Washington Voices

Moving fire station cheaper, safer This is in response to the Vocal Point in the Aug 4 Voice section of the newspaper.

The Millwood City Council voted Monday night to tap into a new revenue source. The council unanimously approved imposing a real estate excise tax on all property sales to fund capital improvement projects, as well as maintenance and operations needs. Millwood is the only jurisdiction in the state that hasn’t previously imposed the tax.

 The sun is shining, the playfields are full and the birds are singing. 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 best summer outfits, teammates on the field. Think of holiday gatherings, special milestones and outdoor fun. Send us your party pictures, garden snapshots and candid photos.

Monday Fire District 2 – 7 p.m. at 17815 E. Truax Road, Fairfield.

Fairfield City Council – The council voted to apply for a grant to fund a project that would pay for an overlay on Main Street plus sidewalks and lighting. Three streets have been identified for chip sealing in 2012 through a partnership with the Department of Transportation, including Second Street from Lake to Bradshaw, Bradshaw from Third to Highway 27 and Bradshaw from Third Street to the west city limits. The town has received money from the Washington State Archives Local Records grant program to find digitizing the town’s minutes, ordinances and resolutions. A short executive session was held, after which the council voted to increase the pay of the city’s only public works employee by $100 a week since the public works director has resigned. (Source: town clerk Cheryl Loeffler) Rockford City Council – A Department of Ecology shoreline planner spoke about updating the town’s Shoreline Master Plan. The town’s website is being worked on. A $12,500 levy for the Rockford Fire Department will be on the November ballot. In years past the levy has been $10,000. Council members voted to pass an ordinance to designate the town as a Tree City USA. The town’s water rate went up on Aug. 1. (Source: town clerk Darlene LaShaw)

The warm days of late summer always bring out the bugs. This year is no exception. The warmer weather is likely to bring on the spider mites. These are tiny, yellowish, greenish or reddish eight-legged mites that are found most often on the underside of leaves of a number of different plants. The presence of a fine web may be the first clue they are there.

Spokane Valley City Council candidate Lewis Higgins has been receiving donations since early July and has now amassed $2,497 as he prepares to take on three challengers for Position 6 in the primary election this month. Higgins said he has been submitting the required forms to the Public Disclosure Commission but a computer glitch prevented the forms from showing in the online database the public can access to see who candidates get their donations from.

Today Free Summer Movies at Riverfront Park - Presented by the park and KSPS, a series of locally produced KSPS documentaries that highlight our region’s unique and interesting history. “America’s Landlocked Navy - The Farragut’s WWII Memories.” 9:45 a.m. Imax Theatre, 507 N. Howard St. Free. (509) 625-6001.

The crowd that filled the Newman Lake Fire District Station 1 on Tuesday told fire commissioners that they should ask voters for a $2.2 million bond in November in order to build a new fire station. The special meeting was called to present three funding options to the public and get feedback. The three options ranged from asking for a bond for the entire $2.2 million cost of the new Station 1 or using a mix of a bond, loan and reserves.

A proposed bicycle-pedestrian trail through Spokane Valley has given Cinderella slippers to a little-known, county-owned railroad right of way. For years, Spokane County’s Great Northern right of way has taken a back seat to its better-known Milwaukee Road corridor.

The Hillyard neighborhood has a very strong sense of place, identity and history, and at no other time is that more apparent than during the annual Hillyard Festival. This year, the all-volunteer festival association has pulled out all stops for the 100th Hillyard Festival, which opens Friday in Sharpley-Harmon Park.

WEST HILLS – Holy Names Music Center, 3910 W. Custer Drive, will hold its second annual Community Music Day on Aug. 21, from noon to 6 p.m. on the grounds of Mukogawa Fort Wright Institute. Participants can enjoy free music lessons in violin, viola, cello, bass, guitar, voice, trumpet, sax, clarinet, piano, flute and percussion. The event includes performances by local musicians and bands. Picnic lunches are suggested. For more information, call (509) 326-9516. Party benefits school