Jim Camden

As a teacher, a school principal and a community college president, Gerald Saling was a staunch supporter of education. When he brought that expertise to the state Senate, the members of his caucus listened. "When Jerry Saling zoned in on a subject, he wouldn't be denied," state Sen. Bob McCaslin, R-Spokane Valley, said Monday of his longtime friend and colleague.

The trick to being a supportive spectator at the Ford Ironman Coeur d'Alene is all in the equipment. When a friend, family member or significant other stumbles out of the chilly waters of Lake Coeur d'Alene after a 2.4 mile swim, pedals past in the middle of a 112-mile bike race, or sprints or trudges by in the final 26.2-mile run, it's important to get his or her attention.

Two of Washington's top Democrats did their best Friday to ease any lingering hard feeling from the presidential campaign, telling state convention delegates that Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton both ran historic campaigns. On the eve of a weekend that will see political activists from both parties listening to speeches and debating issues throughout the Inland Northwest, Sen. Patty Murray and Gov. Chris Gregoire talked about the historic nature of the campaign so far and pumped up Democrats for the coming fights for the White House, Congress and governor's mansion.

Last week Eileen Macoll, of Pullman, became one of the last Democratic superdelegates to sign up as a Hillary Rodham Clinton supporter. Turned out she also was one of the shortest-tenured Clinton superdelegates because this week the Washington state Democratic vice chairwoman is switching her support to presumptive nominee Barack Obama. Macoll will join several other Washington state superdelegates such as U.S. Reps. Jay Inslee and Norm Dicks today in officially moving to the Obama column as a show of party unity.

Hundreds of Washington Republicans will arrive in Spokane this week with their party's presidential candidate all but chosen. Arizona Sen. John McCain has only to await the national convention in September, where he's assured of enough delegates to become the official nominee. But a substantial portion of the delegates to the Washington state convention – perhaps as many as 40 percent, according to some estimates – will be backing another candidate and looking to make their preference known at that national gathering.

David Sullivan spent parts of World War II aboard aircraft carriers in the North Atlantic and South Pacific, but it's the odd turns of fate and unusual situations that the former flight surgeon remembers more than the tales of battle. For 18 months he was on an aircraft carrier that spent most of its time hunting Nazi U-boats, and he said the most grueling medical duty was a 25-hour stint treating German sailors from a sub sunk by his ship's planes. He recalls when military doctors were issued a new wonder drug called penicillin that seemed to work for everything. He remembers being asked to take the temperature of a monkey to determine whether it could be let on board the ship.

The public should be able to know results of the psychological exam that will help decide whether admitted murderer Joseph Duncan is competent to act as his own attorney in his sentencing hearing, lawyers for Idaho and Washington news organizations said Friday. U.S. District Judge Edward Lodge should also unseal several documents that discuss why testimony from one of Duncan's victims, Shasta Groene, should be heard in a closed courtroom, a motion filed in federal court in Boise said.

Child abuse happens too often in the Inland Northwest, representatives of law enforcement, child welfare and social agencies say. Hundreds of cases of physical and sexual abuse were investigated last year in the city and county of Spokane.