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2025

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2

• MAY 2025

The Current

RIVER CROSSING

options. “Apparently they asked She’s been a varsity cheerleader a meticulous calendar like her me and I said I wanted to dance,” for all four years of high school mother taught her. “She has taught University she said. and has played volleyball for me from a very early age that High School For fifteen years, Miller six years, three of those on the organization and communication specialized in tap dance, though varsity team. She also volunteers is key,” she said. the Crimson Crew, which Raegan Miller she also dabbled in jazz, hip with Miller said participating in helps freshmen acclimate to high two varsity fall sports at the same hop, lyrical, Bollywood and Crowned contemporary dance. “I really school, and has been involved in time also helped polish her time liked the meticulousness of it,” ASB activities all four years. This management. She’s also not afraid Lilac Queen she said of tap dancing. “In year she is ASB president. She has to discuss conflicts when they other styles, you’re dancing to also been a longtime volunteer arise in order to find a solution.

By Nina Culver

Current Contributor

Raegan Miller knew when she was a little girl that she wanted to be a Lilac Princess. Not only has that dream come true for the University High School senior, she was recently crowned this year’s Lilac Queen.

the music. In tap, you’re kind of creating your own music.”

She gave up dancing when the COVID-19 pandemic forced Donna’s School of Dance to shut its doors after more than 55 years in business, but she stayed busy.

with her school’s unified sports teams.

Since she was crowned on March 30, Miller has worked hard to juggle her classes, school activities, friends, family and her new duties as Queen. Miller said she keeps it all straight by keeping

Miller said the reasons she wanted to become a Lilac Princess changed over the years. “I think when I was younger it was about being a princess and wearing the crown,” she said.

But when she was a high school freshman, she became friends with senior Shelby Zehm, who would go on to become a Lilac Princess.

That’s when she realized that being in the Lilac Court was really about serving the community and learning leadership skills. “I saw her go through the process, saw her change and grow,” she said. “I found that their mission statement really resonated.”

She has plans to attend St. Mary’s College of California and earn a teaching degree. She said she’s wanted to be a teacher since stepping foot in Mrs. Briggs’ kindergarten classroom at Ponderosa Elementary School.

Having Mrs. Briggs as a teacher was the best thing that ever happened to her, Miller said, and her teacher taught that learning is fun. “She really created a safe environment in her classroom,” Miller said.

Her goal is to become a kindergarten teacher just like Mrs. Briggs, Miller said, so she can have an impact on new learners. “I want their first impression of education to be fun and memorable like my teacher did for me,” she said.

Miller said she chose St. Mary’s because she felt at home there, despite the fact that her father is a die hard Gonzaga University fan and the two schools are basketball rivals. Though the family joked that she could never attend St. Mary’s, her father supported her decision, she said.

Each participating high school selects a senior girl to be a Lilac Princess. They each participate in an eight-week program that teaches resume development, time management, interview skills, etiquette and more. After interviews, the top seven are selected to be in Lilac Court. After another round of interviews, judges select the Queen.

Miller said she believes her background in dance helped her because she was used to performing in front of people.

When she was two, she started attending classes at Donna’s School of Dance. Her parents wanted to get her involved in an activity and gave her several

“Sometimes you can’t figure it all out yourself and have to ask for help,” she said.

She was accepted to several colleges, but Miller made her decision quickly. “I could just see myself there,” she said. “I committed while on my tour and that was the only school I toured.

St. Mary’s is the top education school in California.”

Contributed photo University High School senior, ASB President, and Lilac Princess Raegan Miller was crowned Lilac Queen for the 2025 Lilac Festival. Raegan plans to attend Saint Mary’s College after high school to become a Kindergarten Teacher.

But before she leaves for college in the fall, Miller will spend a lot of her time representing her community and performing See MILLER, Page 4

MAY 2025 • 3

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• MAY 2025

MILLER

Continued from page 2 community service as Lilac Queen. She’s very much looking forward to being on the Spokane Lilac Association float during the Armed Forces Torchlight Parade on May 17, the very parade she attended as a child that first inspired her to become a Lilac Princess.

“It’s definitely a full circle moment,” she said.

Q: What made you want to become a Lilac Princess?

A: Growing up, I was fortunate to be a part of the Spokane Lilac Festival Association (SFLA) in some way. From going to the Royal Tea Party to attending the parade, being a part of this amazing program has always been a dream of mine. During the candidacy program I was overwhelmed with excitement just to be granted the opportunity to represent my school, let alone my community in such a positive way. There was no doubt in my mind whether or not I wanted to

continue being a part of SLFA. Lilac is all about showcasing our home, honoring our military and empowering our youth. These are values I have always prioritized and I knew that becoming a Lilac princess was only going to enhance these beliefs.

Q: How would you describe the process between being selected as a Princess and being crowned as the Lilac Queen?

A: Being selected on the royal court compared to being selected as Queen was honestly not that different. I always thought deep down that any of the 19 girls who participated in the candidacy portion of the process would have done a fabulous job if selected as Queen. I knew going into both of the interview processes and coronation that I would be beyond proud of anyone who was selected.

Q: What was your initial reaction to being selected as Queen?

A: I put my hands over my mouth and my eyes grew huge

The Current

because I was truly in shock and awe of being selected as Queen.

My surprise was not because I didn’t think I could do it, I was honestly just not expecting it considering the other six girls were already a Queen in my eyes.

Q: What are your duties as a Lilac Queen?

A: Some of my duties as Queen are to carry out the values of the Lilac association and represent Spokane at many community events. As Queen, I am an ambassador of the association’s mission to showcase our region, honor our military and empower our youth.

Q: What are you most looking forward to during your time as Lilac Queen?

A: I am most looking forward to building a strong and everlasting relationship with my fellow court members. Abby, Savanna, Bethany, Charli, Paige, and Addy are amazing and accomplished young women who I can’t wait to represent Spokane with. I am excited for all seven of us to be by each other’s side celebrating and

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loving the city we all adore.

Q: Would you recommend that other high school seniors consider applying to become a Lilac Princess and why?

A: Yes, yes, 100% yes! Lilac is such a unique experience that can truly shape who you are as a person. The training you go through is not only beneficial now but the skills and experience that this program gives you will without a doubt be beneficial in the future. Through interview training, resume assistance, time management courses, learning who you are as a person, and more, Lilac is an amazing organization that all seniors should consider being a part of.

Q: What are your plans for the future?

A: I am attending Saint Mary’s College of California on the Presidential Scholarship where I will pursue my lifelong dream of becoming an educator. I will work to get my master’s degree in elementary education and administration.

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The Current

Council reaffirms “no sanctuary city” status, approves affordable housing

By John McCallum Current contributor

By a 5-2 vote at its April 1 meeting, Spokane Valley’s City Council passed a resolution reaffirming a 2016 ordinance declaring the city is not a “sanctuary city” when it comes to immigration.

The former ordinance directed the Police Department “to assist other law enforcement agencies in enforcing U.S. immigration laws, and directing SVPD and Sheriff’s deputies, when operating in City limits, and City employees to require proof of legal residence in the U.S. when it is appropriate as part of their assigned jobs.”

