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

Public Periscope

Compiled By Jim Camden From Staf

County taxpayers still see stars

Following the trend started by Spokane County several months ago, the city of Spokane recently issued photo identification cards to its employees. Unlike county commissioners, the City Council’s ID badges won’t glitter in the crowd. “At least ours on the council don’t have a gold star,” quipped Councilman Chris Anderson … That’s a little jab at Commissioner Phil Harris for spending $343.44 in taxpayer money on six gold-plated, police-type badges for commissioners present and past.

He’s had more practice

The Spokane City Council last week voted 6-1 against putting Steve Eugster’s strong-mayor initiative directly to voters this fall, saying the attorney needed to gather signatures to prove public interest. When the council went to record its vote on a lighted tally screen, Councilwoman Phyllis Holmes’ “No” vote failed at first to register … Councilman Anderson leaned over to help, saying “I had to show her where the ‘No’ button was.”

Mega moolah alert

Time to check behind the dresser, in the back of the glove compartment and under the easy chair cushion for a state lottery ticket from Nov. 1, 1995 … If you find one that has the numbers 1, 7, 13, 14, 17 and 33, call the boss. Say you aren’t coming in today - and today is the first day of the rest of your life … The ticket is good for an unclaimed jackpot worth $6 million. But find it before April 29, or the money goes into a fund for future prizes.

Pump him up

Discussions at last week’s City Council meeting on a possible change in the city’s government structure prompted one resident to suggest a simpler road to a strong mayor than a petition drive. “Mr. Mayor, have you considered trying the new exercise equipment?” wondered Allan LeTourneau.

Get these dozers off the road

Those toy dogs with the spring-loaded necks aren’t the only heads bobbing up and down on Washington’s roads. Six percent of drivers fell asleep at the wheel at least once last year and 33 percent admitted driving while sleepy, according to a recent Washington Traffic Safety Commission survey of drivers … Other conclusions from the survey: 41 percent said drunken driving is as serious a crime, or nearly so, as murder and 52 percent favored stricter laws against it; 82 percent like the law requiring motorcyclists to wear helmets and 51 percent think bicyclists should, too; 59 percent said newly licensed drivers should not be allowed to drive at night until they’ve gone a year without an accident.

Did they check the cake for a file?

Gov. Mike Lowry and Lands Commissioner Jennifer Belcher recently helped celebrate an unusual birthday. The state’s prison work camps program turned 40 … The camps are operated jointly by the Departments of Corrections, Natural Resources and Social and Health Services, which use inmates to fight forest fires and natural disasters, thin and replant trees and make wood products in a shop and sawmill.

Rush is …

The folks who handle birth announcements here at The Spokesman-Review tell us of a young couple who could have given in to fad, but apparently resisted … So we want to send our congratulations to Donna Kathleen Rush, and Craig Richard Limbaugh on the recent birth of their son. And our thanks for naming him Samuel Louis, rather than using the mom’s last name as the baby’s first.

, DataTimes MEMO: Public Periscope, published Mondays, is compiled by Jim Camden from staff reports. If you’ve got a question about local government, growth or development, we’d like to help you find an answer. You can write us c/o The Spokesman-Review, Box 2160, Spokane, WA 99210. Or e-mail to jimc@spokesman.com. Or send a fax to (509) 459-5482. Or call Cityline at 458-8800 on a Touch-Tone phone, then press 9120 to leave a message.

This sidebar appeared with the story: HOT TOPICS Tuesday: The Regional Transportation Council will be talking about ways to ease the flow of traffic in the corridor between Liberty Lake and downtown Spokane. 7 p.m., Community Room, U-City Mall.

The following fields overflowed: CREDIT = Compiled by Jim Camden from staff reports

Public Periscope, published Mondays, is compiled by Jim Camden from staff reports. If you’ve got a question about local government, growth or development, we’d like to help you find an answer. You can write us c/o The Spokesman-Review, Box 2160, Spokane, WA 99210. Or e-mail to jimc@spokesman.com. Or send a fax to (509) 459-5482. Or call Cityline at 458-8800 on a Touch-Tone phone, then press 9120 to leave a message.

This sidebar appeared with the story: HOT TOPICS Tuesday: The Regional Transportation Council will be talking about ways to ease the flow of traffic in the corridor between Liberty Lake and downtown Spokane. 7 p.m., Community Room, U-City Mall.

The following fields overflowed: CREDIT = Compiled by Jim Camden from staff reports