Adam Shanks

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News >  Local Government

Should Spokane homeless shelters be required to sign ‘good neighbor’ agreements?

UPDATED: Wed., Sept. 15, 2021

Homeless shelter operators say they want to be good neighbors – but some city leaders want them to put that promise in writing.

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Council pledges to fund one homeless shelter, holds off on another

Tue., Sept. 14, 2021

The Spokane City Council approved a major funding commitment for a new homeless shelter on Monday but held off on supporting a second.

News

Tough car market stymies city of Spokane

UPDATED: Tue., Sept. 14, 2021

New car buyers are forced to act fast in today’s market, but the wheels of government turn slowly.

News >  Local Government

Health officials add isolation space but still expect shelters to keep COVID-19-positive guests on site

UPDATED: Mon., Sept. 13, 2021

Guests at area homeless shelters had the option through the end of August to isolate at a hotel if they tested positive for COVID-19. That contract expired, and with the increase of cases in Spokane County, shelters and patients have had to scramble to come up with a way to cut down on transmission, though a new contract is in the works. 

News >  Local Government

Report: A land bank could increase affordable housing in Spokane, but there are some major hurdles

UPDATED: Mon., Sept. 13, 2021

The city has existing programs to deal with dilapidated properties, but a new report suggests that a land bank could eventually help ensure they become affordable housing, according to a presentation heard by the City Council on Thursday.

News >  Local Government

Resolution would express Spokane’s support for resettling Afghan refugees

Mon., Sept. 13, 2021

Though nonbinding, the resolution would formally state elected officials’ support for taking in those fleeing Afghanistan as the United States withdrew its military and the Taliban gained control last month.

News >  Local Government

American Rescue Plan brings big money to Spokane, but leaders still haven’t decided how to spend it

UPDATED: Sat., Sept. 11, 2021

Months after the first $40 million of federal coronavirus aid landed on its doorstep, city of Spokane leaders have yet to agree on a process to distribute it.

Coordinated effort helps vaccinate Spokane’s homeless

Thu., Aug. 19, 2021

As public health officials struggle to convince the broader public to get vaccinated for COVID-19, they’ve found some success locally in homeless shelters.

News >  Local Government

Lawsuit looks to remove LeMasters from November Spokane City Council ballot over residency question

UPDATED: Wed., Aug. 18, 2021

A lawsuit filed in Spokane County Superior Court this week seeks to remove Spokane City Council candidate Tyler LeMasters from the November ballot.

News >  Local Government

Sherazi lead over Jasmin grows to four votes in Spokane City Council race; hand recount required

UPDATED: Tue., Aug. 17, 2021

Spokane City Council candidate Naghmana Sherazi appears poised to advance to the general election, but not until a recount confirms her four-vote lead.

News

Vaccinated or not, Woodward orders city employees to mask up

UPDATED: Mon., Aug. 16, 2021

All city of Spokane employees will once again be required to wear a mask at work – regardless of whether or not they have been vaccinated.

News

Spokane cooling centers open more regularly, carry costs

UPDATED: Mon., Aug. 16, 2021

Sweltering summer temperatures and a new law passed by the Spokane City Council have forced the city to more than quadruple the number of times it opens cooling centers.

News >  Spokane

Crosswalk Youth Shelter plans big move out of downtown Spokane

UPDATED: Tue., Aug. 17, 2021

After more than 35 years in downtown Spokane, the Crosswalk Youth Shelter is planning to move east.

News >  Local Government

‘Scared’: Shelter providers plead for isolation services to continue amid COVID-19 outbreaks

Mon., Aug. 16, 2021

The agreement allowing the Spokane Regional Health District to operate an isolation facility at the My Place Hotel in Spokane Valley, which first opened last year, is set to expire at the end of the month.

News

City holds back on sit-lie enforcement, downtown cleanup plan

Sun., Aug. 15, 2021

The city of Spokane was days away from launching an extensive plan to clean up graffiti and litter, remove homeless encampments and cite people lingering on downtown sidewalks.

News

City of Spokane will considers fluoride study funded by $600,000 grant

UPDATED: Sun., Aug. 15, 2021

Under a proposed amendment to a contract approved last year, the grant money will not have to be paid back regardless of whether the city moves forward with fluoridation.

News >  Local Government

Woodward says Spokane will encourage, not mandate vaccinations among city workers

UPDATED: Thu., Aug. 12, 2021

Spokane Mayor Nadine Woodward has no plans to require the city’s workforce of about 2,000 employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19.

News >  Local Government

Spokane affordable housing program pushed back amid staff shortages in City Hall

Wed., Aug. 11, 2021

Amid a declared housing emergency, Spokane will not offer more than $1 million to support affordable housing projects this year, primarily due to staffing shortages in City Hall.

News >  Local Government

Late-arriving ballots will decide race between Sherazi and Jasmin to face Bingle for Spokane City Council seat

UPDATED: Wed., Aug. 11, 2021

Last-minute and corrected ballots could make all the difference in a Spokane City Council race.

News >  Local Government

Lawsuit aims to keep natural gas measure off Spokane ballot

UPDATED: Wed., Aug. 11, 2021

Environmental advocates are asking a court to invalidate a citizen initiative, which would enshrine protections for natural gas hookups in the Spokane City Charter, before it appears on the November ballot.

News >  Local Government

Corbin Art Center closed due to sewer problems

UPDATED: Mon., Aug. 9, 2021

Summer campers attending art sessions at Spokane’s Corbin Art Center were relocated this week after a sewage problem forced the building to close.

News >  Local Government

Delta variant of COVID-19 delays in-person Spokane City Council meetings until September

Sat., Aug. 7, 2021

Council members agreed Thursday to push back the potential in-person reopening until at least Sept. 17, citing the recent surge in COVID-19 cases in Spokane County.

News >  Local Government

Recount likely in northeast Spokane City Council race between Sherazi and Jasmin, currently two votes apart

UPDATED: Fri., Aug. 6, 2021

A recount is likely in the race for City Council in northeast Spokane, where a razor-thin margin separates the second and third-place candidates.

News >  Local Government

Another Spokane leader on homelessness has resigned, but the city promises there’s ‘not a concern that things will be missed’

Fri., Aug. 6, 2021

Another Spokane city official tasked with managing homeless services has left.

News >  Local Government

Early indications: Spokane City Council races tight in November

UPDATED: Thu., Aug. 5, 2021

What names appear on the ballot for Spokane City Council in November is still uncertain, but Tuesday’s primary election results indicate that they will be competitive.