Regional News

Spokane law and justice officials have begun a six-month process of evaluating the county’s criminal justice system as they decide whether the city and county should build a new jail.

Monday's forum at Spokane Valley City Hall was the first of two town hall facilitated this week by representatives from the Vera Institute of Justice.

Spokane law and justice officials have begun another phase in their quest to decide whether the city and county should build a new jail.

On Monday and Tuesday they're holding two town hall meetings to give people a chance to offer opinions about the criminal justice system.

The first is at 5:30 today [Monday] at Spokane Valley City Hall. The second is tomorrow [Tuesday] at 5:30 at the Northeast Community Center.

Today on the Inland Journal podcast, we follow up on last week’s Washington state HIV conference in Spokane.

The treatment of HIV has come a long way in more than 30 years and the results of contracting the virus have changed considerably. Whereas at one time, HIV led to certain death, now it’s more of a chronic disease that can be managed.

HIV was once a death sentence for people who contracted the virus, but no more. In fact, many have lived with the virus for 35 years or longer. And there’s more to be optimistic about, as attendees at the Washington state HIV conference discussed Thursday and Friday in Spokane.

Spokane city officials say special tanks designed to prevent sewer overflow into the Spokane River did their job during Thursday’s massive rain event.

Combined Sewer Overflow tanks, CSOs for short, are designed to prevent sewage from entering the Spokane River at overflow points during big rain storms or snowmelt.

The Spokane Tribe is joining the green energy revolution. On Thursday, tribal officials held a ceremony to celebrate the installation of solar panels on more than two dozen tribal buildings and homes.