Melodie Little

A former owner of the specialty store Joel Inc. is embarking on a new venture that marries bargain-hunting with high-end furnishings. "I'm a frugal person by nature, but I do like quality," said Joel Ferris Jr., who is opening Upscale Home Furnishings at 2510 N. Monroe.

A new clothing store catering to people who like a breeze on their faces and open road at their feet recently opened in Spokane Valley. Customs By Jim, a 3-year-old motorcycle customizing and repair shop, opened a clothing store next door at 4907 E. Trent Ave.

With a week of vacation down and the remaining seven days slowly ticking by, some parents found a healthy alternative to the cabin fever that sets in halfway through winter break. "I've got three boys. We do need to get them out of the house," said Mike Valente, a 39-year-old Post Falls father who registered two of his sons for a basketball camp at North Idaho College this week.

As director of a local agency serving thousands of people living in poverty, Mollie Dalpae has seen several lifetimes' worth of heartache. But nothing hits harder than watching kids suffer – which the director of Spokane Valley Community Center saw in vivid detail when she visited hurricane-ravaged parts of Guatemala.

Thursday morning played out like the tear-jerker movie scene at the end of "It's a Wonderful Life" for Barbara Bennett. The Spokane Valley Food Bank director went from tears of despair to tears of joy when a steady steam of SUVs, sedans and trucks arrived bearing donations of money, turkeys, trimmings and treats.

A new Spokane Valley shop owned by a mother and daughter is a tea party waiting to happen. Visitors to Mad Hatties Boutique and Teas on Sullivan Road are treated to more than a cup of tea when they enter the store.

Tami Smith is a blast of Texas sunshine in a sometimes dreary landscape of fashion. When the commanding redhead walks into a room she's usually wearing something feathery, sequined or zebra-striped. At Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce business breakfasts, where Smith sometimes sponsors a booth, her unique clothing, accessories and personality are garnering attention – and new customers.

When Shirlee Harth was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease at age 76, her family was willing to do whatever it took to help her stay at home. For nearly six years, Harth's husband cared for her with help from a visiting nurse and a devoted daughter, Pam Heeter. "It was really difficult, but we wanted to keep her at home as long as possible. We didn't find a facility until about one and a half years ago," said Heeter, a 57-year-old South Hill resident. After Harth fell and broke her leg, the family visited a handful of places before choosing Sunshine Gardens, a skilled-nursing center off University Road in Spokane Valley.