🌱 Mayor Forms Drive-By Shootings Task Force + Fentanyl Pill Seizure

Hello again, Spokane! Important update: You all, as readers, have made the Spokane Daily so successful that it is my honor to announce the next stage of the newsletter. Patch is looking for a local writer and entrepreneur to take the helm of the Spokane Daily. Although I have loved getting to know this community, we want to pass the torch to someone truly local to write about Spokane long term. So if you’re interested in earning extra income while making this newsletter a more valuable resource for your neighbors, learn more and apply here.

First, today's weather:

A p.m. shower in places. High: 46 Low: 27.

Here are the top three stories in Spokane today:

1. Spokane Mayor Nadine Woodward wants to create a task force to address the recent rise in drive-by shootings in the city. According to the Mayor, the task force will focus on preventing violent crime. The Mayor believes that pent-up frustration and anxiety during the pandemic is the cause of some people resorting to violence. (KREM 2)
2. The driver of the truck that crashed and submerged into the Spokane River near the 2800 Block of East Upriver Drive last Monday has been arrested for DUI. All five occupants of the vehicle survived. Two were taken to the hospital for injuries. (KHQ Right Now)
3. Spokane County Sheriff's Office Deputies seized a large number of fentanyl pills, methamphetamine, and oxycodone pills during a traffic stop on Tuesday in Airway Heights, about 20 minutes outside of Spokane. Thirty-three-year-old Edvin N. Johnson and 26-year-old Melissa S. Hernandez were booked for two counts of possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver. Johnson is a four-time convicted felon with a suspended license and Hernandez has a prior felony conviction for possession of a controlled substance. (KXLY)

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Today in Spokane:

• Family Storytime (Ages Two-Five) At North Spokane Library (9:30 AM)
• Free AARP Tax Aide At North Spokane Library (1:00 PM)
• Online Storytime – Live At North Spokane Library (6:30 PM)

From my notebook:

• Krispy Kreme is lowering the price of donuts to offset the high price of gas for consumers. For the next four Wednesdays, a dozen of their Original Glazed donuts will cost the same price as the national average of one gallon of regular gas. (FOX 28 Spokane)
• Join Park Place Plants as they partner with Single Moms in Life Empowerment (SMILE) to give single moms a special potted plant at their Mother's Day event on Saturday, May 7 at Greenacres Baptist Church. You can take part by bringing a mug (preferably with a message) to the story and pay for a $5 plant that will be given to single moms attending the event. (KXLY Spokane)
• Check out Spokane-based Emma Rue's, a coffee spot, cocktail bar, appetizer, and dessert space that is sure to please. Drinks are served against a backdrop of history that is sure to intrigue every patron. (KREM.com)

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Thanks for following along and staying informed. I'll see you around!

— Carla Varner