The Liberty Lake Deep Dive

“What will Liberty Lake be like in ten years?”  First grade kids at Liberty Lake Elementary School gave their answers to that question on sheets that were included in the city’s time capsule that was buried back in 2011.  Now, Recreation coordinator Mickael Stevens joins David Goehner in reading some of the inventive predictions and often funny perspectives that were written by those local little...

The youngest-ever guest on this podcast, 11-year-old Ruth Cory, takes us through the tale of her goal she initiated as a Girl Scout project to bring a bicycle repair station to the bike path near the Spokane Centennial Trail. Also along for this very freewheeling visit: Ruth's mom (and Girl Scout troop leader) Angela Cory as well as program manager Chris Marzetta of Liberty Lake's Altek In...

How did you find out about the Sept. 11 attacks? And what do you remember from that time? For the 25th anniversary of that event in U.S. history, we ask those questions to the staff in Liberty Lake City Hall. Sharing their memories are: Lance Mueller, Jasmine Roper, Jacob Nauretz, Jason Thoren, Mayor Cris Kaminskas, Sue Rau, Heidi Workman, Mark McAvoy, Kathy Cummings, City Council member Dan Dunne...

Coinciding with the 25th anniversary of the City of Liberty Lake's official incorporation, we have more stories from first mayor Steve Peterson about some of the major projects that were developed during the city's early years. You'll find out about the creation of Liberty Lake's pedestrian bridge over I-90, the city's purchase of Trailhead Golf Course and the current City Hall...

Recreation coordinator Mickael Stevens and show host David Goehner take an improvisational plunge into what was put into the city's time capsule that was buried during Liberty Lake's 10th anniversary commemorations back in 2011. Join in as Mickael and David learn about -- and frequently laugh about -- every item that was placed in that container 15 years ago. There's some fun with loca...

The Liberty Lake Police Dept. conducted a public education campaign from the end of April through the end of June to inform residents about the state and local regulations covering the operation of micromobility vehicles. So what's been the impact, midway through the summer? Chief Damon Simmons and Deputy Chief Darin Morgan provide the updates on how the public has responded and how things hav...

It's another episode on the history of Liberty Lake in commemoration of the city's 25th anniversary, as veteran staff member Georgette Rogers shares the tales of the birth and growth of the Liberty Lake Municipal Library. The library's circulation supervisor provides the stories of how the library operated with a volunteer staff, how the Story Time and Summer Reading sessions began, the operations...

Liberty Lake is celebrating its 25th birthday with the nation's own 250th during the Founders & Fireworks event coming to Pavillion Park on July 4, 2026. Recreation coordinator Mickael Stevens returns to the microphone to cover everything that will be involved in the biggest attraction-filled 4th of July ever at Pavillion Park -- including what's being combined in from the elements of...

Recreation coordinator Mickael Stevens provides a preview of allll the enhancements happening with Liberty Lake's popular Touch A Truck event for 2026. And -- because that's not the only thing going on at the start of the summer -- he also shares details about the YMCA camps, InclusaFit fitness classes, and youth and adult USTA tennis camps that are joining the local traditional lineup of...

What was it like to try to build a new city's police department? Brian Asmus, the original chief of the Liberty Lake Police Department, tells the tales about some of the unusual things that happened in creating the LLPD from the ground floor after the city's incorporation in 2001. Find out how police staffing and resource acquisition worked during those first years, as well as some of memo...

Commemorating the city's 25th anniversary, original Liberty Lake mayor Steve Peterson joins us via Zoom to share what went on during the initial months of starting up the city's operations during 2000 and 2001. You'll hear about Steve's involvement in setting up an initial city hall (or two), how he decided to run to become the first mayor, and the hurdle involved in hiring city em...

In commemoration of the 50th running of the big Spokane Bloomsday race, meet the one resident of Liberty Lake who has done 'em all ... EVERY year! Brian Kenna shares his memories about being among the 1,200-plus people who were part of the first staging of Bloomsday, as well as a few of his favorite highlights from the event's past decades, a lot of insights about what it means to be one o...

