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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883
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Gary Crooks

This individual is no longer an employee with The Spokesman-Review.

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Opinion

Smart bombs

The favored tool deployed by Barack Obama’s critics has been guilt by association. He is deemed culpable for the comments of the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, the corruption of developer Tony Rezko and the long-ago radical acts of former Weather Underground member William Ayers. Obama didn’t engage in any of the offensive behaviors, but he “associated” with those people – sometimes before their controversial acts and sometimes after. That, in turn, is supposed to shine a spotlight on his judgment and character. If true, that’s bad news for … George Nethercutt.
Opinion

Smart bombs

“I’m stunned – stunned. It’s a huge loss. I can’t imagine another doctor with moxie will come in here.” That was the reaction of Mary Ann Murphy, executive director of Partners with Families and Children, when she heard the news that chief health officer Kim Thorburn had been fired by the Spokane Regional Health Board. It’s taken the board nearly 22 months (and counting) to find a replacement. Guess all the good ones come with built-in moxie.
Opinion

Smart bombs

The reaction to the New Yorker’s recent cover cartoon is more cartoonish than the cartoon itself. If you missed it, Barack and Michelle Obama are decked out in radical garb. He wears a turban. She looks like a Black Panther. A flag is burning. You get the picture. The image skewers some of the looniest and untrue allegations that have been leveled against the couple. Now you may ask if the cartoon is overstating the anti-Obama allegations, but the people who traffic in such nonsense know better.
Opinion

Smart bombs

On Wednesday, it was revealed that Spokane County’s new jail complex will cost $245 million. Last week, we learned that Kootenai County’s new jail and other facilities will cost $147 million. Six weeks ago, Oklahoma City voters approved a sales tax extension for $121.6 million in arena improvements for its new professional basketball team. You may know it by its previous name: the Seattle SuperSonics. Two possibilities here: We as a society can confess that we spend way too much on our twin obsessions of locking people up and watching professional sports. Or we can get creative. The former, while sensible, is boring. So let’s think outside the cell while making sure inmates stay in them.