Jim Camden

People who suffer the ill effects of grass smoke should stay inside or go on vacation when the fields are burned, Nona Brazier, a Republican candidate for governor, said Friday. Brazier, the former King County GOP chairwoman, and state Sen. Pam Roach of Auburn, another gubernatorial candidate, defended the rights of grass-seed growers to burn their fields after harvest.

Silver

Ten Spokane-area groups involved in recreation and wildlife activities want motor boats and personal watercraft banned from two sections of the Spokane River. Groups such as Friends of the Centennial Trail and the Spokane Canoe and Kayak Club want county commissioners to restrict fast-flowing sections, totaling about 25 miles of river. They have some support from the marine division of the county sheriff's department.

Thomas Gummer, who served in the Army in World War II and his wife, Helen, examine one of three proposed WWII memorials on display Tuesday at Franklin Park Mall. Photo by Dan McComb/The Spokesman-Review

If you think the federal government should stay out of schools, partial-birth abortions should be banned and taxes should be "simpler and fairer," you would probably support Republicans this year. If you think the United States should stay in the United Nations, the government should stay away from abortion laws and taxes should be "progressive," you would probably support Democrats this year.

After a week of criticism from farm groups and even some Republican leaders, a House committee is set to restore money to a new agriculture program. U.S. Rep. George Nethercutt said late Wednesday that some $98 million will likely be added back into next year's proposed agriculture budget, completely funding the market transition program. The Spokane Republican said he and Rep. Jim Lightfoot, R-Iowa, will offer such an amendment today when the House Appropriations Committee meets. The move has the support of Republicans, who are in the majority in both houses of Congress.

Private companies should not be allowed to bid for state services unless state employees receive the collective bargaining rights, three Democratic candidates for governor said Monday. Appearing at a forum in Spokane, the trio said they oppose efforts to "privatize" government jobs under current laws.

Inland Northwest farmers are flocking to federal offices by the thousands these days to sign contracts that would end farm subsidy programs. But a House panel wants to change the rules and reduce payments to farmers, even before that program starts. The proposal is drawing criticism from farm organizations and Republican leaders in the House and Senate.

Inland Northwest farmers are flocking to federal offices by the thousands these days to sign contracts that would end farm subsidy programs. But a House panel wants to change the rules and reduce payments to farmers, even before that program starts.

Elizabeth Dole hit all the high notes Saturday in singing the praises of an America headed by her husband - if he can beat Bill Clinton in November. Urging some 1,300 cheering delegates at the state Republican Convention to "pull out all the stops in this election," Dole promised fundamental changes in the nation's welfare system, schools, taxes and even social fabric.

Buchanan and Dole delegates duel for position down the street from the Republican convention in Bellevue. Photo by Associated Press

A ballot initiative to create charter schools will make the state's school system accountable like businesses in the marketplace, sponsor Fawn Spady said Thursday. "Money follows students to the school the parent chooses," Spady said in a debate before the Spokane Downtown Rotary Club. On such free-market principles the nation is based, she added. "I'm not in business," countered Spokane District 81 Superintendent Gary Livingston.

Washington's schools are doing a better job educating their students than the public believes, a high school teacher who is running for the Legislature said Thursday. "We are being accountable," Jerry Hopkins, head of the Spokane Education Association, said in announcing his candidacy for the state House of Representatives. "The implication is that public education has gone downhill, and I just don't think that's the case."

The biggest controversy for Spokane Republicans attending their state convention was going to be the high cost of meeting in Bellevue. Instead, delegates have a fight on their hands - the one between state Chairman Ken Eikenberry and Pat Buchanan that likely will keep the presidential candidate from addressing the convention Friday. It is an unexpected - and unnecessary - argument, say Spokane Republicans in both the Buchanan and Bob Dole camps.

Republicans seeking a gubernatorial candidate who promises to cut taxes and regulations, protect private property rights and bring schools "back to basics," didn't have to look far Tuesday night. Ditto for candidates who want to restore family values, get tough on crime and execute murderers, even if they're teenagers. Five of them were on stage in the Chase Middle School cafeteria, offering more differences in style than substance on these basic tenets of Republicanism. Want to fix schools? Cut regulations by state government and emphasize the basics, said former state Sen. Ellen Craswell of Poulsbo, Tacoma attorney Jim Waldo and state Rep. Dale Foreman of Wenatchee.

Like the Hatfields and McCoys, labor unions and the Republican Party are engaged in a blood feud over the current session of Congress. The arguments are over Medicare and the minimum wage. The weapons of choice are radio and television airwaves.

Luciani

Coyyright 1996, The Idaho Spokesman-Review Idaho voters have questions about President Clinton's moral character and a poor opinion of the job he's doing. Clinton may be leading presumptive Republican nominee Bob Dole elsewhere in the nation, but in Idaho, if the election were held right now, the incumbent president would lose Idaho's four Electoral College votes.

Smith

Heidi Minor placed the green bottle she had just filled with red wine on the strange-looking machine and pressed the foot pedal. With a whoosh, the bottle went up, a cork came down, and Minor had her own personalized bottle of Latah Creek Lemberger, vintage 1995.

American workers currently pay a tax on a tax because their Social Security payments are subject to the income tax. And that's not fair, U.S. Rep. George Nethercutt argued Friday. The Spokane Republican is proposing a major change to the tax law that would exempt payroll deductions for Social Security. He's offering it as a better way to stimulate the economy than a boost to the minimum wage, which he opposes. "This affects a lot more people, between 77 million and 100 million," he said during an interview with The Spokesman-Review editorial board.

Washington state must reform welfare without stripping people of their dignity, a Spokane attorney running for the Legislature said Friday. Lon Sparks, 51, said he wants welfare reform coupled with "sensitivity and compassion." Rather than inflexible limits on the amount of time benefits can be received, he favors regular reviews to ensure that people are seeking work and getting the training they need.

Saying there is "unfinished business" from the last legislative session, state Rep. Duane Sommers announced Wednesday he's running for a new term. The move was expected by Republicans - who appointed him to fill the unexpired term of retiring Rep. Todd Mielke - and Democrats alike. Sommers, the former Spokane County GOP chairman said he wants to do more to reduce crime, cut taxes and reform welfare. "Spokane is experiencing more violent crime by younger persons than ever before," he said in his prepared campaign announcement speech. Although the Legislature worked on a juvenile justice reform bill in the recent session, he complained the final version was too "watered down" to pass. Although the Legislature reduced the business and occupation tax last session by overriding a veto from Gov. Mike Lowry, Sommers said he will seek further tax relief next year. He also supports a 5 percent reduction in property taxes, a proposal that failed to pass the Legislature this year as time for the session ran out. Welfare recipients should face a cut in benefits after two years, and be required to go to school or get job training while receiving assistance, he said. Families should not receive increases in benefits if they have more children while on welfare, he added. Although he was appointed to the 6th District seat last November, Sommers is a veteran legislator. The former health care analyst served three terms in the House starting in 1987, then ran unsuccessfully for Congress rather than challenge fellow Republican Mielke in a redrawn legislative district.

1. Staying in track. A KC-10 is refueled over Northern California. The Army and Navy plan to integrate the tracking system into their existing cockpit systems. Photo by Colin Mulvany/The Spokesman-Review 2. Isaacson 3. A KC-135 navigator monitors the plane's position with movable map software during a refueling mission over Northern California. 4. Triangle in the center of the tracking screen represents the aircraft in flight. Photo by Colin Mulvany/The Spokesman-Review