Public Periscope

Strange bedfellows indeed

Here’s one we’d have sworn would never happen. The Second Amendment Foundation, which is the state’s premier guardian of gun rights, saying something nice about Gov. Mike Lowry….The state’s most unabashed liberal issued a proclamation that designated last Thursday as “Day of Concern About Young People and Gun Violence.” He asked students to take a pledge: “I will never take a gun to school; I will never use a gun to resolve a dispute; I will use my influence to keep friends from using guns to settle disputes.”…While at first glance that may sound like something that would light the foundation’s powder, founder Alan Gottlieb actually commended Lowry….”I support this effort to discourage the misuses of firearms by our school children. It is the misuse and abuse of firearms that brings discredit on more than half a million law-abiding gun owners in Washington.”

At the risk of sounding like Verne Windham

If you drive to work solo today, you’re not alone. Well, you are, but you’re in good company….That’s true for 72 percent of 604 local business people surveyed by the Spokane County Air Pollution Control Authority. The survey also indicates people are not necessarily proud of this fact. “Do you contribute to air pollution as a motorist?” 78 percent said yes.

Check it out

Interested in details about the city’s planned purchase of the River Park Square parking garage, key to the $100 million redevelopment of downtown Spokane? Some of the information, such as the $29.79 million price the city would pay for the garage, are contained in a proposed ordinance that will eventually come before the council. It went on file for public viewing late last week at the counter on the fifth floor of City Hall.

In case you’re wondering

We’re pleased to report that peripatetic City Councilman Chris Anderson did pick up his mail this week. He was sighted Friday afternoon, briefly, at City Hall - possibly the first time he’s made a daytime, weekday appearance since he left in late May to drive a truck on the “Dante’s Peak” movie set in Wallace….Anderson did not reveal whether he would be attending tonight’s council meeting. So tune in City Cable 5 to find out. If you’re interested, that is.

, DataTimes MEMO: Public Periscope, published Mondays, is compiled by Jim Camden from staff reports. If you’ve got a question about local government, growth or development, we’d like to help you find an answer. You can write us c/o The Spokesman-Review, Box 2160, Spokane, Wash., 99210. Or e-mail to jimc@spokesman.com. Or fax to (509) 459-5482. Or call Cityline at 458-8800 on a Touch-Tone phone, then press 9120 to leave a message.

The following fields overflowed: CREDIT = Compiled by Jim Camden from staff reports