Idaho remains stuck at the bottom of public education funding, ranking second to last of all states in per-student spending for a third straight year, the U.S. Census Bureau said today. Idaho spent $6,824 per student in the 2010-11 school year, above only Utah, according to the latest available figures. Neighboring Washington ranked 30th – up two spots from the previous year – with $9,483 spent per student. Both Idaho and Washington fall below the national average of $10,560 per student. And that is down 0.4 percent from 2010 – the first decrease in per-student spending since the Census Bureau began collecting data in 1977/Associated Press. More here.

Question: Am I the only one who thinks we owe neighboring Utah a debt of gratitude for spending less than Idaho — and keeping us out of the cellar?

Let's use this Election Day Roundup post to stay up to speed re: today's School/Hospital board elections:

• 9:23 a.m. Duane Rasmussen reports: Christa Hazel and her two children, Cooper and Emma, are waving signs across from Canfield Middle School, 15th & Dalton, while Trustee Brent Regan and his campaign manager, Vickie Funk, are at the corner of 15th & Hazel. Funk is waving the sign.
• 8:48 a.m. My pastor emails: “Does the Kootenai Hospital District encompass the whole county?  I didn't see any signs in front of my polling place when I left town this a.m., although it wouldn't have been open yet anway.  Do we Atholopians not participate in this one?” I respond: “Yes.”
• 8:33 a.m. A Dave Eubanks (Zone 4) supporter Facebooks: “The corner of Ramsey and Kathleen is Anne Seddon territory, just in case anyone has some Eubanks signs and some time to wave them.
• 7:53 a.m. I saw two Tom Hearn (Zone 5) supporters waving signs at 4th & Harrison.

Ray Manzarek, a founding member of the 1960s rock group The Doors whose versatile and often haunting keyboards complemented Jim Morrison’s gloomy baritone and helped set the mood for some of rock’s most enduring songs, has died. He was 74. Manzarek died Monday in Rosenheim, Germany, surrounded by his family, said publicist Heidi Robinson-Fitzgerald. She said the musician’s manager, Tom Vitorino, confirmed Manzarek died after being stricken with bile duct cancer. The Doors’ original lineup, which also included drummer John Densmore and guitarist Robbie Krieger, was only together for a few years and they only made six studio albums. But the band has retained a large and obsessive following decades after Morrison’s death, in 1971. The Doors have sold more than 100 million records and songs such as “Light My Fire” and “Riders On the Storm” are still “classic” rock favorites/Associated Press. More here. (AP file photo: The Doors, from left, John Densmore, Robbie Krieger, Ray Manzarek and Jim Morrison, pose for a portrait)

Question: How did anyone from The Doors live to be 74?

Rescuers dug through the debris of destroyed homes, schools and businesses Tuesday in a desperate search for survivors of the murderous tornado that blasted through this Tornado Alley town, killing at least 24 people and injuring scores more. There was a strand of good news Tuesday: Authorities dramatically reduced the confirmed death toll after earlier reporting that at least 51 people had died Monday. Amy Elliot, spokeswoman for the state medical examiner's office, said she believes some victims were counted twice in the early chaos after the storm cut a path more than a mile wide through this Oklahoma City suburb of 41,000 people. She said nine of the dead were children, and that the death toll could climb/USA Today. More here. (AP file photo)

Question: Do you know individuals in the Oklahoma City area, affected by the tornado?

State Sen. Bob Nonini, R-Coeur d'Alene, poked his nose into the Post Falls School Board races at the last moment by authoring a letter in favor of two challengers to the incumbents. Predictably, Nonini favors the archconservative candidates in the race and doesn't even mention the incumbents who have given Post Falls years of public service. One paragraph, however, stands out as over-the-top, even for Nonini: “I have had many opportunities to meet with their opponents over the eyars and one thing has become apparent. Their only concern is the teacher's union and keeping the union members happy without any regard for the residents funding Post Falls public education.” Seriously, that's the only concern that Dave Paul and Julie Hunt have had? Not the kids? Ever? This from an individual who, as a former House Education Committee chairman was rebuked at the polls when Idaho voters rejected Propositions 1-3, which he supported wholeheartedly. And which would have devastated Idaho education? Bad form, Bob. Bad form. Full Nonini letter here.

Thoughts?

