Spokane-area citizens who want to offer their thoughts about the 2007 Farm Bill have a couple of ways to do it — via the Internet at www.usda.gov/farmbill or in person at a forum scheduled for Nov. 3 at Eastern Washington University.

The EWU event should be more entertaining.

For one thing, according to Congresswoman Cathy McMorris’s office, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns will personally host the forum. Various aides are hosting most of the similar forums the Agriculture Department is holding around the country.

“This is an exciting and unique opportunity for our Eastern Washington farmers to speak directly to the secretary and offer public input regarding a new farm bill,” said McMorris.

While the forum is billed as dealing with federal programs “that help farmers” the Department of Agriculture and farm bills also deal with nutrition programs such as food stamps. Anti-hunger advocates plan to be on hand to protect the interests of the needy. The EWU forum and another coming up Tuesday in Portland are “key opportunities to talk about not only the importance of the Food Stamp Program, but changes that would make the program work better for hungry people,” said Linda Stone, Eastern Washington Director of the Children’s Alliance.

The Nov. 3 forum will be from 1 to 4 p.m. in Showalter Hall.

Contributing citizens. Joe Polello, an environmental health inspector for the Spokane Regional Health District, will retire in January. Throughout his 30-year career, he’s also left his mark on the Spokane Interstate Fair, his neighborhood and his community, according to an e-mail message recommending him for recognition as the Inland Northwest’s outstanding citizen contributor of 2005. The Spokesman-Review is accepting nominations and will acknowledge an exemplary citizen in an editorial on Jan. 1. (To nominate someone, use the contact information below.)