In brief: Free chipping, composting day
The annual North Spokane County Chipping and Composting Day will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday at Fire Station No. 49 at Highway 395 and Monroe Road.
The event includes free chipping and disposal of natural yard material, such as leaves, needles and tree and shrub prunings. Seminars on backyard composting by the Master Composters also will be held, as well as tips on how to protect your home from wildfires.
For more information call the Recycling Hotline at (509) 625-6800.
Chipping and Composting Day is sponsored by ABCO Wood Recycling Co.
Balboa/S. Indian Trail
VASA Lodge celebrates 100th
The Spokane chapter of the Swedish American VASA Lodge No. 145 is celebrating 100 years in the Inland Empire with an anniversary dinner and program April 26 at the Sons of Norway Hall, 6710 N. Country Homes Blvd.
The VASA lodge is the oldest in the Pacific Northwest organized by Swedish immigrants. Several churches were started because of the need for Swedish-speaking “friends,” including Salem and Grace Lutheran and The Swedish Tabernacle, now First Covenant. The lodge continues to offer Swedish lessons to interested members.
Exhibits of the past 100 years will be on display, plus scrapbooks of their activities. The Lundin Family Violinists will play Scandinavian music.
Reservations are requested by Saturday for the catered dinner. Contact Steve Matthews at (509) 489-2333, e-mail scubasteve701@comcast.net, or at 701 Brady Court, Spokane, WA 99208.
West Central/Riverside
Woman to speak about her MS
On Saturday, REI of Spokane and Project MOVE will team with Miriam Richards, who will share her challenges of being fully deaf and living with Multiple Sclerosis, at REI, 1125 N. Monroe St.
Richards hasn’t let her obstacles get in her way and now teaches American Sign Language at Western Oregon University, travels and has climbed the highest points in all 50 states, and has written a book about her experiences.
The day-long free event includes booths, information on Project MOVE and Climbing Wall “fun.”
For more information, call 328-9900 or e-mail jhess@rei.com.
For more information, about Project MOVE call Kerry Whitsitt at 209-2856 or visit www.projectmove.org.
Spokane Valley
Grieving kids topic of teleconference
On Wednesday, Hospice of Spokane will host a teleconference, “Living with Grief: Children and Adolescents,” from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., at CenterPlace, 2426 N. Discovery, Spokane Valley.
The nationwide live broadcast will explore perspectives on loss and grief as experienced by children and adolescents throughout a life-limiting illness and by survivors after the death of a loved one, and will be followed by a local panel of experts, discussing topics such as anticipatory grief and mourning, meaning-making, and life review.
Call Hospice of Spokane at (509) 456-0438 or visit www.hospiceofspokane.org /teleconference for more information.
Downtown
Riverside residents to hold celebration
The Riverside Neighborhood Council is hosting an anniversary party from 5 to 8 p.m. on Wednesday at the Bing Crosby Theater to celebrate its 10 years of work in the downtown area.
Gary Pollard of the neighborhood council said the event will recognize the developments and improvements that have brought new life to the downtown area over that time, including historic renovations and new construction.
“It’s a celebration of how the neighborhood has gone through a renaissance and reawakened in the past decade,” Pollard said.
The event is free and open to the public.
Mayor Verner leads roundtable
Spokane Mayor Mary Verner will conduct the second in her series of interactive “Community Roundtable” discussions today from 10:30 a.m. to noon in the City Council Chambers in the lower level of City Hall, 808 W. Spokane Falls Blvd.
The session’s topic will be “How can we encourage business and development: A look at development and business incentives.” Joining the mayor will be Ron Wells, a Spokane developer; Marshall Chesrown, a Spokane developer; Jeff Severs, of Greater Spokane Inc.; and Terry Lawhead from the Washington state Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development. Teresa Brum, the city’s director of business and development services will present an overview of incentives at the beginning of the discussion.
There are several opportunities for the community to observe and participate in this discussion:
“Watch the live video stream on the city’s Web site, www.spokanecity.org.
“Watch the meeting on CityCable 5, which is found on channel 5 on the Comcast cable system in Spokane.
“Come to City Hall, 808 W. Spokane Falls Blvd., to watch the discussion.
The roundtable group will answering questions called in via phone at 625-6337 during the show or e-mailed to asktheroundtable@ spokanecity.org .
AIRWAY HEIGHTS
High-limit poker at Northern Quest
Northern Quest Casino is offering high-limit poker games, with a betting limit of up to $500 per bet with three raises.
Prior to March 28, when the high-limit tables were introduced, the largest bet allowed was $40 with three raises. Northern Quest will be offering three different high-limit poker games, according to Janet Chavez, poker room supervisor. They are:
“$1/$2 blind, buy-in $100-$200, betting $2-$200
“$3/$5 blind, Buy in $100-$300, betting $5-$300
“$5/$10 blind, buy in $300-$500, betting $10-$500
Northern Quest has two poker tables dedicated exclusively to the high-limit games. Play will start daily at 10 a.m.
Northern Quest also offers no-limit tournaments every day. The casino expects to attract a large number of players who only compete in high-limit tournaments.
For more information, call (509) 242-7000.