2024 November Current

RIVER CROSSING

Good Neighbor

Tom –

Former SV Mayor gravitates to service

By Craig Howard

Current Contributing Editor

Professional prestige has never meant that much to Tom Towey. Titles worn by the soft-spoken Navy veteran in various settings – from government leadership to the military to the business world – have been worn humbly, like a man donning a stocking cap in the winter out of necessity.

When he served as mayor of Spokane Valley for four straight years beginning in 2010, it was Towey’s low-key, unpretentious approach that endeared him to colleagues and residents alike.

“It was a privilege to serve with Tom,” said Dean Grafos, who was part of the Spokane Valley City Council during Towey’s tenure. “He was always great to work with. We discussed a lot of issues and got a lot done. Tom is a good, honest guy, respectful and community-minded.”

Those who don’t know Towey from his service in municipal government – he also served for a year with the Spokane Valley Planning Commission before being elected to council – remember him as the cheerful manager of one of several Rosauers stores, including University City in the Valley. He called the local grocery chain his professional home for 32 years.

Towey’s penchant for service stretched into causes like Sheriffs Community Oriented Policing Effort (SCOPE) where he began volunteering in 1996 and currently serves on the board of directors. Last month, SCOPE presented Towey with a Lifetime

Achievement Award.

Towey and his wife Karen have also donated time with the nonprofit Newby-ginnings, a resource/supply center in Post Falls serving veterans. In his spare time, Towey creates unique angel likenesses out of dish towels that he hands out at hospitals and retirement centers.

Born in St. Minnesota, Towey was the middle child of seven. His dad served in the Navy and moved his family to the Inland Northwest when Tom was only nine months old. He grew up in the Trentwood area of Spokane Valley, playing with other kids in the foothills just north of his neighborhood.

“Trentwood was a great place to grow up,” Towey said. “I had a lot of friends.”

Towey graduated from West Valley High School in 1960 and soon after enlisted in the Navy. Despite his dad’s history in that branch of the military, it was the prospect of “seeing the world” that appealed to the new recruit.

“I wanted to travel,” he said. “I was interested in different countries.”

Towey reported to Port Hueneme Naval Base in Oxnard, California, learning the basics of a PT squadron boat, a small, fast watercraft used widely by the U.S. during World War II. After just over two years at Port

for a pair of consecutive twoyear terms beginning in 2010. He was previously a member of the city’s Planning Commission. The Navy veteran called Rosauers his professional home for 32 years, managing various store sites including University City. Towey currently serves of the board of directors for Sheriff’s Community Oriented Policing Effort (SCOPE).

Hueneme, Towey got his wish to see more of the world. He was transferred to Subic Bay in the Philippines. There was only one problem.

“We didn’t go on a ship,” Towey recalls. “They flew us there.”

At Subic Bay, Towey was assigned to the Naval station hobby shop, a vast operation that included instruction in crafts like woodworking and weaving. He worked with a native to the area named Phillip who managed the store that included over 100 employees.

“He taught me a lot about running a business,” Towey said.

Towey served four years of active duty in the Navy and two years in the reserves, taking with him a new level of focus and accountability that would benefit him the rest of his life.

“The Navy taught me a lot of discipline,” he said. “It was what I needed.”

When Towey returned to Spokane Valley, he didn’t have concrete plans for his next career stop. He had a friend who worked in the produce department at Rosauers and recommended that Tom apply. He did, launching a career in the grocery business that would last over three decades.

“I started stocking shelves at night,” Towey recalls. “Before long, I got interested in management.”

Towey worked his way up the ladder at Rosauers, becoming an assistant manager. When the company opened a store in Sunnyside near Yakima, Towey was asked if he would take the reins as manager.

“I stayed there and got it going,” he said. “We hired an

See TOWEY, Page 4

Photo by Craig Howard

Tom Towey served as mayor of Spokane Valley

TOWEY

Continued from page 2

entirely new crew and trained them.”

Towey returned to the familiar surroundings after one year and took on a new role as manager of Rosauers’ store on Trent. He later transitioned to the University City store and, along the way, took classes in business management at Spokane Falls Community College.

“(Rosauers founder) Mert Rosauer was big on education,” Towey said. “He paid for managers to take classes.”

Towey was well-aware of various efforts to incorporate Spokane Valley while he was living and working in the community. He supported the idea of the Valley becoming its own city and recalls the turning point coming in the early 2000’s when the city of Spokane set the wheels in motion to annex the

Spokane

Yardley area of the Valley along with its substantial sales tax base.

“I think that’s when it turned and the residents of the Valley realized it was time to form our own government,” Towey said.

Towey voted for incorporation when it appeared on the ballot in May 2002. The narrow passage instantly meant Spokane Valley would become Washington’s ninth largest city with a population of just over 80,000.

Towey gives Spokane Valley’s inaugural City Council credit for “doing a great job of setting up the policies and parameters of the city.”

“Just the fact they made it a contract city for major services like police and library really saved the city during the recession that came a few years later,” Towey said.

Before he decided to throw his hat into the ring for a City Council position, Towey felt he needed to be more informed about how the

city worked.

“I served on the Planning Commission for a year before I ran (for council),” he said. “I didn’t know much about the structure of city politics. I figured I had to learn as much as I could.”

Towey was part of the “Positive Change” campaign in 2009 that signaled a significant transition at City Hall. He was one of five candidates who won their respective races on a platform that opposed the Sprague Appleway Revitalization Plan and had a different vision for zoning. Towey won his seat on an unopposed ballot and shortly after was appointed as mayor by his council colleagues.

“They voted me to me mayor – I was shocked,” Towey remembers. “I think the council we had did a great job. We really rolled up our sleeves and went to work. The staff we had was great. They backed us 110 percent. I can’t say enough about them.”

After four years, Towey was ready for another chapter.

“I’m glad I got out of politics when I did,” he said. “It’s a totally different atmosphere now.”

While Towey’s days of running for office may have been over, he continued as runner in a different venue with 50 marathons to his credit. It started in 1989 with the Coeur d’Alene Marathon and ended up with a resume that included races in New York, Portland, Hawaii, Lake Tahoe, Missoula and other cities. One of his grandchildren, Allison, participated in several marathons with her grandpa, including his last one in Dublin, Ireland.

“I used to say, ‘The 26 miles of a marathon is the easy part,” Towey said. “The 0.2 is what I have to worry about,”

Towey, 81, celebrated his 59th wedding anniversary with Karen last month. They met when he was managing the Rosauers on Trent and, each Sunday,

attend the community church in Fairfield, Karen’s hometown. The couple is proud parents of two grown kids, Melissa and Bill, and have three grandchildren and two great grandchildren.

Q: What lessons did you learn during your service in the Navy service that have benefited you the rest of your life?

A: First of all, the military was a great learning experience for me. It taught me discipline and was the beginning of my leadership training.

Q: It seems that Rosauers was the perfect career fit for you after the military. What did you enjoy most about working there for 32 years?

A: I would have to say the customers They were great. I had the best staff and crew you could ask for. They helped me out a great deal. I had the best career ever.

Q: What memories do you have from around Thanksgiving time when you worked in the grocery business?

A: Going in when we were closed to check out the refrigeration and helping the customers with their plans for celebrating.

Q: You are quick to give credit to Merton Rosauer and other mentors that helped you at different stages in your life but you were also in leadership roles yourself whether it was manager at Rosauers, president of SCOPE chapters or mayor of Spokane Valley. Have you thought about the positive influence you had on others during the course of your life?

A: I have had tremendous help from mentors throughout my life and was fortunate to pass it on to the people around me

Q: What made you decide to throw your hat into the government ring before your campaign for Spokane Valley City Council?

A: I had people wanting me to run for the City Council but I

didn’t know anything about the Valley government so I decided to go on the Planning Commission of the Valley so I would have an advantage of knowledge before I went on the council.

Q: Once you took office, were there any surprises you ran into as an elected official helping to guide a city?

A: The only surprise I had when I first started was the lack of concern other mayors and council members had towards their community. Their main concern was their overall image they had in their community. They would argue over who would get the credit for the resolution of a problem.

