Voices

OLYMPIA – “Tax increases will be necessary in order to avoid the negative economic effects of deep budget cuts.” Those are words that very few politicians in Olympia, and definitely not those in close races, like Gov. Chris Gregoire, are willing to utter a few weeks before the election. In fact, both Gregoire and challenger Dino Rossi have repeatedly said they won’t raise taxes in tough economic times.

OLYMPIA – Time for round two. Tonight on a scenic spit of land near the Canadian border, Gov. Chris Gregoire and Republican challenger Dino Rossi will again debate each other. It’s the second face-off of five that have been scheduled so far, including one Oct. 9 in Spokane.

The Spokane Valley City Council agreed Tuesday to pursue more restrictions on panhandlers and fewer on Sprague-Appleway business owners. Council members took no formal action, but directed the city staff to prepare proposals for future consideration.

Scoop Reporter was spotted hiding among advertisements in last week’s Voices by the following six winners who are this week’s Honorary Cub Reporters and are eligible to receive free ice cream. This was the last week of the contest. Congratulations to:

For 10-02-2008

For the week of Oct. 6-10 Monday – Spaghetti with meat sauce, tossed salad with dressing, garlic breadstick, Mandarin oranges.

The Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner of Spokane will hold its first membership meeting on Monday, at the Lutheran Community Services Building, 210 W. Sprague Ave., from 4 to 6 p.m. SANE is a nationally recognized, standardized way of performing sexual assault examinations. SANE of Spokane is looking to develop a nonprofit group that could help with fundraising, training and community education.

As of Wednesday, more families will be eligible for the Washington Basic Food Program as income limits will increase to 200 percent of the federal poverty guidelines. Families who apply and qualify will automatically be signed up for the free school meals program within 30 days of receiving a Basic Food Program identification number.

Neighborhood law enforcement officials are stepping up efforts to combat graffiti thanks to a state grant to hire a coordinator for both Spokane COPS and Spokane County SCOPE graffiti abatement programs. The Paint Over Graffiti (POG) coordinator will review graffiti reports, look for volunteers and supply donations to cover over graffiti and work with property owners to remove graffiti both in the city of Spokane, Spokane Valley and the unincorporated county, said Spokane police Lt. Rex Olson.

The St. Charles Catholic Parish and School, 4515 N. Alberta St., will hold its annual celebration Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. The harvest festival will include a quilt raffle, a school carnival, bier garten and an adults-only barn dance.

Theater Arts for Children’s production of “Rip Van Winkle” will open Friday at 7 p.m. The show will run through Oct. 19. The Oct. 4, 10, 11, 17, and 18 performances are at 7 p.m.; the Oct. 5, 12 and 19 performances are at 2 p.m. The theater is at 10814 E. Broadway Ave. in Spokane Valley. Tickets are $7 for ages 13 and over; $5 for children under 12. Tickets can be purchased at www.TicketsWest.com or at the door.

Manito Park workers, neighbors and Spokane Police have been working together to stop a rash of vehicle burglaries within the park over the past few months. Thieves have been targeting cars and trucks parked in lots within the park, and it doesn’t seem to matter whether they are hidden behind bushes or in the wide open.

This is the year of the green tomato. With the late spring and cool summer, there was definitely a lack of heat to get tomatoes ripe in a timely manner. So here we are at the end of the growing season with vines loaded with green fruit and a frost not far off. Once we start getting night temperatures into the 40s most green tomatoes won’t ripen. So now what do you do?

For 10-02-2008

Encroaching development has swallowed up much of the headwaters of the Little Spokane River, but 3,000 feet of riverfront and 605 surrounding acres of wetlands, meadows, bubbling springs and forest will be protected in their natural state thanks to a conservation easement with the Inland Northwest Land Trust. The agreement to preserve the Verbrugge property also provides a promise for continuing ecological research on the land by Whitworth University faculty and students.