More people are going paperless and throwing out their checkbooks in favor of debit cards and credit cards. Don't be too rash. Keeping the checks around could come in handy some days.

For instance, checks are helpful if you're trying to pay a city of Spokane parking ticket.

As one colleague recently discovered, paying such tickets by plastic costs $5.95 in online convenience fees. And since you can't mail in cash or pay with credit at the Spokane County paying station, the only option for the checkless is to walk the cash over, buy and mail in a money order or bite the bullet and pay the online fee.

That fee is charged by the company Official Payments Corp., which processes online ticket payments for Spokane District Court.

Spokane County District Court Administrator Ron Miles said the fee is the result of two conflicting laws.

The first prohibits the court itself from passing on credit card surcharges to the public. The second prohibits the court from gifting fees like those charged by credit card companies to the public.

So if the court can't charge or forgive those fees, the only option is the online payment company. "Official Payment Corps is the only game in town," said Miles.

And, he adds, "The ultimate remedy is for them to not get a ticket."

Potholes send people in this area into a tizzy, but just be thankful it doesn't get as bad here as in Mexico.

Four people were killed there when an arguement over a pothole turned into a gunfight.

One family had closed off a Chiapas street to fill a hole, which ticked off another family that wanted to get its transport truck through.

Crews filling potholes here are a welcome site.

A British insurance company survey reveals that one of the top reasons people are distracted while driving is that they are thinking about sex.

All Getting There can say is: Please keep your hands on the steering wheel.

No problem. We can handle an increase in checked baggage.

That's what all the airlines said when the Transportation Security Administration instituted its liquid and gel ban late this summer.

Nope. Lost luggage numbers spiked in August according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics.

Is anyone surprised?

With the new rules allowing small, travel-sized toiletries in carry-on bags, however, we can all go back to keeping our luggage with us.

Third Avenue will be closed in Post Falls Friday between Henry and Post streets for sewer work.

The closure will last from 8 a.m.-4 p.m.

Traffic will be detoured to Second Avenue.

Seventeenth Avenue will be closed Thursday between Perry and Hogan streets for water line repairs.

Traffic will be detoured to neighboring streets.

Nine Mile Falls area residents may have been wondering why four miles of Charles Road there were becoming pocked with holes and rough spots shortly after Spokane County worked on it.

The short answer is that the county isn’t finished yet, said Diana Sargent in the county’s engineering department.

Spokane County used a new process on the road, grinding it down and then recycling the pavement on site by mixing it with lime and oil and rolling it out onto the roadway. The same technique was used this year on the Palouse Highway.

The new Charles Road base needed to cure for at least 10 days before final paving, said Sargent.
Now that that time has passed, the county is planning to return todayWednesday to pave over the base.

That will take at least a couple of days, weather permitting. Drives should expect pilot cars during paving.

Crews will be paving Highway 291 at Nine Mile Falls 24-hours-a-day through the weekend.

The work was originally planned for night hours only, but has been extended.

Drivers should expect long delays because of single-lane traffic. Vehicles may be forced to wait as long as 30 minutes to get through the area.

Slow those cars down.

Residents of one Seattle neighborhood are trying an interesting new approach to slowing down traffic.

Will it work, or will distracted drivers end up in more crashes?

After three months of construction, all lanes and ramps are open on the Interstate 90 viaduct in downtown Spokane.

The first phase of the project to repave the deeply rutted lanes was completed about three weeks earlier than expected.

And while construction inconvenienced drivers, it didn't create many safety issues, said Washington State Patrol Trooper Mark Baker.

During the project, there were 27 collisions reported within the four-mile construction area, and none within the one-mile narrow chutes.
That's fewer than the 40 collisions reported within the same area in 2005.

Now that the eastbound lanes are fixed, the Washington State Department of Transportation will move on next spring to repairing the westbound lanes of the viaduct.

Two new projects to report in Spokane Valley:

The intersection of Adams Road and 8th is closed Tuesday for sewer work.

Vista is closed from Frederick to Fairview Wednesday through Thursday so crews can install a fire hydrant.

UPDATE AT 5:10 P.M.: Eastbound traffic is now slowing down to a crawl near the accident because of all the Lookie-Lous. That's causing Highway 195 traffic to back-up at I-90. An alternate route into town is to take Inland Empire Way through Vinegar Flats. The accident, a fatal crash, involved a semi truck and a passenger car.

There's still time to change your route to avoid an Interstate 90 multi-vehicle collision on the Sunset Hill.

