Capital’s move apparently in a state of flux

Slice-meister Paul Turner is taking some time off this month, but don’t despair: In his absence, we’re rerunning some of the tastier tidbits from this date in Slice history. Today’s sampling:

FROM 2005:

The other morning a Spokane radio announcer mentioned the president’s visit to “Idaho state.”

He must have said it that way to distinguish the Gem State from Idaho, D.C.

Now there’s an idea. Move the nation’s capital to, say, the Silver Valley. And maybe former miners could get high-paying jobs as soulless lobbyists.

FROM 1998:

Call us a stick in the mud for preferring names that have meaning: But we think “Washington Water Power” is better than “Avista.”

Avista sounds like a subcompact car, a credit card or a group of Central American insurgents.

FROM 1994:

The New York Times discovers Priest Lake: “It is like a skinny Lake Tahoe – with a lot less people.”