Spin Control: Iconic scene selected to represent Spokane legislative district

As the Legislature prepared for its penultimate day last week with several major issues still in play, one lingering controversy involving Spokane did manage to get settled with the agreement of the two protagonists.

Lt. Gov. Denny Heck and Senate Majority Floor Leader Marcus Riccelli agreed on a better photo to hang on the wall of Heck’s office lobby to represent Spokane’s 3rd Legislative District: an iconic shot of Riverfront Park, with the Big Red Wagon and Clock tower in the foreground and the Expo ’74 Pavilion in the background.

It will join photos of scenes from the state’s other 48 legislative districts which are a popular stop for visitors to the office in the domed Legislative Building throughout the years.

It replaces a photo detailed in a previous Spin Control column that showed Manito Park’s Duncan Garden, but before anything had poked up through the bare flower beds.

After months of what Riccelli might describe as chiding and Heck would probably describe more as carping over the photo that has been on the wall for years – and had recently been supplemented with stickers of flowers in an attempt to either mollify or annoy the senator – the two gathered on Wednesday to consider three possible replacements.

It was the day after the Gonzaga basketball teams had punched their tickets to the NCAA tournaments, much to the relief of Heck’s staff. He is among the biggest Zags fan in the building and can be a bit cranky on a morning after they lose, according to some who will remain anonymous.

Riccelli likes to challenge Heck for the role of No. 1 Zags fan, although one of Heck’s first comments that morning tried to cast shade on that after the senator left watching the tournament championship game at half time. Because of legislative business, Riccelli countered as they sat down to view the three photo options.

One was the Big Red Wagon scene. Two was the Spokane River running under the west side of the Monroe Street Bridge with some of the north bank development in the background. Three was a shot of the sky through the newly refurbished Pavilion net.

“Wait a minute,” said Heck, after all three had been unveiled. “No Gonzaga picture? You promised a Gonzaga picture.”

Although the university campus is also in the 3rd District, Riccelli insisted he had only said there might be a Gonzaga picture.

After discussion, they eliminated the shot of the Monroe Street Bridge, in part because the focus was a bit soft. The shot through the Pavilion, though artistic, was somewhat similar to a shot of a ride at the state fairgrounds, they decided.

And the Big Red Wagon is iconic, they agreed.

It will go up on the lobby wall, which is on the southeast corner of the building’s second floor and open to the public during most business hours. The other two photos will be hung in Riccelli’s office.

“Let there be no question about this, though. There was no Gonzaga picture,” Heck said as they wrapped up the selection process.