Amy Cannata

The vote on voting will have to wait. Spokane County commissioners decided Tuesday to take one week to gather more information before deciding whether the county will close down traditional polling locations next year and move to a vote-by-mail elections system.

Your friendly poll worker could soon be replaced by your neighborhood letter carrier. Spokane County commissioners are scheduled to decide today if all county elections starting in 2006 will be conducted by mail.

OK. It's clear that street construction delays are no fun. But is saving three minutes of drive time really so essential that it's worth endangering children and pets by speeding at 35-40 mph along residential streets?

Deer Park High School students better be on their best behavior this coming school year or they'll have to answer to a new school resource deputy. Spokane County commissioners gave the Sheriff's Department the go-ahead last week to hire a Deer Park High School deputy.

Project Access has $50,000 more to spend on prescription drugs for low-income patients. Spokane County commissioners unanimously agreed Tuesday to allocate the money to the free health care organization.

It might be time to clean out that stuffed glove compartment. Spokane is considering an amnesty program for people who have parking tickets that are two or more years past due, says city Chief Financial Officer Gavin Cooley.

Spokane County upgraded its financial computer system last week, and with barely a hiccup. And by doing it themselves, county computer staff saved local taxpayers lots of money.

Payment is on its way. Seriously.

At least it's night work. The Washington Department of Transportation starts today on a $4 million project to repave Division Street north of Francis all the way up through the Newport Highway at Center Road.

The Spokane Transit Authority has increased security at its downtown Plaza, park-and-ride lots and transfer stations in response to a nationally issued increased terrorist threat level directed at mass transit. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security increased the level Thursday from yellow to orange after three bombings in the London subway system and one on a London bus. It covers train, subway and metropolitan bus systems only.

Another north-south Spokane driving route bites the dust Tuesday. That's when crews will begin $1.5 million worth of work to rebuild Greene Street near Spokane Community College.

Don't blame the oil companies if you're paying more at the pump today. July 1 marks a 3-cent bump in Washington's gas and diesel tax, bringing it to 31 cents per gallon.

Forget bottle rockets bursting in air. This year's Fourth of July fireworks could be on the highway. AAA is predicting that this Fourth of July weekend will be the busiest travel weekend ever.

Washington state troopers treat motorists of all races equally, according to a two-year independent study released Tuesday by Washington State University researchers. The study examined whether troopers with the Washington State Patrol are more likely to stop, cite or search the vehicles of minority drivers.

Would-be subdividers, conservationists, real estate agents, environmentalists and every other kind of person interested in how Spokane County will grow and develop in the coming years have until Thursday to submit their initial comments to Spokane County planners. The county is in the early stages of updating its comprehensive plan and reviewing the county's urban growth boundary.

Land conservation advocates are fighting a recent Spokane County Commission decision to rezone 110 acres of agricultural land near Valleyford to allow residential development. Futurewise, formerly 1,000 Friends of Washington, filed the appeal Monday to the Growth Management Hearings Board for Eastern Washington. The group claimed that the land contains prime soils that under Spokane County's comprehensive plan preclude its removal from agricultural uses.

It's too early to tell if local baseball fans will need rescuing from a bad season, but if they need car assistance, AAA and the Spokane Indians will be there to help them get out. The AAA/Indians Fan Rescue Program will be offering assistance to those whose vehicles won't start after home games.