Avista gas rates to go up 1 percent
Avista’s natural gas rates will go up by 1 percent, reflecting higher wholesale prices.
Washington state regulators approved the increase Thursday. It takes effect Nov. 1.
According to Avista, the bill for a typical household using 70 therms of natural gas will rise by 67 cents, to $85.83 a month.
Companies selling natural gas in Washington file for price adjustments every 15 months, based on wholesale costs for the commodity. Last year, Washington Utilities and Transportation approved a 6 percent decrease in rates, based on lower natural gas costs.
In July, Avista warned its customers that it expected a 20 percent increase in gas costs, based on market conditions at that time. However, wholesale prices dropped over the next several months, and Avista ended up asking state regulators for a 1 percent hike instead.
The utility serves 144,000 natural gas customers in Eastern Washington.
Spokane valley
Huppin’s will take e-waste for free
Huppin’s Warehouse will sponsor a free electronics recycling event from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.
Items should be dropped off at the Huppin’s warehouse, 229 N. Ella Road in Spokane Valley. Huppin’s downtown location will not accept items.
Electronics accepted for recycling include TVs, computer monitors, scanners, printers, fax machines, stereo equipment, VCRs, phones and rechargeable batteries.
Microwaves, smoke detectors and household appliances will not be accepted.
Only personal electronics – not electronics from businesses – will be accepted.
The event is part of Sony’s National Take Back Recycling program, in partnership with Waste Management.
Spokane
Doctor honored for work with kids
Dr. Hrair Garabedian has received the Sister Peter Claver Award for his 30 years of work in children’s health care in Spokane.
The award was given by Sacred Heart Medical Center, which noted Garabedian’s work developing the hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit and his later work as a pediatric cardiologist, which drew thousands of children born with congenital heart defects to Spokane for care.
Garabedian also has established a hospital and trained physicians to provide care for children in his homeland, Armenia.
The award’s namesake was a Sacred Heart administrator for more than three decades.