Q: Speaking of running, what motivated you to start running marathons at a relatively late age?

A: I was tired of being a couch potato and gaining weight and a friend of mine talked me into running a half marathon. From then on, I was hooked. I did several half-marathons and did my first whole marathon in Coeur d’Alene. I have done 50 marathons all over the U.S. and in Dublin, Ireland and enjoyed every one.

Q: SCOPE has made such an impact on the community since it was established. You have been a volunteer for almost 30 years. What keeps you donating time to this cause?

A: SCOPE is a nonprofit with a contract with Spokane County and the Sheriff for services that we supply. I am on the board of directors. We help the Sheriff out in many areas and save them lots of money and resources every year in the programs we provide.

Q: Finally, as someone who has spent most of your life in Spokane Valley, what are you most proud of about this community?

A: The people in our community have a positive attitude toward others and work together for a better place to live and raise our children.

Christmas Events at

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.

2024 September Theft Hotspots

SAFETY TIP OF THE MONTH

We will NOT Call & Demand Money for Warrants/Fines - EVER

Corporal Mark Gregory

Spokane County Sheriff’s Office/Spokane Valley Police Department

The Spokane County Sheriff’s Office continues to receive reports of scammers trying to fraudulently steal potential victims’ money or private personal information, which can be used to commit identity theft or fraud. PLEASE share this information with everyone you know and care about.

It may seem obvious to some, but we continue to receive reports of people being victimized by these predatory SCAMMERS.

Law Enforcement, Courts, or any other government agency will never call and demand payment using prepaid credit cards, cryptocurrency, or other payment options while threatening arrest.

Scammers will, so don’t be fooled.

Recently, we have received several reports of scammers impersonating Spokane County Sheriff’s Office employees. If you receive a call from someone claiming to be a Spokane County Sheriff’s Office employee while demanding payment for any reason, hang up and call Crime Check at 509-456-2233 to report it.

We have also been informed of similar scam calls involving other local, state, and federal agencies. Again, these are all SCAMS!

Example #1: On October 9, 2024, a victim reported that a male, who identified himself as Lieutenant Davis, called her.

The scammer told the victim that a warrant had been issued for failure to appear for jury duty and contempt of court. The victim spoke with three different males during the scam. She also said the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office Front Desk number appeared on her caller ID.

NOTE: Criminals can easily spoof Caller IDs! Do not trust your caller ID!

The scammer instructed the victim (50s) to stay on the phone while going to withdraw money and then deposit it into a BitCoin ATM.

NOTE: This is another sign of a scam. If you have a fine or owe any government/court/other agency money, we/they will NEVER keep you on the phone, and we will NEVER use BitCoin or some other irregular payment method. This will NEVER happen. It is a SCAM!

In this instance, the victim lost over $6,000 before realizing it was a SCAM.

Example #2: On October 17, 2024, a victim (20s) reported being contacted by a male who identified himself as Sheriff Wolf with the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office. The impersonator told the victim that she had missed jury duty, now owed bonds, and had an active warrant for her arrest. The criminal scammer continued, telling the victim she would be arrested if she did not pay $1,000. He told her to go to a local store and pay using a prepaid credit card or wire transfer.

NOTE: This is another sign of a scam. We will NEVER tell you to go to a local store to pay the fine, especially with a prepaid credit card or wire transfer. This will NEVER happen, and it is a RED FLAG that this is a SCAM!

In this instance, the victim lost $1,000 before realizing it was a SCAM.

To report these scam calls to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), as most originate outside of the United States, please go to the FTC’s website at https:// reportfraud.ftc.gov/#/?pid=A or call Crime Check at 509-4562233.

2024 September Burglary Hotspots

Spokane Valley council passes annual property tax levy

By John McCallum

Current contributor

Spokane Valley’s 2025 budget, construction, development and law enforcement were some action items on City Council’s agendas in October. Key among these measures was approval of the property tax levy rate for 2025 — a rate according to information from the Assessor’s Office is the lowest among any city or town in Spokane County.

Property taxes and budget

By a 5-2 vote, the council approved Ordinance 24-013 at its Oct. 22 meeting setting the property tax levy rate at 78 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value for 2025. The rate is similar to the 2024 and 2023 rates.

The rate is estimated to bring in $14.08 million in recurring revenue to the city, and includes a staffestimated $275,000 additional tax revenue from construction.

Finance Director Chelsie Taylor said property taxes make up 22% of the city’s recurring General Fund revenue.

“It’s the second largest recurring revenue source in the General Fund,” she added.

The ordinance does not include a state-allowed 1% property tax levy increase that would have brought in an additional $138,060 in revenue. Councilman Tim Hattenburg asked Taylor how much that would add to a Spokane Valley homeowner’s tax bill, based upon her example of a levy average of .8 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value and a median home price of $439,000.

“That equates to about $3.28 per year,” Taylor said.

Hattenburg said the city has passed on the 1% increase for over 20 years. If they had been using it for even 10 years, it would have led to additional recurring revenue at a time when the city is trying to

find an estimated $6 million to fund up to 30 new positions with the Police Department.

“That would be more than we’re spending on the 12 officers we’re in the process of recruiting now for our police,” Hattenburg said.

The maximum rate allowed by law is $1.60 per $1,000 of assessed property value. Currently, if the city raised the property tax levy to this amount, it would realize just over $1.24 million in additional annual revenue.

“If we were at our highest lawful levy (if we had taken the 1% allowed each year), the levy would be about $15.3 million, and it would be an additional $31.97 annually on a $439,000 home,” Taylor said in an email.

Both Hattenburg and Councilman Rod Higgins voted no on the ordinance.

In another budget item, at its Oct. 29 meeting, council approved the first reading of a proposed budget amendment that reflects increases of almost $11.27 million in revenue against $18.25 million in expenses effecting 11 separate funds. The reading was approved 5-1 — Councilwoman Jessica Yaeger was absent — with Councilman Al Merkel voting no after a contentious discussion between himself, Councilman Rob Higgins and City Manager John Hohman over the inclusion of $115,000 in increases due to contracting for outside legal service costs in the City Attorney Department.

Part of the argument centered on some of those costs going towards the investigation into allegations Merkel had violated City Council policy on using social media to conduct council business and therefore bypass requirements of the Public Records Act. According to the staff report, the costs were also “related to a significant increase in complex land use issues requiring outside expertise” and other council issues.

Crime and enforcement

In a non-action item at its Oct. 22 meeting, the council discussed proposed new state standards for public defenders being considered by the state’s Supreme Court and

how the city should respond to a request by the Court to receive public testimony through Oct. 31, 2024.

The standards are proposed by the Washington State Bar Association, and are aimed at addressing a reported shortage of public defenders by reducing the number and types of caseloads these attorneys are required to carry each year. According to a national study used by the Association, public defenders are leaving the field and citing reasons such as being overburdened by caseloads and low pay.

Deputy City Manager Erik Lamb said the current requirements were adopted in 2012, and serve as guidelines for jurisdictions in setting their own requirements. The old standards limit public defenders to taking no more than 400 cases in a 12-month period, while the new standards would reduce that to 120.

Lamb said the result would lead to hiring more public defenders along with case workers, and could result in an estimated increase to the city’s budget of between $1.7 million – $2 million to implement. The 2024 budget for public defense is currently $920,000.

Lamb and city attorney Tony Beattie said the city and other jurisdictions aren’t seeing the loss of public defenders the Bar Association cites in its reasons for the new standards. They also pointed out the decision was partly based on a national study, and a statewide study to determine actual conditions should be conducted before implementing changes.

After discussion, council agreed on the need for suggesting a statewide study and asked staff to return at the Oct. 29 meeting with more information. At that meeting, Lamb and Beattie presented additional comments from the Spokane County Clerk’s office regarding public defense, and council agreed to send the letter.

Construction

At the Oct. 15 meeting, council unanimously adopted an interlocal agreement with East Valley School District allowing the district to officially use and maintain a

pedestrian undercrossing between the high school and middle school passing under Sullivan Road. The undercrossing was constructed as part of the Bigelow Gulch Project so students would not have to try to cross a busy five-lane Sullivan Road.

