Voices

One of the reasons I always go to the Northwest Flower and Garden Show in Seattle is to see what's hot in gardening for the year. This year I also visited Portland's Yard, Garden and Patio Show and at both shows, the strongest trend I saw was the idea that your outdoor spaces, whether it's a patio or an acre, are really just extensions and re-creations of your indoor living spaces. For Jamie Durie, that's the way it should be. Durie is an internationally recognized landscape designer best known in his home country of Australia for creating the concept of the "outdoor room." Americans know him as one of the hosts of the PBS series "Victory Garden."

Kootenai County Active Electronics, Post Falls, two commercial structures, valued at $147,000.

For 03-06-2008

CHENEY – The Cheney Police Department is policing neighborhoods in a new way, following a plan that officials hope will inspire neighbors to reach out to one another and empower them to address problems in their communities. Officers have been assigned to each of seven sectors of the city and tasked with getting to know the residents and finding out what issues concern neighbors. The idea is to identify peoples' worries and work within communities to solve them, according to police Cmdr. Rick Campbell.

Public clubs, support groups and public meetings in the Post Falls/Rathdrum area in the upcoming weeks: Clubs and Support Groups

Attendant Care Registry – Free service matching disabled adults and children with personal-care providers; sponsored by Coalition of Responsible Disabled; 326-6355. Change Point! program – Ideal for women who are separated, divorced, or widowed, have a disability, or who have been incarcerated; provides free training in computers, resume preparation, job interviewing, communication skills, and conflict resolution techniques; sponsored by the Washington State Displaced Homemaker Program; contact Denise McKinnon at 279-6065.

Teens, warm up your fingers and thumbs. The first All City Texting Championship is March 15. Central Valley High School sophomores Brooke Jackson and Kassie Panther were looking for project for their advanced business marketing class. They wanted to do a fundraiser, and after seeing news on a national texting championship, the answer seemed obvious.

Spokane COPS opened its 13th COPS Shop Wednesday at Spokane Community College, 1810 N. Greene St., Building 1, Room 149. "I feel really confident that this will be a very active shop in the next six months," said Christy Hamilton, COPS director.

Spokane Valley City Council members favor a "baby-steps" approach to an ambitious plan to revitalize the Sprague-Appleway corridor. They embraced Mayor Rich Munson's suggestion Tuesday to focus on the first phase of the 20-year plan, and emphasized that the whole plan is subject to change.

The Liberty Lake City Council heard a special presentation from Spokane County representatives during Tuesday's meeting urging them to support the one-tenth of one percent sales tax increase to pay for emergency communications. The measure is on the May 20 ballot. Spokane Fire Department Chief Bobby Williams and Spokane County Commissioners Mark Richard and Todd Mielke outlined the need for the money. The tax would raise more than $90 million over 10 years to pay for capital expenditures required for the new system, reverse 911, restoration of Crime Check, equipment replacement and maintenance and an anticipated shortfall in 911 revenue in two or three years. Reverse 911 allows officials to quickly call residents to warn them about an emergency in their area, such as an approaching wildfire or police incident.

POST FALLS – Mike Uphus is a school principal of the pragmatist sort. Yet, he's also a believer in divine inspiration. Wayne Laudahl is his proof. As principal at the nearly 650-student Seltice Elementary School in Post Falls, Uphus had recently been discussing some of the school's long-term needs with a co-worker, with some sort of study table as the top priority. The next day, as if on cue, Laudahl, a local contractor and father of a Seltice third-grade student, approached the principal with what has become a yearly inquiry and offer, to construct whatever the building needs.

Valentine's Day has come and gone and for most, love was in the air. For Michael McKay, however, love was nestled in a snow bank on Spokane's North Side. "I was walking toward my lady friend who was a couple of blocks in front of me," McKay said. "I was looking at the ground and saw an object in the snow. It was in the road, a little ways from the curb. I thought it was a piece of plastic."

POST FALLS – When Terry and Rebecca Patano began the Doma Coffee Roasting Co. in 2000, they wanted more than "to just be about coffee." They set a goal of being "an environmentally sound company," and made a commitment to reduce, reuse and recycle. Today, Doma is a step ahead of most North Idaho businesses. The Patanos have already put into action what many others are just beginning to think about, and their vision is clear.

An improving budget has allowed East Valley School District to restore some cuts made last summer. The libraries have reopened and summer school is once again on the menu. Other things brought back include a high school counselor, new high school textbooks, field trips, money to buy books for the libraries, more security and building budgets.

One of the truisms of politics is that your foes can be your friends, at least when it comes to getting re-elected. Case in point: Seattle Democratic Sen. Ken Jacobsen and Rep. Joel Kretz, R-Wauconda.

Ongoing Banking for Books - Monthlong book drive campaign to benefit Page Ahead Children's Literacy Program. Donate NEW children's books to Global Credit Union, Northland Credit Union, Spokane Safeway Employees Credit Union, Spokane City Credit Union, Spokane Federal Credit Union, Spokane Media Federal Credit Union, United Health Services Credit Union and Washington Trust Bank. 789-3548.

Ferris High School parents will be coming out of their shells – and their suits – starting next week as they dance, sing and shimmy their way through this year's production of the 46th annual Ham on Regal variety show. This year's show, titled "Remote Possibilities," strings together 16 song-and-dance comedy numbers that juxtapose and interpose TV shows of the past with current ones. Old-school vs. new-school mash-ups, to put it another way. In one scene, "Grey's Anatomy's" Dr. McDreamy hits on "M*A*S*H" nurse Hot Lips Houlihan. The Cleavers meet the Hulk Hogan family in another.

Residents of suburban areas south of Spokane Valley will vote April 22 on a Fire District 8 request for money to improve service. Fire commissioners want voters to lift the district's property tax ceiling so they can provide paramedic service and ensure there are always two full-time firefighters at every station.

When the Shadle Park softball team's offense needs a jump-start, the Highlanders go to China. And the best part is, she's not halfway around the globe! Shadle Park senior China Frost is a two-time all-Greater Spokane League player, a three-year letterman, and the spark plug for the Highlanders from her spot at the top of the batting order, where she's a master of the short game, says her coach George Lynn.