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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Spokane City Council dist. 3

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Council balks at barista cover-up

Spokane City Council members Monday night rejected a proposal aimed at scantily clad baristas. The 4-2 vote against modifying unlawful public exposure laws brings an end to a passionate public debate that blurred political parties, gender and business.

Doug Clark: Spokane City Council navigates barista storm to right port

It’s a commonly held belief that the public couldn’t care less about government. But that’s only because government is almost always dealing with such dull and boring stuff, like annexations, solid waste management or allowing Wal-Mart to build one of its megastores in some poor sap’s backyard.

Spokane City Council rejects barista ordinance

Spokane City Council members rejected a proposal aimed at scantily clad baristas. The 4-2 vote against modifying unlawful public exposure laws brings an end to a passionate public debate that blurred political parties, gender and business.

Spokane city leaders back plan to make downtown more inviting

A collection of business, government and community representatives gathered in Spokane City Hall’s Chase Gallery on Friday morning to show their support for an initiative to make downtown “safer and more inviting for commerce, tourism, recreation and living.” Alongside mentions of adding more police officers to patrol downtown and efforts to “beautify” downtown, City Council President Ben Stuckart said new laws giving enhanced enforcement powers to police, passing additional human services funding and revitalizing Riverfront Park were integral to their initiative.

Spokane police to get body cameras

The Spokane City Council voted unanimously Monday to purchase body cameras for police officers, joining other cities in adopting technology that has so far proved to lessen complaints against officer conduct as well as use of force by police. Council President Ben Stuckart was vocally supportive of the body cameras, saying they had support in all corners of government and “were unanimously endorsed by the Use of Force Commission, unanimously endorsed by the City Council last year, unanimously by the city administration and I think they’re a huge step forward.”

Zoning OK’d for Spokane pot sales

Don’t expect to buy marijuana in the Garland District. Do expect to buy it on North Division. The Spokane City Council approved some zoning restrictions Monday evening, striking from the city’s Planning Commission rules that would have allowed recreational and medical marijuana facilities in more pedestrian-friendly shopping centers such as those on Garland and 14th avenues as well as Grand Boulevard.

Spokane City Council approves police body cameras

The Spokane City Council voted unanimously Monday to purchase body cameras for police officers, joining other cities in adopting technology that has so far proven to lessen complaints against officer conduct as well as use of force by police.

U.S. Army says it will sell the Mann Center in Hillyard

The U.S. Army says it will sell the Joe E. Mann Center in Hillyard, thwarting the city’s plans to redevelop the former Army Reserve facility.

Doug Clark: Bikini baristas at risk of a city cover-up

As we get ready to say so long to the summer of  2013, a burning question comes to mind. Whatever happened to Mike Fagan’s war on the bikini barista babe biz?

Spokane City Council president stalls ‘sit-lie’ law

A proposed expansion of powers for Spokane police expected to decrease criminal behavior downtown has been partly blocked by City Council President Ben Stuckart after detractors said it would “criminalize homelessness.” Stuckart said he agreed with the primary motivation of the proposals but believed they were too broadly written.

Clark: Spokane not broken by breaking news

The last week or so has seen a depressing run of news here in the Spokane area. But don’t despair. As you’ll hopefully deduce from the following actual recent news items I’ve assembled, we’re still living in a Lilac Wonderland when you compare us to some of the bizarre stuff going on elsewhere.

Insurance bill for city on rise

Hurricane Sandy made landfall Monday night in Spokane, nearly a year after it destroyed much of the Jersey shore, and eyes turned to Upriver Dam. No need to run for your basement. The talk of disaster involved readiness and insurance coverage.

Judge orders 2 initiatives to be blocked from ballot

A Spokane County judge stopped two controversial ballot measures from appearing on November’s ballot Friday, saying they fell outside the scope of the initiative power. Superior Court Judge Maryann Moreno sided with a coalition of government and business interests, which argued that the initiatives attempted to create regulations and protections that were not within the city’s power to enact. They also said the initiatives would hurt local government and business.

Park department reorganization vote delayed

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Council will consider park department reorganization

The Spokane City Council will consider Monday wholesale changes to the makeup of the park department, widening the scope of the mayor’s appointing powers. The decision follows similar moves in the city police and fire departments, which prompted a lawsuit by unions representing fire department employees.

Spokane city law proposal would cap surveillance

A proposed law limiting the use of surveillance technology in the city of Spokane has been diminished to the point of being ineffective, according to local and state civil rights groups. It’s also stoked some opposition from the Downtown Spokane Partnership, which is planning a downtown camera network to provide the Spokane Police Department with real-time surveillance and to assist in investigative work.

City of Spokane, Kendall Yards team up to clean, use stormwater

The last chance to look into a 270,000-gallon stormwater tank came and went Monday as workers slid the 50,000-pound lids onto the tank at the eastern edge of Kendall Yards. The $1.6 million project at the Monroe Street Bridge’s north end may not excite emotions, but it is a sign of things to come in Spokane: stopping rainwater from entering the Spokane River and filtering it naturally of contaminants such as PCBs. Kendall Yards and the city are splitting the cost.

Questions swirl around Spokane’s hiring of Kyle Twohig

Bill Meeks has gotten a lot of jobs in his life. He’s supervised the construction of bridges, been a city engineer in Indiana, was responsible for traffic engineering, maintenance planning and permitting for the Indiana Department of Transportation, and supervised teams of up to 500 workers for Inland Steel before the company’s demise in 1998. He has a civil engineering degree from Purdue University, an MBA from the University of Chicago and is licensed as a professional engineer in four states.

Incumbents survive their primary challenges

Washington voters – or at least the relative few that cast ballots in the summer primary – seemed willing to stick with the familiar Tuesday. Turnout was light in most areas, but incumbents seeking to extend their terms in office survived primaries for the Spokane City Council, Spokane Valley City Council and the 7th District state Senate race.