Brian Coddington

Construction crews dig up Bowdish Road between Second and 12th avenues to install sewer lines. Photo by Steve Thompson/The Spokesman-Review

Burglary reports poured into the Spokane County Sheriff's Department as property crime continued to rise in the Spokane Valley during July. Sheriff's Department statistics showed 66 burglary reports in the Valley last month. For the second month in a row, the south Valley area in and around Opportunity was the hardest hit by property crime. Residents and businesses reported 34 burglaries in that area.

Marine Patrol Deputy Tom Mattern talks to a jet skier that he stopped for violating a "no wake" rule at the Liberty Lake boat launch. Photo by Steve Thompson/The Spokesman-Review

After her basement flooded twice during violent summer storms, Joann Schneidmiller asked the county for more than a Band-Aid to fix the problem. The county responded with surgery. Crews cut trenches along Sinto Avenue and added two new double-depth storm drains in the county right-of-way last week in an effort to catch the 5,000 gallons of water that have gushed into the basement of Schneidmiller's Dishman area home two times since 1991. The latest incident occurred during a July storm that drenched the area.

CORRECTION (Valley Voice, August 10, 1995): Virginia Fox, who owned the mobile home at University Mobile Home Park that burned on April 4, received a $9,000 settlement from her insurance company. The recipient of the settlements was incorrectly reported in Saturday's Valley Voice.

New stop signs will soon be going up at intersections in Opportunity and Newman Lake and new speed limit signs will be erected along roads in the Liberty Lake area. Stop signs will be added at the intersection of McDonald and Saltese and at the intersection of Moffat and Idaho roads.

Valley firefighter Shawn Arold answers questions and gives kids a chance to explore a fire truck Thursday during the Kids Carnival of Safety at the Valley Hospital and Medical Center. Photo by Shawn Jacobson/The Spokesman-Review

1. Richard Williams, 8, holds a sign of protest for passing motorists along Barker Road just west of the Arjay Mobile Home Park where he and his father were shot at while in their car. Photo by Shawn Jacobson/The Spokesman-Review 2. Arjay residents march along Buckeye to protest gunfire in their area. Photo by Shawn Jacobson/The Spokesman-Review

An intruder threatened to kill a teenage girl early Monday in her Spokane Valley home. The 16-year-old girl told deputies that she was awakened by a man who got onto her bed, held his hand over her mouth and threatened to kill her about 4 a.m. The teenager struggled and began to scream. The commotion woke family members and the man fled through the girl's bedroom window.

Increased awareness will be the theme for what SCOPE East officials hope will become an annual event. SCOPE East will sponsor its first Community Safety and Security Fair on Sunday. The event will run from noon to 6 p.m. at the bus barn and library grounds, located on the 22000 block of East Wellesley in Otis Orchards. The fair is an attempt "to help people realize there are ways they can participate in helping make community safe," said SCOPE East secretary Nancy Cowles. Organizations such as the Spokane County Sheriff's Department, Valley Fire and the Foresters will staff booths at the fair.

Ben Goodman, center, and his father, Fred, right, plus a few friends hoist a fire danger sign into place. The project helped Goodman toward earning his Eagle Scout rank. Photo by Dan Pelle/The Spokesman-Review

1. Ski to believe Elizabeth Behrendt, 65, takes her first trip on water skis at the Eighth Annual Water Ski Fest Sports Workshop at Clear Lake on Saturday. Behrendt, who suffers from post-polio syndrome, was one of about 17 physically challenged participants in the outing sponsored by St. Luke's Rehabilitation Center. Photo by Dan Pelle/The Spokesman-Review 2. Dave Hill and Cheryl Brandt of St. Luke's lower Mary Ann Higgins, 38, into the water for her turn. In the water is physical therapist Sharon Hall.

1. Jeff Goodwin, left, and John Anderson believe they were taken in by deceptive tactics of stereo equipment salesmen operating out of a van in the Valley. Photo by Dan Pelle/The Spokesman-Review 2. A van used to sell speakers sits outside a business office on Lake Street near the Broadway truck stop area. 3. John Anderson paid $600 for a pair of speakers that he says were worth much less. He was able to recover a $200 refund from the seller. Photo by Dan Pelle/The Spokesman-Review

Tents and balloons will fill the parking lot at Valley Hospital and Medical Center on Thursday for the Kids Carnival of Safety. Valley Hospital and Medical Center, located at 12606 E. Mission, has been serving soft drinks and scooping popcorn for children and their parents for the last 10 years, while providing safety information to both. "It is truly a carnival atmosphere, but it is done to promote safety," said hospital spokeswoman Priscilla Gilkey.

Kaiser employee Joe Hoerner sprays water on dirt as workers fill a pit at the Children's Home Society Friday. Photo by Christopher Anderson/The Spokesman-Review

Phones began ringing again over the weekend for US West customers in the Spokane Valley after a summer storm left them off the hook for more than two weeks. US West spokesperson Sharon Matthews said the Valley was one of the areas hardest hit. Crews worked around the clock to restore service to about 200 residents. To help catch up, US West brought in 25 additional technicians from Western Washington to deal with the outages.

They're really burned up. It was a double whammy for Auddan Watson. The duplex he was renting caught fire Tuesday afternoon. Later that evening, a thief stole music compact discs, tools and other items from the home. Wednesday, Watson picks up goods not damaged by the fire. Photo by Dan Pelle/The Spokesman-Review

Valley firefighter Brandon Kim sprays down the remains of an easy chair. Photo by Dan Pelle/The Spokesman-Review

Instructor Larry Baer, left, coaches Bret Smith through a percussive learning experience Saturday during an African and Haitian drum workshop. Photo by Dan McComb/The Spokesman-Review

Three people were killed and three were injured on Saturday night when a pickup truck and a car collided at an intersection in Stevens County southwest of Deer Park. Emergency workers revived one man at the scene. That man and another were airlifted to Deaconess Medical Center in critical condition.

Gene Sneider produces fine wood carvings, such as "Danse Des Dauphin." Photo by Colin Mulvany/The Spokesman-Review

Post Falls firefighter Scott Yost communicates with an Idaho State Police officer while using a shovel to sort through the contents of burned truck. Photo by Dan Pelle/The Spokesman-Review

With warmer weather and longer daylight hours, Spokane Valley residents appear to be making it easier for would-be burglars. The number of burglaries that occurred after intruders were able to enter a house, garage, apartment or business without forcing their way in was double the number of forced-entry burglaries for the month of June, according to statistics released by the Spokane County Sheriffs Department. With better weather, "people are gone on vacation more," said Sgt. Gary Smith, head of the Sheriffs Department's property crime division. "If they don't have people coming over to check the place or put their lights on a timer, they are easier to spot."

1. With the help of Spokane Valley firefighter George Orr, right, recruit John Leavell is trained on how to pump water to three fire hoses at one time. Photo by Colin Mulvany/The Spokesman-Review 2. Under the watchful eye of Valley Fire District training officer Larry Rider, paramedic trainee Jim Schifferns does a self-rescue rappel out the third-story window of the training tower on Sullivan Road. Photo by Colin Mulvany/The Spokesman-Review