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City of Spokane
Community Update
November 26, 2024
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Wishing You A Happy Thanksgiving
Happy Thanksgiving from the City of Spokane! We hope you have a wonderful holiday with your loved ones.
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Spokane Selected as Proposed Team Base Camp Site for FIFA World Cup 26™
We are excited for the opportunity to host a FIFA World Cup 2026 team in Spokane. This announcement underscores Spokane's growing reputation as a sports destination city and a key part of the statewide efforts to welcome the world's game to communities throughout Washington. We look forward to next steps in the planning process, and building anticipation as we get closer to the tournament. For more information visit the City's website.
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Mayor Brown Named GSI Childcare Champion 2024
I am honored to be included in Greater Spokane Inc.’s inaugural 2024 Childcare Champions list. Access to safe and affordable childcare is a top priority for my administration; we will continue to work on early learning initiatives.
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Spokane City Council Passes Illegal Dumping Ordinance
Spokane City Council has approved my ordinance to update the City Code to align penalties for illegal dumping with state law. Illegal dumping is an increasing concern throughout the City of Spokane, which is why we are raising the penalty from a civil infraction to a gross misdemeanor. Citizens can report illegal dumping online at Spokane311.org or by dialing 311.
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Thanksgiving Holiday Closures
City closures planned for the Thanksgiving holiday:
- Solid Waste Services will be a day late the week of Thanksgiving for residents whose garbage is normally picked up on Thursday and Friday.
- Spokane City Hall will be closed along with other City facilities, on Thursday and Friday.
- All Spokane Public Library locations will be closed on Thursday and Friday.
- The Spokane Municipal Court and Community Justice Services will be closed on Thursday and Friday.
- Spokane 311 employees will not be available for in-person, phone, or online customer service inquiries on Thursday and Friday. The public can access Spokane311.org 24 hours a day, and messages will be responded to the next business day.
- Development Services Center employees will not be available on Thursday and Friday.
- On-street parking meters and kiosks will not require payment on Thanksgiving but remember even when parking is free on holidays, all parking rules, including time limits, still apply.
- The Waste-to-Energy Facility will be closed on Thanksgiving and open during regular operating hours for the rest of the week.
- Attractions in Riverfront Spokane will be closed on Thanksgiving but open the rest of the week.
For more info visit our website.
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WSDOT Holiday Travel Charts
Are you planning to travel to the west side for Thanksgiving? If so, check out WSDOT's Thanksgiving travel charts to plan your drive!
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Reduce, Reuse, Recycle with Holiday Meals
The holiday meal season is here! It’s the time of year we cook food that we haven’t prepared for a year and for larger groups of family and friends. There are a few things we want you to know about planning for and cleaning up after the big meal. Visit our website for holiday food waste tips.
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Cooking Fire Safety
Thanksgiving is the leading day for cooking fires with three times as many as a typical day. We want you to have a safe and happy Thanksgiving with your loved ones.
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Riverfront Market & Numerica Tree Lighting Celebration
The Riverfront Market featuring talented local vendors and artisans is on Sunday, Nov. 30, from 12 – 7 p.m. The market coincides with the Numerica Tree Lighting Celebration scheduled for 6 p.m. with festivities from 4 – 7 p.m. Join us in making this evening a celebration of community, tradition, and the spirit of togetherness.
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Be Ready for Winter!
The Street Department is prepared for snow season and encourages the community to do the same. Here is how the community can help:
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Move your recreational vehicle, boat or trailer, and basketball hoops off the street and to a winter storage location for the snow season.
- Make sure you have adequate snow shovels or a working snow blower. Consider buying some salt or sand for traction.
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Plan where to park throughout the snow season to make room for large equipment to clear the street. Residents are asked to park on the odd-numbered side of the street during snow season to leave room for plows and first responders.
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Know what residential snow-plow route you live in to make it easier to track the progress of plows, during full-city plow operations.
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Talk to your neighbors. Make sure you know who in your neighborhood might need help with shoveling and offer to help.
Click here for more information.
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Join ‘Adopt A Neighbor'
Aging & Long Term Care of Eastern Washington's Adopt A Neighbor initiative is looking for compassionate groups in Spokane County willing to assist seniors and individuals with disabilities during the leafy and snowy seasons. The initiative seeks groups such as clubs, organizations, businesses, churches, community centers, and schools. Individuals interested in participating will be paired with a group. To sign up, contact Adopt A Neighbor at action@altcew.org or via phone. Click here to learn more.
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Stuff Green Carts with Yard and Food Waste
The 2024 weekly curbside yard and food waste pick-up service ends this week! New in 2025, green cart customers will be able to have yard and food waste picked up in the winter months! The optional service runs weekly from March through November and will now include the first full weeks of January, February, and December. For more information visit our website or read this FAQ.
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Home Repair Assistance Programs Available as Winter Weather Approaches
As colder weather moves in, the City of Spokane and SNAP want to remind the public of three home repair assistance programs. The Essential Home Repair, Single Family Home Rehabilitation, and Utility Pipe Rehabilitation programs are intended to help low-income homeowners with both minor and large repair projects. For more information visit the City's website.
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Don't Let Theft Ruin Your Holiday Season
Take care this holiday season. Keep garage doors and vehicles secured this holiday season.
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Apply for the Working Families Tax Credit
Nearly 30,000 Spokane County families are eligible for the Working Families Tax Credit, but more than 17,000 haven’t taken advantage of the program. Check your eligibility and apply at workingfamiliescredit.wa.gov.
