2025 November Current by The Current

Youth Sports take focus in Spokane Valley

From Soccer and Cross Country opening this year to Ice Skating and Hockey on the horizon, see page 8

RIVER CROSSING

East Valley’s Brooke Boykin Brings a touch of rodeo to home games

By Nina Culver Current contributor

East Valley High School sophomore Brooke Boykin and her big red gelding, Chief, have become a fixture at home football games this past year, carrying the flag around the track before each game.

She actually rode a different horse when she started the tradition, but switched to Chief when that horse was sold. “He loves it, so we stuck with it,” she said.

Together they lope around the track with the flag, then stand for the national anthem. Boykin said she and Chief are always the center of attention for small children after their job is done.

“A bunch of little kids always come up and love on him,” she said. “You can tell he’s happy.”

Boykin has been riding horses nearly since she was born. Her mother has a picture of Boykin, then nine months old, perched in her saddle in front of her astride a paint horse. Some of Boykin’s first riding memories are of a small grey pony named Smokey, a stallion. “He was spicy,” Boykin recalled. “He was adorable, but he was a butthead.”

Boykin kept on riding, graduating to bigger horses as she grew. Two years ago, when she was 14, she started competing in rodeos. She does barrel racing and pole bending on a horse named Saphirra. One could almost call Chief a foster fail. There was a plan to buy a horse, train it and sell it. “I came across a post on Facebook,” Boykin

said of how she found Chief. “I liked him because he was bigger. He just had a soft eye.”

Boykin said she suspects that Chief, who is 16 hands tall, was green broke. That’s a term meaning a horse that has had some training, but not much. “I was supposed to train him and resell him,” she said.

She quickly learned that Chief liked to buck. Undeterred, she worked with him slowly, doing a lot of ground work. “It was a long year of him bucking,” she said. “I’d think we were done and then he’d start again.”

Worried that Chief might be in pain, Boykin had an equine chiropractor work on Chief. That seemed to help a little, she said. Then one day, Chief just settled down. “Something just clicked in him and he was just great,” she said.

Boykin said she has no idea how old Chief is. Veterinarians can use

a horse’s teeth to estimate age, but Boykin said she’s received a wide range of estimates. She thinks he might be around eight or nine years old.

As part of her training, Boykin worked to make Chief “bomb proof,” a term applied to horses that calmly deal with unexpected activity or sounds without getting nervous or running away. She would jump up and down, waving her arms, or drag a tarp across Chief’s body. “I’d play volleyball off him, basketball,” she said. “He used to freak out. Now he just looks at me like I’m stupid.”

The extra training worked, however. Chief takes the noise and activity of a football game and a cheering crowd in stride. He welcomes small children who come up to pet him. He’s likely to just stand and doze quietly when he’s not being asked to do anything.

Boykin didn’t have football

appearances in mind when she was training Chief, however. She said she was just trying to train him to have all the qualities she’d like to have in a horse she owned.

Boykin got the idea of using a horse to present the flag at games from the rodeos she participated in, which have horses and riders run through the arena carrying flags at the start of the event. She thought it would also be a good way to honor military veterans. She has several veterans in her family, plus an aunt and uncle currently serving in the Air Force.

“It just kind of popped into my head,” she said. “It’s a good way to honor them and do something I love at the same time.”

She went to her school principal and pitched the idea and he seemed enthusiastic about it, she said. “He thought it was a great idea but we had to go through the (school) board to get approval,” she said.

Boykin plans to keep bringing Chief to the football games to present the flag until she graduates from high school. He also doubles as a lesson horse when Boykin teaches kids to ride to earn extra money. There are no longer any discussions about selling Chief.

“He’ll die here,” she said.

Q: What is your favorite part of presenting the flag on Chief before East Valley football games?

A: My favorite part of presenting the flag on Chief before the EV football games is definitely the people whom I have been surrounded by. Everyone is so excited to see my boy, and treat him with such love and respect. They all are very big supporters and make every night memorable. All the little kids are just in love and get to love on him and it makes my heart happy.

Q: What do you hear from other students about you and Chief presenting the flag before games?

A: The things I hear from other

Photo by Nina Culver East Valley High School sophomore Brooke Boykin and her horse Chief. Boykin and Chief are regulars at the East Valley football games presenting the flag and interacting with the crowd at each of the home games.

BOYKIN

Continued from page 2

students about me and Chief presenting the flag is a lot of “I’m so proud of you.” They always have such kind words to say to me and are always supportive. Even the quiet kids who people think are “weird” are so incredibly nice and caring to me.

Q: Do you have a favorite memory involving Chief?

A: My favorite memory involving Chief is definitely when something clicked in him and he started to act like my heart horse that I had put down a year ago. He all of a sudden became a one in a million type of horse, and has never failed me.

Q: Do you have any advice for kids or teens considering learning to ride?

A: My advice to kids or teens considering learning to ride is absolutely do it. It’s something you will most likely fall in love with and it brings a lot of stress and anxiety out of you. I give riding lessons and every person I have had has fallen in love and wanted to keep riding. Riding is a gift, if you get the chance take it!

Q: What are your plans after graduation?

A: My plans after graduation is to go to MSU for their rodeo program and the veterinarian studies then transfer to WSU to finish out my college years. Once done with that I want to focus primarily on Equine veterinary care and eventually start my own traveling company.