The 2025 resolution, 25-003, does not direct law enforcement in the same manner as the 2016 version. It does say the city will support enforcement of specific United States codes that “define and prohibit unlawful entry and reentry of aliens into the United States” while also stating the city “does not agree with, support or promote” what is referred to as the “Keep Washington Working” act.

According to the Act, law enforcement cannot collect information on a person’s immigration, citizenship status or birth place, with the exception of a connection between that information and the investigation of a violation of state or local criminal law.

The Act also prohibits law enforcement agencies from “providing any ‘non-publicly available personal information’ about any person (including individuals subject to community custody) to federal immigration authorities in a noncriminal matter — such as a civil immigration

MAY 2025 • 5

NEWS

matter — except as otherwise required by state or federal law or a lawfully issued court order.”

At the meeting, Deputy City Manager Erik Lamb said staff worked with Councilwoman Jessica Yaeger on the resolution, with Yaeger providing supporting materials. The resolution came about after Yaeger, Councilwoman Laura Padden and Mayor Pam Haley returned from a lobbying trip to Washington D.C. where they met with White House staff.

Yaeger said the resolution is needed to protect the city’s ability to obtain federal funding, which could be denied by the administration of President Donald Trump to jurisdictions declaring themselves immigrant sanctuaries. She disagreed with the Keep Washington Working Act, calling it “a ruse” that violates the U.S. Constitution’s Supremacy Clause.

Thirty-seven individuals gave public comment on the resolution, with 35 speaking against it. While many were from outside the city, some were from Spokane Valley, and all addressed negative impacts and messages the ordinance sent

to immigrants, particularly those from Latin America.

One resident spoke in favor of the ordinance while another noted the impact to federal funding.

Councilman Al Merkel, who said his mother is from Honduras, felt the resolution wasn’t needed.

“This is an empty statement, a waste of time,” he said, but added he heard from a number of residents urging him to support the resolution, which he did.

In a comment near the end of the discussion, Mayor Pam Haley said the resolution has nothing to do with politics but more to do with making the 2016 ordinance comply with the Keep Washington Working Act. A review of the resolution shows this is not clearly stated, and instead, makes the point the city believes a conflict exists between state and federal law regarding immigration and that it supports enforcement of federal statutes “to the maximum extent allowed under Constitutional, Federal, State, and local laws to promote public safety.”

In

fact,

the

resolution

advocates for lawmakers to make changes to the Act so enable better enforcement of federal laws. It also advocates for other jurisdictions to issue policies prioritizing enforcement of federal immigration laws as well as “adoption and enforcement of policies that prioritize public safety for all individuals who live and reside in the United States lawfully.”

In a November 2024 presentation to council, Spokane County Sheriff John Nowells and Spokane Valley Police Chief Dave Ellis said it was their intentions to abide by U.S. and Washington statutes as much as possible.

Ellis said in an interview it would depend upon the situation whether or not officers asked individuals for identification.

If there is no crime, there is no reason to ask, and even then, all they need to produce is their name, not paper ID. “We don’t ask about their citizenship status,” Ellis said.

“The Keep Washington Working See SV COUNCIL, Page 24

• MAY 2025

The Current

Introducing the

Safety Awareness Channel 2025 March Malicious Mischief Hotspots 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.

Published Date: 4/22/2025 Prepared by Spokane County Sheriff's RIG 9 Unit

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Helmets appropriate for bicycling should be worn by everyone – adults and children – on every bike ride regardless of length of the ride. Make certain the helmet is certified by the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Follow these guidelines from NHTSA to properly fit the helmet: ● Adjust sizing pads or fit ring until the helmet is snug ● Position the helmet level on

MAY 2025 • 7

The Current

2025 March Burglary Hotspots Districts

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Published Date: 4/22/2025 Prepared by Spokane County Sheriff's RIG 9 Unit

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your head, covering the forehead and not tipped backward or forward; this will be about one to two finger widths above the eyebrow

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• MAY 2025

State Begins Speed Camera Pilot along I90 in Liberty Lake

NEWS

The Current

By Nina Culver

Current contributor

Frequent drivers of eastbound Interstate 90 between the Harvard Road exit and State Line have likely noticed two cameras perched on bright orange stands on the edge of the road. The cameras are part of a speed camera pilot project to identify speeders on the busy stretch of roadway.

Washington State Department of Transportation assistant communications manager Amy Moreno said the pilot project was requested by the Washington State Legislature as they looked for ways to reduce serious crashes caused by speeding. “In recent years we have seen an increasing number of speed related crashes,” she said. “This was their proviso. This was not requested

by WSDOT.” The Washington Department of Transportation has been working with the Washington State Patrol and the Washington Traffic Safety Commission to reduce the number of speed-related crashes in the state.

The pilot program is unique in that it requires two cameras spaced three miles apart. The cameras record the speed of each vehicle as it passes by and tracks the time it takes each vehicle to travel the distance between the two cameras, creating an average rate of speed. If a vehicle’s average speed is too high, the cameras will take a picture of the vehicle’s license plate.

The average speed method is much different than the usual method of using a camera to measure speed at a single point. “This is the first time this particular method has been used on a state highway,” Moreno said. “It’s heavily used in Europe.”

The section of I-90 near Liberty Lake was selected because it had at least two but no more than three lanes of traffic, had enough space between on and off ramps to get accurate data and had a history of high-speed crashes that caused serious injury or death, Moreno said.

“It’s by no means saying this is the worst spot in the state,” she said.

There were 48,121 crashes reported on state highways in 2023, according to WSDOT data. Of those, 346 fatal collisions involved the death of 392 people.

The site near Liberty Lake is one of only two in the state that are part of the pilot program, with the other being on Interstate 5 between Cook and Bow Hill roads in Skagit County. Signs warning drivers about the speed cameras have been posted at each location. The Legislature specified that it wanted a location on the east side of the state and one on the west side for the pilot project, Moreno said.

The cameras only take a picture of a vehicle’s license plate, not the driver, Moreno said. A warning letter will be sent to the registered owner of the car notifying them of the speed violation and how much a ticket could have cost them. There will be no fines issued during the pilot program, Moreno said.

“It’s not a ticket,” she said. “It’s just a courtesy.”

The warning letters will not be sent to owners of cars registered in a different state. “It will only go to Washington residents,” she said.

“It’s just a safety program.”

Residents are being asked to give the state feedback about the pilot program by visiting engage.wsdot. wa.gov/highway-speed-cameras.

Those comments, plus the data collected by the speed cameras, will be presented to legislators.

The Legislature hopes the program will encourage drivers to slow down and reduce the number of collisions, Moreno said. “Hopefully this will save lives,” she said.

The state allocated $2 million for the pilot program to pay for purchasing the cameras, setting them up and postage to mail the warning letters. If a vehicle is photographed multiple times speeding through the pilot project area, only one letter will be sent, Moreno said. “We have a very limited budget,” she said.

Though the first camera near the Harvard Road exit is within the Liberty Lake city limits, neither the mayor nor the police chief was

notified in advance that it was being installed, said Police Chief Damon Simmons. No one has called the department to complain, but Simmons said he did get a call from someone asking what the camera was for.

