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

Community Comment

MONDAY, JULY 27, 2009

New Stun Gun Can Fire 3 Times Before Reloading 

From MSNBC, you will love this:New stun gun can fire 3 times before reloadingNew Taser offered to police as way to hit multiple suspectsupdated 11:34 a.m. PT, Mon., July 27, 2009FOUNTAIN HILLS, Ariz. - Taser International unveiled its first new stun gun since 2003 Monday,…

Continue reading this post »

THURSDAY, JULY 9, 2009

Public to Pay for Thompson's Defense 12 

Officer ruled indigent despite $675,000 homeIt’s official. We, the people, will pay through the nose for the SPD’s blundering.http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2009/jul/09/officer-arraigned-federal-charges-zehm-death/I make a third of what Thompson makes and my $50,000 home is paid for. However, maybe I should go out and buy a home worth two-thirds…

Continue reading this post »

THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2009

Hide That Thong! 13 

From KHQ:Yakima: No thongs, see-through clothes in public YAKIMA, Wash. - The Yakima City Council is cracking down on what an ordinance delicately refers to as "cleavage of the buttocks."Responding to a proliferation of coffee stands with baristas wearing see-through clothing, thongs and other scanty…

Continue reading this post »

FRIDAY, MAY 29, 2009

The dog ate my homework 

You know that dream you have where you wake up (in your dream) and realize that today is the final exam for a particular class that you never attended because you could never find the classroom in all the ten weeks you wandered the university…

Continue reading this post »

MONDAY, MAY 18, 2009

Parts is Parts 

It’s that time of year again – the bi-annual, trek through the quagmire of endless seas of car parts event in Monroe, Washington. You remember that my Mechanic Man gave ME a cart that I drag along with me, through miles and miles and MILES…

Continue reading this post »

THURSDAY, APRIL 30, 2009

610 Months 11 

The sentence for Shellye Stark is in. Six Hundred and Ten months. That ought to be quieting. Just over 50 years. Do you think it's enough. Too much? Life would be better? Does this bring justice to the death of a human being?

Continue reading this post »

TUESDAY, APRIL 28, 2009

Praise for Spokane Police Officer 15 

I love hearing positive things about people in our community. KHQ announced yesterday that Spokane Police Officer Glenn Bartlett will be receiving the Silver Star Medal April 29 for his courageous off-duty actions following a fatal car accident. http://www.khq.com/Global/story.asp?S=10257358Congratulations, Officer Bartlett. It's wonderful to know…

Continue reading this post »

FRIDAY, APRIL 24, 2009

Spokane County Cuts Hours 15% 

From the Spokesman-Review: http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2009/apr/24/building-department-reduces-hours/By: Jim CamdenUnion votes to cut pay 15%. Dozens of Spokane County employees are taking a 15% pay cut to avoid anyone being laid off. Employees of a Spokane County department will switch to a 4 day work week. Demand is down…

Continue reading this post »

THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 2009

Too Fat? Pay Double 

From KHQ today: United Airlines to start enforcing controversial weight policySPOKANE, Wash. - United Airlines is going to start enforcing a controversial policy when it comes to flying. The policy could get overweight people bumped off their flight. http://www.khq.com/Global/story.asp?s=10195776Isn't this something! First we have a…

Continue reading this post »


In the Eye of the Beholder 21 

This Susan Boyle thing has sure stirred up a lot of people. We are all fascinated with her voice. Her voice is absolutely beautiful. But why are we fascinated with it? It's actually not the voice – it's that the majority of the people watching…

Continue reading this post »

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 15, 2009

Giving Up the Bottle 

Thought I'd slip something light in here - no cops, no pirates, no taxes.*******Giving up the bottle. . . . . Not the beer bottle – the baby bottle. When my youngest boy was born a mere 17 months after my oldest, I felt a…

Continue reading this post »

THURSDAY, APRIL 9, 2009


College Tuition Outrage 

There was a tiny little article in the April 2 Spokesman at http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2009/apr/02/otter-gets-revised-open-meeting-bill/ that is a breath of fresh air in these days of layoffs, price gouging, rate increases, and increasingly higher and higher unemployment numbers.While the Governor is supporting raising tuition for colleges and…

Continue reading this post »

MONDAY, MARCH 30, 2009

Shriner's Hospital Future Bleak 

Just got a news alert from the S-R saying that Shriner's Hospital may close. (http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2009/mar/30/shriners-hospital-may-close/) I was born with curvature of the spine and not really bothered by it until I was in fourth grade. Add to that being pigeon-toed, so much that I had…

Continue reading this post »

FRIDAY, MARCH 27, 2009

Traffic Alert 

Dave Laird just called in to report there is a bad three-car accident about ½ mile west of Barker, west bound lane of I-90, blocking traffic back to Liberty Lake Exit. More later.

Continue reading this post »

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25, 2009

Taser Death of Teen 14 

I always wake up to my radio - usually the news, sometimes music - some song that will rattle around in my head over and over and over - but it beats the shrill siren of the buzzer. This morning, however, I think I'd prefer…

Continue reading this post »

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18, 2009

Shellye Stark Verdict - Guilty 

The jury has announced the verdict in the Shellye Stark murder trial: Guilty of first degree murder and guilty of conspiracy to commit murder.This is the case on which I was a potential juror. I strived seriously and sincerely to wipe my mind clean of…

Continue reading this post »

FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2009


THURSDAY, MARCH 5, 2009

Jury Duty 

Thomas Jefferson, in a letter to Thomas Paine, 1789: "I consider trial by jury as the only anchor ever yet imagined by man, by which a government can be held to the principles of its constitution."Thus begins my first jury duty experience. I'm in the…

Continue reading this post »

TUESDAY, FEB. 10, 2009

Search for Ombudsman Begins! Finally! 

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2009/feb/10/city-begins-ombudsman-search/Here it is - Finally we are starting a search for the much desired Ombudsman. Will this be the start of peace and goodwill in our community? Will we finally have a bridge between the people and the police?

Continue reading this post »

THURSDAY, FEB. 5, 2009

Homeless in Spokane 

As you go along your normal day, the morning ritual of getting ready for work, or just getting ready for your day, do you look around yourself and count your blessings? Do you have: A house/apartmentClothingDishes to eat out ofFood for those dishesA refrigerator and…

Continue reading this post »

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 4, 2009

Car seat death leads to charge 18 

Police say mother installed baby’s seat improperlyJody Lawrence-TurnerStaff writer Spokane County prosecutors charged a Post Falls woman with vehicular homicide Tuesday in the death of her infant daughter, who was severely injured by a car’s airbag while riding in a rear-facing car seat in Spokane.If…

Continue reading this post »

TUESDAY, FEB. 3, 2009

What Vehicle Gets the Most Traffic Tickets 27 

People who drive Hummers receive almost five times as many traffic tickets as the average driver, according to a new study.http://blog.wired.com/cars/2009/01/hummers-can-hid.htmlI have a couple friends who own and drive Hummers. Personally, it is an extravagant luxury that isn't part of my budget so no worries…

Continue reading this post »


Columbia Gorge Hotel Closes 

By The Associated Press HOOD RIVER, Ore. — The landmark Columbia Gorge Hotel has closed because of financial problems.The hotel was built in 1921 as the "Waldorf of the West" and housed the likes of Rudolph Valentino, Shirley Temple, Calvin Coolidge and Franklin Roosevelt.Owners Boyd…

Continue reading this post »

Spokesman-Review readers blog about news and issues in Spokane written by Dave Laird.