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Just received a call from one of my favorite Berry Pickers. Who risked life and limb to find out why those guys are standing at the intersections in the construction zones along Highway 95, north of Appleway. We’ve talked about this before here. Among the answers — They’re there to protect people from messing with the fresh concrete. The correct answer? A “stander” @ Prairie & Highway 95 told the Berry Picker that he and the others are required under ADA rules of the government stimulus package to be available to help individuals with disabilities cross the highway. The “standers” aren’t allowed to sit down. Nor can they have radios or cell phones to help the time pass. In the six weeks since he’s been working, the “stander” told the Berry Picker that he’s helped 4 people across the highway. Meanwhile, he guesstimates that 500 people who put themselves at risk to ask what he’s doing. Your tax dollars at work.
D.F. Oliveria is a columnist and blogger for The Spokesman-Review. Huckleberries Online was judged the best 2008 Idaho newspaper blog by the Idaho Press Club. And the best 2007 news blog in the Pacific Northwest by the Society for Professional Journalist. Print Huckleberries is a past winner of the Herb Caen Memorial Column contest by the National Association of Newspaper Columnists. The Readership Institute of Northwestern University cited this blog as a good example of online community journalism.
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toadman on May 19 at 1:46 p.m.
Well, you didn’t say anything about not being allowed to have a book or an iPod….count me in.. where do I sign up for that job?
Bent on May 19 at 1:49 p.m.
Geez, DFO, I commented to that effect on the thread you had a week (or so) ago.
pthompson on May 19 at 2:02 p.m.
I have seen them talking on cell phones were paying for that, nice huh. Sounds like something out of the old Soviet Union.
BethB on May 19 at 2:21 p.m.
Ah, the great divide between the East and the West. When will The Other Washington send the people who are making these rules out this a-way to get an idea of whether this is an efficient use of taxpayer dollars for a place called the Inland Northwest?
(there’s got to be a better solution that meets all needs…)
Cis on May 19 at 3:03 p.m.
Redman, they are allowed their personal cell phone and only to call or recieve calls from their boss or relief person…only…
They are not allowed anything that might divert their attention away from the traffic
Sisyphus on May 19 at 3:32 p.m.
Its true, Bent, I saw your comment. I think Dave is getting filled with contentment after the honeymoon from chasing so many of the vocal ones away. At least before he would interact once in while. Now he just comes in, kicks up some posts, leans back in his chair and ignores us. He just sits there and listens to that damn scanner. We slave over hot blogs all day long and for what? How can a person who works in the newspaper business have nothing to say. We should start a flame war to see if we can get his attention. That’ll show him. I’m just so unfulfilled. (sniffle)
brentandrews on May 19 at 9:37 p.m.
That is hilarious. “Standers.” Ha! Now it’s just a matter of time before working conditions for “standers” improve and they are allowed to sit in a folding chair and still be called “standers” and get the same pay as a “stander” so long as they help someone across the street now and then. When you can sit and still be a stander, sign me up.
Arpie on May 19 at 9:57 p.m.
I call B.S.