Part of Fourth Street is closed to traffic, squeezing the lifeblood from struggling merchants along the route. We applaud the many calls for increased support of these businesses, understanding fully that without broad community support in a recession, intense construction in peak season could mean curtains for some of them. But we would also like to point out that the city of Coeur d'Alene and Lake City Development Corp., two entities behind the Midtown mayhem, aren't the bad guys they're being billed as in some quarters. In fact, we learned that city employees based downtown have rallied to support the businesses. They have been encouraged to do everything possible as citizen consumers to help bolster the sagging bottom lines along Fourth Street/Coeur d'Alene Press. More here.

Question: Have you visited any Midtown businesses (besides Capone's) since construction closed down 4th Street for much of the section?