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Spin Control archive for Dec. 2011

FRIDAY, DEC. 30, 2011

Mandyke, Webster out at City Hall 

Spokane Mayor-elect David Condon has decided to replace two long-time administrators at Spokane City Hall. Public Works Director Dave Mandyke and Administrative Service Director Dorothy Webster announced their retirements Friday. Gerry Gemmill, the depurty director of public works, will be acting director of the department,…

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Sanders named city administrator 

Spokane's former Economic Development Director Theresa Sanders will be the top City Hall administrator under Mayor David Condon. Many city employees had speculated for months that Sanders would get that top job if he beat Mayor Mary Verner in the November election. Sanders was active…

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THURSDAY, DEC. 29, 2011

More from Verner's exit interview

Here are the rest of Spokane Mayor Mary Verner's responses to topics we asked her to reflect on as she prepares to leave office. The rest is in an article running today online and in print. Regionalism Background: As mayor, Verner opted to end the…

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WEDNESDAY, DEC. 28, 2011

Finally: A WA congressional map 

OLYMPIA -- A subcommittee of the Washington Redistricting Commission released its proposed map for the state's new congressional district. For Eastern Washington's 5th District sees the least change, losing some of its western most precincts, but otherwise looking about like it does now. The new…

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TUESDAY, DEC. 27, 2011


SATURDAY, DEC. 24, 2011

Sunday Spin: The 12 Trivias of Christmas

Once again, in the spirit of peace on earth to men of goodwill, Spin Control avoids political commentary on Christmas. This year we can only hope that if the lions can lie down with the lambs, Republicans can peacefully break bread with Democrats and Tea…

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FRIDAY, DEC. 23, 2011

Christmas Trivias warmup

Every year at Christmas time, Spin Control drops political commentary in the Sunday column in favor of its 12 Trivias of Christmas quiz. It's not just because very little political happens at this time of year; it's also because we think that if lions can…

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THURSDAY, DEC. 22, 2011


WEDNESDAY, DEC. 21, 2011

Condon transition team member resigns 27 

The portion of the Mayor-elect David Condon’s transition team devoted to public safety has decided to keep its discussions confidential. Tim Connor, communicaitons director for the Center for Justice, announced in an email to Condon this week taht he resigned from the committee as a…

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A Nativity Scene erected by Hunter Abell of Bothell, Wash., sits on the Washington State Capitol Campus about a half block from a sign put up by atheists. Both are scheduled to be up through Christmas. (Jim Camden)

A way, with a manger, to mark the season

Creche erected on the Capitol Campus. OLYMPIA -- About a half block to the south of the atheists's sign (see below), a Nativity Scene occupies a section of the Capitol Campus to the east of the Insurance Building and the Legislative Building. In past years,…

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A sign marking the Winter Solstice, erected by the Freedom From Religion Foundation, is up on the Capitol campus as part of the annual duel over holiday-time displays. A Nativity Scene is also up, about 50 yards to the south. (Jim Camden)

Happy Solstice from the Capitol grounds

OLYMPIA -- This year's version of the "war over Christmas" is pretty tame. A Nativity Scene and a sign from an atheist organization, the Freedom from Religion Foundation, are coexisting nicely on the lawn in the park to the east of the Capitol and Insurance…

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TUESDAY, DEC. 20, 2011


Redistricting panel: No East Side boundaries yet

OLYMPIA -- The Washington Redistricting Commission has no maps yet for Eastern Washington's legislative boundaries or for the state's new congressional boundaries. Commissioners might -- emphasize the conditional here -- have maps by Thursday. If not, well, probably Friday. The commission is facing a pretty…

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City Council approves 'complete street' rules 

If Spokane voters approve a new tax to repave a new round of crumbling streets, walkers, wheelchair users and bicyclists won't be ignored when streets are rebuilt. The Spokane City Council late Monday, in the last meeting before four of the members will be replaced,…

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MONDAY, DEC. 19, 2011



How drunk are you? There's an app for that

Like almost everything else, there's an application for your smart phone to tell you how stupid you've become on booze. The makers say it might keep you from doing really foolish things at your office holiday party, or at family gatherings, or from driving into…

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What about those East Side districts? Maybe Tuesday

OLYMPIA -- The Washington Redistricting Commission might get around to releasing its proposed legislative boundaries for Eastern Washington tomorrow. The panel, which has been hung up on redrawing lines for Puget Sound and Western Washington Districts for weeks, released some boundaries for most of those…

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SATURDAY, DEC. 17, 2011

Sunday Spin: It's not over til...

OLYMPIA – In trying to come up with a pity description for late special session, I couldn’t shake the memory of a particularly annoying greeting that adults seemed to enjoy during my teenage years: Working hard, or hardly working? Ask the handful of legislators involved…

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The Spokesman-Review's political team keeps a critical eye on local, state and national politics.



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