Mike Prager

Spokane's city arborist is recommending the removal of three aging and damaged street trees that were among rows of South Side trees pruned earlier this year under an Avista utilities program to clear vegetation away from power lines. The trees are located at 3507 S. Grand Blvd., 3419 S. Grand Blvd. and 606 E. 34th Ave. All three of the trees have defects that could cause large branches to break and fall and possibly injure someone, said Jeff Perry, city arborist.

A scenic gravel parkway overlooking the Spokane River could soon be closed to through traffic to stem an increase in criminal activity. The Spokane Park Board is scheduled to vote today on a recommendation from its Land Committee to close Rimrock Drive through Palisades Park beginning July 4.

If the city of Spokane is going to have to spend $500 million to improve the quality of treated wastewater going into the Spokane River, officials say it makes sense to keep some of that water out of the river and possibly use it for irrigation during warm-weather months. Other communities recycle their heavily treated wastewater; Spokane will be able to do the same once it completes upgrades to a more advanced level of treatment at the city sewage plant on Aubrey L. White Parkway.

The third in a series of three meetings to study the future of federal Community Development Block Grant funding will be held today at 5:30 p.m. at West Central Community Center, 1603 N. Belt St. Mayor Dennis Hession earlier this month organized a citizen committee to review how the city uses its annual allocation of $4.3 million in block grant money – and other smaller grants – to help low-income neighborhoods and residents.

Nine years ago, the Spokane Parks and Recreation Department spent $300,000 in transportation grant money to pave four miles of former railroad bed near Scribner Road in southwest Spokane County. At the time, officials hoped the money would be followed by more grants to complete an 11-mile route from west Spokane to Fish Lake, near Cheney.

A grove of historic lilacs – choked and shaded for years by a jumble of competing trees – is blooming once again this spring after years of being hidden on a steep hillside in Pioneer Park on Spokane's lower South Hill. Restoration and reconstruction of the park's Moore-Turner Heritage Gardens has allowed lilacs with names like President Lincoln and Vestale to spring back to life.

Trail proponents in Spokane are organizing a work project Saturday to build a temporary trail head on a former railroad right of way that eventually is expected to become a hiking and biking trail from west Spokane to Fish Lake south of Cheney. The project, scheduled from 9 a.m. to noon, is being sponsored by REI as one of the recreation equipment company's service projects in the community this year, said Joshua Hess, outreach specialist for REI.

Round Two of the big Interstate 90 viaduct repair project in downtown Spokane gets under way today. Regular freeway users are being advised that their normal routes into and out of downtown may be closed, and that they should find alternate routes starting Monday morning.

The West Plains Chamber of Commerce is in the third year of a publicity campaign to draw attention to the tourist opportunities and special events in Cheney, Airway Heights, Medical Lake and surrounding areas. The Spokane County Commissioners recently approved a $12,000 grant from tourism promotion funding, which is collected by area hotels as an add-on to room prices. That will be added to sponsorships and public service announcements worth an additional $26,000.