Kathy Plonka/Spokesman-Review

Tug captain Oscar Mooney of North Idaho Maritime battled cold temperatures today while delivering one of the last load of logs to the DeArmond Mill in Coeur d'Alene. See story below.

Spotlight: SPJ announces awards for Pacific Northwest student journalists here.

1. It's opening day. Or Opening Day, depending on how you feel about it. For seven members of the Mariners' roster, this will be their first Opening Day, so the capital letters are needed. The Mariners have enough talent that baseball observers say they should easily compete for the American League West title. That quest starts Monday at 3:40 p.m. at Safeco Field against the Texas Rangers here/Seattle Times. Blanchette: M's can't be mediocre.

2. For more than 25 years, Oscar Mooney has worked a five-mile stretch of Lake Coeur d’Alene and the Spokane River, delivering logs to waterfront sawmills. This week, the tug captain is making his last deliveries. The DeArmond Mill is closing next month. It was North Idaho Maritime’s final log customer here/Spokesman-Review.

3. Online Poll: 57% of 283 respondents to a Lewiston Tribune poll ranked the economy as the most important issue in the 2008 prez election.

4. IMHO: McCain wants 100-year war/David Horsey, Seattle PI cartoon; If it tastes like chicken, you'd think it'd be OK/Kathy Hedberg, Lewiston Tribune; and When it comes to road funding, something beats nothing/Idaho Statesman.

5. Blogosphere: Governing by nastygram/Kevin Richert, Idaho Statesman; Tables turned/Dogwalk Musings; and Equipoint $61,626?/Randy Stapilus, Ridenbaugh Press.

6. News Roundup: Supreme Court to consider religious monument case/Idaho Statesman; Otter signs bill to increase grocery tax relief/Idaho Statesman; Private schooler wins Moscow Junior Miss/Moscow-Pullman Daily News; Study: American West warming faster/New West; Car flips 8 times on I-84, sends one to hospital/KTVB. and

Orbusmax Special: Kitsap County man arrested twice in one day for DUI here.

---

---