From left, triplets, Kaitlin, Briana and Ashleigh Creeger, 11, and Jenna Fonteyne, 10, dig for quartz and fluorite crystals, agate, obsidian, petrified wood and more at Livingstone’s Rock Ranch Friday. SR photo/Colin Mulvany

Welcome to another sweltering day in the Inland Northwest. At least it's Thursday so we can take a look at today's Valley Voice. Reporter Lisa Leinberger continued her tour of the Spokane Valley area and has a story on Livingstone's Rock Ranch in Greenacres. There are nearly 100 tons of garnets, crystals, agate, obsidian and more buried in the ground for people to find.

The Spokane Valley City Council voted to approve an agreement with Spokane County to fix a portion of 48th Avenue and Sundown Court in the Ponderosa neighborhood. The road has had drainage problems ever since the road was repaved after the County installed sewer lines. The city has also hired former Spokane city attorney Howard Delaney on a two month contract. He was fired by Spokane Mayor David Condon in March. 

The Spokane Valley Arts Council is going forward with the construction of a statue intended for the city's gateway project at Sprague and Thierman after the council decided they didn't want the statue for that location. Other locations in the city are being looked at for placement of the statue.

Yes, it is Fourth of July eve, but Spokane Valley is going ahead with their regularly scheduled council meeting tonight at 6 p.m. and there are a few interesting items on the agenda. The council is set to vote on appointing a new planning commissioner to fill the seat of Marcia Sands, who resigned. There are three candidates and there are some familiar names in the bunch. Teacher Robert McCaslin is the son of the late Bob McCaslin, who was a senator and city council members. Fred Beaulac served on the planning commission previously from 2003 to 2008. The other candidate, Kevin Anderson, is a retired manufacturing manager.

A development agreement on land on Conklin just south of Broadway has apparently been negotiated with lighting speed; a proposed agreement will be discussed tonight. The council voted previously to require the agreement as a condition to rezoning the land high density residential.

The council will also discuss a proposed agreement with Spokane County to fix 48th Avenue in the Ponderosa neighborhood. The road was repaved after a county sewer project years ago and hasn't drained properly since.