Adam Shanks

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News >  Local Government

Tent camp disbanded: Protesters leave Spokane City Hall, but ‘there’s really nowhere to go’

UPDATED: Thu., Dec. 16, 2021

Under threat of legal enforcement from the city, the occupants of dozens of tents outside City Hall packed up and moved along amid a steady snowfall on Thursday morning.

News >  Local Government

Spokane orders protesters of homeless policies to remove tents from City Hall

UPDATED: Tue., Dec. 14, 2021

The city has given protesters of its homelessness response 48 hours to remove their property – including dozens of tents – from sidewalks outside Spokane City Hall.

News >  Local Government

Spokane City Council approves $1 billion budget with new office of civil rights and 6% boost in police spending

UPDATED: Mon., Dec. 13, 2021

The Spokane City Council adopted a $1 billion budget on Monday that includes funding for a new office of civil rights and an additional homeless shelter.

News >  Local Government

Council punts decision to restructure Spokane Police Department

UPDATED: Mon., Dec. 13, 2021

The most contentious matter up for a vote heading into Monday’s Spokane City Council meeting was likely not the $1.1 billion city budget, but a plan to place police department leaders back into the city’s civil service system.

News >  Local Government

Spokane adds beds for homeless in shelters, hotels

UPDATED: Mon., Dec. 13, 2021

As dozens of tents continued to line sidewalks outside Spokane City Hall in a plea for more shelter beds, the City Council took action Monday to fund up to 40 hotel rooms a night for the homeless.

News >  Local Government

‘Why are we out in the cold?’: Tight housing market stymies homeless rehousing efforts

Sun., Dec. 12, 2021

After reading about the millions of dollars of housing assistance available in Spokane, Cindy Denham wonders why she’s preparing to spend another night sleeping on a city street.

News >  Health

Norovirus outbreak hits Spokane homeless shelter House of Charity

UPDATED: Wed., Dec. 8, 2021

The House of Charity is on lockdown due to a suspected norovirus outbreak that forced the shelter to close itself off to new guests.

News >  Local Government

‘Absolute last resort’: Spokane City Council approves $3.4 million to cover unanticipated firefighter overtime

UPDATED: Tue., Dec. 7, 2021

The Spokane City Council begrudgingly pulled $3.4 million from city reserves to compensate for the Fire Department’s massive use of overtime pay this year.

News >  Local Government

Council president, mayor’s office at odds over Spokane Police Department positions

Tue., Dec. 7, 2021

The Spokane City Council’s leader says he wants three top officials in the Spokane Police Department to have the protections of civil services and a union, but the mayor’s office is warning his proposal would force them out of a job.

News >  Local Government

Wilkerson spearheads formation of new equity subcommittee in Spokane City Hall

Mon., Dec. 6, 2021

The Spokane City Council voted last week to form an ad hoc equity subcommittee beneath its Finance and Administration Committee, the body tasked with reviewing city finances and government structure.

News >  Local Government

Cannon Street shelter costly, but city leaders see no alternative

Sun., Dec. 5, 2021

The Spokane City Council might be feeling a tinge of buyer’s remorse.

News >  Local Government

Is a homeless shelter a criminal justice issue? Council wrestles with questions ahead of budget vote

Sat., Dec. 4, 2021

It’s not what to spend money on, but how much to spend and what account to pull it from.

News >  Local Government

The city of Spokane wants your input on what should be housed in former East Side Library

UPDATED: Tue., Nov. 30, 2021

The city of Spokane is looking to residents to help decide what takes the place of the former East Side Library.

Corrections

UPDATED: Tue., Nov. 30, 2021

Owner misnamed

News >  Local Government

Spokane joins regional funding effort for social services center

Tue., Nov. 30, 2021

After wavering this fall, the city of Spokane affirmed its financial commitment to the Resource Center of Spokane County on Monday.

News >  Local Government

Spokane sticks with LiveStories to distribute rental assistance – for now

Tue., Nov. 30, 2021

The city of Spokane will stay the course with its rental assistance program, but elected leaders signaled they want to explore alternatives in the future.

News >  Local Government

Spokane City Council extends development deal for Beacon Hill housing project

UPDATED: Tue., Nov. 30, 2021

With plans to convert a former camel farm into apartments and townhomes, the owners of long-vacant land in northeast Spokane say they’re finally ready to build new housing.

News >  Local Government

Spokane mayor proposes task force on mental health: ‘We really need to focus on the collective mental health of our community’

UPDATED: Tue., Nov. 30, 2021

The task force would aim to identify gaps and weaknesses in mental healthcare, and build a regional consensus on what Spokane needs – and approach state leaders for funding to help fill those voids.

News >  Local Government

High speeds persisted on High Drive in south Spokane despite lower limit

UPDATED: Tue., Nov. 30, 2021

Two things that are “just a number”: age and the speed limit on High Drive.

News >  Local Government

Spokane City Council will reconsider regional collaboration it rejected in September for social services center

Sat., Nov. 27, 2021

The Spokane City Council will consider funding the same lease for the social services-oriented Resource Center of Spokane County it rejected just two months ago.

News >  Local Government

Spokane officials agree to allow unvaccinated fire workers to return to nonmedical jobs

Fri., Nov. 26, 2021

The number of vacancies in the Spokane Fire Department due to Gov. Jay Inslee’s vaccine mandate continues to dwindle.

News >  Local Government

Spokane Fire Department budget soars $5 million past projections

UPDATED: Thu., Nov. 25, 2021

Mayor Nadine Woodward pledged this week to conduct an audit as the city disclosed it expects the Spokane Fire Department to blow past its 2022 budget by as much as $5 million.

News >  Spokane

STA proposes capping fares, allowing mobile payments

UPDATED: Fri., Nov. 26, 2021

The Spokane Transit Authority is proposing a new fare system that would ensure riders never pay more than they need to.

News >  Local Government

Hope House homeless shelter threatens closure amid financial stress; Spokane leaders pledge support

UPDATED: Tue., Nov. 23, 2021

Less than a year after it opened a sparkling new building downtown, the Hope House women’s shelter warned it will shut down next year if it does not receive funding from the city and county of Spokane.

News >  Local Government

Spokane City Council delays vote on Beacon Hill development

UPDATED: Mon., Nov. 22, 2021

A proposed Spokane subdivision more than 15 years in the making would have to provide land for public transit under a new agreement under consideration.