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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Spin Control archive for April 2011

SATURDAY, APRIL 30, 2011

In passing: Ron Jackson

Ron Jackson, long-time Valley sports coach and sometime Valley political activist, passed away last week at age 83. With wife Sally, Ron was a mainstay of Democratic politics in the Spokane Valley, something that wasn’t rare when they got started many decades ago but required…

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FRIDAY, APRIL 29, 2011

Gov. Chris Gregoire explains her partial veto of the medical marijuana bill. (Jim Camden/The Spokesman-Review)

Medical marijuana bill mostly vetoed

OLYMPIA — State workers will not be licensing medical marijuana growers or dispensaries, and patients will not be able to sign onto a registry that could save them from arrest. Gov. Chris Gregoire vetoed most of a bill this afternoon that would have established a…

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State workers: Veto medical marijuana bill

OLYMPIA -- The state employees union joined the fray over the medical marijuana bill, urging Gov. Chris Gregoire in a letter today to veto it. The letter from Greg Devereaux, executive director of the Washington Federation of State Employees, said the law would put them…

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Special Session Day 4: We got nothing

OLYMPIA -- There is nothing to preview for today's activity in the special session. That's because there's nothing happening. Nothing, as in zero, nil, null, nada, zilch, zip, zippo, goose egg, bupkis...we could go on, but you probably get the point. The Senate recessed Thursday…

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THURSDAY, APRIL 28, 2011


Law prof: Feds bullying state on medical marijuana

OLYMPIA -- Federal agents are unlikely to arrest state workers for regulating medical marijuana, despite warnings from two federal prosecutors, a constitutional law expert told Gov. Chris Gregoire Thursday. Hugh Spitzer, a University of Washington law professor and one of the state's top constitutional scholars,…

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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27, 2011

Gregoire may veto medical marijuana bill 

OLYMPIA – Gov. Chris Gregoire threatened Wednesday to veto most, and possibly all, of a bill that would set up state oversight of medical marijuana operations. The bill received final approval from the Senate last week, but federal prosecutors in Spokane and Seattle had earlier…

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Is the 'birther' issue laid to rest? 

It was with some regret that I heard Wednesday morning that President Obama has released his birth certificate. There is no issue that is better for generating comments for this website than whether Obama was born in the USA, and I am sad to see…

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Special Session Day 2: Floor votes later today

OLYMPIA -- The Senate had a quick startup this morning then went into caucus, where the honorables are expected to spend some time before returning for floor votes "later in the day", folks from the Senate Democratic offices said. No committee hearings until tomorrow, when…

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TUESDAY, APRIL 26, 2011



SUNDAY, APRIL 24, 2011

Sometimes legislators say the darnedest things 

Legislators talk a lot. Sometimes, they come up with things that make one wonder if there should be a new television reality series, “$#@! Our Lawmakers Say.” They make interesting analogies, like Sen. Jim Hargrove, D-Hoquiam, did last week while waxing effusive over the Senate’s…

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FRIDAY, APRIL 22, 2011

Special session to start Tuesday

OLYMPIA -- The Legislature will quit sometime today and return for a special session on the budget at 9 a.m. Tuesday. Gov. Chris Gregoire, standing with the Democratic and Republican leaders of the House and Senate, said this afternoon they had reached agreement on when…

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WA Lege Day 103: Last day of regular session

OLYMPIA -- This is scheduled to be the last day of the 105-day regular session, and the announcement of the first day of the special session of undetermined length. Gov. Chris Gregoire's office expects to announce the start date for a special session sometime today,…

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THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 2011


WEDNESDAY, APRIL 20, 2011


WA Lege Day 101: Out Friday. Back...sometime

OLYMPIA – The Legislature is expected to adjourn its regular session Friday afternoon without passing final general operating, transportation or capital projects budgets. It will return, but when and for how long, state officials couldn’t predict Wednesday. Gov. Chris Gregoire said she’s reluctant to call…

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