There currently are not any speed cameras in the city of Liberty Lake, but Simmons said he is considering asking the City Council to install traditional speed cameras in school zones and near parks. However, the council needs to approve a city ordinance allowing the cameras first, he said.

The speed cameras on I-90 will be removed in late June, Moreno said. It will be up to state legislators to decide if they want to continue the program in some form, she said, whether that is an expansion of the pilot project, advancing to issuing tickets or not continuing the program at all.

“That’s really going to be their decision,” she said. “The future of the program is up to the Legislature.

I think a lot will have to do with what the data shows.”

MAY 2025 • 9

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10

• MAY 2025

COVER STORY

The Current

positions — officers and civilian recommends officers spend 45% of least 10 more new officers.

Spokane At the meeting, Deputy City personnel — along with another their time being proactive.

“Without the increase in sales tax, Erik Lamb said staff civilian position recommended by Valley council Manager modified the original ballot title to city staff. Those positions are based we will have to make do with the make sure voters understood its on Spokane Valley statistics, not state police force we have, which will lead or federal trends. puts public to burnout and declining response intent. times,” Spokane Valley Police Chief “They really are meant to address clear, these David Ellis said in a news release. the specific needs of Spokane Valley safety on the funds“Tocanmakeonlyit becrystal used for public at the time of the study,” Lamb told The city is spending 64% — $40.1 safety,” Lamb said. the council at the April 1 meeting. million — of its $63.2 million 2025 ballot According to a staff report at the According to the city, Spokane recurring General Fund budget

By John McCallum Current contributor

For almost a year and a half, the Spokane Valley City Council has wrestled with how to pay for the 31 new personnel needed to help the city’s police department meet the increasing amount and complexity of calls for service while conducting a more proactive policing approach.

On Aug. 5, Spokane Valley residents will get to weigh in on the subject too.

At its April 15 meeting, the City Council voted 5-1 to advance a public safety sales tax measure to the August primary ballot. The measure, if passed by a majority of voters, would add one-10th of 1 % to the existing 8.9% sales tax rate, with the proceeds being used solely to hire at

council’s April 1 public hearing on the ordinance, 25-004, putting the measure on the ballot, the city must share 15% of the sales tax proceeds with Spokane County. The sales tax is then estimated to provide about $2.6 million annually to the city, with motor vehicle sales and the first 36 months of motor vehicle leases exempt from this portion of the sales tax.

Rising costs and personnel needs The need for the sales tax comes from several factors increasing pressure on the city’s ability to fund law enforcement services.

One of those, an $85,000 study on police calls for service and staffing evaluations by national consultant Matrix Consulting Group Ltd., indicated the city needed 30 new

Valley has grown 31% since incorporation in 2003, rising from 82,895 to 108,800 in 2024. Meanwhile, calls for public safety services have increased 54% since 2004 — partly due to increasing drug and mental health calls — while the number of full-time officers has increased by just six, 44 to 50. Response times for calls related to life or safety threats have gone up 28% since 2020.

The Matrix study also showed Spokane Valley patrol officers spend about 40% of their time in proactive policing measures like community engagement, crime prevention steps, early intervention and helping to improve quality of life for residents.

To create a more positive presence in the community and increase feelings of trust and safety, Matrix

on public safety, with the Police Department accounting for 54% — $34 million — of that spending. Adding to that is another factor reflected in the public safety sales tax measure — increased costs related the recently finalized county negotiations with the deputies collective bargaining agreement.

Early estimates indicate those could cost the city an additional $4.7 million over the next three years, 2025 – 2027. There are also indirect costs to the city’s law enforcement contract with the county for items such as training, fleet services and administration, along with liabilitycoverage costs and information services.

Spokane Valley Communications Manager Jill Smith said the city

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has hired a consultant to review these indirect costs to “ensure we pay for those costs that support the contractual law enforcement and other public safety services we receive and review the process for more efficiencies in reconciling actual costs, as it is quite complex and time consuming.”

COVER STORY

MAY 2025 • 11

Additionally, Lamb told the council unknown future expenses could come from increased costs for funding public defenders — a proposal is before the state Supreme Court awaiting a ruling — along with “nuclear verdicts” stemming from insurance lawsuits that carry statewide impacts.

Digging for internal funds Spokane Valley prides itself on taking a conservative approach to budgeting. The City Council has declined to take its state-allowed 1% annual property tax increase for the past 16 years, meaning increases in property taxes result from increased assessed valuation from new construction.

The city’s sales tax has increased slightly in this time period, according to the Spokane County Assessor’s Office, rising from 8.5% in January 2005 to 8.8% in October 2008 to its current 8.9% in April 2019.

Following this philosophy, the council authorized and approved staff efforts to find other means to fund the proposed increases to public safety — essentially looking for money in the sofa cushions.

At its Feb. 27, 2024 meeting, council provide $2.3 million in recurring funding for Phase 1 hiring of 10 officers, a lieutenant and a

civilian analyst position by shifting annual General Fund revenues for street maintenance to law enforcement. To replace those funds, council rededicated revenue from the newly created Transportation Benefit District’s (TBD) $20 car tabs along with street wear fees to street maintenance.

Approved by council in December 2023, the tabs are estimated to bring in $2.8 million in 2025 while the streetwear fee is forecast at $1.7 million. Council also approved using $624,000 from $1 million the city received from the American Rescue Plan Act for one-time equipment and other needs associated with the

positions.

Faced with about $2.6 million in inflationary impacts to the General Fund in 2025, city staff cut $1.3 million from other city departments. This includes $1 million from the street preservation fund, $474,000 from the public safety equipment replacement reserve and $233,000 from three unfunded vacant positions.

Lamb told the council that any future budget cuts could lead to negative impacts for city services many residents rely upon, such as parks and recreation.

“One of the biggest issues this year is we’ve cut just about everything,” he added.

New officers hired, more needed Ellis has said at previous council meetings that all of the Phase 1 personnel have been hired and are undergoing training and orientation.

With that, the city’s Public Safety Committee recommended council proceed with implementation of Phase 2 hiring — four patrol deputies, one school resource officer, one shared sexual assault detective and one behavioral health deputy.

Preliminary estimated costs for this phase are $1,038,503 in recurring costs and $390,000 for one-time equipment and other costs. Central Valley, West Valley and East Valley have cost-sharing contracts with Spokane County to help pay for the school resource officers while the behavioral health deputy would be funded through a state grant.

The sexual assault detective is a shared position with Spokane County where Spokane Valley only pays for costs associated with work within the city.

Given council’s discussion about a proposed sales tax increase, first presented at their March 4 workshop, the Public Safety Commission recommended that if the measure were put on an upcoming ballot and passed, the city should “focus the resources on funding as many additional officers as possible while also maintaining existing services in other public safety contracts.”

The recommendation was for a See PUBLIC SAFETY, Page 12

12

• MAY 2025

PUBLIC SAFETY Continued from page 11

minimum of 10 additional officers over the next two years, increasing the number funded by potential passage of the sales tax measure by three. If those positions were funded and filled, it would still leave Spokane Valley 10 officers and personnel shy of the Matrix study’s recommendation of 30.

