Washington Voices

The question of who has control of property tax money collected in the River District development in northwest Liberty Lake is causing conflict between the city of Liberty Lake, Spokane County and Greenstone Corp., which is developing the property. The land, located north of Interstate 90 on both sides of Harvard Road, is owned by Centennial Properties, a subsidiary of Cowles Co., which also owns The Spokesman-Review.

For 04-11-2009

Valley Fire – Commissioners opened bids for a new rescue-pumper. One bid that was submitted on time but received late will be opened in a special meeting at 4 p.m. April 13 at Station 8. Commissioners interviewed two candidates for an opening on the civil service commission. After an executive session the commissioners voted to appoint Michael Creighton. He will be sworn in during the April 13 meeting. Fairfield City Council – Four volunteers recently dismantled the old furnace in the Fairfield Community Center. The council approved a liquor license request for Bulldog’s Country Store. A Flag Day Web site has been set up at www.fairfieldflagday.com. A new clothing bank will be starting up in the Seventh-day Adventist Fellowship Hall.

The Airway Heights City Council voted unanimously Monday to approve the purchase of a new building to accommodate the city’s Police Department. The purchase amount will be $260,000 plus title insurance and closing costs, and will come from the city’s Real Estate Excise Tax fund.

As an educated professional, I’m fairly confident and competent both at work and at home. I can turn out quality articles in a timely manner. I manage to feed, clothe and organize my busy family. My home isn’t spotless, but it’s generally tidy. I can make conversation with 5-year-olds as well as financial analysts, but there are some things that just make me feel dumb. For instance, geography. I recently took an online quiz and was asked to identify several countries on a map. Apparently, people have been busy inventing new countries since I last studied world geography in 10th grade. Turkmenistan? Tajikistan? If I’ve never even heard of them, how can I locate them?

Brandon Mull, author of the popular “Fablehaven” book series, will be visiting several Spokane Valley schools this week to promote literacy. He will speak at 8:45 a.m. today at Skyview Elementary, 16924 E. Wellesley Ave., and at 10 a.m. today at the Continuous Curriculum School, also at 16924 E. Wellesley Ave. On Friday, Mull will speak at 9:45 a.m. at the Freeman School, 14917 S. Jackson Road, and at 12:45 p.m. at Seth Woodard Elementary, 7401 E. Mission Ave.

OLYMPIA – With less than three weeks to go in the legislative session, Democrats seem near-unanimous in being unhappy with the cuts in the budgets they’re proposing. But now, as the clocks ticks down, they’re struggling to reach agreement on what new taxes – if any – to ask voters to approve in November.

Spokane Public Schools Superintendent Nancy Stowell is “Educating Spokane.” Spokane community members will be invited to call the school district’s live, hour-long, call-in show on KSPS channel 7, and have their concerns heard and their questions answered regarding the state’s budget and other issues affecting their schools. The show is scheduled for April 23 at 7 p.m.

Attendant Care Registry – Free service matching disabled adults and children with personal-care providers; sponsored by Coalition of Responsible Disabled; (509) 326-6355. Citizenship Course – Offered by Community Colleges of Spokane, Mondays and Tuesdays, 5-9 p.m., Adult Education Center, 2310 N. Monroe St., Room 117; (509) 533-4600.

The often-empty chair of Liberty Lake City Council member and Mayor Pro Tem Brian Sayrs received some attention at Tuesday night’s council meeting. The council meets twice a month and Sayrs has missed six meetings since his failed bid for Spokane County commissioner in November. “We’ve been very hush-hush about this,” said council member Patrick Jenkins. “We’re not getting feedback on why he’s not coming.”

Tuesday evening, the Spokane Parks and Recreation Department held the first of two public hearings about a proposed off-leash dog park to be built in the High Bridge Park area. The dog park would be located on land between Riverside Avenue, A Street and Government Way. SpokAnimal, the Spokane Parks Foundation and the Spokane Parks and Recreation Department are working together on the proposed park, but nothing is set in stone yet.

Spring activities are happening at Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge, 26010 S. Smith Road south of Cheney. Project Budburst, taking place on April 18 at 10 a.m. to noon, will teach participants how to track the effects of weather change and how to identify and observe specific plants.

Today Northeast Community Center Annual Appreciation Dinner - Featuring Dr. Andrew Agwunobi, chief executive officer of Providence Health Care. Celebrating Our Kids, Our Business. Reservations requested. 6 p.m., Northeast Community Center, 4001 N. Cook St. $12. (509) 487-1603.