How much longer do the stories about the Groene case belong on Page 1? Especially when there's big terrorism news out of London?Tomorrow might be the day in which the Groene stories move inside the paper. But, then again, maybe not. More signficant details about…
Steve Smith felt that some of the details in today's story on Joseph Duncan's criminal history were a bit gratuitous. Smith said it's sufficient, for example, to say that Duncan raped a 9-year-old at gunpoint without creating "barriers to readers."Others disagreed, saying the details were…
Sandra Day O'Connor announced her resignation today, which is sure to spark a nomination battle that will make the Bolton confirmation look like a Tupperware party.Also coming up on Page One tomorrow:Dueling lawsuits over the gas tax increase collide; and the state Supreme Court says…
Tomorrow's the big day. In Washington, the first increment (3 cents) of the 9.5-cent gas tax increase takes effect. Meanwhile, back in Idaho, the state sales tax drops back down to 5 percent (5.5 percent in Kootenai County). Here's what else we're working on for…
Property assessments are out in Spokane County, and the assessor's office is taking some heat. Meanwhile, a long-awaited committee to reform Idaho's property tax system convened in Boise today.Here's what else is coming up for Page One tomorrow:We'll hear from two former counselors at Morning…
President Bush calls for patience during the "difficult and dangerous" work ahead in Iraq in a speech attended by 750 soldiers and airmen. Also coming up on Page One tomorrow:Shannon Sullivan announced in a press conference today that she will ask the state Supreme Court…
Lots of developments in the Jim West case today: The mayor's attorneys have announced they will appeal the decision allowing a recall petition to proceed; the City Council has introduced a resolution urging West to abandon the appeal; and former councilman Steve Eugster has filed…
Another case of mad cow disease has been discovered, though not in Washington state this time. We'll look at what impact the news will have locally.Also coming up on Page One tomorrow:The city investigation of Mayor West got under way today.Hoopfest is expected to draw…
Most likely the biggest news this weekend will be Hoopfest in Spokane and the Ironman Triathlon in Coeur d'Alene. But there's other news, too:Northwest senators reacted swiftly and angrily today to an announcement by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs that the agency is $1…
Coming for tomorrow:There were several close calls Tuesday night when that severe storm blew through the region, and more damage than authorities can tally. Thousands of people were left without power, although power was restored to most people this morning.We also will write about the…
The lead story for tomorrow's Page 1 is about the release today of another batch of e-mails from Mayor Jim West's computers.The e-mail confirms that West was using his city computer to offer an internship to a fictitious young man he'd met online on Gay.com.…
Three major business groups are asking Mayor Jim West to skip any appeal of the recall effort he faces, and let the voters decide whether he should stay in office. That story will be the lead of Page 1 tomorrow.In the U.S. Senate, Republicans have…
The latest financial news out of New York will lead the newspaper tomorrow: "A security breach of customer information at a credit card transaction company could expose to fraud up to 40 million cardholders of multiple brands."Locally, there will be a story about risky sex.…
The Page 1 centerpiece story/photo package will be about today being the last day of the year for Spokane Public Schools.At the top of Page 1 will be a story about the rosy Washington state revenue forecast. See an early version of that AP story…
Lots of good stories on tap for tomorrow, and too many to fit on Page One. As a result, we've had to do some rearranging...We've got a look at the FBI crime stats for Spokane, which may come as a surprise to some people. A…
More than 2,000 of Jim West's e-mails were released today, and Karen Dorn Steele is in the process of wading through them. We'll also have a follow on the recall effort, as well as a possible conflict of interest with a member of the independent…
Editor Steve Smith asked the question: "Does Michael Jackson's acquittal belong in the lead spot on Page 1?" All of the editors seemed to agree that the story instead belonged low on the page.Also for Page 1 tomorrow:--The recall petition against Mayor Jim West can…
And it feels so good.Our e-mail is working again - so it will be easier for readers and Jim West's lawyers to reach us. Good thing, too, because MSN was very prompt in taking down the hotmail.com address we had set up, which apparently violated…
I suppose it's a good thing that one of the more controversial topics this morning was the flatiron steak photo on the cover of IN Life today. "News is a Conversation" blogger Russ Lipton says he's going to reconsider vegetarianism. Marianne Love is reaching for…
The newsroom is generally down to a skeleton crew on Sundays, typically a pretty slow news day - so reporter Megan Cooley and photographer Liz Kishimoto had their hands full covering a shooting and near-drowning. It's rare to have two breaking news stories on a…
A soldier from Idaho's 116th Brigade died from non-combat injuries Wednesday. Virgil R. Case, from Mountain Home, was the first soldier from the unit to die in Iraq.Here's what else is in store for Page One tomorrow:Insurgents killed 39 people in a series of attacks…
Researchers have found that people who inhale brain compound called oxytocin became more trusting, and allowed a partner to invest more simulated money than people who didn't get the hormone. The appeal to con men and supervillains is obvious, but neuroscientists are also excited by…
Turns out that Mark Felt, the well-hidden source who helped Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein break the Watergate story, was also a Twin Falls native and UI grad. Not many people left on campus to share fraternity party stories, though. Also coming up on Page…
... because of Memorial Day. Here are some of the stories we're working on for tomorrow:-Kootenai County is renaming Veterans Memorial Plaza for former commissioner Ronald Rankin, who died in October. Reporter Thomas Clouse is at today's dedication.-Washington has the third highest wireless taxes in…
Tomorrow's newspaper will lead with a story about documents relating to the Jim West investigation that have just been obtained by reporters Bill Morlin and Karen Dorn Steele. Stay tuned for details. Meanwhile, we also will have a story about a city hall protest. (An…
Each weekday morning and afternoon, the newsroom staff meets to discuss the coverage plan. This blog covers editors' discussions, upcoming coverage and miscellaneous newsroom news.
