Why the Census Matters in Spokane
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Wondering what’s going on in Spokane this week? We round up all the latest interesting news in Spokane here – chat about the latest Spokane news over at our new Facebook group here!
Miss out on our previous news stories? You can find all the news you missed here!
Money and representatives at stake: Why the 2020 Census matters [KREM2]
Summary: With the start of the decade comes the 2020 Census. It’s the quick survey every household is obligated to fill out in order for every city, county and state to get an accurate count of who lives within their boundaries.
The numbers that come from the Census determine state funding, representation, support programs and more…
The state could lose approximately $30,000… in funding for each person who [doesn’t] get counted, according to the Spokane County Census Committee.
ES Analysis: This article by Nicole Hernandez at KREM2 says it all: without an accurate Census count here in Spokane, we could lose $30,000 in funding for each person not counted. That’s a big deal!
A few facts about the Census:
- It begins April 1
- It can be filled out online, by mail or by phone
- Answers given for the Census can only be used for Census statistics purposes and cannot be used against anyone
Hopefully if you’re reading Everyday Spokane, you already feel a connection to this community and want to see it succeed. Filling out your Census forms (whether online, via the mail or phone) is crucial to the future success of Spokane.
In addition, the Census Bureau has confirmed that even if you don’t answer every single Census question, your Census form will still be counted. So if you can’t fill out every question because of time constraints or any other reason, still fill out as much as you can and send it along to be counted!
With ridership declining, we hop on the bus with one big question in mind: Where is the STA headed? [The Inlander]
Summary: …In 2016, voters approved a 10-year STA project plan dubbed “Moving Forward” — greenlighting a bump in local sales taxes to fund it. The ballot measure covered everything from extending night service on Saturdays, constructing park-and-rides, establishing more high-frequency bus service (such as the now popular Monroe-Regal No. 4 route) and the high-profile City Line project.
As STA officials see it, the vision is to have regional “corridors” that offer high-frequency service with connecting routes branching off of them…
The City Line, previously called the Central City Line, will run 6 miles from Browne’s Addition to Spokane Community College through downtown at intervals of around seven minutes. It’ll be Spokane’s first “bus rapid transit” project, a term that describes high-capacity, fast, and frequent service along a specific corridor. The buses will be all electric and will feature pre-board ticketing, meaning passengers can enter from all doors of the bus. Transit officials predict that the service will garner an estimated 1 million rides annually.
There are purported economic benefits as well: A 2014 study estimated that the project would increase land values along the route by $45 million and generate $175 million in land improvements over several decades…
ES Analysis: Take some time for this fantastic article over at The Inlander – if you’re curious about how public transit works in Spokane, this article will help you understand it all much better.
Basically, Spokane voters have done a great job making public transit a priority by approving funding for expanded routes, service, and more. The article also highlights how a variety of Spokanites use public transit – it’s not just for those with low incomes, but rather people using it for all sorts of events, commuting, and more.
Of course that’s how transit is used – very few of us haven’t hopped on public transit in order to avoid parking downtown for big events like Hoopfest or Pig Out in the Park. Personally, I used public transit when I worked downtown, particularly on snowy days when I wasn’t sure I could make it with my own car!
This article also discusses how transit will look in Spokane in the future, from the City Line to more rapid transit projects in order to accommodate Spokane’s growth.
Overall, it’s an excellent piece, and as big proponents of public transit (to support growth, economic impact, and more), we were happy to see such an in-depth piece on a subject (public transit) that frequently is ignored in favor of more sensationalist stories. Kudos to The Inlander!
Crepe Cafe Sisters to open a brick & mortar location in Kendall Yards [Inland Northwest Business Watch]
Summary: Crepes, it’s hard not to love those thin almost pancake like items of sheer goodness. One local business called Crepe Café Sisters has been making those delicious crepes for the masses for sometime now by collaborating with a few local businesses. They also even recently announced that they have acquired a food truck and are going fully mobile very soon.
But, that’s not all Crepe Café Sisters have in store, in fact they have an actual store in store. Crepe Café Sisters will soon be opening a brick & mortar storefront in Kendall Yards!
ES Analysis: If you haven’t visited the Crepe Cafe Sisters at any of their farmers’ market locations throughout the year, this news is sure to be a treat (no pun intended!). The new Crepe Cafe Sisters will be located next to Hello, Sugar and Indaba at Kendall Yards, turning this already sweet area even sweeter!
As a side note, if you’ve ever seen construction going on around Spokane and thought, “I wonder what’s going there?”, be sure to follow Inland Northwest Business Watch!
Matt does a great job of finding out what’s being built around Spokane and always has the latest scoops – I don’t write any of these news roundups without checking on Matt’s news first!
Cat Tales adopts Bonnie the bobcat [KXLY]
Summary: Cat Tales has a new family member!
Bonnie the bocbcat is 13 years old and a rescue donated from a private owner in western Washington. Her owner was faced with having to euthanize her if he didn’t find her a home, so the experts at Cat Tales stepped in.
ES Analysis: Well, would you look at this chunky bobcat! This heart-warming story has all the elements: a rescued, adorable looking cat (yes, bobcat), a rescue stepping in to save said cute animal (Cat Tales), and a new furry feline to visit on your next trip to Cat Tales!
It’s a win-win-win for everyone – especially Bonnie!
Readers, what did you think of this week’s news update? What do you think about the new police precinct? Share your thoughts and opinions at our free, private Facebook group ‘Getting to Know Spokane’ here!