Student of the Month

Entrepreneur, class leader, mentor, and community volunteer is some of the many titles University High School senior Kailan Wright has already achieved. At school Wright is the senior class president, been a member of the Key Club for the last four years (a service leadership program partnering with Kiwanis) serving as the president for the last two years, been apart of HOSA (a club of future health care professionals) where she is the past president, last year was apart of the Crimson Crew and peer mentor for incoming freshman, and is currently apart of the LaunchNW Mpower mentoring program; all while maintaining a 3.94 GPA. Outside of school Kailan started her own nail business “Pretty Nails by Kailan” which she has operated for the last two years and has recently graduated from the Cope Health Scholars program where she volunteered two days a week at the Valley Hospital taking vitals and other tasks for the last nine months.

After high school Kailan plans to attend the University of Utah to pursue a science based undergraduate degree before going on to a Dental School where she plans on specializing in Pediatric Dentistry.

Athlete of the Month

University High School Soccer team cocaptain and center back Lilly Heaton. Lilly has been playing soccer since she was 4 years old, playing with the Washington East Surf Soccer club before focusing on just the high school team this year. Lilly is also on the Titan Basketball team as a post or guard depending on what is needed, and last year joined the Track Team for the first time competing in 100 meter hurdles, 300 meter hurdles, as well as some sprints and threw javelin. Off the field Heaton who is a senior this year maintains a 3.98 GPA is apart of the National Honor Society where she enjoys volunteering at the local middle school and elementary schools helping with school dances as well as helping teachers setup their classrooms in the summer, has participated in the school DECA program for all four years of high school and currently works in the school store.

After high school Heaton is interested in pursuing a degree in mechanical engineering from either Montana State University or Boise State University to stay close to home.

Citizen of the Month

Greater Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce

President and CEO Lance Beck. Lance has been at the helm of the Chamber since 2018, is a Spokane County native, and is a graduate of Whitworth University. Before joining the Chamber, he worked with the Spokane Shock football team and served as Director of Marketing at the Oregon Coast Aquarium. Beck is recognized for his collaborative approach, focusing on building relationships, driving innovation, and championing opportunities for local businesses. Under his leadership, the Chamber has emphasized economic vitality and quality of life in the region. Beck is also active in the community, serving on local boards and advocating for educational investment and workforce development. In 2023, he was named to the national “Forty Under 40” list of emerging leaders by the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives, highlighting his impact and vision for Spokane Valley’s future.

Most recently Lance has also been apart of the Safe & Healthy Spokane Task Force a coalition to bring regional partners together to continue discussions around behavioral health, housing, and justice reform.

Introducing the Safety Awareness Channel

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.

SAFETY TIP OF THE MONTH

Be aware of these hazards as the weather gets colder and the days become darker.

1. Kids

Maybe you’re used to all the backto-school traffic. But maybe the kids aren’t, especially new student drivers not yet overcoming their own lack of expertise and that of their peers.

So stay wary in school zones not only for kids walking, but also for young, inexperienced drivers leaving the premises and picking up friends or siblings.

Darkness

“When Daylight Saving Time ends, many people will find themselves spending more time driving in the dark,” the National Safety Council warns. “Depth perception, color recognition and peripheral vision can be compromised in the dark, and the glare of headlights from an oncoming vehicle can temporarily blind a driver.”

Though just 25 percent of our driving is at night, 50 percent of traffic deaths occur then, according to the council, a nonprofit founded in 1913 to reduce preventable deaths.

3. Critters

You’re 3.5 times as likely to hit an animal, especially a deer, in November as at any other time of the year, so be aware of your surroundings especially as you are entering rural areas.

Leaves

As the foliage falls and winds blow, leaves litter the road.

They can cause motorists to park farther from the curb to accommodate piles, create puddles as they block drainage, hide potholes and pavement markings, prompt bicyclists to stray from their designated lanes and turn into a slick mess when they coat the road during rain. That’s because wet leaves create a mat that reduces

traction no matter how new your tires are.

5. Tires

Tires perform better on rainy surfaces if they have enough tread. And they stop faster and steer better on dry ones.

Also, proper tire pressure helps keep you rolling smoothly and safely. Check tire pressure with a good handheld gauge

6. Dampness

We think of big puddles as dangerous — and they are — because front wheels can float and you can lose steering. That’s called hydroplaning.

But even before the puddles accumulate, rain can pool on the dust, grime and oil that are on all roads and make the pavement slick.

7. Glare

The blinding distraction of sun glare waxes as summer wanes.

Sounds wrong, but it’s logical because the sun moves closer to the horizon. That points it straight into your eyes and makes it more likely to reflect at low angles off buildings, other cars and windows.

Have your sunglasses handy. Don’t look directly into the lights of oncoming traffic when you drive at night.

And keep your windshield clear, so dirt streaks don’t contribute to the glare.

Fog and frost

Those harbingers of winter are fall hazards in some areas.

Otherwise refreshing chilly autumn mornings can trigger fog, reducing your vision and distance perception. This is when you’re supposed to use those fog lights that many cars have. They shine wide, low beams along the road and onto the edges of a street, which also is helpful for critter spotting. Don’t use them instead of your regular headlights but rather in addition to low-beam headlights.