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Help Restore the Looff Carrousel Band Organ!
We're calling all music lovers and carousel enthusiasts! Your support can bring back the enchanting sound of the 1909 Looff Carrousel Band Organ. By converting it to Midi-files, we'll revive the sweet voice of the #36 Ruth and Sons band organ, completing its restoration. Imagine generations once again enjoying lilting tunes, toe-tapping polkas, and powerful Sousa marches, all with the sound of a 60-piece band! Join us in celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Looff Carrousel in Riverfront Park by donating today.
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Detect Water Leaks & Protect Your Home
If you're feeling the online shopping bug coming on, we've got a deal for you. From now until Monday, Dec. 2, get a Flume Water Device for just $19 after a discount and rebate - regularly $249! Why get a Flume? Detect leaks as soon as they occur, monitor your home's indoor and outdoor water usage, set and track goals to optimize your water consumption, and more! Hurry - this special price is only good through Monday, Dec.2 and there is a limited supply of Flumes available through this deal. Purchase yours at flumewater.com/rebate/wa/spokane.
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STA 2025 Service Revisions Survey
STA is seeking your input on proposed service changes for 2025. Your feedback will help refine these adjustments to better serve our community. The 2025 Service Revisions Survey is open until Sunday, Dec. 15, at spokanetransit.com/2025revisions.
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Council Recap
Council Member Paul Dillon recaps the Monday, Nov. 25, Spokane City Council meeting.
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Global Entrepreneurship Month Kick-off Party
November marks Global Entrepreneurship Month, a time to celebrate innovators and connect entrepreneurs with the resources and networks they need to succeed. StartUp Spokane, a partnership between Spokane Public Library and Spokane County Library District, is committed to making Spokane the most equitable place to start, run, and grow a business. In November, they’re offering a series of events to inspire and support entrepreneurs at every stage.
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Be Our Local Business Champion!
Are you a champion of shopping at local Spokane businesses? Are you interested in supporting small businesses and meeting new people? The Office of Neighborhood Services is working with Washington Main Street to capacity build and strategic plan with the business districts in Perry, Garland, N. Monroe, and Hillyard. And we’re looking for someone to be a Neighborhood Liaison to support this work. Interested candidates should apply by Wednesday, Nov. 27, click here for the job posting details.
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Asphalt Art Crosswalks
Vote for the Asphalt Art crosswalk location in your District! Vote for the Asphalt Art crosswalk location in your District:
Not sure which District you live in? Find your District by searching your address on the Neighborhood Council map. The surveys will close on Saturday, Nov. 30.
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Long-term Rental Property Registry
The Long-Term Rental Registry is focused on preserving housing stock, maintaining safe living spaces, and creating and maintaining a database to track rental units in our community. For those already registered, the renewal window for 2025 is open. Any property registration submitted between now and Tuesday, Dec. 31 will be for the 2025 calendar year. For those registered, automated communications from the Accela Citizen Access system will be delivered to the email addresses listed on each registration. Click here for more information.
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Spokane Neighborhood Leadership Academy
If you desire skills to equip you with becoming a leader in your neighborhood, consider the free, five-month Spokane Neighborhood Leadership Academy. This partnership between the City’s Office of Neighborhood Services and Gonzaga University is a great opportunity! Applications are due Friday, Jan. 3 for the upcoming session starting in late January. For more information visit Gonzaga.edu/SNLA.
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UHelp Program Needs Assistance
In 2013, the City of Spokane began a program to support households who qualify with one-time emergency financial assistance to help pay for their City utility bills, which includes charges for water, wastewater, stormwater, and garbage collection. The UHelp program is funded through donations with a dollar-for-dollar match provided by a designated Public Works fund of up to $50,000 each year. To continue to serve the need moving forward, more donations are needed.
You can donate online, by phone, or by mail. Click here to learn more about the UHelp program.
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Spokane Rewards. Spokane Solves. Spokane Gives
The City of Spokane is a great place to combine community support with expertise. There are more than 30 boards, commissions, and committees made up of volunteers who help shape our community. If you have one day a year, or one day a week, there is an opportunity for you. Pick your passion and get involved!
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Volunteer for the Point-in-Time Count
The Point-in-Time Count and Survey (PIT) is an annual event at the end of January that provides a snapshot of homelessness in Spokane County. The data collected during this event helps secure millions of dollars in funding for vital resources, informs policy at every level, and guides how our community allocates resources. Obtaining an accurate count of families, individuals and communities experiencing homelessness is critical to helping our communities attract state and federal funding and support local planning efforts to address a growing public health crisis.
The 2025 Point-in-Time Count will take place Jan. 21 – 29, 2025. Sign up to be a volunteer!
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Autumn Adventures: Cozy Reads Winter Reading Challenge
Cozy up and read this winter! The Cozy Reads Winter Reading Challenge is open to kids ages 0 to 18 from Dec. 1 - Jan. 15. When participants read for 15 days, they earn a free book. Sign up for the challenge at spokanelibrary.beanstack.org!
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On The Bright Side
The Underhill Park sport court renovation project has re-opened to the community! The site has two renovated basketball courts, two dedicated pickleball courts, new sidewalks, ADA ramps at the corner of Hartson & Fiske, lighting, benches, bike racks, waste receptacles, grass sod, irrigation, and fencing improvements. An opening celebration will be planned for spring when the permanent pickleball surfacing is installed. For more information visit our website.
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