Emry Dinman

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News >  Local Government

Another $6.1 million of COVID-relief funds will be used on beleaguered Trent homeless shelter

UPDATED: Mon., Oct. 23, 2023

Another $6.1 million of federal COVID-relief funds will be spent to operate the city-run Trent Avenue homeless shelter for at least part of 2024.

News >  Local Government

Stone threatens legal action if anti-Woodward attack ad over Trent shelter isn’t pulled off the air

Thu., Oct. 19, 2023

At least one Spokane news station has pulled an election season attack ad criticizing Mayor Nadine Woodward and the city-run Trent Avenue homeless shelter in response to a legal threat from a political ally of the mayor named in the TV spot.

News >  Local Government

Spokane Good Government Alliance wielding unprecedented fundraising to support Woodward and other candidates

UPDATED: Wed., Oct. 18, 2023

Amid an unprecedented amount of money flooding into Spokane elections this year, one group stands alone: the Spokane Good Government Alliance.

News >  Local Government

Spokane City Council moves to make it easier for non-English speakers to interact with city government

UPDATED: Mon., Oct. 16, 2023

The Spokane City Council voted unanimously Monday to begin to make it easier for residents who aren’t proficient in English to access city services with translation and interpretation assistance.

News >  Local Government

Spokane City Council condemns hate crimes after string of anti-LGBTQ+ vandalism

UPDATED: Tue., Oct. 17, 2023

The Spokane City Council voted unanimously Monday to condemn bigoted groups and hate crimes in the wake of a recent string of targeted vandalism of LGBTQ+ symbols and organizations.

News >  WA Government

Inslee cautions during Spokane visit that fire recovery efforts may be slow

UPDATED: Thu., Oct. 12, 2023

Gov. Jay Inslee warned the disaster relief process could be slow during a visit to the Red Cross in Spokane Thursday amid ongoing efforts to pick up the pieces after August fires devastated the communities of Medical Lake and Elk. He also praised the emergency responders who protected the communities from even worse disaster.

News >  Local Government

Support for police takes centerstage in race for Spokane City Council president

UPDATED: Tue., Oct. 17, 2023

Outside of the Spokane mayoral race, no local election on the November ballot has attracted as much attention and cash as has the contest for Spokane City Council president.

News >  Local Government

Spokane City Council condemns attacks in Israel

UPDATED: Sun., Oct. 15, 2023

The Spokane City Council voted unanimously Monday to condemn Hamas’ weekend attacks against Israel, affirm that country’s right to “exist and defend itself,” and express support for local residents of both Jewish and Palestinian heritage.

News >  Local Government

Spokane City Council formally opposes proposed $1.7 billion sales tax

UPDATED: Wed., Oct. 18, 2023

The Spokane City Council voted Monday to formally oppose the measure that will ask Spokane County voters in November whether local sales taxes should increase to pay for investments in the county’s criminal justice system.

News >  Local Government

Homelessness, safety and spending: Who will voters choose to lead Spokane for the next four years?

UPDATED: Mon., Oct. 16, 2023

There is little doubt what Spokane candidates for mayor think the top issue is in the mind of city voters.

News >  Local Government

Spokane’s largest homeless shelter still doesn’t have permanent bathrooms. It likely never will.

UPDATED: Thu., Oct. 5, 2023

More than a year after the city’s largest homeless shelter opened, the facility still does not have permanent bathrooms, showers or laundry facilities.

News >  Local Government

Woodward’s preliminary 2024 Spokane budget tries to fill $20 million hole. Is it enough?

UPDATED: Wed., Oct. 4, 2023

Faced with a projected $20 million hole in the 2024 budget and little time to fill it, Mayor Nadine Woodward’s administration has released a preliminary proposal to shore up the city’s finances with a hiring freeze, increased property taxes, cut positions in the fire department and pulling from a traffic infrastructure fund to pay for police.

News >  Local Government

Protecting children or sweeping the problem under the rug: Spokane voters asked to criminalize encampments near kids

UPDATED: Sat., Oct. 7, 2023

Proposition 1 on ballots for Spokane residents this November will ask whether it should be a citable offense for people who are homeless to camp within 1,000 feet of schools, parks, playgrounds and licensed child care facilities in the city.

