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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

In brief: Lilac names royalty finalists

The Spokesman-Review

The Spokane Lilac Festival Association has chosen the 14 finalists for the 2008 Salute to Service Royalty Court from among all Spokane County high schools.

The 2008 finalists are Marilis Earle, Central Valley; Alexandra Cozza, North Central; Jeannette Thompson, West Valley; Tovah Yaron, CBE; Kylee Denevan, Shadle Park; Brajee Jennings, Cheney; Leah Horton, Mt. Spokane; Lindsay Jarvis, East Valley; Kylie Berger, Gonzaga Prep; Beth Lehinger, Ferris; Karmel Stone, Medical Lake; Kaylee Van Gelder, University; Alyssa Robinson, Freeman; Sarah Crowley, Lewis & Clark.

The six princesses and the 2008 queen will be chosen from among the “Fab Fourteen.” Each member of the royal court will receive a scholarship to the college of her choice. An additional scholarship will be awarded to the queen by the Ralph Husom Past President’s Scholarship Fund. All members of the Fab 14 are eligible for five additional scholarships.

Royal court judging will be held at the DoubleTree Hotel on Feb. 9. The 2008 coronation will be at the Spokane Masonic Center on Feb. 10 at 3:30 p.m.

– From staff reports

Downtown

Yule festivities abuzz downtown

Fireworks, gospel jazz singers, Santa Claus, carolers and holiday lights will spice up Day 2 of the holiday shopping season early on Saturday evening in downtown Spokane.

Downtown businesses through the Downtown Spokane Partnership organization and the Spokane Teachers Credit Union are putting on this year’s post-Thanksgiving events in the downtown area and Riverfront Park.

Festivities begin at 4 p.m. with hot cider and caroling where Post Street meets Main Avenue just south of the park. The promenade will be decorated with holiday lights. The Gospel Jazz Christmas Singers are scheduled to perform at 4:30 p.m. Santa Claus is expected to show up in time for candle lighting. Then, a fireworks display is planned from Riverfront Park.

In addition, free horse carriage rides are available through the holiday shopping period on Fridays from 3 to 8 p.m.; Saturdays and Sundays from noon to 5 p.m.; and Christmas Eve, noon to 3 p.m.

Also, creative gingerbread houses will be shown at 16 locations in the downtown area through New Year’s.

– Mike Prager

Manito/Cannon Hill

Photo contest accepting entries

The Scoop, 1001 W. 25th Ave., will host a photo contest to benefit Pedals2People, a local bicycling nonprofit that promotes the use and reuse of bikes.

The contest calls for photographs of bicycles, or images taken from bicycles. For the months of December and January, the Scoop will display submitted photographs to be judged by The Scoop customers.

Photographs can be dropped off at The Scoop during business hours, or emailed to pedals2people@gmail.com, by Dec. 3. For more information, go to www.pedals2people.org /projects.

– Donna Tam

City of SPOKANE

Meetings on water use, stormwater

The city of Spokane has planned two meetings to receive public comment on its Water Use Efficiency Plan and on changes to its Stormwater Management Plan.

The meetings are scheduled for Tuesday at the South Hill Library, 3324 S. Perry St., and Wednesday at the Shadle Library, 2111 W. Wellesley Ave. Both meetings will be from 5:30 to 7 p.m. and will include discussions on both plans.

The Water Use Efficiency Plan addresses the city’s plans to encourage water stewardship and conservation. Recently, the state Department of Health established new guidelines for such plans, and the city wants ideas from the public on whether changes are needed to comply with the state guidelines.

Meanwhile, the city is updating its Stormwater Management Plan to be consistent with its new municipal stormwater permit that was issued by the state Department of Ecology on Feb. 17. The permit requires the city add a number of elements to the stormwater plan, which prescribes how the city manages stormwater to protect water quality.

Among other things, the city needs to add elements related to illicit discharge detection and elimination, construction site water runoff control, post-construction stormwater management, pollution prevention, stormwater monitoring, and reporting and recordkeeping. In addition, the permit calls for additional public education, outreach and participation in plan development and implementation.

– From staff reports

Spokane County

Candidates sought for airport board

Spokane County commissioners are looking for candidates to fill a vacancy on the Spokane Airport Board.

The position is one of two that are appointed solely by county commissioners. The seven-member board is composed of two members appointed by commissioners, two appointed by the Spokane City Council, one joint city-county appointee, one county commissioner and one City Council member.

In addition to Spokane International Airport, the board controls the Spokane International Airport Business Park and the Felts field general aviation airport. The board meets at 9 a.m. on the third Wednesday of every month.

For application forms or more information, contact Kristin Condon in the commissioners’ office at (509) 477-2265, kcondon@spokanecounty.org, or 1116 W. Broadway Ave., Spokane, WA 99260.

Information and application forms also are available at http://spokanecounty.org /commissioners/boardscomm .asp.

– John Craig