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

Spokane City Council dist. 3

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Police chief designee Straub to get interim title of director

The Spokane City Council will consider a resolution Monday to appoint Frank Straub as director of law enforcement, not chief of police. To become police chief, Straub needs to be commissioned in Washington by attending a police academy or receiving a waiver, said city spokeswoman Marlene Feist. Straub and Mayor David Condon are hopeful the state Criminal Justice Training Commission will grant him a waiver based on his background so he doesn’t have to attend a five-month training course.

Council approves panhandler ordinance

The Spokane City Council voted 6-1 on Monday to outlaw aggressive panhandling in a portion of the city despite calls for allowing people to continue to beg for handouts. Council members said that panhandlers who go into the street to collect cash pose a public safety hazard.

Council may fight Condon on Burns’ dismissal

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Panhandling ordinance would hinder some nonprofits

Richard Henderson stood on the busy corner of Division Street and Third Avenue on Thursday, occasionally reaching into the street to accept a couple bucks from drivers stopped at the intersection. The 62-year-old veteran, who was shot while serving in Vietnam and suffers from mental health issues, including post-traumatic stress disorder, gets more than $1,000 a month from Veterans Affairs, but admits he spends much of it on beer and panhandles to pad that income.

Browne Elementary to get fraction of new sidewalk

When the Spokane City Council established a new vehicle license fee to pay for street improvements it included money for sidewalks. But the sidewalk allocation this year provided only enough funds to install a single block of new sidewalk at Browne Elementary School, 5102 N. Driscoll Blvd., rather than the three blocks needed there.