The wreck has the two middle lanes completely blocked and it's estimated that the lanes won't be cleared until 8:30 p.m.

Might Getting There suggest you take the old Sunset Highway west out of downtown Spokane this afternoon and catch up with I-90 at Geiger?

Baking cookies on the car dashboard is a much better cooking idea for today's hot weather.

Hmmm... Wonder if it would work for gingersnaps.

Thanks to my friend Leslie for posting the link in her Memphis dining blog.

I-90
I-90 is reduced to two lanes in each direction between Division and Maple. Many nights it will be further reduced to one lane in each direction. The Monroe/Lincoln ramps are closed, as are the westbound Browne Street on-ramp and the eastbound Maple on-ramp and eastbound Division exit. The speed limit has been reduced to 45 mph. No changing lanes.

North Spokane
Lanes will be closed on the Monroe Street Bridge Wednesday for WSU Engineering student studies.
Riverside Avenue and “A” Street sewer work could cause delays Wednesday-Thursday.
Euclid Avenue repairs will cause lane restrictions between Haven and Crestline this week.
Northwest Boulevard is reduced to one lane from Alberta to Belt today.
Sunset Bridge and Washington/Stevens Bridge work Tuesday-Friday will cause lane restrictions.
Rutter Parkway is open on a gravel road with a 25 mph speed limit and single lane traffic. Flaggers will also be directing single-lane traffic most days on Highway 291 near Rutter Parkway and Charles Road from 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Expect long delays.
Crestline Street is closed from Lincoln Road to Francis Avenue. Lincoln Road is closed from Napa Street to Crestline. Detours are in place.
West Dennison-Chattaroy Road is closed to all but local traffic between Highway 395 and Perry Road.
Greenbluff Road construction near the Greenbluff school could cause delays.
And way north construction on Highway 31 near the Canadian border may cause delays of up to 30 minutes north of Metaline Falls. The roadway is rough gravel in some places and motorcycles are advised to not drive there. Single lane traffic.

West Plains
Hayford Road is under construction from Highway 2 to Sprague Avenue. Only one lane of traffic is open in each direction.
The McEneany/Coulee Hite Bridge is closed 200 feet north of Thorpe Road today through Friday. Coulee Hite Road is also closed from Thorpe to McFarlane.

South Spokane
Highway 195 construction between Rosalia and Plaza will reduce traffic to one lane between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. Flaggers and pilot cars will direct traffic.
Bernard Street is closed from 14th-29th Avenue. Traffic is detoured to Grand and Lincoln streets.
Work on 37th Avenue closes it from Bernard Street to Grand Boulevard. Several nearby streets are also closed.
Freya Street reconstruction will close traffic to all but local access from Hartson and 11th Avenue and from 18th and 37th avenues. Detours are in place.
Regal Road is under construction from 57th to the Palouse Highway. Expect delays.

Spokane sweeping
Crews will sweep in the northwest from Mission/Maxwell to Cora and Division to Monroe; and on the South side, in the area bounded by 29th Avenue, 48th Avenue, Regal Street and Custer Street.
Please move cars off the streets. For more information, call (509) 456-2666.

Spokane Valley/Liberty Lake
Adams Road is closed from Fourth Avenue to Eighth Avenue.
Sprague Avenue is closed from Harmony Road to Hodges Road through Aug. 25.
Montgomery is closed from Long to Riverway through Thursday.
Broadway Avenue overlay work is underway between Bates Road and Sullivan Road. Expect lane restrictions.
Barker Road is closed from Boone to Mission for road widening. The portion from Mission to Riverway is open with lane restrictions.
Liberty Lake Drive repairs may cause slowdowns today between Sprague and Molter Road.

Idaho
Lakeside Avenue and First Street traffic will be detoured near the new Coeur d’Alene Chamber of Commerce building through mid-August as crews work on relocating underground utilities.
Prairie Avenue remains under construction between Ramsey and Huetter.
The Government Way bridge in Coeur d’Alene is closed to traffic.
Construction on Lancaster Road between Government Way and Strahorn may cause delays.
South Clearwater Loop will be closed east of Lochsa Street in Post Falls Tuesday for trench work.

Just click away for a quick glimpse into Spokane car culture for the "pimp my ride" set.

"Late Night Lolo"

"Spokane Car Social"

Owners of many Ford vehicles are getting bad news today. The company is recalling 1.2 million trucks, SUVs and vans with cruise control because of the possibility of engine fires... when the ignition is OFF.

The company has received almost 1,500 complaints about the problem and received reports of 65 related fires.

