Today's headlines:
- Thurston County judge partially blocks WA's new standards for law enforcement leaders.
- Six transgender Idahoans sue their state over its criminal bathroom ban.
- Data centers make planning for energy use in the Northwest unpredictable, a new analysis says.
- STA decides to send sales tax renewal to voters this August—but with a sunset clause.
- GOP Rep. Michael Baumgartner embarks on a tour of 12 counties in 12 days ahead of reelection filing.
Plus, SPR's Eliza Billingham takes us to Plante’s Ferry Sports Complex in Spokane Valley. It’s just completed the first phase in a planned upgrade meant to draw more youth sports and tourism dollars—but developers say they’re balancing facility needs with environmental concerns.
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SPR News Today is a production of Spokane Public Radio.
Reporting was contributed by Owen Henderson, Adia White, Eliza Billingham and Monica Carrillo-Casas.
Owen Henderson hosts and produces the show.
TRANSCRIPT
[THEME MUSIC]
OWEN HENDERSON: From Spokane Public Radio, it’s SPR News Today.
I’m Owen Henderson. It’s Thursday, April 30, 2026.
On today’s show, Washington’s new law setting standards for law enforcement leaders and creating a path to remove them has been partially blocked just a day before it would’ve gone into effect.
And after much back and forth, Spokane Transit has decided it will ask voters to renew its sales tax this August.
Plus, we visit Plante’s Ferry Sports Complex in Spokane Valley. It’s just completed the first phase in a planned upgrade meant to draw more youth sports and tourism dollars—but developers say they’re balancing facility needs with environmental concerns.
Those stories and more, coming up on SPR News Today.
[FADE OUT THEME]
Washington’s new law that sets stricter eligibility requirements for police chiefs and sheriffs has been partially blocked.
Four northeastern Washington sheriffs challenged the new rules and a judge in Olympia yesterday stopped the law from taking effect—for sheriffs.
The rules will still go into effect for police chiefs tomorrow.
The law would have created a path for the state to remove law enforcement leaders who didn’t meet specific requirements.
The four sheriffs argue that’s unconstitutional because they’re elected by voters.
The state says it plans to appeal the ruling.
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Six transgender Idahoans are suing the state over a new law criminalizing trans people using bathrooms that align with their gender identity, including in private businesses.
The suit, filed today, attempts to stop the law from going into effect July 1.
The plaintiffs argue the law violates equal protection and due process rights.
Supporters of the law say it’s meant to protect women.
The Idaho Fraternal Order of Police told lawmakers during the legislative session the measure would be difficult to enforce in practice.
And a 2025 study shows no increase to harm for non-trans people when trans individuals can use the bathroom aligned with their gender identity.
A first violation of the law carries a misdemeanor charge, punishable by up to a year in prison.
A second offense within five years is a felony, punishable by up to five years in prison.
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Data centers are making it hard to plan for the Pacific Northwest’s energy future.
That’s according to an analysis out this month.
The amount of energy a data center uses can vary a lot.
Artificial intelligence takes a lot of power. Cloud storage takes less.
And nobody is tracking how many data centers are being built—or for what use.
Elain Hart with Sylvan Energy Analytics says that’s making planning for the future much more difficult.
ELAIN HART: “We're kind of at a point of unprecedented uncertainty, which is very scary for planners, and it means we need solutions that are kind of robust to a lot of different possibilities.”
OH: Hart says limiting data centers during extreme weather could help keep the lights on when energy use is at its highest.
It’s an approach some data centers have already adopted.
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The Spokane Transit Authority will ask voters to renew a point-2 percent sales tax this August.
The tax currently in place will expire by the end of 2028.
But some city officials want to find out sooner rather than later if current STA funding will remain the same past that.
Spokane City Councilmember Kitty Klitzke told board members repeatedly that sustained local funding could affect the potential for future federal funding.
She and others are currently advocating for federal grant money to help fund the Division Street Bus Rapid Transit.
She and council members Sarah Dixit and Zach Zappone were the fiercest advocates for getting the measure on the August ballot.
They were also the biggest supporters of asking voters to extend the tax indefinitely.
But after pressure from the business community, the STA board decided 5 to 4 to include a 20-year sunset on the tax.
That means Spokane County voters will be asked to renew again before the end of 2048.
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Eastern Washington Republican Representative Michael Baumgartner is embarking on a 19,000-mile tour tomorrow to meet with voters ahead of filing for reelection.
