Washington Voices

Lottery winners in Spokane County for the week of July 21-27. $1,000

Chapter 470 of the Military Order of the Purple Heart will hold its annual picnic on Aug. 10 at Comstock Park in Spokane. All Purple Heart recipients and a guest are invited to attend.

Spokane Valley This week Christian Singles Fellowship Barbecue Picnic – Today is the last day to purchase tickets for the event Saturday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. at Liberty Lake County Park. The day begins with a hike to the falls followed by events from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. that include swimming, volleyball and games for all ages. A full barbecue lunch will be served from 12:30-1:30 p.m. for $6/adults, $4/age 12 and younger. Call (208) 667-8692 or (509) 927-0304. Also available online at www.csfspokane.com and click on the ticket menu option. Discounted park admission when you mention the CSF picnic to attendant.

For the week of Aug. 4-8. Monday – Option 1: Spanish rice casserole, roll, steamed vegetables, fruit. Option 2: Chef salad, steamed vegetables, fruit.

The goal of Somebody Needs You is to match donors with the specific requests of needy Spokane residents. The list of requests is coordinated by the Volunteers of America in cooperation with recognized social service agencies in Spokane. If you have an item to donate, please contact the social service agency directly. Donors who can deliver items are especially appreciated. If someone you know needs help, contact a local social service agency provider.

Spokane’s secondary digester for sewage waste will soon have a No. 2. The City Council approved Monday $11.3 million for the construction of a new sewage digester to serve as back-up for the two steel, egg-shaped digesters that have turned solid waste into fertilizer since 2008.

The downtown COPS shop is moving down the street. COPS Greater Spokane will move from the second floor of 120 N. Stevens St., to a storefront office at 169 S. Stevens St. by mid-August.

Inland Northwest Blood Center - Volunteers are needed to provide refreshments and monitor donors after their blood donations. An ability to discern and assist with adverse reactions and good customer service is required. For other volunteer opportunities and more information call Tricia Cheevers at (509) 232-4557 or visit www.inbcsaves.org. Inland Northwest Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society - volunteers needed to assist in preparation for special events. Call (509) 482-2022 for more information.

The second big heat wave of the 2014 season is in progress across the Inland Northwest. July will end up very warm, with an average temperature at least 5.5 degrees above average. Unless we see some isolated showers or a thunderstorm before Friday, our total precipitation for the month will be 0.18 inches, compared to a normal of about .60 inches at Spokane International Airport. Early August still looks hot across the region. This will mean more 90-degree days in Spokane and other areas. Already, the airport has reported 17 days with temperatures at or above 90 degrees. The normal for an entire season of 90 degree days is 19. As the very strong high pressure ridge continues to grip much of the western U.S., we could end up with around 25 to 30 days this summer with highs in the 90s.

We’re on jargon watch here in these pages, and some days it’s a challenge. We love our sports jargon in this country – especially with football.

For 07-26-2014

Transition’s Miryam’s House – Transitional housing for women moving through life crises; (509) 747-9222 or visit www.help4women.org. Spokane Community College – Offers free workshops on labor market and career preparation information, including assistance with resumes and cover letters. SCC Lair Student Center, 1810 N. Greene St. For more information call (509) 533-7249 or visit www.scc.spokane.edu/?cces.

It wasn’t too long ago that TV was free entertainment. One need only put an ugly antenna on top of the roof and, voila, ABC, CBS, and NBC, the overseers of the TV waves back then, were in living rooms around America. Today, cable and its gazillion channels are the norm. For years we were tethered to cable’s umbilical cord until three months ago when we cut lose the chain that satisfies the couch potato syndrome and headed into the unknown.