Don’t click on your high beams. Those make visibility worse because the bright light bounces off the fog and right back into your eyes.

When temperatures have been cold enough that moisture on the road has turned to ice in spots, slow down.

Running course, ice rink could serve Valley youth, economic vitality

By John McCallum

Current contributor

More and more, cities, counties and states in the U.S. are looking to tourism dollars to help bolster their economies — especially areas impacted by the loss of jobs from other industries formerly playing a big role in providing employment and budget revenues.

According to a 2025 State of Washington Tourism report, that amounted to over $25.1 billion in 2024, although it notes recent actions such as tariffs may drive that figure down in 2025. In 2024, tourism supported 232,457 direct and indirect jobs, comprising 1 in 21 jobs in the state, with those directly supported by tourism numbering 153,885, up 1.2% over the previous year.

Spokane Valley wants a larger piece of this pie, and a pair of athletic facilities — one coming online now and the other in the proposal stages — could prove key to the city and the Spokane region’s economic vitality while also promoting youth sports.

The Course Spokane Valley

Identified in the city’s 2023 Tourism Strategic Plan as the “most favorable tourism asset for development in regard to return on investment,” The Course Spokane Valley has opened with several competitions this year. Located on 62 acres of lightly undulating, wooded land north of the Spokane River, south of the Union Pacific rail line and east of Flora Road, the new cross country course features flexibility to hold competitions of 5,000, 6,000, 8,000 and 10,000 meters — making it useful for middle and high school to college and master’s level events.

“The Course Spokane Valley will not only be a wonderful new park for our community, but will also serve as a catalyst for sports tourism,

attracting athletes and spectators from across the country,” Mayor Pam Haley said at a soft opening on Oct. 27

Construction began in October, 2024, with Walker Construction and SPVV Landscape Architects as primary contractors on the designbuild project. The 12,500 lineal feet of course is covered by 15 acres of special blended turfgrass grown at Mead’s Ray Turf Farms, and has an underlying infrastructure of almost 10 miles of irrigation lines.

It has over 7,000 feet of power conduit and 9,000 feet of fiber optic cable to provide race organizers the ability to monitor competition in real-time over the course. It also allows race-day adjustments to meet organizers needs.

Spokane Valley used $6.9 million in lodging tax revenue to build the course. Additional revenue included a $150,000 capital appropriation from the Washington State Legislature, $26,000 from a Union Pacific Foundation grant and a $282,464 grant from the state Department of Commerce

awarded to Spokane Sports — the organization the city has contracted with to market the course.

Up and running

Besides the running course, other project elements completed include restrooms, a pedestrian / ADA pathway, finish line arch along with parking and a shuttle/ bus loop. Other amenities planned include picnic shelters, playground equipment and walking trails, along with a fieldhouse for use by athletes competing at the facility.

In an Oct. 24 interview, Spokane Valley City Manager John Hohman said these amenities are not defined as yet, and no resources have been identified to pay for them. Items like the fieldhouse would be considered if additional uses for the course are identified, such as a disc golf course and a cyclocross track.

“You don’t really want to build something and pay annual maintenance without it being used all the time,” Hohman said. “Besides that, we are complete with what we planned. The course is fully

functional.”

And being used. Two events were scheduled in November: The West Coast Conference Men’s and Women’s Cross Country Championships on Nov. 1 and the Northwest Athletic Conference Men’s and Women’s Championships on Nov. 10.

Hohman said Spokane Sports has already booked 12-16 events in 2026, once the course is officially opened in spring after letting the new turf establish over the winter. Those events include the NWAC championships, the NCAA Division III Men’s Cross Country Regional Championships, the Bob Firman Nike Cross Invitational and the Nike Cross Regionals Northwest.

Hohman said the two Nike events attract 4,000 – 5,000 athletes each, which along with coaches, trainers and fans will lead to a lot of overnight stays in Spokane Valley hotels.

“You can see, the hoteliers are really happy,” Hohman said. Originally estimated to bring

Contributed photo from the City of Spokane Valley

A drone shot of the recently opened The Course Spokane Valley north of the Spokane River and east of Flora Road. The new cross-country course is hosting two big collegiate events in November, and potentially another 12-16 events in 2026.

COVER STORY

A drone shot of the Finish line arch at The Course Spokane Valley, the signature structure which was able to be built thanks to a $282,464 grant from the Washington State Department of Commerce and Spokane Sports.

in over $1.5 million in economic impact revenue, Hohman said the 2026 events along with expanding interest for more in the future has led the city to revise that estimate.

“It looks like it could be around $10 million,” he said.

Ice rink to provide youth opportunities

Earlier this past spring, Hohman was invited to an event in downtown Spokane with an individual interested in helping finance a youth sports facility in Spokane Valley. The potential benefactor was willing to put up a lot of money to the project.

“When I showed up, I knew who the donor was,” Hohman said. “I had worked with him before in the past.”

That individual was interested in funding an ice rink to provide youth the chance to play hockey and other skating sports and activities at either low or no costs. The individual subsequently partnered with Innovia Foundation, a Spokane-based charitable organization established in 1974 that helps individuals, families and organizations in 20 Eastern Washington and North Idaho counties “to ignite generosity that transforms lives and communities.”

