In brief: Food bank open house Friday

SPOKANE VALLEY – An open house and ribbon cutting for the new food warehouse at the Spokane Valley Partners Food Bank is set for 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday. The ribbon cutting itself is scheduled for 9:30 a.m.

The warehouse is 4,400 square feet compared to the 1,500-square-foot basement the food bank was using for food storage. The public is invited to attend the event and see the new building. Spokane Valley Partners is at 10814 E. Broadway Ave.

Traffic impact meeting planned

PAINTED HILLS – A public meeting is scheduled Sept. 2 to hear concerns about the effect a proposed 220-unit apartment complex will have on traffic at the corner of state Route 27 and Belle Terre Avenue.

Comments at the “scoping” meeting will help guide a traffic study being conducted by consulting company Transpo Group from Kirkland, Wash. Spokesman Mike Swenson said the study is part of a basic environmental review.

Spokane County has jurisdiction over the unincorporated area, but Spokane Valley and the state Department of Transportation also are participating in the review. When all three agencies have approved the traffic study report, another meeting will be scheduled to present it to the public, Swenson said.

He said the site already has been rezoned for the apartment complex, which will be at the northeast corner of SR 27 and Belle Terre. The complex will have direct access to both roads.

The Sept. 2 meeting will be at 7 p.m. at the Painted Hills Golf Course, 4403 S. Dishman-Mica Road.

Church to host bluegrass service

MILLWOOD – Zion Lutheran Church will host a bluegrass folk worship service at 9:30 a.m. Sunday. The featured musicians will be Kelly Bogan and the group Molly & Tenbrooks.

An ice cream social will follow the service. The church is at 8304 E. Buckeye Ave.

Crime-prevention workshop planned

OPPORTUNITY – Area residents will hear of new and inventive ways criminals target their money through phony investment schemes at a crime prevention presentation Tuesday at the Spokane Valley Police Precinct, 12710 E. Sprague Ave.

Titled “Outsmarting Investment Fraud,” the 7 p.m. meeting will feature common fraud and theft schemes being committed during these tough economic times.

Suspects use a wide variety of methods to con money out of the unsuspecting and uneducated citizen. Learning how the schemes work is key to fraud prevention, said police spokesman Sgt. Dave Reagan.

Crime Prevention Deputy Greg Snyder will present the free course and answer questions from participants.