Call Center Company in Spokane, WA

Many Spokane residents are unfazed by the broken record of threatened (or real) delays in completing the North Spokane Corridor, which broke ground in 2001.

Just months ago it looked like the construction project could have been paused again due to a $1 billion deficit in the state transportation budget for the next biennium. Eastern Washington city officials and state lawmakers expressed concern about a potential pause in an already delayed project.

On March 11, after attending a city action day in Olympia, Spokane Valley City Council member Ben Wick told fellow council members about his concerns that the corridor could be paused as other transportation projects might be prioritized due to budget constraints.

"It was very evident that the governor's office was trying to highlight that the only project that could be delayed was the north-south corridor," Wick told the council. "It could be delayed up to six years to try and figure out cash flow."

Without a delay, the corridor is expected to be completed by 2030, with 70% of the 10.5-mile connection between North Spokane and Interstate 90 currently completed. According to the Washington State Department of Transportation, the project's estimated total cost will wind up being $1.5 billion.

The Spokane City Council was also concerned about the impacts of a potential delay and on March 31 unanimously voted to send a letter to the House Transportation Committee. The letter described the need to complete the project because other projects depend on its completion.

By 2030, the Spokane Transit Authority expects to complete the Division Street Bus Rapid Transit route, running from downtown Spokane to the unincorporated area of Mead.

"Further delays risk compounding costs, eliminating jobs, and missing a critical opportunity to realize the full potential of this project for Spokane, Eastern Washington, and for the statewide transportation network," the letter states.

To address the transportation budget shortfall, Democratic Washington legislators compromised with a transportation budget that includes a 6-cent motor vehicle fuel tax increase. The fuel tax increase is the first in nearly a decade, and raises the rate from 49.4 cents per gallon to 55.4 cents, which will increase by 2% each year for inflation.

Only California (57.9 cents/gallon) and Pennsylvania (57.6 cents/gallon) have higher gas taxes than Washington.

Other fee increases associated with the transportation budget include a 3-cent increase for diesel and a 10% sales tax on luxury cars over $100,000, which will take effect in July after Gov. Bob Ferguson signs the transportation bill as expected.

In a press release, the city of Spokane noted the final transportation budget includes $51.7 million to complete the North Spokane Corridor.

State Sen. Marcus Riccelli, D-Spokane, says he was resolved to ensure the funding was there to complete the corridor. He says construction costs went up statewide because of tariffs, inflation, and higher material and labor costs.

Riccelli says he wanted to ensure the corridor received funding if the gas tax was increased, because of the positive impacts the freeway will have on the region's economy and development.

"If a gas tax was going to get passed, I was going to ensure we were going to get the most for our region, and make sure that there was no pushing back in the timeline for the North Spokane Corridor," Riccelli says. "It's great for economic development, creates jobs, reduces emissions, so it's better for our environment, and it reduces travel time and will get people home quicker."

Riccelli says the importance of completing the corridor is amplified by regional trade from neighboring states and Canada, STA's rapid transit plans for Division Street, and the need to increase mobility access to various neighborhoods in Spokane.

Spokane City Council member Paul Dillon says the bold fuel tax proposal was needed to fund the $51.7 million required to complete the corridor. He says the 3rd District lawmakers advocated successfully to meet the needs of Spokane residents.

"I am proud our 3rd Legislative District fought for Spokane in this package and that it passed with bipartisan support," Dillon says by email. "It's exciting that this budget finishes the job on the North-South Corridor, especially after the Spokane City Council unanimously passed a letter in support."

Dillon notes that the gas tax and additional vehicle-related taxes will also help fund many projects that will improve bicycle and pedestrian safety despite the uncertainty of federal funding cuts.

"This increase will be incredibly important in the wake of impending federal cuts to federal walking and biking funds over the next three years or more," Dillon says. ♦

What is the best internet provider in Spokane?

CNET recommends Quantum Fiber as the top option for the best internet service provider in Spokane. While there are a variety of fiber internet options out there, Quantum Fiber stands out thanks to its fast speeds and fair prices, and you don't have to worry about your bill jumping up after a year or two. It helps that Quantum Fiber doesn't have data caps, contracts or extra equipment costs, either, making it stand out even more.

Xfinity offers the widest coverage in Spokane -- aside from a couple of satellite providers -- with speeds up to 2,100Mbps. If you don't want to worry about your bill dramatically increasing, T-Mobile Home Internet offers a price-lock guarantee on its single $50-$70 monthly plans, and an average amount of speed.

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

How to find internet deals and promotions in Spokane

The best internet deals and the top promotions in Spokane depend on what discounts are available during that time. Most deals are short-lived, but we look frequently for the latest offers.

