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

WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 22, 2010

Defiant Hart Reacts To Ethics Finding 10 

Idaho Rep. Phil Hart’s attorney, Starr Kelso, has sent out a defiant response to today’s House Ethics Committee decision on Hart’s behalf, arguing that the panel’s decision “has no basis in law or procedure and exceeds the committee’s authority.” That’s not what the Idaho Attorney…

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Parting Shot -- 9.22.10

House Ethics Committee Chairman Tom Loertscher, R-Iona, and Vice Chair Wendy Jaquet, D-Ketchum, talk before the panel's hearing Wednesday began on the conduct of Rep. Phil Hart, R-Athol. Shortly before the hearing began, Jaquet announced the arrival of a new grandson. (SR photo: Betsy Russell)

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Sick? Google Rather Than Doc Visit 

A Facebook friend writes that she "is going to Google when she feels sick instead of paying $130 for a doctor to 'guess' and 'suppose' and 'wait and see.'"Question: Does the high cost of medical care prompt you to seek other options when you're not…

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Hump Day Wild Card -- 9.22.10 20 

As Mr. Wizard used to say when it was time to rescue his assistant, "Drizzle, drazzle, druzzle, time for this one to come home." Or in this case go home. And then take a coupla days off. (For those of you who roll your eyes…

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Mary: Suit V. Kennedy 'Not Personal' 20 

In responding to another commenter at Coeur d'Alene Press online re: "Kennedy's legal fees soar to $50,000," Mary Souza of OpenCdA.com said that targetting Kennedy as a defendant wasn't "optional" or "personal." Writes Mary: "Mike Kennedy was only named in the lawsuit because the Idaho…

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PM Headlines -- 9.22.10 

Ray Stone, former, two-term mayor of Coeur d'Alene and a concentration camp liberator, is one of the "faces" featured in Ralph Bartholdt's current photography exhibit at the Coeur d'Alene Library. You can see it through the end of September.Ethics Committee: Kick Rep. Phil Hart off…

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APhoto Of The Day -- 9.22.10 

A worker paints an Oregon State football practice field blue on Monday in Corvallis, Ore. No. 24 Oregon State plays at No. 3 Boise State and its blue turf on Saturday. Oregon State diluted 70 gallons of white grass paint as a base under 280…

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Scanner Traffic/PM -- 9.22.10

6:14 p.m. A male is lying in the middle of H95, near Kidd Island Road.5:58 p.m. ISP officer reports that traffic is backed up for 2 miles w/b @ the stateline and traveling 15 mph as a result of construction work.5:52 p.m. Inga, on Saxon/Hayden,…

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NIdaho Blogs: "Let Them Be"?

It seems lately I’ve been reading and hearing quite a lot of advice from parents about the importance of letting your kids be who they want to be without fear of criticism or ridicule. Which is all well and good on the surface, but what…

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Sayler: Hart Conduct Unethical, But ... 

Rep. George Sayler, D-Coeur d’Alene, voted with the panel’s Republican members in an earlier 5-2 vote to dismiss a charge against Hart of abuse of legislative privilege. “I’ve said before I don’t think this is a partisan issue,” Sayler said. “I don’t see that we…

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Happy Customers Rank Avista Highly 

Avista has earned the highest ranking in satisfaction among residential natural gas customers in the midsize natural gas utilities segment of the West region, according to the 2010 J.D. Power and Associates Gas Utility Residential Customer Satisfaction StudySM released today. Avista’s score of 654 placed…

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Inlander: A Social Media Sensation

The trial became a social media sensation in the Lake City with gavel-to-gavel coverage on Facebook and two blogs — the Kennedy-friendly Spokesman-Review’s Huckleberries Online, and the Brannon-friendly http://www.OpenCdA.com. Highlights included a 30-minute rant by Kelso that Hosack step down, a Brannon supporter ejected, a…

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Ethics Panel Wants Hart Off Rev & Tax 24 

You can read the tail-end of the play-by-play live-blog report by Dustin Hurst/Idaho Reporter of the action by the House Ethics Committee and tax-resisting Rep. Phil Hart below. Link at bottom provides the full report. (Courtesy photo from Idaho Reporter, of Phil Hart during 2010…

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Ready For Takeoff 

On her More Main Street page, Kerri Thoreson posts this photo of Captain Nathan Corkill awaiting departure from Pappy Boyington Field at the county airport Saturday afternoon. Kerri continues: "Capt. Corkill is a Kellogg High School and U of I grad who was home during…

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Hart Refuses To Quit Tax Panel Post 

Dustin Hurst via Twitter: "Hart gives no answer on question about possible resignation from tax committee. Hart says he will meet with speaker of Idaho House. In short, he is not resigning from committee.The House Ethics Committee is taking a 15-minute recess, at the suggestion…

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Wayne: Lawmakers Now An Elite Class 

Most of us recognize that in this economic climate, just having a job is a gift. In both the private and public sectors, employees have been told to take a day off of work here and there, without pay, in order to help make payroll.…

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Dustin Live-Blogging Hart Hearing 

Rep. Phil Hart, R-Athol is facing an ethics complaint that he used his legislative privilege too many time to avoid litigation by the Idaho State Tax Commission and the Internal Revenue Service. Hart was cleared on a charge of having a conflict-of-interest during committee votes…

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Sis: Brannon Suit Doomed From Start 

Sisyphus: The “facts” were in Brannon's hands well before the thing went to trial. And they knew it would fail. It was futile to proceed EXCEPT to pursue their improper political motives which I deem a misuse of the legal system. They also are using…

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INW: Preparing For The Blue

The Oregon State University Beaver football team practices on blue painted Protho field in Corvallis, Ore., on Tuesday in preparation for the Boise State game to be played in Boise this Saturday. (AP Photo/Corvallis Gazette-Times, Scobel Wiggins)Cartoon: Politics for dummies/David Horsey, Seattle P-IWashington State facing…

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Scanner Traffic/AM -- 9.22.10

11:58 p.m. 4 people have been injured in a single-vehicle rollover on 4th of July Pass on I-90 @ M/P 22. Debris is spread over 100 yards. 2 ambulances are en route. One male, in his 60s, is bleeding profusely from his head.11:55 p.m. Caller…

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Times-News: Don't Count Out Allred 

In an editorial, the Twin Falls News-Tribune pointed out that some of the biggest names in the moderate wing of the Republican Party have endorsed Democrat Keith Allred. These include former state Sen. Laird Noh, R-Kimberly; Twin Falls County Commissioner Tom Mikesell and onetime Twin…

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Keith Allred Unveils New Ad 

Betsy Russell/Eye On Boise breaks down the claims in the new television ad by Democrat Keith Allred, who is running against incumbent Gov. Butch Otter, hereQuestion: What do you think of Keith Allred's new TV ad?

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HBO Poll: Steele Wasn't Framed 

Tuesday Poll: 136 of 182 (74.73%) respondents said that ex-Aryan Nations attorney Edgar Steele wasn't framed by the FBI to silence his politically incorrect views in his murder-for-hire case. Only 32 of 182 (17.58%) believe his was set up. 14 voters were undecided.Marano-Sims: Surprisingly, 104…

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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.