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Three for Thursday – Walk Diaries
Walk Diaries – Friday, February 28, 2025
Everyone Agrees It’s an Emergency: Time to Pivot to Emergency Response Day-12 of our 5AM walk...
Walk Diaries – Wednesday, February 26, 2025
Dear Spokane Community, Day 10 of our 5 AM walk through downtown Spokane was, once again, a mix of...
Walk Diaries – Tuesday, February 25, 2025
Dear Spokane Community, SBA - Enough Politics – Time to Work Together and Solve This Too Strident?...
Walk Diaries – Monday, February 24, 2025
Dear Spokane Community, The Urgent Need for Zoning and Regulatory Action in Downtown Spokane...
Walk Diaries – Saturday, February 22, 2025
Dear Spokane Community, Discomfort as a Catalyst for Change Along our walk this morning, we took...
Walk Diaries – Friday, February 21, 2025
Dear Spokane Community A Tale of Two Spokanes: Beauty, Desperation, and the Barriers to Meaningful...
Three for Thursday – Weekly Editions
Issue #15
Spokane's challenges are more profound than we thought - it's time to treat the situation like the emergency it isBy Gavin CooleyErick Doxey photo Spokane police on the scene near Second Avenue and Division Street, what we called "the intersection of fentanyl,...
Issue #14
Basketball, Riverfront Park, and Spokane's Spirit Every morning at 5 a.m., a group of us sets out from City Hall for a walk through downtown Spokane. This morning, I showed up 25 minutes late—thanks to somehow setting my alarm for 4:15 p.m.—and ended up walking...
Issue #13
A Call to Action: Oppose HB 1217 to Effectively Address Spokane's Housing Crisis As citizens and leaders deeply invested in Spokane’s future, it is crucial to address the pressing issue of housing affordability. House Bill 1217 (HB 1217), currently progressing to the...
Issue #12
1. The Big Picture For months, we have been ringing the alarm on the urgent need for a coordinated regional response to the homelessness, public health, and safety crises in Spokane. We have outlined the work already done, the leadership already engaged, and the...
Issue #11
Frustration Today and the Regional Plan That Almost Was – Part 2 In our Walk Diaries for March 1st, we discussed Part 1: Spokane had never before witnessed such extensive regional collaboration. Organized by three volunteers, the initiative brought together eight...
Issue #10
Collaboration is Transforming Our Schools and Parks – It Can Also Solve Our Biggest Crisis Note//tomorrow’s walk departs City Hall 5AM This morning’s 5 AM downtown walk was filled with conversations—not just about what we see, but also about what a collaborative...
Issue #9
Time to Treat Spokane’s Health and Safety Crisis Like the Disaster It Is – Part II Article Summary Spokane faces a worsening crisis of homelessness, drug overdoses, and public safety concerns—yet even with temperatures near zero degrees this morning, a person dying...
Issue #8
1. Stop House Bill 1380: Another Lazy Fix That Fails Spokane and Our Most Vulnerable We’ve covered HB 1380 in Three for Thursday before, but this reckless attempt at a shortcut to addressing Spokane’s deeply complex health and safety crisis is still advancing through...
Issue #7
“…Happy Watching People Die in the Gutter with Their Civil Rights Intact”? 1. The Crisis: Paralysis Over Real Solutions In a recent Seattle Times editorial, a striking quote caught my attention: “Seattleites are perfectly happy watching people die in the gutter with...
Issue #6
This week is a topic so big, it only takes one! “STOP HB 1380: A Misguided Shortcut That Ignores Real Solutions to Homelessness” The Spokane Business Association strongly opposes Washington State’s proposed House Bill 1380 – the Bill is a deeply misguided piece of...
Issue #5
1. Neglecting Basic City Services is NOT Compassion Below is a photo and video link taken this week in the ‘public right of way’ in front of the Holly Mason Building (FORMER location of Zona Blanca) - imagine trying to lease this beautiful, historic property! Spokane...
Issue #4
1. Spokane’s Overdose Crisis: A Tragic Call to Action While the nation takes small but meaningful steps forward in the fight against overdose deaths, Spokane County’s numbers tell a tragic and deeply concerning story. Nationally, overdose deaths declined by 4% from...
Issue #3
1. A Focus on Better Government In my many years as CFO of the City of Spokane, I never found a lack of money to be the obstacle to achieving big results. In other words, Spokane can accomplish big things without raising costs—a principle more vital than ever as we...
Issue #2
1. Correction Center and Support Services in 2025 For over two decades, Spokane County has grappled with the pressing need to replace/update its aging correctional facilities, notably the main jail built in 1986 and the Geiger Corrections Center, arepurposed military...
Issue #1
1. City Council Upholds Traditional Meeting Schedule The Spokane City Council decided last week to maintain its longstanding practice of holding meetings on Mondays, a tradition spanning over 112 years. Other changes adjusting procedural rules were also rejected after...
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