Golf courses open

What Mother Nature has taken away from area skiers, she’s given back to local golfers.

Unseasonably warm and dry days have made it possible for duffers to play on the permanent greens at Spokane County’s Liberty Lake Golf Course since late January. Now the county is preparing to let golfers onto the permanent greens at MeadowWood and Hangman Valley.

MeadowWood is scheduled to open today for 18-hole rounds. Last year it opened on March 6.

Crews are trying to prepare Hangman Valley to open this weekend, but barring that the putting green and driving range will be open. It didn’t open until March 20 last year.

Spokane County charges $17 for a round of golf. To reserve tee times, call Hangman Valley at 448-1212, MeadowWood at 255-9539 and Liberty Lake at 255-6233. The city of Spokane’s Esmeralda Golf Course is also open, with fees for 18 holes of golf ranging from $23-$27. Call 487-6291 for a tee time.

Work may slow traffic

Spokane Water Department work could cause some traffic disruptions over the next few days at Thor Street and Fourth Avenue.

Starting today, traffic at the intersection will be reduced to one lane in each direction on Thor.

Crews are preparing for the bigger Thor-Freya couplet project scheduled for construction later this year.