Spokane7
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for a vandalism incident in which they spray-painted two vehicles and the house where the girl’s former boyfriend lived. Deputies Jeff Conway and Matt Gould said the paint caused thousands of dollars in damages. On Saturday, Conway was dispatched to a home in the 300 block of North Silver Lake Road after a neighbor advised the residents there that someone had painted their home and two vehicles with red, black and silver spray paint. The siding had the image of a swastika and “go to hell” painted on it/Spokane County Sheriff’s Office press release. H/T KREM2.
in Idaho once she graduates from high school. She is currently at the top of her class and will probably have he choice of colleges. When I asked her why she wouldn’t consider staying here she indicated that 1) with all the cuts happening to education going on in Idaho there is no future here, 2) there are no prospects for employment in Idaho at anything beyond the minimum wage, and 3) she wants to go to school and work in a place that has more diversity. Unfortunately I couldn’t come up with a response to her concerns. Can anyone help me come up with arguments for why she should stay in Idaho for college, or at least consider returning here after college?
Marge Chadderdon, R-Coeur d’Alene, who has been working on the Idaho cares for pets plate idea for three years now, said, “I’m still working on it.” The bill never was introduced, as Chadderdon hadn’t ironed out who would be responsible for the funds, which would go to local one-day spay/neuter clinics. She said she’d been in talks with the state Department of Agriculture, but it was wary of taking on a new program when its staff was being cut. “I said, ‘Well, we’ll come back,’” said Chadderdon, who said at the start of the session that the pet special-plate bill was the only bill she was working on this year. “I’m going to raise money for it this summer so we can go forward”/Betsy Russell, Eye On Boise. 
O Idaho Senate with your flourishes
Your contemplative strength
How the
House has teeth so much sharper
being called total compensation, but factors in many things that don’t actually go into that individual’s paycheck (value of stock even if it’s not sold, pension value, etc.). Those costs make the total comp number quite a bit higher than if you really compared numbers with another worker/employee. The story breaks out those costs and you can see its lower - even if the headline is $3M because that’s the total value/potential. The total is still a rather nice living - no question about it - but closer to what the poll is calling for.
Sandpoint Tea Party, who last month was featured in an extensive New York Times piece about the tea party movement, faced off with David Letterman on the Late Show last night. The interview (see below) was civil, sincere, and mostly serious. Letterman, who has spent the last six months in a teeth-bared battle with tea party darling Sarah Palin, showed gracious restraint with Stout, even when Stout mentioned that Palin might be a candidate for president in 2012/Joel Smith, Inlander. 
It seems all TV newscasters are cut from the same cloth, from the way they dress to the way they talk. And, Rick from Clarkston emailed us with one simple question: why do female newscasters have such deep voices? Rick, we can’t give you a definitive answer, but we can tell you what we found out. Personally, this is a topic close to my heart, as I am blessed (cursed) with a deep voice. In my life, three things have been constant: I always sing second alto in the choir, telemarketers often call me sir and people have always told me my voice lends itself to a career in broadcasting. But, why? And, do most women with deep voices become broadcasters - or do women who become broadcasters end up with deeper voices?/Melissa Luck, KXLY4 executive producer. 
utility reported today. Avista’s 
coastlines to oil and natural gas drilling, much of it for the first time, as a painful but necessary decision. He said that his plan to allow drilling along the Atlantic coastline, the eastern Gulf of Mexico and the north coast of Alaska — ending a longstanding moratorium on exploration from the northern tip of Delaware to the central coast of Florida, covering 167 million acres of ocean — would balance the need to produce more domestic energy while protecting natural resources. But it is also intended to generate revenue from the sale of offshore leases and help win political support for comprehensive energy and climate legislation/John M. Broder, New York Times. 
At some point, a 21st Century economy will require new investment and new thinking about a 21st Century education system. Good jobs require better schools and a trained workforce. The millions in revenue lost to Internet sales (at a detriment to hometown businesses) or left untaxed due to exemptions may not represent comfortable rocks to look under, but the alternative, if Idaho wants to grow a 21st Century economy, is unsustainable/Marc Johnson, The Johnson Report. 
felony injury to a child, died in the Senate after returning from the House changed. The bill, proposed by Sen. Joyce Broadsword, was prompted by the severe abuse to local three-year-old Kyra Wine, who suffered the loss of both of her feet, a finger and a kidney, but whose abuser was sentenced to the maximum 10 years in prison. “I’m really disappointed,” Sen. Broadsword said. “I got it through the Senate with no problem, and then we ran into the brain trust over there (in the House)”/Mary Truman, St. Maries Gazette-Record. 
weekend are Saturday. Twenty-nine year old T.J. Grieser was snowmobiling with a group of family and friends around 6 p.m. Saturday in a basin near Missoula Lake in the Lolo National Forest when the accident occurred. The area is located approximately 20 miles southwest of Superior on the Montana-Idaho border. “One member of the group was at the bottom of the basin (near Oregon Peak) and three members were on top of a ridge when they started coming down one at a time,” as stated in a press release from the Mineral County Sheriff’s Office. “The victim (Mr. Grieser) was the last of the three to come down the mountain and, according to witnesses at the bottom of the hill, the avalanche started as he was coming down the hill”/Chris D’Angelo, St. Maries Record-Gazette. 
Adam Johnson was certain he was knocking on heaven’s door three months ago. That was just the beginning of 12 days of hell. “I thought I was done,” he said. “Once the clip was empty and I let go, they continued to stomp me … and then I was out. I thought I was done for.” The young Coeur d’Alene businessman was beaten unconscious early in the morning of Dec. 27 by a group of six to eight assailants who punched and kicked him before he opened fire with a legal concealed weapon, sending two of the assailants to hospitals with serious injuries.
spooked about taking risks. Perhaps that’s a predictable posture in days of uncertainty. He asks voters this year to re-elect him to the job he’s wanted since childhood. Playing it safe is conventional strategy. Otter used to be refreshingly unpredictable. From his sympathy for decriminalizing pot in the ‘70s to casting one of three Republican votes against the Patriot Act in the 2000s, he was daring and principled. Now he sounds disconnected and wimpy. On Tuesday, he called the 2010 Legislature “stellar.” Its No. 1 accomplishment? Balancing the budget - as if lawmakers could ignore the Idaho Constitution’s imposition of that fiscal restraint/Dan Popkey, Idaho Statesman. 
No need to remove those studded tires just yet. In view of recent heavy snowfall in Washington’s Cascade Mountains, and forecasts for more severe mountain weather, the Washington Transportation Department has extended the deadline for removing studded tires through April 10. Oregon has also extended its studded tire season through April 10. The deadline had been Thursday, April 1. Washington State Patrol troopers enforce a $124 fine for those caught using studded tires after the deadline/Associated Press.
tified as
31-year-old Spokane fugitive wanted since December on car
theft charges. A bail bonds company had offered a $1,000 reward for tips that
led to the arrest of Christopher M. Schelling (left) after he failed to
show up for a hearing in Spokane County Superior Court.
When he didn’t show up for court in December, the bond company
distributed wanted posters near a home on East Columbia Avenue that’s
been linked to 
calling themselves Baptists who do so as a practice in their belief that the war is God’s 
that were later determined to be hate crimes by the Risk Management Office occur since August. Kim Stretch, 42, is a third year law student from Fresno who said she’s had enough. She’s not alone. Associate Dean of Faculty Elizabeth Brandt said the law school administration is working closely with the Moscow Police Department to find out who is behind the vandalism and defacement of posters and other hate crimes. According to Stretch, a photo on the American Civil Liberties Union student bulletin board of Mary Grant, an LGBT law student, was found with the eyes scratched out last August. On Feb. 23, photos on the ACLU board were again found defaced, this time with stickpins put through the eye of one student and through the head of another. The third time, an image of Stretch was vandalized/Ashley Centers, UI Argonaut. 
the annual celebration of freedom known as Passover. About 60 people were preparing Monday to participate in a Seder – the traditional feast at sundown that celebrates the exodus from Egypt – at the Chabad of Spokane, 4116 E. 37th Ave., said Rabbi Yisroel Hahn, director of the traditional Jewish congregation on the South Hill. “Passover is the ideal time to celebrate freedom,” Hahn said. “This Seder will focus on being liberated from the daily challenges and tribulations that bind and confine us.” The Chabad of Spokane was formed about three years ago, when Hahn arrived from Brooklyn, N.Y./Kevin Graman, SR. 
played a 911 tape in which witness Julie Oliver, a neighbor, offered an opinion on two points that the prosecution must prove. In the 911 tape, Oliver tells the dispatcher that she believes “this is a racist thing,” and also that her neighbor, Requena, was being threatened. Both go to the heart of the case, Luster said, because a malicious harassment charge forces the prosecution to prove, first, that Requena was threatened, and second, that the threat was racially motivated. The 911 tape offered opinions on both before any foundation of evidence had been laid, Luster said. “That is a significant problem,” Luster said. “It’s clearly a violation. A legal error has occurred.” Luster scheduled a new trial for April 12 with a pretrial conference set for April 9/Alison Boggs, SR. 
“to the County’s development and construction communities” to attend a “Community Development Forum” on Monday evening, April 5th, at 5 p.m. Given the lack or progress on the Comprehensive Plan, the failure to address dysfunctional hearing procedures, and major functional failings in the site disturbance and flood control ordinances, we’d definitely be interested in “this important opportunity” to “share and hear the constructive thoughts and ideas of others regarding the building process here in Kootenai County.” We’re probably not the target audience, but the Commissioners promise “an open atmosphere for the community to openly share,” so maybe we’ll attend anyway/Terry Harris, KEA Blog. 