Spokane internet providers such as Xfinity may offer lower introductory pricing or streaming add-ons for a limited time. Many, including Quantum Fiber, T-Mobile and Verizon, run the same standard pricing year-round.

For a more extensive list of promotions, check out our guide on the best internet deals.

Source: CNET analysis of provider data.

What’s a good internet speed?

Most internet connection plans can now handle basic productivity and communication tasks. If you're looking for an internet plan that can accommodate videoconferencing, streaming video or gaming, you'll have a better experience with a more robust connection. Here's an overview of the recommended minimum download speeds for various applications, according to the Federal Communications Commission. Note that these are only guidelines and that internet speed, service and performance vary by connection type, provider and address.

For more information, refer to our guide on how much internet speed you really need.

How CNET chose the best internet providers in Spokane

Internet service providers are numerous and regional. Unlike the latest smartphone, laptop, router or kitchen tool, it’s impractical to personally test every ISP in a given city. What’s our approach? We start by researching the pricing, availability and speed information drawing on our own historical ISP data, the provider sites and mapping information from the Federal Communications Commission at FCC.gov.

It doesn’t end there: We go to the FCC’s website to check our data and ensure we consider every ISP that provides service in an area. We also input local addresses on provider websites to find specific options for residents. We look at sources, including the American Customer Satisfaction Index and J.D. Power, to evaluate how happy customers are with an ISP’s service. ISP plans and prices are subject to frequent changes; all information provided is accurate as of publication.

Once we have this localized information, we ask three main questions:

The answer to those questions is often layered and complex, the providers who come closest to “yes” on all three are the ones we recommend. When selecting the cheapest internet service, we look for the plans with the lowest monthly fee, although we also factor in things like price increases, equipment fees and contracts. Choosing the fastest internet service is relatively straightforward. We look at advertised upload and download speeds and consider real-world speed data from sources like Ookla and FCC reports. (Disclosure: Ookla is owned by the same parent company as CNET, Ziff Davis.)

Internet providers in Spokane FAQs

Event runs 11 a.m. – 2 p.m., with ceremony at noon

311 or 509.755.2489

Spokane, Wash. – Commemorate Spokane's 22nd year as a Tree City USA at our Arbor Day Celebration on Saturday, April 26, 2025 from 11 a.m.- 2 p.m., with a brief Tree City USA ceremony and tree planting at noon. This event is free, and will operate rain or shine.

The event features fun family activities, live music, tree care and environmental education, free seedlings, and more. It is presented by Bartlett Tree Experts with additional support from Avista.

Be sure to bring your cameras and kids to wander and play while admiring the natural beauty of the Inland Northwest and Spokane's urban forest canopy. Pets are not allowed at Finch, service animals only.

About the John A. Finch Arboretum

The Finch Arboretum is Spokane's outdoor classroom for naturalists, horticulturists, and students of all ages. Located just off the Sunset Highway, the Arboretum occupies 65 acres of park land along Garden Springs Creek, where thousands of trees and shrubs can be seen and studied. The botanical collections of the arboretum display over 2,000 trees and shrubs representing over 600 species and varieties from around the world.

About City of Spokane Parks & Recreation

City of Spokane Parks and Recreation stewards nearly 120 properties across 4,000 acres of park land, including manicured parks, natural lands, aquatic centers, golf courses, sports complexes, and an arboretum. We also offer hundreds of recreation opportunities for all ages and abilities to improve the health and quality of life for our community. Enjoy all your city has to offer by visiting spokaneparks.org. Follow us @SpokaneParks on Facebook, Instagram, and X/Twitter.

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The Spokesman-Review

OLYMPIA – Washington lawmakers amended public disclosure law this year to require identifying information of accusers, complainants and witnesses in workplace discrimination or harassment cases be kept private and their voices altered in audio recordings.

The legislation, introduced by Rep. Rob Chase, R-Spokane Valley, and signed by Gov. Bob Ferguson on Thursday, was written in response to what some Spokane Valley employees describe as targeted retaliation by City Councilman Al Merkel.

Merkel has been bogged in controversy since taking office last year, largely due to a failure to get along with fellow council members and city staffers. Testy arguments have become a mainstay of council meetings as Merkel has repeatedly butted heads with the board and department heads over construction projects, grant applications and the complaints and investigations related to him.

Last May, an independent investigator found Merkel repeatedly disrespected city staff, often engaging in “intimidating behavior.” In one instance, he reportedly asked Mayor Pam Haley to stay after a council meeting to speak, and then stood between her and the door as he got in Haley’s face and yelled at her, according to a city staffer who witnessed the event.

Merkel has maintained the report cleared him of all “legal wrongdoing,” apparently based on the investigator’s determination that his behavior was the same towards city employees of all genders, ages and other protected classes. He argued city staff members did not like his “loud and direct” approach, that claims of harassment were “trumped up,” and that his Latino heritage may contribute to how those in City Hall perceive him.