At the Oct. 8 meeting, council unanimously approved 13 final change orders and close out of the Barker Road Grade Separation Project. The 13 change orders total $596,329.75, bringing the final cost to just over $14.32 million – 23.21% over the original bid price from general contractor Max J. Kuney Company.

Spokane Valley budgeted $20,540,000.00 for construction, an amount including over $17.95 million in federal and state grant funds.

Development

At the Oct. 8 meeting, council approved a request from city staff and Spokane Sports to submit a grant request for $2.5 million from the Lodging Tax Tourism Facilities Fund to enable full construction of the $7 million Flora Road cross country course. The city previously received a $4.4 million grant from the fund for beginning construction and currently underway.

The city estimates the fund will have a 2024 ending balance of approximately $2.8 million. The fund, one of two, is maintained by a 1.3% tax on hotel stays. Revenue for 2024 is estimated at $600,000.

On a 4-1 vote at its Oct. 1 meeting, council approved passage of an agreement to apply for a Washington State Department of Commerce Connection Housing to Infrastructure Program (CHIP) grant of up to $1 million for utilities installation at a 240unit affordable housing project proposed for the 9000 block of East 4th Avenue by the Spokane Housing Authority (SHA).

Under the agreement, the city is the primary applicant and sponsoring jurisdiction for the grant. SHA will utilize the funding to install utilities infrastructure to the project, which is geared for workforce/family households earning 60% of the area median income, currently $58,740 per year for a family of four.

Building a state-of-the-art cross country facility

By John McCallum Current contributor

Not long after the speeches, shovel-turning and celebrator fanfare of the Spokane Valley cross country course groundbreaking ceremony faded on a gray, rainy and breezy mid-October Wednesday, the heavy equipment began to roll on the physical work of bringing a world-class sporting facility to 62 acres of moderately wooded, slightly undulating but mostly flat land on the north bank of the Spokane River at Flora Road.

The earthmoving equipment of Copenhaver Construction began the process of grading the site, winding their way through the trees while workers with Walker Construction — the project’s general contractor — removed other trees that were deemed not in good shape or had died.

It’s all part of the process of utilizing what nature provides to create a $7 million sports facility proponents believe will attract

major sporting events to the area, and in doing so, bring tourism dollars to Spokane Valley.

SPVV Landscape Architects principal and landscape architect

Tom Sherry, hired by the city along with Walker to design and manage the project, said they created the course by taking a city conceptual master plan, standards for cross

country courses from the NCAA and US Track and Field organizations and a topographical survey of the site. But while important, the final used something much more basic in laying out the four courses: 5 kilometers, 6K, 8K and 10K.

“We ran a string line around each course configuration to ensure the start and finish lines line up correctly,” Sherry said. “It is no small feat to do that.”

Sherry, whose firm did work at Plantes Ferry County Park, Merkel Sports Complex in northwest Spokane and most recently Avista Stadium, said each course will be created so race organizers can make race-day adjustments to address their needs, such as ground conditions. In grading the course, Copenhaver isn’t leveling the field, as the design calls for using the natural terrain, but rather to get the tracts prepared to put in infrastructure and the running surface.

“There was a lot of study on the topography but really, the layout for distance (string line) was probably the biggest challenge we had,” Sherry said. See CROSS COUNTRY, Page 25

Photo by John McCallum

Local and state officials break ground Oct. 16 on the new cross country course and public park facility at Flora Road.

Graphic courtesy of city of Spokane Valley

Spokane Valley crime is mostly down, calls for service up

By John McCallum

Current contributor

While the City Council looks for ways to increase funding for more police staff, overall crime reports in Spokane Valley have fallen, according to statistics through September from the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office and compared to similar data in 2023 and 2022.

While not all areas are showing decline, many are, leading to an overall decrease in reports of 2.49 % when compared to September, 2023. The numbers are less when compared to September, 2022, down just 1.33%.

Most areas are also down when compared to the 5-year average, which uses data calculated since 2019. Some, however, such as

Graphics by Spokane County Sheriff’s Office

The chart at left shows the growth in calls for service, in thousands, for the Spokane Valley Police Department from 2008 – 2013. The chart at right shows the number of officers per 1,000 residents in Spokane Valley for the same period.

burglaries and shoplifting, are up — the latter by a significant 16%.

While the declining figures might seem good news, Spokane

Valley Police Chief Dave Ellis said they have to be taken in conjunction with another important figure used when evaluating public

safety — citizens’ calls for service. From a law enforcement perspective, being able to respond to these quickly and effectively can mean the difference between just a call for assistance, and a call that becomes a crime.

“Those have skyrocketed over the years,” Ellis said. “Between 2008 and 2023, we’ve seen a 76% increase in calls for service, which is massive.”

In 2008 there were 30,238 calls for service in Spokane Valley. In 2023, that number easily eclipsed the 50,000-mark, reaching 53,191 calls for service.

Translated into human terms, the increase means that a Spokane Valley police officer responded to 488 calls for service in 2023, compared with 297 in 2008 — a 64% increase in workload. Many of these are what the department classifies as Priority 2 and 3 calls, which include domestic violence calls, bar fights, arguments, neighborhood disputes and other incidents.

“It’s a huge chunk of what we do,” Ellis said. “Generally, they’re not your ‘in progress’ calls.”

Crimes Against People reports have decreased 2.42% so far in 2024, led by a 61% decline in rape

COVER STORY

reports from 2023, 23 compared to 59 last year. Assaults, aggravated and simple, are up by just over 3%, 660 incidents compared to 640 in 2023.

When compared to the 5-year average, Crimes Against People in Spokane Valley are down 4.6% at this point in 2024.

Crimes Against Property have fallen as well, down 5.45% when compared to September 2023 and 5.06% compared to the 5-year average. Compared with last year, robberies are down 40%, residential burglary 15%, vehicle theft 31%, malicious mischief 12% and vehicle prowls/theft from vehicles 17%.

Where increases are seen are in burglary from garages, commercial burglary, thefts, drugs/narcotics and fraud. Thefts are up 9.04% overall, led by a 36% increase in shoplifting while burglaries from garages is up 7% and commercial burglary up 1%.

Narcotic drug arrests are also up in 2024, thanks partly to a shifting stance at the state level when it comes to how these are defined.

In 2021, the state Supreme Court struck down the law that made drug possession a felony because

it did not require prosecutors to prove someone knowingly had controlled substances in their possession. The Legislature then passed laws making intentional drug possession a misdemeanor and requiring police to refer offenders for treatment after their first two offenses.

The Legislature made these temporary until a better solution was found. In 2023, new laws were adopted keeping possession of controlled substances illegal while boosting resources for individuals struggling with addiction.

In Spokane Valley, the shifts dropped drug arrests from 507 in 2020 to 90 in 2021 and 62 in 2022. In 2023 there were 27 through July, but after the new laws went into effect July 6, that rose to 187, closing the year at 210.

So far in 2024, there have been 230 drug/narcotic possession incidents, an increase of 55.6% since 2023.

“Now that it’s enforceable (possession of controlled substances), the corresponding arrest rate has increased,” Ellis said.

Finally, Spokane Valley is seeing an increase in the number of calls for fraud, up 9.6% since

the Police Department.

The city will now rely on Transportation Benefit District vehicle license fees, both created by council in late 2023, and a streetwear fee to cover street maintenance costs. The $20 tabs are estimated to bring in $2.8 million in 2025 — and have been proposed to be eliminated on several occasions by Councilman Al Merkel — while the street fee is estimated to produce $1.7 million.

The city has also pursued other funding mechanisms for officers, and recently was awarded a $1.25 million, threeyear grant from the Department of Justice’s Community Oriented Police Services (COPS) Hiring Program. Ellis said the grant will cover some of the costs of new officers salaries, and will need to be replaced with other funds once the grant expires.

2024 and almost 17% since 2023. Ellis said a lot of these calls are fraud tied to social media and other online scams.

“We see a lot of that unfortunately,” he said, adding the department tries to get out as much information about such scams to residents as it becomes available.

