Washington Voices

National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) – Sponsors free education, support and outreach programs that help make life less difficult for individuals and families, including caregivers of children, affected by mental illness. All teachers, facilitators and speakers are trained volunteers with personal experience either as relatives of or as individuals living with mental illnesses. For information, dates, times and locations for courses and groups, or to schedule a speaker to visit your group, call (509) 838-5515 or email namispokane@aimcomm.com. Nicotine Anonymous – Twelve-step support group offering our experience to those who want to quit smoking. Meets Wednesdays, 3-4 p.m., at Partners (formerly Spokane Valley Community Center), 10814 E. Broadway Ave., Spokane Valley. Call (509) 926-9804 or (509) 474-1845 for more information.

A carbon monoxide detector saved the day this week when Spokane Valley Fire Department crews responded to help a person reportedly suffering from flulike symptoms. Crews were called to the 5500 block of North Idaho Road just after 11:30 a.m. on Monday to help a 21-year-old woman.

Alexandria’s House - Volunteers are needed to tutor mothers or take care of babies at Alexandria’s House, a transitional living program for pregnant and parenting teenage mothers, sponsored by Volunteers of America of Eastern Washington and Northern Idaho. For more information, call Susan Woehrlin, volunteer coordinator, at (509) 489-0349 or visit www.voaspokane.org. American Cancer Society Discovery Shop – To help with a number of duties at the shop at 805 W. Garland Ave.. For more information, call Joanne at (509) 465-1607.

Citizenship Course – Offered by World Relief Spokane, 1522 N. Washington St., Suite 204. For more information call (509) 484-9829. Employment, Education and Training – For Spokane County residents who have been laid off from work or have low income; provided through Work Source Spokane. Call (509) 532-3120 or visit www.workspokane.org and click on “Job Seekers.”

Mobius Kids Classes - Mobius Kids will be offering a variety of classes through February for youths, ages 4-8. For prices, dates and registration, visit www.mobiusspokane.org. Mobius Kids Children’s Museum, 808 W. Main Ave. (509) 624-5437. Riverfront Park Ice Palace - The skating rink is open until March 3 on Tuesdays-Sundays, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.; Tuesdays-Thursdays, 7-8:30 p.m.; Fridays and Saturdays, 7-10 p.m.; and closed Mondays. Extended holiday hours. Riverfront Park, 507 N. Howard St. $4.50/adults; $3.50/children, senior, military; $3.50/skate rental. (509) 625-6601.

So we are off and running into 2013. The holidays are over and it’s now time to start looking toward things we gardeners can do to keep ourselves from going stir-crazy until it thaws out. Winter is when a lot of gardeners look for classes and workshops so they can bone up and learn about all the latest and greatest new garden plants and ideas.

SPOKANE VALLEY – The city of Spokane Valley will host a community meeting to discuss the Sullivan Bridge replacement project from 4 to 7 p.m. Jan. 9 at CenterPlace, 2426 N. Discovery Place. City staff will make brief presentations at 4 and 6 p.m. then answer questions and get input on plans to rebuild the west Sullivan Bridge that carries southbound traffic. They will also provide information on upcoming plans to modify the storm drains on both bridges over the Spokane River and the resurfacing of Sullivan Road from Flora Pit Road to Trent Avenue.

Lottery winners in Spokane County for the week of Dec. 17-23. $10,000

• The Community Assembly will meet Friday at 4 p.m. in the Council Briefing Center, City Hall, 808 W. Spokane Falls Blvd. • The Pedestrian, Transportation and Traffic Committee will meet Tuesday at 6 p.m. at the West Central Community Center, 1603 N. Belt St.

The year 2012 will go into the record books as the most catastrophic 12-month period globally in recent history. The property loss total in the United States alone may exceed $50 billion, far greater than the $14 billion in losses in 2011. The U.S. saw the hottest July on record with an average of 77.7 degrees. For some locations in the nation’s heartland, July was the hottest month since regular weather records began in 1880. Over the entire year, there were an amazing 70,000 local heat records established in 356 places in 34 states. Overall, 2012 was the eighth hottest year on record in the U.S.

Spokane Feast of Theophany Services – Sunday, 9 a.m., the Divine Liturgy of St. Basil the Great at 10 a.m. And Great Blessing of Water at 11:30 a.m. at Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, 1703 N. Washington. (509) 435-6474.