The Easter Bunny might lower your chances of having a heart problem. According to a new study, small doses of chocolate every day could decrease your risk of having a heart attack or stroke by nearly 40 percent. German researchers followed nearly 20,000 people over eight years, sending them several questionnaires about their diet and exercise habits. They found people who had an average of six grams of chocolate per day — or about one square of a chocolate bar — had a 39 percent lower risk of either a heart attack or stroke. The study is scheduled to be published Wednesday in the European Heart Journal/Associated Press. 
I have a lot of 
articulate the conservative message) better than anyone on our side. She quite plainly is a Conservative/Republican Superstar. Palin endorsing Ward is, in my view, HUGE for the Ward campaign. Ward should take today’s endorsement and build from here. Palin’s announcement has the potential to eclipse the “gaffes” that have plagued the campaign as of late. This is an advantage for Ward to almost start new and build from here. As long as Ward can keep his campaign together and avoid any more silly “gaffes” from here until Primary election day, he will be tough to beat/Idaho Conservative Blogger. 
I don’t understand the animosity by some, mainly staunch conservatives, toward the census. Several opponents of the Obama administration are urging the public to answer only one of the 10 questions included on the census — the number of people in their household. It’s not like the other nine questions are asking people to reveal their foot fetishes or whether they sleep in the nude. The census asks questions about the recipient’s sex (not how much or what kind), ethnicity, household size and whether or not they own a home. This seems pretty standard to me/Erin Harty, UIdaho Argonaut. 
unprecedented spending cuts – including big cuts to schools – and strident railing against the federal government. “I think that people are afraid of what they’re seeing from the federal government,” said Senate President Pro-Tem Bob Geddes, R-Soda Springs. “People expect us to stand up for Idaho’s rights.” Even into the session’s final hours, which went well into the evening Monday, lawmakers were debating measures designed to send messages to the federal government that Idaho wants more sovereignty, whether it’s about health care reform or guns. They even endorsed two measures calling for amending the U.S. Constitution, both backed by GOP Gov. Butch Otter/Betsy Russell, Eye On Boise. 
it really matter about the endorsements? I mean seriously, if Robert Downey Jr. endorsed Labrador would that honestly sway your vote? It is obsurd that an endorsement would affect the way a person would vote. WAKE UP people. Vote for the candidate because of the issues. But no, now that Sali is endorsing Labrador, and Palin is endorsing Ward, its either the straw that broke the camels back, or the greatest thing since sliced bread. Vote for the candidate, and the issues not the endorsements.
My mother makes the best fried chicken gizzards. As you can tell I have a little bit of hick in me. She would also make beef heart but I am not a fan. My parents grew up during the great depression. It was a sin to waste food. Some of those values have stuck with me. I am a rabid home canner and I cook most meals from scratch. But I will also cruise through McDonalds at least once a month for a Quarter Pounder with cheese.
OK, maybe this will get me tossed into the cooler, but I’m a-railing against the gutless wonder who wants to be reelected as the governor of Idaho. Shame be on the guy with no globes. If he had concerns about the so-called “conscience” bill, then why the hell didn’t he veto it. In fact, a real leader would have used his veto “threat” to cause the various committees to drop the end of life part…that’s what the coward says he disagrees with. But no…he takes the “can’t come back to bite me” path, letting it become law without his signature.
Truly got a J-O-B!!! Is part time to start with possibilities of full time down the road. After 2.5 years of nothing - just a lot of soap operas and grilled cheese sandwiches every damn day - I am so excited. The pay is not so great and there are no benefits at this time - but hey- you are reading this post from one “VERY GREATFUL” gal. It’s ok after that much time being a nonworking person to start out a bit slow and then ramp up to full speed so no complaints in the Truly department. I will be doing what I love and that is “helping others”. The title of the position is “Director of First Impressions” which boils down to receptionist and I am totally cool with that.
performer who’s worth listening to again, an artist who goes by the name of Kosh, pictured, (which sounds like Kosher only Japanese-American rather than Jewish). He was performing in the Parkside building to empty seats when we arrived. We’d heard folk hillbilly music at Java on Fourth and Celtic music at All Things Irish. We planted ourselves for the rest of the evening when we heard Kosh’s rendition of Rod Stewart’s “Maggie Mae.” He’ll be playing at the Wine Cellar (7 p.m. Wednesday), Daanen’s (6 p.m. Friday), and Moose Lounge (9 p.m. Friday and Saturday) this week. You can discuss local music talent or anything else you like with this Wild Card …
love sardines. In the late 60’s through the 90’s my father used to take oysters or sardines in his lunch box at least once a week. He worked for the railroad, and there was no hot lunch available. During our early school years my little brother and I would sit and wait for his car to arrive in the driveway after work. We went straight for his lunch box to see what he left for us. I always got the sardines, and my brother got the potato chips. Many years later when I was pregnant with my son, I had to have sardines or oysters, and I drank chocolate milk with them every single day.
Digger: At Costco (also known as the “Death March with Samples”) yesterday I bought a 6 pack of smoked oysters in cottonseed oil. I absoutley love the things when eaten on a triscut with some cheese - Spazz can’t stand them. He says they stink and make him want to puke. The other two with us agreed with Spazz.
for his support then, and I’m happy to support him now because I know that he believes in the same commonsense conservative ideals that we cherish. Vaughn knows that real job growth comes from the private sector, not government. He believes in free market reforms, tax relief for families and small businesses, and a return to a constitutionally limited government that lives within its means. He’ll carry the conservative banner to Washington and will rein in the reckless growth of government to get it back on our side. And remember, a vote for Vaughn is a vote to remove the gavel from Nancy Pelosi’s grip. Please visit Vaughn’s 
When does Idaho Congressman Walt Minnick plan to quit lying about his military service? It’s been a week since it was 
much is a backyard paver worth? I’m not talking about how much it costs; I’m thinking more tangible value. Like beer. If you ask me, one paver is worth one beer. My wife thinks otherwise. So this weekend will find me out in the broiling March sun, putting down pavers in a most uninspired way. But if beer were in the equation, each paver would seem progressively lighter. Sure they might be a little uneven, but close enough for yard work. The issue arises because I have a friend — a homeowner like myself — who cut a deal with his wife some time back: He wouldn’t play poker with the guys on Friday evenings and carouse at the bowling alley on Saturday nights if on weekends he could punctuate his household chores with Budweiser. Worked out great, until he fell off the ladder/Steve Crump, Twin Falls Times-News. 
A Coeur d’Alene man could be in prison for the rest of his life for two sex crimes, a judge ruled recently. Kyle Richard West, 41, will serve four years in prison before he’s eligible for parole, according to a sentence imposed by Kootenai County District Judge John Mitchell. West was sentenced to life in prison, with four years fixed and the rest indeterminate after pleading guilty Feb. 4 to two counts of lewd conduct with a minor under 16. West’s “lack of remorse and inability or unwillingness to acknowledge the damage” done to his victim were factors in the sentence, according to the Kootenai County Prosecutor’s Office/Meghann M. Cuniff, Sirens & Gavels. 
City Hall. It looked for a while like candle-carrying environmentalists might come to blows with those who contend global warming is a hoax perpetuated by the United Nations. But the situation cooled a bit when police showed up and stood in the background. “We are law-abiding citizens, trying to have a peaceful protest here,” said conservative activist Mike Fagan, who was frustrated as an environmental protester repeatedly interrupted the speech he was trying to deliver through a bullhorn. The opposing sides were drawn to City Hall in response to Earth Hour, an international effort to draw attention to environmental concerns and call for a binding pact to cut greenhouse gas emissions/Dan Hansen, Special to Spokesman-Review. 
supported the idea of continuing sports activities on the popular play area. 78 attendees marked “sports activities” as one of the top four programs they’d like to see on McEuen Field in the future. Concerts & performances (29 votes), farmers market (25 votes) and festivals (23 votes) rounded out the top four. 
fascinating. Their conclusion is that the Tea Party, so far, is being organized and run in large part by women … They are women who have apparently NOT been members of NOW and its dwindling sister-organizations. 
social-media man who blogs and tweets about his company, and wades into the vitriol of online message boards where flogging Avista in the comfort of anonymity has become a form of electronic graffiti. About a year ago he convinced Avista executives that they needed to engage social media as a way to reach their customers. Despite some ups and downs, he has no regrets and is considered somewhat of a trailblazer in the staid world of regulated utilities, making presentations to other utilities interested in how to reach people. He has taken a few lumps in the process as he monitors online forums and then joins the conversations. Kolbet sat down for an interview last week after Avista drew public ire for its request to raise electricity and natural gas rates/John Stucke, SR. 
player still happily in use. A wall-mounted rack full of the chunky tapes immediately jumped out at my eyeballs when I entered Famous Willies BBQ in Post Falls one recent afternoon and I was a bit perplexed. I haven’t even seen those things floating around the thrift stores in at least ten years. An odd form of décor, I thought, but after settling in at my table, I heard Johnny Cash fade away mid-song, only to return to the airwaves a few seconds later. The waitress confirmed my hunch when she came to take my order. The 8-track action is one the many delightful quirks that, along with memorable food and an easygoing vibe, make Famous Willie’s an impressive new entry in the local restaurant handbook/Patrick Jacobs, Get Out! North Idaho. 