A dispute over funding city priorities While all council members support the need for more officers, how they are paid for is in dispute. Councilman Al Merkel was the lone “No” vote on the ordinance sending the proposal to a public vote. Councilman Ben Wick was not present at the April 15 meeting, having an excused absence, but was a “Yes” vote on the April 1 first reading.

Merkel has regularly criticized his fellow council members for not doing enough to find funding within the existing budget to eliminate in order to pay for officers without seeking additional revenue. At past meetings in 2024 and this year, he has proposed cutting funding from city projects — including elimination of the Sprague

NEWS

Avenue stormwater improvement and lane reduction project completed last fall — as well as trimming budgets of all city departments.

Valley resident Kaylie Hughes said, adding people who are adequately housed and fed make better decisions when it comes to following the law.

At a meeting this year, Merkel read off amounts he would cut from each department. He has also been a consistent “No” vote on most councilapproved funding decisions such as pursuing grants for street projects, especially if those grants require city matching funds, and has advocated that the city’s top priority is public safety funding before all other needs.

Other individuals testifying at the public hearing were more supportive, as are all council members. Several were critical of Merkel himself.

“I think this is an egregious waste of money in terms of asking people to provide more taxes,” he said at the April 15 meeting. “We should be looking within our own budget to fund our priorities first. That is our job. That is our responsibility to the taxpayers.”

Merkel isn’t the only critical voice regarding the sales tax proposal.

Several residents voiced concerns at the April 1 public hearing, including criticizing results of a city survey showing public opinion in favor of the sales tax as being an inadequate sample size.

“Cops don’t work, they don’t provide the safety we’re looking for,”

“It’s amazing to me that the council member who poses himself as a champion of the people only wants it if the people’s voice come through him,” Councilwoman Laura Padden said. “And he is trying to silence the people by not allowing them to vote on this. Let the people speak.”

“Just in case anybody has missed it, what Councilman Merkel is proposing is not funding streets, or parks or pools,” Councilwoman Jessica Yaeger said. “So, what he is proposing does not work.”

Yaeger added she doesn’t like the idea of a tax increase either, but the city has done as much as possible to find internal savings.

“We did make cuts,” Deputy Mayor Tim Hattenburg said. “We tightened our belt about as far as we can without cutting needed programs.”

Mayor Pam Haley said council

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is charged with other aspects of city business besides just public safety, with residents looking to its members to make decisions on other services while not wasting public money.

In her opinion, the council has been very successful at this.

“The one thing I hear the most when I go out in the public and talk with the citizens is how much we do with how little money we get,” Haley said. “And that’s reality.”

As for Merkel’s accusation advancing the sales tax measure was a waste of public money, Communications Manager Jill Smith said the cost to put it on the August ballot ranged from $30,000 to $200,000, depending upon how many other measures might also be on the ballot. The city would use its standard methods of communicating aspects of the proposal to voters such as the website, social media, Community Conversation events and other presentations.

“We do anticipate a one-timeall-city mailer closer to the election, which is again allowed by state law and would cost an estimated $30,000,” Smith added. “This would be paid out of the 2025 general fund budget.”

MAY 2025 • 13

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• MAY 2025

The Current

brought to you by

Student of the Month

Athlete of the Month

Citizen of the Month

Lorelai Taylor keeps busy on and off the court. The East Valley Knight senior is the current Secretary for the Knight National Honor Society a position she has held for the last two years, plays Cello in the honors orchestra as well as the Tri-M Music Honor Society, is the Events Coordinator for Knight DECA club earning her way to compete at the DECA Nationals in Orlando in the Aspire Program this year, while maintaining a 3.98 GPA. Athletically Taylor participates in the Varsity Tennis team and previously on the Volleyball team. Outside of school Taylor volunteers with the Red Cross Veterans Board helping at the local VA homes in both Spokane and Post Falls. She also serves on the student leadership board for the Holocaust Center for Humanity which she got connected with after wining an essay contest in her sophomore year. After High School Taylor plans to attend the University of Washington to major in Biochemistry on a Pre Med or Pre Health track with an ultimate goal of going to medical school or pursuing a career in medical research.

East Valley senior Talan Hughes is off to a great start this season with a current undefeated season in track and field.

Hughes participates in the 110 meter and 300 meter hurdles as well as the anchor in the 4 by 1 and 4 by 4 relay. This is Hughes’ third year participating in track and field at East Valley and is the current meet record holder at the Van Kuren Invitational in both the 110 and 300 meter hurdles. Hughes is also a wrestler for the Knights competing in the 157 lb. weight class and was a state qualifier earlier this year having participated in wrestling for the last six years. Off the course Hughes likes to volunteer as a referee for little kids wrestling events while maintaining a 3.4 GPA. After high school Huges is planning on attending Eastern Oregon University to study Psychology and participate in their track program. His ultimate goal is to become a school therapist and come back to coach at East Valley High School.

Every school has its superheroes, and at Ness Elementary, it is none other than Judy Stansbury!

Serving as the Assistant Counselor, Judy has been a guiding light, helping students grow, learn, and become their best selves.

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Judy was honored by the Greater Spokane Valley Chamber during their Business Awards in March. For the past 34 years, Judy’s legacy has been woven into the fabric of the school via her wisdom and kindness. West Valley School District Arthur B Ness Elementary School Principal Theresa Kendall shared that Judy has comforted thousands of nervous students on their first day, handed out tissues to heartbroken fifth graders on their last day and given approximately one million high-fives in between.

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The Current

8 year old saves mother by calling 911

By Nina Culver

Current contributor

The Spokane Valley Fire Department recently presented a lifesaving award to 8-year-old Jackson George, who called 911 when his mother had a medical episode and was unconscious.

George was recommended for the recognition by Spokane Regional Emergency Communications, which handled George’s call. “My trainee took the call and I was coaching her through the call,” said SREC communications officer Daryl Dunckel.

Dunckel said George remained calm and was able to give him important information, including that his mother has a seizure disorder.

“Knowing his location was huge and having some knowledge of mom’s medical history was important,” he said.

NEWS

MAY 2025 • 15

He said he also knew a quick way to make sure he got his address right so firefighters could find him. “I just walked out the door and the address was right by the door,” he said.

His mother said her seizure happened on a day in February when she was home alone with her son and her 2-year-old daughter. She had previously made it a point to teach her son how to call 911 just in case he needed to. “I’m really glad it stuck like glue to him,” she said. “I was unconscious during the whole thing.”

She said her seizure disorder means that she frequently has seizures, but this is the first time one happened when she was alone with her children.

Her husband has called 911 for her several times in the past, she said.

“He has seen it happen a lot,” she said of her son. “He knows what to do because he watches his dad do it.”

George said he saw his mother fall down to the floor and knew what he needed to do.

“I am so proud of him,” his mother said. “He is so courageous and brave.”

It’s not common to get an actual emergency call from a child, Dunckel said. Usually when children call 911 it’s because they are playing with the phone or it’s a non-emergency issue.

“That’s why this one stood out,” he said.

