Thursday, June 8, 2017
The American Civil Liberties Union of Washington has sued the state Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, arguing that students who require special education are wrongfully disciplined and forced out of public schools.
Students with special needs are suspended or expelled at a disproportionately higher rate than other students across Washington — special education students represent 14 percent of students, but make up 30 percent of suspended and expelled students, according to ACLU of Washington.
In Spokane Public Schools, special education students made up 13 percent of the student population, but a third of the total suspensions and expulsions halfway through the 2016-17 school year, according to numbers released by the district in February.
"Washington's constitution guarantees every child in the state the right to a public education," says Emily Chiang, the ACLU of Washington legal director representing the plaintiffs in the case. "For the tens of thousands of students with disabilities who are suspended, expelled, or otherwise excluded from classrooms each year due to behavior related to their disabilities, this is an empty promise."
Washington OSPI Superintendent Chris Reykdal, reached by phone Thursday, says that "we were surprised" by the lawsuit. He says he hasn't had a chance to read through it yet, but that OSPI takes "very seriously" the work of setting the policies and legal framework for schools to use best practices for special needs students.
"It's important that districts get the support they need," Reykdal says, not speaking specifically about the lawsuit. "And we're prepared to do that."
The lawsuit claims that the special needs students are actually disciplined more than what is reported, since schools use an "informal method" of suspension where a school will call a parent and ask them to pick up their child from school early. The high discipline rates mean that students with special needs miss classroom instruction, according to the lawsuit, and "deprives these students of their right to an education in violation of the state constitution," and anti-discrimination laws. The lawsuit places the blame on OSPI for failing to monitor and supervise Washington schools. It specifically names Reykdal, who took over as superintendent this year, as a defendant.
"Defendants have long been aware of the widespread disproportionate discipline of special education students in these district, but have failed to take adequate steps to safeguard the rights of these students," the lawsuit claims.
Tags: school discipline , Washington , OSPI , ACLU , special education , special needs students , Chris Reykdal , News , Image
How much is enough to make innocent men whole after they've spent nearly five years in prison for a crime they didn't commit?
The answer, apparently, is $2.25 million — the amount that Spokane County's insurer agreed to pay to settle a federal civil rights lawsuit that alleged "reckless" detective work and witness tampering by police. But for the three men wrongfully convicted of an armed robbery in 2009, there are some holes in their lives that money will never fill.
"It devastated me and my family," says Robert Larson, one of the three wrongly convicted men. Larson says the strain of his conviction contributed to his parents splitting up. Then, his father died only months after Larson was released, he says: "I can't describe it."
Larson, along with Paul Statler and Tyler Gassman, were released from prison in 2012 after their convictions were overturned. They've been working to rebuild their lives and clear their names ever since.
"I don't think it's enough money for what they went through, but it's our hope that it helps them move forward, and that the Sheriff's Office takes it very seriously and takes steps to prevent this from happening in the future," says Micah LeBank, the men's attorney.
Following the agreement, however, Spokane County Sheriff Ozzie Knezovich told the Spokesman-Review that he believes the case should have gone to trial and "all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court if necessary."
"They had no case, and that is evident in that they received $750k each," Knezovich writes via text message to the Inlander. "A case like this is valued at $15-20 million each if true. Settlements happen when [the] plaintiff has a weak or no case."
In sworn testimony ahead of the settlement, Knezovich has defended the work of the two detectives — Bill Francis and Doug Marske — whose problematic investigation led to the bad convictions. Knezovich says the detectives conducted a thorough investigation, despite his own sergeant's conclusion to the contrary following an internal review.
The sheriff's reaction is typical of other high-profile settlements with his office.
Tags: Paul Statler , Robert Larson , Tyler Gassman , Ozzie Knezovich , Spokane County Sheriff's Office , wrongful conviction , criminal justice , News , Image
When Def Leppard came to the Spokane Arena in 2015, they packed the place and I reviewed the show, writing that "the rocking songs still hit hard, the ballads still soared, and the crowd filling the place to the rafters sang along nonstop as they were treated to a great night out. It's hard to imagine anyone went home complaining."
All of that remains true after Wednesday night's return to Spokane less than two years later, as the British five-piece again put on a stellar, slick show. But I could see some folks complaining, particularly if they attended both gigs. The set lists were nearly identical, even down to the order they played the tunes.
That said, most probably didn't care a whit, as they got to party for a night with a band of their youth, delivering a batch of hard-rock hits they've loved for a lifetime. And Def Leppard knows how to deliver those hits with a stylish stage show and impressive musicianship.
