 2025. That’s a costly project.”

The district will have to explore other funding options for that project, including taking out a loan, Rydell said.

“If it means we’re going to have to take out a loan we’re going to have to do that, unfortunately.”

The school board will decide if it wants to try putting the bond back on the ballot, Rydell said. “Twenty years ago, it took two times to pass that bond,” he said. “We want to get feedback from our community before we decide whether or not to rerun it.”

The East Valley School District had an EP&O levy on the ballot, which passed with 53% approval. Similarly, the Central Valley School District had two levies approved, an EP&O levy with 53% yes votes and a capital improvements levy with 52% yes votes.

“We’re thrilled that both of them passed,” said Central Valley Superintendent John Parker.

Still, the district plans to reach out

to voters to try to find out why many people voted against the levies and what their concerns are. He noted that several local school bonds, including one for Spokane Public Schools, failed to pass.

“That has caught the attention of a lot of superintendents and school boards,” he said.

Superintendents are wondering if it’s just not possible to get bonds passed anymore, Parker said, and they have to determine what districts will do differently if this is the new normal.

“We’re tossing around a lot of ideas,” he said.

In Freeman, the election results are even more perplexing. The renewal of the district’s EP&O levy passed with 54 percent approval, but the replacement capital levy failed with a 51 percent no vote.

“We really want to thank our voters for passing the EP&O levy,” said Superintendent Randy Russell. “That’s people, that’s programs, that’s direct support for kids.”

Russell said he has received some feedback from voters. “I think there was confusion about some things in the capital projects levy,” he said. “I think we need to do a better job of explaining things.”

The capital projects levy is key to maintaining the district’s schools, which the state does not provide funding for, Russell said. He said he knows it’s a hard time for people in his district, but the funding is crucial.

“I respect the fact that things have gotten a lot more expensive for people, which is why we tried to keep the amount of the capital project levy the same,” he said.

Since the second levy failed by only 50 votes, the school board has already voted to put the levy back on the ballot in April, Russell said.

One thing that was different about this election was organized opposition to the school funding requests. The Spokane County Republican Party actively campaigned against them, particularly the levies in Central Valley, Spokane Public Schools and the Mead School District. The Republicans stated that their recommendation was based on “data and performance trends.”

“Year over year school budgets are increasing while performance is decreasing and it (sic) very clear, more money isn’t having a positive impact on school performance,” they wrote on their website.

Rydell said his district has assessment data that is collected more frequently than the statewide annual assessments and he welcomes the Republican party to look at it. The district’s graduation rates and class pass rates are also increasing, he said.

“I would say that’s unfortunate,” he said. “That’s not a strong, community building message. Anytime anybody is out against schools, it doesn’t feel good.”

Parker said it’s hard to say if the Republican party’s message was effective in swaying voters. “It definitely could influence voters,” he said.

He said he’s not sure why the Republicans think taking money away from schools will make them better and said assessments have been improving since they dipped during the COVID-19 pandemic. “I would be interested to know more from the GOP about what they’re seeing,” he said. “We’ve seen some great increases post COVID.”

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