If you own a 1994-2002 F-150, F-250, F-350, F-450 or F-550 truck, a 2000-2002 Excursion SUV, 1994-1996 Bronco, 1994-1996 Econoline van or a 1998 Explorer or Mountaineer, expect a recall notice within the next week. Diesel vehilces are not affected by the recall.

The problem with these vehicles is that brake fluid can leak onto the cruise control switch and into its electrical parts causing corrosion which could cause overheating and a fire.

Ford will pay for mechanics to install a "fused wiring harness" around the speed control switch to prevent corrosion and the possibility of engine fires.

You can also call Ford's recall customer information line at 888-222-2751 for more information.

The Thor/Freya on-ramp to westbound Interstate 90 is closed for pothole repair.

It's scheduled to reopen at 2:30 p.m.

UPDATE AT 6 P.M.
All lanes are now open.

UPDATE AT 5:25 P.M.
Traffic is now backed-up well past Park Road.

A multi-car crash on westbound I-90 has blocked the left two lanes near Havana Street.

So far traffic is backed up to Fancher.

If you're headed toward downtown Spokane from the Spokane Valley or points east, you might want to consider alternate routes.

I-90
I-90 is reduced to two lanes in each direction between Division and Maple. Many nights it will be further reduced to one lane in each direction. The Monroe/Lincoln ramps are closed, as are the westbound Browne Street on-ramp and the eastbound Maple on-ramp and eastbound Division exit. The speed limit has been reduced to 45 mph. No changing lanes.

North Spokane
Rutter Parkway is scheduled to reopen this week on a gravel road with a 25 mph speed limit. Flaggers will also be directing single-lane traffic most days on Highway 291 near Rutter Parkway and Charles Road from 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.. And the highway may be closed for up to 20 minutes at a time for blasting near Rutter Parkway.
The city of Spokane is patching Monroe Street from Garland to Fredrick.
Crestline Street is closed from Lincoln Road to Francis Avenue. Lincoln Road is closed from Napa Street to Crestline. Detours are in place.
A city new sewer project could cause delays in the Calkins Annexation area between Rosewood and Lyons and Perry and Crestline.
And way north construction on Highway 31 near the Canadian border may cause delays of up to 30 minutes north of Metaline Falls. The roadway is rough gravel in some places and motorcycles are advised to not drive there.

West Plains
Hayford Road is under construction from Highway 2 to Sprague Avenue. Only one lane of traffic is open in each direction.

South Spokane
Highway 195 construction between Rosalia and Plaza may reduce traffic to one lane at times between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m.
Bernard Street is closed from 14th-29th Avenue. Traffic is detoured to Grand and Lincoln streets.
Work on 37th Avenue closes it from Bernard Street to Grand Boulevard. Several nearby streets are also closed.
Freya Street reconstruction will close traffic to all but local access from Hartson and 11th Avenue and from 18th and 37th avenues. Detours are in place.
Regal Road is under construction from 57th to the Palouse Highway. Expect delays.
The Palouse Highway is under construction between Valley Chapel Road and Dunn Road, with lane restrictions at times.

Spokane sweeping
Crews will sweep in the northwest from Northwest Boulevard to Riverview and from Columbia Circle to T.J. Meenach Drive; in northeast Spokane in the area bounded by Helena, Division, Mission and Trent; and on the South side, in the area bounded by 29th Avenue, High Drive and Bernard to High Drive.
Please move cars off the streets. For more information, call (509) 456-2666.

Spokane Valley
Adams Road is closed from Fourth Avenue to Eighth Avenue.
Sprague Avenue is closed from Harmony Road to Hodges Road through Friday.
Montgomery is closed from Long to Riverway.
University Road is closed from Trent to Fairview today and Tuesday.
Broadway Avenue overlay work is underway between Bates Road and Sullivan Road. Expect lane restrictions.
Barker Road is closed from Boone to Euclid for road widening.

Idaho
Lakeside Avenue and First Street traffic will be detoured near the new Coeur d’Alene Chamber of Commerce building this week through mid-August as crews work on relocating underground utilities.
Prairie Avenue remains under construction between Ramsey and Huetter.
The Government Way bridge in Coeur d’Alene is closed to traffic.
Construction on Lancaster Road between Government Way and Strahorn may cause delays.

Highway 395 is closed just south of Interstate 90 near Ritzville because of a brush fire.

The fire is sending smoke over the highway creating poor visibility.

Crews are fighting the fire at this time.

Washington Street traffic will be reduced to one lane starting Tuesday morning from Spokane Falls Boulevard to the end of the tunnel through Riverfront Park.