SREC executive director Lori Markham said it’s also important to recognize George’s mother, Anna George, for teaching her son how to call 911 in an emergency. “It was probably a very scary time for him and he remained calm,” she said.

Spokane Valley Fire Chief Frank Soto Jr. presented George with a certificate and a challenge coin at Station 1 while his mother and other family members looked on. Station 1 is the same station that sent the crew that helped his mother. “We’re very proud of you, Jackson,” he said.

Soto said his firefighters train every day to save people’s lives, but George was able to do it with a phone call.

“He saved his mother’s life,” he said.

George also received a challenge coin from SREC, which seemed to make him happy. “I got two medals,” he exclaimed, holding them up. “Don’t people bite down on their medals?”

George said he feels good about what he did. “It felt pretty scary,” he said. “But also at the same time I knew the firefighters would help.”

Photos by Nina Culver Jackson George was recognized with a life-saving award for his actions of staying calm and calling 911 to get help when his mother was suffering from a seizure. Jackson with his mother Anna George (top). Jackson with Spokane Regional Emergency Communications (SREC) executive director Lori Markham and Spokane Valley Fire Chief Frank Soto Jr (bottom).

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• MAY 2025

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About and for Spokane Valley area seniors

Spokane Valley Heritage Museum Presents the story behind Saltese

By Nina Culver

Current contributor

The expansive deck at the Doris Morrison Learning Center on the edge of the restored Saltese wetlands overlooks acres of water, with the songs of numerous birds and the gentle honking of Canadian geese in the air.

As lush as the area is now, there was once a lake there that stretched for miles before it was drained so a local farmer could use the fertile lakebed to grow hay.

Jayne Singleton, director of the Spokane Valley Heritage Museum, recently gave a presentation of the history of the Saltese area to several dozen people inside the Learning Center.

“The Saltese story is a fascinating story,” Singleton said.

The original lake was named after Coeur d’Alene Tribe Chief Andrew Seltice, who lived on the west side of the lake. Living on the southern tip of the lake was one of his sub-chiefs, Quinnamose, Singleton said. In 1898, Quinnamose became the first Native American to file a homestead claim for land around the lake.

Singleton said.

Though the Museum houses many historical documents and photos, they only go back so far, Singleton said.

Much of what the Museum has of the Saltese area came from scrapbooks created by Doris Morrison. “We have very few of just Saltese,” she said. “We have nothing of the lake before it was drained.”

Peter Morrison had the idea to drain the lake to grow hay, but it was not a simple task. The process to drain the lake took years. Morrison built special wooden shoes for his horses so they wouldn’t sink into the muck at the bottom of the lake, using a farming implement called the Fresno Scraper to dig ditches to drain the lake. The water was diverted to nearby Sink Lake, now called Shelley Lake.

A group of squatters took over some of the recently drained land and Peter Morrison fought their claims to the land in court for more than a decade. He died in 1923 before the case was decided in his favor.

Morrison’s goal was to grow the finest strain of Timothy hay west of the Mississippi and he succeeded, Singleton said. His hay was much sought after.

Eventually, a community grew around the former lake. There were one-room schoolhouses, a pioneer cemetery and even a community newspaper for a

short time, Singleton said.

Until several years ago the land was owned by Bud Morrison, Peter Morrison’s grandson. Bud Morrison was present during Singleton’s historical presentation and filled the crowd in on the most recent history of the land.

Several years ago, Spokane County approached him about buying the former lakebed he was using to grow hay and raise cattle to restore the wetlands, he said. “That was a big deal,” he said.

Under the county’s plan, runoff from Mica Peak would be diverted back to refill the wetlands, slowing the runoff so it can help recharge the Spokane ValleyRathdrum Prairie Aquifer. There were also discussions about piping reclaimed wastewater to the site, but that has not materialized.

Bud Morrison agreed to the sale, asking that the county build an interpretive center in honor of his mother, Doris Morrison, a former school teacher. He said on a recent day he watched from his home across the wetlands as numerous school buses pulled up to the Learning Center full of students who were able to spend the day learning about the wetlands and the animals that live there.

“What’s happening is the greatest education that could happen here,” he

said. “I knew I did the right thing years ago. There wasn’t any more future in farming.”

The wetlands, the trails that surround it and the interpretive center are assets to the community, he said.

“The County has done everything they said they were going to do,” he said.

“It’s everything we wanted. It’s really a beautiful thing.”

In addition to teaching children about the environment, the Doris Morrison Learning Center preserves the history of the area, Singleton said.

“The Saltese has come a long way, lots of development, but there’s still water,” she said. “There’s wildlife. An unbelievable number of birds have come back, including ones that have never been seen here before.”

The Doris Morrison Learning Center, located at 1330 S. Henry Road in Greenacres, is open to the public from 2 to 6 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays and from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. The five miles of trails around the wetlands are always open.

The Spokane Valley Heritage Museum, 12114 E. Sprague Ave., is open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays and from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Fridays. Admission is $7 for adults, $6 for seniors and retired military, $4 for students and free for kids under 7 and active military.

Eventually, when Quinnamose wanted to sell the land, he had to go to court to get permission to do so because of the land restrictions under the Homestead Act. After several years and a trip to the United States Supreme Court, he was granted permission to sell the land, selling it to Spokane banker M.M. Cowley, Singleton said.

Peter Morrison was a Canadian who moved to the area in the late 1800s and started buying land around Saltese Lake. An official U.S. Survey conducted in 1878 measured the lake at around 1,200 acres and 2.5 miles long and one mile wide. There’s no record of how deep the lake was, but the local Native Americans referred to the lake as marshy, so it probably wasn’t deep,

Photo by Nina Culver Spokane Valley Heritage Museum President Jane Singleton presets the history of Saltese at the Museums recent event at the Doris Morrison Learning Center located on the Saltese wetlands campus.

MAY 2025 • 19

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• MAY 2025

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www.hubsportscenter.org Prep. The final win in that After opening with three Stags set for April 26.

Valley teams straight losses, CV reeled off During that winning streak, stretch was a 1-0 shutout of Mt. three straight wins to end the the Knights had impressive Spokane on April 15, with the racing month of March. After opening wins over North Central (34-2, Wildcats ending the University April with three losses to the 37-1), Pullman (15-2), Clarkston streak with a 16-1 thumping on towards post top-three 3A GSL teams — (12-2) and West Valley (9-7, April 17.

Spokane, University and 14-6). They travel to North University got back in the season action Mt. Ridgeline — the Bears have Central and West Valley for plus column with a 6-1 win stayed in the race with wins

By John McCallum Current contributor

CENTRAL VALLEY Baseball Streaking might be the buzzword for Central Valley baseball this season as the Bears have put together several of the winning variety.

The first was a three-game winning streak coming off a 9-7 season-opening non-league loss to Southridge. Central Valley followed that with wins over Kennewick and a pair from Cheney.

After an 8-4 loss to Mt. Spokane, the Bears put five consecutive wins together, downing Mt. Spokane 9-8 on April 1 followed by doubleheader sweeps of Ferris and Ridgeline.

