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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Matter of Opinion archive for April 2008

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 16, 2008


There oughta be a law (school)

Here's a switch: The Inland Northwest has a prized institution that the poulation hub in one our states -- Idaho -- doesn't. A law school. Wednesday's editorial backs the University of Idaho's proposal to share the wealth by opening a branch in Boise.

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TUESDAY, APRIL 15, 2008

Letter: Road construction season

A letter a few days ago complained about road repairs being done on a very busy street during rush hour. Today's response to him reminded me of part of an e-mail forward I saw the other day, which listed several "You know you're from the…

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Our kids, our business -- my question

How willing is our culture to take steps necessary to prevent child abuse? Sterilization?I have to confess that the daily stories we're seeing about the vulnerability of kids are largely familiar. We've heard most of them before -- a number of times.We also know that…

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MONDAY, APRIL 14, 2008

County GOP platform

Heard this joke this morning about party platforms: "The platform is what's left behind when the train leaves the station."The Spokane County Republicans came up with their platform over the weekend. Among other things, it rejects the current war policy.Hmm ... when non-Republicans do that…

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Jamie's Sunday Column

I miss having Jamie Tobias Neely as a colleague here. But the now EWU journalism prof still graces our pages once a month.In her Sunday column, she skillfully showed the link between early childhood trauma and adult chaos/illness/despair.Researchers were studying obesity among employed middle-class Kaiser…

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Monday Pope Factoid

Just in time for the pope's visit to the United States comes the book "101 Questions & Answers on Popes and the Papacy" by Christopher M. Bellitto of Kean University.(Disclosure: Bellitto is also an editor for Paulist Press and did a fine job editing two…

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Heating up

Monday's editorial questions a regulation under consideration by the Washington state Department of Labor and Industries regarding heat-related illness.

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SATURDAY, APRIL 12, 2008

FRIDAY, APRIL 11, 2008

Keo Chronicles: April 12, 1945

(AP Archive photo)This afternoon we were startled and shocked to hear of the death of President Roosevelt. Eva first heard it in the drug store. When we turned on the radio, every station was buzzing with the news and commercial programs were canceled.And there's been…

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Pass the rose bud bong, dude

(S-R photo by Jesse Tinsley)From our editorial todayThe Spokane City Council should have shown more thoughtfulness Monday when it adopted a feel-good ordinance that even the attorney who drafted it said won't keep people from using drugs. What began as a proposal to ban the…

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THURSDAY, APRIL 10, 2008

Drive at 5

Well, I'm just about to pack up and leave West Central. The day sped by.Once upon a time, I wanted to do a one-minute story project. Set up a booth, a computer and invite people to tell us their one-minute stories. Today, it felt like…

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Disability Programs: Everyone counts

Beverly Nunn is the program director for three programs here at West Central that serve people with disabilities. They are Pathways to Employment/Community Access and Learning Skills Center.The programs have about 90 to 95 participants, ages 16 to almost 90.A community center should include programs…

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How your federal income tax dollar is divvied up

Check out this slideshow.42.2 cents for military/defense22 cents for health.10 cents interest on national debt.3.3 cents on housing assistance/community development programs. 4.4 cents for elementary, secondary and higher education and employment training centers..1 penny goes to foreign affairs, including foreign humanitarian assistance.Sound about right to…

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Famous Photos

I'm sitting here with Ella Horseman. She's a teacher's aide here in the Head Start program. Her hobby is going to events and concerts where famous people will be, mostly at Northern Quest Casino.She's raising her grandchildren. Her daughter died in 2005. She says she…

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Eavesdropping on Leonard Pitts Jr.

Syndicated columnist Leonard Pitts Jr., whose work appears in The Spokesman-Review, has begun holding weekly on-line chats at www.miamiherald.com. You can read some excerpts from this week's session by clicking on the rest of this post. For those who want to check it out for…

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West Central: See you there

Thanks to blog regular commenter, JeanieSpokane for giving address and directions for West Central.It's at 1603 N. Belt, which is on Spokane's Near North Side.If you know where Bloomsday's Doomsday Hill is, well the Community Center is right at the top of the hill.The phone…

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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9, 2008


Police ombudsman: It's a go!

"The City and Guild have reached a tentative agreement for the creation of an ombudsman to provide external oversight of the SPD," Marlene Feist just informed us in a City Hall press release.Among the highlights in the agreement, the ombudsman would have the authority to:Take…

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Loose Thread Wednesday

The roofs are shining from the rain,The sparrows twitter as they fly,And with a windy April graceThe little clouds go by.Yet the back yards are bare and brownWith only one unchanging tree--I could not be so sure of SpringSave that it sings in me.-- Sara…

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TUESDAY, APRIL 8, 2008

Keo Chronicles: April 10, 1945

(Keo in her powder room, circa 1940s)Mildred and her mother called this eve -- they were on their way to the P.T.A. at Bancroft School. I started the ice box cookies today for the tea.A simple entry, but I am intrigued with the drop-in visitors…

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Verner: Just one right-hand man

Our editorial today suggests that Mayor Mary Verner should stick with just one second in command. Mark Early, her former chief of staff, resigned last week. This leaves Ted Danek, city administrator.The money savings, our edit said, should be spent on another priority:Now, after four…

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MONDAY, APRIL 7, 2008

Drive at 5: World ending in 2012?

(Poster from On the Beach, the 1950s film in which the world ends in 1964 due to nuclear war.)Hah! Did I get your attention? Pretending to be a blogger whose livelihood depends on hits. (Shouldn't joke. Could happen!)Anyway, on your way home, ponder this: There…

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A Matter of Opinion is really a matter of three opinions – those held by the people responsible for the opinion pages of The Spokesman-Review. Check in regularly to find out what they’re up to, what they think and where they differ and to joust with them if you want.



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