Facebook, which this month was anointed the most popular Web site in North America. It just surpassed Google for most visits per week, according to site analysis company Hitwise. Companies block Facebook, MySpace and in some cases, YouTube, because they can affect productivity. Nucleus Research concluded earlier this year that U.S. companies would see a productivity gain of 1.5 percent if Facebook were blocked on work computers. In addition, many computer-network administrators block access to those sites because workers can introduce viruses via links or spam messages sent to them/Tom Sowa, SR. More 
reunion. I decided I’d take a really
long route from Eugene to Kellogg and go out to Burns, on to Boise, on
to Sun Valley to Stanley to Salmon and then go on a Richard Hugo tour of
Montana. It’s the Richard Hugo tour of Montana that leaves me
wordless. It was simple. I drove throughout western
Montana, to Wisdom, Big Hole National Battle Ground, Butte, Walkerville,
Hot Springs, Kicking Horse Reservoir, Philipsburg, Drummond and other
Hugo landmarks. At the places I drove to I stopped, walked the streets
(or the battlefield), found a private place, often the car, and read
Hugo’s poem about that place aloud. Then came the ghosts. I
welcomed them/Raymond Pert, Kellogg Bloggin’. 
Sometimes distance does not
allow it, or time, or eternity. But most of the time I CAN revisit an
issue, if I choose to. That can be applied to
relationships, income, anger or even…my blog. When I’m
challenged on this blog, I try to see what the other person is TRYING to
say, even if I don’t fully HEAR their meaning. Don’t get me wrong,
I DO hear them, but I 
holidays, they knew whom to call:
Idaho Republican Sen. Gary Schroeder, chairman of the Resources and
Environment Committee, owner of Moscow Hide and Fur and legislative
skunk-essence expert. Schroeder hasn’t checked the going price
lately, but the University of Idaho in Moscow and Washington State
University in Pullman scored their eau de stinker - extracted from a
skunk’s scent glands with a needle and syringe - for about $15 an ounce,
roughly half the cost of Chanel No. 5 perfume. “They put it on
Christmas trees to keep people from cutting them down,” Schroeder told
The Associated Press. “That way, their apartment starts to smell. Word
gets around”/John Miller, Åssociated Press. 
stocks, motorcycles, computers, bows, animal
skulls and toilet seats. At least those are some of the things he’s
decorated with a variety of camouflage patterns. Humphreys and his wife, Trina, own a business called The Big
Dipper, Creative Camo Decorations, that specializes in putting a layer
of camo or other printed films on anything with a hard surface. Known as
transfer printing or film dipping, the process is becoming popular with
hunters and outdoor enthusiasts looking to camouflage their equipment
or just add a level of style to any item. The Humphreys are one of the dozens of vendors at the Inland
Northwest Outdoor Show at the Nez Perce County Fairgrounds. The show
opened Friday afternoon and the Big Dipper booth was attracting
attention. “It’s pretty cool. I’ve never seen anything like it,” said
Randy Parsons of Clarkston/Eric Barker, Lewiston Tribune. 
situations that truly make me angry or people that hurt me either directly or indirectly, I am not one to easily let things go. I’m still mad at a girl from first grade who stole my part in the school play when I was sick for one day. We’re friends now, and she doesn’t know I hold this grudge, but a part of me is still annoyed 16 years later. Seriously, it was only one day. And I was the lead. Anyway, these days it takes a lot to get me to a point where I’ll hold a serious grudge, but I’ve recently discovered that I really do have the power to forgive and move on/Kelcie Moseley, UIdaho Argonaut. 
Twitter, Otter left the bunch unimpressed. “Otter talking abt old people, cowboying, corp tax breaks…not to this young professional crowd, for sure,” wrote @whitnuld during the speech. She followed up that tweet with this one: “Never heard a speaker so oblivious to their audience as Gov Otter @ Boise Young Professionals talk today. #oldwhiteguy #goodoldboy #geezer” The tech-savvy audience, armed with Blackberrys and iPhones and tied to the Internet, chimed in with real-time comments during the speech — heckling without the rude interruptions/Muskrat, 43rd State Blues. 
inattentive driving,” he said, that he’s seen drivers do - from reading a newspaper to lighting a cigarette with both hands while driving with their knees. “Those are all just as bad.” Patrick said he thought texting while driving would be difficult to prove. “Just because they’ve got their phone in their hand doesn’t prove anything.” Patrick said he doesn’t text and drive, but said, “I also don’t read a book and drive, I don’t put on lipstick - well, I don’t any time.” Said Rep. Steve Hartgen, R-Twin Falls, “It seems to me that we’re passing a statute here that cannot be enforced”/Betsy Russell, Eye On Boise. 
Jeanne Bock, director of the Panhandle Health District (PHD) since 2001, will retire this fall after 24 years of public health service in Idaho’s five northern counties. The Board of Health accepted her retirement notice March 25 and plans to hire her successor by August. “I envision the health district as a little ship on a big ocean. We need a good captain or we’re in big trouble,” said Marlow Thompson, chairman of the Board of Health. “Jeanne is a good captain, knows the direction to go, holds steady to her course, is willing to hit the big waves head on and works well with the crew”/Cynthia Taggart, Panhandle Health District. 
Yet, the workshop itself was quite impressive. Masterfully facilitated by 
UM must adhere to federal regulations that prohibit the use of marijuana. Break the rules and a campus risks the loss of its federal dollars. “We’re not unsympathetic to the medical conditions of these people, but we don’t have the authority to do anything about it,” said David Aronofsky, UM chief legal counsel. In 2004, Montana was the 10th state to allow patients with certain medical conditions to use marijuana to alleviate pain if recommended by a physician. Last October, the Obama administration announced a non-interference policy in medical marijuana operations that adhere to state law/Chelsi Moy, Missoulian. 
Bruce Reed has been appointed as executive director of President Obama’s National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform. Reed, who is the son of longtime Democratic state senator Mary Lou Reed of Coeur d’Alene and environmental attorney Scott Reed, was director of President Clinton’s Domestic Policy Council for eight years. Since then he’s been CEO of the Democratic Leadership Council, a centrist organization. Reed’s most public achievement under Clinton was heading up a welfare reform initiative which was unpopular with liberal Democrats, and his other moderate views have sometimes put him at odds with that wing of the party/Jill Kuraitis, New West. 
as a bunch of angry bigots holding signs that spouted their favorite causes. Daryl Cagle, who has a Web site devoted to the nation’s political cartoonists, tweeted: “Tough cartoon about the racial bigotry that seems apparent in the Tea Party.” Bryan Myrick of the conservative blog Unequal Time isn’t as generous: “Seeing the key phrases ‘racial bigotry,’ ‘apparent,’ and ‘tea Party,’ I took the bait, clicked and found myself looking at a cartoon by Milt Priggee posted on Cagle’s blog that caused my jaw to hit the keyboard.” 
track with the previous planning of the Committee of Nine that worked on the McEuen plans 8 years ago. Trails along the base of Tubbs Hill, continuing with baseball on part of the park, maybe adding a Bocce Ball court or two, an updated larger playground for kids, soccer,open space, a plaza for maybe a farmers market. I think people want an active use park with more variety than what exists now. It was a great evening. When we get everything on line at 
look into the cost of drug-testing Idahoans on public assistance. Hungry? Before you get food stamps you need to pee in this cup, or hold out your arm for a little prick. Children need medicine? Bleed a little for us, please. Privacy doesn’t seem to matter for those folks who, for whatever reason, need a little help. We wonder where Geddes comes down on this issue. Undoubtedly some state-aid recipients abuse the system - but it’s safe to say that’s not the case with most. Those needing Medicaid, food stamps and other public assistance are far from being the addicts some legislators obviously assume they are. We find it offensive that lawmakers could resort to such an invasive practice to weed out those who abuse the system/Murf Raquet (pictured), Moscow-Pullman Daily News. 
two years ago, Congressman Walt Minnick, D-Idaho. Because Vaughn Ward, Labrador’s main competition for the Republican nomination,has never held elective office, sending him to Washington would be like “sending a Boy Scout to Iraq,”, Sali said. In 2006, Ward actually led a combat tour in Fallujah, Iraq, and was awarded the Bronze Star. While ward was in Iraq, Sali was picking on women. In a state House floor debate, Sali linked abortion to breast cancer, a remark that reduced Rep. Wendy Jacquet, D-Ketchum, to tears. Jacquet is a breast cancer survivor. All of which provoked then-House Speaker Bruce Newcomb, R-Burley, to declare Sali “an absolute idiot”/Marty Trillhaase, Lewiston Tribune. More Cheers & Jeers column 
towns in the nation. The magazine, which also 
These types of situations (McEuen Field redesign workshops) are always tough for government officials. If you just blast into it, you’re being “sneaky”. So, you hold a bunch of public meetings (of which about 0.00002% of the population attends), to get a feel for what the community wants. Then, you take that information and spend some time and money doing some planning … at which point you get accused of wasting taxpayer money. Then, once you come up with a plan, the rest of the population (who probably didn’t attend the initial meetings) come out to say how horrible it is.
also use it as a communication medium. It’s a great way to have short conversations with people about either the links that went out or anything. It’s also a really great way to find out what is going on as it happens. I run a separate computer that has Tweetdeck running on it (
Thursday, March 25th, at 6:00 p.m., at the Lake City Senior Center, a public meeting/workshop will be held to gather input and ideas on McEuen Field and Front Avenue. MIG, a Portland-based land planning firm that worked on the Coeur d’Alene Parks Master Plan and the Education Corridor, will be hosting this workshop. The city is asking for citizens’ ideas on their favorite existing and possible future activities for McEuen Field, which has been the site of many varied types of recreation and leisure over the past 100 years. It will remain a public park and there may be improvements made to the park site/Coeur d’Alene Today. 
milestone by anyone’s measure. Yet the Gleesings would be the first to tell you the course of their true love has had its share of turbulence. In 1940, Jerry heard a new girl had moved to his hometown of LaMoure, N.D., and he kept his eyes peeled. There wasn’t much excitement in the small town, so the arrival of a young lady was big news. Jerry first spotted her on his way to the ballpark. Her dark hair and dimples captivated him. “I was 15,” Gleesing recalled. “Quite a bit older than she – I was born in August, Nancy in September.” Alas, his status of older man by a month failed to impress the new girl/CindyH, Washington Voices. 
with Coeur d’Alene’s water with great interest. We are always willing to talk to our customers and try to resolve any issues they may have with Coeur d’Alene’s water system. We pump directly from the aquifer through 9 wells and as the water leaves each well we chlorinate so as to leave a residual of approximately .24 parts per million. We do this to kill bacteria and provide disinfection throughout our distribution system up to the customer’s meter. “ejs” in his 7:13 am post this morning gave some excellent background into why municipal water systems chlorinate. Thanks ejs! Removal of chlorine once the water has been pulled from the tap is fairly easy to do. That would take care of problems directly related to chlorine. Taste and odor issues can also come from other sources. More below.
