Tim Clouser

1 week ago | thecentersquare.com | Tim Clouser

(The Center Square) – A new report reveals that over 50% of homeless individuals in Spokane moved there after losing housing and that local policies have turned it into a destination city. Marbut Consulting conducted the study for the Spokane Business Association and surveyed hundreds of homeless individuals downtown. The company specifically asked where the people were born and lived before losing housing, as the region spends millions addressing the crisis.

1 week ago | thecentersquare.com | Tim Clouser

(The Center Square) – The Spokane City Council banned virtual currency kiosks on Monday and directed operators to remove dozens around the city amid a rise in scams targeting residents. Councilmember Paul Dillon proposed the measure after Stillwater, Minn., passed a ban in April, making it among the first nationwide. Several other areas in Minnesota are also considering the ban, but Spokane beat them to the punch on Monday, making it the first in Washington state.

1 week ago | thecentersquare.com | Tim Clouser

(The Center Square) – After seven hours of debate and testimony, only half of Mayor Lisa Brown’s plan to overhaul Spokane’s response to homelessness passed on Monday night. Despite initially rejecting Brown’s plan to replace Proposition 1 – a camping ban that nearly 75% of voters approved in 2023 – the Spokane City Council amended a provision requiring at least a week’s notice before clearing encampments to only three days, delaying the final vote to June 30.

1 week ago | thecentersquare.com | Tim Clouser

(The Center Square) – Facing a $20 million shortfall, Spokane County officials are cautiously optimistic as sales tax collections trend higher than expected heading into the summer. The Board of County Commissioners is zeroing in on budget projections for next year as the officials attempt to balance the shortfall. Jeff McMorris, senior director of the county’s Finance and Administration division, said Monday that the board’s luck seems to be turning the corner.

1 week ago | thecentersquare.com | Tim Clouser

(The Center Square) – The Spokane Police Department arrested 11 people during Saturday’s “No Kings Day” protest after another intense, and at times aggressive, demonstration last Wednesday. SPD posted a timeline on Monday of “what began as a peaceful protest” in the Riverfront Park but later devolved into civil unrest. Saturday’s protest followed another last Wednesday, during which SPD and other agencies arrested more than 30 people, some for unlawful imprisonment.