Cousin Sam: October 2022

Demolition began this week on one of the oldest buildings in Spokane Valley, a one-story brick structure that until recently housed a number of shops and businesses at the southeast corner of Progress Road and Sprague Avenue. The building was constructed in 1924 by August Hultman; it housed one of the area’s first gas stations. The building sat on what was known as the Vera Block, which got its name from the daughter of Donald K. McDonald, who was the founder of Veradale, said Jayne Singleton, executive director of the Spokane Valley Heritage Museum.

Musk visits Twitter as $44 Billion deal nears completion

Elon Musk appears to be on track to close his blockbuster $44 billion deal for Twitter. Musk, who runs Tesla and SpaceX, visited Twitter’s San Francisco headquarters Wednesday and tweeted a nine-second video of himself smiling and carrying a porcelain sink into the building. “Entering Twitter HQ – let that sink in!” he wrote.

‘False deadlines,’ emergency proclamation only hinders Camp Hope efforts, state, health foundation say

Empire Health Foundation and state officials say significant progress has been made at Camp Hope, and “false deadlines” and threats to clear the camp create heightened risks for campers. Spokane County Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich announced last month he planned to clear the camp by mid-October, but that deadline was pushed back to later this year. This week, Spokane County proclaimed an emergency at the camp so regional entities can move residents indoors before snow falls. “Personally, I think better planning always wins out over false deadlines,” said Zeke Smith, president of the Empire Health Foundation, at an informal news conference Wednesday at the camp.

No plans for closure at Thor Fred Meyer, despite claims of increased crimes

From missing and damaged shopping carts to drug use in the bathroom, to customers and employees being assaulted in the parking lot, the Fred Meyer in Spokane’s East Central neighborhood has seen a major uptick in criminal activity in 2022, according to store manager Jesse Smith. Smith was joined by other business owners, residents and public officials at the East Central Business Association’s meeting at the Stone Group offices to support the East Central Neighborhood Association’s recent resolution to clear the nearby homeless encampment, known as Camp Hope, by Thanksgiving.

Candidates to replace Knezovich disagree on Camp Hope response as county proclaims emergency there

Spokane County commissioners on Tuesday proclaimed an emergency at Camp Hope, a move they say will allow them to establish a coordinated regional effort aimed at closing the homeless encampment and moving its residents indoors before the arrival of winter. The commissioners unanimously approved the resolution at the request of Spokane County Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich, but the original ask came from Brian Schaeffer, Spokane’s interim emergency management director and fire chief.

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In the news, Tuesday, October 25, 2022

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from The Spokesman-Review

Newspaper in Spokane, Washington

Shelter-in-place order lifted for residents near fertilizer plant fire near Moses Lake

Officials on Tuesday lifted the shelter-in-place notice for residents threatened by unhealthy smoke from the fire that destroyed a Wilbur Ellis fertilizer plant Sunday near Moses Lake. While the order was called off, the fire continued to smolder Tuesday, leading to unhealthy air in the area, according to a Grant County Sheriff’s Office news release. The Washington State Department of Ecology will continue to test for hazardous particulate matter in the air.

Records: Car chase on Colville reservation followed deadly shooting in Keller

Two men suspected of having roles in a Colville Indian Reservation crime spree that left two dead and a tribal police officer wounded were arrested after a Nespelem homeowner found them hiding in his backyard and held them at gunpoint until help arrived, according to court documents.

Russian claims of Ukrainian ‘dirty bomb’ are false, West says. What to know.

Ukraine’s Western allies have characterized as false Moscow’s unsupported allegation that Kyiv is planning to detonate a “dirty bomb” on its own soil and blame Russia for it, and the allies say it is an attempt to create a pretext to escalate the war. Ukraine also has rejected the accusation, called for more sanctions against Russia and made unbacked claims against Moscow.

Ukrainian forces advance against Russian fighters in Kherson and Bakhmut

Ukrainian forces continued their advance against the Russian military in the southern Kherson region Tuesday, pushed back Russian mercenaries from Bakhmut in eastern Donetsk, and gained new momentum in Luhansk, where they seized a key highway between the towns of Kreminna and Svatove.

Russia’s methodical attacks exploit frailty of Ukrainian power system

Russia’s ongoing attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure have been so methodical and destructive that Ukrainian and Western officials say they are being directed by electricity specialists who know exactly which targets will inflict maximum pain on Ukraine’s grid.

Volunteers of America Eastern Washington will add behavioral health services with $4 million federal grant

Volunteers of America plans to integrate behavioral health care into their Spokane housing programs with help from a $4 million grant announced Tuesday from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration. With a shortage of behavioral health resources in the Spokane area, program leaders realized early in the COVID-19 pandemic they needed to provide more in-depth services for people to be successful once they get housing, said Beth McRae, director of development.

Heart of the Columbia Basin: Othello is young, Hispanic and growing fast

Columbia Basin Project irrigation transformed a little town in the panhandle of Adams County from humble beginnings as a railroad pit stop to an agricultural powerhouse that continues to grow. Othello’s population has climbed at each U.S. Census count since 1940. When the Columbia Basin Project brought new jobs to the region in the 1950s, the population shot up fivefold – from 526 to 2,669. And it’s still growing: The 2021 American Community Survey estimates its current population of 8,739 is up 16.1% from 2010.

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In the news, Monday, October 24, 2022

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from The Spokesman-Review

Newspaper in Spokane, Washington

Faith and Values: Disinformation and dog whistles? Still - vote for democracy

By Paul Graves

Grant County residents sheltering in place after fertilizer plant fire

A small group of residents near Moses Lake have been asked to shelter in place until further notice after a fire on Sunday destroyed a Wilbur Ellis fertilizer plant about a mile away. The plant collapsed after it was fully engulfed in flames on Sunday afternoon, the Grant County Sheriff’s Office said.

Rishi Sunak to be Britain’s new prime minister, the first person of color in the role

Seven weeks after being defeated in his first bid to lead Britain, former Treasury chief Rishi Sunak is set to replace Liz Truss as prime minister and make history as the first person of color in the role.

City of Spokane and Knezovich requesting emergency proclamation for Camp Hope

Spokane County commissioners on Tuesday plan to proclaim an emergency at Camp Hope, the 450-person homeless encampment on state Department of Transportation land in east Spokane. Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich made the emergency proclamation request during the commissioners’ Monday meeting, but it wasn’t his idea. The original request comes from Brian Schaeffer, Spokane’s interim emergency management director and fire chief.

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In the news, Sunday, October 23, 2022

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from The Spokesman-Review

Newspaper in Spokane, Washington

Fertilizer plant near Moses Lake collapses after blaze

A Wilbur Ellis fertilizer plant, near Moses Lake, collapsed after a fire fully engulfed it on Sunday afternoon, the Grant County Sheriff’s Office said. A potentially hazardous plume of smoke was headed northeast where a small number of residents about a mile away from the fire were asked to close their doors and windows and shelter in place overnight as a precaution.

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