Public Periscope

See ya in court

The decision on whether certain Valley residents will vote by mail on two incorporation proposals will be up to a judge. County auditor Bill Donahue thinks it’s a good way to save money; County Commissioners Phil Harris and Steve Hasson didn’t like the idea. … Supporters of Evergreen and Opportunity had hoped for a low-key, low turnout plebiscite. Mail balloting usually boosts turnout. … A visiting Superior Court judge will be asked to decide the issue on Tuesday.

Tearing along the dotted line

The sign says 45 mph but many drivers have their own opinions of the top speed for narrow, curvy Bigelow Gulch Road. Some 66 speeding tickets have been written on the road since January, when law enforcement officials started paying extra attention to the congested arterial. Most offenders were driving 55 to 65 mph; one was clocked at 81 mph. … Since 1991, county officials have counted nearly 200 accidents on the road.

Look! Up in the sky!

Boeing’s latest jumbo jet doesn’t make scheduled flights from Spokane, but don’t be surprised if you occasionally catch a glimpse of a 777 … Spokane International Airport sometimes is used to practice takeoffs and landings when Boeing takes a new triple-7 for a spin around the block, said airport spokesman Todd Woodard. SIA gets little advance notice, so there’s no way to tip off airplane buffs hankering to see the world’s largest twin-engine commercial aircraft and a technological wonder … One made a stop on Easter Sunday, but it didn’t catch fire - as some bystanders feared. An airport fire truck just happened to be passing with its emergency lights flashing - a requirement anytime the trucks go on the tarmac - at the same time the plane was being inspected by its crew.

Purple passions

Roberta Greene, past president of the Lilac Festival Association, donned the group’s telltale purple blazer for the first part of last week’s council meeting and gave each member a commemorative lilac pin. They were free, she said, but the association welcomed donations … After a questioning glance at City Attorney James Sloane, Greene began to laugh about her podium fund-raising. “I don’t know if this is legal,” she said. “When you’re new, you can do almost anything and get away with it” … Sloane said later he knew of no law or council policy that prohibited soliciting donations to a charitable organization.

A final salute

Irv Reed, the city’s director of planning services, is retiring after nearly 16 years with the city. It’s his second retirement from public service … After 29 years with the U.S. Air Force, Reed retired as a brigadier general after a stint in charge of the Strategic Air Command’s 47th Air Division, which was then based at Fairchild … Reed said he doesn’t “have any great plans right now. Just sit back and take it easy for a while.”

, DataTimes MEMO: Public Periscope, published Mondays, is compiled by Jim Camden from staff reports. You can write us c/o The Spokesman-Review, Box 2160, Spokane, Wash., 99210. Or e-mail to jimc@spokesman.com. Or fax to (509) 459-5482. Or call Cityline at 458-8800 on a TouchTone phone, then press 9120.

This sidebar appeared with the story: HOT TOPICS Wednesday: One last chance to have a say in the Spokane Horizons discussions for the city of Spokane future plans for traffic, crime, families, zoning and the economy. 6:30 p.m., Ag Trade Center. Thursday: Preliminary hearing for a new 174-unit subdivision off Nine Mile Road east of Lyons and Woodside. 5:30 p.m., council chambers, lower level City Hall.

The following fields overflowed: CREDIT = Compiled by Jim Camden from staff reports.