Bryan Fischer, the former director of Idaho Values Alliance, is suggesting that state officials can, in a worst-case scenario, shoot federal agents for “trespassing on the sovereign territory of the states.” Fischer, who moved to Mississippi last year, makes his case in a post on his “Focal Point” blog. Fischer’s statement in is sharp contrast with Idaho Gov. Butch Otter. Otter is supporting a legal challenge to health-care reform, but said on Tuesday that if the states lose their case, Idaho would abide by the rule of law/Dan Popkey, Idaho Politics. 
New figures from Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Luna (pictured) shows that Idaho could save $15.3 million a year in state funding by consolidating the state’s 115 school districts to match the boundaries of the state’s 44 counties. Most of that savings, $11.7 million, would come from consolidating districts in seven counties with multiple school districts. Those estimates come from the current year of school spending. The state is spends more than $1.2 billion on public schools, so consolidation would save approximately 1 percent of state school spending/Brad Iverson-Long, Idaho Reporter. 
it just me or is there a sort of frenetic and irrationally immature reactive thing going on at the Ward for Congress Campaign? A sort of “trolling & polling” for issues perceived by them to be important? A type of “something … anything” mentality for press? I could be way off base, but consider what came out Wednesday. What appears to be 
suffering from the Stockholm Syndrome. That’s the psychological phenomenon named after a small group of hostages in Sweden in 1973 who, despite being held against their will, came to closely identify with their captors. OK, I’m being a little facetious. Still as one who believes that a genuine two-party system just might serve Idaho better in the long run, it’s difficult when looking at the shape of the 2010 contests not to think that Idaho Democrats are destined to be down for a long, long time. Like the Stockholm captives, they have gotten so very used to the GOP calling all the shots it has become difficult for Democrats to envision an alternative reality/Marc Johnson, The Johnson Post. 
your right arm. This is all pure theatrics, however I do believe in oversight (which Mr. Gookin is very good at) and if you truly were concerned you could review all their monthly minutes, reports, annual audits and much more already online. You can also view their monthly board meetings on cable channel 19. Even with all this it will never be enough. If you start reacting to every whim of your detractor then you will undoubtedly fail. $80 a month for food vs thousands per month for transparency that is already available. As for the cost, I don’t know of any records that is available without a cost. I can’t even get a copy of my birth certificate without paying for it.
people or is it just for the money, or, a combination of both? In other words, are you called to be a Dr. to help human kind and if so do you care what the compensation is or where it comes from? As to quality or care, well, currently the best quality goes to those that can afford it and if you can afford it then that makes some people money, namely doctors. That’s OK with me but is that what the calling to be a doctor is stemed from or again is it that they truly care about people, alllllll people not just the fortunate.
I’ve been reading about the dangers for years. But it took me awhile to believe it enough to make a change in our house. No more plastic bottles! Surprisingly, it wasn’t the constant reports about those nasty chemicals in the plastic leaching into the water that finally opened my eyes. Nor was it the horrible effect all of those bottles have on our environment. No, what finally turned me around was seeing study after study that said our tap water was cleaner and safer than what you could buy in the store/Idaho Dad, A Family Runs Through It. 
congressional candidate Vaughn Ward is demanding an apology from one of his rivals, state Rep. Raul Labrador, E-Eagle, (pictured) and former congressman Bill Sali. Last week, Sali endorsed Labrador in the race to challenge Democratic incumbent Walt Minnick. During a news conference, Sali said this about Ward, an Iraq War veteran: “Vaughn (Ward) has served our country with distinction and we owe him a debt of gratitude for that, as we do all of our veterans. But I have to tell you, sending Vaughn Ward to Washington, D.C., is a little bit like sending a Boy Scout to Iraq. He doesn’t have any experience casting votes. He doesn’t have experience in the political arena”/Kevin Richert, Idaho Statesman. 
have fielded candidates for all but three of those contests. In eight of Idaho’s 35 legislative districts, there is not a single Democratic candidate. Some of the most prominent examples of the ideologically-driven conservative House - Republicans Phil Hart of Hayden, Bob Nonini of Coeur d’Alene, Judy Boyle of Midvale, Robert Schaefer of Nampa, Fred Wood of Burley and Janice McGeachin of Idaho Falls - have been re-elected by default. Democrats have never been able to match the GOP for candidate recruitment, but they’ve done a lot better/Marty Trillhaase, Lewiston Tribune. 
son who will graduate from medical school in two months. Her oldest son is headed to a residency in the Midwest for 5 years to specialize in Ear, Nose, and Throat medicine. As I mentioned on Monday, Junior is headed for a neuro-surgery residency at the University of Florida for the next 7 years. Junior has told me that he wonders how his specialty will play out under the new health care reform. Seems Mary’s son, Dave, has the same concerns. Writes Mary: “
newsletter from Tea Party Boise that includes a suggested “socialist oath” for President Obama: “I do swear that I will uphold the Socialist principles that would make Karl Marx proud. I will, through my eloquence, spread the word of unfounded promises. I will, despite the trust of American citizens, destroy the historic culture and traditions of the United States of America of which they will forget. I, as President, will be remembered in posterity for the great promises that I shall fulfill as savior of this nation.” The Tea Party calls Rep. Jim Clark’s Health Freedom Act as “a victory for Idaho’s self-determination.” 
Idaho Attorney General Lawrence Wasden has filed a legal challenge with the Idaho Supreme Court over new lease rules for state-owned cabin sites - including rent increases - approved this month by the Idaho Land Board, contending the rental rates aren’t high enough to bring appropriate returns to the beneficiaries of the state’s school endowment. “The approved plan is flawed because the rent is too low,” said Wasden, who was in the minority in the Land Board’s 3-2 approval of the plan/Betsy Russell, Eye On Boise. 
There is little doubt that Idaho’s Lake City is home to one of the best producers of Rhone varieties in the Northwest. Why Coeur d’Alene Cellars belongs in that discussion - and rates as Wine Press Northwest’s 2010 Idaho Winery of the Year - deserves some explanation. “It does create a bit of confusion sometimes being an Idaho winery with Washington grapes,” said Kimber Gates, co-owner and general manager of Coeur d’Alene Cellars/Eric Degerman, Wine Press Northwest. 
Fearless prediction number two: the unemployment rate on Labor Day, coupled with a sense of whether the nation’s economy is finally recovering, will have more to do with the outcome of the mid-term elections than the last year and a half of turmoil over health care/insurance reform. Congressional Republicans have bet the Congress on making the 2010 elections about health care. It might have been a better bet - we’ll see - to put all the chips on the economy. Every poll in every state says one thing - folks are worried more about the economy than anything/Marc Johnson (pictured),The Johnson Post. 
the Coeur d’Alene Tribe. The agreement, negotiated last week, has been approved by the tribal council. “We had not even seen the agreement until yesterday (Monday). We want to take some time to review it,” Commissioner Jack Buell said. The agreement would end a long dispute between the tribe and the county over the deputization of tribal officers. It was negotiated last week in Boise after members of a legislative committee urged the two parties to reach a compromise. Legislators made the plea after conducting hearings on legislation drafted by the tribe that would mandate Indian police be deputized in Idaho/Dan Hammes, St. Maries Gazette-Record. 
A new poll shows that the Tea Parties may be less consequential than people believe — and at the same time, they may have some real impact on this year’s elections. 28 percent of respondents in a Quinnipiac survey said they have a favorable opinion of the Tea Parties, while 23 percent said the opposite. But 49 percent said they “don’t know enough about the group to form an opinion.” That said, though, the Tea Parties remain a big force on the right, and a potential trouble spot for the Republican Party. That’s because fully 74 percent of those who identify themselves as part of the movement say they’re Republicans or independents who lean Republican/Alex Koppleman, Salon. 
this week to second-degree murder. Juan C. Aldana Villanueva, 23, (right) is in Kootenai County Jail awaiting sentencing for the murder of Timothy I. Wolfe, 21, on May 9, 2009. Villanueva, who worked at a Post Falls restaurant, had argued with Wolfe, a member of the Coeur d’Alene Tribe who was home from college for Mother’s Day, at a Coeur d’Alene bar before Villanueva left, then returned to the downtown area with a gun, according to court documents. Wolfe was shot to death near Third Street and Indiana Avenue about 2:15 a.m. Villanueva claimed self-defense, and police noted scratches on his face where he said Wolfe’s friends had attacked him/Meghann M. Cuniff, Sirens & Gavels. 