Dan Maus, the city's urban forestry supervisor, re-emerges for the spring and provides another season's collection of tips for your outdoor plants and trees as the warmer weather begins. Plus, he dispels 5 misconceptions that people often have about trees. (And, yes, we play some of the Dan Maus theme song again!)

Ty Burns, the golf shop supervisor and one of the assistant pros at Trailhead Golf Course, fills you in on a trio of the special offerings at the local recreation site: The indoor game simulators, the men's and ladies' clubs, and ... glow golf! Plus, you'll learn a bit about Ty's background during our opening round of minutes in this installment's Q&A.

Shane Brickner served as Liberty Lake's mayor throughout 2020 -- which was his personal highlight among his community contributions that also involved several years as a volunteer officer with the LLPD as well as two full terms on the City Council. For this episode, retired chief Brian Asmus of the Liberty Lake Police Department sits at the microphone to share some of his professional and personal...

What are the most frequently asked questions people ask at the Liberty Lake City Hall reception counter? Tait Garcia, the person behind that window, provides you the questions -- and their answers -- in this installment of the show. Plus, you'll learn a little bit about Tait's role as the point person at City Hall. Among the questions covered here: Does City Hall have maps or guides of the...

Celebrate the 50th season of our Northwest's Seattle Seahawks and their 4 Super Bowl appearances through this conversation with Seahawks superfan Kyle Dixon (who also happens to be the Finance director at Liberty Lake City Hall)! Kyle provides an essential primer on some of the greatest past and present players for the Seahawks, and takes you through his mental playbook of the team's previous Supe...

Police Chief Damon Simmons widens the lens for you about the license plate-reading resources known as Flock cameras. What do they do, and what do they -not- do? How are they used, and how are they -not- used? Listen in and learn more about this public safety tool.

City administrator Mark McAvoy guides you through some of the new or enhanced services and programs that you'll be seeing in Liberty Lake as part of the city's 2026 budget. You'll hear about expansions to the city's police department, upcoming public arts projects, a preview of Liberty Lake's 25th birthday celebration, plans for street projects and the city's sidewalk master plan, park and golf im...

Previous Liberty Lake City Council member Hugh Severs was reappointed to the group in December of 2025, following a 4-year hiatus. In this episode, Hugh talks about his personal background, including being a young councilman during his initial 8 years, why he decided to apply for the vacancy that opened up just before the November 2025 election, and whatever else emerges from the grab bag of quest...

Officer Kyle Fritz of the Liberty Lake Police Department offers m-a-n-y tips on what you can do to prevent the theft of packages delivered to your home. He also offers recommendations about home surveillance equipment you might want to consider getting, what to do if you become a victim of porch pirates, and even how to prevent property theft from your car.

The long-awaited new restaurant in the clubhouse building at the city-owned Trailhead Golf Course is now in operation! We take the microphones to that site as Vanessa Orozco, owner of Chavelitas Pub Grill & Cantina, shares details about the new restaurant, including some of the considerations that went into developing its menu, as well as the interactions it has with Trailhead's golfers an...

Is there going to be a light display at Orchard Park this winter for the end of 2025? City Recreation coordinator Mickael Stevens clears up that question ... and introduces you to the new multi-activity "Home for the Holidays" that the City of Liberty Lake is staging this year. Listen to learn about "Winter Wonderland" ... "Battle of the Branches" ... "Deck the H...

Hear the presentation by Mayor Cris Kaminskas of the 2026 city budget message (Liberty Lake's much shorter version of a "State of the Union Address") as recorded during the City Council meeting of Oct. 21, 2025. It's a quick collection of Liberty Lake's achievements from the past dozen months and a forecast of city services for 2026 ... with brief bit of trivia about the Stat...

We're serving up a selection of different treats for our first-ever Halloween show! Jandy Humble and Mikayla Kittilstved of the Liberty Lake Municipal Library offer up a few of their recommendations of hauntingly great books for the season -- highlighting some picks for readers of all ages. Plus, you'll hear details about the library's highly popular Halloween party, and we'll even do a diversion...