I spotted two Tom Hearn supporters holding signs at 4th & Harrison, on the way to work this morning. I'll probably vote after work. I live in Zone 5, so I'll be voting in the race between Tom Hearn and Bjorn Handeen. You can look up were you vote today by using this Elections Department locator. There's no excuse for you Huckleberries readers not to vote today. After all, there is also a countywide hospital board election. Now for your Wild Card …

A funny thing happened to Coeur d'Alene High School Vice Principal Troy Schueller this morning. Seems graduating seniors at the high school targeted his pickup for their annual Student Prank. Huckleberries is told that the lugnuts for the pickup tires will be returned to Schueller throughout the day, so he'll be able to drive home this afternoon.

Question: Were you or your kids involved in a Senior Prank at high school?

On its Facebook page, the Coeur d'Alene Police Department announces: “Hanley Avenue and part of Courcelles Parkway will be closed from 0700-1100 as we, along with several agencies, work together to present a mock DUI crash to the students / faculty of Lake City High School. This mock crash will include Fire agencies, ISP, KCSO, and Air 1. We will try to post some photos later on.”

Question: Have you ever participated in a mock disaster?

Item: Lake Coeur d'Alene Drive delay: Coeur d'Alene City Council in no hurry over ITD road offer/Tom Hasslinger, Coeur d'Alene Press

More Info: The decision to take over East Coeur d'Alene Lake Drive will have to wait another day. Following a two-hour workshop on the road offer the Idaho Transportation Department pitched to the city of Coeur d'Alene, an answer might not come for two more weeks yet. Until June 4, likely. That's when the issue that was pitched last year will go before the City Council.

Question: Do you want the city of Coeur d'Alene to own Lake Coeur d'Alene Drive?

Polls for today's Kootenai County taxing district election will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. There are school board races in the Coeur d'Alene, Post Falls and Lakeland districts. There is also a countywide Kootenai Hospital District trustee election, a Plummer-Worley school supplemental levy and a seat on the Alpine Meadows Water and Sewer District Board north of Hayden up for grabs. Information, including where voters should vote and sample ballots, is available at http://www.kcgov.us/elections/ or by calling county elections at 446-1030. A sample ballot and all of the polling sites also ran in the Legals section on Page C6 in Thursday's Press. On school board races, voters must live in the particular zone of the race to vote on it. A photo ID is required to vote. If a photo ID can't be shown, the voter will be given the option to sign a personal identity affidavit/Coeur d'Alene Press. More here.

Question: When do you plan to vote today?

Nick Anderson/Houston Chronicle

I'm more than a little surprised that no candidate or his ground troops came to my door looking for my vote this weekend. The only mailing that I received was from Zone 1 candidate Tom Hearn. I was expecting a last-minute mailing from someone. All I received on Saturday was my weekly Sports Illustrated a day late. I see Mary Souza is bellyaching about an 11th-hour, mass e-mailing by Balance North Idaho. So some of you received literature over the weekend. One day to go before we head to the polls to see whether the Reagan Republicans expand their political sphere of archconservatism. Or whether Balance North Idaho protected the shire. Here's today's Wild Card …

A child calls to his father after being pulled from the rubble of the Tower Plaza Elementary School following a tornado in Moore, Okla., today. A tornado as much as a mile (1.6 kilometers) wide with winds up to 200 mph (320 kph) roared through the Oklahoma City suburbs Monday, flattening entire neighborhoods, setting buildings on fire and landing a direct blow on an elementary school. Oklahoma City Police confirm that 7 of the 37 confirmed dead in the disaster were children at the Tower Plaza Elementary School. Story here. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)

On behalf of the many Democrats I know, I thank you for your recent decision to exclude from participation on your blog those few participants who use hateful, inflammatory language. Such trash-talk serves no purpose other than to degrade the civil standards of our community and perhaps give license to other disturbed folks to do the same. We are grateful for your taking a principled stand and saying no to these hate-filled people. Your action is especially appropriate and, I am sure, applauded by many others beyond us Democrats, as this is the community which originated the Human Rights Task Force/Chairwoman Paula Neils of the Kootenai County Democrats, letter to the editor, Coeur d'Alene Press.

Question: Have you noticed an improvement in the dialogue at the Coeur d'Alene Press Online site since Editor Mike Patrick cracked down on troublemakers?