Playing in front of a massive electronic screen that alternately flashed garish graphics or old videos and photos, the band rumbled through 17 songs reaching back as far as 1981's High 'n' Dry album ("Let It Go," "Switch 625" and "Bringin' on the Heartbreak" were all highlights), and dropping three songs from their 2015 self-titled album. Among those new tunes, show opener "Let's Go" hit hardest, while the pop-funk of "Man Enough" midshow was, well, "befuddling" is probably the best word for those of us who would probably be happiest with the band playing 1983's Pyromania in total, plus a few other tunes.
Tags: Music , Def Leppard , Tesla , Poison , Spokane Arena , pop-metal , Image
ON INLANDER.COM
NEWS: Grieving families question official rulings by the Spokane County medical examiners in the deaths of their loved ones. Those determinations, they say, may have stalled or derailed law enforcement investigations, and left them without answers. Read their stories here.
MUSIC: Everything you need to know about the free Browne's Addition music festival and the unofficial start of summer in Spokane — Elkfest.
CULTURE: The Coeur d'Alene Casino is offering multiple opportunities for guests to get acquainted with sacred pieces of Native American tribal culture.
IN OTHER NEWS
'Will no one rid me of this meddlesome priest?'
Former FBI Director James Comey, in his testimony before the Senate Intelligence Committee this morning, recalled King Henry II's cry that led to the murder of an archbishop who was standing up to the king.
Comey, who said that President Trump lied when he asserted that the FBI has lost confidence in Comey, also confirmed that former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn was under criminal investigation while Flynn worked in the White House. (New York Times)
Comey added that Trump asked him to drop the investigation into Flynn during a private conversation between the two. A special counsel has been appointed to investigate whether Trump's actions amount to obstruction of justice. (Washington Post)
Read the full transcript of Comey's testimony here; finally, Comey called on Trump to release "tapes" of their conversations that the president has suggested exist. (Politico)
James Comey better hope that there are no "tapes" of our conversations before he starts leaking to the press!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 12, 2017
Blurred lines
A Spokane city prosecutor has been arrested on suspicion of driving drunk while his child was in the car. Adam Papini, who prosecutes DUIs and is running for municipal judge, blew a .161 after his Ford Mustang was seen weaving on a Cheney road. Papini, who was cited and released, is part of the team that runs Spokane's innovative community court, which handles quality-of-life crimes in the downtown core. (Spokesman-Review)
Asylum in Canada
Hundreds of immigrants reportedly use Washington state as a stepping stone to escape to Canada, where they might be more welcome. (Seattle Times)
Sitting Golden
The Golden State Warriors rallied late to defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers for the third time in a row, and stand on the verge of their second NBA title in three years. (SB Nation)
Tags: News , Spokane County medical examiners , Elkfest , Coeur d'Alene Casino , James Comey , testimony , Senate Intelligence Committee , FBI Director , President Trump , Michael Flynn , Adam Papini , immigrants , Canada , NBA finals , Image
Wednesday, June 7, 2017
The Globe Bar & Kitchen, Blind Buck bought out by the owner of Scotty's Doghouse
Under a new owner who also bought The Globe Bar & Kitchen, The Blind Buck is transforming into Spokane's newest gay bar.
Scott Wilburn, a Spokane native and Gonzaga alum, bought The Globe and Blind Buck, both located at 204 N. Division, on May 1 from the previous owners, Ryan and Dianna Bates, who helped make the local strip of bars into a go-to spot for downtown nightlife. They have since moved away from Spokane.
Wilburn, who owns Scotty's Doghouse near Gonzaga, says he launched The Blind Buck as a gay bar on June 2; that's good timing, considering Spokane's Pride Parade is this Saturday. This development comes weeks after Stray — a gay/alternative bar on Sprague — closed its doors for good.
"With Stray closing, there was really no home for the gay community," Wilburn says. "The Blind Buck really had not had much of a following in the last year or so — it kind of became a waiting room for The Globe. And it's a beautiful bar."
So he thought that creating a new space for the gay community would create more interest around the bar. He says it will not be as much of a dance club as previous gay bars in Spokane — though he notes that The Globe has a dance floor right next door. But The Blind Buck, he says, is going for "more of a neighborhood feel, a little more intimate and conversational."
