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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

Democrats eye county seat

On the issues, not much separates the Democratic candidates seeking their party's nomination for Spokane County Commission. They believe the county should consider impact fees on new construction to help pay for infrastructure. They stress the need for county leaders to better cooperate with cities. They support light rail, at least in the long term. They believe more services, such as wastewater treatment, should be regionalized to save money. They say the county has allowed haphazard growth that threatens the quality of life and the environment.
News >  Spokane

Run for commission a matter of approach

Larry R. Vandervert has nothing negative to say about his opponent and says incumbent Phil Harris has served residents well. So why's he challenging a 12-year county commissioner with a large campaign war chest?
News >  Voices

Youths will advise interstate fair

A new board is giving a younger perspective to the Spokane County Interstate Fair. Teens across the county are advising fair management on youth issues and providing volunteer services as members of the fair's new Junior Advisory Board.
News >  Spokane

County may move jail, courts

After serving for more than a century as the hub for the criminal justice system, the Spokane County Courthouse could face a future without courts. That same future could cost close to half a billion dollars.
News >  Voices

Youths to advise interstate fair

A new board is giving a younger perspective to the Spokane Interstate Fair. Teens are advising fair management on youth issues and providing volunteer services as members of the fair's new Junior Advisory Board.
News >  Voices

Youths will advise interstate fair

A new board is giving a younger perspective to the Spokane Interstate Fair. Teens are advising fair management on youth issues and providing volunteer services as members of the fair's new Junior Advisory Board.
News >  Spokane

County assessor meets with lawmakers

For the first time since he was appointed in January 2005, Spokane County Assessor Ralph Baker held a press conference Wednesday. With the primary election just around the corner, Baker said he wanted to let citizens know that he had met with legislators earlier in the day to pass along taxpayer concerns.
News >  Spokane

Commissioners approve fee for psychiatric hospital beds

Spokane County commissioners approved a plan Tuesday aimed at reducing the number of patients sent to the state's psychiatric hospital in Medical Lake. A state contract effective Sept. 1 will require the county to pay $514 a day for each bed filled at Eastern State Hospital over the amount of beds allocated to the county by the state's Mental Health Division.
News >  Spokane

Distant wildfires create haze throughout Inland Northwest

Smoke from wildfires in north central Washington created a thick haze Saturday over the Inland Northwest, limiting views and irritating throats. Washington's smoke was blowing well into Montana, according to the Northern Rockies Coordinating group, which represents the federal agencies that fight fires.
News >  Spokane

Late filers bring competition

As time was running out to file for office in Washington late last month, several surprise candidates filled the empty spaces on the Spokane County ballot. The late entrants created primary competition for three-term incumbent County Commissioner Phil Harris and ensured that the winner of the high-profile GOP sheriff's race between Ozzie Knezovich and Cal Walker won't be assured final victory.
News >  Spokane

RPS garage to get upgrades

River Park Square officials announced Friday that they will strengthen the mall's parking garage by attaching steel rods and plates to outside-facing walls. The announcement comes four months after a Pullman woman died when her Subaru went through a barrier on the fifth floor and 13 years after an engineer suggested erecting cables along the sides to prevent cars from hitting the concrete barriers.
News >  Spokane

Deer Park doctor’s medical license suspended

A Deer Park osteopathic doctor was informed by the state Thursday that his medical license has been suspended because of allegations that include prescribing narcotics to known drug abusers. Keith L. Hindman, who runs Shepherd's Staff Foundation Medical Clinic at 855 S. Main St. in Deer Park, was suspended from practicing medicine on Wednesday, said Deanna Whitman, state Department of Health spokeswoman. The suspension was effective immediately because his alleged actions may endanger patients, she said.
News >  Spokane

Heat is on in county elections

Voters will have choices to make in at least five of the seven Spokane County offices up for election this year. Multiple candidates have already filed to run for county commission, auditor and assessor. Competition also is expected for sheriff and treasurer.
News >  Spokane

County’s planning board now full

The Spokane County Planning Commission has a full membership for the first time in more than a year, a gap that leaders say won't repeat. "I'm certainly committed to making sure it doesn't happen again," Spokane County Commissioner Mark Richard said. "We've got to do a better job of making that a priority."
News >  Spokane

Prescription overdoses deadlier than illegal drugs

Prescription drugs are causing more overdose deaths in Spokane County than illegal drugs like methamphetamine, the county's medical examiner said Friday. In 2005, 35 people in Spokane County died from overdoses of prescription medicine, according to the county medical examiner's annual report, which was released Friday.
News >  Spokane

Some RPS garage barriers inferior

Half of the barriers on the first seven floors of the River Park Square Parking garage – including one that collapsed earlier this year when hit by a car – do not meet current concrete standards set in the building code, according to an engineering report released Wednesday by the city of Spokane.
News >  Spokane

Medical Lake area gets a boost

Spokane County commissioners decided Tuesday to encourage industrial growth near Medical Lake by redirecting tax dollars to pay for sewers, roads and other improvements in the area. The decision, approved unanimously, affects about 2,000 acres and dozens of property owners around Interstate 90 from the Aero Road interchange (Exit 272) to Spotted Road.
News >  Spokane

Medical Lake area gets boost

Spokane County commissioners decided Tuesday to encourage industrial growth near Medical Lake by redirecting tax dollars to pay for sewers, roads and other improvements in the area. The decision, approved unanimously, affects about 2,000 acres and dozens of property owners around Interstate 90 from the Aero Road interchange (Exit 272) to Spotted Road.
News >  Spokane

Coffee roaster fired up over pollution law

Ryan Skinner says he's not the type to fight for relaxed air pollution laws. When opening a North Side organic market and coffee-roasting business last year, he ensured that coffee labels would be printed with soy ink and stuck to biodegradable packages with petroleum-free glue.
News >  Spokane

Plan presented to reduce phosphorus in Spokane River

The Spokane River will be healthier if a new plan to reduce phosphorus pollution is approved, state officials told local leaders at a meeting Thursday. Phosphorus reduction will help lead to the restoration of "one of the crown jewels of Washington state," said Jay Manning, director of the state Department of Ecology.
News >  Spokane

Phosphorus pact step to cleaner river

It may be too late to avoid a temporary halt of construction in Spokane County. But county leaders say the completion and likely approval of a new state agreement – expected this week – to reduce phosphorus in the Spokane River will allow them to move forward with a new wastewater treatment plant and possibly avoid a construction moratorium in the coming years.
News >  Spokane

Tax burden hits homes

With exploding home prices and a stagnant manufacturing base, the tax burden in Spokane County is falling on homeowners more heavily than anyone else. Homeowners will pay 62.5 percent of all 2006 property taxes due in Spokane County, according to the state Department of Revenue. That's up from 57.2 percent in 2001. They're expected to pay an even higher percentage next year because home values used for 2007 taxes have continued to rise faster than commercial properties, officials say.
News >  Spokane

Small-town tradition wins big

From the grandstand, Dave Graham gives Liberty Lake's Independence Day parade the professionalism usually reserved for lines of floats surrounded by skyscrapers and department stores. But the parade and the other events that mark the Fourth of July in Liberty Lake are no big-city affairs. For one, Graham's grandstand is the second-story deck on his house, and the parade floats that pass by are mostly golf carts, Radio Flyer wagons and baby strollers.
News >  Spokane

Air agency formally hires director

Four days after Bill Dameworth started work as leader of Spokane County's air agency, the group's board formally voted to approve his hiring. Dameworth, former environmental manager for timber company Pope & Talbot, was introduced at a public meeting on Monday as the new director of the Spokane County Air Pollution Control Authority.