Emry Dinman

All Stories

News >  Washington

How prepared is Spokane for a big earthquake?

Wed., Feb. 15, 2023

Many of Spokane’s buildings, particularly the ones made of brick, are not built to withstand a strong earthquake.

News >  Local Government

Away for the winter? Spokane residents may soon have to pay for water, whether or not it’s being used

UPDATED: Mon., Feb. 13, 2023

Spokane residents who leave for warmer climes during the winter may soon start having to pay for their water services, whether or not they’re being used.

News >  Local Government

Spokane City Council mulls tax incentive to turn downtown parking into housing

UPDATED: Tue., Feb. 14, 2023

Spokane needs more housing, especially affordable units. Could it fill some of that need by encouraging developers to convert downtown parking lots into new homes?

News >  Local Government

Getting There: Pedestrians, drivers, and water – Spokane looks ahead to construction projects worth $100M in 2023

Mon., Feb. 13, 2023

There is $100 million worth of construction planned for Spokane’s infrastructure once the weather warms. Some of that entails finishing projects started in 2022, like completing the concrete roads on Thor and Freya streets, but the bulk are entirely new projects.

News >  Local Government

I-90 to close through much of Spokane Saturday night for bridge demolition

UPDATED: Fri., Feb. 10, 2023

Drivers should expect serious delays and detours on and around Interstate 90 through Spokane from Saturday night into Sunday morning, as crews work to remove a deteriorating pedestrian bridge over the highway.

News >  Local Government

A new City Hall? Spokane City Council mulls future of aging, costly building

UPDATED: Thu., Feb. 9, 2023

For a while now, the Spokane City Council has proposed buying a 252,000-square-foot campus on East Sprague Avenue, owned by Premera Blue Cross, to be the new home of the city’s municipal court.But could the campus also become a cheaper home for City Hall?

News >  Local Government

Getting There: Emergency closure of crumbling Magnolia Street pedestrian bridge frustrates some

Mon., Feb. 6, 2023

Early Wednesday morning, citing concerns about corrosion and structural deficiency, the state closed the bridge to pedestrians. The center span of the bridge will be lifted and removed late Saturday night, and I-90 will be closed in the area during the deconstruction.

News >  Spokane

Tuscan Ridge back on the market after unsuccessful auction

UPDATED: Thu., Feb. 2, 2023

Tuscan Ridge is back on the market.

News >  Spokane

Country superstar Chris Stapleton to perform the Spokane Arena on June 15

UPDATED: Thu., Feb. 2, 2023

Kentucky-born country music superstar Chris Stapleton will be coming to the Spokane Arena on June 15, part of the seventh leg of his All-American Road Show tour.Tickets officially go on sale Friday, Feb. 10 at 10 a.m., though Stapleton’s fan club and Citi cardholders will have early access to tickets and VIP packages during a pre-sale starting Tuesday at 10 a.m.

News >  Local Government

With population of Camp Hope dwindling, city leaders look ahead to next steps

UPDATED: Wed., Feb. 1, 2023

As the population at Spokane’s Camp Hope homeless encampment continues to fall, city leaders are eyeing the next steps forward to rehouse the remaining residents and clear the camp for good.

News >  Education

Eastern Washington University professor questions university’s move to block him after critical tweets

UPDATED: Tue., Jan. 31, 2023

An Eastern Washington University professor was blocked by his employer on social media for nearly a year after making critical statements about the school.

News >  Local Government

Study will gauge risks to Spokane’s water supply from catastrophic leak of Yellowstone pipeline

UPDATED: Tue., Jan. 31, 2023

The Yellowstone petroleum pipeline, which runs from Montana to Washington, travels directly over the largest drinking water source in Spokane.What happens if the pipeline fails?

News >  Local Government

Getting There: Spokane street crews work complicated by winter

Mon., Jan. 30, 2023

Every year, winter weather conditions complicate road maintenance in the city of Spokane.Freezing and thawing water can rupture asphalt, leaving behind muddy potholes. Street sweepers are put on ice until the snow melts. The plows deployed in their stead struggle to find a place to dump all of the accumulating snow.

News >  Local Government

Block by block, volunteers work to tally Spokane’s homeless

UPDATED: Tue., Jan. 31, 2023

Over the course of a few cold days in late January, volunteers dispersed through Spokane in teams of four or more, hoping to tally all those who do not have homes.

News

Artist selected to design Billy Frank Jr. statue to replace likeness of Marcus Whitman

UPDATED: Thu., Jan. 26, 2023

A new Washingtonian will soon be honored in the nation’s Capitol.

News >  Local Government

Spokane Council signals intent to purchase East Trent Avenue homeless shelter

UPDATED: Tue., Jan. 24, 2023

The Spokane City Council has signaled its intent to purchase the former trucking warehouse on East Trent Avenue that now serves as the region’s largest homeless shelter, despite resistance from the mayor and concerns over fiscal sustainability.

News >  Local Government

Spokane County withdraws lawsuit over Camp Hope in show of good faith

UPDATED: Tue., Jan. 24, 2023

The county filed the suit in November seeking a judge’s blessing for local law enforcement to clear the homeless encampment.

News >  Local Government

Spokane City Council hires councilwoman’s husband as policy adviser

UPDATED: Mon., Jan. 23, 2023

Christopher Wright, a former attorney who previously served as Spokane Park Board President and who is also Stratton’s husband, was appointed Monday night as policy adviser by a vote of 4 to 2. Stratton abstained herself from the vote.

News >  Local Government

Spokane City Council again defers vote on controversial rental reforms, citing glitch

UPDATED: Mon., Jan. 23, 2023

When the Spokane City Council voted in early December to defer a vote on a controversial package of rental reforms, its members insisted the yearslong debate would finally come to a close on Jan. 23.

News >  Local Government

What is Spokane’s homeless shelter capacity and why does it matter?

Sun., Jan. 22, 2023

Mayor Nadine Woodward has said the city has enough room to house all of Camp Hope's residents. The Department of Transportation has disagreed. 

News >  Local Government

Spokane argues in court filings it can legally clear Camp Hope, leaves door open to challenge Martin v. Boise

Sun., Jan. 22, 2023

For many, the route for closing Spokane’s Camp Hope homeless encampment has long seemed clear.

News >  WA Government

Spokane pushes Legislature to exempt its trash incinerator from cap-and-trade program

Tue., Jan. 17, 2023

OLYMPIA – The city of Spokane may soon have to pay Washington to comply with a new state program aimed at cutting greenhouse gases because of the city’s trash incinerator.

News >  Local Government

Spokane City Council considers future of the former East Central library — again

Sat., Jan. 14, 2023

Once again, the future of the former East Central library is up in the air.Whatever decision is reached, the restarting of the at-times controversial deliberation also spells uncertainty for the Spokane Police Department’s south precinct, which was housed in the former library last summer.

News >  Local Government

Bridge and trail improvements proposed in Spokane ahead of Expo ‘74 anniversary

UPDATED: Fri., Jan. 13, 2023

The 50th anniversary of Spokane’s Expo ’74 is just 16 months away, and there are big plans to improve infrastructure around Riverfront Park.

News >  Local Government

Former Spokane sustainability leader calls for reforms of city’s ‘broken’ ethics complaint review process

UPDATED: Wed., Jan. 18, 2023

A recently departed sustainability leader for the city of Spokane has referred to accusations that she acted unethically as “character assassination,” and proposed reforms to a “broken” ethics review process she believes is too easily weaponized.She is not alone in raising concerns.