The Hot Seat A Weekly Look At People In The News

A fine newsman takes a fall

Normally we consider ourselves the sole source of reasoned opinion in the Inland Northwest. But in our heart of hearts, we know there is a beacon, a paragon of truth, broadcasting for radio station K-something-or-other in Spokane. (It’s the station that routinely goes off the air for several minutes a day.) The man, the legend, is C. Foster Kane, a modern day Walter Winchell. But C. Foster, blew it last week when he let his news stooge Jim Arnold try to influence the vote on hydroplane racing. In the middle of a riveting newscast, C., the news saint, let Arnold urge the anti-hydro crowd to stay home and be quiet. C.! Say it ain’t so! How could a newsman of your stature stoop so low?

The tax man has been laid off

There is a bright side to the budget showdown. The IRS office in Coeur d’Alene has run out of tax forms! So lucky Coeur d’Aliens have a reason not to file: no forms. Of course the humorless bureaucrats won’t like it, so we’re suggesting a pro-active approach for our Idaho brethren. Send complete copies of all your tax records, in triplicate, to your Republican freshwoman Rep. Helen Chenoweth and ask her politely to take care of it for you.

Don’t forget us, Marge

One of our good friends here at the paper retired last week and we are really going to miss her. We feel like our best friend just moved to another city and we’ll hardly ever see her again. Her name is Marge and our research indicates that she is the only person ever to work in a newsroom who has no enemies. So study the picture of Marge carefully and if you see her, wish her well and tell her we said hi.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: 3 Photos

MEMO: The Hot Seat is an irreverent look at controversial issues in the news. The views expressed are those of the writer. Today’s Hot Seat was written by Scott Sines.