This week, Washington Attorney General Nick Brown filed a lawsuit against the Adams County Sheriff's Office for violating the Keep Washington Working Act. The lawsuit, filed in Spokane County Superior Court, alleges that Adams County has illegally held people in custody because of their immigration status, helped federal agents and given immigration officials the confidential personal information of hundreds of Washingtonians. In a press release, Brown says the state and Adams County were engaged in a good faith effort to get the sheriff's office to comply with state law, but the county (Ritzville is the county seat) was emboldened by the presidential election. "After the inauguration of Donald Trump, the county and its sheriff's office suddenly hardened their stance, broke off settlement talks, and aligned themselves with an organization founded by a top Trump aide who is among the most virulent anti-immigrant voices in the administration," Brown said. Adams County Sheriff Dale Wagner said in a separate press release that the lawsuit against his office is an attempt to prevent law enforcement from working with federal agents to take dangerous individuals off the streets. "We do not enforce federal immigration law, but we also will not turn a blind eye to criminal activity — no matter who commits it," Wagner said. (VICTOR CORRAL MARTINEZ)
STAR PURCHASE
Spokane County is providing more help to Spokane Treatment and Recovery Services, or STARS, which provides withdrawal services in the heart of Spokane. On March 4, the Spokane County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved a $775,000 award to STARS. The funding from the county's opioid settlement funds will be used as a 25% match to state funds to help the nonprofit buy the building it operates out of on South Cowley Street. Spokane County's commissioners awarded STARS up to $1.2 million in opioid settlement funds in 2024 to increase sobering and triage space. "Spokane County is committed to ensuring those experiencing a behavioral health crisis have access to services and support, not only for their immediate safety, but also to maintain successes in long-term recovery," said Justin Johnson, Spokane County Community Services director, in a press release. "The funding awarded to STARS for the Cowley project will provide up to 12 treatment slots to rapidly address the urgent walk-in, law enforcement diversion, and ER diversion resources needed in the community." (SAMANTHA WOHLFEIL)
INDIGENOUS REPRESENTATION
For the first time ever, the Spokane Colleges will have a dedicated employee to focus on relationships with the Native American tribes of the Inland Northwest. Late last week, Spokane Colleges announced Naomi Bender, an Indigenous Peruvian Quechua, as its inaugural director of tribal relations. As she settles into the role, her top priorities are to develop a strategic plan for how her new position will operate within the current administration and establishing a tribal advisory board to help Native students make their way through the colleges. "This office looks at executive level commitment in areas of developing trusting and sustainable relationships that center respect of tribal sovereignty, pathways of support and success in education for tribal youth through adults, policy, and culturally centering curriculum and initiatives across systems that advances the knowledge, workforce, and humble skillsets of our Non-Native allies and friends," she stated in a press release. Bender previously worked at Washington State University as the director of the Center for Native American Health and the Native American Health Sciences program. She received her bachelor's, master's and doctorate at the University of North Dakota. (COLTON RASANEN) ♦