In September, Innovia representatives and city staff presented the City Council with a proposal to build a 65,000-squarefoot facility with two National

Plantes Ferry

By Nina Culver Current contributor

Crews have been busily transforming a portion of the Plantes Ferry Regional Sports Complex along the Spokane River in Spokane Valley, ripping out grass and installing artificial turf in addition to field lights. The changes will allow year-round use, including after dark, on the new fields.

The work is being done in the southwestern corner of the sports complex. “We are replacing four grass fields with three turf fields,” said Spokane County Project Manager Julia Culp. “They’re larger than the old fields.”

Play fields of any type are in high demand in Spokane County and creating fields that can be used more fills a key need, Culp said. “We’ve heard from the soccer association that there’s a lot of interest,” she said. “This will help.”

The new fields can be used as is and two of them can be split into two smaller fields for U9 play. The third one is striped for lacrosse and soccer, Culp said. While there are no goalposts, the fields could also be used for football.

Hockey League (NHL) sized ice sheets, 500-700 spectator seating, locker rooms, player support spaces and concessions. The value of the facility was tabbed at $44 million — all covered by the donor and others with a combination of philanthropic contributions such as charitable support and naming rights and scholarships along with private financing and investments through equity contributions and tenant investments.

According to the proposal, the ice rink would provide yearround youth and adult hockey programs, leagues and clinics as well as serve as a space for regional and national tournaments that would bring visitors to the city — uses supporters say are currently constrained because of a lack of ice space in the region. It would partner with schools on activities and community events and serve as a dedicated practice venue for the Western Hockey League Spokane Chiefs, who indicated their interest in a letter of support for the project.

The proposal also includes construction of a 120-room hotel with meeting spaces and a 4,500-square-foot commercial / retail facility. Hohman said the donor didn’t necessarily want these but the city did in order to cover any funding deficiencies, with private entities paying for construction and facilities operations.

Recently the crews were working to finish laying down the turf on the third field while spreading a mixture of sand and fine rubber pellets on the other two. The mixture was then worked into the turf with brushes. The sand serves as a weight to hold down the turf and the rubber provides impact resistance, said Culp.

The 95-acre sports complex is owned by Spokane County but managed by the Spokane Valley Junior Soccer Association. On any given summer weekend –and sometimes the weekdays –the fields are full of players and cars jam the parking lots. “They program all the sports events,” Culp said. “There’s a lot of use out here.”

Municipalities and sports organizations have been making efforts recently to put in artificial turf fields so they can be used even when the weather isn’t nice, including in snow and freezing weather. “This can be plowed,” Culp said of the artificial turf fields. “We can play year-round.”

The new fields will also be able to be used when the ground is very wet, which can damage a grass field. The artificial turf fields have an under-drain system that collects rainwater and pipes it to swales on the south end of the property. There are also automated turf cannons, which are basically large sprinkler heads that can spray down the fields when it’s hot or be used to clean the fields.

A dirt area just south of the fields near Trent Avenue is also being paved to create 165 formal parking spots. By late October, the work left to be done included installing fencing and putting in concrete, grass and other finishing touches

See PLANTES FERRY, Page 19

Contributed photo from the City of Spokane Valley

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The Crest Valley council approves next batch of officer hires, eyes school zone cameras

By John McCallum Current contributor

About and for Spokane Valley area seniors

allocated $2.125 million from the General Fund normally targeted for street maintenance for the firstround of positions using a funding mechanism to replace the street funding with money from the city’s Transportation Benefit District’s licensing fee and the streetwear fees received under the solid waste collection contract. Approved by council in December, 2023, the tab fees were estimated to bring in $2.8 million in 2025 while the streetwear fee is estimated at $1.7 million.

Acting on a voter-approved sales tax increase designated for public safety, the Spokane Valley City Council unanimously approved hiring 11 new officers for its Police Department. The move at the council’s Oct. 21 meeting comes after council approved hiring a firstround of 10 officers in January — all in response to a study released in November 2023 indicating the city needed to hire at least 30 additional officers in various departments to keep with demands generated by Spokane Valley’s growth.

The recent hiring approvals come after 58.35% of voters in the Aug. 5 primary election approved adding a one-10th of 1% sales tax to Spokane Valley’s existing 8.9% tax rate to be used for public safety. The sales tax goes into effect Jan. 1, 2026, and is estimated to bring in $2.6 million in revenue, figures based on 2024 actual sales tax receipts.

At the Oct. 21 meeting, council approved hiring of three additional patrol deputies, bringing the department total to 56. Also approved are four detectives for the Spokane Valley Investigative Unit, one school resource officer (now totaling five), one traffic detective (now totaling two) one Shared Sex Crimes detective, one dedicated Behavioral Health deputy and fully funding the current Behavioral Health deputy position to cover a loss of grant funding this past July.

Total estimated annual recurring expenses for the new hires are $2.24 million. There will also be one-time costs such as new police vehicle purchases.

In February, 2024, council

After analysis by the Police Department on how best to bring on the new hires and in what priorities they needed to occur, council voted unanimously at its Jan. 7 meeting to authorize the hiring of 10 additional positions in the city’s Police Department.

