Good morning, Spokane Valley.

The Christman tree lot is helping local kids in Spokane Valley—an effort that supports families during the holiday season.

Carol Anderson from Les Schwab advised Spokane drivers on winter tire safety, explaining that studded tires work best on icy roads and nonstudded options should match vehicle size—walk-ins were welcome but calling ahead is best before snow arrives.

A permit application shows that a new Trader Joe’s grocery store is under consideration at the former Shopko building at 13414 E.

Sprague in Spokane Valley, with Coval SV LLC planning a $700,000 tenant improvement project. Local officials say the fourth Trader Joe’s planned for the region signals growing market strength — a move expected to bring quality jobs and boost retail activity.

Several local small businesses are seeing a boost in sales and more customers as holiday shopping starts early.

Owners said they are ordering extra supplies and offering special deals — steps aimed at preparing for a busy season.

Aloha Vintage Mercantile LLC reached full vendor capacity one month after opening at Trent and Argonne Plaza in Millwood — hosting 23 vendors who sell vintage items, antiques and handcrafted goods.

Owner Amanda Tracy said the store will keep its operating hours through the holidays — a sign of strong community support in Spokane Valley.

A recent poll found nearly 60% of parents believe teacher training for emotional support improves school safety more than physical measures, with 48% also calling for more school counselors and 45% supporting inclusion programs (reflecting a shift toward mental health support).

This survey from before today shows local parents see emotional care as key to keeping schools safe.

Spokane Regional Emergency Communications tested a new AI system on Crime Check calls yesterday from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.—the system managed non-emergency calls in English and Spanish with plans to launch by year-end if results are good.

Spokane Valley Council is reviewing data on speed cameras installed at eight Spokane Public Schools to check if they help slow speeding during school hours from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.—the data from 2024 shows thousands of citations, and parents like Nikki Dowell said the cameras made them feel safer around the schools.

Spokane public schools finished lead testing and found 260 sinks and water fountains in 37 schools have lead over five parts per billion—health officials turned off fountains that exceed legal limits.

Today, students at Spokane Falls Community College received free wellness checks and vision tests from the Care-A-Van mobile health clinic which stopped offering vaccines in July due to federal funding changes— the clinic continues to offer other health screenings and insurance navigation services while seeking alternative funding to restore its vaccination services.

A review published on November 19 found that about 26% of veterans dropped out of PTSD treatment, with trauma-focused methods showing higher dropout rates compared to mindfulness-based approaches—group-based exposure therapy had only a 7% dropout rate.

Researchers said that adapting treatment to build trust and support may help keep veterans engaged in therapy.

Python for Scientists Training Class

N/A — Mon to Fri — Newcastle Training Centers Spokane — $2250 — Learn essential Python programming skills tailored for scientific applications.