• 5:24 p.m. Caller on Nixon Loop/Rathdrum reports daughter has stolen $140 from her.
• 5:19 p.m. Caller reports vicious dog in 8300 block of Boysenberry Loop/Hayden.
• 5:09 p.m. CPD Blue is checking welfare of someone @ Coeur d'Alene Skate Plaza.
• 4:30 p.m. Coeur d'Alene Police Department activities report for May 19-20 here.
• 4:19 p.m. Drunk female stumbling along H41 under I-90 overpass.
• 4:16 p.m. Elderly female having trouble breathing  @ Garden Plaza Center/Post Falls.
• 16 more items + AM Scanner Traffic link below

Borah Elementary 4th grader Winter Haler auditioned for the upcoming talent show at the school in Coeur d'Alene recently. The talent show is on June 4. (SR photo: Kathy Plonka)

• Opinion: Bigger than the president/Coeur d'Alene Press
• Opinion: Crapo campaign scandals needs more disclosure/Statesman
• Defense investigating deadly Highway 95 crash/Keith Kinnaird, Bee
• Car dealership pulls radio ad after dissing special needs children/AP
• Silver Valley voters to decide on urban renewal issue/Bobby Atkinson, SNP

Another Duane Rasmussen photo shows the extensive work near the Brazilian Steak House on what used to be Front Avenue.

• Tough family/Bay Views
• Society's problems/Arch Druid
• One dozen/A Butterfly Moment
• Bloomin' beautiful/Slight Detour
• A question occurs to me/Fort Boise
• What they want it for/Ridenbaugh Press
• Breaking up w/word 'can't'/Writing North Idaho
• The mind is a terrible thing to waste/Dogwalk Musings
• Recipe: Oreo peanut butter brownie cupcakes/Stebbijo's Place
• Hang around me long enough/Rants, Raves & Random Thoughts
• CdA library writers competition winners named/Coeur d'Alene Today

Huckleberries numbers (for May 12-18): 50,661 page-views/27,920 unique views

woman carries her child through a field near the collapsed Plaza Towers Elementary School in Moore, Okla., earlier today. A tornado as much as a mile (1.6 kilometers) wide with winds up to 200 mph (320 kph) roared through the Oklahoma City suburbs Monday, flattening entire neighborhoods, setting buildings on fire and landing a direct blow on an elementary school. (AP Photo Sue Ogrocki)

A mile-wide tornado slammed into Oklahoma on Monday afternoon, leveling neighborhoods, starting fires and causing, as one storm chaser put it, “total destruction.” Two elementary schools were destroyed, and an untold number of homes and businesses sustained heavy damage near the cities of Moore, Newcastle and Oklahoma City. CNN reported that rescue crews swarmed over Plaza Towers Elementary School, where 75 students and staff had sought refuge in a hallway. Britane Diacon-Boese of Oklahoma City was worried about students she works with. “I have clients who can't be found,” she said. “I'm terrified; I'm completely terrified,” she told the Los Angeles Times. “There's no power, it's all down”/Hailey Branson-Potts, Los Angeles Times. More here.

Question: Have you ever been involved in a natural disaster?

Do I have to twist your arms to get you to the polls Tuesday to vote in the Kootenai Hospital Board and local school board elections? The Reagan Republicans and Bjorn Handeen's Ron Paul ground troops will be beating the bushes for votes to extend ultraconservatism deep into the heart of Coeur d'Alene. We've already seen the silliness of what one Reagan Republican endorsee, Councilman Steve Adams, can do in an elected position on a criticial board. Adams, as you know opposes any proposal attached to federal dollars, including the hiring of two more desperately needed police officers. Some individuals from the same side of the ideological divide as Adams are running for local school boards. We've seen how far to the right that the Coeur d'Alene School Board lurched since the County Commission and other trustees have made three appointments to pack it with archconservatives.  The Reagan Republicans have targeted local elections because they traditionally have a poor turnout, which means a motivated force can win seats for their candidates. Balance North Idaho has done as much as it can to provide loyal opposition to the Reagan Republican power brokers. Now, it's your turn to not only vote against partisan politics in nonpartisan races. But get friends, family and neighbors to do so, too. If you need motivation, consider the 2009 race for the Coeur d'Alene City Council seat still occupied by Councilman Mike Kennedy. Kennedy ultimately won by 3 votes. Those 3 votes meant the difference between a new McEuen Field and a tired, old one. Between the expansion of the Education Corridor and business as usual at landlocked North Idaho College. I want every Berry Picker who is qualified to vote in the school and hospital board elections. And tell Grandma and your siblings to do so, too/DFO.

Question from the Inlander: “Do you think this year's high school graduates have it easier or harder than you did?” Anyone?