Bloglander

Budget What, What! With a photo finish, the state Legislature plugged a $2.8 billion budget hole yesterday with a series of taxes, spending cuts and federal cash. Democrats said the measures were "responsible." Republicans called them "irresponsible."

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Anyone want an inmate? Yet again, Kootenai County has a surplus of inmates and has resumed ferrying offenders to out-of-county jails. With the inmates going to Lewiston, county officials are pushing to expand the jail. Hmm ... Kind of like what Spokane County is doing? Regional jail, anyone?

Collegial Bossman Five finalists for the position of chancellor for the Community Colleges of Spokane were named yesterday. Whoever the lucky winner is will oversee Spokane Falls and Spokane community colleges, as well as the Institute for Extended Learning for an annual salary of $183,000.

Hunting the endangered An American Black Panther in Africa? It's not what you think — no biologist will get near this cat.

Break out the Bubbly While The Inlander didn't bring home any Pulitzers yesterday (despite our high expectations...), some former Spokesman-Review folks did. Todd Foster, who used to toil away in the Coeur d'Alene newsroom of the Spokesman, and his team at the Bristol Herald Courier in Bristol, Va.,%uFFFDpicked up the prize for public service. And Jonathan Martin, another old Spokesman reporter, helped cover the Lakewood police shootings for the Seattle Times, which won for breaking news.%uFFFD