In their words …

“This isn’t your usual one-time fix.”

— Spokane Mayor Jim West, talking about the city’s new “Price of Government” approach to budgeting.

“We used to think (heavy metals in incoming water) rarely went into the Spokane River. It’s actually fairly common.”

— Scientist Paul Woods, of the U.S. Geological Survey in Boise, talking about a study of algae levels in Lake Coeur d’Alene.

“I used to phone the police department and report when cars weren’t stopping for pedestrians. Their response was, ‘That’s not done in Spokane.’ “

— Elizabeth Fobes, Spokane South Hill resident, after motorist struck a mother and three children in a crosswalk by Comstock Park.

“It shouldn’t take a year to get this resolved.”

— Parent Donna Orme, who complained to the Central Valley School District in October about a book her daughter had been assigned to read, but didn’t learn of an appeal process until near the end of the school year.

“I remember vividly running the river. Unfortunately, I can’t run as well anymore. That’s what four years of the presidency does to your knees.”

— President Bush, visiting Spokane last week and recalling an earlier visit during his presidential campaign in 2000.

“You can’t tell a 17-year-old child that the only way to avoid pregnancy is to avoid sex.”

— Peter H. Kostmayer, president of Population Connection, which recognized Spokane as one of the most kid-friendly cities in the nation for such things as reducing teen pregnancy.

“What we’re hoping is that men will start to check each other and basically say, ‘Dude, she’s 16 — you shouldn’t be with her.’ “

— Robert Franklin, an outreach coordinator for the Virginia Department of Health, about a state program targeting adult men who engage in sex with underage girls.

“I’m not even sure I’m going to vote for him; why would his endorsement impress me one way or another?”

— Dora-Faye Hendricks, a Bush voter in 2000, on whether the president’s Spokane appearance to campaign for George Nethercutt would influence her.

“My dad put it best: ‘It’s incredible this country allows that kind of opportunity for a child from this kind of background to be able to rise to this position.’ “

— Ricardo S. Martinez, son of migrant workers, after being named Washington state’s first Hispanic federal judge.

“Other parents who have custody have contacted me and said, ‘Let’s do it again and use our kid this time.’ “

— Dr. Michael Newdow, after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled he doesn’t have standing to challenge the words “under God” in the Pledge of Allegiance because he doesn’t have custody of the daughter on whose behalf he raised the issue.