Automated school zone enforcement cameras

At its Oct. 7 meeting, the City Council received an overview of a possible future ordinance that would allow the Police Department to install automated speed enforcement cameras in five school zones in the city. Those zones are, in order or ranking, Centennial Middle School, University High School, Ponderosa Elementary School, Bowdish Middle School / Oaks Academy and Riverbend Elementary School.

The primary goal and benefit to a school zone camera program is reducing vehicle speeds in these zones along with other similar areas. There is also a financial benefit to the city.

According to a staff report, in 2024 the city of Kirkland, Washington — population 95,499 — issued 19,931 citations in eight school zones that brought in over $2.65 million in revenues against just over $1 million in related expenses.

Since 2019, Kirkland has reappropriated $4,198,157 in net revenue to other funds such as projects and improvements. The city also reports 90% of drivers receiving a citation do not get a second one, with an accompanying overall reduction of 47% in speeding vehicles.

State law restricts revenues from these cameras to construction,

maintenance and operations of traffic safety projects as well as the costs to install, operate and administer the program.

Three of the five Spokane Valley schools have flashing school zone beacons activated during specific time periods.

Police statistics indicate the highest school zone violation rates occurred at Centennial MS (which has no flashing beacon) along Broadway Avenue and Bowdish MS along Bowdish Road. Statistics also indicated the overall University HS (also with no beacon) violations during posted school zone times in the study period exceeded 2,000 vehicles.

Because a school zone flashing beacon installation is required with automated enforcement cameras, only the 30 minutes before school and 30 minutes after school were considered for potential violations.

Council gave its consensus for city staff to move forward with creation of an ordinance establishing a school zone camera program and return to council for further consideration at a later meeting.

Council approves Housing Committee appointee

By a 5-2 vote at its Oct. 7 meeting, council approved the appointment of Spokane Valley Housing and Homeless Coordinator Erik Robison to fill a vacancy on the multijurisdictional Housing Community Development Advisory Committee (HCDAC). The committee is an advisory body to the Spokane County Housing and Community Development Division and Board of County Commissioners.

HCDAD bylaws allow four city representatives based on a city’s population. Spokane Valley Deputy Mayor Tim Hattenburg, Councilman Ben Wick and City Services Manager Gloria Mantz are currently serving, with the vacant seat formerly occupied by city resident Tom Hormel.

Mayor Pam Haley said she nominated Robison because her experience with these types of committees indicates a need to know and understand where funding sources come from and which

organizations are most efficient in using those resources. It’s experience she said Robison has and brings to the committee.

“It seems logical to put someone in who has all the information,” Haley said. “It takes a long time to learn those things and it seems every time you learn them, they change again.”

Council members Al Merkel and Ben Wick voted against the nomination. Both said they felt Robison was very qualified and praised his work, but felt the seat should have gone to someone outside of city staff so a broader perspective on housing and homelessness is provided.

Council adopts flag policy

The City Council unanimously adopted a policy at its Sept. 23 meeting defining a process for selecting flags to be flown on cityowned flag poles and how those flags are displayed. The city did not previously have such a policy, putting it at risk with its adherence to the U.S. Constitution’s First Amendment Free Speech Clause.

The resolution reiterates the city does comply with federal and state laws and protocols for display and etiquette of the United States, State of Washington, City of Spokane Valley and the Prisoner of War / Missing In Action flags. The resolution also provides policy defining messaging the City Council desires to allow on city-owned flag poles and procedures for making that determination.

Alternate flags “may be displayed that recognize and honor members of the U.S. armed forces and public safety institutions including local, state and federal law enforcement agencies and emergency services.” Alternate flags may also be flown that “promote City Council priorities, policies, or programs that positively impact the community; provided that the flag display does not conflict with local, state, or federal law or the other terms of this policy.”

The resolution creates a process a flag requestor must follow prior to display. Purple Heart and Tree City USA flags are already pre-approved for display.

PUZZLES

By John McCallum

Current contributor

EAST VALLEY Football

Spokane Valley fall sports teams eyeing postseason opportunities

After an 0-2 start, the Knights find themselves in a position they haven’t been in for quite a while — a chance to at least tie for the Greater Spokane League’s 2A crown and earn a coveted berth to the state tournament.

“Currently the EV football team is in second place in the GSL 2A,” head coach Adam Fisher said. “We're looking to be in the state playoffs which hasn't been done in some time at the high school.”

After early losses to 1A schools Freeman and Riverside, the Knights have five of their last six, including their current three-game streak with victories over Colville, Clarkston and Rogers. Their only loss in that period was to Pullman.

Fisher said wide receivers senior Connor Nicholson and junior Marvin Zauna are leading the GSL in catches and yards while senior quarterback Tarin Fields is first in passing yards.

The Knights finished the regular season with arguably the biggest game of the year — and likely biggest in quite some time. East Valley hosted cross Valley rival West Valley, 5-0 in the GSL, 7-1 overall and ranked 13th in 2A state, with the winner having the inside track to the league 2A title.

Even with a loss, Fisher thinks his team is headed to the post season.

UNIVERSITY

Cross country

While the Titans girls didn’t succeed in their quest to repeat as GSL season champions – losing by three points to eventual champion Mead at Manito Park on Oct. 15 — they did win the 3A title by finishing second to the 4A Panthers. For head coach Todd Hawley’s team — the smallest in the GSL with 12 runners — the 8-2 league mark was a noble accomplishment and hopefully a sign of good things coming.

