Avista Is Building For The Future

On November 29, Avista broke ground for a new service center. The address for the new building is 2301 East Sixth Street, located in the industrial park near the airport. This fresh construction took its first steps within the city limits of Deer Park with a Ground Breaking Ceremony. Frank Binder, Avista Operations manager, spoke at this special ceremony about the “What” and Why” behind the new construction.

Reading about Avista’s history you will quickly discover that the company has a culture of acting proactively. This has contributed to the company’s ability to be on a solid business and service foundation. From a humble origin powering a mere handful of street lamps in the late nineteenth century, to maintaining a whole array of wind turbines and several hydroelectric dams. The 24,000 square foot service center will help accommodate the growing needs of the communities of Deer Park, Cobert, Chattaroy, Elk, Clayton and Loon Lake. Along with the new, larger building, Avista will be updating major components, systems and equipment. This new infrastructure will allow Avista to meet the electrical needs of an additional 34,000 customers over the current load of the 16,500 it is serving now.

This new construction will also allow Avista cost savings with the added increase in efficiency and production capabilities. The new site will provide better protection for their service vehicles increasing their longevity. Selecting ZBA Architecture and Baker Construction, Avista has helped to stimulate the local economy. This construction will also benefit the local customer base by providing faster more efficient service especially in times of weather related outages.

Frank Binder acknowledge several individuals who contributed to the establishment of this building project. These people included Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers, Mayor Wisman, the Deer Park City Council, Penny Loomis, Doug Knight, Marty Wold, and Joe Tortorelli.

For over 128 years, Avista has been building relationships with neighbors, companies, and the communities in the area. This new service center is Avista’s latest example of building for the future. Avista is currently in the process of being acquired by Hydro One. The acquisition is pending approval by legal authorities.

Avista, Baker Construction, Chattaroy, Clayton, Cobert, Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers, Deer Park, Deer Park Airport, Deer Park Chamber of Commerce, Deer Park City Council, Doug Knight, Elk, Frank Binder, Ground Breaking, Hydro One, Industrial Park, Joe Tortorelli, Loon Lake, Marty Wold, Mayor Wisman, Penny Loomis, the Deer Park City Council, ZBA Architecture

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Donald “Donnie” Eugene Gilmore of Deer Park, Washington, passed away on June 12, 2026, at the age of 73. He was born in Spokane, Washington, on August 22, 1952. In 1973, Don enlisted in the United States Marine Corps and served on active duty for two years. In 1983, he graduated with a degree in education from Eastern Washington University. Don was a beloved teacher at Springdale Elementary for 25 years. He even got to teach his two sons when they were in the fifth grade (much to their chagrin!). He retired in 2015. Don was married to Denise
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Deer Park Kicks Off Summer With Packed Weekend

June 12, 2026

US-395 Reopened Following Motorcycle & Pickup Collision

Traffic is moving again on US-395, but the investigation into today’s serious motorcycle crash is far from over.

As of 5pm today, all lanes of US-395 have been reopened to traffic. Earlier today, a serious collision involving a motorcycle and a white pickup truck at the intersection of Highway 395 and H Street, which is near Henery Hardware, forced a complete closure of the highway, resulting in significant gridlock through the heart of Deer Park.

March 18, 2026

Deer Park