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News >  Spokane

Board wants Riverfront Park designated a brownfield to help with cleanup costs

Tue., Sept. 6, 2016

Members of the Spokane Park Board are asking the City Council to consider naming the 100-acre park in the downtown core a “brownfield” site, a designation reserved for polluted areas prime for redevelopment.

News >  Spokane

City works quickly to deliver water to parched trees in Riverfront Park

Fri., Sept. 2, 2016

At least two trees in Riverfront Park lost their leaves after going without water for an unknown amount of time during the summer heat. Contracted workers are using firehoses, among other strategies, to keep the trees alive during construction at the park.

News >  Spokane

Spokane descendant visits Georgetown as school announces plan to make amends for sale of slaves

Thu., Sept. 1, 2016

As Georgetown University announces its plans to make amends for the sale of slaves in the 1830s, a Spokane resident and descendant of a man sold tours the institution for the first time.

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News >  Spokane

Family of man killed in 2013 police shooting outside Salvation Army sues city

Wed., Aug. 31, 2016

Just before the expiration of the three-year statute of limitations, the family of Danny Jones, the 40-year-old man shot and killed in his truck outside the Salvation Army housing center in north Spokane, sued the city for wrongful death.

News >  Spokane

Pig Out in the Park: What to know before you feast

Tue., Aug. 30, 2016

How should parkgoers avoid construction to get to the food fastest? Why can’t stands serve drinks? What’s with that name, anyway? We’ve got you ready for this year’s annual outdoor gorge-fest.

News >  Spokane

Visiting judge will review proposed recall of Mayor David Condon

Tue., Aug. 30, 2016

The Spokane County Prosecutor’s Office has submitted proposed ballot language on the possible recall of Spokane Mayor David Condon. A judge will consider if the proposed recall can move forward at a hearing on Monday afternoon.

News >  Spokane

City Council changes Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples’ Day

Mon., Aug. 29, 2016

The second Monday in October in Spokane will now be known as Indigenous Peoples Day, after the City Council voted 6-1 to rename a holiday honoring Christopher Columbus to commemorate local tribes instead.

News >  Spokane

City Council lays out timeline for new police chief search

Mon., Aug. 29, 2016

The Spokane City Council is asking Mayor David Condon to name a new police chief appointment by Sept. 30. The process requested by the council would place police Capt. Brad Arleth back in the running for the job.

News >  Spokane

People involved in first round of police chief interviews cautiously optimistic about reboot

Tue., Aug. 23, 2016

It’s unclear how the next round of police chief interviews will proceed following an 11th hour deal between the City Council and Mayor David Condon to reopen the process. But those involved in the last round of vetting say they’re cautiously optimistic about Craig Meidl joining the mix.

News >  Spokane

Mayor bows to City Council, will put Craig Meidl through interviews for police chief job

Mon., Aug. 22, 2016

The deal between the City Council and Mayor David Condon on Monday came hours before a confirmation vote was to be held on Craig Meidl’s nomination as police chief. Meidl had faced scrutiny after not applying for the chief job and participating in a courtroom salute of Karl Thompson.

News >  Spokane

Craig Meidl faces political, salute-related challenges in bid for chief job

Sun., Aug. 21, 2016

Craig Meidl will have to overcome a City Council that is at odds with the mayor over hiring authority and some members of the public still furious about his involvement in a courtroom salute of Karl Thompson to be confirmed as Spokane’s next police chief.

News >  Spokane

Beggs, Kinnear want BNSF to join push for stricter train safety standards

Sun., Aug. 21, 2016

If BNSF does not agree to lobby state and federal decision-makers to assist the City Council in beefing up security standards for Bakken crude and coal on trains running through downtown, Breean Beggs and Lori Kinnear are willing to launch a petition campaign.

News >  Spokane

Meidl says he still wants police chief job, even without Stuckart’s support

Thu., Aug. 18, 2016

In an interview Thursday, Craig Meidl said he wants to focus on reducing crime in Spokane and that he’s fine serving as chief without the support of City Council President Ben Stuckart. Stuckart told Spokesman-Review columnist Shawn Vestal on Thursday he’d vote against Meidl’s confirmation.

News >  Spokane

Former city attorney accuses Straub report author of libel in latest statement

Thu., Aug. 18, 2016

The attorney representing Nancy Isserlis panned a letter sent this week enforcing the finding she was responsible for the delay of potentially damaging public records until after Mayor David Condon’s re-election. John Spencer Stewart for the second time demanded a retraction, and this time accused Cappel of libel in her report.

