The Liberty Lake Deep Dive

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 the Barefoot in the Park event that has traditionally occurred during August. Plan your 4th of July at Pavillion Park by listening ahead of time to this one!

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 youth sports camps from Skyhawks.

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 memorable moments that happened during Brian's 19 years in heading up Liberty Lake's law enforcement and safety operations.

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 employees before having any city revenues!

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 of the Bloomsday Perennials ... and what he's done with all of those finisher T-shirts!

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 recollections of the city's former mayor, who passed away in November of 2025 at the age of 50. And, we close this show with Mayor Brickner's opening comments after being sworn in at the City Council meeting of Jan. 5, 2020.

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 Liberty Lake area? Can City Hall set up utilities for your home? How can you get involved with city events as a vendor? Can you rent space inside City Hall for an event? Can you get a vehicle license or driver's license at City Hall? Does City Hall offer services for people who are unhouse or seeking public assistance? Does City Hall sell Inland Empire Paper passes? And can you get a pet license at City Hall?

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 Super Bowl appearances. Whether you're a devoted part of the 12 Man Legion or recently joining for the Super Bowl bandwagon, you'll enjoy and learn a lot from this one (plus, we have a little bit of fun with our usual podcast format)!

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 improvements, and more. Plus, you'll find out about some of the improvements YOU can help add during 2026 by using the new "Make A Request" button.

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 questions in our "Lightning Round"!

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 and special activities at the facility.

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 Homes" ... "Letters to Santa" ... and (for the second consecutive year) "Light Up Liberty Lake"!

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 State of the Union Address tossed in!

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 into some of the DVD options that the library has to help get you into the spirit of the October holiday.

What's happening with a new City Hall for Liberty Lake? Public Works director Ben Turner has the full status update on that as well as a couple of the other big projects that are on the Liberty Lake facilities master plan: the city's library as well as the police station.

City Horticulture Division supervisor Dan Maus brings his urban forestry expertise to a residential level as he offers great tips you may want to do as you prepare your yard and garden areas for the colder months of fall and winter. Dan also digs a bit into the background of what he does as Liberty Lake's urban forester. And ... you will DEFINITELY want to stick around to the very end to hear the Dan Maus theme song! (Think "rock opera"!)

City Hall's I.T. guy, Evan O'Malley, is back -- this time with some tips to help you be smart in avoiding some phone and online scams that could otherwise threaten your bank account. Plus, our trivia question includes some related useful information from the Liberty Lake Police Department to further help you prevent becoming a victim to those types of scams.

It's a history podcast episode this time about a longtime Liberty Lake tradition, as Bob and Sue Schneidmiller talk about the origin and early growth of the annual Labor Day weekend public concerts by the Spokane Symphony Orchestra. You'll hear this major community event is called the Lud Kramer Memorial Concert, some of the Schneidmiller's memories about the first concert in 2001, how they became involved in making it an annual event, and a few fun anecdotes about some of the concerts from past years!

Without question, THE most event-packed day at Liberty Lake each year is the annual Barefoot in the Park, which happens in 2025 on Saturday, Aug. 2, all day long at Pavillion Park. Mickael Stevens, the city's Recreation coordinator, gives everything you want to know about every attraction happening that day -- all in about the time it will take you to thoroughly enjoy any one single event on this year's Barefoot schedule!

Touch A Truck is the biggest thing to happen at Orchard Park each summer! Event organizer Jandy Humble drives you through the details on how Touch A Truck got started, how it has changed and grown throughout each year, and what new things visitors can expect for the 2025 edition (happening July 18, 2025). Plus, she'll share her memorable account about the very surprise arrival of the helicopter during the 2024 event!

The summer of 2025 offers another season to enjoy some free outdoor movies in Liberty Lake. So, this episode not only offers you a rundown of which movies will be playing in 2025, but also some details about the cast (including several Star Wars alumni!), interesting production facts, plus as some quick reviews. Which movies get a "thumbs up"? Listen to find out!

Here's the rundown on the big activities coming from the City of Liberty Lake for the summer of 2025! City Recreation coordinator Mickael Stevens brings you the details on the great events that will happen at local parks and elsewhere, including the differences with some annual favorites such as Barefoot in the Park, and the 4th of July lineup. Plus, he's got the information about the newly added online process for reserving facilities for your private events in the city's parks.

