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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

In their words

A selection of quotations from people in recent news stories, big and small

“We think it’s important, especially during this economy, that there’s not one extra penny taken from people’s budgets.”

– Assistant Attorney General Simon ffitch, chief of the office’s General Public Counsel Section, after appealing a rate increase Avista is seeking from Eastern Washington customers.

“This creates a scary situation for coaches. You have to get beyond fear factor, ‘Am I going to be charged with a crime?’ and focus on, ‘Am I protecting the kids?’ ”

– Assistant executive director John Miller of the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association, after a high school football coach in Kentucky was charged with reckless homicide because a 15-year-old player died of heat-related causes during an August practice.

“I understand what I’ve done is wrong. I should be punished in some way. But I’m not angry. I’m not rude. I’m not offensive. I don’t try to do mean things. I try to be a good person. I’m just addicted to drugs.”

– Theft and burglary suspect Cory Morse, who, with his girlfriend, is accused of stealing fentanyl patches from nursing home residents they pretended to visit.

“If a kid just out of high school wants to be rural director, he might not get the job, but we’ll find a way to get him involved.”

– Spokesman John Foster of U.S. Rep. Walt Minnick’s staff, explaining why the freshman Idaho congressman is inviting all Idahoans to apply for the federal jobs for which he’ll recommend appointees to President Obama.

“We can’t enforce something that we broke.”

– Spokane City Councilman Bob Apple, criticizing the inconsistency of a city plan to extend Riverside Avenue east of Division along a route closer to the Spokane River than allowed under recently enacted shoreline rules.

“I might be the director of the band, but if there’s no band members, there’s no music.”

– Retired professor Tony Stewart, calling on North Idaho College in Coeur d’Alene to use the resources already in place to continue the popular Popcorn Forum program that he launched while on the NIC faculty.

“There is no other country in the world that goes to so much trouble and effort to make sure these fallen heroes are returned with dignity, honor and respect.”

– Air Force Col. Steven Harrison, an Idaho native who recently took command of the 89th Airlift Wing at Andrews Air Force Base, reflecting on his previous assignment as head of the Delaware-based unit that returns the remains of fallen U.S. service members to the United States.