OLYMPIA -- Getting $35 million for the North Spokane corridor was a big deal, even over on the other side of the state.

Gov. Chris Gregoire, Senate Majority Leader Lisa Brown and Sen. Chris Marr all made the trip over for the ceremony. Rep. John Driscoll, who has a chunk of the road in his 6th Legislative District was interested in coming along, but the governor's staff said the plane was already full.

Driscoll booked a commercial flight out of Sea-Tac and made it to Spokane in time for the 10 a.m. ceremony,  hs staff said. Unfortunately for the governor and her group, the fog kept them in Olympia for a while longer. The media event was rescheduled for 11 a.m., to give the fog time to lift and let them make the flight.

"They got there eventually, the ceremonial check changed hands, ceremonial words were spoken, and Driscoll headed back to Olympia," legislative aide Dan Frizzell noted in a press release. "Flying coach."

Which begs the question: Why didn't the governor and everyone else fly coach, too?

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