Jennifer Plunkett

A developer's plan to build 36 homes on 10 acres at Liberty Lake has irked some nearby residents.

Construction work continues around the new Harvard Bridge. Photo by Dan McComb/The Spokesman-Review

Spokane county commissioners voted Tuesday to postpone a decision on an out-of-state development company's plan to build a $5.4 million shopping center at the southeast corner of Highway 27 and 32nd Avenue. Farallon Real Estate Services, based in San Francisco, sought a rezone of a seven-acre parcel from residential to commercial. Hearing examiner Michael Dempsey denied the company's request in December.

Blamed for scarring up the place, four-wheel-drive trucks are no longer welcome at Liberty Lake's Off-Road Vehicle Park. Spokane County Commissioners decided Tuesday night to immediately ban 4x4s from the 350-acre park at the south end of the lake.

A 4-year-old boy playing with a lighter sparked an Easter morning fire that destroyed two North Side apartments and forced the evacuation of 19 residents. When firefighters arrived shortly after 8 a.m., the blaze was blowing out windows and doors of the ground-floor unit where the fire had started.

1. Tanner - Entrepreneurship 2. Christianson - Courage 3. Mosier - Entrepreneurship 4. Wentworth - Environment 5. Jordan - Creativity 6. Porter - Service 7. From left, Kevin Johnson, Billy Nafsinger, Nate McVay and Scott Thompson - Environment

A multimillion-dollar commercial complex is planned for a 21-acre parcel adjacent to Spokane Business and Industrial Park. The developer, Crown West Realty, is requesting a rezone of the acreage, located at the southeast corner of the Sullivan Road and B Street.

Diane Mills and Frank Kasper whirl through a lesson at Lotus Garden. Photo by Dan McComb/The Spokesman-Review

While floodwaters receded in Sprague, Wash., residents of the Newman Lake area scrambled late Sunday to keep rising creeks from washing out roads. Residents filled sandbags and dug ditches along many of Newman Lake's perimeter roads.

Blake Payne has been in the hospital far too many times for a 13-year-old. Nearly every year, he can count on spending at least a week inside Valley Hospital and Medical Center. The culprit? Asthma. Payne, a sixth-grader at North Pines Junior High, is learning how to better manage his asthma at a two-week class offered by the hospital. He and six other children are learning how to tell when their asthma is acting up. And they're even learning some karate. "I've been in the hospital so many times because of my asthma," Blake said quietly. "It gets bad when they burn."

Shoppers at the Valley's three PayLess Drug Stores soon will notice a new logo within the store. Pennsylvania-based Rite-Aid Corporation bought out Thrifty PayLess, Inc., parent company of PayLess Drug Stores and Thrifty Drug Stores. Three Valley stores - at 1443 N. Argonne, 12115 E. Sprague and 10722 E. Sprague - are currently being evaluated by Rite-Aid to plan the remodeling of each store.

Muddy fun can still be had at Liberty Lake ORV Park. For now.

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All aboard! With a thumb in her mouth and a finger on the switch, Chelsea, 6, right, and her sister Hannah, 2, work the trains at the Great American Train Show held Saturday and Sunday at the Spokane Interstate Fairgrounds. Photo by Colin Mulvany/The Spokesman-Review

Len Soper retired as an Assembly of God minister to open Something Sweet Donut Shop in Otis Orchards. Photo by Steve Thompson/The Spokesman-Review

1. Belgian working horses Charlie, left, and Jake carry Jim Lamm to the logging site for a day of cutting and dragging timber. Photo by Steve Thompson/The Spokesman-Review 2. Right, Jake pulls the last log of the day to the landing under the rein-handling of Jim Lamm. Photo by Steve Thompson/The Spokesman-Review 3. Below, Lamm gives Jake a break from the job and a kiss. Photo by Steve Thompson/The Spokesman-Review 4. Left, Lamm gets the horses ready for the day's logging. Photo by Steve Thompson/The Spokesman-Review 5. Above, Charlie gets a cube of alfalfa as a reward for his hard work. Photo by Steve Thompson/The Spokesman-Review

Players and Spectators is undergoing a complete renovation. Already completed at the 50,000-square foot entertainment facility at 12828 E. Sprague is expansion of the casino, which now includes blackjack.

New businesses are popping up like flowers along Sullivan Road, which is in a growth boom that will reshape the Valley. Photo by Steve Thompson/The Spokesman-Review

Work on Telect's new 100,000-square foot manufacturing facility is expected to be completed by early August, said Wayne Williams, president of the company. Spokane contractor Leone and Keeble Inc. began construction of the building in July. The new structure is being built to the south of Telect's existing Liberty Lake facilities. Telect, which produces telecommunications products, will move a portion of its Spokane Industrial Park operations to the new facility. Telect will continue operations at the industrial park, Williams said.

Floral fans. Theresa Lee and her aunt, Annie Goive, admire a flower arrangement Sunday at the Festival of Flowers at the Davenport Hotel. Photo by Colin Mulvany/The Spokesman-Review

1. Ron Knudsen was born on this property in the hills above Liberty Lake, Off-road riders from the nearby ORV park are trespassing and gouging ruts on his land. Photo by Steve Thompson/The Spokesman-Review 2. Trail signs like this one in the ORV park take a beating. Photo by Steve Thompson/The Spokesman-Review 3. A bullet-riddled sign and eroded hillside at the parking lot of the ORV park at Liberty Lake greet visitors. Photo by Steve Thompson/The Spokesman-Review 4. A junked car pulled from the hills around the park. Photo by Steve Thompson/The Spokesman-Review 5. Rattlesnake Point is a favorite spot at the county ORV park for dumping trash. Photo by Steve Thompson/The Spokesman-Review 6. Ron Knudsen leans against a fence that off-roaders have repeatedly torn down to ride on his land. Photo by Steve Thompson/The Spokesman-Review

Janek Co. plans to open its third real estate sales office in a new, unnamed Liberty Lake office building. Jan Ekstrom, president of Janek Co., said construction of the facility will begin this spring. She would not identify the developer or disclose the location of the project.

The Liberty Lake area is the site of two separate development projects that together would bring close to 1,600 residential units and 270 acres of commercial and light industrial development to the area. Highlands Plaza, which has already received the county's stamp of approval and is about to enter construction phase, will be located on the site once proposed for the Cafaro mall, south of Interstate 90 and west of Liberty Lake Road.

1. Dick Hubbard on his way to a 196 point game and a team win on the day before his 90th birthday. Photo by Steve Thompson/The Spokesman-Review 2. Nearly blinded by an eye disease, Hubbard is able to use the gutter as a guide.