Spokane

A police sergeant could be returning to his job with Spokane Police after his termination in December of 2009. Brad Thoma was arrested for a DUI and failure to leave information at the scene of a collision. Spokane Mayor David Condon released a statement on Wednesday saying a proposed settlement would bring him back in the job with back pay.Condon says the city's settlement is a legal solution to a problem of financial risk for the City adding: "We are proposing this settlement to protect taxpayer dollars. Within the state legal constraints we operate under, this is a good legal and financial decision for the City."

SustainableWorks, a non-profit focused on creating quality jobs and improving the environment, has moved to a brand new location in Hillyard. Their new office is located at 5315 North Market Street. They'll be holding an open house on Thursday, March 1st from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m.SustainableWorks collaborates with residential and small commercial energy retrofit projects through community engagement and participation.Over the next two years, SustainableWorks will use a $4 million Community Energy Efficiency Program Grant to retrofit up to 2,000 homes and small businesses in moderate-income neighborhoods in Spokane, Pierce, King, and Snohomish counties.

Maybe you've walked along the High Drive Bluff and marveled at the Spokane sunsets or stumbled upon a moose on the trails. There's a local group of neighbors that meet occasionally to talk about taking care of the bluff for future use. They're called Friends of the High Drive Bluff.

We spoke with Comstock Neighborhood Council chair, Sally Fullmer, today and she says a traffic stop light is in the works for the intersection of 37th and Grand. With an increase of use and businesses at the intersection, at times it has been troublesome especially with the stop signs on east and west streets.

Months of debate and conflict have led to a hearing examiner's decision for Jefferson Elementary School's fate. The school will be moved to the proposed location at the northeast corner of 37th Avenue and Manito Boulevard.Spokane hearing examiner Greg Smith approved Spokane Public Schools' application on Tuesday for the conditional use permit to allow construction of a replacement school. In order to do so, District 81 agreed to go through a longer permitting process requiring a public hearing with the hearing examiner where the public can attend and testify.Those against the decision to move the school still plan on doing what they can to stop the relocation. Sally Fullmer, Comstock Neighborhood Council chair, says they have 21 days to appeal the decision and they plan on looking into it.

Local supporters of the Marriage Equality Bill are hitting the road to celebrate the legislation signed into law by Governor Chris Gregoire earlier this month.Occupy Spokane is spearheading a gathering planned with the LGBT Center at the rest area on along eastbound I-90 near Sprague starting Thursday morning at 4 a.m.The groups will be there until Midnight encouraging travelers to not sign R-74, the referendum filed by the bill's opposition to reverse the Governor's decision.

You soon won't have to drive all the way to Airway Heights to sink your teeth into a fat burger anymore.Fatburger North America Incorporated has made the Kalispel Tribal Economic Authority the franchisee for new restaurants in the Spokane/Coeur d'Alene area.Fatburger restaurant in Northern Quest Resort and Casino is so popular it consistently ranks in the top ten among Fatburger franchises. Now its success has Fatburger North America Inc. depending on the Tribe to find locations for new restaurants in major Washington and Idaho areas.

The non-profit group, Advocates for the Bing Crosby Theater, presents its spring film series "Best of the Suspense Classics" at the Bing Crosby Theater in downtown Spokane. This year they'll feature mystery and suspense classics from Billy Wilder, Alfred Hitchcock and more.The festival begins with the Tuesday, March 6th showing of the 1958 film, Alfred Hitchcock's "Vertigo." A retired policeman with acrophobia is hired to follow a mysterious woman. The film stars James Stewart and Kim Novak, and is considered one of the most distinguished works in Hitchcock's career.

We received an email from Cathy Gunderson, co-chair of the Chief Garry Park neighborhood council. She says this year's Summer Parkways will take place in the Chief Garry and Logan neighborhood on June 3rd from Noon to 3 p.m. Event planning is getting a head start. The route for the parkway is already mapped out. 

(Updated 11:10 a.m.) - Republican presidential candidate, Ron Paul, addressed a crowd of 2,577 in downtown Spokane on Friday night, hoping to earn their vote for the upcoming Washington State Republican caucus on March 3rd. The first to arrive lined up outside the convention center doors at 2:30 p.m. waiting for five hours until the doors finally opened. Crowds lined Spokane Falls Blvd. waving signs until for support of the candidate until the last minute. 

Neighbors of Chief Garry Park are some of the latest concerned citizens taking action to protect their homes. After a concentration of burglaries started popping up on police reports, neighbors are hoping to take care of the problem by forming a block watch to keep tabs on what's happening around them.Spokane C.O.P.S. is the non-profit group that organizes block watches in the city. Christy Hamilton, C.O.P.S. director, says block watches teach neighbors to start identifying who and what doesn't belong in their neighborhood."We train the neighbors to start being observant and getting them in that mindset," Hamilton said.

C.O.P.S. Southeast is reporting a prolific con artist is at it again on Spokane's South Hill. He knocks on your door looking for money saying he's a neighbor and he needs cash immediately. Though he says he'll pay you back within a hour with interest, well... I bet you know what happens next.

Get those kids in school! Kindergarten registration for Spokane schools starts next month. If your child will be five-years-old on or before August 31st, you'll need to register them for classes. Don't worry, it's not like sending them away to college.To register, starting March 5th, head to your neighborhood elementary school between 8:15 a.m. and 3:45 p.m. Spokane Public Schools has that will help in case you're not sure what school is closest to you.

Mark next Monday on your calendar as Free Parking Day -- we mean Presidents' Day. Parking meters in downtown Spokane do not need to be plugged. Other city services continue as usual. Garbage pickup, recycling are on their normal schedule.City council meets as usual. City facilities are open as usual. Libraries are open. It's business as usual except for the County Courthouse Building which will be closed except for employees. Municipal court employees can be reached by phone.

A residential burglary is now being solved thanks to the diligence of the victim. Just before a November 1st, 2011 theft, a resident in the 2700 block of North Cedar recorded the serial numbers of various items stolen from her home. She was able to hand that over to Spokane Police after the theft happened.According to Spokane Police, the victim visited local pawn shops and was able to track down some of the stolen items. She informed police who were able to confirm that the pawned items belonged to the victim.Suspect information was turned over to property crimes detectives who for two months gathered enough evidence to finally charge Casey G. Griner, 21, and William C. Calamanco, 25, with Residential Burglary, Second Degree Theft and First Degree Trafficking in Stolen Property.