Voices

Has the sun been feeling a little less hot lately? It might seem odd to ask that during what is usually the hottest part of the year. But the brightness of the sun is actually affected by things called sunspots – and they have been noticeably absent this year. Sunspots, dark spots on the sun which can span as much as 50,000 miles in diameter, are caused by magnetic storms. The spots indicate areas of increased magnetic activity, which are commonly accompanied by solar flares. These flares can impact us on Earth by disrupting communications equipment and electrical power grids. They are responsible for the spectacular bright auroras which can sometimes be seen across the Inland Northwest nighttime sky.

Today B-4 (AMERICANA) – 7:30 p.m., Art on the Edge Luminary Festival, Q’emiln Park, Post Falls, 676-0917.

Honestly, Nell, no animals were harmed in the writing of this column. Decades before anti-cruelty standards were established in Hollywood, many of our fine furry friends, particularly the dogs and horses used in Westerns and biblical epics, were shot, beaten and driven off cliffs by directors all in the name of a good take. When actress/filmmaker and animal-rights advocate Nell Shipman packed up her entire menagerie of wild critters and relocated north to Priest Lake, in 1922, she was thumbing her nose at the cruel insensitivity she perceived in Hollywood. Not only did Shipman sense that her beloved animal co-stars were unhappy in la-la land, but also that her own carefree, proto-feminist nature had grown beyond the boundaries of the materialistic, male-dominated mainstream film industry.

And yet another reason why I (heart) Tom Burnett’s Rathdrum Star – wiener dog race wars. In the last episode, er, issue, the Star published a classified ad in which Nancy Taylor’s “friends in Iraq” urged her to get a colonoscopy. In this week’s weekly, the Star tells of a fracas over the community’s wiener dog race that might wind up in court. Seems Spokane’s Margo Mossburg of Dogs Rescue Northwest made “a blistering phone call” – the Star’s words, not Huckleberries – to the Rathdrum Chamber of Commerce after the recent Rathdrum Days. Which featured a dachshund race. Mossburg claimed exclusive rights to wiener dog racing as a fundraiser and threatened to sue if the dog races were held at the 2009 Rathdrum Days. Quoting from a phone recording, the Star reported that Mossburg said: “I would prefer not to go that route, but … The wiener dog races are our thing. This is how we advertise our dog rescue. I don’t know what to do. I’m pretty upset that you guys would run this again this year.” At Huckleberries Online, Berry Picker ThomG knew exactly what to do to resolve this mess without going to court. “Cut the dogs in half and give half to her and half to Rathdrum.” Hasn’t something like that been tried before? Kellogg on my mind

The Valley View fire was the latest wake-up call for area residents who survived the fast-moving fire. I propose that the Park community and the Ponderosa community in the Spokane Valley work together to create a joint safety corridor that allows residents an alternate exit during emergency situations. During the height of the fire almost a dozen vehicles passed through my property from the Park community. Evidently the only legal exit was blocked by the fire. I’m glad they had the knowledge and ability to use my road to escape. There may have been additional losses otherwise.

A local option vehicle registration fee designed to raise money for local road projects will make the November ballot in Kootenai County after all, thanks to a change of heart among Harrison officials. The $24-per-car fee was looking like it wouldn’t make it to voters after Kootenai County commissioners and the city of Harrison passed on it earlier this summer.

Beginning Monday, Pines Road at the Interstate 90 interchange will be reduced to one lane in each direction weekdays from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. as construction continues on a project to relieve traffic congestion in the area. On Fridays the lanes will reopen at 3 p.m. Preparation work along Mansfield Avenue has already begun, and local traffic is being detoured. Drivers are encouraged to use alternative routes to avoid traffic congestion and delays.

An employee of a Spokane Valley business was arrested Monday and accused of stealing about $14,000 from his employer. Spokane Valley police said Lee Allen Verment, 41, of 3425 S. Bates Road, admitted stealing about $7,000 worth of scrap copper and brass from HD Waterworks Supply, 1215 N. Bradley Road, and improperly charging a like amount to a company credit card.

For 08-07-2008

Airway Heights will lend Medical Lake a police sergeant while that city either continues the search for a new chief or decides to contract the position out to another police department. The Airway Heights City Council on Monday agreed to lend Medical Lake the services of Sgt. Greg Rogan, with Medical Lake paying his salary. Rogan will likely work at Medical Lake until December.

Washington’s private Economic Opportunity Institute, a liberal-leaning budget think tank, has done something that virtually no state politician dares: Propose an income tax. Specifically, the group is suggesting a “high incomes tax” for Washingtonians. Under the plan, the state could afford to reduce some sales and property taxes while still netting hundreds of millions of dollars more each year for government services.

Skyfest 2008 is this weekend at Fairchild Air Force Base, with free public admission to events culminating with a performance by the Navy Blue Angels. The base is open to the public from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and the air show is scheduled from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., with the Blue Angels finale starting about 3:10 p.m.

Skyfest 2008 is this weekend at Fairchild Air Force Base, with free public admission to events culminating with a performance by the Navy Blue Angels. The base is open to the public from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and the air show is scheduled from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., with the Blue Angels finale starting about 3:10 p.m.