Two fairly spectacular accidents marked the beginning and the end of the week from Aug. 11-18 for the Spokane Valley Fire Department. Shortly after noon on Aug. 11 a pickup truck crossed the centerline on Trent Avenue near Pines Road and slammed head-on into a car going east driven by David P. Daul, 54, of Nine Mile Falls. The truck then spun and hit a third car. Daul had to be cut from the wreckage before he was taken to Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center by helicopter.
Ice cream lovers in Spokane rejoice: Doyles Ice Cream Parlor on West Boone Avenue reopened last weekend. Owner Jerry Gill has had the business since 1991, but it first opened in 1939.
ARBOR CREST – Nearly 50 Northwest artists’ works ranging from paintings to jewelry to glass and metal art pieces will decorate the grounds at Arbor Crest Wine Cellars today and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Visitors will be able to cruise the grounds with a glass of wine, purchase food and hear live music from Sidetrack today and Singlewide on Sunday.
STATELINE – Spokane County will dedicate the off-leash dog area at Gateway Regional Park as the Patricia Simonet Laughing Dog Park with a leash cutting ceremony on Friday at 10 a.m. The Spokane County Commissioners and officials from SCRAPS and the Spokane Parks, Recreation and Golf Department will participate. The park is just north of I-90 at the Stateline exit.
We see what we want to see. Earlier this week, my wife and I took a trip from our home to Spokane Valley Mall. On the way, we passed a neighbor’s house – one whose yard is overgrown with weeds due to years of neglect. My wife commented on it. However, I didn’t notice it. I’ve gotten so used to it that I don’t see it any more.
The memory of the lab school on the Eastern Washington University campus in Cheney will live on in a new garden. The Robert Reid Elementary Lab School didn’t only teach its students from kindergarten through the sixth grade – it also taught college students who hoped to become teachers. It boasted two towers in which education students from EWU and parents could observe the children in the classroom without interrupting their learning. Construction of the school began in 1958 and the school was open until June 2009.
Central Valley High School Class of 1950 – Friday-Aug. 29. Friday: social hour at Players and Spectators. Next Saturday: banquet at Ramada Inn at the Airport. Aug. 29: coffee and doughnuts at Davenport Hotel Lobby. Contact Janet Blakeley Gray at (509) 534-9479 or Sadie Chalich Rueckert at (509) 926-4768 for more information. Central Valley High School Class of 1980 – Next Saturday, 4-8 p.m., at the Sullivan Scoreboard, 205 N. Sullivan Road, Spokane Valley. Cost is $20 in advance. Bring mementos, photos, etc. Contact Denis (Carlile) Collins at (509) 921-6861 or kittycarlile@hotmail.com or find Central Valley Class of 1980 on Facebook for more information.
Buildings in the Central Valley School District received a helping hand from two neighborhood churches last weekend. More than 200 volunteers from Eastpoint Church and One Church descended upon schools in the district. Central Valley provided the materials.
It’s all about the outdoors this week as two Valley churches prepare to host outside events in celebration of summer. • The Episcopal Church of the Resurrection will host its annual “Worship in the Park” service at 10 a.m. Sunday in Terrace View Park at South Blake Road and 24th Avenue. The outdoor service will be followed by a potluck lunch. Those attending are asked to bring their own place settings and a dish to share. The church will provide beverages.
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.
I learned something today – my life’s too ordinary and several recent Vocal Point columns have confirmed that fact. Take, for instance, Chicken, the feisty, feathery freeloader who adopted Stefanie Pettit, inspired several columns and has sprouted a feathered fowl fan club. No doubt about it, Chicken has made Pettit’s life less ordinary.
A pack of politicians and bicycle enthusiasts hit the streets Wednesday night to get a look at the city from the two-wheeled perspective. The ride was organized in the wake of a lengthy debate on whether to restripe Broadway Avenue west of Pines Road to include bicycle lanes.
Conditional use permits came under fire again Tuesday as the Spokane Valley City Council heard a report on a proposed text amendment up for consideration. The permits require a public hearing before the hearing examiner, who can impose conditions to mitigate impacts on surrounding properties. The amendment would allow vehicle sales in the Mixed Use Avenue zones with a conditional use permit and the Planning Commission has recommended approval.
SpokAnimal C.A.R.E. – Volunteers who are at least 15 years old are needed to help maintain a healthy and sanitary environment for SpokAnimal’s cats. Includes assisting in cleaning litter pans, thoroughly disinfecting cages, feeding and taking time to hold, brush and play with the cats. Call Kandace Watkins, outreach and volunteer coordinator, at (509) 534-8133. Spokane C.O.P.S. – Community volunteers are needed for assistance with crime-prevention. Volunteers will receive professional training by crime-prevention agencies, police officers and officers with the Department of Corrections. For more information, visit any Spokane C.O.P.S. or visit www.spokanecops.org.
Fairfield City Council – The council approved the appointments of Alene Felgenhauer to the Planning Commission and Jason Pestana to the Improvement Board. The Tour de Lacs bicycle ride will travel through town on Sept. 18. The council also heard a complaint about unrestrained dogs, and residents are reminded that animals must be in yards or on leashes. (Source: Town Clerk Cheryl Loeffler) Rockford City Council – The town will pay for security during the overnight hours during the upcoming fair. Several grant projects were discussed. (Source: Town Clerk Darlene LaShaw)
Truly beautiful gardens are a blend of plants, their setting and the heart and talent of the gardeners. All this comes together in John and Maralee Karwoski’s garden in Spokane’s Eagle Ridge neighborhood. As co-chair of the Manito plant sale and a WSU Master Gardener, Maralee knows her plants, and that means that many unique trees, shrubs, perennials and grasses find their way into their landscape. John adds his talents for building garden benches and other whimsical garden art out of old barn wood. Together their efforts won them the July Garden of the Month award from The Inland Empire Garden Club.
