Fire near Cheney mostly contained
The Marshall Complex fire in southwest Spokane County was 90 percent contained Monday.
Fire officials said there was still a slight possibility that wind could push some embers over the fire line.
Otherwise, the fire is expected to be fully contained by tonight.
About 140 firefighters will continue to work the smoldering blaze, which started Saturday near railroad tracks south of Cheney, said Eric Keller, a spokesman for the Department of Natural Resources.
On Monday, about 100 firefighters left the Cheney area for Grant County, where a 500-acre wildfire was burning near Ephrata.
The Marshall Complex blaze burned about 350 acres, a house and a garage, Keller said.
The destroyed house belonged to a volunteer firefighter who was camping with his family. They didn’t learn about the wildfire until late Sunday.
– Jody Lawrence-Turner
Liberty Lake
New bridge connects to Centennial Trail
Liberty Lake’s second pedestrian bridge over Interstate 90 is ready to carry walkers, cyclists, inline skaters and runners.
The bridge completes a connection between the city of Liberty Lake on the south side of the freeway and the Centennial Trail on the north by traversing the westbound I-90 on-ramp of the Liberty Lake interchange.
Before this second bridge, trail users could use a different pedestrian bridge to cross the freeway, but had only a crosswalk to use to cross the on-ramp.
The $900,000 bridge was built with state and federal grant funds overseen by the Washington State Department of Transportation.
A dedication ceremony is scheduled for 10 a.m. Aug. 22.
– Amy Cannata
Spokane
Park bond headed for the fall ballot
Spokane voters will decide in November if they want to pay extra taxes for new pools and park amenities.
The Spokane City Council on Monday voted unanimously to place a $42.9 million bond on the ballot.
If it receives 60 percent support, the measure will pay to rebuild the city’s five outdoor pools and add another in the northwest part of the city. It also will pay to build a park near Joe Albi Stadium, construct 10 water play features and improve baseball fields.
The council followed the lead of the Spokane Park Board, which last week recommended cutting the original $78.4 million bond proposal by axing an $11.4 million promenade at Riverfront Park and a $26.7 million indoor aquatics center from the bond.
However, the council added $2.6 million to include money for a planned BMX track at the park near Joe Albi Stadium and to ensure Witter Pool will remain 50 meters – Olympic size.
Parks Director Mike Stone said money for the BMX track was accidentally left out of the original bond proposal. He said the 50-meter pool is needed at Witter since there won’t be a public indoor pool that can be used for competitive swimming.
– Jonathan Brunt