Wilburn also says he hopes to make The Blind Buck and The Globe "more comfortable for our female clientele." He plans to add more security cameras and have more security guards on patrol for drugs and unattended drinks, and to preventing potential fights. The Globe will have ID scanners as well, he says, as the new ownership tries to address "some of the issues that may have existed" in the past.
Wilburn doesn't foresee any major changes to The Globe. It will remain a restaurant during the day, with the same chef as before, and a dance club at night. But he's already making some tweaks: He's invested in more lighting for dancing, and is expanding bottle service at The Globe. He plans to open it up for brunch on weekends in the coming weeks. Long-term, it will add patio seating.
"The Globe is such a popular bar, and I really like the bar, and when I found it it was for sale, I was like, "I want to jump on that opportunity,'" Wilburn says. "It's a great location, it's got a great following."
Overall, Wilburn sees The Blind Buck and The Globe enhancing the nightlife along the popular strip of bars.
"Hopefully it brings more diversity to this area," Wilburn says. "And what I believe is that by bringing a more diverse crowd to the area, it will bring more longevity to the success of the area."
Tags: The Blind Buck , The Globe , Scott Wilburn , Pride Week , Pride Month , Spokane , gay bar , Arts & Culture , Image
Darci Ladwig is a concerned mother who turned to activism to advocate for her 14-year-old daughter, who has disabilities stemming from a premature birth.
She fears that if Medicaid support is cut, her daughter could have to move to a state institution, separating her from her community.
Ladwig spoke at a rally Tuesday put on by The Arc of Spokane, an advocacy group for people with disabilities. She and other organizers were there to protest changes to Medicaid as proposed in the American Health Care Act (AHCA). It was one of nine demonstrations across the country.
"Medicaid makes it possible for people to have jobs and living situations. These people are our neighbors, friends and family members," Ladwig says. "AHCA could have devastating effects."
The crowd of about 30 gathered in front of the downtown offices of Democratic Senator Patty Murray and Republican Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers.
People with disabilities and their family members addressed the group, sharing their experiences and distributing contact information for state legislators and members of Congress, urging their peers to make their voices heard.
One mother held two gallon-sized plastic bags full of medicines that her child has to take every day. Another man spoke of his struggles with bipolar disorder and accessing the right kind of care.
Specifically, the protesters rallied against provisions in the AHCA that would limit the amount of money the federal government could give to states as compensation for what they spend on health care services.
Tags: health care , protest , Medicaid , news , rally , Cathy McMorris Rodgers , Patty Murray , AHCA , Affordable Care Act , Obamacare , Spokane , Image
The Spokane County Jail was bursting at the seams in 2013. The average daily population of 897 inmates that year far surpassed the 672 "rated" jail beds — 133.5 percent over maximum capacity.
A jail's "rated" capacity is the number of inmates at which it can operate safely. Notably, Spokane County says the maximum capacity between its two facilities (Spokane County Jail and Geiger Corrections Center) is 896.
The 2013 numbers come from a new criminal justice data portal, Measures for Justice, that recently launched a user-friendly website with county-level justice data for six states: Washington is one of them.
The goal of the project is to compile often difficult-to-obtain local criminal justice data in order to measure decision points within each county and state, focusing on fair process, public safety and fiscal responsibility.
For example you can explore data for jail capacity, court fines and charge reductions and dismissals, among other categories.
Most of those points allow you to filter the data by race, gender, age, severity of offense, offense type and court type, depending on data availability.
For example: Nonwhite felony defendants in Whitman County had their cases dismissed at a slightly higher rate than white defendants (1.02 to 1), but white defendants in Spokane County had their cases dismissed at a higher rate than nonwhite defendants (1.18 to 1). In Okanogan County the ratio is 1.66 white-defendant cases dismissed to 1 nonwhite-defendant case dismissed. (Data spans the period from 2009 to 2013.)
In another example: 52.5 percent of people in Spokane who were required to pay court fines and fees failed to do so, which is about on par with defendants statewide. Defendants in Yakima County were the worst court fee delinquents — nearly 70 percent of defendants failed to pay their fines.
Tags: data , criminal justice , Measures for Justice , Spokane County Jail , Washington state , Jacquie van Wormer , News , Image
ON INLANDER.COM
NEWS: City Council President Ben Stuckart will not run against seven-term Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers for her 5th Congressional District seat in 2018, citing serious health issues involving two close family members.
NEWS: Remember that skatepark that was supposed to replace the Under The Freeway park? Local skateboarders do; they're re still waiting for it to be constructed.