The Skyhawks Sports programs have attracted kids to Liberty Lake's parks as well as sites such as the HUB Sports Center and local school gyms for several years. With a lot of summer sessions soon starting up, delve into the offerings, operations, and history of these youth sports activities. We hand the microphones to a couple of Skyhawks staff members who provide the answers to a lot of the questions you may have had about their recreational opportunities.

Bobby Wiese of the Liberty Lake Centennial Rotary Club takes you through the annual Memorial Day weekend community activities at Pavillion Park. Learn all the details about the annual community breakfast that benefits Northwest Honor Flight, the Memorial Day ceremony with special guest speakers and the Fairchild Air Force Base Honor Guard, the weekend-long Luminary Tribute, and even a little background about the Fallen Heroes Circuit Course that is set up throughout Liberty Lake's outdoor public sites. And, be sure to stay listening through the usual ending theme song on this one!

Protect yourself against some online scams and learn how to boost the security of your computer passwords in this useful-for-all conversation with Evan O'Malley, who oversees the technology services for Liberty Lake's city operations. In addition to those tips, Evan also explains how it is that he's City Hall's I.T. guy ... without really being a City Hall employee...!

For our first-ever City Council-focused Q&A, we bring you a visit with the group's newest member, Linda Ball, for a conversation all about her background as well as her experiences in running for office for the first time and learning the ropes throughout the initial year of her new role. Plus, we carve out some time for Linda to talk about her favorite bands and concerts!

Did you know that much of the public art you see in Liberty Lake had its start with the city's Parks and Arts Commission? Nancy Hill and Laura Frank from that group walk you through some of the sights that you can find in the city's parks -- and elsewhere -- that had their start with the Parks and Arts Commission. And, they have the details on some of the new additions that will be added to Liberty Lake's visual landscape during 2025.

Meet Liberty Lake's first-ever Public Works director, Ben Turner. In this Q&A, Ben offers some details about work-related topics such as the city's new frost cameras and the 2024 Appleway upgrade project, as well as some things about his previous career in the Navy, his current-day hobby with Legos, and even an insight about something you've probably wondered regarding his hometown of The Dalles, Oregon.

For our 50th episode, we present a special appreciation of the life and contributions of longtime community news reporter Craig Howard, as told through the remembrances of "Liberty Lake Splash" owner Ben Wick.

We wrap of our preview of the new and expanded programs and services coming to Liberty Lake during 2025 with Recreation coordinator Mickael Stevens talking about some of the activities that are planned for this year, including a couple of changes with reservations for city park facilities. Then, Lisa Key of the newly named Community Development department offers details about the city's new comprehensive plan, the upcoming process to change the city's sign code, and a few specifics on local development projects. PLUS: Some initial details about the new restaurant that will be coming to the Trailhead Golf Course facility this year!

Chief Damon Simmons of the Liberty Lake Police Department brings you this preview on what you'll be seeing from local law enforcement during the year. Get the details about the expansion in the department's officers, the addition of a crime analyst, the LLPD's upcoming accreditation process (and why that matters for local residents) ... and the upcoming arrival of a K-9 police dog. Plus, Chief Simmons provides some useful tips that residents can do to help prevent home and property crimes.

Here's the start of your overview of some of the new and expanded projects and services that are coming to Liberty Lake's residents during 2025, courtesy of the city's new budget. In this installment, hear about some new (and first-ever) apps that are being made available from the Liberty Lake Municipal Library, then find out about some of the street and city facility improvements that are on the year's checklist from the Public Works department. Your guides on all that a\re library director Jandy Humble and Public Works director Ben Turner.

You see them during the opening ceremonies of the Winter Glow Spectacular light display at Orchard Park each year, and now SANTA CLAUS and MRS. CLAUS have come to the podcast! Listen in as Santa and Mrs. Claus talk about their experiences from their years of appearing at Winter Glow and what they think about the big display there. You'll also hear from John and Sherry Bujosa, who escort the famous couple to the Winter Glow opening ceremonies each time. This is definitely an installment of our podcast that will interest kids of ALL AGES!

