London Latte Wake Up Call 22011 E. Country Vista Drive (Liberty Lake location)
A sweet and salty caramel treat sprinkled with cinnamon, available hot, iced or blended. Sugar free option also available.
Why you’ll love it The London Latte is a Wake Up Call signature drink that’s been a customer favorite since the day they opened the doors (or windows!) of the first store on Dishman-Mica Road in Spokane Valley back in 2004. What makes this drink special is the well-balanced blend of sweet and salty flavors, and the sprinkle of cinnamon adds just the right amount of “spice” to the mix. While darker roasts of coffee tend to have a more “burnt” flavor profile, the medium/light roast of Wake Up Call’s House Blend highlights the natural flavors of the coffee beans and creates a smooth, rich and flavorful base for the rest of the drink.
Customers of the Liberty Lake Sewer and Water District will be required to annually hire a Washington State-certifed Backflow Assembly Tester to verify all residential, multifamily and commercial connections are protecting the customer and community’s water supply.
The importance of backflow plays a vital role in events such as the November 2019 boil order. The District determined that one possible cause was from fall sprinkler blowouts. However, prior to the boil order, LLSWD was in the process of strengthening the existing backflow program to roll out in 2020. The official language was adopted via resolution by the Board of Commissioners in January 2020.
“We have always prided ourselves on being one of the very few non-chlorinated water systems in the area, and we want to remain one,” LLSWD General Manager BiJay Adams said. “In order to do that, we need adequate protections of our system. The main component of that is stringent backflow protection.”
The test itself can only be performed by a Washington State-certified Backflow Assembly Tester, and a list is available on the District website. Many irrigation companies are certified and may include this service as part of a spring system startup. Prices vary, but the average cost is around $45.
Upon receiving a passing test, the certified tester will submit results to the LLSWD. Adams said notices of the testing requirement will be included with monthly bills in April, May and June. If the District doesn’t receive a backflow test report by June 30, the District will shut off water service, which includes a shut-off fee, until a test report is received. The requirements for backflow testing will go into full effect in 2021. This allows one year for customers to install or repair backflow devices.
The hope is not just to avoid another boil order, but protect residents from bacteria, pesticides or any other contaminants entering the customer’s water service or public water system.
“These tests ensure the water system is properly protected and that you and your neighbors continue to receive safe drinking water,” Adams said.
To administer the program and provide education to customers, LLSWD hired Cody Riggs as Cross Connection Control Specialist. With questions, contact the District at backflow@libertylake.org or 922-5443. More information is also available here.
Improvements 2020
ESLLIC PHASE 2 LLSWD consolidated with the East Side Liberty Lake Improvement Club in 2016, and a first phase to bring that water system to standard was completed in 2018. An 83 percent forgivable award of $2.2 million was granted by the Washington State Department of Health in 2019, funding work this year to construct 3,538 feet of water main and improve 37 service connections, mostly along Neyland Avenue. Outside funding sources mean LLSWD customers are not paying for any portion of this project or the Greenridge project below.
GREENRIDGE SYSTEM After LLSWD formalized a water system consolidation with the Greenridge Homeowners Association in 2019, it immediately sought funding to help make improvements to the water system. Phase 1 improvements include a new 141,000-gallon reservoir (constructed in 2019) as well as modifications to the existing booster station and construction of new water main, with work continuing in 2020. The project is being paid for by a $2.7 million grant from the Washington State Department of Health.
Some of the customers at Stor-a-Way Self Storage in Otis Orchards first reserved units when Ron Woods developed the property in the 1990s. From traditional storage to RV and boat parking to commercial units, many of the faces that pass through the security gates each day are familiar ones.
As is the team that runs the operation. The core has seen little turnover over the years, starting with owner Randy Lentes, who purchased the business in 1998. Resident managers Kimberlee and Bob Soule have run the business since 2015, replacing managers George and Diane Hattell, who operated the facility from 2003 to 2015 before George’s death.
In George’s honor, Stor-a-Way started holding “George Sales” each year, Fridays and Saturdays set aside for storage unit owners and members of the community to sell stuff with the hopes of cleaning out or downsizing units to make way for others. Kimberlee Soule said the office will promote four George Sales in 2020, to be held in June and July.
“We created the George Sales to help those who have lost someone or need to downsize,” she said.
Another event not too far around the corner will be 25th anniversary celebrations in 2022, and Soule is already thinking about the block party she plans to throw. She said that while the property is consistently upgraded year after year, its heritage as part of the local community remains vitally important.
“The storage property has seen many changes to the area, and we have welcomed the growth,” she said. “We continue to be local and shop local. Our neighborhood continues to grow. With our 25th anniversary in the near future, it will be a chance to deliver a big thank you to our local residents and community.”