Donna Henry

On June 26, BIAW's two year odyssey of working tirelessly to uncover vote fraud in Washington State finally paid off when the King County Prosecutor announced seven employees of the union-backed organization know as ACORN would be prosecuted for vote fraud for submitting thousands of fake and forged voter registrations last year. read more here

BIAW first began calling for an investigation into possible vote fraud by ACORN workers back in November 2006, one month after ACORN workers attempted to dump thousands of last minute voter registration cards in King and Pierce Counties. Given ACORN's history of submitting piles of fraudulent registrations at the eleventh hour in other states BIAW correctly surmised that ACORN's dropping of stacks of voter registration forms in King and Pierce Counties on the last day of the registration deadline was suspect.

King County's announcement that it would prosecute what Secretary of State Sam Reed dubbed the worst case of vote fraud in Washington State history, was followed by an outstanding editorial on vote fraud by Wall Street Journal columist John Fund. The editorial acknowledged the role BIAW played in uncovering the rampant vote fraud in Washington State, as well as validated BIAW's long-standing contention that former U.S. Attorney John McKay should have investigated vote fraud in the 2004 election. Fund noted other U.S. attorneys have successfully prosecuted vote fraud based on much less evidence than has been uncovered in Washington State read WSJ column. The Olympian also issued an editorial praising BIAW's role in uncovering vote fraud. read the Olympian editorial

While initially dismissive of BIAW's allegations of possible vote fraud by ACORN, Pierce County has announced it is now investigating registration cards submitted by ACORN.

These impact fees are crazy and it was nice to see such a good turnout to change the direction that the city is trying to impose. I'm not sure if people really understand the impact that these fees will have on the building industry. The city is trying to saddled builders with 95% of the cost of the new roads.

Builders, developers, and real estate professionals turned out in force on Wednesday at a Spokane Plan Commission public hearing regarding the proposed transportation impact fee. The message was clear: Don't impose the fee before completing the baseline traffic study, and don't saddle development with 95% of the cost for new road capacity.

The vast majority of oral and written testimony on impact fees has been provided by the development and real estate communities, and Wednesday evening proved no different. George Paras, of Paras Homes, distributed eye-popping numbers illustrating that a home built in Spokane without impact fees is already assessed over $30,000 in building fees and related taxes. The same home built in Post Falls, ID, which includes impact fees, has only $19,000 in fees and taxes. Clearly the addition of an impact fee in Spokane will affect housing affordability and regional competitiveness.

Only one no-growth activist showed up to speak, calling for emergency adoption of the ordinance and threatening to shut down development through a building moratorium if impact fees aren't enacted.

First of all, threatening moratoria over the lack of impact fees is a red herring at best, but it's laughable to say that sitting through an additional stop light cycle during rush hour constitutes an emergency. It's also significant to point out that prior to the impact fee hearing, several dozen citizens showed up to oppose a comprehensive plan amendment that would allow a multi-family housing development to be built in the Lincoln Heights neighborhood center. Not one of these individuals stuck around to speak on behalf of the impact fee. Some emergency.

We have to stick together in this fight, not just for our businesses but for every homeowner out there...the result will be even less affordable housing than we have now and more people not being able to enjoy the benefits of owning their own home.

(information courtesy of the Spokane Home Builders Association weekly newsletter)

Don't miss the 2008 Premier Home Improvement Show where Association Members and Sponsors alike are gearing up for a show you won't soon forget!

As a Spokane Realtor and the wife of a builder (http://www.rdspokane.com/) and an active member of the Spokane Home Builders Association (http://www.shba.com/), I'm immersed in the local Real Estate market in so many ways. I particularly enjoy these large events that bring us all together and up to date with the latest technology and home ideas.

The Premier Home Improvement Show is Spokane's premier show for connecting the public with the industry pros that will make their home improvement dream a reality.

A rich history of success and innovation sets our show's foundation. Over 50 years ago, the Spokane Home Builders Association kicked off home shows in Spokane with a show in the old "Boone Street Barn" Spokane Coliseum (at the time brand new) with none other than a live performance by Lawrence Welk and his orchestra.

That rich tradition continues to this day, offering the public the most easily accessible, best organized, and most professional show in the Inland Northwest. Before you begin your next home improvement project, pay us a visit and find the right PRO to help you with your next PROject.

I love this years theme...."Put the PRO Back in your PROject!" The Home improvement show is held at the Spokane County Fair & Expo Center, 404 N Havana in Spokane Valley. It will be held April 18th to the 20th from noon to 7pm on Friday, Saturday 10am to 7pm then Sunday 10am to 4pm.

We'd love to see you there!

for more info check out www.Spokanespremiershow.com

I took my Mother out last night for some Fancy Fiddlin at our Fox Theatre here in downtown Spokane and we had the pleasure of seeing Eileen Ivers perform. All that I can say is WOW! That girl gets down on the violin! I've never seen anyone play like that!

Eileen Ivers has it all -- Nine Time All-Ireland Fiddle Champion, National Symphony at The Kennedy Center, Boston Pops, London Symphony Orchestra, musical star of Riverdance, The Chieftains, Hall and Oates, founding member of Cherish the Ladies, Fiddler Eileen Ivers has established herself as the pre-eminent exponent of the Irish fiddle in the world today.

"...the Jimi Hendrix of the violin." -- The New York Times

"Nobody does it better than Eileen Ivers. Not only does the orchestra savor her musicianship and professionalism, but, she never misses to bring a pops audience to its feet with thunderous ovations." - Marvin Hamlisch, National Symphony and Pittsburgh Symphony Pops Conductor

"Ivers plays with such genius that she surpasses genre. It was an invigorating, highly energetic evening." - Nancy Stetson, Naples Daily News

If you ever get a chance to see this gal, check her out. There is always something fun going on here in Spokane, for all of he fun stuff happening this weekend, check out www.accessspokane.com