In brief: Public input invited on Convention Center, trail

A pair of open house meetings Wednesday will allow public participation in planning an expansion of the Spokane Convention Center and changes to the adjacent shoreline.

The meetings follow voter approval last April of $65 million in improvements to the Convention Center, Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena and the Centennial Trail shoreline.

The first meeting on the Convention Center project will be from 4:30 to 6 p.m. on Wednesday in Room 207 on the second floor of the western portion of the center. A formal presentation is planned for 5:15 p.m.

That meeting will be followed at 6 p.m. by another session on a shoreline development permit for changes to the Centennial Trail and river bank. The second meeting goes until 7 p.m.

Plans call for adding 91,000 square feet to the Convention Center and 750 seats to the Arena. Voters agreed in April to extend a 0.1 percent sales tax and a 2 percent room tax from 2033 to 2043 to pay for the projects.

Mike Prager

Brief break in weather not expected to last

Clearing clouds are expected in Spokane today, in a slight respite before the likely return of precipitation Sunday.

Sunshine could appear today, with an expected high of 33 and low of 21, according to the National Weather Service. A 20 percent chance of snow showers returns to the forecast on Sunday, with a high of 31 and a low of 27.

A vigorous storm pushed through the Inland Northwest on Friday, bringing a mix of rain, snow and thunderstorms.

The snow level in the Spokane area Friday was 2,300 feet, above the downtown and Spokane Valley areas. Thunderstorms occurred over the Palouse.

Staff report

Tell us of your favorite holiday lights displays

Residents of the Inland Northwest have been busily decking their halls, and we want to know all about it.

If you or your neighbors have a noteworthy holiday display this year, share the details with The Spokesman-Review. Go to spokesman.com/holidaylights/ and click on the “Tell us about it” link. There, you’ll be asked to provide an address for the festive home, as well as a brief description of the display. We’ll need your contact information, – but don’t worry, we’ll keep that information to ourselves.

The list will be posted at spokesman.com/holidaylights, where you can see all of the addresses, sort them by neighborhood or even create maps for your own tour.

Staff report