One constant for the Spokane Valley Police Department over the years has been the number of officers per capita — i.e. per every 1,000 residents. In 2008, that was 1.15 officers while in 2023, it was 1.01 — even as the city’s population grew by over 17,000 people during those 15 years.

In November, 2023, a study report given to the City Council from the Matrix Consulting Group indicated the Police Department would need to hire at least 30 more officers — including 12 patrol officers — in order to handle the increased calls for service.

Subsequently at the Feb. 27, 2024 meeting, the council approved a funding mechanism where $2.125 million in recurring revenue would be allocated to hire 12 patrol officers by shifting money in the General Fund historically dedicated to street maintenance to

According to an August report to council, the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office has hired seven new patrol officers, three of whom are lateral entry while four are new. Ellis said typically Spokane Valley Police Department receives half of any new hires, meaning at least three officers will be added, with at least one or two as lateral hires from other departments.

Ellis said laterals are generally preferred since it takes over a year of training before a new officer can begin handling calls, whereas laterals take 3 – 4 months. With another five officers potentially in the hiring column in the next couple of weeks, Ellis sees progress being made in staffing.

“We should get about half of the needed 12 officers by the end of 2024,” he said.

But staffing isn’t the only needs. The Spokane Valley’s police station is a former Pep Boys auto parts store refurbished in 2003 for its present use, and is already overcrowded and outdated.

With 30 more officers possibly coming in the next couple of years, Ellis said work on a new police station is already underway.

“It’s a year-long process for design,” he said. “Then we need to figure out funding. It’s going to be a ways down the road before that happens.”

Student of the Month

Since transitioning from home school to East Valley High School her sophomore year, Sara Surprise has had a positive impact in a variety of areas. “I’ve definitely found a community here,” Surprise said. The senior maintains a 4.0 grade point average and is a member of National Honor Society. She has participated in EV’s Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) and Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA) chapters. This year, she is on track to present at the national DECA conference. Surprise works as manager of the school store through DECA. She is also part of Leadership Class and volunteers as manager of the EV boys’ cross country team. Surprise participated in track and field as a junior, competing in the 100 and 200-meters as well as the pole vault. She plans to study business management in college.

Athlete of the Month

Cross country may seem like an individual sport to most observers but for East Valley senior David Bailey, the culture of running and competing with his teammates is preeminent. “I think what I like most about it is the team aspect,” he said. Bailey has been part of the Knight’s varsity program since his freshman year and is EV’s No. 4 runner this season. He set a personal record of 19:02 in the Battle of the 509 race (5K/3.1 miles) last year. He also competes in the 800 meters and 3,200 meters for the track squad with PRs of 2:17 and 11:17, respectively. In the classroom, Bailey maintains a 4.0 grade point average and is a member of National Honor Society. He plays the clarinet with the concert, marching and pep bands and is part of the TRI-M (music honor) society.

Citizen of the Month

For a decade, Donna Orme organized and facilitated Spokane Cares, an online resource and volunteering guide. “I figured if I could help 100 people know where to serve, we could accomplish a lot more than I could alone,” Orme said. The Central Valley grad grew up in the Spokane Valley and volunteered in different capacities at her kids’ schools. She worked as a police dispatcher and has contributed to a variety of local causes including Vanessa Behan Crisis Nursery, Maddie’s Place, Shriners Hospital for Children, Family Promise of Spokane, Sacred Heart Children’s Hospital and more. She has participated with the Spokane Homeless Coalition and volunteered at local prisons. Donna and her husband Steve served a 20-month mission in the Philippines for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints. They are proud parents of three kids and have six grandchildren.

Members Michael F., Matt N., & Christa S.

https://www.cvsd.org/apps/pages/CommunityLinkEvents.

Central Valley School District State of the District

By Nina Culver Splash contributor

Central Valley School District Superintendent John Parker lauded student involvement, rising academic achievement and the district’s greater than state average graduation rate during the district’s third and final community link event Tuesday evening.

Community members gathered at Ridgeline High School to hear about the state of the district and learn about district schools and programs. Parker has been presenting information at each of the district’s three learning communities. Ridgeline High School is in the Eastern learning community along with Greenacres and Selkirk middle schools and Greenacres, Liberty Creek, Liberty Lake and Riverbend elementary schools.

Creating the three learning communities is among several new initiatives the school district recently enacted. The district is 24th largest school district in the state and breaking it into three communities was an attempt to make the district feel smaller and inclusive, Parker said. “The whole idea is we are going to create a community where everyone knows

each other,” he said.

Ridgeline High School Principal Jesse Hardt said it’s not unusual to see students who attend Ridgeline’s feeder schools at sporting events.

“They’re already little Falcons,” he said. “We have a community high school. It’s a focal point.”

Creating smaller communities in the district is also part of the district’s pursuit of a culture of belonging, Parker said. “Belonging leads to strong academic achievement,” he said. “We believe that.”

Achievement on student assessments is trending up, Parker said. The school district is doing better than the statewide average in every category – English language, math and science, he said. “Some of our schools had incredible jumps,” he said.

The impact created by the adoption of a new K-5 math curriculum can already been seen in increasing scores in grades 3-5, Parker said. The district’s graduation rate is also trending upward. “Even though we’re better than the state, we can do better,” he said.

The district provided community members with a progress report on the district’s five-year strategic plan, which launched in 2023. The report includes detailed information on goals included in the plan and how far along the district is in achieving them.

“You’ll notice some of the things haven’t been started and you’ll

notice some of the things are done,” he said. “We’re being accountable to our public.”

One of the goals in the strategic plan is to explore a more balanced school year calendar. That goal has been largely met, Parker said. “We just approved a new school calendar recently,” Parker said. “The board took action.”

Last year a calendar committee including district staff and parents was formed to study the issue over eight meetings. After studying everything from athletics to transportation to community surveys, the committee recommended changing the school year calendar.

Under the new calendar, students will still attend 180 days of school. However, school would start earlier, in late August. The three-day weekend created by President’s Day would be extended for four additional days to create a mid-winter break. The day before Thanksgiving has been designated a non-school day and there are two snow days on the new schedule that can create three-day weekends if not needed as snow days. For the 2025-2026 school year, the new schedule has the first day of school on Aug. 27 and the last day on June 17.

The goal of the new calendar is to promote student, teacher and staff well-being, reduce summer learning loss, offer more opportunities for enrichment and give families more flexibility in planning vacations.

The district has also started looking at its cell phone policies. “Nothing competes for attention from our students more than a phone,” Parker said. “That’s a problem.”

There are also plans to look at the amount of school supplies the district asks families to buy and the fee schedule. It has become clear that for years the district has been adding to the school supply list without taking anything off, Parker said. “We think it’s time to look at that,” he said.

Parker said the district has also been making progress on improving its budget. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the district used federal emergency funding to hire teachers. The loss of the temporary funding forced the district to lay off 58 teachers in the spring of 2023. The district is working toward bringing its fund balance to eight percent of the budget in the next few years and is making progress toward that goal, Parker said.

“It’s been a tough couple of years,” Parker said. “I’m happy to report, we’re now on a sustainable path.”

The district’s budget has also been bolstered by a rise in student enrollment. The district has 14,487 students this year, up from last year. “Our enrollment is up more than 400 students,” he said. “Other schools in Spokane County are nowhere near that. That is a great problem to have. This is something I’m very excited about.”

Contributed image; For those that were not able to attend the events, you can watch them here;

COMMUNITY

COMMUNITY EVENTS

Nov 2 | Central Valley High

School Craft Fair – 9 am - 5 pm. Swing into the Holiday Season with crafters and vendors from all over the Northwest. Concessions and bake sale available, so you can shop to your hearts content!

Central Valley High School 821 S Sullivan, Spokane Valley, WA.

Nov 23 | Winter Glow Spectacular

Opening – 5 pm. Dragonfire will be travelling several hundred miles on a very important assignment, returning to Liberty Lake on November 23 with a very important package. Stay tuned for “Mother Goose, the package has landed!” Orcvhard Park 20298 Indiana Ave, Liberty Lake, WA.