Deputy Chief Brett Anderson of the Spokane Valley Fire Department returns to wrap up our "Trilogy of Winter Safety" series with fire prevention information about your Christmas tree, lights, and outdoor decorations. Plus, he's also packed his bag with some useful tips for those of you who'll be traveling the winter roads this season. We also tie in some references to "A Christmas Story" and "Christmas Vacation"!

In the 2nd part of our "Trilogy of Winter Safety" shows, meet Streets Crew lead Stephen Reichert as he takes the driver's seat and delves into all the details about Liberty Lake's snowplowing operations. Learn about the rigs, the resources, the routines -- and some expert tips you can use about driving on wintry roads.

It's part one of our "Trilogy of Winter Safety" shows! Brett Anderson, the deputy chief of prevention with the Spokane Valley Department, has prepared a feast of highly useful information that can help you have a fire-free and injury-free meal gathering at your home during this winter. You'll learn about some things to avoid in the kitchen, as well as some tips regarding your fireplace, your entryway, and even the front side of your home. And, ahead of the main course, you'll find out some general things you may not have known about your local fire department.

Beyond the used book sales and the Summer Soiree, what does the Friends of the Liberty Lake Municipal Library do ... and how exactly does that organization's work enhance the offerings at the city's library? Learn all that and more about this group as Sue Hamblet and Marsha Binder return to the microphone to share "All About the Friends of the Library."

How satisfied are Liberty Lake's residents about their life and the quality of services in the city -- and what factors are influencing those levels of satisfaction? City administrator Mark McAvoy has some of the results of the 2024 Community Satisfaction Survey, including details on how this survey came about and how the results will be used by city leaders.

Dave Howard of the Liberty Lake Police Department takes you into what he does as the school resource officer for Liberty Lake's schools in the Central Valley School District and shares some trends in student safety he's noticed since he moved into that role during the spring of 2023. Plus, he relays some important tips that can help parents promote the well-being of the school student in their household.

It's a podcast about a car show! Liberty Lake Police ambassador John Bujosa gives the full rundown about the LLPD's annual Cops, Cars and Cruisers event, which benefits local Special Olympics. Along the way, John shares how this community outreach event got started and how the now-not-just-a-car-show has grown along with its popularity during the past few years.

It's time to get to know another one of Liberty Lake's city employees as Kelsey Hardy provides all the answers to the question "What does a city clerk do?" ... and delves into her own personal records about some of her life and interests outside of City Hall.

The Montana Shakespeare in the Parks program out of Montana State University is a longtime summer tradition in Liberty Lake. Now, find out some things you never knew about the program -- and maybe make some modifications to any Shakespeare stereotypes you may have held! The program's Riley O'Toole comes to our podcast stage (via a Zoom call during the 2024 tour) to talk about the Bozeman-based program as well as the Aug. 17 performance of "The Winter's Tale."

You know the site, but you may not know the name. Learn about the history, features, and potential future of Nature's Place at Meadowwood Arboretum, the site that's located directly east of City Hall. Wendy Van Orman, in her role as a member of the Liberty Lake Lions Club, serves as your guide in this Q&A overview about this city park.

Learn about things you absolutely never knew about Liberty Lake Mayor Cris Kaminskas ... because, in some cases, she's probably never been asked about these topics! It's a wide range of fully fun conversation that covers such issues as animals, comedians, movies, house hunting, and even Tonka Trucks!

Dan Dunne of the Liberty Lake Kiwanis Club cues up the projector for our 2nd annual overview of the Summer Movies in the Parks series at Liberty Lake. Dan and host David Goehner share details about all the movies that area residents can watch outdoors this summer. Plus, you'll learn from Dan a lot of the backstory into what goes on in bringing the movies to Pavillion Park each summer.

Find out about your summer recreation opportunities in Liberty Lake's parks during 2024. Mickael Stevens, the city's new recreation coordinator, is your guide through a summer calendar that includes children's sports camps, dance and yoga classes, 4th of July celebrations, Barefoot in the Park, and stage performances from the Montana Shakespeare in the Parks group and the Spokane Symphony Orchestra. Plus, Mickael shares what you need to do if you want to reserve a park facility for your own activity this summer.