Spokane city officials are still considering a withdrawal of the city's municipal court from Spokane County District Court after the state Supreme Court last month upheld the city's right to do so. City Council members voted unanimously Monday in favor of a resolution to remain in District Court for one more year, but the city could withdraw at the end of 2007, said Milt Rowland, assistant city attorney.
Cameras would be set up at busy Spokane intersections to photograph red-light runners under a plan given the green light Monday by the public safety committee of the Spokane City Council. Police officials said the system would improve public safety – and could be a moneymaker for City Hall.
Spokane Mayor Dennis Hession wants to reach outside of City Hall to hire a new solid waste director, but City Council members said they aren't sure they will go along with the mayor's choice. Council members said an internal candidate was ranked higher by a mayoral committee that assessed qualifications of three finalists.
Spokane's park leaders have one word for youngsters sledding on municipal golf courses: SCRAM! Same for anyone else who wants to use the city's golf courses for skiing or snowshoeing.
An archaeological dig at the confluence of the Spokane River and Latah Creek has proved that human habitation there dates back 8,000 years in what was an apparent seasonal encampment for gathering and processing food. The discovery means that Spokane is possibly the oldest city in Washington in terms of continuous human use, said Stan Gough, director of archaeological and historical services at Eastern Washington University. Or, at least it's the oldest that's been proven by radiocarbon dating.
The Spokane City Council on Monday set a hearing for Jan. 2 to consider annexation of 134 acres of prime commercial property on the west side of Division Street north of Francis Avenue. The annexation is being supported by major property owners but is opposed by a group of residents living in the largely commercial area.
A construction worker crushed by a falling beam Tuesday at Spokane's wastewater treatment plant was helping rebuild equipment that killed a city worker about 2 ½ years ago. The 26-year-old North Idaho resident, Tizoc Gayton, was removing shoring about 9 a.m. Tuesday that had been erected during excavation for two new waste digesters being installed at the plant, said Marlene Feist, a spokeswoman for the city of Spokane. He was employed by Garco Construction Inc.
Historic restoration in Spokane has long been championed as preserving the character of the city. But a new statewide study shows that preservation has also become a matter of dollars and cents.
Spokane City Council members unanimously approved the city's $529 million 2007 budget, which includes a new $150-a-month mileage allowance for council members, plus the addition of four police officers and four firefighters. Many utility ratepayers will see their monthly bills for water, sewer and garbage increase by just more than 3 percent next year. However, people who don't irrigate heavily and commercial garbage customers will see smaller increases.
Spokane City Council members use their own cars and cash when they travel around the community attending civic functions. They seldom submit reimbursement claims for mileage or other costs.
The Spokane City Council on Monday approved an ordinance that would make it easier for the city to collect its 5 percent admissions tax. The new law, approved on a 6-1 vote, would make owners and lessees responsible along with event organizers to pay the tax. The tax is typically collected as part of the ticket price of a concert, movie or other event.
Former Spokane City Councilman Steve Eugster has filed an initiative that, if approved by voters, would roll back the city's tax on its own water, sewer and garbage utilities. The tax was increased in 2006 from 17 percent to 20 percent of the total bill to help city leaders avoid more budget cuts.
Spokane City Council members said this week they are ready to respond to complaints from the public that more needs to be done to stop neighborhood crimes such as burglary and theft. They said they are going to use $310,000 from the city's improved tax collections to hire four more police officers. Two would work as neighborhood resource officers and two as detectives.
Any snow that falls over the Inland Northwest today was expected to bring a lighter brand of winter. Two to 4 inches of snow were predicted to fall over Spokane and Coeur d'Alene through this morning after most of the Inland Northwest was placed under a snow advisory on Wednesday.
Among the folks planning to attend Spokane's 125th anniversary celebration today will be a group of fourth-graders, their teacher and parents from St. Charles School on the North Side. "I think it's really cool Spokane has been around that long," said student Nelson Anderson.
Standard & Poor's ratings agency on Monday upgraded the city of Spokane's financial standing by removing a negative outlook from its bond rating analysis. Robert Williams, analyst for Standard & Poor's, said the city has been building its reserves after dealing with budget difficulties in 2003 and 2004.
A light snow may fall on the Spokane and Coeur d'Alene areas today, though forecasters said it may turn to rain by afternoon. Forecasters call for a 20 percent chance of precipitation today, with high temperatures near 40.
A neighborhood-inspired plan to increase business and employment opportunities in the East Central Neighborhood will be the subject of a public hearing before the Spokane City Council on Monday. Council members will convene at 6 p.m. and take testimony on the plan later during the meeting, which will be in Council Chambers in the lower level of City Hall.
The city of Spokane's 125th anniversary celebration steps into the past Saturday with a family-oriented event called "An Amazing Race through Spokane History." The race, from noon to 4 p.m., is free and begins at City Hall. It requires no advance registration, and participants can start the race at any time during those hours.
The Spokane City Council on Monday voted to spend part of its community development money to preserve the Carlyle Care Center as affordable housing for as many as 138 residents with severe medical and mental health disabilities. The council voted 6-1 to spend $3.2 million to purchase a note held by C'est La Vie Inc., of Minneapolis, in lieu of foreclosure on the Carlyle, 206 S. Post St. The purchase price is being discounted $1.5 million by the lender.
The Washington Supreme Court on Thursday unanimously upheld the city of Spokane's right to withdraw its municipal court operation from Spokane County District Court, a decision that city officials say will give them leverage to improve court services such as the creation of a new "drug jail." Spokane County District Court judges had argued that if the city left the system, the district court should maintain cases already filed and the city should have to pay the court to handle them. They also said that they should have a say in any separation agreement.
Spokane City Council members on Monday approved a new "interlocal" agreement among the city Fire Department and 14 other public agencies to provide emergency fire dispatch and communication services throughout the county. The agreement updates a 1996 arrangement in which the city became the central dispatch and communication service for fire agencies throughout the county in exchange for assurances that the service could not be interrupted at any time. The original agreement was for 10 years.
A demolition crew is slowly ripping the heart out of Spokane's downtown Rookery Building following a two-year effort by preservationists to save the historic structure. Clouds of dust and debris swirled in the wind Wednesday as workers removed bucketfuls of the 1934 building and dumped them into an awaiting truck bin. Portions of the Rookery's landmark art deco façade were starting to fall.
Yet one more shot of rain and wind was expected to hit the Inland Northwest today, but forecasters said the blustery November weather should then begin to subside. This morning's weather once again brings a chance of snow or sleet to higher elevations around Spokane and Coeur d'Alene, but temperatures were expected to quickly rise above the freezing mark by midmorning and change any wintry mix to all rain.