RECURRING

ACT 2 Senior Classes | Affordable classes offered by Community Colleges of Spokane to those who are retired or planning to retire, though there is no age limit. A wide range of courses from geology and history to exercise and art are offered at CenterPlace, 2426 N. Discovery Place, as well as other locations throughout the area. For more, search for “Act 2” at scc.spokane.edu.

Café Card Club | 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., Tuesdays, On Sacred Grounds, 12212 E. Palouse Hwy., Valleyford. Play pinochle, cribbage, or hearts. For more, call 9517039 or email onsacredgrounsrising@ gmail.com.

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

Grange Meeting | 2:00 p.m., third Sunday of the month, Tri-Community Grange, 25025 Heather St., Newman Lake. The public is welcome for this community-based service organization. For more, call 509.385.4082.

Men’s Weekly Bible Study | 7 a.m. Tuesdays. Millwood Presbyterian Church, 3223 N. Marguerite Road,

Millwood. The men’s weekly Bible Study meets in the Reception Hall with different members sharing in the leading of the study. All men are invited to join. More at www.millwoodpc.org.

Rockford Crochet Class | 10 a.m. to noon, Saturdays, Harvest Moon, 20 S. First St., Rockford. Free classes. We have crocheters, knitters, embroidery, quilting and needlepoint. Come and share what you are doing. For more, call 291-3722.

Rockford Historical Society | 11:30 a.m. second Friday of the month (February to November), The Harvest Moon, 20 S. First St., Rockford. For more, call 2913193.

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

Spokane Valley Eagles | 16801 E. Sprague Ave. Lunch served Thursdays 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. followed by bingo from 1 to 3:30 p.m. Dinner served Fridays 5:30 p.m. More at www.foe3433. com.

Spokane Valley Partners Food Bank | 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday- Friday 10814 E. Broadway Ave. No appointment necessary. For questions and info, call 509-927-1153

Spokane Valley Quilt Guild | Meetings at 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. on the first Tuesday of February, April, June, August, October and December at Valley Assembly of God Church, 15618 E. Broadway Ave., Spokane Valley. Open to all interested in sharing ideas and skills of our quilting craft. Participants can access a comprehensive library, engage experienced teachers and participate in community service projects. More at svqgspokane.com.

Spokane Valley Senior Citizens Association | 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. weekdays at CenterPlace, 2426 N. Discovery Place. Activities include bridge, billiards, book club, Red Hat Ladies, Mahjongg, ACT II classes, foot care, Medicare assistance, monthly excursions to Northern Quest Casino,

Meals on Wheels location and more. Annual dues are $25/single or $45/ couple. For more, call 509-926-1937 or visit spokanevalleyseniorcenter.org.

MUSIC & THE ARTS

RECURRING

Spirit of Spokane Chorus | 6:00 p.m. Tuesdays, Opportunity Presbyterian Church, 202 N. Pines Road. Make new friends by joining this women’s chorus, specializing in four-part, a cappella harmony in the barbershop style. More at 509-866-6354.

HEALTH & RECREATION

Nov 9 | Reclaim Your Peace Before the Holidays – 9:30 am - 3:30 pm. As the holiday season approaches, it’s easy to get swept away by the whirlwind of expectations, commitments, and demands. But before you dive into the season of giving, take a moment to give something vital to yourself—time for stillness, reflection, and deep self-compassion.

What to Expect:

Self-Care & Compassion Workshop:

Learn to cultivate self-compassion and prioritize your well-being with practical tools and techniques you can carry with you through the holiday season and beyond.

Time in Nature:

Immerse yourself in the natural beauty of Liberty Lake with walks and mindful moments in the surrounding woodlands.

Meditation Sessions:

Experience the calming power of meditation with guided practices designed to help you find stillness and center your mind amidst life’s noise.

Connection & Reflection:

Share meaningful conversations with like-minded women.

Refuel

Your Energy:

Take time to nourish your body, mind, and soul.

Why Attend?

As women, we often prioritize the needs of others before our own. This retreat is your chance to pause, breathe, and focus on yourself—so you can enter the holiday season feeling recharged, centered, and fully present. By the end of the day, you’ll leave with a renewed sense of peace and a heart full of compassion, ready to embrace the season ahead.

Location: Zephyr Lodge, Liberty Lake, WA

Investment: $197.00

Note: Due to individualized dietary preferences and allergies this will a BYOL (bring your own lunch) event.

Please bring your favorite journal, water bottle and blanket. Light Treats, coffee and tea will be provided.

Register Here: https://www. kristinastrong.com/upcomingevents

RECURRING

Al-Anon Family Meetings | Tuesdays, noon to 1 p.m., Opportunity Christian Church, 708 N. Pines, Spokane Valley. Is there a problem of alcoholism with a relative or a friend? Al-Anon/Alateen family groups can help. For more, call 509-456-2125.

Decreasing Anger Group |The Vet Center, 13109 E. Mirabeau Parkway, Spokane Valley. Eligibility: combat veteran from all eras, military sexual trauma survivors. For more, call at 509-444-8387 to make an intake appointment.

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

COMMUNITY

Valley. For more, call Steve at 893-4746.

Fly Tying Group | 9 to 11 a.m., Spokane Vet Center, 13109 E. Mirabeau Parkway, Spokane Valley. Veterans, Active Buty, Reserves, and Guard are welcome! For more, call 509-444-8387.

GriefShare Support Group | The ONE Church, east entrance, 15601 E. 24th Ave., Spokane Valley. Join at any time. Designed to help cope with loss, whether recent or years ago. For more, 509-926-3254

Touched by Cancer | Spokane Valley Unitd Methodist, 115 M Raymond Rd. Spokane Valley, Wa 99206. Women who have or have had cancer, or who have helped someone with cancer, are invited. We meet the 3rd Tuesday of the month at 10:00am. Please call the church with any questions or concerns.

HUB Sports Center | 19619 E. Cataldo Ave., Liberty Lake. Various activities and events occur throughout the week including:

• Pickleball drop-in: 1 to 3 p.m. Monday through Thursday. $5.50/person online $7/at the door.

• Classes including Kenpo Karate, Homeschool PE and Fit for YOUR Life. See hubsportscenter.org for cost and times.

Drumming for Wellness and JOY! | Class offered at Willow Song Music Therapy Center, 21101 E. Wellesley #102, Otis Orchards on Fridays at 10:45am-11:45am, for adults desiring a social experience that is designed to support well-being--- emotional, physical and cognitive, in a fun and social setting based in rhythm. $10 or $5 pp if you bring a friend. All instruments provided, and adaptable for all abilities. For more, visit willowsongmusictherapy.com or call/ text 509 592 7875.

CIVIC & BUSINESS

Nov. 8 | Neighbors helping Neighbors 5 pm - 6 pm. Join us at The Hive Library for a fun event - Learn how neighbors can help neighbors. Private Message you will attend Tons of Door Prizes Drawings including - Hover Boards, Digital Cameras, Jewelry, Bluetooth Speakers...and lots of other fun stuff. Learn about our Business Scavenger Hunt! 2904 E Sprague.

Nov 20 |After 5 - Olympus Living Spokane Valley 4:30 pm - 6 pm. Hosted by Greater Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce. 17117 E 8th

Spokane Valley, WA. RECURRING

Central Valley School Board | 6:00 p.m. on the second and fourth Mondays of each month, EVSD administration building, 2218 N. Molter Rd, Liberty Lake.

East Valley School Board | 7:00 p.m. on the second and fourth Mondays of each month, CVSD administration building, 3830 N Sullivan Rd.

West Valley School Board | 7:00 p.m. on the second and fourth Mondays of each month, WVSD administration building, 3219 N Argonne Rd

Spokane Valley City Council | Regular meetings held Tuesdays of each month at 6 p.m. in Council Chambers at Spokane Valley City Hall, 10210 E Sprague Ave.

Millwood City Council | Regular meetings at 6 p.m. on the second Tuesday of each month at Millwood City Hall, 9103 E. Frederick Ave.

