Public Periscope

Things work out, eventually

Last Friday, this newspaper reported on an unsuccessful attempt to link a charitable act with a person in need when the Red Cross delivered a donated motorized wheelchair to David Hayes, an amputee who had been burned out of the Fairmont Apartments in downtown Spokane. The well-intentioned effort ran into a major snag - the chair was too small for Hayes, who graciously thanked all concerned for their generosity and reminded everyone it’s the thought that counts. … This is real life, not a Cinderella story, but there still is a happy ending. After the story about the unsuccessful donation appeared, the Red Cross got a call from Northwest Home Medical. The Spokane area company offered a straight-up trade to the Red Cross - a size 18 chair, which will fit Hayes, of the same make and model as the size 16 chair that had been donated by the family of the late Reginald Wakefield. … Family members want to remain anonymous, Red Cross spokeswoman Pam Leazer said. But they had been touched by the difficulties of the Fairmont evacuees by working with them after the fire.

They are a sorry group

Some Spokane City Council members took turns last Monday apologizing for their roles in past bickering over City Manager Bill Pupo’s evaluation. They have argued over who had given Pupo the highest and lowest ratings and why some council members knew the handwritten council documents would be shredded but others didn’t. The sniping left staff members in attendance shaking their heads. … Mayor John Talbott apologized for failing to control the fracas and asked council members for help in the future. He also asked council members to solve their spats in private rather than in public.

Councilwoman Cherie Rodgers apologized to everyone, with personal words to Pupo for her role. … Councilwoman Roberta Greene also apologized, noting she already had apologized to Pupo earlier in the week for the “unfortunate conversation.”

Interstate campaign

While most attention on candidates this week will be directed at those running for political office this year, we want to mention one on the road for ‘00. Merle Tiffany, formerly of Spokane and Cheney and now of Collegedale, Tenn., is running - or should we say driving? - for president. … Tiffany, 68, was in town for the 50th reunion of his Cheney High School graduating class and stopped by to ask for some coverage. Because this is America and just about anybody can say he or she is running for president, this newspaper prefers to wait until a candidate makes it to the state’s presidential primary ballot before reporting the details of things such as issues and qualifications. It seems unlikely Tiffany will make the cut unless his campaign really catches fire. … But he has a campaign idea that’s worth noting. He’s a long-haul trucker and plans to outfit a trailer as his mobile campaign office and traveling billboard. He’ll hit the road, campaigning on the highways and byways and at rest stops. … Look for him at a truck stop near you.

This sidebar appeared with the story: HOT TOPICS This week Today through Friday: This is the week when candidates have to commit to running for political offices this fall. Most file at the elections office in their county courthouse, although filing for the legislative seats in southeastern Washington requires a trip or a letter to the secretary of state’s office in Olympia. 8:30 a.m. through 5 p.m. each day