Creating a new mosquito control district could help Spokane County keep West Nile virus at bay, but it might also trigger renewed debate over higher taxes, the environment and private property rights. The agency envisioned by supporters for controlling mosquitoes would kill larvae with low-impact pesticides. But it also would have the authority to quickly become a larger and more expensive operation using both water-delivered larvicides and truck- or plane-dispersed sprays.
There's room for only two more employers to take advantage of Spokane Transit Authority's pass program. The STA Board on Thursday approved a plan to require that any new employers seeking to start a bus pass program have at least 1,500 participants or commit to spending at least $45,000 a year on the passes.
Criminals owe county courts and victims $86 million in unpaid fees and restitution. And Spokane County Clerk Thomas Fallquist, who's in charge of collecting those debts, doesn't even know where to find 3,600 of those felons because they won't give him their current addresses.
In the last four weeks, 103 people were arrested while awaiting prosecution on other charges. The alleged offenders had committed mostly minor crimes, and their cases had been pushed to the rear of a growing backlog of cases while prosecutors focused on more serious crimes, said Spokane County Prosecutor Steve Tucker.
The house's take could be getting a little bigger. Spokane County commissioners are considering lowering card room gambling taxes from 15 percent of the gross to 5 percent as part of a bid to regain lost gambling tax revenue by luring new card rooms and helping them better compete with tribal gaming operations.
Northwest Spokane residents might want to leave a little early today. Ash Street will be closed between Francis and Wellesley. It will remain closed to through traffic for about two months while construction crews rebuild the road from the gravel sublevel on up.
Commuting from northwest Spokane is about to get a little harder. Ash Street will be closed between Francis and Wellesley starting Monday as part of the first of Spokane's street bond projects.
Summer is one of the hardest times for families in need. During the school year, children can count on free and reduced-price breakfast and lunch at school.
Communities plan for roads, so why not trails? The nonprofit Inland Northwest Trails Coalition, Spokane County Parks and Recreation, the National Park Service and the Bicycle Alliance of Washington are joining forces to develop a Spokane County recreational trails plan.
Escalating health-care and overtime costs at the Spokane County Jail are rapidly draining Sheriff Mark Sterk's budget. Sterk warned Spokane County Commissioners Tuesday that the jail will end the year with a $1.5 million deficit.
Spokane-area Democrats rejoiced Monday while local Republicans ducked questions about the end of the long-running dispute over last fall's gubernatorial election. Spokane County Democratic Party spokeswoman Diane Crow said she was heartened by Chelan County Superior Court Judge John Bridges' ruling in favor of her party. It's time for Washington to put the 2004 election behind it, she said.
Plywood, lawn chairs, furniture, Christmas trees, even outhouses – the Washington State Department of Transportation's incident response team sees its fair share of roadway debris. "If you can imagine it, we've picked it up," maintenance supervisor Ernie Sims said.
After last year's near washout, the 2005 Spokane County Interstate Fair is ready for a little sunshine. "Find the Sun" is this year's fair theme, and sunflowers will be the highlight of the Sept. 9-18 event.
What one gets, everyone else wants. Emboldened by the success of their colleague, Prosecutor Steve Tucker, several Spokane County department heads asked county commissioners Tuesday for additional staffing.
Two Inland Northwest residents have died in Memorial Day accidents. An 83-year-old man was killed in an automobile crash on U.S. Highway 395 near Deer Park and a man drowned while swimming in the Blanchard Reservoir in Bonner County, Idaho.
Spokane County commissioners Tuesday unanimously dropped two controversial proposals that would have reduced the Spokane County Planning Commission from seven members to five. One of the proposals called for cutting back through attrition.
Wildlife corridors, areas near Riverside State Park, wetlands, forests and a disputed recreation area on Spokane's South Hill are among 19 properties that could be preserved for nature and recreation under Spokane County's Conservation Futures program. "I'm very impressed with the caliber of the nominations and the geographic sprinkling," said Spokane County Parks planner Steve Horobiowski.
The tram up to Royal Riblet's Spokane Valley mansion was retired long ago. So hundreds of people each week tackle the winding drive to the top of the hill. They're rewarded for braving the narrow, somewhat scary Fruithill Road with breathtaking views and wine sampling at the Arbor Crest Winery.
Paying a traffic ticket is painful enough. Having to sit around at the Spokane County Courthouse waiting to ask the judge to reduce the fine just makes it worse.
Spokane Transit Authority critics may have to find a new rallying call. STA is now responding to one of the loudest cries – the call for smaller buses.
It's the streetcar some desire. As currently envisioned, its shiny track would run from the Riverpoint campus through downtown Spokane, over the Spokane River via Riverfront Park, past the Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena, over to the Spokane County Courthouse and back again. All in 10 to 13 minutes.
It was a sort of man-bites-dog headline. A Florida limo driver was busted just last month for drinking and driving while taking several students to a high school dance.
A year ago, Spokane Deputy Mayor Jack Lynch was embarking on what he would come to view as one of the biggest challenges of his career: investigating the death of a sewage treatment plant worker and helping city employees cope with the tragedy. Now, Lynch faces what could be an equal, if not greater, test of his leadership skills.
Spokane County drivers use their cell phones less frequently on the road than their Western Washington counterparts, according to a recent survey conducted for PEMCO Insurance. And we're more likely to support laws restricting cell phone use.
