Erick Doxey photo
PHOTO EYE: CLOSING BROWNE FOR GREEN
Contractors working for the city of Spokane installed construction fencing to temporarily close off the four pedestrian entrances to the Browne Street viaduct on Thursday, Sept. 17.
The temporary closure was put in place as the city started work on the first phase of constructing the Pacific Avenue Greenway, which will create an east-west bike route from Howard Street to Sherman Street.
In addition to the bike lane, the city will be installing pedestrian safety improvements at major intersections, including at the traffic signals at Division and Browne, and flashing pedestrian beacons at Washington and Sherman.
The city plans to work on ‘environmental design enhancements’ during the closure, which will likely address camping under the viaduct. Overall, the project will improve the pedestrian route from downtown to the University District.
THE WEEK THAT WAS
1: After he failed to get confirmed by the U.S. Senate as U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Washington, Pete Serrano got another nomination on Sept. 14 from President Donald Trump — to lead the Western District of Washington.
2: Applications for the 2027 Spokane Tourism and Cultural Investment grants (opened Sept. 15) are due Oct. 15. The grants, aimed at enhancing tourism and culture, can go toward activities and events such as sports, arts, street/park festivals, film, culinary, and music. Learn more by searching “Tourism and Cultural Investment Committee” at my.spokanecity.org.
3: On Sept. 16, the Environmental Protection Agency finished its household hazardous material removal in Spokane following the August fires. The EPA cleared 789 properties and removed 195,000 pounds of hazardous waste. Property owners will still need asbestos testing and other debris removal.
4: The Washington Supreme Court ruled that Initiative 2066, which voters passed in 2024 to protect natural gas access, is unconstitutional. The Sept. 17 ruling found it violated the state’s single-subject rule for initiatives. The measure included sweeping changes to multiple state laws.
5: Washington and other states secured food assistance through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program for lawful permanent residents. The Sept. 17 ruling in the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon “protects critical food benefits for people who are lawfully in this country and stops the government’s illegal attempts to penalize states that support them,” Washington Attorney General Nick Brown stated.
QUIPS & DIGITS
$1.TRILLION
OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, like other major artificial intelligence companies has not opened up stocks on the public market… yet. While it could be 2027 before the company decides whether to have its initial public offering, Yahoo! Finance reported that the company’s CEO, Sam Altman, is waiting until the valuation of the company reaches at least $1 trillion before going public.
GET INVOLVED
The annual Valleyfest actually predates the city of Spokane Valley by nearly a decade. The community event has been going on for almost 40 years, and this weekend you can join the festivities yourself (Sept. 25 kicks things off with a parade, and Sept. 26-27 is the main fest). Taking place at Mirabeau Point Park, Plantes Ferry Sports Complex and Centerplace Regional Event Center, Valleyfest offers cultural experiences like hula dancing showcases and opportunities to learn about different countries. You can also listen to live, local music courtesy of ivory-tickler Shawn Stratte and scene mainstays like Gil Rivas and Jona Gallegos. Head to valleyfest.org for a full schedule of events.
For about a year and a half, CreativeMornings Spokane has been the spot for local creatives to gather, share ideas and get the latest on the art scene. This month, CreativeMornings is hosting Jule Schultz from Spokane Riverkeeper at 8:30 am on Friday, Sept. 25, at the Garland Theater. His talk will cover the current health of the Spokane River and how the community can get involved in ensuring the river thrives for years to come. Information at creativemornings.com.