A 7-5 loss to Gonzaga Prep ended that streak, but Central Valley quickly got another one – their current one – under way with wins over G-Prep (158) on April 17 followed by a doubleheader sweep of Shadle Park.

CV is currently tied with G-Prep for first in the Greater Spokane League at 9-2, 103. The Bears have two games each with Lewis and Clark, University and Mead on their schedule.

Central Valley is currently ranked seventh in the Washington Interscholastic Athletics Association’s 3A RPI. Fastpitch softball The Bears (5-7, 5-9) are tied with Ferris for fifth in the GSL and are two games behind fourth-place Ridgeline.

over Shadle Park, Ferris and LC.

CV can still move up in the standings, but it won’t be easy.

Three of their five remaining games are with those three GSL 3A leaders.

Soccer With a 4-1 record, 6-3 overall, the Bears were essentially tied for the lead with Ridgeline for the lead in the GSL standings among 3A schools as of April 23, and second overall behind Lewis and Clark. Central Valley had four games remaining, including a matchup April 23 with Mt. Spokane, one game behind them in the standings, along with a key contest April 30 at home against the Falcons.

CV’s only losses were to LC and twice to G-Prep, all by 2-1 scores.

EAST VALLEY Baseball The Knights continue to search for their first win of the season, and were 0-12 in the GSL and 0-14 as of April 22. Seventh in the GSL 2A classification, East Valley has five games remaining, including a pair with sixthplace Rogers, 3-10, 3-12.

Fastpitch softball After a 2-1 start, a sevengame winning streak helped elevate the Knights into second-place in the GSL 2A classification. At 8-2, 8-4 overall, East Valley is four games back of unbeaten Deer Park in the win column, two in the loss column, and had a home doubleheader with the

single games and a pair of doubleheaders to wrap up the regular season, including the finale at home with Pullman May 10.

The Knights are ranked 17th in the WIAA 2A RPI, with Deer Park fourth and Clarkston 20th.

Soccer After a 2-3 start, the Knights turned their season into a competition for a high playoff spot with a five-game winning streak. Since their seventh win, 5-1 over 1A Lakeside on April 14, East Valley has dropped games to North Central 1-0, and GSL 2A-leading and topranked Pullman, 2-0.

At 5-2 in the GSL, 7-5 overall, East Valley has chance to overtake rival West Valley and secure the No. 2 seed to the playoffs. Three of their final four games are against league opponents below them in the standings: fourth-place Deer Park (2-5, 4-6, 9 points), sixth-place Clarkston (2-5, 3-7, 6 points) and Rogers 0-8, 1-10) before wrapping up the regular season at home against West Valley.

UNIVERSITY Baseball At 8-3 GSL, 9-4 overall the Titans are right in the thick of things for the league title, tied with Mt. Spokane for third and a game back in the win and loss columns from 3A leader CV. University gets two shots at the Bears, April 29 and May 1.

After an 11-1 season-opening loss to Kennewick, the Titans went a tear, winning nine of their next 10 games, the only loss a 14-6 setback to Gonzaga

over Ridgeline, which followed a 7-2 loss to the Falcons. The Titans also have games against Shadle Park (2), Cheney (2) and the CV matchups before ending the regular season May 7 at Kamiakin.

Fastpitch softball The Titans (9-3, 10-4) are third in the GSL but in secondplace among 3A teams, trailing league and 3A leader Mt. Spokane by three games. Four of their five remaining games are with teams chasing them in the standings, the lone exception their regular-season finale May 2 at 4A Mead (11-1, 13-1).

Their home-finale April 29 against fourth-place Ridgeline, third in GSL 3A, could also be a big game. The Falcons knocked off University 9-4 on March 31.

Ranked No. 21, the Titans are one of only three teams on the east side of the Cascades in the WIAA’s 3A RPI Top25 (Ridgeline is No. 26).

Southridge out of the Tri-Cities is No. 23, with unbeaten Mt. Spokane ranked No. 1.

Soccer At 2-3 in league, 2-7-1 overall, the seventh-place Titans are in a battle for better playoff positioning. Three of their four remaining games are against teams above them in the standings, including a regular-season finale on the road at Central Valley.

WEST VALLEY Baseball At 10-1 in the GSL, 10-2 overall and ranked eighth in the WIAA’s 2A RPI, the Eagles are certainly soaring. West

MAY 2025 • 21

The Current

Valley owns a one-game lead over Pullman (9-2, 9-4), and three games over Deer Park.

West Valley opened with a sweep of Clarkston, lost 10-9 to 3A Cheney, then rattled off three more wins – including over Pullman – before losing 6-4 to Deer Park. They got back in the plus column with a 5-0 win over the Stags, and are currently in the midst of a fivegame winning streak.

The Eagles have seven games remaining, two with Pullman and one more with Deer Park, and wrap up the regular season May 6 at home against East Valley.

Fastpitch softball The Eagles are fifth in the GSL 2A classification, 3-6 and 3-8 overall. Their three wins all came April 1-2 over North Central and a doubleheader sweep of Rogers.

West Valley had one more game with the Pirates on April

22, results too late for this issue, and a doubleheader with NC on May 3. They also have single games against league leader Deer Park and secondplace East Valley along with doubleheaders against Pullman and Clarkston.

Soccer As of April 23, the Eagles were in a battle for the GSL 2A crown — a battle that wouldn’t be easy to win. West Valley was 6-2 in league, 10-2 overall with 18 points, trailing unbeaten and WIAA top-ranked Pullman (8-0, 12-0, 24 points) but barely ahead of third-place and rival East Valley (5-2, 7-4, 15 points).

The Eagles were bringing a three-game winning streak into their final three regular-season games — all on the road. After a visit to fifth-place North Central, West Valley wrapped up its schedule with trips to Pullman and East Valley.

The Eagles were ranked eighth in the WIAA’s April 23 2A RPI standings.

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The Current

New digital resource SimplyAnalytics offers powerful data for research and business

By Stacey Goddard Spokane County Library District

Spokane County Library District (SCLD) has added a powerful new resource to its Digital Library, called SimplyAnalytics.

This online resource provides premium demographic, business, health, and marketing data, making it easy to find and generate the data you need.

SimplyAnalytics offers flexibility to create interactive maps, charts, and reports using 200,000+ data variables, making it a game changer for business and project research.

Demographic data includes population, age, gender, education, family type, and housing. Economic data you can tap into covers income, employment, occupation, housing values, and rent. Health data consists of diseases, diagnoses, procedures, health status, and unhealthy

SCLD’s Digital Library offers helpful online resources on unexpected topics

By Erin Dodge Current Guest Correspondent

The Digital Library offered by Spokane County Library District (SCLD) has dozens of resources, and each of those resources has a lot of opportunities for gaining new skills and growing your knowledge.

With your in-district library card, you can access SCLD’s digital library (scld.org/digital-library) for free anywhere you have an internet connection. You can also visit the library and use their computers to access all the online resources the library has to offer.

For example, Udemy offers tens of thousands of courses across technology, business, leadership, and wellness topics. You can find courses for yoga and meditation, time management, ChatGPT, and even a course for making pastries,

LIBRARY behaviors.

