Kudos, putting people first, and great centerpiece photos

Yesterday there were clusters of children running around the newsroom. Because everybody followed the “60 kids” number, folks overestimated and bought a lot of Halloween candy.

It now fills a very large tub.

Among some of the costumes seen yesterday: Spider-Man (Spider-Man two words and hyphenated), a brontosaurus, a hippie, a pirate, a jail bird (complete with beak), and Mr. T.

Kudos

• The Today cover page had a great art layout. It’s the space that would have gone to the Visual Arts column that no longer runs, according to features editor Ken Paulman.
• Castagna linked to prostitution ring
• This pet license fees story affects a lot of people, editors said.
• Valley Voice centerpiece on a West Valley High School invention - a fish escalator - to transport fish over dams.

For today’s Cold Case file, ‘In the wrong place, at the wrong time’ , assistant city editor Dan Hansen said he’s especially happy to see that these stories are taking The S-R away from talking about ‘process’ when covering crime, and rather putting more emphasis on people — because crime changes the lives of everyone involved.

Changes Mark Fuhrman’s life too, apparently. Word is he’s been talking about today’s Cold Case on the air.

“This case is made for Fuhrman,” Hansen said. “They found gloves.” (For the explanation to this joke, click here )

Two great pictures

(Glenna Joseph holds her head Tuesday October 30, 2007 in her Spokane Washington apartment while talking about the family devastation after the murder of her son Ronnie Armstead. Christopher Anderson photo)

(A school bus passes remnant fall colors at the corner of Tekoa St and 27th Ave. on Wednesday morning Oct. 31, 2007 in Spokane, Wash. Jed Conklin photo)

Oh, and one more thing

Do people use taxicabs in this town? An upcoming business story is about a taxicab company no longer providing service at the Spokane airport.