Senior Kyla Roberts won all nine of her races for an undefeated GSL season. Currently she has the third fastest time among District 6 runners, according to Athletics.net, turning in a time of 18 minutes, 37.1 seconds at the eighth annual Battle of the 509 at the Polo Grounds in Airway heights Oct.4 to finish fifth in the Varsity Division.

“Last year in track season she broke our 800-meter record and was part of the 4x400M record breaking relay team,” Hawley said.

Titans freshman Ali Rennaker has emerged as the team’s secondfastest runner after coming over from Horizon Middle School.

Rennaker turned in a new personal record of 19:45 to help University defeat Central Valley, Ridgeline and 4A Lewis and Clark on the Titans home turf Oct. 21.

“The UHS win over CV made us a three-peat Golden Spike Award winner in our annual rivalry meet,” Hawley said.

Rennaker is currently ranked 11th overall in District 6 times. Sophomore Peyton Richter and senior Chloe Nelson are 13th and 14th respectively with junior Mariah Denney 20th.

District 6 championships took place Nov. 1 at Wandemere Golf Course, with the top three teams and top 21 individual athletes advancing to state in Pasco, Nov. 8. University — ranked sixth in the Washington State Cross Country Coaches Association’s Oct. 20 3A poll — placed seventh last year in Pasco, their first trip since 2012.

“We are hoping to return to state again this year as a team,” Hawley said.

www.hubsportscenter.org

WEST VALLEY

Cross country

The Eagles emerged as the GSL’s 2A champions this season with a 5-1 record. Five of their varsity seven runners are in the top-10 in District 6 times, led by top-ranked Evan McKenzie.

The junior turned in a time of 16:32.9 for second at the 56th annual Max Jensen Invitational in Richland, Wash., Oct. 11. Sophomore John Kiernan III ranks third with at time of 16:37.4 while seniors Caden Hoskinson and Lucas Mortensen are sixth and seventh and sophomore Ryder Chavez is ninth.

Junior Anthony Berube (13th) and sophomore Isaac Hendrickson (19th) round out the varsity rankings in District 6.

The girls team finished fifth in the GSL at 2-5. Senior Quincy Andrews is ranked third in times District 6 with a 20:50.0 while junior Aviana Marek is seventh.

Football

The Eagles wrapped up no less than a share of the GSL 2A title with a 48-14 win over North Central on Oct.24. To win the title outright, they needed to win on the road at second-place East Valley (4-1, 5-3) on Oct. 30.

West Valley was at 5-0 in the GSL, 7-1 overall as of Oct. 28. Their only loss was a 28-13 setback Sept. 12 to 1A Lakeside.

The Eagles hope to not only get back to the state tournament, but to make a deeper run than in 2024. West Valley went into the tournament undefeated, but lost 5513 in the quarterfinals to eventual state champion Anacortes.

Girls soccer

To say the West Valley girls soccer team is dominant is an understatement. Daunting, formidable and intimidating might also apply.

Not only are the Eagles 15-0 overall, 10-0 in the GSL’s 2A classification, but they have yet to

be scored on this year. Not one goal, nowhere. None.

West Valley has outscored their opponents 113-0, and have averaged 9.4 goals per game in the GSL. Led by senior forward/midfielder Jenna Howe, who scored her 100th and 101st career goals in a 9-0 win over Clarkston Oct. 21, the Eagles are on a quest to get over the title hump, as it were, in 2A.

“We have a team goal of winning state this year,” head coach CC Collins said. “We have been to the state semi(finals) and state finals the last two years. Last year we got third and two years ago we got 2nd. We are hungry for that first-place finish this season.”

The Eagles wrapped up the regular season at home Oct. 30 against GSL third-place Pullman. They have already wrapped up the No. 1 seed to the District 6 tournament, and await the winner of a first-round game between No. 4 Deer Park and No. 5 Clarkston in a second-round game at home Nov. 4. A win puts them in the title game where both teams automatically advance to state.

Volleyball

At 8-2 in the GSL and 11-3 overall, the West Valley team was pretty well assured of a secondplace league finish. The Eagles had matches with last-place North Central and fifth-place East Valley remaining as of Oct. 28.

Eighth-ranked Pullman (11-0, 131) was in command in the 2A GSL classification, owning two wins over West Valley. The currently 15thranked Eagles are looking to better their 2024 post-season performance where after winning the District 6 title they missed a state berth with a 3-2 match loss to Toppenish in the District 5/6 Crossover tournament.

“Our girls volleyball team took second in league and have a good chance to go to state for the first time in 15 years,” West Valley Athletics Director Jamie Nilles said in an email.

ents are an opportunity for two-way conversations with your School Board Directors and Superintendent John Parker in an open house format. Join us as we talk about our upcoming plans, hear our feedback about what you want to see for our students in the future, and answer any questions you may have. ents

Teen programs at the library offer creativity, games, and social interaction

By Katy Pike, librarian Spokane County Library District

Libraries across the country have created spaces where teens can do homework, hang out, play games, and just be themselves. Spokane Valley Library also provides a place where teens can have fun and make connections with their peers.

To help create a welcoming space for teens, the library hosts two series of teen programs throughout the school year. Each program takes place once a month and includes a wide range of interests.

