Browsed by
Category: Event

One-time events and ongoing activities (public and ticketed) in the Emerson-Garfield neighborhood.

Spring Cleanup (Apr 27) News

Spring Cleanup (Apr 27) News

Emerson-Garfield Neighborhood will be holding its annual neighborhood-wide Spring Cleanup event on Saturday, April 27 between 9am and 12:30pm. It’s going to be a multi-part garbage harvest that will help you get rid of all different kinds of household waste.

Just like in years past, there will be a roll-off container event at Faith Bible Church [map]. This is the same as we have done in past years, but there are some alterations and additions for 2013.

Here’s what you’ll find there:

  • “Clean green” and general refuse containers. This includes untainted green waste (e.g., leaves, grass cuttings) and everyday trash. But this year there’s going to be something new: an express lane for cars with small loads, and a separate lane for trucks/trailers with large loads. Both lanes will allow you to drop off either type of waste.
  • The Salvation Army will be on hand to collect reusable goods and e-cycle items (that is, recyclable electronics such digital cameras and printers).
  • Metal recycling is new this year. Under this category falls microwaves, stoves, small lawn mowers — which is to say, any 99% metal items with a few tiny non-metal tidbits (but no items with freon or liquids).
  • Also new is household hazardous waste collection. This will allow you to dispose of many common items in your home or garage (e.g., disinfectants, toilet cleaners, motor oil, antifreeze, fertilizers/pesticides, car batteries, paints, solvents, Fluorescent lights/ bulbs). This will be staffed and managed by a Solid Waste Management employee.

This event needs volunteers! Please sign up now by e-mailing Karl Boldt and requesting either a loading or non-loading task. Loading is exactly what it sounds like: taking stuff and putting it into the respective containers. Non-loading would be responsibilities like traffic control, ID check, or conducting the annual “wants and needs” survey. Volunteers will need to be onsite from 8am to 1pm.

Please note that the Spring Cleanup event is free, and anyone who lives or works (sorry, residents only) in Emerson-Garfield is welcome to drop off garbage.

Also note that there will be a second (equally free) event during the second week of June. And you won’t have to travel further than your front lawn. It will be for curbside pickup of large furniture items such as couches, recliners, mattresses, and similar non-appliance items. These items will need to be registered for pickup beforehand (by May 31) and placed by the curb in front of your house the day before pickup. A city truck with crew will come to registered houses and pick up the registered items.

A dedicated volunteer is needed for this program. This person must be willing to receive phone calls between May 13 and June 14, answer questions, register people, and create and deliver a register list for the city by May 3. Once again, get in touch with Karl Boldt to put your name forward and help out the neighborhood.

STA Moving Forward Open House, Apr 10

STA Moving Forward Open House, Apr 10

The Spokane Transit Authority is holding a free, all-corridor — which pretty much includes everywhere there’s a major route — public open house on Wednesday, April 10 from 4:30 to 7pm at the Lincoln Center [map].

The STA will use this event to showcase its proposed changes to the corridors — and there are some big ones under consideration that will effect the public transportation near you. By all accounts, these changes will be positive and, if enacted in full, stand to put Spokane on a par with any respectable urban center.

The STA has already solicited small-group input via a Corridor Advisory Panel as well as wider feedback through localized public open houses, so the April 10 event ought to offer a great opportunity to learn how the STA is planning for the future of Spokane and slightly beyond.

April 10 STA Open House Flyer

Please note that the open house falls on the same evening as the Emerson-Garfield Neighborhood Council meeting. Fortunately, it was scheduled in a way that shouldn’t conflict with the meeting, which starts at the time when the open house officially ends. The EGNC encourages anyone who’s interested in the N. Monroe corridor to stop by the open house beforehand — because the STA’s proposed changes will impact our neighborhood’s business hub.

More details are available at stamovingforward.com.

Neighborhood Planning Meeting, April 4

Neighborhood Planning Meeting, April 4

Just a reminder to all those involved or interested that the next neighborhood planning meeting will take place tomorrow, April 4 at 6pm in the upper north room of the Corbin Center.

At the March meeting, there was some discussion of what exactly planning is. Some participants said that they understand that planning for our neighborhood is important, but that they don’t have enough knowledge to be able to participate in the ways that they believe are important. Therefore that discussion addressed the various layers of planning and some of the aspects that neighborhood planning was concerned, and bound with.

This month’s meeting will continue that conversation and work towards making some headway on the planing process itself. Oh, and there will be cookies.

Corbin Book Club (April 9)

Corbin Book Club (April 9)

FYI, there’s an all-ages book club that meets every second Tuesday of each month at Corbin Senior Center [map]. The event always starts at 1:30pm and is held in the dining room.

For the next meeting on April 9, they’ll be discussing The Orchardist, a historical novel set in Wenatchee by Portland-based author Amanda Coplin. Next month they’ll be discussing The Daughter’s Walk by Jane Kirkpatrick.

Questions? Contact Kitty Johnston at (509) 936-5033 for more info.

3rd District Town Hall Meetings (Mar 16)

3rd District Town Hall Meetings (Mar 16)

Washington Community Action Network has sent out an e-mail to notify residents that the 3rd District legislators (namely, State Senator Andy Billig and Reps. Marcus Riccelli and Timm Ormsby) will be returning to Spokane to hold two Town Hall Meetings on Saturday, March 16:

  • 10am to noon at Shadle Park High School Auditorium, 4327 N. Ash Street
  • 2 to 4pm at Emmanuel Family Life Center, 631 S. Richard Allen Ct

WA State Community Action Network

If you live in Emerson-Garfield (here’s a handy neighborhood map), you’re in the 3rd District.

Some issues and talking points WA CAN highlights include:

  • Since 2009, $10.5 billion in state budget cuts have torn billion-dollar-sized holes in education, healthcare and other essential services. The proposed all-cuts approach to the budget would pit funding for education against other essential community services.
  • There are over 500 special tax expenditures in WA State’s tax code that have never been reviewed. Most of them have no sunset date. Many tax expenditures are simply outdated or didn’t accomplish their goal like keeping jobs in Washington, therefore they should be subject to a cost/benefit analysis.
  • Washington is one of only 8 states that do not charge state taxes on the sale of stocks, bonds and other speculative investments. The result is that middle class families pay up to six times higher state tax rates then millionaires.

These aren’t the only important talking points, though, so bone up on some of the pressing issues and make sure your voice is heard by your legislators.