Crews will be repairing the bridge there.

Work will continue through Friday.

A Post Falls curb and gutter project on Mullan Avenue just east of Highway 41 is being extended through Tuesday.

Traffic is reduced to just one lane, with flag crews directing traffic from 6 a.m.-4 p.m.

The project had been scheduled to wrap-up today.

I-90
I-90 is reduced to two lanes in each direction between Division and Maple. Most nights it will be further reduced to one lane in each direction. The Monroe/Lincoln ramps are closed, as are the westbound Browne Street on-ramp and the eastbound Maple on-ramp and eastbound Division exit. The speed limit has been reduced to 45 mph. No changing lanes.

North Spokane
Rutter Parkway is closed from Highway 291 to Hope Lane. Flaggers will also be directing single-lane traffic most days on Highway 291 near Rutter Parkway and Charles Road. And the highway may be closed for up to 20 minutes at a time for blasting near Rutter Parkway. The highway is now gravel for about ¾-mile in this area.
Crack-sealing work will shut down one lane of Lidgerwood Street one block at a time between Wellesley and Rowan this week.
Crestline Street is closed from Lincoln Road to Francis Avenue. Lincoln Road is closed from Napa Street to Crestline. Detours are in place.
Work is under way on the North Spokane Corridor Gerlach to Wandermere grading project. Flaggers will direct traffic as trucks cross Perry and Farwell Road.
And way north construction on Highway 31 near the Canadian border may cause delays of up to 20 minutes north of Metaline Falls. The roadway is rough gravel in some places and motorcycles are advised to not drive there.
The Aubrey L. White Parkway is being chip-sealed Monday from the Spokane city limits north. Other roads in that vicinity will also be repaired that day, including: Parkway Road, Kendrick Avenue, Johannsen Road and Seven Mile. Expect delays.

West Plains
Hayford Road is under construction from Highway 2 to Sprague Avenue. Only one lane of traffic is open in each direction.
County crews will chip-seal several roads this week. On Tuesday they will work on Tepee Road from Rambo to Craig and Rambo Road from Tepee to Gordon. Wednesday crews move on to Rambo Road from Gordon to Deno and from Highway 2 to Rambo’s south end, Hayford Road from Euclid to Deno and Deno Road near Hayford. The Cheney Spokane Road will be chip-sealed Thursday from the Spokane city limits to Gardner Road.

South Spokane
Highway 195 construction between Rosalia and Plaza may reduce traffic to one lane at times.
Bernard Street is closed from 14th-29th Avenue. Traffic is detoured to Grand and Lincoln streets.
Work on 37th Avenue closes it from Bernard Street to Grand Boulevard.
Freya Street reconstruction will close traffic to all but local access from Hartson and 11th Avenue and from 18th and 37th avenues. Detours are in place.
Regal Road is under construction from 57th to the Palouse Highway. Expect delays.
The Palouse Highway is closed between Valley Chapel Road and Dunn Road. Detours are in place.
Keeoy Bridge is closed east of Highway 195 through Friday.

Spokane sweeping
Crews will sweep in the northwest from Northwest Boulevard to Milton between Wellesley and Garland; in northeast Spokane in the area bounded by Fancher Way, Hatch, Trent/Parkwater and Second; and on the South side, in the area bounded by 29th Avenue, 53rd Avenue, Regal and Perry.
Please move cars off the streets. For more information, call (509) 456-2666.

Spokane Valley
Broadway Avenue overlay work is underway between Bates Road and Sullivan Road. Expect lane restrictions.
Barker Road is closed from Boone to Euclid for road widening.

Idaho
Prairie Avenue remains under construction between Ramsey and Huetter.
The Government Way bridge in Coeur d’Alene is closed to traffic.
Construction on Lancaster Road between Government Way and Strahorn may cause delays.

Spokane Valley has temporarily closed University Road between Montgomery and Trent so that Burlington Northern Santa Fe can repair railroad track there.

The repairs should be complete by 7 p.m.

It sounds almost apocalyptic — a mud boil in the street. Ick.

So when word went out this week that one lane of Alberta Street is going to be closed at Northwest Boulevard Monday so that Spokane street crews can repair a mud boil, more investigation was demanded.

Turns out a mud boil is the street equivalent of a water bed. Water seeps through the alligator cracks in asphalt, and when it hits clay, the clay swells, oozing up into the asphalt and creating a slowly shifting surface.

Crews have to remove the clay and asphalt and replace it with new asphalt to fix the problem.