“Teen RPG Club: Arcane

Explore holiday inspirational events, poetry, finances, and more at the library

By Erin Dodge Current Guest Correspondent

This November at the library, you’ll find a variety of events and workshops for adults. Here are six examples of activities you can try and knowledge you can gain.

Spokane Poet Laureate Mery Smith presents “Dreams, Lies & Wishes Poetry Workshop” for all adults--those new to writing poetry, experienced poets, and everyone in between. This workshop explores the fantastic and the imagined, the very real world and the way we choose to remember it. Bring writing materials, such as a laptop or notebook and pen, to Spokane Valley Library (22 N Herald Rd) on Saturday, November 1, at 10am to participate.

The holiday season is often

Adventures” takes place at 4pm on the second Wednesday of each month through April 2026 at Spokane Valley Library (22 N Herald Rd). This month on November 4, teens can participate in tabletop roleplaying games (TTRPGs), similar to Dungeons & Dragons, which include interactive and imaginative play. Games scheduled to be played in this series include “Honey Heist” and “Critical Core.”

These immersive games have been shown to foster a wide variety of benefits for most ages. They provide a safe way to grow social connections, explore identity, and engage imagination.

Inherently collaborative, TTRPGs build creative thinking in a teamworking environment and allow teens to create their own stories while navigating different challenges. When players are faced with a challenge, they work together to solve problems with others on their team. Guided by the game master, each player makes decisions

difficult for those experiencing changes in their brain, such as memory loss, dementia, or Alzheimer’s disease. “Supporting Those with Memory Loss During the Holidays” is an online program that takes place on Thursday, November 6, at 2pm and offers education and tips for supporting a loved one who might have a difficult time during the holidays.

Make your digital memories more accessible for family and friends this holiday season, with the help of “Project Memory: Digitizing Home Movies” at Spokane Valley Library on Thursday, November 6, at 4pm. Learn how to transfer different home-movie media into a digital format using various types of archiving equipment. And discover free methods for saving and sharing your memories with others.

In “3D Printing Family Fun: Design a Gift,” you practice using a squiggle tool to create a free-form 3D design. This class is for kids ages 8 and older and their adults. Each child/adult pair works together to design a 3D printed gift using free, web-based software. The creation will be 3D printed at the library. Please note that each child needs their own adult (no sharing) for this program. Sign up to attend this

for their character.

Players can decide if their character tries to solve a mystery or if they take a nap while their teammates fight a fierce dragon. It’s up to the player as to how they’d like to shape their own story within the team and the game.

“Teen STEAM: Ignite Your Imagination” at Spokane Valley Library, takes place every fourth Wednesday, also at 4pm. This month on November 25, teens jump into STEAM projects that include one or more of the following topics: science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics.

Some examples of activities and projects include creating custom video games, making fiber art, exploring soap making, navigating bots through an obstacle course, and other STEAM fun.

Both of these programs are for teens ages 13–17, and all experience levels are welcome to take part and drop in at any session throughout the school year. I hope to see you there!

program at Spokane Valley Library on Saturday, November 8, at 2pm.

If you enjoy a good chuckle and aren’t afraid of being a bit goofy, then “Awkward Family Photos: Holiday Cringe Edition” may be a great opportunity for you. Capture wonderfully awkward memories while at The STCU Studio on Saturday, November 15, or Sunday, November 16 (times vary). Bring your family or friends, holiday sweaters, and your best “worst” outfits for a jolly good photography session. The library provides backdrops, photo props, and all photography equipment.

At Spokane Valley Library on Thursday, November 20, at 6pm, discover the key steps to take to build a solid financial foundation, gain essential money management skills, and take control of your money with the help of BECU financial educators. After “Manage Your Money: A Practical Guide to Handling Your Finances,” you will have knowledge of effective money management strategies and how to create a practical spending plan.

Many of these programs require registration. To sign up and see what else you can do at the library, visit scld.org/valley-events.

Awkward Family Photos: Holiday Cringe Edition

Create cringe-tastic photos that capture wonderfully awkward holiday memories. Only one registration is needed per family/group.

SPOKANE VALLEY LIBRARY 22 N Herald Rd

Saturday, Nov 15, 3–5pm Sunday, Nov 16, 2–4pm

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“Sustainability was part of the discussion with the donor,” he added.

Innovia Chief Executive Officer Shelly O’Quinn said the donor looked at three potential sites in the area for the facility and settled on 11 acres of city property north of the Spokane River along the west side of Sullivan Road between the radiocontrolled vehicle track and watertreatment systems supplier Kemira. O’Quinn said the site was chosen because of its proximity to lodging, easy access via an existing traffic signal and good transportation connections to ice rinks in North Spokane via Bigelow Gulch and in Post Falls, Idaho via Interstate 90.

“It’s a large gift to make come to life,” she said, noting Innovia has undertaken similar projects in the past, but that were much smaller. Lease and funding details

Funding for the project also involves a public-private partnership centered on providing infrastructure to the site. The City Council approved a $1.25 million contract with Colville Construction on April 22 — prior to being informed of the ice rink proposal — to lay 1,500 feet of new 16-inch water main from north of the Union Pacific tracks, under the tracks and along the west side of Sullivan to the property, referred to as “Sullivan Park.”

