Ice Storm Overtime, Supplies Add Costs For Valley Fire
Spokane Valley Fire officials estimate the fire district incurred nearly $60,000 in extra costs during last month’s ice storm.
The department racked up $29,000 in overtime costs during the five-day period, said Dave Lobdell, assistant chief. The department spent about $27,000 on material such as caution tape, traffic cones, fuel, rubber gloves and flares, Lobdell said.
Firefighters strung about seven miles of caution tape to mark hazards caused by the storm on Nov. 19. The fire district also rented three pickup trucks and several space heaters in the days following the storm.
Valley Fire will ask the Federal Emergency Management Agency to reimburse the district if President Clinton declares Spokane County a federal disaster area, Lobdell said.
Trooper of the year
Washington State Patrol Trooper Jeff Thoet was selected Trooper of the Year by the Spokane Valley Lions Club.
Thoet was chosen for his effort to make the Valley a safer place, said Lions Club spokesman David Wiyrick. He recorded more than 2,200 traffic stops last year and arrested 90 drunken drivers. Thoet was honored during a Monday night ceremony.
Christmas tree light drive
With a $10 donation, you can help light up the favorite tree of some of the Valley’s nursing home residents.
Good Samaritan Village, located at 17121 E. Eighth, is sponsoring a fund-raising drive in which each light on the Christmas tree is strung up in honor of someone special. Money collected from the drive will help the nursing home buy furniture - beds, chairs, night stands - in residents’ rooms and some new landscaping.
Anyone interested in donating should call nursing home administrator Jim Droppers at 924-6161.
Drivers’ food drive
Central Valley School District bus drivers will hold a food drive today at the Tidyman’s Warehouse Foods, 13014 E. Sprague.
A school bus will be in the parking lot to take in donations of food.
The food will go to the Valley Center.
“We all feel a close connection to our community and this food drive is a way for us to give something back” to the community that has supported schools, said organizer and bus driver Becky Tifft.
Shopping help from CV
A silent auction on Wednesday will benefit the Central Valley High School A Cappella Choir.
Members are raising money for a trip this spring to a national competition in Chicago. Auction items include a dinner for four, a Christmas turkey or ham, a basic legal will or respite care by a registered nurse and a professional house cleaning.
The auction starts at 5:30 p.m. in the high school’s multi-purpose room. The winter choir and orchestra concert begins at 7:30 p.m.
A cappella choir members are also offering three day-care sessions for holiday shoppers. Two evenings, Tuesday and Thursday, from 6-9 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. are available.
Cost per child is $7.50 for each evening and $10 for Saturday.
Each session will be limited to 50 children, and be supervised by at least five adults and 10 high school students.
Tuesday’s session is at Barker Center, 1512 N. Barker. Thursday’s is at Broadway Elementary, 11016 E. Broadway. Saturday’s is at Central Valley High School, 821 S. Sullivan.
, DataTimes