Spokane’s greatest election that never was: Baumgartner vs. Knezovich vs. Shea vs. Stuckart vs. Parker vs. Brown
And so the most fascinating campaign in years to hit Spokane ended before a ballot is cast, or even, an election scheduled.
Spin Control Jonathan Brunt
WEDNESDAY, DEC. 14, 2016
THURSDAY, OCT. 20, 2016
Final debate between Clinton and Trump was first presidential debate in modern era with no handshake between candidates
A clarification for today's front page. It seemed a bit jarring that Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton did not shake hands at all at the debate. So I set out to investigate if that ever happened before in a presidential debate. I watched footage from...
SATURDAY, OCT. 31, 2015
Condon says recent police hiring may have lowered crime
Spokane Mayor David Condon has expressed concern with our truth-testing article published online last night and in print this morning.
FRIDAY, MAY 15, 2015
Only two new Spokane City Council candidates on last day of filing
The full list of people who applied for elected office in Spokane County.
SATURDAY, MARCH 7, 2015
List of Citizen Hall of Fame nominees narrowed
Here are the 18 nominees still in consideration for the new Spokane Citizens Hall of Fame.
MONDAY, NOV. 17, 2014
The four most interesting things I learned in 2014 Spokane County elections
4. Voters at Fairchild Air Force Base support expanded background checks for gun sales – resoundingly. Initiative 594 won the precinct at Fairchild 72 votes to 38. On the other hand, maybe they don't. Voters there also supported Initiative 591, though not by as much…
FRIDAY, NOV. 7, 2014
Class-size initiative, I-1351, expands lead again
The state initiative aimed at lowering class sizes increased its lead on the fourth day of ballot counting. The Washington Secretary of State’s website says Initiative 1351 leads by 9,172 votes. After Tuesday’s count, the measure was behind by about 12,000 votes. By Thursday’s count,…
SATURDAY, JUNE 21, 2014
State Dems, in Spokane, call for rise in minimum wage
The Washington State Democratic Party on Saturday approved an 18-point party platform that will help guide the party for the next two years. The party met for its biennial convention at the Red Lion Hotel at the Park in downtown Spokane. Jaxon Ravens, the state…
TUESDAY, FEB. 25, 2014
Read full statement from Air Force official on casino and Fairchild
Last night's revelation that an assistant secretary of the Air Force believed the proposed casino from the Spokane Tribe of Indians would create "insignificant disruption" to Fairchild puts a major damper on the efforts of the project's opponents to label the casino a threat to…
FRIDAY, FEB. 7, 2014
Straub's pick for assistant chief is veteran officer
Spokane Police Chief Frank Straub’s top candidate to be assistant police chief is an internal candidate. City Councilman Jon Snyder, the chairman of the city’s public safety committee, said Friday that Straub’s choice is Capt. Rick Dobrow. Dobrow started work as a police officer in…
WEDNESDAY, JAN. 29, 2014
McMorris Rodgers a VP contender (and other speech analysis)
Here's what's being said about Eastern Washington's Congresswoman, Cathy McMorris Rodgers after (and a little before) her speech responding to President Barack Obama's State of the Union: The Washington Post says she's a vice presidential contender in 2016: "Talk of a possible veep slot in…
MONDAY, JAN. 27, 2014
Voters could decide how much baristas must wear
The brewing debate about how much clothes must be worn by baristas could be decided by voters. Spokane resident Beth Solscheid this month filed an initiative proposing to create a law making it a misdemeanor crime to expose at least half of a female breast,…
THURSDAY, JAN. 16, 2014
Condon asks Police Guild for contract changes
Spokane Mayor David Condon is heeding the advice of Spokane City Council members who have pushed him to reopen contract negotiations with the Spokane Police Guild. The mayor and guild agreed to a tentative four-year labor contract last fall, but that deal was rejected by…
TUESDAY, JAN. 14, 2014
City Council candidate set for life with lotto win
A West Central Neighborhood leader says his life won’t be altered much by his recent lottery win that will give him $1,000 a week for the rest of his life. Kelly Cruz, 53, was with his father on New Year’s Eve at Safeway on Northwest…
MONDAY, JAN. 13, 2014
New Spokane City Council casts first 4-3 votes
The new majority of the Spokane City Council flexed its muscles twice on Monday in the first 4-3 votes of the year. Both votes rejected nonbinding efforts to back a state Senate bill designating energy produced at the city’s Waste-to-Energy Plant as renewable. But council…
FRIDAY, JAN. 10, 2014
Snyder on signature: I'm left-handed
Yesterday, I asked readers to guess which Spokane leader uses this signature. It belongs to City Councilman Jon Snyder. The above example comes from this letter. Snyder claims the signature is simply a big J. Me: "Is it a backward J?" Snyder: "I'm left-handed." He…
THURSDAY, JAN. 9, 2014
Guess which elected official uses this signature
Hint: It belongs to a Spokane City Council member. (The three dots that are at the bottom of this image are not part of this official's signature.)