Because the new line allows Kemira to upgrade its fire suppression system, the manufacturer has agreed to reimburse the city up to $749,400 as their share of the project costs.

As part of a potential agreement with Innovia to develop the property, the city is also being asked to make infrastructure improvements including installing a sewer lift station and upgrades to two access driveways. Estimated costs for this is approximately $3.03 million, with the city potentially paying for it by using up to $2 million of lodging tax fees dedicated for capital improvements as well as money from the Capital Reserve Fund, Fund 312.

Hohman said staff is still working to determine the amount of money available in Fund 312 that could be used. It’s a fund the city has called on in the past to provide “seed money” for projects such as the Barker Road and Pines Road

railroad grade separation projects and Balfour Park.

“It’s all about leveraging funds,” Hohman said, pointing to the $2 million upgrade to Greenacres Park where the city used $500,000 of Fund 312 money to secure $1.5 million in grants.

Innovia has also asked for favorable terms in its lease agreement, which O’Quinn said they had received from the city on Oct. 28. One of those is a 99-year land lease, a term some members of the public objected to during a Sept. 30 presentation to council but which is allowed for commercial uses under the Revised Code of Washington Chapter 79.

“If somebody is going to put that kind of investment in, you want to make sure it’s going to be there for a long time,” Hohman said in defending the timeframe.

Innovia is also asking for tax incentives and exemptions, particularly during construction. Hohman said this would involve asking the state for funding, and would not mean any tax credits or waiving of taxes normally paid to the city.

“They are going to pay (construction) sales tax and we are going to get our share of that,” he said. “The city doesn’t lose in any way.”

O’Quinn said Innovia plans to make a $5 million capital request

NEWS

during the upcoming legislative session in January. While the project is privately funded, any additional monies coming in will free up funding for other facility uses, including operations and keeping usage fees low.

“Any investment on the capital side allows for more money to be set aside for operations support,” she said. “The ultimate goal is creating a sustainable facility.”

Thoughtful steps

A study conducted for Spokane Valley indicated the proposed ice rink could generate over 9,600 new room nights and $6.9 million in direct economic impact at maturity, “which is expected to occur in year five of operation.” The study also showed operational expenditures would exceed revenues, after subtracting costs of goods, for the first four years.

The ice rink would almost break even in year five, calculating a shortfall of $3,096, and then potentially operate in the black after that. If everything goes as planned, construction could begin in 2026, with the ice rink opening in 2027, making 2032 the break-even year.

O’Quinn said there are still a lot of details to be worked out, and the process is essentially one step at a time right now. The first is to finalize a lease with the city, something that will come before the public and City Council likely several times before being signed.

The donor has been working with Garco Construction on design concepts, and now that the council has given city staff permission to enter into lease negotiations, that work will begin focusing on actual construction documents.

As these steps move forward, O’Quinn said Innovia will begin soliciting qualifications and bids from firms experienced in operating these types of sports facilities. They will also begin casting about for owner/operators of the 120-room hotel as well as the commercial facility.

“As we go into next year, we’ll put more work into recruiting and support,” O’Quinn said. “We have a thoughtful plan.”

A final piece of that plan is a unique proposal allowing Spokane Valley to purchase the $44 million ice facility for just $9.4 million. When asked at council why that low figure, O’Quinn said the organization wanted to make it affordable by keeping it below $10 million.

Why the city would seek to own the facility in the future was an interesting subject, Hohman said. The answer is one of making sure the facility is focused on one thing — affordable skating opportunities for area youth.

“You can ensure its core purpose stays its core purpose,” Hohman said, adding that’s what the anonymous donor wants as well.

PLANTES FERRY

Continued from page 9

around the edges of the project area.

The $9.27 million price tag was covered with REET funding, car rental tax funding and a grant from the Washington State Department of Commerce.

The improvements now wrapping up are detailed in Phase 1 of the Plantes Ferry Park Master Plan, which was created in 2023. Construction started in June and is expected to be entirely complete by the end of the year.

The Master Plan also includes an ambitious Phase II with an estimated cost of $34 million that includes more field lighting, upgrading five fields to be youth baseball/softball fields with natural grass outfields and synthetic turf infields as well as upgrades to 10 multipurpose fields. There is no timeline for additional construction phases, Culp said.

Spokane County Commissioner Josh Kerns said he’s heard a lot of excitement about the changes underway at Plantes Ferry Park. “I know folks are extremely excited about it,” he said. “It’s very, very well used. This is going to be such an excellent addition to our parks portfolio.”

He noted that there was bipartisan support for the project in the state legislature when Spokane County asked for help funding the project. Their request was supported by the City of Spokane Valley. “They wrote letters of support when we were seeking dollars from the state,” Kerns said.

The changes will also help save Spokane County money it would have spent on watering, mowing and maintaining the grass fields. “They spend a lot of time mowing out here,” said Culp.

The artificial turf is expected to be long-lasting and has a 10-year warranty, Culp said. “It’s really dependent on the hours of use,” she said.

Kerns said he’s looking forward to seeing how the sports complex improvements will impact tourism and the economy, hopefully attracting even more people who will spend money at local hotels, restaurants and other businesses. “This amenity will definitely be more attractive for tournaments,” he said. “This is just an amazing asset for the community.”