So things got a little contentious in the House as Bart Stupak was reneging on his promise to vote no on Health Care Reform. Representative Neugebauer shouted “baby killer” according to reports. Mr. Stupak took it personally, Neugebauer contended it was not. Stupak then added, if not perhaps Neugebauer should apologize to the House. For the outburst, okay. The House seems to be sensitive to emotional outbursts. They consider it a lack of decorum. Threats and bribery are not, but outbursts are. Go figure/Dogwalk Musings. 
ideal. Heinlein, Rand, Marx, Mao, Robertson, Dobson, Roosevelt, Obama. … it doesn’t matter whose vision you choose, you will never realize the perfect system or the perfect government. It cannot possibly exist. Human beings are broken. The political process will never answer that. The legal system cannot change that. There is no right party, or right candidate, that will make it all good again. They cannot. Nor will winning the lottery, or guilt-free disease-free sex, or anything else human beings think is valuable. We have met the enemy/BillH, Free In Idaho! 
Butch Otter, flanked by Attorney General Lawrence Wasden and a large group of GOP legislators, spoke out against the newly signed national health care reform bill at a press conference in his office today. “If it is a proper role for government to mandate that citizens buy certain products, then I’m going to get potatoes in line for ‘em just as quick as I can,” Otter declared. Otter, who’s done a slew of national media interviews since he became the first governor to sign legislation rejecting the national reforms, said he thinks the multi-state federal lawsuit that Idaho joined this morning may well be successful/Betsy Russell, Eye On Boise. 
college women’s teams of national regard. Opportunities in that department had been missed during the regular season, including one against the Aggies. They would not be lost here. And on Monday night, they reminded us that they didn’t have to be perfect to do it and that they could survive without top-shelf performances from their two top-shelf players, Vandersloot and Heather Bowman. They found other means. Kayla Standish was a monster in a first-half run that staked the Zags to an early lead. Shives had the biggest bucket until, well, the truly biggest bucket/John Blanchette, SR. 
Of the 75 Idaho legislators with bachelor’s degrees, only 28 were granted by Idaho institutions. Twenty-three got their sheepskins from private schools. And only Rep. Wendy Jaquet, D-Ketchum, and Rep. Leon Smith, R-Twin Falls, have any reason at all to watch the rest of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament. She’s a graduate of the University of Washington; he went to Kansas State. None of the other schools in the Sweet 16 passed out bachelor’s degrees to current members of the Idaho Legislature/Steve Crump, Twin Falls Times-News. 
Seattle author Sherman Alexie has added another award to his groaning shelf of literary trophies — the 2010 Pen/Faulkner award for fiction for his book of short stories, essays and poems, “War Dances” (Grove Press). The prestigious Pen-Faulkner Award is the largest peer-juried prize for fiction in the United States. The announcement, made this morning from Washington D.C.’s, Folger Library called “War Dances” “a collection of structurally inventive pieces on the themes of love, betrayal, familial relationships, race, and class. The stories are interspersed with poems which refract their themes or topics/Mary Ann Gwinn, New York Times. 
Obama administration Tuesday, whispering a profanity to the president right before Obama signed his $940 billion health care overhaul into law, the New York Post reported on its Web site. After introducing Obama at the White House signing ceremony, the two men pulled close in an embrace and Biden could be heard whispering the words “This is a big f–ing deal” to his boss. Obama did not have any visible reaction. He went on to deliver his own profanity-free remarks and signed the legislation shortly before noon/Waterbury Republican American. 
“Walt Minnick’s venture into Congress has been a case study in building a fiefdom, not a party. He has shown no interest in convincing moderates and independents that Democratic values are Idaho values and can make a difference in their lives. He’s simply been trying to convince as many as will listen that he’s not like other Democrats. That may be good strategy for Walt Minnick but it hasn’t been good for Idaho Democrats”/MountainGoat Report. (MountainGoat Report & Political Game have written an exhaustive piece, “The Walt Minnick You Don’t Know” 
years of talk and frustration” that Obama described after the vote. The focus now will turn to attempts to either dismantle reform or litigate it away. This is partly because of the process. Because this bill has support only from Democrats, and been met only with opposition from Republicans, a significant number of Americans will never embrace the finished product. We had hoped for more from a presidential candidate who talked a lot about postpartisanship. But Democrats do not deserve all the blame for this exercise in strong-arming. Throughout this long and ugly process, Republicans have been determined to frame this issue into a “winner” in this year’s midterm congressional elections. This is neither party’s finest hour/Kevin Richert, Idaho Statesman. 
Apparently empowering women is frowned upon at Gonzaga University. Administration officials at the Catholic university in Spokane recently voted to continue to ban of the play, “The Vagina Monologues,” made by the Board of Trustees and former president in 2002. Throughout the semester, a group of student leaders have been working with administration to create an approval process. Students said they believed it would ultimately lead to the production being shown on campus. Protestors organized a sit-in outside of a campus building. They chanted, “Go vaginas, V-A-G-I-N-A-S,” and held signs such as, “Vaginas need to talk too”/Kelsey Samuels, UI Argonaut. 
talking heads that argue over the television airwaves, they’re there to arouse your emotions. To get you not just thinking but ready to fight. That’s certainly how I felt 
A 24-year-old man who last lived in Hayden, Idaho, has been identified as a suspect in a February shooting in which a bullet landed near a sleeping 3-year-old girl. Crime Stoppers is offering a reward for information that leads to the arrest of Joseph L. Bledsaw, who has felony convictions in Spokane and Kootenai Counties. Spokane Valley police say Bledsaw and another man confronted a couple at 15917 E. Sprague Ave. on Feb. 27 about a noise complaint. Bledsaw was armed, police say, and when the couple retreated inside he fired shots into the apartment wall. One of the bullets passed through the exterior wall a few feet off the floor, striking a metal bed post and landing on the blankets covering a 3-year-old girl, police said/Meghann M. Cuniff, Sirens & Gavels. 
the weekend, 
According to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, two Americans get food poisoning every second. That works out to 144 people per minute, 8,675 per hour, 208,219 a day, 1.46 million a month and 76 million annually. The latter is equivalent to the population of California, Texas and Florida combined. None of which means a dang thing unless you’re one of those unlucky Americans who spend hours embracing a commode. Happened to me a couple of weekends ago at a Mexican chain restaurant in Boise, bad tacos, I think. As soon as I could focus my eyes on my cell phone the next day, I called to complain. The manager said his place wasn’t to blame. Well, of course he did. Nobody ever is/Steve Crump, Twin Falls Times-News. 
In the post, he laments the lack of Democrats running 
II. He was also a prisoner of war, and wrote a bestseller, “Baa Baa Black Sheep,” that became a 1970s TV series. But it wasn’t until 2007, after more than a year of controversy, that Coeur d’Alene leaders voted to rename the local airport in Boyington’s honor. “Pappy Boyington Field,” a documentary by first-time filmmaker, former Marine and Coeur d’Alene resident Kevin Gonzalez, tells the story of the grass-roots effort by veterans to pay homage to Boyington/Anna Webb, Idaho Statesman. 
There are, though, downsides to anchoring out. A marina operator who chose not to be quoted suggested that security provided by the marinas was important along with accessibility and power. Mulvahill agrees. “If I had a choice I’d be in a marina. I have it anchored where it is at after a great deal of thought. I didn’t want to get in the Navy’s way, not the area in front of the boat launch, so I chose the spot, just about 150 feet out and to the south of the waterway.” This 26-foot, blue sailboat sits calmly out from shore at the head of Scenic Bay, tethered to a mooring buoy which is anchored to the bottom. Mulvahill finally figured out how to win even when the system didn’t work for him/Herb Huseland, Handle Extra. 
especially when that place has nine tempting varieties of Blue Bunny ice cream to celebrate the discovery with. As someone who doesn’t mind taking a solo lunch break from time to time, I rarely get a chance to indulge in pizza simply because I don’t want or need to order an entire pie for myself. Fresh, melty pizza is one of my favorite and most guilt-inducing food fetishes, and that’s really the problem. A slice or two once in a while isn’t going to cause my weight-loss plan to crumble and croak, but an entire box of leftover deliciousness would put a definite strain on the threadbare fabric of my willpower and would end up chasing my light vanilla yogurt off the breakfast table the next morning/OrangeTV, Get Out! North Idaho. 
Mitchell stopped taxpayers from knowing the details of the land purchase for the education corridor by dismissing a lawsuit filed by some allies. Quoth: “This was so early in the process that iit was before the ‘discovery’ phase, which is when NIC and the NIC Foundation would have been forced to divulge documents and information about the mill site purchase. I don’t think they wanted to do that.” 
thrashing about
for ideas on how best to close the state’s budget chasm, Senator
Majority Leader Lisa Brown, D-Spokane, cooked up a quintessentially
Democratic idea for having the citizenry give her the power to enact an
income tax: Impose an income tax on evil rich people, while reducing the
sales tax for everyone else. This conforms to the legendary Louisiana U.S. Sen. Russell B.
Long’s definition of tax reform: “Don’t tax you. Don’t tax me. Tax that
fellow behind the tree.” As a reward for granting politicians the power
to impose an income tax, the great majority of Washingtonians would see
tax relief for doing what Brown considers the right thing. It’s that
guy behind that tree who will get stuck with the bill. The Washington state constitution just about forbids
politicians from imposing an income tax and it certainly prohibits a
plot such as Brown’s/Mike Costello, Lewiston Tribune. 
