Peter Barnes

Thanks to climbing property tax revenues, the Spokane County Library District plans to expand hours and open on Sundays at four of its libraries next week. In 2006 the district also plans to complete the new Moran Prairie library and add wireless Internet at all 10 library branches.

Jewish families in Spokane gathered Sunday as sundown brought in the first night of Hanukkah, a chance for many Jews to pay tribute to religious freedom and celebrate a cultural tradition. "It's a party; it's always been a celebration," said Debra Schultz before a dinner of latkes and prime rib with other members of Congregation Beth Haverim at her South Hill home.

For eight dedicated hikers trekking through a quiet North Side neighborhood Saturday, there is always something worth taking in. "We hike every week – rain, snow, whatever," said Virginia Danke, 80, one of the founding members of the Hobnailers Hiking Club.

At its last meeting of the year the City Council firmed-up its transportation goals for 2006, taking yet another look at revitalizing Sprague Avenue and re-evaluating some of its street-maintenance policies. "There were a number of issues in that earlier study that need to be flushed out," planner Greg McCormick told the Council Tuesday.

Spokane Valley City Council members attempted to resolve, once and for all, the question of whether Sprague Avenue along the Valley couplet will be returned to a two-way street, but they eventually decided against making that decision until ongoing studies surrounding the blighted retail strip are completed. "I just think it's time to make a clear statement that we don't intend to reverse Sprague back to a two-way," Councilman Mike DeVleming said. He made a motion to send the Chamber of Commerce and other organizations a letter to that effect, citing businesses that have investments and leases in limbo because of the city's indecision on the issue.

If relatives coming to Spokane Valley for the holidays wonder why a 2 percent "transient occupancy tax" keeps showing up on their hotel tab, the Spokane Valley City Council will soon be able to give them an answer. At its study session Tuesday, the council heard suggestions from a committee assembled yearly to help spend the tax money on efforts to promote tourism.

It was rough day in south Greenacres Tuesday. Just after 1 p.m., a box truck knocked down a power pole and almost plowed into a home before coming to a stop in a yard on South Flora Road.

A Spokane County proposal to charge Spokane Valley for more of the overhead costs associated with services it provides to the city provoked indignation from the City Council Tuesday night, and some council members interpreted the move as a hint that the county is interested in getting out of the contract business altogether. "We have some people in the county who have forgotten that we are county residents," said Councilman Mike Flanigan. He evoked a long-simmering question on the council as to what extent the taxes city residents pay directly to the county should cover the peripheral costs associated with the services it provides to Spokane Valley.

Only one person testified on Spokane Valley's new Comprehensive Plan during a public hearing Monday night at Centennial Middle School. But her comments on development proposed in the Ponderosa neighborhood highlighted a broader challenge facing the City Council as it looks to preserve Spokane Valley neighborhoods while planning for more housing in the city. "We don't think we should have to fight to keep our neighborhood's character reasonably the same," said Gail Stiltner. Most homes in Ponderosa were built on lots an acre or larger, and homeowners like Stiltner have been fighting proposals to build subdivisions there at higher densities.

Worms, wood pulp, garbage and children all happily converged Saturday as regional waste workers doled out lessons on conservation at the Mobius Kids Museum to mark America Recycles Day. Parents and kids picked up simple tips to make recycling easier and, in some cases, more fun.

A proposal to eventually require curbside garbage pickup in Spokane Valley – an idea that provoked a barrage of angry calls to City Hall and public officials in recent weeks – was included in the city's Comprehensive Plan by mistake. Unlike the city of Spokane, trash pickup is optional in Spokane Valley and provided by Waste Management, a private company. Many Spokane Valley residents haul their own trash to waste transfer stations to save money, and some were outraged by the proposed change. Supporters said requiring garbage service would help solve the problems of illegal dumping and trashy yards.

New state laws encouraging more nonmotorized travel are making their way into Spokane Valley's comprehensive land-use plan. So far, the City Council has included accommodations for pedestrians in the plan's policies but stopped short of requiring sidewalks along all new streets in the city. "Folks aren't using the sidewalks," Councilman Mike DeVleming said last week. He cited many of the wide, low-traffic streets in the Valley where people are content to walk on the pavement as he and other council members argued that sidewalks might not be the best option for all places.

Spokane Valley's second City Council campaign season has cost about $60,000. That's roughly $20,000 less than in 2002, although this election features only three contested seats compared with all seven three years ago. Data compiled from the most recent reports filed with the Public Disclosure Commission show the Position 3 race as the most costly, with Councilman Mike DeVleming and Howard Herman raising more than $15,000 each.

As the Washington legislative session approaches, Spokane Valley's city leaders are starting to consider what they will ask the Legislature to do for the city. "We'll be looking at going to Olympia in January and talking to the Legislature," said Mayor Diana Wilhite at Tuesday's council meeting.

A subdivision proposed in Greenacres is headed back to the hearing examiner after the Spokane Valley City Council changed the rule that halted it once before. The move dealt another blow to an effort by neighbors to make the development less dense. "I'm tired of getting up in front of the microphone," said Tom Tabbert, who lives across from the proposed planned unit development and has testified that it will make streets in the area unsafe.

Budget-minded Spokane Valley residents have hauled their own garbage to the waste transfer station for years, an option many choose over the monthly expense of having the trash removed for them by a private company. That could change under a measure now in the Planning Commission's recommended draft of the Spokane Valley Comprehensive Plan that would make curbside trash pickup mandatory.