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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883
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Mike Prager

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News >  Voices

City OKs public works loans

The City Council on Monday approved two low-interest Public Works Trust Fund loans from the state for $5.5 million in water system improvements. A $3.4 million loan is being taken to pay for nearly four miles of new water transmission pipe across northeast Spokane. The existing riveted steel pipe is 91 years old and in danger of rupturing, officials said. That type of pipe has broken elsewhere in the city, causing significant damage. The loan will pay for new ductile iron pipe on a route that runs from Frederick Avenue to Division Street.
News >  Voices

Plan panel to consider 29th, Grand

Neighborhood leaders on the South Side are talking about creating an "urban village" business center out of the existing business district at 29th Avenue and Grand Boulevard, but they have fallen into two distinct camps over how to accomplish that. Two competing proposals are expected to go before the city Plan Commission next week.
News >  Spokane

West brings new tone, new success to City Hall

In his 16 months in office at City Hall, Spokane Mayor Jim West has pulled off a series of significant accomplishments while enjoying broad political support both inside and outside the city. Possibly his biggest accomplishment was winning voter approval last fall of a $117 million bond issue to fix aging city streets. The victory was a remarkable turnaround from the resounding defeat by voters just two years earlier of a smaller street bond, under the previous mayor.
News >  Spokane

City”s budget cuts aren”t over

Four months after the city of Spokane made sweeping cuts to its general fund services, top officials at City Hall are talking about the prospect of even more cuts for 2006. Current estimates show a revenue shortfall of $1.5 million to $2 million in each of the next five years from what currently is a $117 million budget for police, fire, library, parks, streets and other non-utility services. The shortfall is equivalent to the cost of a dozen police or fire officers.
News >  Spokane

Developers attack zoning reforms

Commercial developers took aim Monday at portions of a sweeping reform of the city's zoning code, questioning whether Spokane needs to require apartments in neighborhood business areas. The Spokane City Council is considering a proposal that seeks to create trendy new "urban villages" where people can shop, live, dine and work without having to rely so much on their automobiles.
News >  Spokane

Plan pushes ‘new urbanism’

In a push to foster trendy "urban villages" throughout Spokane – where residents can live, work, shop and dine without having to rely so heavily on personal automobiles – some city officials want to give developers greater flexibility over how commercial property can be used. But there's also a catch: In exchange for that flexibility, commercial developers could be asked to add residential housing as part of their projects in some neighborhood business locations. At least two developers are opposed to those provisions.
News >  Voices

City rejects bid to save Grandview plot

The Spokane City Council on Monday uprooted an effort by Grandview Avenue-area residents to preserve approximately 23 acres of city-owned land near Interstate 90 in southwest Spokane. The council voted 4-3 not to participate in an application by neighbors seeking to have Spokane County purchase the land under a voter-approved Conservation Futures Program.
News >  Spokane

Old practices blamed for death at plant

Bad habits got in the way of safety at Spokane's wastewater treatment plant and contributed to a sludge tank accident last May 10 that claimed the life of maintenance worker Mike Cmos Jr., a mayor's oversight committee found. "The committee has concluded that the event in question was the result of decades of actions and omissions that cumulatively contributed to a tragic event," according to the report issued Monday.
News >  Spokane

City extends benefits to domestic partners

The Spokane City Council on Monday approved a controversial measure that would extend benefits to nonmarried partners of city employees if their unions negotiate for those benefits. Nearly three hours of impassioned testimony culminated in a 5-2 council vote in favor of the "domestic partnership benefits" ordinance.
News >  Spokane

Historic garden”s restoration under way, but needs help

Workers have righted a key section of stone staircase in a collection of garden ruins that provide a curious link to Spokane's history. Landscape work on an overgrown slope of Pioneer Park at Seventh Avenue and Howard Street is being undertaken this spring to protect some of the most significant ruins from being lost to further deterioration and vandalism.
News >  Spokane

Spring comes bright and early

There's nothing like a few warm, sunny days in April to put a bloom on things. A high of 68 in Spokane and Coeur d'Alene on Thursday had lots of people enjoying their favorite outdoor pastimes, especially with the longer evenings that come with the season.
News >  Voices

