Washington Voices

East Valley School District directors adopted a 2009-2010 budget Tuesday that preserves all teaching and classified jobs despite deep cuts. The budget follows a plan developed in May, in response to patron requests, to cancel proposed teacher layoffs and cut central-office administrative jobs and other spending instead.

If you’re planning an apartment balcony barbecue, it’s probably best to keep Spokane Valley firefighters off the guest list. Of course, the event was already ruined when firefighters arrived Sunday afternoon at the Pheasant Ridge Apartments, 601 S. Woodruff Road.

Tuesday Fairfield City Council – 7 p.m. at City Hall, 218 E. Main, Fairfield.

SPOKANE VALLEY – Tickets are available for the Spokane Valley Arts Council’s annual fundraiser, the Artist Showcase Quick Draw Demonstration and Auction. Besides food and wine, each $75 ticket comes with a $25 membership in the council and a $75 credit for the auction.

Mr. Mayor, let the voters decide Mayor Munson, the Valley was a part of the county far longer than it has been a city. There is no need for name-calling just because citizens don’t share the same view as the mayor.

For the week of Aug. 31-Sept. 4 Monday – Option 1: Braised beef tips with pasta, peas and carrots, fresh fruit, rye bread, tapioca pudding. Option 2: Deli sandwich on a bun, peas and carrots, fresh fruit, tapioca pudding.

Coaches bring years of experience to field

Spokane Valley Nazarene is launching a new community event Sunday that will have a little something for everyone. Valley Cruz ’09 is the place to be for a display of cars, trucks and motorcycles from noon to 4 p.m. There also will be a free barbecue, music, a “valve cover” race, lasso golf, volleyball and other games. The fire and police departments also will be there with vehicles and displays. Organizer Bob Gehres is calling it a “giant car show/picnic/tailgate party.”

The West Valley School District board of directors unanimously passed the 2009-2010 budget this week, finalizing $1.2 million in cuts that have been worked on for months. There were no last-minute surprises in the budget, which calls for spending $35.5 million in the general fund, compared to $36.4 million in the 2008-2009 budget. The district is making every effort not to dip into its cash reserves, said Deputy Superintendent Doug Matson. “Our goal is to maintain a 5 percent reserve,” he said.

This first day of school is no ordinary one for Freeman School District. The old high school has been largely torn down for an “aggressive modernization,” and high school classes will be meeting in portables across the road next to the elementary school.

Anyone who has ever been put through the rigors of a marching band camp might expect to come to school for two weeks for many hours of practice a day and then go home to rest. Students in West Valley High School’s marching band get a slightly different experience. For the last three years, band director Jim Loucks has taken his students to Camp White in Post Falls for the first week of the two-week camp. The tradition started when parents approached Loucks with the idea. Many thought an actual camp experience would add to band camp.

Northwood Presbyterian Church, 6721 N. Monroe St., will have a car show and ice cream social Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Show and Shine Auto Club will display 15 Model A Fords from the years 1928 to 1931.