IN OTHER NEWS
Burning and shooting in the Valley
A unidentified man armed with a knife set fire to his room at a Spokane Valley Motel 6 early this morning; he barricaded himself in the room and told responding deputies they would have to shoot him: they did. The man is hospitalized with gunshot wounds; there are no reports on his condition. (KREM)
A tale of two FBI directors
One day before former FBI Director James Comey —
Science, anyone?
Trump, who last week announced his intention to pull the U.S. out of the Paris climate accord, has announced nominees for just 15 percent of the government's top science posts requiring Senate confirmation. Meanwhile, in the "Paris of the Appalachians," aka Pittsburgh, they're not buying Trump's climate-change rhetoric. (Washington Post)
Another ISIS attack
ISIS is claiming responsibility for the latest major terrorist attack: This morning, heavily armed gunmen and suicide bombers in Tehran targeting Iran's Parliament and a shrine to Ayatollah Khomeini killed 12 people and injured at least 40 others. (BBC)
Tags: Morning Briefing , headlines , Ben Stuckart , Congress , Cathy McMorris Rodgers , skatepark , James Comey , President Trump , Christopher Wray , FBI director , ISIS , terrorist attack , Tehran , Parliament , News , Image
Tuesday, June 6, 2017
With his mom and brother facing serious difficulties, he withdraws from the race
City Council President Ben Stuckart was supposed to be the best chance Democrats had in years to topple Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers.
At least, that was the idea behind the Stranger profile "Meet the Man Who Could Turn Eastern Washington Blue," that Stuckart still has pinned at the top of his campaign page.
But just below that is the lengthy statement that Stuckart posted to Facebook announcing his withdrawal.
"Today I am announcing the end of my Congressional campaign in order to focus on family health issues that have arisen over the last few weeks," Stuckart wrote. "In my heart, I believed that I could represent the citizens of Spokane as Council President, run a people-first campaign against a member of Congressional leadership, and meet my obligations to my extended family. I now know that I simply cannot adequately fulfill my duties to each without a detriment to the whole."
Stuckart doesn't want to go into details on the record in order to protect their privacy, but in an interview with the
He says he got a call from his brother Thursday, detailing a serious setback. But as of Friday, Stuckart's heart still seemed in the race, at least publicly.
"Ever heard of America Rising?" Stuckart tweeted on Friday. "They're a GOP PAC to research and attack Dems. They've started filing pub records requests on me. Bring it on."
But he says he and his wife had a long conversation about the future of his campaign at their property in North Idaho on Sunday. He says he blurted out to his wife that he thought he should withdraw from the race.
"The campaign was only going to get busier," Stuckart says. "The health issues in my families are only going to get more intense. I’m not able to fully focus right now. That’s only going to get worse."
And family, ultimately, came first.
"I hope what I’m able to do with my mental focus is just focus on the family and the city for the next 12 months and not let any other thing take precedence," Stuckart says. "Presently, I’m running for 'good brother' and 'good son'."
Tags: Ben Stuckart , withdraws , Cathy McMorris Rodgers , News , Congress , Lisa Brown , Image
The proposal isn't dead, but discussion has largely gone dormant
The destruction of the Under the Freeway skatepark in downtown Spokane two years ago came attached to something like a promise: Yes, the city had decided to destroy UTF instead of its initial plan to upgrade it, but it would build a new skatepark to replace it.
“We’re committed to this project,” then-Parks Department spokeswoman Monique Cotton told the Spokesman-Review in June of 2015. “The hope is that we’ll be able to have some design work and some construction by the summer of 2016.”
Two years later, that construction hasn't begun. For that matter, the Parks Department hasn't decided on a location, identified a funding source to construct the full park, or laid out a timeline for the skatepark. The skatepark proposal isn't dead. But for nearly a year, it's been largely dormant.
Josh Yandell,
"They’ve teased us so
Chris Wright, president of the Spokane Park Board, says the skatepark question hasn't come up as an object of discussion for the board this year.
"The short answer is it just wasn’t a priority for the board," says Wright.
Way back in 2012, the city was looking at renovating the UTF skatepark — it even handed skatepark consulting team Grindline Skateparks more than $30,000 to design an upgrade. And $300,000, left over from the 2007 park bond, had been preserved from the park bond.
But
Ultimately, the Park Board wasn't interested in sinking more money into the troubled UTF area.
Tags: Parks Department , skatepark , Under the Freeway , Spokane Park Board , News , Image
