February 2017 Newsletter
February 1 - Tekoa Bike Club, 8:30 a.m. - Eclair's
February 1 - Celebrate Recovery Mtg., 6:00 p.m. - Tekoa Comm Church
February 3 - Chamber Meeting, 7:30 a.m. - Eclair's
February 6 - City Council Meeting, MEETING CANCELLED
February 7 - Hospital District Meeting, 7:30 a.m. - City Hall
February 7 - Ambulance Meeting, 6:00 p.m. - Ambulance Building
February 7 - Senior Pinochle, 6:30 p.m. - Tekoa Comm. Church
February 8 - Tekoa Fair Association, 7:00 p.m. - City Hall
February 8 - Celebrate Recovery Meeting, 6:00 p.m. - Tekoa Comm Church
February 10 - Empire Theatre Gala, 5:00 p.m. - Eclair's
February 14 - Tekoa Park and Rec Meeting, 7:00 p.m. - City Hall
February 14 - HTC, 9:00 a.m. - Kathy Kramer's Home
February 14 - FD #1 Comm Meeting, 7:00 p.m. - 101 N Crosby
February 15 - Celebrate Recovery Meeting, 6:00 p.m. - Tekoa Comm Church
February 20 - Presidents' Day, City Hall Closed
February 21 - Community Meeting for Theatre/Community Center, 7:00 p.m. - Empire Theatre
February 21 - Senior Pinochle, 6:30 p.m. - Tekoa Comm Church
February 22 - Celebrate Recovery Meeting, 6:00 p.m. - Tekoa Comm Church
February 23 - Distribute Commodities, 8:30 a.m. - City Hall
February 27 - City Council Meeting, 7:00 p.m.- City Hall
February 27 - Ambulance Board Meeting, 7:00 p.m. - Ambulance Building
February 28 - School Board Meeting, 7:00 p.m. - District Board Room
NOTICE - City Hall will be closed for President’s Day on Monday, February 20, 2017.
~Remember to vote on February 14, 2017 – the Tekoa Parks and Rec levy on the ballot.
Empire Theatre Gala ~ Tekoa Empire Theatre is presenting its 2017 season opener Gala on Friday, February 10, 2017. “Friday Nite Live!” will feature a comedy extravaganza beginning with a wine tasting and finger foods from 5 to 6:45 p.m. at Éclairs, and then a comedy show at 7:00 p.m. at the theatre. The cost is $25.00 per adult (includes 2 glasses of wine). A non-wine tasting option is available at the theatre box office for $15.00. Tickets may be purchased at Banner Bank, Éclairs and Thairapy or from any member of the Theatre board.
All citizens are invited to a community meeting on Tuesday, February 21, 2017, at 7:00 p.m. at the Empire Theatre. The meeting is to discuss the location of the handicapped restroom, the doorway between the theatre and the community center, or whether the city should even maintain the community center.
REMINDER – YOU NEED TO MAKE SURE YOUR METER BOXES ARE INSULATED, AND WHEN THE WEATHER IS SO COLD, YOU NEED TO KEEP YOUR FAUCET DRIPPING! We have had several of our meters and some water lines freeze or break this year with the cold weather. Please call the city if you need more information.
HEALTHY Tekoa news! HEALTHY Tekoa Coalition has been very busy this month. In the grade school, intermediate grades learned about the Sports Prevention-Plus Wellness program. In conjunction with the class, your child will bring home a series of four newsletters on being healthy. Each child can win a prize for each signed and returned letter to his/her PE teacher. The Across Ages Mentoring program has sent home several letters for potential child/adult matches. We have some great mentors who are ready to mentor your student in academics, social skills, and general friendship and support. Several coalition members will travel to Washington, DC, this month to attend a week-long conference called Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America--CADCA. Ta’Shanna and Angelica Schnieder, Diane Harp and James Schofield (high school student assistance specialist) will all be learning the newest information on drug and alcohol issues across the nation, meeting with our state senators, and sharing information about Tekoa and Washington State in general. Please consider joining our group. We meet the second Tuesday each month at 9 am at Kathy Kramer’s home. Keep Talking, Tekoa.
