Amy Cannata

They're spending more money. Developers and business owners are helping set the agenda. New approaches are being chiseled into the culture of local government. In just eight months, the new Spokane County Board of Commissioners has fundamentally altered the way local government interacts with its employees, other politicians and constituents.

Spokane County commissioners say that if state officials think the county has enough money to run its mental health system, maybe the state should take on the task itself. With just a 90-day written notice, Spokane County could dissolve its Regional Support Network and turn over its mental health operations to the Washington Department of Social and Health Services. And on Tuesday, commissioners said they may do just that.

Voting on voting may be the last ballot Spokane County voters cast at the polls. Spokane County commissioners in November will ask voters whether the county should switch to an all vote-by-mail system. But they won't be bound to the results of the advisory vote.

Anyone watching Hurricane Katrina's victims struggling in New Orleans, Gulfport and Biloxi can't help but wonder: "What would I do if that happened to my family?" In addition to the need to stock up on food and water, one of the things that hit "Getting There" is how important it is to make sure your vehicle is fueled and in working order.

One last chance for that summer minitrip – and a lot of Americans are grabbing it. AAA is predicting 34.5 million of us will travel over the Labor Day holiday weekend – most by car, truck or SUV.

Spokane County's Community Services Department received a $2.8 million loan Thursday that will enable it to pay the bills through the end of the year. Much of the money, which is coming from a county investment account, will be used to pay for services already provided. The department is short because the state cut its initial funding allocation to Spokane County, which the department already had used to plan services.

Spokane County will have to tighten its belt next year. Though revenues are projected to swell by as much as $4 million next year, payroll is expected to grow by $8 million.

Spokane voters might be willing to pay more taxes to slow the budget bleeding at City Hall. A telephone survey commissioned by the city found that 69 percent of voters would be likely to support a property tax increase of up to 55 cents per $1,000 of assessed valuation to prevent further cuts in city police, fire and library services, according to figures released Wednesday by city officials. The survey of 250 likely Spokane voters cost $8,000 and was authorized by Mayor Jim West. But while many citizens reacted favorably to the tax, they also indicated displeasure with the direction the city is now headed.

Shopping is more popular than working. Who would've thunk it?

Local mental health providers will be forced to lay off as many as 200 employees by October because of a $3 million shortfall. The unexpected lack of funds stems from a dispute with the Washington Department of Social and Health Services.

Spokane Transit's downtown bus plaza will stay put. But that doesn't mean everything will remain the same.

Inland Asphalt has the permit it needs to start operations at a Wandermere area asphalt plant, but company officials still have issues with the process. Now the company is taking its beef to the Spokane County Air Pollution Control Authority board of directors at a special meeting this morning.

Spokane County commissioners have a message about handing over unincorporated areas to the city of Spokane: "Over our dead bodies." Commissioners reacted angrily Tuesday to news reports suggesting they have a verbal agreement with Mayor Jim West over annexation of commercial and residential areas north of Francis Avenue. Commissioners said the only thing they've told West is, hands off.

Banning phosphates may be the way to clean up the Spokane River and build an affordable new sewage treatment plant. Spokane County Commissioner Todd Mielke said Tuesday that banning phosphorous from dishwashing detergent and fertilizers may be a first step toward reaching an agreement with the Washington State Department of Ecology over cleaning up the Spokane River. The county banned phosphates from laundry detergents in 1990.

Diesel spilled at a northeast Spokane Avista facility has not contaminated groundwater. Several test borings have determined the fuel has not seeped more than 35 feet into the earth. The aquifer is about 170 feet below the surface.

It will be a first for Spokane – a high-speed roundabout. But one thing still going slowly around the intersection of Bruce Road and Mt. Spokane Park Drive are tires.

From city trails to mountain tops, this year's crop of Spokane County Conservation Futures picks offers up everything from places for an evening bike ride to thickets for birthing baby moose. Spokane County Parks Advisory Committee members this week selected six of 20 nominated properties to pursue purchasing for preservation as natural areas. They range in size from under two acres to 1,100 acres.

Spokane is a driving kind of town. Still, ceding the sidewalk to cars seems a bit extreme. But that's just what's happening in many parts of Spokane where parked cars block the sidewalks.

Spokane voters will go to the polls this November to decide how they will cast future ballots. County commissioners unanimously decided Tuesday to hold an advisory vote on whether Spokane County should switch to an all-mail election system.

If the city doesn't want 'em, high school football players might get the chance to call the Spokane County Fair and Expo Center home field. Spokane County commissioners are exploring the possibility of offering up the fairgrounds' grandstand area for football should the city of Spokane sell Joe Albi Stadium and leave Mead and Spokane school districts without a place to play.

Local card room owners were dealt a royal flush Tuesday. Spokane County commissioners slashed the county's tax on commercial gambling operations from 15 percent to 2 percent, saying they want to make sure local businesses can remain competitive with tribal gaming.

Add Division and Ruby to your list of streets to avoid. Starting next week, the Washington State Department of Transportation will begin resurfacing the couplet just north of downtown Spokane, tearing up and repaving both streets from the Spokane River to Euclid.

Spokane County commissioners and local mental health care providers are bracing for drastic cuts. State and federal cuts have left Spokane County $7.5 million short, about 25 percent of the local regional support network's annual budget, said Spokane County Commissioner Mark Richard.