Public Periscope
The keeper of the list
Spokane City Manager Roger Crum now can play editor of City Cable 5’s list of suspected drug dealers and convicted hookers and clients. The city’s Public Safety Committee gave Crum “administrative latitude” to remove names if he receives a valid complaint. … The committee had received a complaint from a young nursing school graduate who, while searching for jobs, discovered her name is identical to someone who had been arrested at least twice in one week for dealing in drugs. … Crum said he never sees the list until after it airs, and it would require someone to make a solid case to get a name taken off. So far, he hasn’t removed a name. … Asked what he would do if his daughter’s name showed up, he replied: “Her name would go to the top.”
Relax, comrades
Anyone suffering elevated blood pressure over the giant statue of Lenin in Seattle, please take a deep breath. The 18-foot, 7-ton statue is not on public property and was not put up with public money. … Ethan Raup, of Seattle Mayor Norm Rice’s staff, called last week trying to figure out why hizzoner had received a half dozen letters from Spokane. That’s a lot when they average less than one a month, Raup said, and “they’re fairly nasty.” … Writers were offended after a picture of the statue had appeared June 6 in this newspaper, and they assumed public money was being used to honor the famous Communist. … Turns out there’s nothing to be done about the statue - for the most democratic of reasons. It was imported by a private individual, who spent his own money to put it on his own property, Raup said.
No deal means no big deal
Spokane City Councilman Chris Anderson can relax about conflicts of interest - real or not - involving Mayor Jack Geraghty’s former public relations firm and a downtown renovation project. The business is not being bought. … Geraghty’s old firm, Alliance Pacific Inc., was discussing a possible sale of its assets to The Rockey Co., a regional PR firm. Because Rockey handles information for the River Park Square project, Anderson contended Geraghty shouldn’t vote on any city business involving the project. Geraghty disagreed. … On Friday, Rockey announced it has broken off talks with API. Instead, it named former journalist Nancy Goodspeed as vice president and manager of the company’s Spokane shop.
On the campaign trail
A Republican presidential hopeful comes to town Wednesday. Although not one of the front-runners, Dr. Alan Keyes was perhaps the first legitimate candidate to announce his candidacy. … The president of Citizens Against Government Waste and former ambassador to the United Nations Economic and Social Council, Keyes polled about 9 percent at a recent Idaho state GOP convention. … He will speak at a noon luncheon at the Crescent Court and an evening forum at the Harvest Christian Fellowship. Call 325-2852 for ticket information.
“Public Periscope,” published Mondays, is compiled by Jim Camden from staff reports. If you have a question about government, growth or development, we’d like to help find an answer. Write The Spokesman-Review, Box 2160, Spokane 99210. Or call Cityline at 458-8800 on a Touch-Tone phone, then press 9120 to leave a message.
, DataTimes MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: HOT TOPICS Tonight: Find out about wetlands, conservation areas and geologically hazardous areas at a meeting of the County Critical Areas Citizen Advisory Group. 5:30 p.m., Human Resources Building, 1229 W. Mallon. Tuesday: City library trustees will discuss rules for using the Internet, the design for the Shadle branch library and artwork for the South Hill branch library. 5 p.m., Meeting Room 1A, downtown library, 906 W. Main.