R-Midvale and Senate President Robert Geddes,
R-Soda Springs — recently rejected out of hand any attempt to repeal the
2006 measure that removed the last vestige of basic public school
support from the property tax and replaced it with a one-cent rate hike
in the sales tax. “The vast majority of Idahoans supported that change and with
good reason,” the GOP trio wrote in an op-ed column that appeared Sunday
in the Tribune. “Now with property values down along with the economy,
reversing it would shortchange schools and impose a crushing burden on
local property taxpayers who already are struggling at a time that we’re
trying to revive - not suffocate - Idaho’s economy.” Otter’s being too generous. Much of the budget grief he’s now enduring stems from that
2006 tax shift. And the governor responsible isn’t Otter. His name is
Jim Risch/Marty Trillhaase, Lewiston Tribune. 
Murdoch (pictured). Breitbart reported today that media heavyweights debated Thursday whether readers will pay for news on the Internet. Quote:
Highway Patrol officers say Megan Barnes crashed into the back of a pickup truck because she was distracted while driving, but not because of talking or texting or changing the radio channel. She was distracted, according to officers, because she was driving while shaving her “bikini area.” But wait, there’s more. Barnes was in the driver’s seat, quite literally on the razor’s edge, while her ex-husband steered from the passenger seat. She was driving in Cudjoe Key, Fla. to meet her current boyfriend, presumably the reason for the 65 mph “landscaping,” as officers called it/Kathrine Nero, ABC 15.com. 
CindyH: Attention Hucksters: Inspired by a love of Guinness, Bent and Me (not me, me but Huckster Me, if you know what I mean, oh dear…) have instigated a pre-St. Patrick’s day gathering tonight at 5:30, in Spokane, at O’Doherty’s, 525 West Spokane Falls Boulevard. Nothing like getting a jump on the celebration :-) Blurkers, bloggers and commenters are welcome. I may even try a Guinness myself. Maybe.
in a crash at about 7:15 a.m. today on U.S. 95 at mile post 444 (Corbin Hill Road). Allegedly, Damien Bunch, 27, of Spokane (pictured) was holding a knife to the throat of Deanna Lafrombois, 29, also of Spokane. U.S. 95 was closed for about 30 minutes while officers negotiated the release of Lafrombois, and took Bunch into custody. Lafrombois was transported to the Kootenai Medical Center, where she was treated for cut wounds. Bunch has been charged with kidnapping, aggravated battery, aggravated assault, violation of a protection order, and possession of methamphetamine. Additional charges may be forthcoming. Meghann Cuniff’s Sirens & Gavels 
conservative,” said Bryan Fischer, director of Issue Analysis for Government and Public Policy at the American Family Association. “The tea party movement needs to insist that candidates believe in the sanctity of life and the sanctity of marriage.” “As far as I can tell [the tea party movement] has a politics that’s irreligious. I can’t see how some of my fellow conservatives identify with it,” said Richard Cizik, who broke with a major evangelical group over his support for government action on climate change, but who remains largely in line with the Christian right on social issues. “The younger Evangelicals who I interact with are largely turned off by the tea party movement — by the incivility, the name-calling, the pathos of politics.” 
hubbub at the Idaho Education Network: “Here’s an analogy a legislator gave me: when they passed this legislation for IEN (which everyone thinks is a good idea) the legislators thought Qwest would build the superhighway and we smaller local companies would be able to plug in the ‘offramps’, especially since companies like mine have those all around the state already built. Now (and maybe always) Qwest has decided to build the offramps themselves and cut out smaller local companies, even if it means duplicating existing services at dramatically higher cost.” 
makes a scofflaw from nearly all-white Idaho with no experience in adoption or rescue services think she has a right to bring religion and relief to a country with its own cultural, racial and spiritual heritage? Imagine if a voodoo minister from Haiti had shown up in Boise after an earthquake, looking for children in poor neighborhoods and offering “opportunities for adoption” back to Haiti. He could say, as those who followed Silsby explained on a Web site, that “the unsaved world needs to hear” from the saved/Timothy Egan, New York Times. 
Zelda Krup: I was leafing through the ad inserts in today’s S-R and came across a shiny, coupon-laden ad for a place called Elmer’s. But no where in the ad did it say where Elmer’s is located. I found it online and there’s one in CDA. Seems like if you’re going to pay for a hard-copy ad, you should at least tell folks where to find your restaurant. 
sheriffs, lobbyists, legislators and more, the House Judiciary Committee voted to put a decision off for six days on HB 500, the Coeur d’Alene Tribe’s law enforcement legislation, in hopes of the two sides reaching a cross-deputization agreement between now and then. But committee members made it clear they were ready to do something: Two other motions were proposed to move the bill on to the full House with technical amendments attached, a step toward passing it. Rep. Donna Boe, D-Pocatello, suggested passing the bill with an enactment date in 2011, to see if that would spur the county to the negotiating table. Rep. Steve Kren, R-Nampa, said, “I’m content with moving this bill forward with the amendments to give some time for some last-minute negotiations, if you will”/Betsy Russell, Eye On Boise. 
Caulfield was from Gooding. The Holden Caulfield, protagonist of J.D. Salinger’s “Catcher in the Rye?” The very same. His real name was Holden Bowler, and he befriended the reclusive Salinger while singing professionally on a cruise ship on which Salinger worked in the years before World War II, according to The Rocky Mountain News of Denver. The two quickly developed a friendship, riding bicycles together while in port and discussing their hopes for the future. During one of their conversations, Salinger told Bowler that he hoped to become a writer and would use the name Holden in one of his future books/Steve Crump, Twin Falls Times-News. 
the longest in the country. They have marked the occasion every year, although the record is a bit foggy for 1918, the year of the Spanish Influenza epidemic. “It might not’ve been big,” he said. This year will be big. Along with the annual parade, the local historical society will be dedicating a new flag pole in front of the Southeast Spokane County Museum housed in the old city hall, which is also 100 years old this year. The pole is being dedicated to the men and women in the armed services, Congressional Medal of Honor winner Vern Baker from nearby St. Maries, Idaho, is an invited guest and the city is hoping for a fly over by a KC-135 from Fairchild/Jim Camden, SR. 
Over the years, we’ve heard all the negative homeschool stereotypes. You know, like we’re just a bunch of anti-social gun nuts teaching our children that the Earth is 6,000 years old and the President is a Muslim communist. Okay, so that may actually be true of a few homeschoolers I know, but it’s just not the case for the vast majority of us who are simply trying to give our kids a better education. I’ve talked with my kids about stereotypes, and how unfair it is to label a person based on misplaced assumptions. Apparently, I’ll need to have that talk with my daughter again. After I stop laughing/Family Phil, A Family Runs Through It. 
Sims (pictured in SR file photo by Kathy Plonka), a former Republican state senator from Coeur d’Alene, has filed for retiring state Rep. George Sayler’s House District 4 seat. Sims is a founding member of the new OpenCDA.com spinoff, Citizens for Honesty and Responsibility. Also, she finally paid a fine after battling the city of Coeur d’Alene for a campaign finance violation from the 2007 City Council election. In other candidacy news, Vito Barbieri of Dalton Gardens has become the third Republican to file for the seat now held by retiring state Rep. Jim Clark. Duane Rasmussen of Hayden and Fred Meckel of Rathdrum have already filed for the seat. You can follow the latest legislative and state executive filings 
They’re already running ads for “Cop Out” calling it the “No. 1 comedy in America.” Sure it is. And beets taste like cotton candy. The funniest thing about “Cop Out,” a “Beverly Hills Cop”-type comedy that tries to do for Tracy Morgan what “BHC” did for Eddie Murphy, is a guest appearance - little more than a cameo, really - by Seann William Scott. His few scenes are hilarious, in a post-adolescent kind of way. The rest of the film, though, is a blend of graphic violence, f-word posturing, macho posing, jerk baiting and, overall, plot-wise absurdity/Dan Webster, Movies & More. 
backyard chicken books at the book store. She gasped and said, “Oh no! We are not getting chickens. I’m just getting used the compost pile.” If I recall she sent email updates to our friends suggesting that I was going off the deep end, and this was just for looking at the books. It took a while but she warmed up to the idea enough to accept the possibility that we might get some chicks last Spring. The only problem was that while I had been researching and designing our chicken coop, I wasn’t even close to building it. So without knowing exactly what to do with them when we got them home, the girls and I took the leap and got the chicks/Craig Goodwin, Year of Plenty. More 
chance to spend time there since 1997 when the first of my two urchins checked into Portland area schools — Junior at Linfield College in McMinnville and Amy Dearest at the Univesity of Portland. I enjoy the downtown, the waterfront, and, of course, Powell’s Bookstore. But Portlanders don’t seem to enjoy their own town that much. Portland, with its 222 cloudy days per year and high suicide rate, was listed by BusinessWeek as the most depressed city among the 50 in the country that were studied. You can read why 
connecting public schools, universities and businesses. He’d do well to protect the Idaho Education Network from his own staff. Otter budget chief Wayne Hammon did the project no favors by calling out the Senate’s chief budget-writer, with a remarkably ill-advised e-mail that would have better been left in the drafts folder. Hammon insinuated that Senate Finance Chairman Dean Cameron, R-Rupert, might sit on the IEN budget to further his “personal war” with Mike Gwartney (pictured in archive photo by Betsy Russell), the Department of Administration chief who is Otter’s point man on the project. Hammon later apologized and said he spoke out of turn, but the damage was done/Kevin Richert, Idaho Statesman. 
