Pat Sciuchetti

Theater Arts for Children is presenting "Wizard of the Mall," a musical spoof of the Wizard of Oz, this month at the the west end of University City Shopping Center. In the show, Dorothy takes a journey to the mall, and has encounters with both the wicked clerk and Glinda, the good clerk. The musical runs Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through Feb. 22. Show times are 7:30 p.m. Fridays, 12:30 and 2:30 p.m. Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays. Cost is $2.50.

Mark Grover

Sheriff's deputies arrested a 22-year-old Valley man Tuesday after an employee of Yoke's grocery store on East Sprague said the man he attempted to pass a fake $100 bill. Randy Jay McGlenn, of 415 N. Farr, was arrested at 3:30 p.m.

Voters' overwhelming support of a $6.785 million Valley Fire District 1 levy on Tuesday surprised even fire district officials. Eighty percent of voters supported the fire levy, which represents about half of the district's 1999 maintenance and operations budget.

A Spokane developer has suffered a setback in his plans to subdivide a 24.5-acre plot on the east shore of Liberty Lake. County hearing examiner Mike Dempsey has returned Rex Harder's preliminary plat application to divide the land and create the MacKenzie Bay Beach Properties subdivision. The development would contain about 35 lots for single family homes.

Sheriff's deputies are looking for two teenagers suspected of shattering the glass door of a Valley business and stealing several boxes of cigarettes. Witnesses who were at a car wash across the street from Halpin's Pharmacy and Treasure Room, 11406 E. Sprague, on Thursday evening say two teenage boys kicked the window out of the business's north-side door. The boys entered and then left with several white boxes, believed to be cartons of cigarettes, sheriff's deputies said.

A thief hit the Liberty Lake Elementary School construction site last Thursday, breaking open two large tool boxes and taking $1,500 in power and hand tools, sheriff's deputies said. Nemitz Sheet Metal Inc. and its employees lost about $1,100 worth of tools, including a sawsall, electric drill, battery drill, battery charger and various smaller items.

Poor penmanship thwarted a would-be robber at a Valley bank Saturday. A teller at Washington Mutual Bank's branch at 12005 E. Sprague couldn't understand the robbery note handed to her late Saturday morning, sheriff's deputies said. The teller told the man who gave her the note that she couldn't read his writing, then asked him to tell her what he needed.

Wolfy will be moving to a sanctuary south of Olympia, where he'll find care, companionship and, perhaps, love. File/The Spokesman-Review

1. Proud father Jerry Nelson watches his son Lance practice the deadlift in preparation for the Special Olympics World Games. Photo by Steve Thompson/The Spokesman-Review 2. (Photo of Lance Nelson) 3. Lance Nelson works out in a small gym at the Northeast Community Center. Photo by Steve Thompson/The Spokesman-Review

Valley residents will vote next week on a $6.785 million Valley Fire District levy for 1999. The levy represents just over half of the district's maintenance and operations budget for the year. The rest of the needed funding will come from regular property taxes.

A masked man robbed the Sullivan Texaco Friday morning, taking a jewelry case containing $800 in rings, bracelets, necklaces and earrings. He did not take any cash, sheriff's deputies said.

Crossing guards stop traffic at Pratt Elementary, where speeders have been causing some concern. Photo by Steve Thompson/The Spokesman-Review

Two women refused to give up their handbags Friday, rebuffing separate purse snatching attempts in the parking lot of a Valley supermarket. Sheriff's officials don't know if the attempted robberies are linked.

A Kokomo couple is offering a reward for the safe return of two handmade wishing wells and a windmill, stolen out of their front yard last week. The lawn decorations, which were taken last Thursday night, were handmade by Lisa Norfolk's father, whom she said spent hundreds of hours on them.

A refuge is being sought for Wolfy, but for the time being, he remains at the Spokane County animal shelter in the Valley. File/The Spokesman-Review

Three persons will contend for Karl Bold's position as assistant fire chief. File/The Spokesman-Review

Spokane County Animal control officers picked up this young male wolf-dog that a woman said was threatening her and her baby. Photo by Steve Thompson/The Spokesman-Review

Last September, Dick Bossler felt the sting of downsizing. The 44-year-old lost his job at Pegasus Gold Corp., along with more than a dozen fellow employees. But he never cursed his pink slip. Bossler used it as his ticket out.

About 35 Dishman-Mica area residents turned out Thursday to protest an affordable housing project planned for their neighborhood. They cited fears of property devaluation, neighborhood deterioration and increased traffic. Many disagreed with developer Jim Frank's philosophy that mixed-income subdivisions, which include a wide range of home values, are good for a neighborhood.

1. Mary Bemis runs past almost everyone on the track at Stroh's Fitness Center in the Valley. At 74, she likes to stay in shape for skiing and running Bloomsday. Photo by Steve Thompson/The Spokesman-Review 2. Wilbur Inks rides a stationary bike for 15 minutes before a run. He finished Bloomsday second in his age group. Photo by Steve Thompson/The Spokesman-Review 3. Nancy and Dean Gaudette are skier in the winter and sailors in the summer. Photo by Steve Thompson/The Spokesman-Review 4. 87-year-old Donna Franke works out in an aerobics class at the Senior Citizen's Center. Photo by Steve Thompson/The Spokesman-Review

Thirteen years ago, Michael Miller watched medics cut down the body of a 16-year-old boy who had hanged himself in a barn. As a fire department chaplain, Miller had seen many suicide victims. He'd counseled many shattered families. But this time, he'd finally had enough. "I decided something had to be done," said Miller, who quit his job, wrote a book and hit the road. He created a non-profit organization called "Dare to Live," and has traveled all over the country talking to students about suicide.

West Valley SCOPE will hold its monthly community meeting at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Millwood Town Hall, E. 9103 Frederick. Members will present awards and certificates to 1997 volunteers.

For the second time in two months, hungry burglars have hit RJ's Fresh Market at 16th and Pines. But thanks to a newly installed alarm system, they escaped with just a few boxes of cookies, owner Rick Phillips said. In November, thieves took $100 worth of bulk pistachio nuts and 14 Dungeness crabs from the market. Phillips' store alarm went off about 2 a.m. Sunday. He arrived at the market before police, and found the front door kicked in. Phillips said he believes the burglars were scared off before they had a chance to steal much. He suspects they were carrying a police scanner, and heard that sheriff's deputies were on their way to the store.