Kristina Johnson

The Pacific Science Center cleared its first major hurdle Thursday on its trek to the Riverfront Park pavilion. Spokane Park Board members unanimously approved a contract leasing the pavilion to the Seattle-based science center for 20 years with options for two 10-year renewals. "We're going to make this into a world-class facility," George Moynihan, the center's executive director, told the board. "I'm very excited."

An unusually high number of disputed property values in Spokane County could leave cities, schools and fire districts with much less money to spend than they expected. The disputes also mean many property tax bills will go out with the wrong amount due, requiring large amounts of time to fix.

A teacher accused of having sexual relations with two students when he taught at Lewis and Clark High School is appealing a decision that upholds his dismissal by the Mead School District. Shawn Wright last week appealed to Superior Court a hearing officer's ruling that Mead was justified in firing him. The Mead District fired Wright in July 1994 after a nine-month investigation into charges he had sex with one student, sexually exploited a second and served alcohol to minors - all while teaching in the Spokane School District.

Sue Delucchi, incorporation proponent A hailstorm of criticism didn't dent the Spokane City Council's plans to ask a state panel to change the boundaries of a proposed Spokane Valley city. Valley residents and backers of a new city there called the council everything from land grabbers to thieves, invoked Biblical phraseology and labeled the move all-out war.

The city sent out 1,200 fliers last week to Spokane residents living near a traffic barrier at 29th Avenue and Pittsburg Street. The fliers alert residents to tonight's City Council hearing on a petition designed to put the barrier to a public vote. Some of the barrier's chief opponents - who live within a few blocks - say they too should have been included in the notification process.

A move to blunt the impact of possible Spokane Valley incorporation and a 29th Avenue traffic barrier - two widely controversial topics - top tonight's Spokane City Council agenda. The council will hold a public hearing on a petition that could force removal of the traffic barrier at 29th and Pittsburg.

The Spokane City Council came away from last weekend's retreat with proposals for new policies, goals and communication skills. Time alone will tell if the council's new-found harmony lasts, but members vowed earlier this week to take the plans to heart.

Documents for improvements to two Spokane parks - the Pacific Science Center lease agreement and the Manito Park plan - are available for public review at all Spokane city libraries, COPS shops, community centers and in the Park Department office. The Manito plan guides suggested improvements to the park for the next five years, including upgrading irrigation systems, adding lights and improving accessibility.

While the Post Street Skywalk remains warm, but empty, these pedestrians brave the cold. Photo by Christopher Anderson/The Spokesman-Review

A Spokane City Council still basking in the warmth of its weekend retreat spent much of Monday evening in unanimous agreement. "We're entering a new state of euphoria and togetherness," Mayor Jack Geraghty said with a broad grin just before the council meeting.

Bicycle shop owner Mike Conley didn't want to buy Greg Yost's Riverfront Park bike business. Neither did several of his competitors, Conley said. And at least three members of the Spokane City Council said Tuesday night that a city purchase of the park's bicycle rental and sales business is a bad idea.

Spokane taxpayers soon may venture into the bicycling business. Tuesday night, the City Council will consider buying Quinn's Wheel Rentals & Sales, a popular attraction in Riverfront Park the past three years. "We call this reverse privatization," Councilman Chris Anderson said with a laugh during last week's briefing.

Kathy Roper and Katrina Brito sing a song of prayer in memory of Felicia Reese during the "Don't Forget Felicia All-City Memorial Walk" on Sturday. Photo by Molly O'Hara/The Spokesman-Review

A California consultant Thursday summed up the Spokane City Council the same way some critics have for years. "This group looks a little dysfunctional to me," said Bill Mathis, hired by the council to help set goals for the coming year. "This is not working very well." Council members must be able to communicate before they can decide what they want to do in 1995, said Mathis, who was in Spokane this week to plan for the council's Jan. 20-21 retreat at the Airport Ramada Inn.

The Spokane Park Board got a look at the final draft Thursday, and copies of the plan are on their way to city libraries for public review. Residents have 30 days to study the draft before the board plans to vote on it at its February meeting.

Commuting to Olympia just isn't hacking it. So to make sure Spokane doesn't get left behind during the 1995 legislative session, City Council members are considering hiring a lobbyist.

It's top of the line with a streamlined lid, reinforced bottom and easy-roll tires. One might even call it the Cadillac of garbage carts. That's exactly what two City Council members labeled the 10,000 specially designed carts soon to be rolling into selected Spokane neighborhoods.

Look, Spokane. No hands. New automated garbage trucks may be making the rounds soon on a few routes in the city, making it possible for one-person crews to pick up trash.

Steve Eugster stands in front of the boarded-up skywalk that connects Crescent Court to the Burlington Coat Factory. Photo by Christopher Anderson/The Spokesman-Review

A retreat to help Spokane City Council members set goals for the coming year could cost taxpayers at least $6,000. The council earlier this week told City Manager Roger Crum to hire an out-of-town consultant to "facilitate" a weekend retreat at the Airport Ramada Inn. Crum is talking with William Mathis of Napa, Calif., about running the retreat planned for later this month.

A teacher accused of having sexual relations with two students when he worked at Lewis and Clark High School lost an appeal of his dismissal by the Mead School District. Hearing officer Jane Wilkinson on Wednesday upheld Mead's decision to fire Shawn Wright, said Scott Menard, the Mead School District's superintendent of personnel. Wright, Northwood Junior High's former choir director, can appeal Wilkinson's decision to Superior Court, Menard said.

A petition designed to put the Pacific Science Center planned for Spokane's Riverfront Park to a public vote fell short of the necessary signatures. That means the measure won't be on November's ballot unless petition organizers can gather another 6,000 signatures once the city signs a contract with the science center.

A proposal to raise business fees makes an encore appearance before the Spokane City Council on Tuesday after a narrow defeat two weeks ago. The ordinance would bump business license fees by $10, from $50 to $60, and fees businesses pay per employee by $1. The base peremployee fee varies according to a business' size. Increasing the fees would add $219,000 to the city's bank account. They last were increased in 1982.