Four the Future - September 23

Today: Jefferson Elementary update, reducing energy costs, courthouse parking, and skateboarding!

• Board votes unanimously to move Jefferson Elementary
  Source: The Spokesman-Review; September 23, 2010
  See Also: Jefferson Elementary Public Forum
  Summary: The Spokane School Board unanimously voted to move Jefferson Elementary to the west, reducing impacts on the children and saving $4 million.
  Opinion: Unanimous. Apparently the board thought it was that clear. Of course, when public services are chronically underfunded, in this case they had no idea where more than half of the $4 million would come from, you don't even get to talk about the right and wrong of it. So is this right or wrong? Without the full public debate resulting in a neighborhood consensus, we'll never know.
  
• No heating necessary
  Source: The Olympian; September 22, 2010
  Summary: A house is being built in Olympia which is designed to use 75 less energy for heating by capturing sunlight, reducing heat loss from unintended ventilation, and extensive insulation. While it increased the construction cost by 7%, the savings from reductions in utility bills will pay off that difference in about 4-1/2 years.
  Opinion: The payoff time is less than the term of a standard mortgage so, in effect, if you were to do this you'd actually be making money on the larger loan.
  
• Parking garage planned near courthouse
  Source: Spokesman-Review; September 23, 2010
  Summary: As part of the development of Kendall Yards, the area near the Spokane County courthouse may get a new parking garage. While there are property ownership issues to be resolved, the construction might begin as early as 2011.
  Opinion: The only thing more legendary about the courthouse than the lack of fiscal responsibility by two of the county commissioners is the lack of parking in the area, the overdependence on surface parking lots, and the long walks through the adjacent neighborhoods associated with street parking. This is a wise move by Greenstone, who can tap an existing market for parking while creating an asset for bringing new businesses to the development.
  
• LL teen skates for record
  Source: Liberty Lake Splash; September 22, 2010
  Summary: Last weekend, Cohl Orebaugh skateboarded the most blunt-to-fakies in an hour to create a new category in Guinness Book of World Records.
  
  
  
  Opinion: This is not even something the council remotely contemplated when we approved the construction of the skate park in Pavillion Park. No, this is unlikely to change the world, although, it is always nice to hear of someone setting a goal then achieving it. What's more important to realize is that human behavior is not linear. The council was just trying to create a safe place where local kids could enjoy themselves. Whatever people do when they plan for the future, they must also accept that things will not turn out as planned. They might, indeed, turn out better. Besides, this is your chance to find out what a blunt-to-fakie is. You should look just to know what it means that Cohl averaged one every 4.5 seconds for a full hour.