Spokane Flag Museum | Sponsored by the Sons of the American Revolution and the Fairmount Memorial Association, details the rich history of the American flag, Monday-Friday 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Saturdays 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Pines Cemetery, 1402 S. Pines Road, Spokane Valley. For more, call Stan 509-8424740 or visit fairmountmemorial.com/ south-pines-cemetery.

Spokane Valley Kiwanis | 12 p.m. Tuesdays. Darcy’s Restaurant, 320 N Sullivan Rd. More at spokanevalleykiwanis.net.

Greater Spokane Valley Rotary | Noon to 1 p.m. Wednesdays, Darcy’s, 10502 E. Sprague Ave. More at svrotary. org.

Submit items for The Current Community Calendar by the 10th of the previous month by emailing editor@ valleycurrent.com. Priority is given to noncommercial local events open to the public.

Penguin Exploration: Birds on Ice

For kids in grades K–5

We show you how to draw and paint a penguin. Plus, create amazing penguin crafts, and discover fun facts while finding penguins hidden in the library.

ARGONNE LIBRARY

4322 N Argonne Rd Thursday, Nov 7, 4–5pm

OTIS ORCHARDS LIBRARY

22324 E Wellesley Ave Thursday, Nov 14, 3:30–4:30pm

SPOKANE VALLEY LIBRARY

22 N Herald Rd Thursday, Nov 21, 3:30–4:30pm

The Crest

About and for Spokane Valley area seniors

Trail of Honor –Fallen Heroes Circuit Course sheds light on sacrifice

By Craig Howard Current Contributing Editor

Michelle Castro lives on Spokane’s South Hill but often feels more at home in Liberty Lake’s most recognized greenspace.

When Castro takes her place on a bench in Pavillion Park, she is not far from a monument paying tribute to her late daughter Victoria Ann Pinckney, who died in a plane crash on May, 3, 2013 while serving as a captain in the U.S. Air Force.

“I’m just always honored to be able to go there,” Castro said.

Sometimes, park visitors will ask Castro about her daughter.

“I tell them she was a pilot,” she said. “From the time she was a kid, she wanted to be an astronaut. She knew she had to be a test pilot first.”

Pinckney’s memorial plaque was dedicated on Memorial Day 2014. It was second of five stations to take its place on the Fallen Heroes Circuit Course, a

concept that emerged in the spring of 2012 when former Marine Bob Wiese proposed installing exercise stations at city parks in a way that would recognize the ultimate sacrifices made by local men and women who served their country proudly.

“While people are there, we can maybe educate them about some of our military heroes,” Wiese said in July 2012.

A fallen hero from each branch of the military is represented along the 5.54mile course that includes stops at Rocky Hill Park, Pavillion Park, Nature’s Place at Meadowwood Arboretum, a section on the eastern fringe of Liberty Lake Road near Trailhead Golf Course and Town Square Park.

Looking back, Wiese said the project “went from an idea to talking with some neighbors to saying, ‘We should form a committee.’”

John Munro was among those committee members who remembers the early discussions being fairly daunting.

“I thought it sounded huge and impossible,” said Munro. “I clearly had no idea of who Bobby was.”

Wiese, a former drill instructor and facilities engineer whose tenure in the Marines spanned between the two Gulf Wars from 1993 to 2000, saw the project as not only a way to honor the fallen but to raise awareness for enlisted soldiers and veterans dealing with challenges

like post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety and depression.

Early on, Wiese approached Dan Dunne, a member of the Liberty Lake City Council about the concept.

“We knew it was going to be on city property so I met with Dan,” Wiese recalls. “It was another one of those connections.”

Dunne liked the vision and Wiese soon was putting together an outline that included a basic budget and where the stations would be located. A presentation to City Council followed along with pitches to service clubs and businesses.

“Everyone loved the idea,” Wiese recalls.

Kristin Dodson, a stay-at-home mom who joined the committee in 2012, liked the idea but quickly realized it would be a considerable task.

“It was kind of overwhelming to think this would be throughout the whole community and then, financially, how do you get people on board for something like that?” Dodson recalls.

The city of Liberty Lake stepped up with $35,000 in seed money for Fallen Heroes in 2012 asking the committee to generate just over $4,400 with an eye toward the first installment at Rocky Hill Park.

“The community already recognized the military,” said Jason Spinden, a committee member who recently

The Fallen Heroes Circuit Course features salutes to five representatives of the military who lost their lives serving their country. All honorees have some connection to Washington state. The sites included a plaque recognizing each hero as well as exercise stations for use by the general public. Above from left to right: The Air Force station in Pavillion Park honoring Victoria Ann Pickney; the Army station near Trailhead Golf Course saluting Kelly Grothe and the Coast Guard station near City Hall honoring Clinton Miniken. The first Fallen Heroes installment was dedicated in September 2013. The fifth site was dedicated in August 2015.

retired as a Command Master Chief after 30 years in the U.S. Navy. “Fallen Heroes continues to emphasize that this community rallies in support of the military.”

After the committee selected Joshua Dumaw – a U.S. Marine who passed away at the age of 23 in Afghanistan protecting his fellow soldiers from an explosive device – to be the first Fallen Hero, Wiese reached out to his mom, Jenifer Dumaw.

“It was what I needed,” Mumaw recalls. “Anything to honor Josh.”

A West Valley High graduate, Josh Mumaw enlisted in the Marines without telling his mom who he knew would worry. He was deployed to Iraq in 2008 before coming home and getting married. He left for Afghanistan in May 2010 and died less a month into his deployment.

“Josh was very jovial, very funny, just very laid back,” Jenifer said. “He never had a bad thing to say about anyone. Just a really nice kid.”

Mumaw’s widow Kailyn, his son Bodie and Jenifer were among a crowd of 250 to gather in Rocky Hill Park on Sept. 21, 2013 to dedicate the first Fallen Heroes station and pay homage to Josh.

“It made sense, especially with Josh being a Marine,” Jenifer said. “They’re all about fitness. I think too, as you’re exercising, it’s more of a teachable moment.”

Jenifer said her son “was just a normal guy” who didn’t crave attention. The plaque at Rocky Hill, she said, would have embarrassed him.

“He would still think it was cool,” she added.

Jenifer and her two surviving kids, Kyle and Abby, stop by Rocky Hill from time to time. Marines who served with Josh will occasionally visit Liberty Lake to walk through the park with Jenifer. Mumaw would have been 37 this year.

“I would love to have seen Josh be a dad,” Jenifer said. “He would been a great dad.”

“After 12 years, Fallen Heroes is part of the community,” Wiese said. “People who live here don’t know Liberty Lake without it. These families, they’re so thankful there’s something to not only honor their loved ones but to keep their memory alive.”

Photos by Craig Howard

By Craig Howard

Current Contributing Editor

positive setting

As a senior at University High School, Raegan Miller has a schedule that can get a little frenetic.

Serving as the ASB president, competing on the volleyball team and being part of the cheerleading squad are part of Miller’s agenda –but there is one program that may just take the cake.

It’s called Unified Sports and, for Miiler, the rewards are plentiful, starting with the opportunity to generate friendships as a volunteer with competitors in sports that include soccer, basketball, bowling and pickleball.

“They’re honestly some of the nicest people I’ve ever met, even on their bad days,” Miller said.

Unified Sports provide a platform for student-athletes of all ability levels, with or without special needs, to compete, have fun, represent their school and hone traits like self-confidence, selflessness and determination.

Raegan serves as a “helper” at events, encouraging Unified Sports participants and making sure games flow smoothly with a refreshingly level playing field where sportsmanship and encouragement are embraced as central themes.

“I wish mainstream sports could learn some of these lessons,” said Miller who is in her second year as a volunteer. “It shows that anyone can play sports. It’s very powerful.”

Miller emphasizes that it’s not all just fun and games, either, as proven by a recent soccer match between U-Hi and their crosstown

You won’t see Unified Sports participants bickering with teammates or throwing a fuss with officials. They’re too busy having a great time.

“It’s a fun, positive environment,” Miller said. “Kids can stay active throughout the school year without the pressure of being the best on their team.”

