Washington Voices

We all know what happens when you shake up a bottle of soda and then open it. The contents go everywhere. For Rich and Violette Gamba, the pent-up fizz captured in the bottle was trying to garden in pots and containers in New York City. They longed for more room. It wasn’t until Rich’s job transferred him to Spokane in 2009 that they had any hope of unscrewing the cap and letting their desire to garden in a real garden bubble out.

County Fire District 2 – 7 p.m. at 17815 E. Truax Road, Fairfield. Spokane Valley Fire Dept. – 4 p.m. at Station 8, 2110 N. Wilbur Road.

The Veradale United Church of Christ will host its 71st annual Harvest Dinner next Saturday from 5 to 7 p.m. The congregation sets its tables every fall with turkey and all the trimmings, ham, Swedish meatballs and squash from the church’s garden. The dinner is the church’s annual fundraiser and there will also be a raffle.

SPOKANE VALLEY – To celebrate Halloween, Ron’s Drive Inn, 12502 E. Sprague Ave., will have a coloring contest for children, ages 3 to 10. Contestants will receive a small ice cream for entering the contest. Entries will be judged on Halloween and the first-prize artist will receive a $50 Ron’s Drive Inn gift card. Second prize is a $25 gift card, and third prize is a $10 gift card.

There’s a new crime spree in Spokane Valley: someone is setting American flags on fire. Three flags hanging on homes located within a few blocks of one another were found singed Sunday afternoon and Monday morning, said Spokane Valley Fire Department Assistant Fire Marshal Bill Clifford.

There is a new program at University Elementary School, 1613 S. University Road, that teaches students nutrition and basic cooking skills. The Washington State University Food Sense program comes to schools throughout the area where at least 50 percent of students receive free or reduced-price lunches. The program is available in Spokane Public Schools, Deer Park, Riverside, West Valley and East Valley school districts. In Central Valley School District, there are Food Sense programs at Barker High School, North Pines Middle School, Broadway and Opportunity elementary schools, Early Learning Center and now University Elementary.

Spokane Valley has a new quilt and fabric shop. Hattie’s Quilt Shop recently opened near the corner of Evergreen Road and Sprague Avenue to give quilters and others another location to gather for sharing, learning and shopping.

For 10-08-2011

For the week of Oct. 10-14 Monday – Option 1: Turkey divan with buttered noodles, vegetables, breadstick, apple cobbler. Option 2: Turkey Swiss wrap, vegetables, breadstick, apple cobbler.

Central Valley and University are taking their high school slow pitch softball game under the lights. The inaugural Fall Ball Brawl is scheduled for Tuesday night at 7 p.m. at University. U-Hi Athletic Director Ken Van Sickle said portable lights are being brought in.

Washington’s Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction recently dismissed charges against University High School teacher Michael Cronin after conducting an investigation into allegations that he touched a female student and a female staff member while drunk at school in 2009. The Central Valley School District issued a letter of reprimand as the result of its own investigation into the same allegations.

University High School teacher Michael Cronin was placed on paid administrative leave in August and has been sentenced to serve nearly a year in jail after being found guilty of two criminal charges in September. Additional charges from a separate incident in Pend Oreille County – resisting arrest and obstructing a law enforcement officer – are still pending.

Rockford City Council – The council hosted an Association of Washington Cities meeting for the small towns in the area. A public hearing on proposed Community Development Block Grant projects will be held during the Oct. 19 council meeting. A public hearing on a proposed one percent property tax increase will also be held that night. The town is organizing a tire recycling event for Oct. 22. Rockford residents can bring old tires to City Hall for recycling. (Source: Town clerk Darlene LaShaw) Fairfield City Council – The town will have a yard debris day on Oct. 22. The council is considering a form that would allow disabled and elderly residents to apply for assistance in removing snow berms at the end of their driveways. The town is also looking into establishing a real estate excise tax on home sales to help fund capital projects. (Source: Town clerk Cheryl Loeffler)

Atmospheric conditions are finally changing across the Inland Northwest. Rain showers and cooler temperatures have moved into the region. The rest of October looks like a sun-and-showers type weather pattern. Frosts and freezes will be likely locally by the full moon cycle of Oct. 12-19, close to the average occurrence of such chilly days. Temperatures during September once again averaged well above normal. At the Spokane International Airport, there were seven days at or above 90 degrees. The latest day with readings that warm occurred on Sept. 24 with a high of 90. The coldest morning was on the 28th, four days later, with a low of 40. Overall, September’s average temperature was 65 degrees, 4.8 degrees above normal.

The city of Spokane Valley has an opportunity to get a grant for the $10 million needed to build a replacement for the failing Sullivan Road Bridge that carries southbound traffic. The city had to impose weight restrictions on the bridge earlier this year to slow the deterioration, which has affected local businesses and trucking companies. The city has already obtained $10 million in grants for the projects, but needs double that to cover the anticipated cost of the bridge.