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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Spin Control archive for Jan. 1, 2011

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 19, 2011

WA Lege Day 10: Of budgets and roads

OLYMPIA -- A House committee might get the ball rolling on a supplemental budget this afternoon, sending it to the floor for a vote later this week. House Democrats alternative supplemental budget gets worked over in the Ways and Means Committee's executive session, starting at…

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TUESDAY, JAN. 18, 2011


It's official: 10 seats in US House for WA

OLYMPIA -- While we've all been proceeding on the assumption that Washington will get a tenth congressional seat this year, it hasn't really been official. As in not signed, sealed and delivered official from the folks who have the ultimate say in such things, the…

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Abortion protesters gather on the north steps of the state Capitol on Jan. 18, 2011. (Jim Camden/The Spokesman-Review)

4,500 rally against abortion

OLYMPIA -- The annual rally against legalized abortion, which is traditionally one of the largest demonstrations at the Capitol in the early months of any session, drew an estimated 4,500 to the north Capitol steps at noon today. Sympathetic legislators promised to keep up the…

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Redistrict commish sworn in

OLYMPIA -- The panel that will redraw the state's congressional and legislative district lines was sworn in today, held its first meeting and adjourned without picking its fifth, non-voting chairman or chairwoman. The four appointees took the oath of office from State Supreme Court Chief…

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WA Lege Day 9: Marches and budgets

OLYMPIA -- The Legislature and the people who want it to do something will be kicked into a higher gear today as abortion opponents and social activists will both hold marches in the afternoon. House Democrats will release their counter to Gov. Chris Gregoire's supplemental…

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SATURDAY, JAN. 15, 2011

How to make campaign law violators squeal

OLYMPIA – Talk of election shenanigans in 2010 was second only last week to talk of budget disasters for 2011, and legislators are toying with tweaking state campaign disclosure laws that allow average folks to know the source of money being spent to convince them…

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FRIDAY, JAN. 14, 2011


4th District PCO meeting back on Saturday

Tjr 4th Legislative District Republican precinct committee officers to name three possible replacements for Sen. Bob McCaslin is back on for Saturday morning. The time and place have been changed. Registration will start at 8:30 a.m. and the meeting at 9:30 a.m., at the Luxury…

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WA Lege Day 5: Damp and slow

OLYMPIA -- A gray Friday with relatively little committee action and even less floor action. The Senate's main task this morning was passing a resolution on National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month. The House was in and out quickly. Committee meetings were mainly "work…

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THURSDAY, JAN. 13, 2011


WEDNESDAY, JAN. 12, 2011

Precinct officers keep their spots

A federal judge's ruling that Washington state's way of electing precinct committee officers is unconstitutional may have some wondering about the ones elected last August. Precinct committee officers, or PCOs as they are usually called, are the backbone of county party organizations. They pick the…

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TUESDAY, JAN. 11, 2011


Murray in Spokane Weds.

One of Sen. Patty Murray's first public appearances since the shootings in Tucson, Ariz., will be in Spokane Wednesday afternoon at a very secure location. The Spokane Police Academy. Murray and Mayor Mary Verner have a 1:30 p.m. tour of the facility and a 2…

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WA Lege Day 2: State of the state

OLYMPIA -- Gov. Chris Gregoire's take on "the state" of Washington state, with the latest excerpt on top of older excerpts: Make no mistake, I expect you to make the changes that will benefit the state for today and the next 80 years. Last year,…

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Steve Salvatori stands outside the Spokane Entrepreneurial Center he developed in the 300 block of West First Avenue in Spokane. Salvatori used retirement money to fund the project and another development, and the businesses have been a success, with 46 commercial spots and only one vacancy.chrisa@spokesman.com (CHRISTOPHER ANDERSON)

Salvatori will run for city council, not mayor

Downtown businessman Steve Salvatori filed paperwork this month to launch a bid for Spokane City Council. Salvatori, a Republican who run unsuccessfully for the Spokane County Commission last year, hopes to win the seat representing Northwest Spokane that will be vacated by Councilman Steve Corker.…

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WA Lege Day 2: Gov addresses joint session

OLYMPIA -- Members of the Senate are enterring the House chamber for the joint session of the Legislature to hear Gov. Chris Gregoire's State of the State address. Applause all around. This is probably the friendliest the two chambers will be for the next 104…

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Note on caucus membership lists

OLYMPIA-- A state senator stays a member of his or her caucus until a successor is sworn in. Thus, Jean Berkey and Chris Marr and some others defeated in the 2010 elections remained on the Senate Democratic Caucus roster yesterday morning, and up to that…

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MONDAY, JAN. 10, 2011

Snyder booted from STA board

Even without newly elected officials on the Spokane City Council, power appears to be shifting in the New Year. One year after the council removed Nancy McLaughlin from the board overseeing the Spokane Transit Authority, the Spokane City Council voted to reappoint McLaughlin -- the…

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State Supreme Court Justice Tom Chambers congratulates Sen. Mike Baumgartner after swearing him in. (Jim Camden/The Spokesman-Review)

WA Lege Day 1: Baumgartner sworn in

State Supreme Court Justice Tom Chambers congratulates Mike Baumgartner after swearing him in Monday. OLYMPIA -- With much less drama than Senator-elect Nick Harper's swearing in, Sen. Mike Baumgartner of Spokane's 6th District took the oath of office on the opening day of the session

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WA Lege Day 1: Motion to block Harper fails

OLYMPIA -- An initial effort to keep a Snohomish County senator-elect from being seated in the Senate failed Monday afternoon as a parliamentary procedure failed on a 23-18 vote. Sen. Jim Kastama, D-Puyallup, tried to keep all newly-elected senators from being sworn in while the…

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The Spokesman-Review's political team keeps a critical eye on local, state and national politics.



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