Washington Voices

The Spokane County Regional Animal Protection Service presented its case Wednesday before Spokane County Hearing Examiner Mike Demspey arguing against license renewal for Iron Horse Kennel in Newman Lake. The hearing was scheduled after kennel owner Wilma Turner appealed SCRAPS director Nancy Hill’s decision not to renew her dog kennel license that expired in October. Hill testified Wednesday that she based her decision on two years of inspection failures, criminal charges and probation violations.

For the week of Feb. 4-8. Monday – Option 1: Marinated beef and vegetables, rice pilaf, steamed carrots, whole grain roll, cinnamon apple slices. Option 2: Creamy dill tuna salad, steamed carrots, cinnamon apple slices.

Spokane Valley Fire Department crews had a busy but relatively uneventful week from Jan. 24-30, responding to 240 calls. There were, however, at least two calls that raised some eyebrows. Crews were called to the Mariott Residence Inn at 15915 E. Indiana Ave. Tuesday afternoon for a reported trash fire. “A transient had started a fire to stay warm, but the fire was in the bushes of the hotel,” said assistant fire marshal Bill Clifford. “I think he was just told to be on his way.”

West Valley High School has announced its first semester honor roll for the 2012-’13 school year. 4.0 GPA

Free Career Counseling and Job Search Assistance – For low-income residents of Spokane County; Work Source Spokane. Call (509) 532-3120 or visit www.workspokane.org and click on ‘Job Seekers.’ Free Counseling for Unplanned Pregnancies – With open adoption services, sponsored by Spokane Consultants in Family Living, 1623 W. Gardner Ave.; (509) 328-6274.

Northwest Christian Schools, 5104 E. Bernhill Road, will hold its annual Parent Preview Night next Thursday at 6:30 p.m. The school has programs for students from preschool through high school. During the preview night, parents will learn about the school’s Bible-integrated teaching; Advanced Placement courses; fine arts programs, including choir, band, strings, theater and art; the athletic programs; the supplemental learning lab; extended care center; available homeschool programs; and bus routes throughout the Spokane area.

The Emerson-Garfield Neighborhood Council doesn’t have a bank account and can’t write a check, just like most other neighborhood councils. It also can’t receive a direct donation. That’s about to change. At a recent meeting, Emerson-Garfield Neighborhood Council in northwest Spokane decided to apply for 501(c)(3) status and become a nonprofit.

A former employee who absconded with a company credit card and a backpack abandoned in a parking lot topped the list of calls to the Liberty Lake Police Department the week of Jan. 21-28. A business in the 1600 block of North Molter Road called police on Jan. 22 to report unauthorized charges on a company credit card at the local Home Depot. The employee in possession of the card had been on vacation but didn’t come back to work as scheduled, said Police Chief Brian Asmus. The employee reportedly texted his boss and said he wasn’t coming back, Asmus said.

The theme for this year’s Eastern Washington Legislative Conference is money: grace and justice. The daylong convention on Saturday features sessions on wage theft, criminal justice reform, the death penalty, environmental issues, immigration and human services. The annual conference is organized by the Faith Action Network.

The Spokane Valley City Council spent more than two hours Tuesday interviewing the candidates vying to fill the vacant seat created by the resignation of Councilwoman Brenda Grassel, who moved outside the city limits. Questions from council members ranged from asking why the person wanted to serve on the council to what they thought about property rights, street preservation and tax increases. The candidates all spoke of a desire to serve or give back as a motivation for seeking an appointment to the council.

As it does every year, the Internal Revenue Service is making a push to inform people about the earned income tax credit – a program for low- and middle-income families that can result in a credit of up to $5,891. The earned income credit is refundable, meaning if it exceeds the amount of the tax owed, it can be paid out in the form of a refund. A worker must file a tax return to get the credit, though, even if no tax is owed.

A resignation has created an opening on the West Valley school board. The open seat represents District 4, the area near Seth Woodard and Orchard Center elementary schools.

SPOKANE – The city is seeking input from citizens for a review and update of its comprehensive plan, which provides guidance on all aspects of the city’s growth and development. Three public meetings are scheduled in February featuring presentations and background information on the comprehensive plan and the review process: • Council District 1 meeting is on Feb. 27 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at Northeast Youth Center, 3004 E. Queen Ave.