Spokane7
56°Quick links: 2012 graduating seniors • Summer camp guide • Jobs: The Road Ahead • Prep sports • News quiz
Will Kootenai County more than double the size of its jail? It’s up to the public now. The Kootenai County commissioners unanimously passed ballot language for the new jail expansion proposal on Tuesday, their vote mixed with concern for the closing window on the half-cent sales tax option. “This is our last chance,” said Commissioner Rich Piazza of the payment option expiring on Dec. 31. Commissioner Todd Tondee said he couldn’t predict how voters will receive the $56.69 million proposal, a complete overhaul from last year’s package that was more than double the price/Alecia Warren, Coeur d’Alene Press. More here.
D.F. Oliveria is a columnist and blogger for The Spokesman-Review. Huckleberries Online was judged the best 2008 Idaho newspaper blog by the Idaho Press Club. And the best 2007 news blog in the Pacific Northwest by the Society for Professional Journalist. Print Huckleberries is a past winner of the Herb Caen Memorial Column contest by the National Association of Newspaper Columnists. The Readership Institute of Northwestern University cited this blog as a good example of online community journalism.
999 W. Riverside, Spokane, WA 99201
P.O. Box 2160, Spokane, WA 99210
Main switchboard: (509) 459-5000 • (800) 338-8801
Newsroom: (509) 459-5400 • (800) 789-0029
Customer service: (800) 338-8801
© Copyright 2012, The Spokesman-Review
Terms of use • Privacy policy • Copyright policy
Find DFO on Facebook
DFO on Twitter
Fishwife on September 02 at 9:22 a.m.
Get rid of the arrest happy misdemeanor probation department. Use the existing vacant hole in the present jail. Use the vacant space in the work release. Viola!! You’ve just added 200 beds!! We don’t need a new jail when Sheriff Watson can’t manage what he has now. Remember the recent missing inmate medication scandal that was covered up for a year?
Aliasjax on September 02 at 9:29 a.m.
I’m really not interested in expanding the jail without a real conversation about reform of drug enforcement and treatment.
Phaedrus on September 02 at 9:32 a.m.
Ditto what Alias said.
Bent on September 02 at 10:24 a.m.
I agree with Alias, too. Sheriff needs to demonstrate to me that we are not locking people up for low-level victimless crimes first… i.e. quit wasting my money and let the pot smokers go, and I’ll consider the vote.
Don’t hold this “Last Chance” crap over my head or I’ll vote to show you what I think about ultimatums
Cabbage Boy on September 02 at 10:44 a.m.
I agree Bent. Any time a politician tells me about “NEEEDING” to do something or else, I think about the or else.
Until the whole jail-house pharmacy issue is dealt with, I don’t see the need for a bigger black market pharmacy, I mean jail.
Charlie on September 02 at 11:30 a.m.
Make do with what you now have Rocky. It ain’t pretty out here in the real world.