Washington Voices

Spokane Valley Fire Department commissioner Monte Nesbitt has announced his immediate resignation due to health issues. Nesbitt had previously announced that he would resign his position on Dec. 31 after members of Local 876 of the International Association of Fire Fighters raised concerns that he was no longer living in the district. Fire commissioners are required by state law to live in the district they serve.

EMERSON/GARFIELD – Partnering for Progress will host its fifth annual Into Africa auction and dinner on Friday at the Lincoln Center, 1316 N. Lincoln St., at 6 p.m. The evening will feature Partnering for Progress volunteers who will share their experiences in Africa and at the Kopanga Comprehensive Rural Health Project clinic. The Spokane-based group sends medical and educational teams to Kenya twice a year to help provide access to health care, education and clean water.

Spokane Valley – Central Valley and University high school students will collect nonperishable food items during the Greasy Pig rivalry football game Friday at Central Valley High School, 821 S. Sullivan Road. The food collected will benefit the Spokane Valley Food Bank. They are hoping to get canned foods, peanut butter, pasta, rice, cereal and dried fruits. Students from both schools will work together at halftime to take the donations into the school.

SPOKANE COUNTY – Area seniors will have an opportunity to step back in time with upcoming history classes available at the Institute for Extended Learning seniors program.

Lottery winners in Spokane County for the week of Sept. 24-28. $10,000 – Richard Baden, of Spokane.

• 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.

Our pets are part of our families, and St. Mark’s Lutheran Church, 316 E. 24th Ave., will offer its 23rd annual Blessing of the Animals ceremony Sunday during the 10:45 a.m. service. Families are invited to bring their pets, who will sit with them and come forward for a blessing. The church estimates more than 100 pets will receive the blessing.

The days are getting shorter, children are back in school and fall sports are under way. We’d like to see your best seasonal photographs for Picture Perfect, our community scrapbook of photos from Spokane Valley readers. We want the type of pictures that show why this season is one of the best in Spokane Valley. Share photos of family feasts, children in their favorite outfits and teammates on the field. Think of holiday gatherings, special milestones and outdoor fun. Send us your party pictures and candid photos.

For the week of Oct. 8-12. Monday – Option 1: Chicken and wild rice casserole, vegetables, coleslaw, dinner roll, cookie. Option 2: Tuna pasta salad, vegetables, cookie.

Proposed shoreline environmental designations only drew a few written and in-person comments during a public hearing before the Spokane Valley Planning Commission last week. The designations are part of a state-mandated update to the city’s Shoreline Master Program that governs how the city’s shorelines can be used or developed. After a review by the Department of Ecology, which has the final say over the plan, the city is proposing using the designations of shoreline residential-upland, shoreline residential-waterfront, urban conservancy, urban conservancy-high quality and aquatic environment. The aquatic environment designation would be used for land between the Spokane River’s ordinary high water mark and the water.

Area libraries offer storytimes for different ages. Here’s a look at some of the options: Baby lapsit

For 10-04-2012

For 09-29-2012