Tour raises $8,000 for nonprofit

A holiday tour of historic homes on the South Side last Saturday raised more than $8,000 for Spokane Preservation Advocates, a nonprofit group that works for historic preservation, said Linda Yeomans, chair of the tour.

About 650 attended the tour, which included four homes in the Booge’s Addition Historic District, two of which are at 12th Avenue and Adams Street. Tickets were $15 per person.

Yeomans said this year’s tour was “SPA’s most well attended tour event ever.”

Mike Prager

West Spokane

Rezone would allow taller condo

A rezone request raising the building height limit for a 390-unit condominium proposal in the Grandview area goes before the city hearing examiner this morning at 9 a.m.

Grandview-Washington LLC of Seaside, Calif., wants to change the zoning to allow 75 feet in building height instead of the current 35-foot height limit. The project is located at 3000 W. 14th Ave.

The hearing is in Council Chambers in the lower level of City Hall, and is open for public testimony. Steven A. Meek Architects is acting as the applicant.

Mike Prager

Spokane Valley

Toys accepted for shredding service

Intermountain Community Bank, 5211 E. Sprague Ave., will host Shred and Share, a professional shredding day to support Toys for Tots on Friday, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Bring a new, unwrapped toy to ICB and up to two boxes of documents, computer discs and other shreddable items will be professionally shredded by DeVries Business Services.

For more information call ICB at 944-3880.

Cliff\Cannon

Christmas Contra Dance on Saturday

The Spokane Folklore Society will host the annual Christmas Contra Dance on Saturday at the Spokane Women’s Club, 1428 W. Ninth Ave., from 8 to 11 p.m.

The holiday festivities include a live Bluegrass band and caller Penn Fix. Bring your favorite goodie to add to the holiday potluck, along with an ornament for the Christmas tree.

The family event costs $10 for members and students, $12 for non-members, and children are free.

For more information, call 747-2640.

Downtown

Run/walk to benefit Arthritis Foundation

Take a break from shopping and join the Arthritis Foundation’s 5K Jingle Bell Run and Walk for Arthritis Saturday at Riverfront Park. Organizers estimate 52,000 people in the Spokane area live with the disease.

Registration begins at 7 a.m. and the race starts at 9 a.m. A 1K children’s run with the elves begins at 8:30 a.m. Adult registration fee until Friday is $20. Children 8 and under are free or $10 with a T-shirt. Register through Friday at Runners Soul, 221 N. Wall St., Spokane.

Adult registration is $30 on Saturday and children fees remain the same. For more information, visit SpokaneJingleBellRun.Kintera.org.

Valerie Putnam

Spokane County

Wrapping donations go to charity

On Saturday and Sunday and Dec. 19 through Dec. 21, Sears will wrap your presents for a donation to the Heroes at Home program.

Nearly 1 million people have donated to the nationwide campaign, but hundreds of Christmas wishes are still unfilled.

To make a contribution, visit www.Sears.com or go to a local Sears store.