In Brief

by Cara Gardner


More Trees Please -- SPOKANE -- The Spokane Public Library and the Spokane Parks and Recreation Department have teamed up to get children stoked about trees. The Read for Trees program starts Monday to encourage children to read and learn about their natural environment. Jim Flott, urban forester for the Spokane Parks and Recreation Department, started the Read for Trees program about five years ago.


"We're looking for a way to involve kids in urban forestry and also to get them to read more," Flott says. "It's very interactive. We bring live trees into the libraries and explain the tree's parts and how trees help us and what products we get from trees -- not just wood, but air quality and noise abatement, too."


Librarians will have a variety of books about trees and the environment ready for kids to check out; in addition, children will receive tree seedlings to plant on their own, courtesy of Boise Washington Region, one of the nation's largest timber companies.


Participants in the Read for Trees 2004 program can also help plant six new trees around some of Spokane's public libraries from Oct. 18-29; details will be available at the libraries during the Read for Trees events.





All the Read for Trees events will be held at 4 pm unless otherwise noted. Dates and times are as follows: Monday, Sept. 13, at the East Side Library; Tuesday, Sept. 14, at the Indian Trail Library; Wednesday, Sept. 15, at the Shadle Library; Thursday, Sept., 16 at the South Hill Library; Friday, Sept. 17, at the Hillyard Library; and Saturday, Oct. 2, at the Downtown Library at 11 am. For more information, call the public library's Youth Services office at 444-5331.





Spokane's Science Center -- SPOKANE -- Brainstorming sessions for Spokane's science center, SciTech, and the Michael Anderson Memorial Plaza are underway. To be a part of the latest thinking on what should go into Spokane's science center, attend the SciTech public meeting today at 10:30 am at the Downtown Public Library.


"Some time ago the community voted on a parks bond issue, and [part of] that was the purchase of the north bank property by the parks department," says Greg Sweeney, who is helping coordinate the public planning sessions on SciTech. The north bank property, which is about 4.5 acres, is the future home of the Michael Anderson Plaza, named after the astronaut from Cheney who died when the Columbia space shuttle exploded back in February 2003.


This is one of many meetings aimed to get input from science teachers, the health care industry and the general public.


"There seems to be a sense [that the science center should] relate to the environment we live in," Sweeney says, regarding what kinds of input the public has contributed already. "That we should carry on with the theme from the Expo '74 World's Fair, which was the world's first environmental fair."


For more information on SciTech, call 984-1400.





Young Leaders -- SPOKANE -- The Spokane chapter of the United Nations Association is hosting its monthly meeting on Monday at the Unitarian Universalist Church. The dialogue will be based on young local leaders and their viewpoints about the United Nations. Richard Myer, representing the Spokane Young Democrats, and Chrissy Poe, representing the Young Republicans, will each speak on what kinds of changes the UN needs to make to continue to be effective.


Myer is currently a legislative assistant to Rep. Tim Ormsby of Spokane's District 3. Poe is currently working as the scheduling coordinator for Cathy McMorris' congressional campaign. In addition, Dr. Deborah McDonald, associate academic vice president at Gonzaga University, will moderate the discussion between both presenters and attendees.


The Unitarian Universalist Church is located at 4340 West Fort Wright Dr. (near Spokane Falls Community College). The meeting begins at 7 pm on Monday, Sept. 13, and is free and open to the public.





Clarification -- In last week's candidate statements for contested primary races, "The Candidates Speak," we failed to mention that in the Spokane County Commissioner race, District 1, Todd Mielke is running unopposed as a Republican. And in the 5th District Congressional race, Don Barbieri is running unopposed as a Democrat.





Publication date: 09/09/04