Sports features a collection of schools from the Greater Spokane League, including U-Hi, Central Valley, Ferris, Rogers, Mead, Cheney and Mt. Spokane as well as Coville and Lakeside from outside the GSL.

Games are held once a week. At the conclusion of the soccer regular program.

“It’s made her more outgoing,” Isbelle said. “Being in sports has made her 10 times more confident.”

A sophomore at U-Hi, Irelynn was born with Down syndrome. Zander says his sister brings joy everywhere she goes, including

Photo by Eleora Dossu

Unified Sports continues to grow in popularity at a number of local high schools, including Central Valley and University. The crosstown rivals squared off on the soccer field last month (above). The program provides a chance for studentathletes of all ability levels to compete and have fun while representing their respective school.

WONDERS OF Nature WONDERS OF Nature

Explore The Mysteries of Mushrooms, including what they can do for your body and mind and how to grow them.

Stay Warm while exploring cool things: Family museum passes from the library

By Erin Dodge Current Guest Contributor

When the weather turns colder, finding warm, dry outings and activities can be challenging. A visit to your library can be a solution. Along with books, STEM kits for kids, and even things to borrow, such as a daylight lamp, you can get free passes to your next destination.

Spokane County Library District (SCLD) offers Family Museum Passes to the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture (the MAC) and Mobius Discovery Center, providing fun, educational experiences for a family of up to six people (two adults, four

Otis Orchards Library: Burglar Bill, a Horse, Mother Nature and You

By Jane Baker Spokane County Library District

In the 1920s, miles of apple orchards, farms, and small-scale ranches covered the land around a railroad stop called Otis. Today, most of the orchards are gone, but a few family farms are still around the growing Otis Orchards community.

One mainstay of the community is Otis Orchards Library (22324 E Wellesley Ave). The 5,800 squarefoot library was built and furnished for $450,000, funded by an approved bond issue in 1988.

From the beginning, Otis Orchards Library was defined by the community. During the design stage, area residents fought to keep a large evergreen tree, a local landmark for years, on the property. The final plan was drafted to work around the tree.

Two weeks before the library’s

kids).

To reserve a museum pass, visit scld.org/museum-passes. You must have a permanent in-district SCLD library card. Residents of Liberty Lake can request passes from their local library.

In a recent podcast with Marit Fischer from the MAC, she shares upcoming holiday programs and four exhibitions you can explore right now. You can view it at scld. org/podcast-ep101.

Here are a few of the happenings at the MAC (northwestmuseum. org). The “MAC Holiday Kick-Off Celebration” at Campbell House takes place on Saturday, November 30, 4–6pm (free event). View the splendor of the lights and decorations, interact with historical chef Hulda, try her cookies, and enjoy a mix of activities and historical performances by the Campbell family.

Enjoy a scavenger hunt, create a calling card, learn the secret to making Campbell House cookies, and more during “Campbell House Holidays,” December 19–22, 12–4pm. Admission is included with your

opening Otis Orchards made news headlines. Library staff discovered approximately $13,000 in missing computer equipment and a copy of the children’s book “Burglar Bill,” by Janet and Allan Ahlberg, left behind.

With remarkable similarity to the children’s story, in which Bill sees the errors of his ways, half the computer equipment was returned before opening day with a note signed, “B.B.”

Otis Orchards Library opened on Thursday, January 9, 1992, with a collection of 17,000 books, cassettes, and videotapes. The library’s first customer rode up on a horse.

Today, the library features more than 25,000 items, and you’re more likely to find CDs, DVDs, and access to streaming services rather than cassettes and videotapes. In 2023, Otis Orchards Library received an average of 2,400 visits each month.

Appropriately, Otis Orchards Library was the first in the area to feature a seed library, providing seeds to gardeners who, at the end of growing season, bring back seeds to share with others. Many gardening programs are also offered at the library. This seed library has since expanded to three

MAC admission (and also a Family Museum Pass).

There are four exhibitions currently at the MAC. Joe Feddersen: Earth, Water, Sky showcases the breadth of the artist’s 40-year career, including printmaking, glass, weaving, and ceramics. 1924: Sovereignty, Leadership, and the Indian Citizenship Act commemorates the 100-year anniversary, centering on early local tribal leadership as they and their people navigated the sometimesconflicting nature of being both U.S. citizens and citizens of their own sovereign nations.

Woman, Artist, Catalyst: Art from the Permanent Collection showcases locally, nationally, and internationally known artists in a highly varied representation of art movements in the Inland and Pacific Northwest. It Happened Here: Expo ‘74 Fifty Years After revisits the historical roots of the fair’s environmental theme and the community spirit it kindled and features familiar, nostalgic, and lesser-known stories from the MAC’s archives.

more SCLD libraries.

Unfortunately, four years after opening, ice storm damage made the large evergreen near the library a safety hazard, so it had to be removed, proving that sometimes Mother Nature gets involved in our best laid plans.

Thanks in part to voter approval of the 2019 levy, Otis Orchards Library has been updated in recent years with new siding and an HVAC system; the overgrown shrubs and trees between the library and fire station have been refreshed and cleaned up; and an EV charging station has been added. The 36-year-old building is ready for the next generation of library customers.

Many programs are offered at the Otis Orchards Library, including weekly “Family Play & Learn Storytime” every Thursday at 10:30am.

If you have not stopped by the library in a while, we invite you to check out the collection on our shelves. And if you are looking to go digital, our friendly staff can help you get your mobile devices set up for eBooks, audiobooks, and more.

SPORTS SUPPLY

Continued from page 20

Unified Sports.

“She’s just absolutely the friendliest person in the world,” he said. “She sees the light in everyone. Irelynn makes my life better. She creates a bond in our whole family.”

Zander has participated in baseball and wrestling as a Titan and said Irelynn “has always been interested in sports” rooting for her brother at games and matches.

“I can always pick her voice out,” he said.

Yet in middle school, opportunities were limited for Irelynn to be part of athletics. Then high school came around and Unified Sports opened new, accessible doors.

“She’s really competitive when she’s out there playing,” said Zander who points to soccer and basketball as Irelynn’s favorite sports.

Bowling is also part of the Unified Sports agenda for Irelynn whose enthusiasm was captured in the school yearbook last year during a strong outing.

“Bowling is so awesome,” she said. “I’m having so much fun. I could even say it’s the best day ever.”

Miller’s friendship with two U-Hi students who compete in Unified Sports goes back to the third grade.

“I appreciate how they don’t take life so seriously,” Miller said. “They still get frustrated and upset like anyone but they are the quickest people in the world to shake it off.”

Miller said she doesn’t see her friends as different.

“Just because they need a little extra help, they are still equal to me,” she said. “They are so genuine. They are the sweetest people who would never do anything to make anyone feel bad.”

At Central Valley High School, teachers Kathy Wolrehammer and Adrienne Williams serve as advisors for Unified Sports. This soccer season, 13 Bears are part of the team. Williams said participation is building back up

after several years impacted by COVID-19.

“We had to start back up pretty much from scratch just like everyone else,” Williams said. “We are slowly growing again and are so grateful to the students who come out every week to be part of something great, the staff who help us get the word out, encourage kids to participate and show up to cheer us on and the students who cheer us on from the stands.”

Williams said, for Unified Sports’ athletes, the opportunity to represent their school is a source of pride.

“These kids are competing for a high school team,” she said. “They are out there having experiences typical of their peers.”

Williams said she has seen Unified Sports have a ripple effect beyond the field of competition.

“Every student who is involved is making a difference in the climate and culture of our school,” she said.

In the spirit of what Williams calls “meaningful involvement for all kids” seen in Unified Sports, she said CV is looking at starting a student club “that promotes student leadership opportunities and inclusive activities for students of all ability levels.”

As for athletes like Irelynn currently competing in Unified Sports, the chance to thrive in a positive environment is helping set the tone for ongoing success, according to those who comprise the cheering section.

“I believe she could do anything she sets her mind to,” Zander said.

CROSS COUNTRY

Continued from page 9

Earth removed by Copenhaver is sifted to remove rocks and then reused as foundation for the running surface. Each course, which will accommodate middle school, high school, college and masterclass competitions, will begin on the north portion of the facility on a 150-foot-wide start/finish chute that will eventually taper to a 10-meter (about 11 yards) wide running surface.

