Spokane

Washington has a new law that bans schools from using Native American imagery without a tribe’s consent. The Spokane Tribe says it won’t be endorsing any such proposals.

The Reardan-Edwall, Wellpinit and Spokane school districts all currently use Native American themed mascots. North Central High School in Spokane and Reardan-Edwall, which is spread between Lincoln and Spokane Counties and has many students from the tribe, both use Indians. Wellpinit uses the term “Redskins.”

After pressure from downtown businesses, a professional soccer league and many community members, the Spokane Public Schools Board voted to build an outdoor stadium downtown.

The governor’s announcement that Spokane County will stay in Phase 3 brought sighs of relief to some venues and artists. But many in the arts say it will do little to help the arts.

Most performing art groups have been completely shut down for the entirety of the pandemic, and have been holding out for Phase 4 of the governor’s re-opening plan. That, however, seems farther away than ever as the state rides a fourth wave of coronavirus cases.

So, for now, they're making due.

The city of Spokane has released a plan, which focuses on both greenhouse gas emissions and inequities in low-income neighborhoods and communities of color.

The city’s recently released Sustainability Action Plan Draft, gives the city two overarching goals, make the entire community more resilient, and reduce sources of pollution, and greenhouse gases, says Kara Odegard, the city’s manager of sustainability initiatives.

What do the Pavilion, St. Charles's Parish in Spokane and the Steam Plant have in common? They’re all one-of-a-kind feats of architecture and engineering, says a Gonzaga professor who recently co-authored a paper on an iconic Spokane structure.

Joshua Schultz is a professor of civil engineering at Gonzaga University who recently co-authored a paper about the roof of St. Charles's Parish. Buildings on the church property recently caught fire, but the sanctuary and church structure itself received little damage.

The Public Facilities District accepted Spokane Public Schools' terms to operate a stadium downtown during their meeting Friday.

The U.S. Border Patrol has settled with two men who sued the agency for racial profiling and unlawful detainment, after they were detained in separate incidents at the Intermodal Center in Spokane.

Spokane County's interim health officer says the county will likely revert back to more restrictions as both coronavirus cases and hospitalizations continue to rise.

Spokane County has 299 cases and 8.6 hospitalizations per 100,000 people, significantly above the requirements to stay in the state’s current phase of re-opening.

North Central High School has received overwhelming support to retire its mascot, the Indians, and pursue a different symbol to represent the school.

Dozens of alumni, current students and parents called in to a public forum sponsored by the Spokane School District Tuesday night. They shared their concern about how using a stereotypical image of a Native American can be damaging to Indigenous students.

This week we're continuing our series profiling Spokane City Council candidates who expect to file for office in three weeks.

Jonathan Bingle owns an events business, which has been on hold most of the pandemic.

This week we’re continuing our series profiling city council candidates running for the open seat in the Northeast, City Council District 1.

Spokane Public Radio’s Rebecca White discusses homelessness, policing, affordable housing and the environment with candidate candidate Jonathan Bingle, who is running for the open District 1 seat. The seat is currently held by Kate Burke, who is not seeking re-election.  

Bingle owns an events business, started a general contracting business during the pandemic and has previously been a pastor. 

This week we’re continuing our series profiling city council candidates running for the open seat in the Northeast, City Council District 1.

Spokane Public Radio’s Rebecca White discusses homelessness, policing, affordable housing and the environment with candidate Naghmana Sherazi, who is running for the open District 1 seat. The seat is currently held by Kate Burke, who is not seeking re-election.  

Sherazi is a Cytogenetic Technologist and has studied DNA and Chromosones. She also works in the Office of Diversity and Inclusion at Gonzaga University.

This week we're continuing our series profiling Spokane City Council candidates who expect to file for office in three weeks

We’re introducing Naghmana Sherazi.

Sherazi currently works in the office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Gonzaga University, but is also a scientist. She previously studied chromosomes and DNA to search for cancer and other genetic mutations.

She is an immigrant from Pakistan, is a renter, a working mother and said she knows what it’s like to struggle to make ends meet.

This week we’re continuing our series profiling city council candidates running for the open seat in the Northeast, City Council District 1.

Spokane Public Radio’s Rebecca White discusses homelessness, policing, affordable housing and the environment with candidate Luc Jasmin, who is running for the open District 1 seat. The seat is currently held by Kate Burke, who is not seeking re-election.  

This week we're continuing our series profiling Spokane City Council candidates. We’re focusing on candidates for District 1, which includes most of Northeast Spokane.

We’re introducing Luc Jasmin III.

Tenants in Washington State now have new rights and protections related to late fees and other punitive actions if they missed paying rent during the pandemic.

The Spokane Public Schools Board voted 4-1 to start negotiations with the entity that owns the Spokane Arena on parameters for building an outdoor stadium downtown.

The wildfire season is off to an early start in the Inland Northwest. Over the weekend, local fire agencies responded to several small grass and timber fires.

This week we're continuing our series profiling Spokane City Council candidates. Spokane Public Radio's Rebecca White spoke to candidates for District 2, which includes the South Hill, East Central and downtown Spokane.

Tyler LeMasters shared his approach to homelessness, policing, affordable housing and the environment.

LeMasters is running against Betsy Wilkerson. Stories with both candidates are airing this week and interviews are posted online. 

This week we’re profiling candidates for Spokane City Council’s South City Council District. There are two. We’re introducing, Tyler LeMasters.

This week we’re profiling candidates for Spokane City Council’s South City Council District. Today, we’re introducing incumbent for District 2, Betsy Wilkerson.

Wilkerson has been a Spokane City Council member since she was appointed in late 2019. She also owns an assisted living facility and is the president of the board for the Carl Maxey Center.

If voters retain her, she said she plans to keep advocating for a collaborative, and inclusive city leadership, and seeking insight from under-represented community members.

Spokane Public Radio reporter Rebecca White has been sitting down with candidates for Spokane City Council.

This week we're talking to candidates for District 2, which includes the South Hill, East Central and downtown Spokane. Rebecca White discussed homelessness, policing, affordable housing and the environment with candidate Betsy Wilkerson, who is running to retain her seat.

Wilkerson is running against Tyler LeMasters. Interviews and stories with both candidates will air this week and be posted online.

This week Spokane Public Radio is interviewing every city council candidate from the city's Northwest district.

City Council District 3 Candidate Mike Lish and reporter Rebecca White discuss economic recovery, homelessness, affordable housing, public safety and environmental policy. Interviews with her opponents, Lucrecia "Lu" Hill, Christopher Savage, Karen Kearney and Zack Zappone will be posted this week.

This week, we’re interviewing people who have announced their candidacy for Spokane city council. We're focusing on the five candidates in the Northwest district.

Mike Lish is the owner of D’Lish’s hamburgers, a company his parents founded in the 1990s.  He is a life-long resident of Spokane and critical of the city’s approach to homelessness.

This week, we’re interviewing people who have announced their candidacy for Spokane city council. We're focusing this week on the five candidates in the Northwest district. Today, Rebecca White introduces us to Lucrecia “Lu” Hill.

Hill grew up in Hillyard. She's a yoga teacher, consultant and owner of several cannabis brands.

This week Spokane Public Radio is interviewing every city council candidate from the city's Northwest district.

City Council District 3 Candidate Lucrecia "Lu" Hill and reporter Rebecca White discuss economic recovery, homelessness, affordable housing, public safety and environmental policy. Interviews with her opponents, Christopher Savage, Mike Lish, Karen Kearney and Zack Zappone will be posted this week.