Washington Voices

Punkin the beagle exits the main house through a doggy door and trots across the yard on the path embedded with paving stones. She enters the coop, not to harass the chickens but to curl up in her doggy bed and bask in the calming creative energy within the walls of what once was a chicken coop but now serves as the Art Coop where “chicks” make art. Artist and Art Coop owner Lou Carver wants to make it clear that roosters and children are included in the chick category. “But sometimes it’s nice just to be with your gal pals,” she said.

Sean Stanelun was feeling sick. The owner of Manito Video Productions was at work shooting a wedding video, but wasn’t sure he could make it through the cutting of the cake. He did. At home, his wife, Dawn Picken, put him to bed in a cloud of disinfectant spray, admonishing the couple’s two young children to stay away from dad because he had the flu and was contagious. That was on Sept. 9. Five days later, Stanelun was admitted to Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center with kidney failure and practically no blood pressure. At 4 a.m., someone woke Picken to ask permission to put her husband on a ventilator.

Change is in the wind at East Valley as the district launches a full menu of new initiatives and programs despite being in the midst of a lean budget year. A new alternative middle school and teen parent program are taking shape in a converted church on Harvard Road called the Community Connections Center. High school teachers have completely revamped how they teach freshman math. A new pre-AP track for freshmen has been started at the high school for a pilot group of 30 students. The high school is also moving away from assigning detention and instead allowing students to perform community service.

Fiona is an absolute love bug. She is about 6 years old. She is easy on the leash and enjoys her walks very much. She is good with cats and dogs. She would love a calm, relaxing home with a family that would enjoy daily walks with her. Please come to SCRAPS and meet Fiona (we also discovered she likes soft, warm blankets). SCRAPS hours are Monday, Tuesday, Thursday-Saturday, noon to 5:30 p.m. Call (509) 477-2532.

It’s been there for 100 years and most people know it as “that church with the sign” that grabs motorists’ attention with its pointed messages. Bethany Presbyterian Church is moving from the corner of South Freya Street and East Third Avenue because the Washington State Department of Transportation has purchased the land the church sits on for an expansion of Interstate 90.

For many equestrians, the height of horsey delight is a trail ride. Horse and rider enjoy expansive views, and the gentle plodding transports them far away from the daily training grind. The rider reflects on how trail riding is what it’s all about. Birds chirp, the horse is relaxing, stretching his neck, looking around and, oh dear, what is that? Someone is shaking out a blue tarp in front of a tent just off the trail. The horse stiffens, stops, turns and bolts, going from shuffle to breakneck gallop in a split second. Nerves completely frazzled, the two hopefully manage to end the trail ride together.