News >  Spokane

Investigator accuses former Spokane City Attorney of ‘diversion tactics’ in Frank Straub probe

Wed., Aug. 17, 2016

Kris Cappel on Wednesday released her rebuttal of a letter from the legal team representing former City Attorney Nancy Isserlis, hinting that “personal reasons” stopped the now-resigned Isserlis from participating in the investigation. The letter is the latest in a series of public arguments about the findings of Cappel’s report.

News >  Spokane

Recall petition filed against Mayor Condon over Police Department actions

Tue., Aug. 16, 2016

David Green, a local accountant and Democratic Party official, said he felt he needed “to get the ball rolling” on a recall effort against Mayor David Condon following the release of a report on the handling of former Police Chief Frank Straub’s ouster.

News >  Spokane

City Council removes controversial oil and coal train fines from ballot

Mon., Aug. 15, 2016

Voters will not get to weigh in on the trains moving coal and oil through downtown Spokane, as the City Council reversed course and removed the question from the November ballot on a 5-2 vote Monday. City Council President Ben Stuckart said he no longer felt the ballot measure was legally defensible.

News >  Spokane

Body camera footage access extended to members of Police Ombudsman Office

Mon., Aug. 15, 2016

The Spokane Police Guild and Interim Police Ombudsman Bart Logue have come to an agreement expanding access to officers’ body camera footage. Logue’s assistant will have access to digitally stored body camera footage turned over to the Office of the Police Ombudsman for review in specific cases. However, only Logue will be allowed to critically view the footage to offer suggestions and recommendations to police.

News >  Spokane

Stuckart to ask City Council to reconsider ballot measure fining coal, oil trains

Fri., Aug. 12, 2016

City Council President Ben Stuckart said it may have been “hasty” to ask voters if the city should fine coal and oil train operators and will ask the measure be withdrawn from the ballot at the council meeting Monday. Opponents had said the council was stepping on the toes of Congress and the Department of Transportation by considering the ban.

News >  Spokane

Meidl addresses Thompson salute, desire for full City Hall buy-in at public forum

Thu., Aug. 11, 2016

Craig Meidl said he was doing all he could to achieve community support following an unorthodox nomination for police chief by Mayor David Condon. He promised to build relationships between the community and police department and address issues of implicit racial bias among officers.

News >  Spokane

Condon’s pick for city attorney drops out; former attorney blasts Straub report

Wed., Aug. 10, 2016

Laura McAloon cites a “toxic” relationship with City Council President Ben Stuckart as her reason for dropping out of contention for the city attorney’s office. Stuckart says she didn’t have the votes for confirmation. Nancy Isserlis, through an attorney, demanded a public apology following the report that cast a shadow on McAloon’s nomination.

News >  Spokane

Laborer wins Supreme Court appeal of worker’s compensation denial

Wed., Aug. 10, 2016

John Kovacs was injured Sept. 29, 2010. He filed a worker’s compensation claim on Sept. 29, 2011. The lower courts had said he missed the one-year deadline, but the Supreme Court unanimously overruled that finding last month.

News >  Spokane

Final co-conspirator in James Henrikson murder-for-hire schemes gets 8 years in prison

Tue., Aug. 9, 2016

Todd Bates, 43, solicited the services of a would-be hitman in Chicago to kill Jed McClure, at the direction of James Henrikson, according to investigators. His sentencing was delayed by health issues.

News >  Spokane

City Council OKs deal with GSI to continue business development, federal lobbying

Mon., Aug. 8, 2016

The Spokane City Council signed a short-term deal Monday with Greater Spokane Inc. for business development services, following a monthlong delay on a contract extension. The contract requires GSI to solicit input from area companies about Spokane’s business climate and seeks to end conflicts of interest in joint federal lobbying efforts.

News >  Spokane

Former parks spokeswoman Goodspeed sues Spokane for $1 million in wake of Straub ouster

Mon., Aug. 8, 2016

Nancy Goodspeed alleges she was illegally replaced by Monique Cotton in the city’s Parks Department after Cotton alleged sexual harassment by her former boss, Frank Straub. When she returned to work, the city demanded a “fitness for duty” examination, which was discriminatory, a federal lawsuit filed Monday alleges.