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Executives of Spokane-area credit unions were doing their best last week to convince Rep. George Nethercutt that he should back some legislation that they want. They had him to breakfast; they explained their services; they gave him a synopsis of the bill they want to help in their ongoing fight with commercial banks … They even tried to sign him up. “Tom Foley closed his account last month, so there’s room for you,” said Byron Edgett of the Federal Employees Credit Union … “I’m already a member of a credit union, but I’m also a bank depositor,” said the cautious Nethercutt, explaining that he’d study the bill but wouldn’t commit to sponsoring it.
So believable it wasn’t funny
County Public Works Director Dennis Scott got in the spirit of April 1 by telling county commissioners that a “gun-waver” had been arrested in the Public Works Building. “He didn’t like our permit center,” Scott explained, straight-faced. “We had him arrested” for threatening people with a handgun … Scott quickly admitted it was an April Fools’ joke. “Unfortunately, that’s a believable one,” Scott told relieved commissioners.
Down the drain, not wasted
The city Purchasing Department will ask the Spokane City Council tonight to approve a $49,788 contract with McGinnis Paper. It would buy a year’s supply of two-ply toilet paper and paper towels in a variety of styles.
Shop talk
Don’t look in the Valley News Herald for Spokane County’s legal notices. Commissioners on Tuesday awarded this year’s advertising contract to The Spokesman-Review, which lost the contract to the Herald two years ago … In the interests of full disclosure, we’ll admit that this newspaper’s bid was nearly twice as high as the Herald’s, based on six sample ads. But the daily paper has 10 times more readers in the county than the weekly Herald … Not to be self-serving, but the commissioners’ decision may actually save taxpayers money. Last year, county agencies spent more than $90,000 buying extra advertising in The Spokesman-Review because they feared the Herald wouldn’t reach enough people.
Sprucing up
Businesses, service clubs and recreational groups will be out in force Saturday - sweeping, pulling weeds and collecting litter from the Centennial Trail. The work will be done from 9 a.m. until noon along the 37 miles of trail in Washington.
Kudos being given
Not everyone thinks of Fairchild Air Force Base as a leafy place, sitting as it does up on the West Plains. But apparently the state Forester and the National Arbor Day Foundation do … On Wednesday, representatives of those two groups, accompanied by Smokey Bear and Sparky the Fire Dog, will present the base with two awards: Tree City USA and Tree City USA Growth. People from the base will plant 14 new trees to celebrate … We understand the interest of Smokey Bear, what with his concerns over forest fires and all. We hesitate to opine on the trees’ importance to Sparky.
Getting involved
Milt Olson, past president of Valley Senior Citizens Center and a volunteer for American Legion Baseball, has been named to a seat on the County Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee … Commissioners are still looking for people to serve on the Water Quality Advisory Committee, which has two openings, and residents of unincorporated areas to fill a spot on the Law Enforcement Officers and Firefighters Disability Board. For information about serving on either volunteer board, call the commissioners’ office at 456-2265.
, DataTimes The following fields overflowed: CREDIT = Compiled by Jim Camden from staff reports