CELEBRATE RECOVERY – is a Christ-centered recovery meeting for anyone who struggles to overcome hurts, habits or hang-ups. It is a safe place of belonging for anyone who feels less than perfect and struggles with something in this life. It is a fellowship for anyone looking for answers to the struggles in life that feel overpowering. Come and join us and find out what it’s all about. For more information, announcements, and weekly menus or meeting topics, visit or follow our Facebook page at www.Facebook.com/CelebrateRecoveryTekoa. We are currently seeking participants for a step-study group. The sign-up sheet is at the ‘resource table’ during large group; please attend a Celebrate Recovery large group meeting for more information. We will be meeting every Wednesday night in February at 6:00 p.m. at the Tekoa Community Church. 6:00 p.m.– fellowship dinner (no cost): 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. – praise and worship music and message (large group); 8:00 to 9:00 p.m. – men’s and women’s open discussion groups (small groups).
NEIGHBORS ON PATROL: The first meeting for the Neighbors on Patrol (NoP) directors was a huge success, with a great turn out of citizens wanting to head up local patrols in their neighborhood. We are still in need of directors for four areas in our town. If you live in the listed areas and are interested in volunteering, please email me at Heagy.alyssa@gmail.com. The neighborhoods are as follows: 1.) north of Hwy. 274 and east of Ruhl Park/N. Crosby St; 2.) west of Hwy. 27 and between Bridge St. and Line St; 3.) east of Hwy 27 and south of Hangman Cr; and 4.) east of Tekoa- Farmington Rd. and south of Park St. More information about NoP can be found on Facebook when searching for “Tekoa’s Neighbors on Patrol” group. Thanks!
TEKOA LIBRARY NEWS – The Tekoa Library has exciting programs in February! On February 22, 2017, at 6 p.m., the library is holding the first ever Family Trivia Night, where families with children ages 5 and up can come and answer questions about Disney, animals, geography, fairytales and more. February is Food for Fines month. Food can be exchanged for up to $10 in fines, waived on your account. All donations will remain in Tekoa.
Messages from the Mayor—
We are halfway through a winter that has been cold, windy, and with plenty of snow. However, we haven’t experienced flooding, tornadoes, or the freezing storms we see on the East Coast. Consider us lucky to live in the Northwest!
I need to begin this newsletter with a bunch of thank-you’s!! To start with, a big thanks to our two city employees who have kept the streets plowed and safe to travel. It seems that most snow storms occurred on weekends and holidays; yet the two, Duane Groom and Kevin Turnbough, are out, at all hours, plowing and removing snow from our streets. Another thank-you to Cliff Melton, for making our sidewalks safe for foot traffic.
Now it’s appropriate to identify the many individual volunteers who helped plow our streets. I hope I’ve included everyone when I mention Steve Haxton, Bill Harp, Donovan Chase, Larry Heaton, Anthony Ferro, Doug Sienknecht, Les Cummings, and Harold Huff. Also, a big shout-out to Brian Bothman from Avista, and Shane Monroy (and some other employees) from Frontier, for taking care of our Christmas lights and banners. Be sure to let me know if I’ve omitted anyone from this list. These guys need to know how much their efforts are appreciated!!
There was much discussion at the council meeting concerning the theatre and community center. It was decided to have a community meeting to discuss the handicapped ramp between the theatre and community center. Concerns included where to put the handicapped restroom and the entryways into the community center from the theatre. The community meeting is scheduled for February 21, 2017, at 7:00 p.m., in the Empire Theatre.
I’ve heard from community members’ thoughts on why our street levy didn’t receive sufficient votes to pass. Several mentioned they heard monies from the street levy went to other city projects…citing the community center as an example. Let me make this very clear; the only account that any street levy money goes to, is to pay our water department for the rental of fire hydrants, and that transfer is required by state law. Please visit with Kynda or me if you have concerns with this levy money!!
This is enough for this month. Stay warm, dry, and think spring!!!!
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