Courses will have a turf/ grass running surface along with electronic kilometer markers that enable data like time and runner placement to be sent back to a central race tracking facility in the fieldhouse at the start/finish line. It’s a course layout that will require an extensive infrastructure.

Sherry said the 12,500 lineal feet of course will require 2.5 miles of 6” main irrigation line, 6.5 miles of lateral lines and 800 sprinkler heads “just to water the course.” The system is sized to deliver 450 gallons per minute of irrigation water.

Walker Construction project manager Josh Chrisman said they will also need to install 7,000 feet of power conduit and 9,000 feet of fiber optic conduit to provide for the electronic kilometer markers as well as similar needs at the fieldhouse and other planned amenities. Once all the power and data needs have been determined and provided, Chrisman said they would pull the appropriate cable and wires through the conduit.

And then there’s the running surface — 15 acres of special blend turfgrass sod currently being grown for the course by Ray Turf Farms in Mead, right next to where the turfgrass sod for the baseball field at Avista Stadium was grown. Sherry said the sod is not only a special blend for sports, but also thicker then commercial sod — threequarters of an inch compared to the latter half inch — making it more robust.

“This will be a lot like a golf course fairway,” Sherry said.

With site grading currently under way, Sherry and Chrisman said they expect to work through winter putting in the infrastructure until it’s too cold to do the ground

work. An irrigation contractor will come in next spring to do the actual system installation, with the turfgrass sod being laid down soon after in order to get a summer’s growth before competition late next fall.

Another challenge with the site is vehicle access and parking. With regards to the latter, Sherry said there will initially be a parking lot with “a couple hundred” stalls on the west side of the facility across Flora Road, but acknowledged this might not be enough to accommodate some of the planned larger meets and that some “shuttling” would be needed.

Access to the site is currently only available from the north down Flora Road and across the Union Pacific main line. Chrisman said they are currently “counting trains” to see what type of impact the line might have on the facility, and are in discussions with UP about the crossing and other need such as boring under the tracks to run power and water.

Chrisman also said the city is in discussions with owners of the property to the west, Central PreMix, about using the portion of East Flora Road that winds along the river and connects with Sullivan Road as another access point.

“It’s a long process on this and nothing is in action yet,” Chrisman said.

Once the first phase of the course is complete, a second phase adding other amenities will get under way, once funding has been procured. These include park items for general public use such as picnic shelters, playground equipment, walking trails and potentially disc golf and cyclocross courses.

The course has already attracted attention, thanks to efforts by the city’s partner in the development, Spokane Sports. On Oct. 2 it was announced the NCAA had selected the course to host the 2027 Division 1 Men’s and Women’s West Regional competition, with another collegiate competition reportedly in the works.

Sherry believes cross-country enthusiasts and the general public will be pleased with the facility once fully developed.

“The facility is going to suffer a bit in the first couple of years from over use,” Sherry said. “I think the public is going to be out there a lot.”

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Spokane Valley Pickleball

By Nina Culver Current contributor

As the outdoor pickleball season comes to a close, players finally have an exclusive indoor option for winter play. Power Pickleball opened in the Spokane Valley Industrial Park in late September and business has been booming since.

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The business dubs itself as “Pickleball Paradise,” boasting 11 premium cushioned courts with fencing to corral loose balls and professional lighting. Owner Jeremy Rosenvall said he saw the lack of year-round pickleball options even as the sport surged in popularity and decided to open an indoor facility.

“It’s a huge need and a demand that wasn’t being met,” he said. “I noticed that other indoor facilities had basketball floors, wood floors. That’s not the best floor for pickleball.”

While a wooden floor might work for casual players, more advanced players generally prefer a different type of surface, Rosenvall said. There’s only a handful of options for indoor pickleball play in the area and they’re all in multi-use facilities. Power Pickleball is designed specifically for pickleball, Rosenvall said.

The court floors are firm, but there are several layers of cushioning underneath. “We’re the only facility in the entire region who has cushioned courts,” he said. “Our players love it. They can tell. It bounces the same, but you don’t feel it in your joints the next day.”

Care was also taken with the lighting, which is on the side of the courts so players can look up to play a high shot and not find themselves staring directly into a light, Rosenvall said. Steps were also taken to dampen the noise level so players can easily converse as they play.

"The whole building is metal,” he said. “We tested it before we

opened. It was so noisy. We did professional sound mitigation. We put 1,500 sound baffles in the ceiling.”

Having conversations and being social while playing is part of the experience, Rosenvall said. “The social part is an important part of pickleball,” he said. “Pickleball is like a party.”

Sounds would echo in the bare bones building for seven seconds, Rosenvall said. Installing the sound baffles cut that down to 1.5 seconds. “That’s been a huge success for us,” he said. “This is a premium, state of the art facility.”

Pickleball has been exploding in popularity because anyone can play it, Rosenvall said. It doesn’t demand a high level of physical fitness and agility like tennis does, he said. “You can be 8 years old or 80,” he said. “You can be out of shape. You can be uncoordinated. It’s a small court and you don’t have to move around a lot.”

It’s not hard for people to become proficient at the game, Rosenvall said. “It’s very addictive,” he said.

Two of the 11 courts are private and available for corporate events, birthday parties and children’s classes. “We’ve been having little picklers classes,” Rosenvall said.

Encouraging the love of the sport is important to Rosenvall. In addition to having classes for children, Power Pickleball offers free “Pickleball 101” classes where people can learn the rules of the game and how to play. Each 90-minute class is taught by a professional coach.

“They just teach you the game and you see if it’s something you like,” he said.

Power Pickleball provides basic equipment for players, but there is an in-house pro shop that sells paddles and other equipment if people want to have their own. There are different types of paddles for different skill levels. Some are focused on power, while others improve control. “We do paddle fittings for people,” Rosenvall said. “That’s what we call it.”

There are also other things to do inside, with more coming. There’s a fitness area with weights, a rowing machine, a stairmaster and

ON THAT NOTE

other equipment. There are plans to bring in racing simulators and Rosenvall said he has space for a physical therapist, a massage therapist and a chiropractor. There’s also a kitchen and snack bar, plus seating areas and televisions.

There are different levels of membership that can be selected depending on how often someone plays. The Full Power membership is $129 a month and includes free drop-in play, free court bookings and free organized play (tournaments). The High Power membership is $99 a month and includes free drop-in play plus 18 hours of court time per month with additional court time available at $5 an hour.

The AM/PM Power membership level is $59 or $79 a month and offers free morning or afternoon drop-in play, additional drop-in time at $8 per session and private reservations at $5 an

hour. Those who don’t want a membership can pay $15 for 3-4 hours of drop-in play.

Rosenvall said he recommends that dedicated players purchase the top level membership. “If you’re all in and playing three times a week, it’s a no brainer,” he said. “If you’re a casual player, you probably don’t need that.”

Business has been booming and Rosenvall said his peak times are between 5 and 10 a.m. and 4 and 8 p.m. Quite a few members signed up before the business launched. “We had over 200 people signed up before we even opened,” he said.

Rosenvall said he won’t disclose how many members the club has now, but said if people are interested in signing up, they should do it soon. “We’re already close to capping it and having a wait list,” he said.

The goal is to ensure that there

will be courts available when members want to play so that everyone has a good experience, Rosenvall said. However, even if memberships sell out, non-members can compete in tournaments and attend events. They can also play on a drop-in basis if there are courts available. For example, at midday on a recent Wednesday, only four courts were in use.

“Members will have priority,” he said. “Anything we run in our club you don’t need to be a member for. You just need to pay full price.”

Hours of operation are 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays; 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays; and 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Fridays through Sundays. Courts can be booked online at https:// powerpbc.com. The facility is located at 2818 N. Sullivan Road, Suite 130.

Photo by Nina Culver

Power Pickleball, located in the Spokane Valley Industrial Park, has eleven premium pickleball courts, including two private courts, one of which is shown above. This unique facility allows play throughout the winter months.