Another South Hill retail development is again stirring up debate between developers and concerned neighbors.

The South Regal corridor has faced opposition to development before; in 2006 neighbors rallied to protect a so-called wetland at 44th Ave. and Regal Street. Back then, some neighbors complained that development there would create traffic problems and ruin their quality of life.

Developer Dave Black is planning to put a Target store on a 15-acre parcel at the intersection of Regal and Palouse Highway on the Moran Prairie. The rumors have been swirling about the project for quite some time.

"I don't have the authority from target to make any announcements today but I think it's pretty clear what's going on," Black said.

But, as bulldozers get ready to start up, so are the heated discussions about the development.

"Are we developing a district center that meets the vision of the Spokane comprehensive plan, the Spokane municipal code or are we just dropping big box stores in the middle of our neighborhood," Ted Teske, chair of the Southgate neighborhood council, asked.

The Land Committee of the Spokane Park Board considered a proposal to purchase land that would extend the Centennial Trail at a meeting on Wednesday April 3rd. The land to be purchased is currently part of the Kendall Yards property. The total land is 3.5 acres but .85 acres of that will be donated by Kendall Yards.

The city was given a grant from the Washington Public Works Board for the amount of $1.97 million in order to make the purchase. Kendall Yards has agreed to sell the land for that price even though independent appraisers for both the city and developer determined the value of the land to be around $3.9 million. As part of the purchase agreement Kendall Yards will construct the trail extension and hope to have it completed as early as this summer. The revenue of the sale will be used to fund the extension project.

The medical examiner's office confirmed the death of a man in the Spokane County Jail in February was due to methamphetamine toxicity combined with psychological effects of him being restrained.

Due to the effects of the methamphetamine toxicity, coupled with being restrained by jail personnel and an existing diabetes condition, the medical examiner classified Christopher Parker's manner of death as homicide.

Parker, 33, died while in custody at the Spokane County Jail on Feb. 24. Earlier in the day Parker was suffering an apparent drug overdose and called 9-1-1 for help.

When a police officer arrived at his residence, Parker admitted he was both diabetic and had ingested a large amount of meth. Paramedics arrived and, after doing a medical evaluation of Parker, determined that he did not need to be transported to the hospital for treatment, according to Spokane Assistant Fire Chief Brian Schaeffer.