Government

UW says WWAMI program growth is in jeopardy

Senate budget proposal amounts to funding cut

April 23, 2015

The Washington state Senate budget proposal would put the Spokane-based portion of the five-state medical education program known as WWAMI in peril if it wins out over the House version of the budget, says Dr. Paul Ramsey, the CEO of University of Washing

Spokane's sick leave rules gain ground

Opinions on proposed citywide policy vary widely

April 23, 2015

Judith Spitzer

Spokane City Council members on Monday evening voted to assign a work group to study the possible implementation of a mandatory sick and safe leave policy that would require businesses in the city to give their workers the opportunity to earn sick leave h

Smokers found increasingly expensive to employ

More employers develop tobacco-free workplaces

April 9, 2015

Robin Pickering

Hiring a smoker could cost business owners nearly $6,000 extra per year. That was the finding of a recent study comparing the cost of employees who smoke with nonsmokers, published in the peer reviewed journal Tobacco Control. This cost includes increa

Brownfields work could spur activity in Hillyard

EPA funding will help city plan cleanup, strategy

April 9, 2015

Judith Spitzer

A $200,000 federal grant the city of Spokane recently won to help the Hillyard community develop a plan and implementation strategy to clean up industrial areas there could help spur more economic activity, says Teri Stripes, assistant city planner. This

Inslee signs law to clear hurdle for WSU medical school

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April 1, 2015

Staff Report

Washington state Gov. Jay Inslee this morning signed into law a bill that clears the way for Washington State University's proposal to create an independent medical school in Spokane. Specifically, the new law amends a 98-year-old statute that gave t

West Co. wins $1 million West Plains bridge project

New structure to be made of prestressed concrete

March 26, 2015

Katie Ross

Spokane County has awarded West Co., of Airway Heights, the contract for a $1.05 million Christensen Road Bridge project, says Chad Coles, assistant county engineer. Coles says the project will replace the bridge, which spans Deep Creek west of Airway H

Spokane Sheriff's Office relocates training center

Old Mountain View said better suited for classes

March 26, 2015

Mike McLean

The Spokane County Sheriff's Office has moved its training and personnel units to the former Mountain View Middle School, says sheriff's Sgt. Martin Tucker, who oversees the units. The sheriff's training center now occupies 46,200 square feet of le

Ride-share providers win public-records injunction

Judge sides with Uber, Lyft on proprietary claim

March 26, 2015

Judith Spitzer

Ride-share companies Uber and Lyft prevailed in a court case here earlier this month when Spokane County Superior Court Judge John Cooney granted a preliminary injunction blocking the city from releasing information to the Journal of Business about each c

Downtown Spokane Partnership places BID growth on back burner for now

Most property owners said to support growth

March 26, 2015

Judith Spitzer

Potential plans to expand downtown Spokane's Business Improvement District with the annexation of the southwest portion of downtown have been put on hold, says Marla Nunberg, vice president of the Downtown Spokane Partnership. She says, however, the or

Spokane County's property valuation nears record

Tax rates hold fairly level for third consecutive year

March 26, 2015

Mike McLean

The overall property value in Spokane County ticked upward in 2014 for the second consecutive year. The total assessed value, at $38.5 billion, also is within a percentage point of 2009's peak value of $38.8 billion. Byron Hodgson, chief deputy assess