City and board leaders say Merkel has continued to be disrespectful to staff following the investigation’s findings, even after his office was moved from the dedicated office space for the council to the first floor of City Hall and the completion of a more than $40,000 remodel to the building to implement more separation and safety measures between Merkel and city staff.

Merkel himself testified against the proposal as it worked through the Legislature.

“Let’s be real, this bill exists mainly to keep government actors from being held accountable,” Merkel said.

Merkle added that the city was attempting to silence him “because of the criticisms that I’ve laid at the city of Spokane Valley over tax waste.”

Merkel did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the new law Friday afternoon.

As he testified before the House Government committee in February, Chase said the bill was “prompted by an incident, a specific situation that happened in the city of Spokane Valley.”

“My goal is to protect employees who are investigating workplace harassment,” Chase said.

Speaking before the Senate Government Committee, Chase said the bill “protects whistleblowers.”

“We need to have whistleblowers who go out on a limb to protect the Republic,” Chase said.

As he signed the legislation Thursday, Ferguson said the bill “prevents victims of workplace harassment from being revictimized by an abuser who may figure out their identity through a public records request.”

Ferguson noted that Washington has one of the strongest public records laws in the country, though there must be a balance “to make sure that we’re protecting folks who are facing real challenges.”

“And their information should not be shared,” Ferguson said.

The bill exempts the redaction of names and job titles of elected officials.

While the public records act previously required the names of complainants, accusers, and witnesses to be redacted, several Spokane Valley employees said that disclosing their contact information and job title made them easily identifiable in documents.

“This is happening right now within the city of Spokane Valley,” Spokane Valley City Attorney Kelly Konkright told the House government committee in February. He said a council member had used the Public Records Act “to target and publicly criticize city employees who honestly reported what they believed and witnessed was harassing behavior. This is discouraging the city’s employees from reporting future misconduct.”

Stressing that she believes in open and transparent government, another public records employee told members of the committee that the city had received “many public records requests” from Merkel for all records related to an investigation into his conduct.

“The council member, after receiving them, then posted comments and quotes from those interviews on social media, along with heckling the participants in those interviews,” the employee said, adding that Merkel also posted the records on his campaign website with the identity of those interviewed, along with a review of the investigations. “It felt a lot like retaliation to those of us who had participated in interview processes, when it was never a political intent for us to go after this council member.”

The incident, the employee said, has left many city employees saying they will no longer come forward to testify in future investigations.

Another city employee told the committee that the postings resulted in “distrust and resentment” toward Merkel.

Candice Bock, director of government relations for the Association of Washington Cities, told the committee that the intent of the bill is to “make sure that the Public Records Act is not being used as a tool for retaliation against our folks who participate in an investigation.”

“The Public Records Act is to make sure that the public has access to our records,” Brock said. “When we use it as a tool for retaliation, that creates a chilling effect on our employees and on our process.”

The bill passed in the Senate 48 to 1 and passed the House 92 to 5. It takes effect July 26.

Editor’s note: This article has been updated to correctly identify Spokane Valley City Attorney Kelly Konkright

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SPOKANE, Wash. – The Champions of Magic, the largest touring magic show in the United States, are returning to Spokane this weekend. The performers are set to mesmerize the audience with a Saturday matinee at the First Interstate Center for the Arts.

The ensemble consists of four magicians, each bringing unique skills to the stage. The show will feature artistic magic, grand illusions, and classic Houdini-style escapes. Pyrotechnics will also add an element of excitement with smoke and fire.

Richard Young, one of the Champions of Magic, emphasized the interactive nature of their performances.

"That is the best thing about coming to a show, isn't it? Not watching a TV show that's been edited and you know, everything's going to be perfectly. That is part of the thrill and the excitement of coming to see. Likely to show is the great unknown. Our show is different every single night because we get so many people involved in the show. So there are never two shows that are the same," he said.

The performers assured that while audience members might become part of the show, they will not be embarrassed. However, they request attendees not to reveal any secrets.

The last time the Champions of Magic performed in Spokane, the audience had to be evacuated due to a fire alarm being set off. This was due to the extensive use of fire and smoke in their performance, which occasionally triggers alarms outside the designated stage area.

Sam Strange, another performer, recounted the previous incident, saying, "And it happens incredibly rarely. But that was one of the times that they did happen where the fire alarm goes off halfway through the show. Inevitably, the audience had to be evacuated and at that point, they they did come back. So, yeah, it's a it's an event that they remember kind of thing out."

The magicians have taken steps to prevent such occurrences and are in regular communication with fire marshals. They do not expect any interruptions during the upcoming show.

Tickets start about $50, you can find them here: https://www.broadwayspokane.com/events/detail/champions