Bid for Marne siphon upgrade OK”d

The Spokane City Council on Monday approved a low bid from Red Diamond Construction Inc. to install improvements to a sewer siphon near the Marne Bridge at Hangman Creek. The project involves shutting down two older siphons under the creek and upgrading a third existing siphon with new pipe connections, city officials said. The siphons carry wastewater underneath the creek. Work is expected to begin this spring.
News >  Spokane

City settles suit over 1995 development vote

Ten years after the Spokane City Council voted to block permits for a large apartment proposal, the City Council on Monday settled a lawsuit that arose from its 1995 vote. The city has agreed to grant the developer up to $250,000 worth of development permits free of charge for construction of the long-delayed project. The credits won't take effect until next January.
News >  Spokane

Parkland eyed for development

A developer who wants to build an upscale urban village in Spokane has quietly proposed using a slice of Riverfront Park between the Post and Monroe street bridges for an adjoining public market and other commercial uses. The deal, which enjoys substantial support within City Hall, revolves around possible lease of the park-land by developer Marshall Chesrown.
News >  Spokane

French says benefits stance isn’t personal

A Spokane city councilman advocating expansion of city employee health benefits to include unmarried domestic partners would be among those who could benefit if the proposal is adopted. But Councilman Al French, whose longtime girl-friend lives with him and would be eligible for city health benefits under the proposal, says he wouldn't take advantage of the change.
News >  Voices

Group part of NASA’s Night Sky Net

Spokane area educators, students and astronomy buffs have new ways to learn about the night sky. The Spokane Astronomical Society has been selected by NASA to be a member of its Night Sky Network, a nationwide coalition of amateur astronomy societies with outreach programs in their communities.
News >  Spokane

Mayor West to join grant commission

Spokane Mayor Jim West has been invited to sit on a Bush Administration commission to look at an administration plan for streamlining federal grant programs to local governments. West was scheduled to fly to Fresno, Calif., today for the first meeting of the Strengthening America's Communities Advisory Commission, an effort funded by Congress last year. West said no city money will be involved, beyond his time.
News >  Spokane

Fountain has more water than it needs

Construction workers building a new fountain at the Howard Street entrance to Riverfront Park weren't counting on seeing so much water so soon. For the past several days, water from the Spokane River has been draining into a hole being dug to house the fountain's reservoir vault. On Tuesday, crews had hooked up a pump and hoses to lower the water level so workers could continue to dig in the rocky muck.
News >  Spokane

Council OKs vehicle weight plan

Spokane City Council members Monday agreed to a police department plan to enforce vehicle weight laws on city streets. The council voted 6-1 in favor of three ordinances that will allow the city to send violators into municipal court where the city can retain a large share of any possible fines.
News >  Spokane

Door-to-door sales linked to fraud, theft

Spokane sheriff's investigators Friday said they are seeking additional victims in a theft and burglary spree that led to the arrest this week of a 22-year-old transient magazine salesman and a woman who worked with him. An unknown number of residents were victimized in a monthlong run of crimes associated with the door-to-door sales operation. At least 10 victims have been identified so far. Blank checks and cash were taken in break-ins or through thefts from residents who had answered their doors and allowed a magazine salesman to enter, deputies said.
News >  Spokane

Area enjoys window of dazzling weather

Kids and families poured into area parks Tuesday as sunny skies brought a reprieve from three weeks of stormy, cool weather. Another full day of spring weather is expected today as highs approach 70 across the Inland Northwest. High clouds may reduce the amount of sunshine, forecasters said, before a new round of showery weather returns Thursday and Friday.
News >  Spokane

Window of dazzling weather

Kids and families poured into area parks on Tuesday as sunny skies brought a reprieve from three weeks of stormy, cool weather. Another full day of spring weather is expected today as highs approach 70 across the Inland Northwest. High clouds may reduce the amount of sunshine, forecasters said, before a new round of showery weather returns on Thursday and Friday.
News >  Spokane

First city street project may start in mid-June

Spokane city staffers are gearing up this spring to start spending a $117 million street improvement bond measure approved by voters last fall. One of the first projects is reconstruction of Ash and Maple streets from Wellesley Avenue north to Cedar Road.
News >  Spokane

Police want to cite overweight trucks

Spokane Police want to put the brakes on truckers who drive city streets with overloaded rigs. Tonight the department is expected to ask the City Council to make it a city violation to operate an overweight truck.