Now, we have partnered with the government transparency advocates at the Washington Coalition for Open Government to share some of those records at a virtual workshop on Finding Federal Relief Records in WA this Wednesday afternoon.
We're inviting regional journalists and community advocates to join us for insight into how local agencies track spending, compliance deadlines and potential story ideas buried in federal data. A WashCOG attorney will also share advice on pursuing records and answer technical questions.
This free workshop will run from 2-3 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 17. Register here.
We’re doing this because we want to help readers and fellow reporters find the information that matters to them and their neighbors. We aspire to show how these dollars impact our state's communities, and when it's not quite working.
Amid a surge in federal infrastructure funding, reporter Brandon Block wrote this past week about how highway projects continue to upend neighborhoods of color and how residents of Spokane's East Central neighborhood hope for more say in how future projects affect their lives.
Neighborhood advocates praised a related pilot program offering surplus public land back to the community for development into affordable housing or parks, but also called for a broader reassessment of systemic priorities and historical harms.
“Success,” one advocate said, “is different outcomes.”
We also unpacked how millions of dollars for expanding the electric vehicle charging grid to rural Washington still faces a number of practical and cultural challenges. A newly released state plan would aim to install chargers every 50 miles along key highways and upgrade utility systems.
Read the rest of our ongoing Recovery Watch reporting here.
If you're ready to start digging into your own local relief spending, you can explore our Follow the Funds reader guide — or join us Wednesday to hear more about our work. Reach out to me at jacob.jones@crosscut.com with questions or story ideas on federal recovery funding.
We will take all the help we can get.
