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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Huckleberries Online

Anti-LCDCers Lead Media on “Wild Goose Chase”


Kathy Plonka/Spokesman-Review

Dan Gookin and biologist Beth Reinhart check out bad anonymous tip.

Apparently, Dan Gookin got a tip from someone with concerns that Marshall Chesrown and Black Rock Development had illegally diverted the Spokane River in front of the Bellerive residential project on the shoreline next to Riverstone. He told reporters that before he spread any rumors he wanted to find out the true facts. Afterward, he apologized for leading everyone on a "wild goose chase."

After a few calls to the media, a meeting was set up this afternoon with the local U.S. Army Corps of Engineers representative. Environmental Resource Specialist/Biologist Beth Reinhart met Gookin along with Duane Rasmussen, Matt Roetter and Ron Johnson in the Starbuck's parking lot so she could investigate the alleged wrong-doing. A CdA Press reporter, who set up the meeting, also tagged along as did a Spokesman reporter and photographers from both papers. Gookin lead the group along the shoreline, where crews are building condos. Reinhart inspected the silt fences, the rock retaining walls, and the pilings for the public boardwalk and concluded that everying looked good. "This looks like a good job, a really good job," Reinhart said. She politely answered the groups questions and said she would investigate to see who owned the property and if they had proper permits.

Then the group moved downstream to the Mill River development to see if the alleged river diversion was there. It wasn't. Again, Reinhart didn't see anything wrong. Gookin and the group tried to get the anonymous tipster on the phone to get more specifics just to ensure they weren't missing anything. They never got in contact with the person. After the meeting, Reinhart went to the Black Rock office, where George Schillinger presented her with copies of the required permits. "There is no issue," Reinhart said in a phone message to the Spokesman. "They are in compliance with permit. It's not really a story."



Huckleberries Online

D.F. Oliveria started Huckleberries Online on Feb. 16, 2004. Oliveria's Sunday print Huckleberries is a past winner of the national Herb Caen Memorial Column contest.