Simply Analytics has maps and reports for over 25 million businesses, including employee counts and total revenue. Marketing data includes market segments, life stages, technology use, financial products, and retail sales. Consumer spending data pulls in information about food, housing, clothing, auto, entertainment, technology, and travel.

Historical data is available from the decennial census for 1980, 1990, 2000, and 2010 as well as from 2007 to now. You can even import data from your own research, sales, marketing, and customers to show alongside SimplyAnalytics 200,000+ data variables.

To help your research and analysis, SimplyAnalytics gives you a wide variety of formats to organize and see the data. You can create interactive maps to view data by state, county, ZIP code, census tract, or block group and easily customize every aspect of your map. Create bar charts, histograms, and scatter plots as well, with just a few clicks.

Ranking tables can show the data you seek, such as the top along with mousses, tempered chocolate, and bread. If you’re looking to learn or improve your skills and knowledge, check the Udemy course list for your topic at scld.org/udemy.

Those with children probably know that Gale in Context: Science is a go-to resource for finding science experiments that students can create for school science fairs. But that’s not all it offers. You can learn about nutrition, micronutrients, and wellness plans. You can also learn about alternative medicine, Alzheimer’s disease, caffeine, screen time, and wearable technology.

Explore this resource at scld.org/ gale-science.

They say you’re never too young or too old to learn a new language.

Whether you want to watch your favorite foreign films without subtitles or dubbing or you’re heading to destinations around the world, Pronunciator (scld.org/ pronunciator) can help you with learning guides and personalized courses. For those planning a trip abroad, you can choose the 8-week Travel Prep Learning Guide to jump right in.

MAY 2025 • 23 SPOK ANE COUNT Y LIBR ARY DISTRICT

100 wealthiest ZIP codes in your state or the Census Tracts in your city identifying the most collegeeducated residents.

Create a related-data table by adding just one data variable and SimplyAnalytics will automatically add all related data for you. For example, if you add “Percent of Households with Income $50,000 to $74,999,” the report will also show all other income ranges.

Other features you can use for your research include informative crosstab tables, advanced data filters, seven different types of detailed, custom tabular reports, and the ability to export everything into file formats to share.

With an in-district SCLD library card, you can use SimplyAnalytics from home, with an internet connection. Get started at scld.org/ simplyanalytics. Or visit one of our libraries to use SimplyAnalytics on a computer station or on your device using the library’s Wi-Fi.

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If you would like guidance on using SimplyAnalytics, you can make an appointment for one-on-one help using our Book-a-Librarian service at scld.org/book-a-librarian.

SPOKANE VALLEY LIBRARY 22 N Herald Rd Thursday, May 1 3:30–4:30pm

You can also personalize your language course by picking topics, such as travel, food, hotel, and leisure, and then choose the number of weeks for learning. Create a personalized language-learning course to learn a language for business, world sports, reading in another language, and more.

Starter Plant Swap

If your finances and budget are top of mind, SCLD has several digital resources to help you learn how to get a handle on money matters. Gale Courses (scld.org/gale-courses) offers a structured, 6-week online course with weekly content and an instructor to help you learn and stay on track, called “Where Does All My Money Go?” LinkedIn Learning (scld.org/ linkedin-learning) is another resource that has multiple courses on personal finance, including creating a budget on a starting salary, teaching kids about budgeting, and managing personal investments.

With over 70 online resources to choose from, SCLD’s Digital Library is bound to have one that can help you learn, explore, and succeed.

Explore its opportunities today!

SPOKANE VALLEY LIBRARY 22 N Herald Rd Saturday, May 10 10am–12pm

Edible Native Plants & How to Grow Them OTIS ORCHARDS LIBRARY 22324 E Wellesley Ave Wednesday, May 28 6:30–7:30pm Get the details at scld.org/gardening-events

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24

• MAY 2025

The Current

SV COUNCIL

Continued from page 5 Act is pretty clear.”

At the April 1 meeting, Councilman Ben Wick asked if passage of the resolution would change city operations.

“No, I don’t see any change,” Lamb said.

Wick and Deputy Mayor Tim Hattenburg both voted against the resolution.

Council strengthens illicit massage business codes At the April 15 meeting, council voted unanimously to adopted three changes to the city’s codes regarding illicit massage businesses and massage therapy licenses.

Council originally passed an ordinance in 2023 adopted state law regarding these operations, including reflexology, with the goal of the new ordinance to provide law enforcement and the city more tools to ensure these businesses are complying with licensing requirements.

The changes include broadening who can be held responsible for violations, requiring applicants to provide a state-issued massage license, pass a background check if no license, undergo an inspection within 120 days of license issuance and revocation of license if found in violation of city codes.

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It also changes the violations to be issue, with a first violation resulting in a misdemeanor and a second a gross misdemeanor.

In Washington state, a misdemeanor conviction can lead to imprisonment in a county jail for up to 90 days, or a fine of up to $1,000, or both.

A gross misdemeanor carries a maximum jail sentence of 364 days and a fine of up to $5,000.

Police Chief Dave Ellis said there have been an estimated 17 illicit massage businesses in the city, of which 77% were shut down this past year.

Affordable housing approved for Carnahan area At the April 22 meeting, council voted 6-1 to approve

two proposals to provide affordable housing on cityowned properties in the Carnahan area west of Lowe’s.

The resolution authorizes the city manager to execute final agreements with Habitat for Humanity to build affordable housing at 228 E. Carnahan and 4908 E. 1st Avenue.

The East Carnahan property was purchased in March 2024 for $633,000 — part of $2 million council set aside for affordable housing property acquisition from the $16 million the city received from the American Recover Plan Act (ARPA) in 2022. Council authorized using $4 million of this funding in 2023 for a variety of projects dealing with affordable housing and homelessness.

The city issued a request for proposal for the properties in October, 2024, and eventually received two. Habitat for Humanity and Millenium Northwest both made presentations to council at the April 1 meeting, with only Habitat making a proposal for both properties.

Council members were subsequently asked to rank their preference. Six council member ranked Habitat for Humanity’s proposal at the top. Councilman Al Merkel did not submit his rankings.

Habitat for Humanity’s proposal calls for 24 units at the 228 S. Carnahan property, each 2-3 bedroom, 1.5 bathrooms at 1,277 square feet. Each unit carries the capabilities for tenant ownership, and are geared towards families, seniors and individuals experiencing disabilities.

The 1st Avenue property will be a large, four-bedroom/ two-bathroom single family home for a larger family or individuals experiencing disabilities.

Council has directed staff to prioritize homeownership, workforce housing, seniors, homeless and individuals with disabilities when it comes to decisions on affordable housing projects.

MAY 2025 • 25

The Current

The men and women of the Courage – Spokane Valley Fire Department often do more than just physically Displaying take care of our patients, we shovel snow from sidewalks and driveways, fix wheelchairs, fix integrity bikes, provide blankets to the needy, rescue pets, fetch shoes, despite medicines, diapers, and much obstacles and more.

Spokane Valley Firefighters challenges. treat every human and animal

aila ble . s av

Personally, for me, it was in 2012. I was off duty at a softball park to watch my wife and daughter’s game. I got there late because I got off work early that morning. I remember hearing screams and I ran towards them.

