Brothers in Arms

There was a lot of praise for this weekend’s installment of the Shipp brothers’ journey to become Marines - and no complaints this time. Editor Steve Smith said that some readers had previously questioned our decision to follow the twins through basic training, but he still stands by the coverage. “It’s important that we tell readers about the young men we send to war,” he said.

The next installment will come in four weeks, when the Shipps graduate from boot camp. Smith said we’ve discussed sending a reporter to Afghanistan or Iraq should they be deployed there (and the odds are pretty good, according to the story), but he’s unwilling to pay the expense. The insurance alone, he said, would run about $50,000 for three months. “That’s a top-scale reporter,” said Smith, referring to one of the alternative uses for that kind of money.

Island excursion

Speaking of sending reporters into the great beyond, sports editor Joe Palmquist said that our delegation to follow the Spokane Shock to the ArenaThingy in San Juan, Puerto Rico will consist of: John Blanchette. We’ve arranged to get photos from the Associated Press. Reporter Jim Meehan, who has been covering the Shock, won’t be going because he would have to miss his mother’s 80th birthday party, Palmquist said.

The Walter brothers , regrettably, will be unable to travel to Puerto Rico because of passport troubles.

Don’t be koi with me, mister

Photo editor Larry Reisnouer said Saturday’s photograph from the Koi and Goldfish Show at Riverfront Park lost something in black and white, so we’re running it in color here for your enjoyment. Smith said he enjoyed Parker Howell’s coverage of the event: “He answered all my questions about edible koi.”