Peter Barnes

When the sun sets in Spokane Valley, the steep roof of the former Christian Science church next to Vera Water and Power no longer casts its shadow beside Evergreen Road. Two weeks ago, crews demolished the 45-year-old church building, purchased by Vera from the church's thinning congregation in 1992.

Plans to build a new library in Spokane Valley are progressing steadily, with the Spokane County Library District's board selecting an architect to design it last week. Integrus Architecture also will develop cost estimates needed for the district to put a tax levy before voters as early as next November. The district is hoping to pick a site around which to form those plans soon, but what remains unclear is how the library will fit into a plan Spokane Valley is forming to redevelop Sprague Avenue and use open land there for a new city center.

Pet licensing fees are likely to rise and, once again, members of the Spokane Valley City Council expressed dismay as Spokane County Regional Animal Protection Service presented details of its yearly budget at Tuesday's meeting. After revenues from fines and license fees are subtracted, the agency is expected to need about $827,000 to provide animal-related services to the unincorporated county and cities it has contracts with.

Spokane Valley's largest yearly festival and parade is this weekend. About 100 floats, bands and other groups are expected to march in the Valleyfest parade down Sprague at 7 tonight, organizers say. The street will be closed for the event, which starts at City Hall, 11707 E. Sprague Ave., and goes to University Avenue.

On Tuesday the Spokane Valley City Council unanimously gave the go-ahead to form a new commission that will evaluate its salary. A similar commission was formed in 2004 and its suggested pay raise was turned down by voters last November after a referendum led by foes of the city.

The Spokane Valley Arts Council is slated to receive funding from Spokane Valley for the first time next year, while other new groups vying for a portion of the city budget did not fare so well. "I definitely want to give an encouraging dollar amount," Councilman Dick Denenny said of the Arts Council money.

A lonesome, weed-strewn row of empty parking lots and vacant buildings east of the former U-City Mall got the nod from city leaders Thursday that could turn the area into a new 20-acre city center that many residents have envisioned since the city was formed. "If you've got to have a starting point, this makes sense," said Councilman Rich Munson at a joint meeting of the City Council and Planning Commission.

Valleyfest kicks off Sept. 22 with a night parade down Sprague Avenue followed by a weekend filled with entertainment and a logging competition at Mirabeau Point Park. In addition to the events at the park, the coming weeks also will feature several fun runs on the Centennial Trail for people looking to get outside for a good cause.

A little less than a year after voters defeated a proposal to raise Spokane Valley City Council salaries, the elected body is moving forward to create another salary commission that would likely recommend higher pay based on rates in other cities. "I think a lot has changed for us financially and historically," said Councilman Mike DeVleming, who suggested forming a new salary commission at the Sept. 5 council meeting.

Parts of the playground at Progress Elementary will be dug up next spring and diluted with fresh dirt after a recent study found levels of arsenic and lead exceeding state limits in the soil. Because grass, asphalt and other materials cover the contaminated soil, health officials say the risk of students being exposed to the chemicals is remote. But samples in a statewide study of former orchard sites show that some of the soil must be blended to meet levels outlined in state environmental laws.

After a controversy over dirty dancing forced a yearlong hiatus on mixers at Central Valley High School, the popular informal dances are back. "Our class just pretty much freaked out when we heard we couldn't have any more mixers," said senior Lisa Haley.

After a long weekend and no meeting last week, the Spokane Valley City Council had a busy night Tuesday. In addition to hearing the yearly request from nonprofit organizations for funds from next year's budget, the council also took care of several notable odds and ends. Among them:

Organizations that provide healthcare, serve the poor, conduct medical research, spay and neuter house pets, promote the arts and champion local businesses asked the Spokane Valley City Council for money Tuesday night. Presentations from 10 social and economic development agencies began the council's annual discussion of a small portion of the city budget devoted to programs outside city government.

Ever wonder if that vacant lot down the street could turn into a row of duplexes? What about the potential odor of the factory being built down the road or the backed-up traffic coming from a new subdivision?

A firing range near Mica has reopened after a small fire prompted Spokane County Fire District No. 8 to close it down briefly and re-evaluate its fire-prevention measures. After a half acre of grass and small trees ignited Aug. 15 several residents asked fire commissioners at their last meeting to crack down on what they perceived as fire risks at the Mica range, used by the Spokane Valley Rifle and Pistol Club. According to the board minutes, some felt they were in danger because a fire near the range could block the only road out of the area.

For the first time in 14 years, the Spokane County Library District will ask voters on Sept. 19 to lift the lid on its property tax levy, effectively keeping the tax rate the same at 50 cents per $1,000 of assessed value for the next three years. The district receives more than 90 percent of its revenues from the levy. As property values rise, the increase in tax money going to the district is expected to surpass a state limit.

A controversial new lane configuration is in place on Broadway Avenue in Spokane Valley, and the good news is it's slowing down traffic. The bad news: it's slowing down traffic.

Like a harbinger of the crisp fall days to come, the preliminary 2007 city budget made its first appearance at Tuesday's council meeting. Weighing in at $76.5 million, it's balanced and looks a lot like this year's, with a few exceptions.