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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Spin Control Jim Camden

MONDAY, MARCH 7, 2011

WA Lege Day 57: Sometimes, it's a zoo

OLYMPIA -- With time running out on the deadline to get bills out of their first chamber Monday, the state Senate spent some time taking care of animal concerns. They passed a bill to study the Mazama pocket gopher. They passed another to place more…

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WA Lege Day 57: Alcohol poisoning bill passes House

OLYMPIA -- Teen-agers who call to report a possible alcohol-related poisoning would be immune from prosecution for possessing alcohol under a bill approved today by the House. Despite objections from some Republicans that the bill was sending the wrong message for illegal underage drinking, HB…

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THURSDAY, MARCH 3, 2011

Today's fun video: New state song?

OLYMPIA--Latest idea for a ballot measure: Let's change the state song. Quick, what is the state song right now? If you said "Louie, Louie" or "Roll On, Columbia" you're wrong. Those are the state's unofficial rock song, and the state's official folk song, respectively. The…

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WA Lege Day 53: Bills, bills, bills

OLYMPIA -- With the session now officially half over after late evening sessions on Wednesday, both chambers are scheduled Thursday for a day of votes on a wide range of topics. Last night the Senate passed the latest version of SB 5073, which sets up…

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2, 2011

WA Lege Day 52: How much ed reform, how fast?

OLYMPIA – Gov. Chris Gregoire repeated her call for a giant leap forward in education reform Wednesday while the Legislature showed it was inclined to take baby steps. Gregoire gathered with a handful of legislators, a parent and a Boeing executive to give another push…

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Today's fun video: 2012 just around corner?

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c Indecision 2012 - Indecision Edition - Republican Candidacy Announcements www.thedailyshow.com Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor & Satire Blog The Daily Show on Facebook Or so Jon Stewart seems to think. The first…

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TUESDAY, MARCH 1, 2011



WA Lege Day 51: Running of the bills

OLYMPIA -- Both chambers continue full day floor sessions today as the Legislature rushes to get bills through their first house before the March 5 cutoff. The Senate is running relatively non-controversial bills. For example, a bill to clarify some portions of the sex offender…

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Revised version of 2010  Spokane County legislative districts with population figures from Census showing how much they'll have to change for 2012 (Jim Camden/The Spokesman-Review)

2010 Census: Another legislative district map

Last night's post discussed the population in Washington's legislative districts and had a statewide map. But we also generated more local maps for analysis. Here's a Spokane County map tied to the same color key. District 2010 population Growth since 2000 Difference from ideal 2012…

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MONDAY, FEB. 28, 2011

WA Lege Day 50: The green grass of home

OLYMPIA – Washington homeowners would be restricted from putting fertilizer with phosphorus on healthy lawns under a bill that passed the House Monday. Despite complaints from Republicans that homeowners are able to decide what fertilizer to put on their grass or that restrictions will send…

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SUNDAY, FEB. 27, 2011

FRIDAY, FEB. 25, 2011

Snow at the state Capitol on Feb. 25, 2011. (Jim Camden/The Spokesman-Review)

WA Lege Day 47: The razzing continues

OLYMPIA -- Spokane-area freshmen senators continue to get razzed even when they aren't making their first floor speeches. More senior members were joking around the Sen. Andy Hill, R-Redmond, during the vote on his first bill, when they observed it was hard to tell all…

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WEDNESDAY, FEB. 23, 2011

TUESDAY, FEB. 22, 2011



WA Lege Day 44: Cleaning up voting rule?

OLYMPIA -- The House and Senate both have actual floor sessions today, considering some bills that have come out of committees. Among the first to move is SJR 8205, a possible constitutional amendment that would be on the fall ballot, a technical or "housekeeping" change…

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MONDAY, FEB. 21, 2011

WA Lege Day 43: Bills bite dust on cut-off day

OLYMPIA -- Fourteen year-olds can probably forget about voting in this year's school board races. English may be the language everyone in the state uses for official events and documents but it’s unlikely to be declared the state’s "official language." The death penalty will likely…

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Presidents Day Trivia

In honor of Presidents Day, here is some Oval Office worthy trivia. Before President's Day, the U.S. used to have Washington's Birthday as a federal holiday. What's Washington's real birthday? The faces of what four presidents are carved onto Mount Rushmore? What four state capitals…

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Presidents Day or Congress's Week

Happy Presidents Day, which should take on extra special meaning considering the wishes come from the only state named for a president. Most government offices are closed, which seems a bit odd concerning the day honors the 44 people who have been at the top…

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Jim Camden
Jim Camden joined The Spokesman-Review in 1981 and retired in 2021. He is currently the political and state government correspondent covering Washington state.

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