John Craig

An appellate court says Spokane Valley’s hearing examiner was right to rein in development in the fire-prone Ponderosa neighborhood. Hearing Examiner Michael Dempsey’s decision to require an environmental impact study of fire evacuation issues was “well-founded in both fact and law,” the Washington Court of Appeals ruled late last week.

Local governments often turn to grants to supplement tight budgets, but Spokane County is so broke it can’t even afford “free” money. Facilities Director Ron Oscarson recently had to give back a $500,000 state grant to renovate the county courthouse because he couldn’t come up with $1 million in matching funds.

An anonymous $10,000 donation to the Spokane County veterans relief fund is shining a light on a little-known program that serves thousands of people. The money will be used to increase 1,000 food vouchers from $65 to $75. “We’ve fielded a lot of phone calls in the past two or three days from people that didn’t know we even existed,” said Chuck Elmore, director of Spokane County Veteran Services. To be eligible for assistance, veterans must be honorably discharged, live in the county and be unable to pay their bills. Their widows also are eligible. The department assisted in 5,505 cases last year, and by Friday had served 497 clients in January. A retired chief master sergeant who spent nearly 28 years in the Air Force, Elmore offered these insights: Q.What help does Spokane County Veteran Services provide?

Spokane County residents may want to avoid backyard sunbathing in April. That’s when county Assessor Ralph Baker wants to take a series of high-resolution, low-altitude aerial photographs that promise to make goose pimples visible around the globe.

Spokane Valley businessman Jack Pring received a Patriot Award this week for watching over a soldier’s family. “I believe Jack Pring is a true patriot,” Washington Army National Guard Specialist Walter Long said in his nomination of Pring for the award.