Local schools were notified today that they received Washington Achievement Awards for 2012. State Superintendent, Randy Dorn, and State Board of Education Chair, Jeff Vincent, notified them by email.

The Washington State Achievement Awards are in their fourth year and recognize schools in seven categories; Overall Excellence, Language Arts, Math, Science, Extended Graduation Rate, Closing Achievement Gaps, and High Progress. Schools are selected using the state's Achievement Index and the Elementary and Secondary Education Act Flexibility Waiver.

These are the area schools that were selected for awards, however no area schools were selected for Language Arts.

Bloomsday is just around the corner and even though the road race isn't until May competitors in the Cooperate Cup competition are already racing...at least for the title of best team name.

Bloomsday sponsors and organizers announced this year's top team names today. They have shortened the list from 300 to 25 with the top three slated to be announced after Bloomsday in the Inlander Souvenir Results Booklet. The first place team receives a plaque and will be honored guests at the annual awards luncheon. The Spokane Fire Department won last year's battle of wits sporting "Feeling the Burn" as their team name.

Snappy Hour anyone? SNAP has teamed up with Max at Mirabeau for a SNAP themed month benefiting their "Creating Opportunities, Building Communities" Capital Campaign. Through the month of April a portion of all food and gift card sales will go toward the organizations efforts to purchase the building they have occupied since 2011.

SNAP has been serving the Spokane community for 50 years and offers a variety of services such as heating assistance, money management coaching, small business loans and homeless housing programs. In 2011 the private non-profit moved into the former Dominican Center near Spokane Falls Community College on Fort George Wright Drive. This year they are hoping to raise the funds to purchase the property.