SPR’s rural affairs reporter and Murrow News Fellow Monica Carrillo-Casas has more.
MONICA CARRILLO-CASAS: “Twelve counties in 12 days” is what Baumgartner’s team is calling a tour across the Fifth Congressional District.
District Director Dan Bisbee says the tour starts in Walla Walla County before Baumgartner moves his way up to northeastern Washington.
DAN BISBEE: “The Congressman really wants to hear from individuals in these areas about what the impacts of policy are on their lives.”
MCC: Bisbee says Baumgartner is especially interested to hear perspectives on issues around agriculture, rural healthcare and border control.
While most of these stops will be private meetings with city officials, Baumgartner will be doing three town halls—the first one being on Monday in Republic.
The other two towns to hold town halls are Davenport and Ritzville.
I’m Monica Carrillo-Casas, reporting.
[SHORT MUSIC BED]
OH: New soccer pitches are ready for action in Spokane Valley.
The multimillion-dollar upgrade to Plante’s Ferry Sports Complex is just phase one in a long process to refit the aging recreation spot into a state-of-the-art youth sports attraction.
SPR’s Eliza Billingham has more on how this fits into the region’s growing tourist-friendly identity—and how advanced technology is making sure the fields are environmentally friendly, too.
ELIZA BILLINGHAM: On Wednesday afternoon, elected officials and pro athletes posed in front of three brand new astroturf soccer pitches.
DOUG CHASE: “We're just enjoying cutting the ribbon and…we're just really, truly taking a minute to catch our breath and try to appreciate the accomplishment.”
EB: That’s Doug Chase, director of parks, recreation and golf for Spokane County. He and his team helped guide the more than nine million dollars to make these fields a reality.
Those dollars came from the state Department of Commerce, the federal American Rescue Plan fund, plus local taxes on real estate purchases, car rentals and hotel rooms. But to Chase, it’s worth it.
DC: “Trends identify significant growth in the area of youth sports. And it's so important for families and health and wellness. And this area is just a perfect fit for it.”
EB: The area is trying to make itself a youth sports destination. Spokane Valley is getting a new ice rink for youth hockey and will open a premier high school and college cross country course this fall.
The Plante’s Ferry Master Plan expects the renovated youth sports complex alone to bring in more than a million dollars of extra revenue to the city per year.
But that’s when it’s fully renovated—and the next phase of updates come with hefty price tags of their own.
DC: Phase two A and two B, I think have been estimated around 45 million. We don't have any specific timeline right now identified for those next two phases. I think for the next several years, we're really looking to enjoy and program the heck out of these improvements in these facilities.
EB: The people first in line to enjoy the improvements are players and coaches for the Spokane Rapids, led by Kelsey Ross-Lautenbach.
KELSEY ROSS-LAUTENBACH: So I think what kind of sets us apart from other clubs is we really try to keep our costs low. I think our highest price right now for a full year of soccer is $210.”
EB: The turf, she says, can be plowed, which means teams can play into the snowy months.
KRL: And not only that, but these lights are something that we have needed for years, and it extends the daylight hours.
EB: The stadium lights she’s pointing to look like clusters of U-F-Os. Each giant light bulb has a long metal shade that gives a winged effect.
DC: “I think one of the elements I'm most excited is the certified dark sky compliant lighting. It is so effective at illuminating the fields and the light just 10 feet on the other side of the fencing. It's gone. It's just not there.”
EB: The intentional lighting is friendly to neighbors and wildlife alike.
These turf pitches are also the closest fields to the river, which has a thin strip of state park between its banks and more than 100 new parking spots.
DC: “If you have a chance to look and tour south of the site, the new parking area, you'll see there's quite a bit of stormwater swales and treatment over there. And there's a fancy underground drainage system that you can't see throughout all these fields that help guide it through the treatment…It's a big, big investment.”
EB: Chase and the Spokane Riverkeepers agree that those investments should keep turf pellets out of the river.
That means rec athletes can play guilt free—that’s good news if the World Cup inspires a new wave of soccer players in Spokane.
I’m Eliza Billingham, reporting.
[SHORT MUSIC BED]
OH: SPR News Today is a production of Spokane Public Radio.
Reporting today was contributed by Adia White, Eliza Billingham, Monica Carrillo-Casas and me, Owen Henderson.
I’m also your host and producer.
Thanks for listening.
It’s SPR.
