Local News
in Spokane, WA

The Spokane Fire Department is currently involved in a water recovery mission near the Monroe Street Bridge.

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A new business in Spokane is helping people freeze away their pain, one session at a time.

Abandoned and nuisance RVs continue to pop up in Spokane neighborhoods -- its a trend Spokane City Council is trying to put the brakes on.Council members voted to double the amount of money the city dedicates to towing and disposing junk RVs parked for more than 24 hours on city streets.John Hartill lives across the street from Harmon Park in Hillyard and said one RV has been parked on the same street for nearly two months. He said the people camping inside often urinate in the street.We would be grateful for it to be gone and stay gone, he said.The city of Spokane entered a two-year, $99,000 contract with Evergreen State Towing at the start of 2019. Current spending is outpacing money. 40 RVs have already been towed this year costing the city $46,881 and leaving $3,118 in the 2019 disposal budget.Council members agreed to double the budget during Mondays council meeting. The amended contract with Evergreen State Towing includes $100,000 each year for towing and disposing nuisance RVs. The current contract expires at the end of 2020.

Finding affordable childcare in Spokane has been an ongoing issue and its about to get even harder for some families.A recent study listed Washington as the 10th least affordable state for childcare. Local childcare centers said new requirements that went into effect August 1 will raise their rates even higher. This is as they struggle to pay and train their staff.We have a wonderful curriculum and a wonderful staff that have a passion for children, said Denise Ellenwood, Director for Palisades Christian Learning Center.When it comes to providing care for children, it all starts with passion. However, it turns out passion is no longer enough to keep local child care businesses up and running.We really felt almost like our sacred space was invaded, said Ellenwood.Ellenwood said ever since the new Washington state requirements kicked in on August 1, things have already shaken up.We have these rule makers coming to our center saying we want this and this done, but a lot of it is not necessary, said Ellenwood.While the list of rules is ongoing, spanning over 120 pages, theres one in particular that has providers concerned. Teachers now need a level of education thats equivalent to an initial 12-credit certification in Early Childhood Education from a college.Ive already lost a teacher because she just said Im already putting my daughter through college, Im not going to go through college myself, said Ellenwood.Because of those regulations they shy away and dont want to come, said Nancy Clifton, Director at Bethel Christian Pre-School.Not only is it keeping away potential employees, but both said it will eventually hurt parents looking for affordable childcare.Its going to be hard not raising our rates so high in order to take care of our teacher, food and such as that, said Clifton.Childcare providers have a five-year grace period to meet all the new standards. Providers are waiting for some clarification on some of the rules, as they just rolled out earlier this month.

Some of the regions most modern housing options are coming to one of Spokanes oldest neighborhoods.The City of Spokane recently approved permits for the Blockhouse development. Co-owners Andy Barrett and Cody Coombs said it will be a cottage-style community located on the lots behind South Perry Pizza. This is another big development coming to the Spokane Perry District. Blockhouse will be composed of various sized rental units. It is right behind South Perry Pizza. 4NewsNow pic.twitter.com/BSDxqbqeNP-- Ariana Lake arianaKXLY August 19, 2019 Barrett said there are several things that make these buildings unique. First, theyre considered passive housing units. Blockhouse has partnered with Avista Utilities in a pilot program using solar energy. A tree canopy will shade the homes, while nearby solar panels provide power. Cross-laminated timber, created by Vaagen Timbers, will comprise the modular homes. The eco-friendly material reduces the complexity of the building process and makes assembly easier, according to developers. These homes will also feature innovative technology. Barrett described a SmartWall, manufactured by Vestis Systems. It includes common utilities, like plumbing, mechanical aspects, and electrical components. The units will also have voice-activated technology for tenants to control things like temperature. Much of that will be pre-produced in a factory, according to Barrett. He likened the process to how cars are made in a factory. So, by producing products in the factory, we are actually reducing costs and delivering them that way, Barrett said. While this is a modern addition to the neighborhood, Coombs, who grew up in Spokane, said the development team prioritized supporting the community and making sure the project really fits in well. I just love this neighborhood and the community. To see where it is is just outstanding and to be able to add to the already great community is something we take very seriously, Coombs said. There will be 14 units available, ranging from about 240 square feet to 960 square feet.Coombs and Barrett said rental prices havent been released yet. They expect tenants to be able to start moving in by early next year.

At its core, every great sports story is about tenacity.

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Pride Issue It only takes an hour for Jason Johnson, a soft-spoken 50-year-old man, to completely transform into Nova Kaine, a female torch singer who can lip sync the hell out of a Judy Garland song and is always equipped with a killer zinger.