in Jamaica. Former KXLY television news anchor Lucinda Kay (pictured) said, “I was born into Great Shape; my mother and two aunties are the founders.” She said the organization got its distinctive moniker because one of the founders had planned to open a gym bearing that name. However, when Hurricane Gilbert devastated the island, gym plans were scrapped and the budding nonprofit became Great Shape! Inc. While traveling, Kay’s mother, Georgene Crowe, had fallen in love with Jamaica and its warm and gracious people. When she saw news reports about the horrific impact of Hurricane Gilbert she felt compelled to help/Cindy Hval, Washington Voices. 
this area. I’ve enjoyed tacos made by sweet, pencil-browed abuelitas at sweaty California flea markets, and short of actually visiting Mexico itself, it’s hard to find more authentic cuisine anywhere, let alone the upper stretch of Idaho. Still, maybe it’s just because I adore nearly all Mexican food that lands in front of my hungry face, but I do think we have some decent selections in town. After several fruitful visits to the new Nina Mary’s mobile Mexican eatery on Fourth Street in midtown Coeur d’Alene, I’m adding it to that list/OrangeTV, Get Out! North Idaho. 
an effort to best utilize Coeur d’Alene’s police resources, the City may give COPS, or Citizens on Patrol, the authority to ticket those who park illegally. The request, which will go before the Coeur D’Alene City Council next week, comes from the Coeur d’Alene Police Department. The department is hoping that instead of a uniformed police officer handing out tickets for parking offenses, volunteers in the COPS program be given that authority which would allow police officers to focus more of their attention on crime/KHQ. 
events of Sept. 11, 2001, left a wound that may never completely heal for the United States. That doesn’t mean America and its citizenry shouldn’t move on. A big part of the healing process involves bringing some of those responsible for the horrific act to justice, and it appears that the Obama administration is poised to move in that direction. Finally. We don’t really care whether alleged mastermind Khalid Sheik Mohammed and four accused henchmen are tried in civilian court or by a military tribunal - so long as they are tried at some point in the foreseeable future/Doug Bauer, Moscow-Pullman Daily News. 
coroner. Tom Cronin is a person who enjoys public service. Quite simply he likes to work. He did a good job at Chicago PD, CDAPD and at the CDA Tribe. He retired from all three but has probably played enough golf, and now wants to get back to what he knows best. Tom has lived here 10 years and has spent the last several years volunteering for CASA. He is not a carpetbagger. Deb Wilkey and Jody Deluca are also qualified and very nice people as well. The reason we have so many candidates is no one ever wanted to run against Dr. West. He is a coroner and I hope he enjoys his retirement. It will be an interesting race.
University of Idaho President Duane Nellis makes 213 percent more every year than full-time professors at UI. Despite Nellis’ high pay rate, the average professor is being paid 21.4 percent under the national average, as reported by the American Association of University Professors. Nellis also recently informed faculty and students that due to budget restraints, university employee furloughs are necessary this spring. While Nellis continues to make over $300,000, he will be using his power granted by the State Board of Education to implement furloughs that will force the hard-working professors and staff of UI to take unpaid leave/Katy Sword, UI Argonaut. 
other after Moore reportedly assaulted his pregnant wife, who was Taylor’s ex-wife and the mother of his three children. Ryan Taylor had three daughters with his ex-wife Amber and after their divorce she remarried Moore. Friends say that Moore had been verbally abusive to Amber and the violence escalated when he physically assaulted her Tuesday. Amber left the home and went to stay with her mom, who then called Ryan Taylor’s mom to let him know what happened. Ryan in turn went to the couple’s apartment in the Lakeview Village Apartments to check on his daughters’ welfare/Rob Kauder, KXLY. 
Why did Cronin abruptly depart as CDA Police Chief? Seems he wasn’t there very long. And why did he last only a short time as the CDA Tribe Police Chief? Seems his press release and kid glove treatment in this am’s CDA Press was a little “selective.” I see campaign issues brewing and a “carpetbagger” label.
Pet peeve of the day, why, oh, why do stores quit carrying stuff I love? Can’t find Near East Spicy Tomato pasta or Aunt Patsy’s Black Bean Chili anywhere anymore. And, while I’m on a rant, quit rearranging everything. I can’t find anything in the old Safeway on 4th anymore. Vent over …
In the comments section, Sisyphus concludes a top-notch break down of Jim Brannon’s latest flurry of motions in his 2009 city election challenge by saying, “Pass the tequila.” Which reminded me that I need to find out how to make a good margarita, the drink special requested by my mother-in-law for her 75th birthday celebration this weekend. As someone who knows next to nothing about mixed drinks, I need your help. (Photo: PRNewsFoto/Omni Hotels) 
it’s time to get back in the game. At Blogfest 2010, Meme13 suggested the 24-hour downtown restaurtant, 4th Street Pantry. OrangeTV did a review of it in late December. He wrote: “The new 4th Street Pantry in downtown Coeur d’Alene is set to corner the 24-hour restaurant market, and since Denny’s is still basically the only other place to stuff one’s face during the wee hours, they have a very good chance of success. Owners Michael Hanes and Tanya Dalton have created a warm, comfortable environment that feels like you’ve arrived at a friend’s cozy home for a nice little visit and a satisfying homemade meal.” I won’t post the rest of the review because I don’t want to influence you. So get out there and eat. Then, come back here and review. (Courtesy photo: Patrick Jacobs)
from that. To take up an interlocutory appeal requires some complicity with the trial court in that it must certify a decision as final for purposes of appeal. Usually there has to be some finding that the court’s decision sought to be appealed involves a novel issue in which the trial court is unsure and requires guidance from above. From my perspective none of the court’s rulings fall into this category but I have yet to see the court’s decision from last week. I doubt Judge Simpson would grant certification. Proceeding without it is possible but fraught with peril, particularly on a time sensitive issue like an election. 
where Kootenai County Sheriff’s Deputies have been searching for 35-year-old Chad Lee More, who is suspected of killing a man in Hayden Tuesday night. Kootenai County Sheriff Rocky Watson said that he could not confirm that the body belonged to Moore until the next of kin was notified. However, the sister of 28-year-old Ryan W. Taylor, who police say was shot and killed by Moore, told KXLY4 that it was Moore’s body that was found. The sister, Elizabeth Taylor, is at Hayden Lake and said that Moore’s family told her he shot himself last night. Sheriff Watson confirmed that a gun was found near the body/Rob Kauder, KXLY. 
Clinton’s enlistment of Arkansas state troopers in aid of his extramarital affairs, has turned its eye to Idaho Republican gubernatorial candidate Rex Rammell. But the magazine sees Rammell as a joke, saying “he enjoys a certain comic cult status” in Idaho. Rammell, a four-time loser for public office, is the subject of a commentary by Bill Croke titled, “Tyrannosaurus Rex.” Croke, who lives in Salmon, likens Rammell to other amusing politicians, including former presidential candidate John Edwards, Rep. Charles Rangel and Gov. Mark Sanford/Dan Popkey, Idaho Statesman. 
in the bill itself. For me this legislation is an opportunity to tell the federal government to back off. The federal government has overreached for a long time.” Hammond said, “I recognize that insuring all citizens would be a good thing,” but he said, “Reform is a whole different issue and I’ve yet to see any real reform on the table. … We citizens of this great state need to assert our sovereignty … and I intend to support this bill.” Sen. Gary Schroeder, R-Moscow, said, “This is a pro-choice bill,” because it’s about “citizens making decisions for their own health care, their own life.” The bill earlier passed the House on a 52-18, straight party-line vote with all Republicans voting in favor and all Democrats voting against. It now goes to Gov. Butch Otter/Betsy Russell, Eye On Boise. 
from business. Washington’s got a better rating in Forbes Magazine for being business friendly and doesn’t have a personal or corporate income tax, she said during a press conference. Idaho Gov. Butch Otter began this exercise in gubernatorial smack talk Monday, posting a “love letter” to businesses in Washington and Oregon. He invited them to move to his state to avoid taxes that voters raised in the latter and the Legislature is likely to raise in the former. Both houses have passed bills raising taxes and dropping some incentives for businesses, although the two proposals have vast differences in the types of taxes, and significant disagreement on the amount to raise/Jim Camden, Spin Control. 
shooting another man at a Hayden
apartment complex. The suspect, Chad Moore, 35, (pictured) was last seen
northbound on Government Way in a blue Toyota pickup with a white
stripe, Idaho license plate K433586. He is believed to be armed and
dangerous, according to Sgt. Andy Boyle. The search began after
Kootenai County Sheriff’s deputies responded to the Lakeview Village
Apartments at 2:50 p.m. The victim, identified as 28-year-old Ryan
William Taylor, of Coeur d’Alene, was found near the front door of
Building C. Taylor was taken to Kootenai Medical Center where he died a
short time later, said Lt. Stuart Miller, a sheriff’s spokesman. Miller said the victim and Moore knew knew each other, but provided no other details/Becky Kramer, SR. 
Egan B. Logan IV, 39, of Twin Lakes, was arrested today on charges of
robbery and possession of a controlled substance. Detectives say
demanded anxiety medicine from the Hayden Walgreens about 8:45 p.m.
Monday, then left $300 on the counter before fleeing with the drug. The
100 pills of Adderall were valued at $550, according to the Kootenai
County Sheriff’s Department.
The pharmacist told detectives the robber said “I guess I will have to
rob you” when she said she couldn’t give him the drug without a
prescription.
A local church pastor contacted the Sheriff’s Department today and said
she’d had contact with a possible suspect. Detectives met Logan at the
Rathdrum Police Depatment, where he reportedly admitted to the robbery.
