A year after major cold snap, Spokane’s homeless care approach still evolving
This week in January 2024, the Inland Northwest was stuck in the deep freeze as polar air drove overnight low temperatures below zero.
Spokane Mayor Lisa Brown, less than two weeks into her term, declared a weather emergency. The city expanded capacity in the shelters it controlled. Privately-operated agencies worked with churches and other community partners to expand capacity by opening smaller buildings in different parts of the city.
That scattered site approach is now the city’s preferred option for sheltering unhoused people. But Brown told SPR News it’s a model that requires both public and private partners to participate.
“We have found several faith-based communities that have stepped up,” Brown said. “So we’re working with them through the Empire Health Foundation to get these off the ground, and I believe within the next year or so we’ll see that they definitely have less neighborhood impact and they do have greater success.”
Brown says Spokane County and neighboring communities continue to discuss how to coordinate efforts to alleviate homelessness. They haven’t agreed on whether to create a new regional agency. Brown believes the local governments will instead develop interlocal agreements to share their resources.
Inslee to say goodbye today; Ferguson sworn in tomorrow
Washington’s outgoing governor will give his farewell speech to a joint session of the legislature today.
Gov. Jay Inslee’s speech is scheduled for 10:15 this morning. It can be watched live at TVW.org. At 12:30 p.m., Inslee’s official portrait, painted by Spokane artist Grace Flott, will be unveiled.
Inslee is one of three Washington state governors to be elected to three terms in office. Republican Arthur Langlie was elected to non-consecutive terms (1941-45 and 1949-57). Republican Dan Evans (1965-77) and Inslee served theirs consecutively. Inslee is the sole Democratic governor to date elected thrice.
Tomorrow, Governor-elect Bob Ferguson will take the oath of office and deliver his inaugural address.
The state House and Senate held their opening day festivities Monday. Senators and representatives took their oaths of office and listened to musical interludes.
House Democrats elected their leader, Tacoma’s Laurie Jinkins, as speaker. Each newly-elected senator, including Spokane’s Leonard Christian and Marcus Riccelli, marched to the rostrum to take the oath in front of their peers.
The legislative session is scheduled to last until April 27.
Valley School District hopes voters approve school construction bond
Fourteen years ago, a pilot preschool program with nine children laid the foundation for an early learning center in Valley, a rural town 38 miles north of Spokane. Today, serving 80 kids a day, the Valley School District hopes its voters will approve a crucial construction bond to meet the center’s needs.
The Valley Early Learning Center in southern Stevens County is shooting for an estimated $3.9 million construction bond. The bond would fund a permanent facility that could expand the learning center’s capacity by 60%.
District Superintendent Mandi Rehn told SPR News the center is housed in four temporary and disconnected portable classrooms, and still offers the rural town year-round childcare, special education, transitional kindergarten and more.
“I know in Stevens County, one of their big concerns is daycare for young, for young children, that there just aren't spaces available,” Rehn said. “Our goal is to help as many of those kids and families.”
The Valley Early Learning Center’s current bond expires in December. Rehn said the vote for a replacement bond measure is scheduled for February 11.
The district plans to host a town hall meeting for families at the Early Learning Center today from 5:30 to 7 p.m.
Federal infrastructure money to support Division Street rapid bus plan
Two million dollars in federal money is coming to Spokane to help plan a new rapid transit bus line.
U.S. Sens. Maria Cantwell and Patty Murray said Monday the money from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is part of a larger chunk of funds for transportation projects around Washington.
Spokane’s share will help set up a plan to convert the existing Division Street 25 route to a rapid transit line. The route currently serves nearly a million passengers a year.
The conversion will mean new bus stops along Division, along with modifications to the road that Cantwell said will make travel along the busy route safer and easier.
- - -
Reporting was contributed by Doug Nadvornick, Monica Carrillo-Casas and Brandon Hollingsworth.