Huckleberries Best of the INorthwest — 2/6/07

U.S Marines carry the casket of Cpl. Darrel Morris to a hearse after his funeral at Ferris High School Saturday in Spokane. Morris was killed while serving in Iraq. In a Spokesman-Review editorial today, Jamie Tobias Neely says: “Part of our deep respect for the men and women of the military must include our firm determination to spare them from fighting aimless wars.” See IMHO-NW below/Dan Pelle, Spokesman-Review.

Eye On Boise: Legislative GOP leaders were furiour after Idaho House State Affairs Committee rejected a their bill calling for closed primaries here.

1. The United States has agreed to release a classified cockpit video showing the reaction of two U.S. pilots from Idaho after they killed a British soldier during a friendly-fire incident in Iraq, a spokesman for the coroner said Tuesday. Story and KREM-2/KTVB video here.

2. Washington State climbed four spots in the Associated Press poll to No. 14 Monday, equaling its highest ranking ever, and nobody surrounding the program seemed terribly excited here. Related: Cougs impressive rise continues here.

3. Anti-war Drums: Martin Luther King III, the first son of Martin Luther King Jr., told a crowd of 2000 at the UIdaho Monday night that America should abandon its violent ways in Iraq and tend to its own troubled democracy here. Meanwhile, a Demo state senator from Butte, Mont., will ask the Montana Legislature to go on record against the president’s proposed increase of U.S. troops in Iraq here.

4. A Stevens County, Wash., woman charged with the starvation death of her adoptive son was arrested this morning as she arrived at court for a pre-trial hearing. Carole DeLeon was arrested on charges she violated the conditions of her release by contacting her other children here.

5. Several customers of Snake River Spa and Pools/Twin Falls won rebates to recently purchased spas, pools and saunas because Chicago returned the opening kickoff in the Super Bowl for a TD here.

6. IMHO-NW: Jamie Tobias Neely/Spokesman-Review (War death and debate), Tecla Markosky/UIdaho Argonaut (Racism not issue in gangsta parties), Leaning Straight Up (Gay marriage opponents strike back), Idaho Statesman (Idaho has best grocery tax relief plan), and Brandon Scheller/WSU Evergreen (Why can’t Seattle team reach top?).

Online Poll: 79% of 290 respondents to a Helena (Mont.) Independent Record poll say the Legislature shouldn’t pass a bill outlawing the death penalty.

*Twin Falls man dies of accidental gunshot while carving hole in ice for fishing here.

*Proposed Idaho wolf kill bill sets bounty below $10 here.

*Owners bring animals a long ways from home for special treatment at WSU vet department here.

*Living wage jobs hard to find in Idaho here.

*Authorities wonder if crime committed after woman sees body fall out of truck here.

Orbusmax Special: Oregon online charter school has attracted 1,200 students so far, faces legislative hurdle here.