Robert Ketchum, Director of NIC’s Workforce Training was fired Tuesday. I’m told Robert had no idea; that he was called in for some routine meeting and was unexpectedly met with “We don’t need your services anymore.  You will be paid until the end of the year but clean your  desk out by tomorrow.” NIC Trustee Ron Vieselmeyer claims he knew nothing, I’m told, while Christie Wood, who is Chairperson of the Trustee Board, also says she was kept out of the loop.  So who are the true power players?  Well, it’s been said that at least three Trustees must be in favor of any big decisions at the school ( they could also be the drivers of the decision).  So, that leaves Judy Meyer, Mic Armon and Rolly Williams as the folks likely approving or pushing the abrupt firing of Robert Ketchum.

Our readers have already been commenting on this topic on another thread, so I will copy those comments here and we can start this discussion.  What do you think?

Here are the links to the Press articles on this topic:  Wednesday’s,, Thursday’s, Today’s

Apparently, CdA City Councilman Mike Kennedy was on the KVNI morning radio show yesterday.  He was there in an official capacity as a city councilman.  During his on-air conversation with the radio guys, Chris & Norm, MikeK announced he brought them a “Six Pack of Guinness”.  (Beer of course.)  He even said he “might have to come back and share some of it with you later”.

Well, apparently it is ILLEGAL to have any alcohol at a radio station, by FCC rules.  And word on the street is that Chris & Norm are now gone.  They were not on the radio today.  Replacements coming next week.

Do we have helpful elected officials in the City of Excellence?

An alert reader insisted I read the goings on at the Spokane gossip blog.  It is something I avoid with a vengeance, but I went there to see what was so rotten, and I concur.  There were nasty comments and hypothetical scenarios about the meeting Jim Brannon and his lawyer might have with the judge this afternoon.  Who does this?  What normal, functional adult person comes up with these disgusting stories? One of their followers commented that the only thing missing, in the fabricated story, is that a local guy (they named him) who is in jail for a shooting that may or may not be self defense, would come into the courtroom shooting everyone up.  The whole thing is beyond tasteless.  Anyone who posts over there, or even reads it (and gives its lead person the satisfaction of a page hit, which is all he wants), is part of the problem.  Wise up, people.  What you do has consequences.  If you buy into that garbage, or even look,  you are part of it.