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The Slice: Hunting, fishing and no state income tax

Just wondering.

In the broader Air Force world, does the Spokane area still enjoy a four-star reputation as a retirement destination?

Let’s move on.

Weighing in on lilacs: “Nothing says spring in Spokane more than lilacs,” wrote Trish Edgar. “They are the quintessential harbinger of spring.”

Kathy Blakesley offered this. “Lilacs should be planted along I-90, starting at Geiger all through to Liberty Lake. It would be a tribute to the Lilac City and would be an improvement over the Spokane mix we currently have, which is weeds and garbage. For three weeks it would be a show-stopping welcome to Spokane.”

And Cindy Matthews passed along this advice. “Love them at a distance.”

Place them too close to your planting beds and they will invade, she cautioned.

He meant it literally: Years ago, Tom Peacock was in a motorcycle accident that led to the surgical installation of multiple plates and pins. Some time later, he was experiencing discomfort near the site of the operation.

The problem?

“I had a screw loose with the X-ray to prove it.”

Others have thought it looks like Lincoln: “We were returning from Hawaii, and I was seated next to a couple guys from Australia on their first trip to the Northwest,” wrote Jim Collier. “They were really excited on our approach to SeaTac as we could see Mounts Rainier, Adams and Hood poking up through the clouds and lit by the late afternoon sun. But what really blew them away was not the beautiful scenery, but the 30 or so Alaska Airlines planes parked along the concourse as we taxied up to the gate.

“One exclaimed: ‘Jeez, mate, they have Bob Marley painted on the tails of all their planes!’

“When I quit laughing and looked … they did look like Bob Marley.”

Slice answer: A car doesn’t have to be brand new to confuse the driver.

“The newest of our cars is an ’07 Toyota Camry,” said Ken Stout, a truck driver. “I don’t drive it a lot but each time I do Kathy has to prompt me on the location and operation of the various controls. I have an ’04 GMC pickup and it has numerous devices in the steering wheel that I have never learned how to operate.”

Today’s Slice question: Was it worth it to obtain that TSA pre-check “known traveler” security clearance?

Write The Slice at P. O. Box 2160, Spokane, WA 99210; call (509) 459-5470; email pault@spokesman.com. Marty Davis listed his three favorite buildings in downtown Spokane: The Davenport, The Spokesman-Review and the Paulsen building.

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