News >  Local Government

Spokane joins effort to overturn landmark homeless rights case Martin v. Boise

UPDATED: Fri., Sept. 29, 2023

Spokane has joined 20 other cities, counties and organizations asking the U.S. Supreme Court to overrule a consequential 2018 decision that seriously limited the ability of governments in the West to criminalize homelessness.

News >  Local Government

Cathcart, Shaw vie to represent northeast Spokane on the City Council

UPDATED: Tue., Nov. 7, 2023

The race to represent northeast Spokane pits a conservative incumbent campaigning as a steward of the taxpayer’s wallet against a progressive former neighborhood chair who wants to invest in better social programs and implement stronger renter protections.

News >  Local Government

Zappone withdraws call for further Perkins investigation as city promises reforms

UPDATED: Wed., Sept. 27, 2023

A push to independently investigate Spokane’s handling of allegations against former City Administrator Johnnie Perkins is on pause after city officials have pledged to publicly discuss reforms.

News >  Local Government

Spokane City Council tightens rules on euthanization in response to SCRAPS concerns

UPDATED: Mon., Sept. 25, 2023

Less than a week after 14 dogs were put down in a single day by the Spokane Regional Animal Protection Service, the Spokane City Council has adopted an ordinance to limit the discretion of the director of SCRAPS to sign off on euthanizing animals.

News >  Local Government

City Council votes to formally denounce mayor at packed City Hall

UPDATED: Mon., Sept. 25, 2023

More than a month after Mayor Nadine Woodward appeared at a Christian nationalist event alongside religious extremist Matt Shea, the Spokane City Council voted Monday night to formally condemn the mayor’s attendance.

News >  Local Government

Dillon and Treloar, running to represent south Spokane in City Hall, offer starkly different visions

UPDATED: Tue., Oct. 17, 2023

The race to represent south Spokane pits a local activist and vocal critic of Mayor Nadine Woodward who wants to build on the progressive work of the current City Council against a children’s advocate and former educator who thinks the council needs to do more to fight for a cleaner, safer city.

News >  Local Government

Spokane-area urban forestry to be supercharged with $12 million federal grants

Sat., Sept. 23, 2023

The city of Spokane’s Urban Forestry will receive $6 million in federal funds over five years to plant and maintain trees in economically disadvantaged areas of the city.

News >  Local Government

Spokane City Council asks for transparency after SCRAPS euthanizes 14 dogs in a day

UPDATED: Thu., Sept. 21, 2023

The Spokane City Council has asked the Spokane County Regional Animal Protection Service to address concerns that the organization is unnecessarily euthanizing dogs after 14 of them were put down Wednesday.

News >  Local Government

Zappone calls for independent investigation into handling of former City Administrator

UPDATED: Thu., Sept. 21, 2023

Spokane City Councilman Zack Zappone is asking the city to launch an independent investigation into allegations against former City Administrator Johnnie Perkins and whether the mayoral administration mishandled early warning signs of his alleged improper behavior .

News >  Local Government

Woodward claims Brown wants more Camp Hopes; Brown says Woodward is forcing false claims to hide record

UPDATED: Wed., Sept. 20, 2023

Mayor Nadine Woodward’s re-election campaign has been working to convince voters that if her opponent Lisa Brown is elected, Camp Hope will come back – and this time, the homeless encampment would be in quiet neighborhood parking lots across the city.

News >  Transportation

Expect detours, delays on Inland Empire Way through Oct. 3 during road work

UPDATED: Wed., Sept. 20, 2023

Construction on a section of Inland Empire Way involving lane restrictions and temporary detours began Tuesday and will continue until around Oct. 3, according to Spokane city officials.

News >  Local Government

‘We’re in a big hole’: Spokane leaders point fingers as budget deficit looms

Wed., Sept. 20, 2023

In mid-July, Spokane’s Chief Financial Officer Tonya Wallace released an early projection of the city’s 2024 budget – earlier than normal, she emphasized, and missing a number of important estimates.