New year, new Spokane City Council committee assignments
Every year, the Spokane City Council gets to change their roles on various committees at the city and around the region.
Spin Control archive for Dec. 2014
WEDNESDAY, DEC. 31, 2014
What local laws were the "dumbest" this year?
Banning saggy pants and "clutter." Taxing marijuana where it's not legal. These are a couple of "dumbest" local laws passed across the country this year, according a list put togther by Atlantic's CityLab. Here in the Inland Northwest, we are not immune to stupidity.
TUESDAY, DEC. 30, 2014
Elections expert Katie Blinn headed for new job
Katie Blinn, who helped protect Washington elections for a decade, is leaving the Secretary of State's office for a spot in the AG's office
Legislators won't be hosting talk by chief justice
OLYMPIA -- The Legislature won't be getting a "state of the judiciary" address from State Supreme Court Chief Justice Barbara Madsen next year.
A fun year-end list
PolitiFact offers list of biggest lies on Internet
MONDAY, DEC. 29, 2014
Last Congress wasn't the least productive. But almost
A survey of legislation passed by the 113th Congress says it missed being least productive, but not by much.
Today's fun video: JibJab looks at 2014
JibJab provides its annual sendup of the past year.
WEDNESDAY, DEC. 24, 2014
Where's Santa? NORAD is tracking him here
Children wondering where Santa is don't have to run to the window and throw up the sash, looking for the miniature sleigh and eight tiny reindeer. NORAD, the North American Aerospace Defense Command, does that with great precision, aCnd started at midnight. Because, you know,…
FRIDAY, DEC. 19, 2014
House Republicans, Senate Democrats make assignments
OLYMPIA -- Legislative caucuses continued to assign members to committee and internal leadership posts as the countdown to the 2015 session continues. On Thursday, the two minority caucuses, House Republicans and Senate Democrats, announced some of their spots; Andy Billig is the only Senate Democrat…
WEDNESDAY, DEC. 17, 2014
Today's fun video: George Bailey reimagined
Before you watch "It's A Wonderful Life" for the umpteenth time this year -- and face it, you know you will -- check out this Jimmy Kimmel rewrite of the script.
TUESDAY, DEC. 16, 2014
UW should expand med training in Spokane, panel says
The University of Washington Medical School should “proceed as soon as possible” to expand and modernize its program in Spokane, a special advisory council set up by the university said Tuesday. It should “aggressively pursue regional expansion opportunities”, the council said, with a special nod...
MONDAY, DEC. 15, 2014
Inslee undecided on Spokane med school, nothing in current budget plan
OLYMPIA – Gov. Jay Inslee is undecided on how medical school education should expand in Spokane. The budget he will unveil Thursday and send next month to the Legislature currently has no new money for medical school plans by either of the state's two research…
Spokane GOP elects leaders
The Spokane County Republican Party precinct officers chose their party leaders for the next two years, electing Dave Moore to the chairmanship he has held since March when the previous chairman resigned. Also elected in the biennial organizational meeting were Stephanie Cates as vice chairwoman,…
Today's fun video: SNL on torture report
Saturday Night Live's opening skit was about the Senate torture report. If you don't know the Spokane connection to this, click here.
Inslee to hold internet town hall on education
OLYMPIA -- Gov. Jay Inslee will take his plans for public schools to the public, in Rogers High School and three other locations, via Skype tonight. With large screens set in the schools to carry the online video-phone connection, Inslee will unveil his proposals for…
SATURDAY, DEC. 13, 2014
Consequences of the election clear in Olympia
OLYMPIA – The axiom that elections have consequences is much in evidence in the capital these days as the Senate’s new Republican majority rearranges the deck chairs. Although they have kept the title “Majority Coalition Caucus” in an apparent nod to Sen. Tim Sheldon, the…
Hundreds gather to protest I-594 background checks
OLYMPIA — Hundreds of gun-rights advocates, some dressed in camouflage and a few wearing Santa hats, gathered on the Capitol grounds to denounce the background-check law voters approved last month. A crowd estimated between 600 and 800 by the Washington State Patrol – and 1,000…
FRIDAY, DEC. 12, 2014
An unusual split in NW delegation
When congressional votes are close, they usually break down on partisan lines with Republicans in Washington and Idaho voting one way and Democrats the other. Not the case with yesterday's House vote on the omnibus spending bill, technically known as the Consolidated and Further Continuing…
THURSDAY, DEC. 11, 2014
Colbert weighs in on torture and American "awesomeness"
The Colbert Report Get More: Colbert Report Full Episodes,The Colbert Report on Facebook,Video Archive Plenty of folks are dissecting Andrea Tantaros comments on Fox that the Senate shouldn't have released its report on torture because America is "awesome". Stephen Colbert does one of the best…
WEDNESDAY, DEC. 10, 2014
House Democrats pick committee leaders
OLYMPIA -- House Democrats named their committee leaders today and Spokane's two representatives retained their vice chairmanships on key panels. Rep. Timm Ormsby will be vice chairman of the Appropriations Committee. Rep. Marcus Riccelli will be vice chairman of the Health Care and Wellness Committee.…
No one in U.S. appears to use the pseudonyms Senate gave to Spokane torture barons James Mitchell and Bruce Jessen
Grayson Swigert and Hammond Dunbar apparently don't exist. And not just in the pseudonym sense, either. No one in the United States appears to use the names that the Senate Intelligence Committee chose when trying to obscure the identities of Spokane psychologists James Mitchell and…
TUESDAY, DEC. 9, 2014
Inslee budget to propose $1 billion in tax hikes
OLYMPIA — Gov. Jay Inslee's budget proposal for the next two years will include a request for $1 billion or more in higher taxes along with some program cuts, a delay of some new school spending approved by voters and raises for state employees. Inslee…
Today's fun video: Obama plays Colbert
The Colbert Report Get More: Colbert Report Full Episodes,The Colbert Report on Facebook,Video Archive President Obama pokes fun at almost everyone, including himself, in a mockup of The Word on The Colbert Report.
Senate Republicans name committee heads
OLYMPIA -- Majority Republicans in the Senate named their committee leadership Tuesday. Here's the breakdown for Spokane-area legislators: Sen. Mike Padden of the Spokane Valley remains chairman of Law and Justice, and named vice chairman of Accountability and Reform, a new committee. Sen. Mike Baumgartner…
Clark Hager -- 100% for the Valley
From this morning's paper: Clark Hager fought for the Spokane Valley to be its own city for years, losing many battles but eventually winning the war. Hager, 82, who died last month and will be remembered at a service Sunday, was a rock-ribbed conservative who…
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