Pia Hallenberg

There’s one consistent source of company in Gladys Melbourne’s life: her gorgeous orange cat Gabby. Like many other elderly, Melbourne is largely homebound. She lives in a one-bedroom apartment in a downtown senior housing facility and relies on meals from Meals on Wheels and from the facility she lives in.

In response to a letter sent to City Hall and the Spokane Police Department in November, a community meeting was held last week at the Outlaw Cafe on North Market Street. About 30 people attended, including Councilwoman Amber Waldref, Mayor Mary Verner and many representatives from the Spokane Police Department. The letter, which was signed by business and property owners and neighbors in Hillyard, called for more frequent undercover drug patrols, especially during the hours between midnight and 3 a.m. to crack down on a problem with drug dealing and using.

When city plows battle the snow on the streets, it has to go somewhere; hence the snow and ice berms in the middle of downtown streets and along residential sidewalks and driveways. In the business districts along Market Street, North Monroe, Garland and South Perry, the snow and slush often end up filling those on-street parking spots between curb bump-outs. These parking bays are very popular with business owners when it’s not snowing, but what’s a person to do when they are filled up with slush and hard-frozen snow?

The Hobo Bulletin is out

Holiday hours in Hillyard

Family health center pre-enrolling

South Perry Farmers Market open

Advent Spiral Meditation

City holiday hours and tips on tree disposal

Holiday closures + tree disposal

Cataldo Catholic School has become a nonprofit organization. Bishop Blase Cupich granted the formal permission for the change in late November, and the school has since been working through the process of finalizing the registration with the state and electing a lay board of directors.

The neighborhood group Families of Manito has filed a lawsuit in Superior Court against the city of Spokane over a parking lot expansion at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church that was approved by the hearing examiner in early November. A court date has yet to be set, but there is a scheduling conference on Jan. 6.