The city of Spokane was already conducting a study to buy the Premera building on East Sprague Avenue and Myrtle Street and potentially relocate Spokane's municipal and community courts there. But Monday night, the City Council discussed expanding the scope of that study: selling and moving pretty much all of Spokane City Hall to East Central. The 90-year-old art deco building — originally a Montgomery Ward store — has been used as the city headquarters since 1980, but it's aging and underused. "Far less than half our space is used here in City Hall, so we've got to get it done," City Council President Breean Beggs said at the meeting. And in the midst of a budget crisis, multiple council members agreed that the city needs to look everywhere to save money. "We will have to make some difficult decisions," Council member Betsy Wilkerson said. Ultimately, however, the proposal to expand the study failed 3-3, but the discussion will continue. "There are good financial arguments as to why we would sell this building and move," said Council member Jonathan Bingle, who voted against it, arguing that the city shouldn't flee downtown as it "struggles" to regain its footing post-pandemic. (DANIEL WALTERS)
WILD GOOSE CHASE
Those wascally geese. Sandpoint's goose hunt at City Beach this winter ended with only one bird shot and retrieved. The hunt was authorized in an attempt to reduce the number of birds pooping all over the grassy park. Sandpoint Police Chief Corey Coon told the City Council last week that most of the mornings set aside for hunting had been exceptionally cold. While more than 100 people threw their name in the hat for the permits, and all 12 hunters on the first day had the opportunity to take a shot, Coon says only one hunter managed to kill a goose, which did not have a tagged leg. No other geese were shot on the ensuing days. By a 4-1 vote, the council approved another hunt for November this year, in hopes it'll be more successful earlier in the season when there may still be grass attracting the geese to the park. (SAMANTHA WOHLFEIL)
DOCTRINE OF CONCEALMENT
Washington's public records law gives any curious citizen the right to request copies of emails, text messages and other documents produced by elected officials. But in Olympia, Senate Democrats have been using a concept called "legislative privilege" to argue that their emails are special and, no, you can't see them. Legislative privilege is loosely defined and lacking legal precedent, but a set of documents obtained by Crosscut shows that Democratic lawmakers have been using the "doctrine of concealment" to hide their discussions about a variety of topics — including the state's new capital gains tax and redistricting debates. But who decides which emails and texts to redact? None other than Senate Majority Leader Andy Billig, a Spokane Democrat. He told the news organization that he went though other lawmakers' records and applied legislative privilege. The Senate has since changed its policy but, citing an ongoing lawsuit over the lawmakers' use of the exemption, Billig said he doesn't "want to talk about what the justification of legislative privilege is." (NATE SANFORD)
SPEAKING FREELY
The family of one of the four University of Idaho students murdered in their off-campus apartment in November is fighting back against a gag order that prevents them from talking or writing about the case. The gag order was issued by a judge shortly after the arrest of alleged killer Bryan Kohberger in December, and prevents law enforcement and attorneys representing survivors, witnesses or the victim's family members from speaking to the public or media about the case. But last week, an attorney representing the family of Kaylee Goncalves, one of the four murdered students, filed an appeal arguing that the gag order is "overbroad and vague" and a first amendment violation. More than two dozen media companies — including The Seattle Times and local broadcaster KREM 2 — are also fighting the gag order. On Monday, they filed a petition asking the Idaho Supreme Court to vacate the order, citing free speech and the public's right to information. (NATE SANFORD) ♦
