Voices

Post Falls City Council: Nov. 14 at 6 p.m. at City Hall.

Today

You may know that Demo Barack Obama edged Repub John McCain 47.8 percent to 45.6 percent in that statewide vote that involved 54 high schools and 4,704 online ballots cast last Thursday and Friday. But did you know that McCain turned the tables on Obama at North Idaho College? Sorta. In a mock vote of 527 students representing 24 states, McCain edged Obama by a single percentage point. McCain outpolled Obama among females, 49 percent to 45 percent, while Obama won the spread among males, 50 percent to 40 percent. However, Obama won the overall vote by 13 ballots, or 2.1 percent, when the votes of 63 faculty and staffers were factored in. Which some local uberconservatives would say underscores their theory that NIC is a “pus pocket of liberalism.” Other items of interest in the NIC mock vote include: 100 percent of the diesel technology students voted for McCain. Obama received his top percentage of the vote – 75 percent each – from medical transcription and environmental science students. Ron Paul attracted the most write-in votes with 15. Ralph Nader, Chuck Norris and Jesus Christ also received write-in votes. Finally, Connecticut was the only state represented where the majority of votes were “undecided.” Only four more days, and it will be over. Finally. Remember Me?

Spokane drivers are enjoying that blissful – and too short – period between the completion of the season’s street construction projects and the appearance of snow. Major construction bogged down drivers across the city, especially the North Side. Most would say smoother streets are worth the price.

They wore a variety of footwear, from high-top tennis shoes to canvas sneakers, and one girl showed up in fluffy, blue slippers. Some wore jeans, some chose baggy shorts and still others wore pajama bottoms. But the boisterous group of kids gathered at Garry Middle School on a recent Thursday night all had one thing in common: they’d come to play basketball.

The Sheriff’s Community Oriented Policing Effort Appreciation banquet was held Tuesday at Northern Quest Casino, to honor Spokane’s exceptional volunteers, citizens and sheriff’s employees who help keep the Spokane area safe. The banquet was an opportunity for SCOPE members to be recognized for their service and dedication to the community.

For 10-30-2008

The Southside Senior Center, 3151 E. 27th Ave., is hosting Senior Survival 101 on Saturday from 2 to 3:30 p.m. Program topics include health care, elder law and more.

For the week of Nov. 3-7 Monday – Beef stroganoff over pasta, vegetables, tropical fruit cup.

Spokane Valley residents may pay dearly for a federal mistake and stringent Washington water quality standards, city officials were told Tuesday. An economy-wrenching moratorium on new construction is a possibility, but larger-than-expected sewer rate increases are a certainty.

The tomatoes are gone. The leaves haven’t come down yet. It’s a great time to finish a few garden chores you haven’t had time to do. First, though, there have been little insects flying around that seem to have some people concerned. The blue ash aphid has begun its annual migration from its summer conifer host to its winter host, ash trees. In the process, this small pale blue gray winged aphid has been appearing recently in clouds whenever people disturb them. They are harmless as they feed on conifer roots in the summer, rarely doing any damage. It isn’t necessary to control them as they will lay their eggs on the ash trees and then die.

Indian Trail Elementary and Deer Park High School were on a list of 100 schools in the state named Schools of Distinction this week by the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction. The State Superintendent’s Learning Improvement Award goes to the top 5 percent of elementary, middle and high schools and alternative schools that have shown progress in raising student achievement in math and reading during a six-year period.

Our planet continues to go through temperature extremes. In late August, it was reported that Arctic sea ice has shrunk below the 2005 minimum to stand as the second-smallest since observations from space began about 30 years ago. Last year was the warmest year on record in the Arctic. The fall of 2007 had temperatures more than 9 degrees above normal. Readings are almost as high in 2008, according to a team of international scientists.