Public Periscope

Jerry’s grateful he’s dead and missed this

Spokane County Commissioner Phil Harris has a taste in ties that is less than, shall we say, subdued. So he couldn’t help poking fun at deputy county attorney Jim Emacio recently for wearing a brightly colored, stylish cravat to a briefing… “Tie come from Mexico?” Harris asked. “Actually, commissioner,” explained the ever-courteous Emacio, “this was designed by Jerry Garcia.”… “See. I told ya. A Mexican,” said Harris. Later, he asked: “Who is Jerry Garcia?”

There’s green in them red lights

While Spokane struggles with the legal ramifications of placing cameras at key intersections to catch red-light runners, some communities apparently have decided to press ahead and cash in. One local resident, Robert Neate, urged Mayor Jack Geraghty to follow suit … Neate sent hizzoner a copy of a column in the June issue of The Washington Monthly, which notes that a Maryland county found an unexpected bonanza when it put up the cameras. They expected a dozen or so a day; they actually got 90. The tickets can go for $100 a pop, and, well, you do the math. Communities from New York to California are having similar success, the magazine noted.

Here’s some unnecessary advice

When the president or vice president travels anywhere, the federal government is extremely careful to inform the national media of their every move and be as helpful as possible in capturing those moves for the nation. Thus it was when Vice President Al Gore decided to stop by Glacier National Park for a little hike up to Grinnell Glacier… The National Park Service provided plenty of photos of the glacier and the park, but for those journalists who really wanted, it gave directions on how to take the four-mile hike… Bring rain gear and good hiking boots, the service advised the national press corps. “Glacier is bear country. Like most wildlife, bears do not like surprises. Hike in groups, keep alert and make frequent and loud noises to alert bears of your presence and location.”… That last suggestion seems a bit superfluous to anyone who’s ever seen the national press corps in action. Even without Sam Donaldson in tow, they don’t even cross the street without making frequent and loud noises.

Scheduling note

Spokane County Library branches will be closed Friday for staff training. That won’t excuse late returns.

Kudos

The city of Spokane received two Association of Washington Cities Municipal Achievement Awards, one for the Community Oriented Policing Services and another for the Neighborhood Observation Patrol… Airway Heights Mayor Don Harmon was one of 70 small-town officials to receive a Hometown Leadership Award from the National Center for Small Communities and Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. The award comes with $5,000 that can be used for a community-improvement project.

Getting involved

Sam Wood, Diane Woodman, David Johnson and Sue Adams were appointed to the County’s Community Development Advisory Committee, which decides what projects share in the money sent to us by the U.S. Housing and Urban Development Department… Carl Lind was reappointed to his third term on the Public Facilities District Board, which oversees the Spokane Arena. , DataTimes MEMO: Public Periscope, published Mondays, is compiled by Jim Camden from staff reports. You can contact us by mail at Box 2160, Spokane, WA, 99210, of by fax at (509) 459-5482, or by e-mail at jimc@spokesman.com

This sidebar appeared with the story: HOT TOPICS Wednesday: The City Plan Commission has a workshop on a new provision that allows hazardous-waste storage and handling facilities to be located in some manufacturing-zone in areas such as Logan and Hillyard. It’s the third of three scheduled workshops that begin at 2 p.m. Room 200, 2-B, City Hall, 808 W. Spokane Falls Blvd. Thursday: County Commissioner John Roskelley and City Councilwoman Phyllis Holmes field constituents’ questions at the Five Mile Grange at 7 p.m., 3024 W. Strong Road.

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