Night Out crime, safety fair Tuesday
The National Night Out Against Crime and Safety Fair will be held at University Elementary School, 1613 S. University, on Aug. 7 from 6 to 8 p.m. Admission is free, and for $5 per person, you can get a hamburger, salad, dessert, and soda from Zips.
Community resources at the fair will include SCOPE and the Spokane Valley police and fire departments. Events and activities for kids will include finger painting, water activities and a bike rodeo.
The goal of the event is to bring the community closer together and to encourage commitment to crime prevention and neighborhood safety. The event is sponsored by the PTA.
For more information, contact the PTA at uespta@yahoo.com.
– Maggie Capwell
Spokane Valley
Zip’s Drive In opening delayed by fire
A Zip’s Drive In in Spokane Valley opened late Wednesday after a grease fire smoked up the kitchen.
About 10:45 p.m. Tuesday, the Spokane Valley Fire Department responded to 11222 E. Sprague Ave. after two employees reported smoke and flames at Zip’s, fire spokesman Bill Clifford said. The employees had closed up the store and were next door at Castle Superstore.
The restaurant’s ventilation system sensed the heat and extinguished the fire, Clifford said. Firefighters put out a few flames and ventilated the kitchen.
Doug Gariepy, the branch’s general manager, said the fire was started by some papers left on a fryer. He spent much of the night cleaning the kitchen and opened the restaurant about noon Wednesday, he said. It usually opens at 10 a.m.
The fire caused more than $2,000 in damage, mostly in replacing food that had been contaminated by smoke, Clifford said.
– Nick Eaton
Valleyford
Neighborhood Watch members sought
Valleyford residents are trying to form a Neighborhood Watch program following a string of burglaries in the area during the last three months.
Residents met July 31 with Spokane Sheriff’s Deputy Travis Purcell to discuss their options. Purcell recommended forming a Neighborhood Watch program, which many of the 50 people in attendance said they’d join.
Anyone interested should call the Sheriff’s Office at 477-6044.