While parts of Spokane County still burned on Sunday evening, Spokane Mayor Nadine Woodward appeared onstage at a Christian nationalist event and accepted a prayer and endorsement from far-right former state Rep. Matt Shea, a Spokane Valley Republican. Shea, a pastor with fringe religious beliefs who has been linked to extremist groups, spoke against "homosexual marriage" and "transgender issues" one minute before inviting the mayor onstage, and he hugged her as she left. In a Monday damage-control statement, Woodward said that she didn't know Shea would be there, that she regrets attending and that Shea's political beliefs are a "threat to our democracy." In a tweet, Shea suggested Woodward knew what she was getting into and accused her of politicizing the event. Shea is closely associated with Sean Feucht, the musician and political figure who headlined the concert and worship event on Sunday as part of a nationwide "Kingdom to the Capitol" tour. Shea appeared at a previous stop on Feucht's tour in Olympia last month, and shares many of Feucht's well-documented Christian nationalist beliefs. "We want God to be in control of everything, we want believers to be the ones writing the laws," Feucht said in a speech last spring. (NATE SANFORD)
FREE MONEY?
In an effort to ensure no children go hungry, Spokane Public Schools students can expect to receive $120 per child for groceries, regardless of a family's income level. These Pandemic EBT cards, as they're officially known, have been sent to all K-12 students — and even 2023 graduates. More than 700,000 students got the benefit throughout Washington. Confusion arose as people who don't qualify for food assistance still received the cards, leading some to believe the cards were a scam. These cards can be used at grocery stores and some restaurants. They can also be used at the Spokane Farmers Market where shoppers can receive tokens to buy food and plant starts. Since the onset of COVID, all SPS students can receive a free meal. This policy comes from a 2022 state law that says if more than 40 percent of students in a district are eligible for the free and reduced lunch program, the entire district's student body can have a universal free meal program. (COLTON RASANEN)
PARKS AFTER DARK
In June, the Spokane City Council passed a controversial law making it an arrestable offense to be in city parks after hours. The parks originally closed from 10 pm to 6 am, but in passing the law, council changed it to 11 pm to 5 am. After the law passed in June, the Spokane Parks Board said changing the hours would be prohibitively expensive because of increased staff time and replacing more than a thousand signs citywide. The board said they had asked for tougher penalties — not new hours. So, on Monday, council members went back to the drawing board and updated the law, making it an arrestable offense to be in parks between 10 pm and 6 am. The change passed 5-2, with City Council members Zack Zappone and Betsy Wilkerson opposed. Council President Lori Kinnear said the law "feels a little draconian," but that something has to be done to address safety issues. (NATE SANFORD)
