Brian Coddington

Burglars have vandalized Spokane Valley elementary schools for the fourth time in three weeks, hitting one of the schools for a second time. McDonald Elementary was broken into early Saturday and the school's office ransacked. Arthur B. Ness Elementary also was broken into late Friday or early Saturday. The weekend burglaries were the third and fourth at Valley schools in recent weeks. Saturday was the second time in less than a week that McDonald has been broken into.

1. Sprague Avenue won't need to be widened for the westbound leg of the Valley Couplet. But up to 255 people have to move from their homes on First Avenue to make the eastbound leg flow. Photo by Steve Thompson/The Spokesman-Review 2. Don Dixon plants seeds in his daughter's back yard, which is in the path of the new Valley Couplet. Photo by Steve Thompson/The Spokesman-Review

The Hutton Settlement was recognized this week for Outstanding Achievement in Stewardship by the Washington State Historic Preservation Society. The award recognizes a continuing effort to preserve and protect historic properties. The Hutton Settlement, which was honored during a reception in Olympia on Tuesday, was one of three organizations recognized statewide for Outstanding Achievement in Stewardship.

Fire ravaged a dairy barn Friday afternoon, killing two calves and leaving what had been a family business for more than three decades a twisted skeleton of charred steel. Damage to the milk parlor, hay barn, loafing barn and a storage barn was estimated at $500,000. "This is their livelihood," Spokane County Fire District 4 Deputy Chief Joe Krizanic said of owner James Cummins Jr. and his family.

The convenience of hauling grass clippings, tree branches, weeds and other debris to the curb instead of the transfer station is making Valley Garbage Service's yard waste pickup service popular. Valley Garbage last month began offering curb-side service for an additional fee to its customers in selected Valley neighborhoods. Since, customers in Liberty Lake, Ponderosa, Northwood and Millwood have slowly begun to sign up for the service, said Levi Strauss, Valley Garbage general manager. Warmer weather the past two weeks has given the program a boost, Strauss said. About 700 customers have signed up in the Valley and on the South Hill, where the service was offered first.

Biting victim Chanelle Vassar signs the log at the county commissioner's office. Photo by Steve Thompson/The Spokesman-Review

Sheriff's deputies chased three teenage burglary suspects for several miles early Friday before tracking them down in a field in Mica. Kevin J. Ostboe, 18, of Spokane, and two 15-year-old boys were arrested for second-degree burglary and taking a motor vehicle without the owner's permission.

Sheriff's deputies are searching for a man who robbed a Spokane Valley specialty store Tuesday afternoon and escaped with an undisclosed amount of money. A 27-year-old store clerk told deputies a 40- to 50-year-old man came into the Display House, 1510 N. Argonne, about 3 p.m. and demanded money. The clerk initially thought it was a prank and hesitated before giving him the money, said David Reagan, Sheriff's Department spokesman.

Nadine Anderson gets a hug from Fire Chief Stan Seehorn. Photo by Steve Thompson/The Spokesman-Review

Their designs are inspired, their ideas fresh. Site plans drawn by architecture students from Washington State University have helped bring color, shape and texture to Mirabeau Point, the Spokane Valley community center that has long been only a vision in the minds of dreamers. Coupled with the recent approval of $1.5 million in state money for design and planning, the WSU students' work gives life to the $33 million Mirabeau Point project.

Sheriff's detectives are looking for witnesses to a burglary early Wednesday during which beer and three dozen cartons of cigarettes were stolen from a Spokane Valley grocery store. Deputies who responded to the burglary alarm at the Excell Foods store at 14515 E. Trent found a large hole in the front door. A rock was thrown through the glass at about 1:50 a.m., said David Reagan, sheriff's department spokesman.

Valley Fire District commissioners on Wednesday approved nearly $500,000 in budget cuts they hope will prevent a repeat of the cash flow problem that forced the district to seek a 14-month loan last month. Among the 22 items cut from the 1997 budget were purchase of a new ladder truck chassis and medic truck, and creating a new public education officer position.

A 37-year-old man was bitten by a dog Thursday morning, the fourth person to be attacked by a dog in the Spokane Valley in as many weeks. Gary Dent was bitten on the elbow while trying to chase a chow/Alaskan malamute mix away from a stray dog he had tied in front of his house in the 4700 block of East First Avenue, said animal control Officer Jennifer Kline. Dent said he heard the stray dog yelp and was bitten by the other dog when he went to investigate.

Spokane County engineers released the Valley Couplet's final supplemental environmental impact statement this week with minor revisions in response to comments from residents, environmentalists, business owners and fire officials. The project and five other alternatives are now scheduled for review by the county commissioners during Tuesday's weekly meeting.

Sheriff's detectives arrested two people on drug charges early Friday during a raid on the Spokane Valley house they shared. Those arrests followed recent unrelated drug busts at separate Valley houses that produced nearly 200 marijuana plants.

A Spokane Valley woman was arrested Saturday after allegedly trying to use a stolen check to pay for $660 worth of merchandise at a department store. Sheriff's deputies said Laice L. Peterson, 29, filled out the stolen check, signed the victim's name to it, and presented it as payment for a cart full of merchandise at ShopKo, 13414 E. Sprague.

Pratt Elementary School officials said about $15,000 worth of computer, stereo, and communication equipment was taken during a break-in that was originally thought to have been simple vandalism. Four Macintosh computers, four ink-jet printers, three portable two-way radios, a compact disc player and 20 pieces of software were taken during the burglary early last Sunday, Pratt principal Jeanne Baynes said.

1. "It's a great project," says state Rep. Mark Sterk, of the 70-acre community center. Photo by Steve Thompson/The Spokesman-Review 2. The Mirabeau Point plan includes an ice arena (lower left), a YWCA facility, park and recreational land, businesses and several access to the Centennial Trail.

Two of three animals involved in a recent string of Spokane Valley dog-bite incidents were euthanized Wednesday, and charges against their owners dropped. Lori Walsh and Kevin Bowman each released their dogs to county animal control rather than appeal dangerous dog designations, said Director Nancy Sattin.

A Spokane Valley man wanted for burglary was arrested Sunday after he allegedly used stolen credit cards at a Valley grocery store. Sheriff's deputies said they believe Michael T. Walls, 28, stole a purse, a wallet and power tools from a house in the 12900 block of East Cataldo late Saturday or early Sunday. Later, they said, Walls used credit cards that were in the wallet to buy groceries at a Valley Safeway store.

Arson may be to blame for a fire that destroyed a Valley log cabin that was more than a century old. The blaze at about 9:30 p.m. Friday reduced the unoccupied cabin at 4100 S. Sunderland to rubble.

Tony Lazanis was sentenced to two years for vehicular homicide. Photo by Steve Thompson/The Spokesman-Review

1. Seafirst Bank on East Sprague was robbed Monday. 2. After the March 6 robbery of the Wells Fargo Bank on East Sprague, state trooper Devyn Derrick and county sheriff's deputy Dale Dunham searched for the suspect. Photo by Steve Thompson/The Spokesman-Review 3. Sheriff's deputy Dale Dunham and state trooper Devyn Derrick search fields near the site of a Wells Fargo bank robbery on March 6. Photo by Steve Thompson/The Spokesman-Review

Traci Williams of Reptile Rescue removes an albino king snake from the ceiling of Jamye Shollenberger's apartment. Photo by Steve Thompson/The Spokesman-Review