I found a little girl on the ground bleeding profusely from an open, compound fracture of her radius and ulna. I remember my wife suddenly showing up, yelling at me in complete panic. I can recall asking her to calm down because I couldn’t understand what she was saying. I realized then that it was her team. I remember asking where our daughter was—I don’t know why I asked, I just did. I remember, plainly, as she pointed at the little girl in my hands. Courage is coming back for more.

ice

Spokane Valley Firefighters participate in (and have started) all kinds of charities. We help non-traditional students get an education, provide housing for children with cancer during treatments, help veterans overcome stress related to PTSD, provide kids with coats each winter, rescue special needs animals, teach at Spokane Valley Tech, provide community assistance through a benevolent association, coach in local schools, volunteer with special needs kids, teach bike safety, participate in scouting programs, serve in our military, and so much more.

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After 25 years, I’ve seen it happen too many times. Whether in Albuquerque, Tucson, or in the Valley, it’s a part of the job that we cannot escape. In fact, in the year I’ve been at the Valley, it’s happened to our own personnel.

Courage is coming back for more.

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Firefighters share in every painful moment our community members suffer every day of their career. It’s a “calling” that always requires a response. As first responders, we must have the continued courage to serve, again and again, shift after shift. Experiencing others worst moments, day after day, can and will eventually break us all down.

However, being able to serve our community in other ways, at our own pace, and on our days off, provides us relief.

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Courage is coming back for more.

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life with value and deserving of dignity. That takes courage.

Integrity (Honor) is not what we do when people are watching us, it’s what we do when no one is watching us. The firefighters at Spokane Valley Fire genuinely care about serving every member of our community, on duty and off. That takes courage and good character.

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Even those who weren’t regulars sang his praises, particularly on the Yelp page dedicated to reviewing his farm stand. One poster, identified as Jennifer J., wrote in 2018 about stumbling on Wheeler’s Farm Market on a road trip. She describes it as an “old-school” farm stand “run by a sweet older gentleman.”

His dedication to hard work can be traced back LO VE to hisYO Uchildhood, where he was fourth out of 10 siblings struggling through the Great Depression. He was born in Rugby, North Dakota, but the family moved to Grand Coulee when he was a few years old.

The family lived in a makeshift RV next to a stream for several years, doing whatever work they could find.

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Darl Wheeler wasn’t one to make a splash. He worked hard all his life, hated change and hid a soft heart under his often gruff exterior. He died March 21 at the age of 92.

Most people in Spokane Valley and Otis Orchards will recognize Wheeler as the longtime owner of Wheeler’s Farm Market, a small building tucked back on the side of busy Trent Avenue east of Barker Road.

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They moved to the area in 1943 and Wheeler attended West Valley High School.

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That’s where Wheeler met his future wife, Alice Stevens.

They met when he was 18 and she was 15 and married a year later. “They were a team,” said their daughter, Pat Robinson.

Wheeler was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1952, just missing the Korean War. He was sent to Germany for two years instead, where he got frostbite on his hands and feet and then broke his back, Robinson said. He later had back fusion surgery in 1963.

Wheeler worked for a dairy before he was drafted and when he returned he and his family moved to St. Maries, Idaho, where he managed a small dairy. But then he had the opportunity to lease an 800-acre farm in Spokane, the very former dairy that he had worked at before. He started with cattle and feed, but soon

ON THAT NOTE expanded to other crops, including hay and corn. But what he would become most known for was potatoes.

Robinson recalls all the kids in the family being wrangled to help with the crop, doing everything from planting to washing and packing. The only time they hired help was for harvesting.

“All they had was a single row digger,” Robinson said.

“He’d go down to the temp place and hire 10 to 15 guys to pick the potatoes out of the field.”

Wheeler became known as “The Potato King” and sold potatoes to grocery stores and hospitals.

Everything was planned around the growing season, even Wheeler’s back surgery. “Those old farmers, if you break something, just

strap it up tighter and lets go,” she said.

After 18 years on the farm, the banker Wheeler had partnered with died and he was given the choice to buy the land or move. Unable to afford to buy such a large farm, Wheeler instead bought 40 acres on Trent Avenue.

“They found this rock pile, as my dad called it, and couldn’t grow potatoes,” his daughter said.

He’d had a small fruit stand at the farm he leased and used those connections to get produce to sell at the Wheeler Farm Market that he started on his new property.

He started with fruits and vegetables grown in Yakima since few things grew in his rocky soil. “It was developing relationships with farmers,” she said.

Wheeler soon began to specialize in purchasing less than perfect food, such as vegetables with an odd shape or otherwise imperfect food that grocery stores don’t like to stock on their shelves.

“Dad would buy pallets of food for not very much,” she said. “Dad was able to sell inexpensively.”

In addition to selling food as cheaply as possible, Wheeler was also a frequent donor to local food banks, Robinson said. “I think that came from being destitute when he was a kid,” she said. “He wanted to be able to feed people.”

Contributed photo Darl Wheeler built a legacy in Spokane Valley by both creating an affordable outlet for the community to purchase fresh produce and giving back to the community by donating to local food banks over the past 52 years. The family recently held a food drive in his honor. Go to facebook.com/WheelersFarmMarket for further information.

He often let neighborhood children or passing hitchhikers earn food by doing chores around the store. He also let people run a tab, though some never paid. “He loved to extend credit,” his daughter said. “For a while he kept track. Then he said just forget it. He figured if they didn’t pay their bill, they really needed the food.”

The store on Trent didn’t start out as a store, it started out as a garage. But Wheeler expanded it over the years, using old railroad ties he got from his father who worked at one of the railroads and

MAY 2025 • 27

concrete that a friend of his would come over and pour when he had a little left over from a job. “It was built in sections,” she said.

Though Wheeler ran his market for decades, it wasn’t always easy. He and his wife often had side jobs, including running apple vending machines in all the local high schools and middle schools before vending machines full of snacks and sodas took over.

Once, when Wheeler was 55, he spent four months living out of the back of his van while he worked in the fields in the south.

Along the way, Wheeler and his wife had six children.

Robinson was the oldest and two more siblings followed, each two years apart. Then there was an eight year pause before they had three more children, with 17 years between the oldest and the youngest. There were also three other children the Wheelers basically helped raise, including Elmer “E.J.” Breckenridge, who helped Wheeler run the farm stand for the last 25 years.

Wheeler never officially retired, despite his failing eyesight and hearing, Robinson said. “He was going to retire when he fell down in aisle two,” she said. “The house was only 30 feet away.

He was here a lot.”

Wheeler didn’t like to talk about what would happen to Wheeler’s Farm Market when he was gone, so there weren’t any plans made, Robinson said. The family still isn’t sure what will happen to the market.

“It’s still being discussed,” she said. “There are legal issues to sort through. We’ll just see what happens. Everyone has their own life.”

Darl Wheeler was preceded in death by his wife, Alice. He is survived by his children, Pat Robinson, Ted Wheeler, Michael Wheeler, Ruth Furlow, Beth Harper and Darl Wheeler as well as four grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

28

• MAY 2025

The Current

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