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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883
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Jonathan Brunt

Jonathan Brunt

Current Position: Asst. Managing Editor (Govt)

Jonathan Brunt joined The Spokesman-Review in 2004. He is the government editor. He previously was a reporter who covered Spokane City Hall, Spokane County government and public safety.

Email
jonathanb@spokesman.com
Phone
(509) 459-5442

All Stories

News >  Spokane

Spokane City Council keeping its full-time aide

A couple months after increasing the hours of the assistants for each City Council member, the Spokane City Council on Monday decided to maintain the council’s full-time senior executive assistant. Jennifer Westfall, who holds a bachelor’s in business administration from Central Michigan University, was selected by City Council President Joe Shogan to fill the position, which was left vacant by the recent departure of longtime council executive Mary Franklin.
News >  Spokane

EMS levy passes latest six-year test

For the sixth time in a row, Spokane voters agreed to pay a six-year property tax for the fire department’s medical response service. Almost 67 percent of voters agreed to continue the city’s emergency medical services tax. It needed 60 percent to pass. A few thousand votes will be counted this week, but that’s not enough to alter the levy’s fate.
News >  Spokane

Spokane Police Guild distorted vote on chief

The extent of dissatisfaction with Spokane police Chief Anne Kirkpatrick among the rank and file may not be as bad as union leaders suggest. A document obtained by The Spokesman-Review shows Spokane Police Guild leaders misrepresented the results of a recent no-confidence vote against Kirkpatrick and Assistant Chief Jim Nicks. Of the 276 guild members, 112 voted no confidence in the department’s leadership, or fewer than half.
News >  Spokane

Voters renew EMS levy

For the sixth time in a row, Spokane voters have agreed to pay a six-year property tax for the fire department’s medical response service.
News >  Spokane

Money is major roadblock for final leg of freeway

Exit 282 of Interstate 90 sits as a monument to the stops and starts of building a north Spokane freeway. Engineers designed the massive Hamilton ramps to be the start of a new thoroughfare through Spokane. The exit opened in 1971 but never got connected to a freeway.
News >  Spokane

Building spared despite location

From the inside, the Cecil Apartments may not seem worth saving. The vacant building, which turns 100 this year, is in the path of a proposed expansion of Interstate 90 as part of the North Spokane Corridor project. Its ceilings are cracked and caving. The walls are coated with lead paint and filled with asbestos.
A&E >  Entertainment

Freeway redraws housing footprint

With decades of studies, draft reports, public meetings and money shortfalls, Spokane’s north-south freeway has remained more of a concept than a road. Even the portion of the freeway that opened last year north of city limits is used by only about 4,000 vehicles a day – about a third of the traffic on the busiest portion of Garland Avenue.
News >  Spokane

Tea party in the park

There may be plenty of disagreement in political rallies of thousands, but Oakesdale resident Ken Hanson’s opinion on taxes is one that was nearly universal at Thursday’s Tea Party gathering in Spokane. “As the government continues to increase taxes and put more and more regulations on us, it’s impossible for us to prosper,” said Hanson, a farmer and owner of an irrigation supply business who brought his sons to the event.
News >  Spokane

Tea supporters turn out for a party

There may be plenty of disagreement in political rallies of thousands, but Oakesdale resident Ken Hanson’s opinion on taxes is one that was nearly universal at Thursday's Tea Party gathering in Spokane.
News >  Spokane

Group wants anti-U.N. item on ballot

Spokane leaders would have to revoke the city’s memberships and relationships with the United Nations and other groups “undermining United States sovereignty” under a proposal that supporters hope will make the November ballot. That charter amendment and another that were submitted last week would also prevent the city from “adopting any regulations, taxation or other policies which would be targeted specifically towards modifying greenhouse gas emissions.” The proposals were submitted last week by former City Council candidate Mike Fagan on behalf of the Spokane Patriots.
News >  Spokane

Police ombudsman issues first report to city

The first 18 of 19 internal investigations into police actions to be reviewed by Spokane’s police ombudsman have been labeled “timely, thorough and objective.” Spokane’s first police ombudsman, Tim Burns, released data about his first few months on the job this week as part of his annual report to City Council.
News >  Spokane

Police ombudsman clears 18 of 19 cases

The first 18 of 19 internal investigations into police actions to be reviewed by Spokane’s police ombudsman have been labeled “timely, thorough and objective.”

Initiative aims to restrict city’s international ties

Spokane leaders would have to revoke the city’s memberships and relationships with the United Nations and other groups “undermining United States sovereignty” under a proposal that supporters hope will make the November ballot.
News >  Spokane

Police union has ‘no confidence’ in Kirkpatrick

Union leaders representing Spokane Police Department officers say they have approved a no-confidence vote against Chief Anne Kirkpatrick and her administration. The Spokane Police Guild said a “majority” of its 268 members voted in March that they have no confidence in the “office” of the police chief.