John Craig

A decision is expected soon on a Liberty Lake developer’s request to build a floating dock for 10 boats near McKenzie Bay Lane. Liberty Lake Conservation Partners, 1421 N. Meadowwood Lane, is seeking a substantial development permit to build the dock, which will be 158 feet long, including a 6-foot ramp to McKenzie Beach.

Bonnie Dunbar’s travel photos are a lot more interesting than most. When the former astronaut showed her family homestead near Sunnyside, Wash., to Spokane’s Rotary 21 club Thursday, the view was from space.

Penalties against four Spokane County Jail deputies who allowed an inmate’s death to go undetected for eight hours range from dismissal to a reprimand. Workplace charges in the Nov. 11 death of Fredrick James Juhnke were filed in February and March. Video surveillance and interviews revealed that Kenneth Downey, Lloyd Nolan, David Hatton and Jeff Way failed to make required half-hourly checks on inmates’ welfare, but there was no allegation that they caused or could have prevented Juhnke’s death.

A consultant says he found no “aha” solution to a budget-driven slowdown in the Spokane County Prosecutor’s Office. “A budget cut of the size imposed upon the prosecutor’s office is bound to have serious repercussions, as it appears that it did,” longtime Florida prosecutor Randy McGruther reported.

A consultant says he found no “aha” solution to a budget-driven slowdown in the Spokane County Prosecutor’s Office.

As the only Democrat and the only woman, Bonnie Mager stands out among the candidates for her Spokane County commissioner position. Standing apart could help her survive next month’s primary election if Republicans split their votes among Steve Salvatori, Al French, Jeff Holy and David Elton. But in Washington’s top-two primary system, being the only Democrat no longer guarantees a ticket to the Nov. 2 general election.

Spokane County Assessor Ralph Baker has more challengers than a bear has fleas – and he picked up one of them, appraiser Vicki Horton, in his own den. The den used to belong to another of Baker’s five opponents, former Assessor Sadie Charlene Cooney.

Stevens County’s two Superior Court judges have asked the state bar association to investigate Prosecutor Tim Rasmussen. Judges Rebecca Baker and Al Nielson said in a Sept. 30 complaint that they were concerned about Rasmussen’s practice of encouraging defense attorneys to contribute to a Guatemalan orphanage he supports.

Candidate Al French says he was just trying to be helpful when he wrote letters to the editor for his supporters to sign and send. “I have several written and you can have your pick,” French told Robin Sparrow on Friday on his personal Facebook page. “I have others (supporters) that are submitting, too. Or you can write your own if you like.”

Passports will not be available through the Spokane County auditor’s office after Aug. 31. Auditor Vicky Dalton said it is no longer cost-effective for her licensing office to process the applications.

As the only Democrat and the only woman, Bonnie Mager stands out among the candidates for her Spokane County commissioner position. Standing apart could help her survive next month’s primary election if Republicans split their votes among Steve Salvatori, Al French, Jeff Holy and David Elton. But in Washington’s top-two primary system, being the only Democrat no longer guarantees a ticket to the Nov. 2 general election.

Spokane County Assessor Ralph Baker has more challengers than a bear has fleas – and he picked up one of them, appraiser Vicki Horton, in his own den. The den used to belong to another of Baker’s five opponents, former Assessor Sadie Charlene Cooney.

Spokane County will soon start design work on $2.8 million worth of baseball stadium improvements required by a lease that pays $15,000 a year. County commissioners unanimously appropriated $10,000 Tuesday to begin the design of a new concession building and other improvements at county-owned Avista Stadium.

County commissioners’ tempers flared Tuesday along with public spending on the Spokane County Raceway. Commissioners Todd Mielke and Mark Richard drove to a $1.1 million finish while Commissioner Bonnie Mager waved a yellow flag.

County commissioners’ tempers flared Tuesday along with public spending on the Spokane County Raceway. Commissioners Todd Mielke and Mark Richard drove to a $1.1 million finish while Commissioner Bonnie Mager waved a yellow flag. A 2-1 vote added $588,500 to the taxpayer spending already approved this year for improvements to the raceway, bringing the total to $1.1 million.

Nine local governments and companies fear environmental regulators aren’t moving fast enough to help them meet tough new Spokane River water-quality standards. They say a system for trading cleanup credits across the Washington-Idaho state line is essential, but state officials may not share their sense of urgency.