MONDAY, JAN. 6, 2014
Stuckart relents on supermajority rule
Spokane City Council President Ben Stuckart will soon be handing out duties to the city’s six other council members. The Spokane City Council on Monday unanimously agreed to give Stuckart the power to chose which members serve on what boards. But Stuckart abandoned his proposal…
THURSDAY, JAN. 2, 2014
I'll accept your challenge, Riccelli
PHOTO CAPTION: Marcus Riccelli, then a staffer for U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell, runs the 2009 Bloomsday with Cantwell. Picture provided by Riccelli. I got an unusual news release yesterday from state Rep. Marcus Riccelli. Riccelli, D-Spokane, announced that his New Year’s resolution is to run…
TUESDAY, DEC. 3, 2013
After thumping in election, Ahern pays for hand recount
A Spokane City Council candidate who lost big in his attempt to unseat incumbent Councilman Jon Snyder is demanding a recount. John Ahern, a former state representative, sent a letter to the Spokane County Auditor’s Office on Monday requesting that four precincts be recounted. A…
WEDNESDAY, NOV. 6, 2013
14 Spokane City Council votes that would have been different under new majority
So the Spokane City Council will soon have a new, more liberal majority. And while some big issues haven't been decided along easily identified party lines, there likely will be a noticeable change. To get a sense of the kind of policies that could be…
FRIDAY, NOV. 1, 2013
PAC backing Snyder, Mumm missed filing deadlines
The flood of money into Spokane City Council races is accompanied by campaign accusations flowing to the state agency that oversees election spending. In the last week at least four complaints have been filed with the state Public Disclosure Commission about Spokane races. In the…
TUESDAY, OCT. 29, 2013
Fire District safe from Ahern
In the KSPS debate that aired earlier this month on KSPS City Council candidate John Ahern spoke in confusing terms about the area served by the city's Fire Station No. 9 on the South Hill. So confusing, apparently, that Spokane County Fire District No. 9…
WEDNESDAY, AUG. 7, 2013
Stuckart 1, Condon 0
It shouldn’t be any surprise that Candace Mumm topped all the candidates for Spokane’s Northwest City Council seat. Her two main opponents lean Republican and were bound to split the vote. Topping 50 percent in a four-way race, however, is a win of sorts for…
WEDNESDAY, JULY 31, 2013
Shea's trip highlighted by MSNBC
MSNBC, though liberal commentator's Rachel Maddow's blog, is featuring Spokane Valley state Rep. Matt Shea after he appeared at a survivalist rally over the weekend. Shea's comments at the rally, as reported by the Coeur d'Alene Press, are similar to ones he's made at other…
Jonathan Brunt joined The Spokesman-Review in 2004. He is the government editor. He previously was a reporter who covered Spokane City Hall, Spokane County government and public safety.