Washington Voices

Spokane Community Oriented Policing Services received a $40,000 federal grant for its part of the Spokane Crime Victim Service Center. Lutheran Social Services is the lead partner in this center – a collaboration of services rather than an actual building – and the Martin Luther King Center is also a partner.

RIVERSIDE – Partners for Progress will have the Into Africa Auction Nov. 5 at the Lincoln Center, 1316 N. Lincoln St. The evening will include multicultural cuisine and South African wines.

CHIEF GARRY PARK – The Spokane Fall Folk Festival is in need of volunteers. The annual celebration of the Inland Northwest’s cultural diversity will be held Nov. 20-21 at Spokane Falls Community College, 1810 N. Greene St., in the Lair Center. Volunteers are needed to help set up stages, craft and workshop areas, to assist children with crafts and activities, work as kitchen helpers, sell festival buttons and baked goods and help direct attendees to stages and activities.

CHIEF GARRY PARK – The Spokane Fall Folk Festival is in need of volunteers. The annual celebration of the Inland Northwest’s cultural diversity will be held Nov. 20-21 at Spokane Falls Community College, 1810 N. Greene St., in the Lair Center. Volunteers are needed to help set up stages, craft and workshop areas, to assist children with crafts and activities, work as kitchen helpers, sell festival buttons and baked goods and help direct attendees to stages and activities.

SPOKANE – The Chase Youth Commission is accepting nominations for the 2011 Chase Youth Awards. Awards will be given to individuals and groups in three divisions, including elementary school, from grades K-6; middle school, including grades 7 and 8; and high school, grades 9-12. In addition, one outstanding adult will receive the Jim Chase Asset Builder Award, which honors a special adult committed to building developmental assets in youth.

NEVADA/LIDGERWOOD – On Friday, the Boys and Girls Clubs of Spokane County will host the annual Trunk-or-Treat, at the Northtown Club, 544 E. Providence Ave., from 5 to 7:30 p.m. Children can dress-up in their favorite Halloween costume and enjoy some spooky fun and trunk-or-treat, too. Trunk-or-treating takes the walking in the cold out of trick-or-treating; kids get to have the same Halloween fun, but get their candy out of decorated trunks of parked cars.

SPOKANE VALLEY – University High School’s Key Club will hold a pet supply and donation drive for Spokane County Regional Animal Protection Service, or SCRAPS, today, from 3 to 7 p.m. Donations can be collected at Rosauers at Sprague Avenue and University Road, Barney’s Harvest Foods on Dishman Mica Road or Yoke’s at Argonne Village.

As I’ve mentioned in previous articles, we now have a La Niña, the cooler-than-normal, sea-surface temperatures phenomenon in the south-central Pacific Ocean. For the last several months, this La Niña has been classified as moderate, but has recently shown signs of strengthening after hints of weakening in early October. In addition to the cooler ocean waters, solar activity continues to be low, but sunspot numbers have been increasing over the last few weeks, which may indicate that the sun is becoming more active in terms of solar storms and energy output.

Ghouls and witches, from toddlers through fifth grade, are welcome to wear their favorite costume Friday to the Pence Union Building at Eastern Washington University for the Harvest Tour and Carnival. The tour begins at 3:30 p.m. and the carnival will be held in the Pence Union Building Lounge, from 4 to 6 p.m. Children can enjoy Halloween fun, carnival games and goodies.

Spokane County lottery winners for the week of Oct. 18-22 $10,000

With Halloween just around the corner, churches are planning special parties and festivals. At Liberty Park United Methodist Church, 1526 E. 11th Ave., the church will hold its 15th annual Hallowed Rest Stop on Halloween from 5 to 8 p.m.

The Friends of the Centennial Trail is accepting pictures of the Spokane Centennial Trail for their photo contest. Winning photos will be used in a public service announcement showcasing the Centennial Trail. Entries must be e-mailed in a jpeg format between 2 mg and 5 mg in size. E-mail kayeturner@spokanecentennialtrail.org. Entries should include the entrant’s name, address and phone number. No monetary award will be given.

For 10-28-2010

For 10-28-2010

The weather has been a little dreary, but what better way to get into the Halloween spirit? The Deer Park Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring Pumpkin Lane on Saturday from 1 to 3 p.m. For a map and list of participating merchants where to trick or treat, see the Deer Park Chamber of Commerce website at: www. deerparkchamber.com.

Vegetable gardeners got lucky this fall. In spite of downright cold weather through most of the summer, we got just enough Indian summer to ripen up most of the garden stuff. When it did freeze, the frosts came with enough warning to get most of the produce out of the cold. Now what do you do with it?