He’s in custody at the Kootenai County Jail and is due in court
Wednesday/Meghann M. Cuniff, 
Academy Awards Sunday night — all over 40! Posts Cindy, of Best Actress Sandra Bullock: “Sandra Bullock (age 45) looks stunning! Her makeup is perfection! I adore her lipstick and I’m hoping my new Chanel Coco lipstick in Orchidee will look like this one me (yeah right). Her dress combining lace and silver lame is spectacular as well! Love her!!! I’m so glad she won!” I got the low down on “Sandy’s” look from Chanel: ‘Tonight was Sandra’s big night and she was in a happy, ethereal mood. I wanted her to look like the true movie star she is, so we went with modern classy Hollywood – dewy skin, soft eyes, and a bold classic red lip.’ (Makeup Artist Angela Levin).” 
Gov. Butch Otter is suggesting Washington businesses come over to his side of the border if taxes go up like they have in Oregon. In a “love letter to our neighbors,” Otter argues that Idaho has a better plan than other states for handling the recession: “Predictable tax and regulatory policies are what our employers need in order to maintain their operations through this rough patch.” He jabs Oregon voters, who last month voted to raise income taxes on people making more than $125,000 and business taxes. Oregon businesses started calling Idaho, he said/Jim Camden, Spin Control. 
are a big deal. It’s your one day to be the center of attention. Your day and yours alone. But after you get to a certain age, birthdays aren’t such a big deal. Dinner, a few presents, cake, and maybe a candle or two. If that. But the day comes and goes with little fanfare. I spent many years like that. But a few years ago, I decided to make a bigger deal of my birthday. It still might just be dinner and cake and a few presents, but in my mind it is my special day. A day to reflect on the past year and look forward to the next/A Butterfly Moment. 
my baby, Beretta, are still welcome. The popular coffee chain issued a statement last week saying that it is sticking to its guns and allowing customers to carry firearms into its stores where it’s legal. I, for one, think it’s mighty handy to have a gun on my hip when I go into a coffee shop. Sometimes those lines get long, especially if you go first thing in the morning when everybody else is on their way to work and needing a cup of java. I don’t begrudge anybody his morning coffee, but I’ve got a serious caffeine addiction that makes me a little irritable before I’ve had my first shot. And when I get irritable I get impatient. And when I get impatient and there’s a long line of customers ahead of me and I need to get to work right away, well, let’s just say my trigger finger gets itchy and all I need to do is start swinging that Beretta around and, man, the place clears out in a flash/Kathy Hedberg, Lewiston Tribune. 
Deb Wilkey in a news release announcing her candidacy for retiring Coroner Bob West’s position. “I realize that the current coroner leaves large and well-respected shoes to fill. However, I am confident in my ability to step in where he leaves off and will continue with his wish to ‘raise the bar’ for standards of the office. I have consistently taken the initiative to ensure that each step towards this goal has provided the experience and education necessary for objective and compassionate inquiry into each person’s death. 
leaders indefinitely postponed action on a resolution to encourage Californians to temporarily forswear swearing. The resolution, which would have established an annual statewide “Cuss Free Week,” passed the state Assembly last month. Now it’s awaiting assignment by the Senate Rules Committee as lawmakers grapple with the state’s$20 billion budget deficit. “We have some pressing fiscal concerns to address,” Kathryn Dresslar, chief of staff to Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, told the Sacramento Bee. “There’s absolutely nothing personal about this.” The hell there isn’t”/Steve Crump. 
ensue. Twelve-year-old Betty was taking a spin on the merry-go-round when Ray, 13, approached. “He said, ‘Can I ride with you, sister?’ ” Betty recalled. “I said, ‘I’m not your sister.’ ” And that was that. The two grew up in towns just eight miles apart; Betty in Craigmont, Idaho, and Ray in Winchester. “In small towns like that you just look around for the girls and find the one you like and go for it,” said Ray. So when he came across Betty again when he was a sophomore in high school, he asked her out. However, she lived with her aunt and uncle and they refused to let her date until she was 16. So Ray waited/Cindy Hval, Handle Extra. 
LeFavour continues to show the perils of giving politicians access to the Internet. In her latest piece the emo ex-slam poet turned politician declares that her ‘heart dies in this place.’ She calls Rep. Fred Wood, “the scowling man with the mustache.” Andcalls her fellow JFAC members heartless because they don’t avoid cuts in Government by raising taxes on every individual in the state earning more than that princely sum of $20,000 per year, and every married couple earning more than $40,000. How effective is Senator LeFavour calling the colleagues she needs to cooperate with her evil ogres who hate people in need?” 
monthly column focused on how hard the faculty work; however, some students felt it singled out minorities and non-traditional students. Bell wrote: “An additional challenge is the increasingly varied student demographic made up of part-time, older, and culturally and racially diverse students. For even the most experienced faculty member, these tasks take countless hours outside of regular classroom time.” Bell said that her only intent was to praise the faculty and highlight the difficulties that are inherent in teaching college-level classes. … Several students, including Student Events leader Cain Sanchez, said Bell’s statement gave the impression that minority students were more difficult in the classroom/Eli Francovich, North Idaho College Sentinel. 
this way: “Kevin started playing poker with college friends in 2003 after seeing Chris Moneymaker win the main event at the WSOP. His collectively made the transition from “Magic: the Gathering” to poker. At first they played each other but soon turned their attention to playing online. He’s been a pro for three to four years but April 2008 was his real breakthrough. He broke the PokerStars TLB record and has amassed over $100,000 clear profit. He’s been on the road ever since playing live events and has won over $250,000 to date. He continues to shine in online MTTs, consistently near the top of ranking lists with his biggest result $218,750 for final tabling a $5k event.”
SB 1303, this morning by saying, “Mr. Chairman, I want to thank you. You kept your promise - you said you would give this bill a hearing, and you’re doing that, and for that I’m eternally grateful.” Jorgenson said some may wonder why he brought his bill, which seeks to penalize employers who knowingly employ undocumented workers; ban benefits from going to anyone without proven legal status; ban driver’s license tests in any language other than English and more. “I can tell you I’ve been accused of being a racist - it’s categorically not true,” Jorgenson said. Instead, he said he’s brought his bill because undocumented immigrants in Idaho are “costing the state in the neighborhood of $200 million dollars”/Betsy Russell, Eye On Boise. 
and review them. We enjoyed Mineral Ridge so much that yesterday I hiked it with my Son who is a big time Tubbs Hill hiker - we loved it. Today my husband and I hiked it again. We met some aquaintances in the parking lot and when I told them I wanted a local hiking book so I could find more - they recommended Rich Landers book. When we finished our hike we headed to Hastings and picked it up. I now have 13 hikes marked in that book! Because the book markes Mineral Ridge as easy - I’m starting with other hikes that are similar mileage and marked easy. 
the advancements in information technology. For many Americans, a trip to the mailbox has become uneventful. E-mail is preferred over the personal letter. Bills are paid online. Private businesses have snatched a large share of parcel deliveries. The number of pieces of mail plummeted by 36 billion from 2006 to 2009. The service is projected to lose $7 billion this year. Those declines are predicted to continue. In response, the Postal Service is asking Congress to allow it to drop Saturday service, which would save an estimated $40 billion over the next decade. That isn’t enough to stave off future shortfalls, but it’s a sensible start/Spokesman-Review Editorial Board. 
Sunny is going full bore. We estimate we will have
2,000+ plants to sell initially… and hopefully broccoli, peas, salad
greens, spinach and there is a pretty good chance we’lll have
early strawberries … I’ll be working the garden for sure, but I’ll have to do part time
the Farmers Market, as I am competing in a few Pacfic Northwest BBQ
Association competitions this year… including the First-ever Smokin’
the Coeur d’Alene’s pitmasters challenge at the Kootenai County
Fairgrounds on Father’s Day… Mia, who took third-place at Bent and
Taryn’s BeerBQ Cook-off last year, is cooking with us on this one. I
will be blogging more about that as we get closer to it.
to produce six pieces of documentation requested by Jim Brannon’s attorney totals around $5300 to $5400. Cafferty submitted that number to the courts Thursday afternoon, according to County Clerk Dan English. Judge Benjamin Simpson (pictured in 2006 SR file photo by Jesse Tinsley) will rule if it’s a proper one. Originally, attorney Starr Kelso had requested on behalf of Brannon that 48 different kinds of documentation. But Judge Simpson narrowed that list down to six. In a hearing earlier this week, Simpson also ordered that Brannon pay a $40,000 bond within a week in order to continue on to trial in his lawsuit to overturn his 5-vote loss to incumbent Mike Kennedy in the 2009 Coeur d’Alene municipal elections.
after recent losses Watson wrote critical Twitter posts
apparently directed toward coach Don Verlin. Last weekend, the senior
guard asked how the team was supposed to win with “this guy coachin us.” A
week earlier, Watson expressed similar frustration. “Wow just don’t
gett this guys mind set, it’s like some times he don’t wanna win that
bad!!” Watson, a junior-college transfer from Las Vegas and the
Vandals’ second leading scorer, banked in a 60-foot shot at the
halftime buzzer Thursday night in Idaho’s win over San Jose State,
garnering attention from ESPN’s SportsCenter. After the game,
Verlin told The Spokesman-Review that he wasn’t aware of Watson’s
Twitter account and would not comment until he sees it. In the
release sent Friday, Verlin did not specify that Watson’s suspension
came because of the Twitter posts. But Watson confirmed the reason with
afternoon updates to his feed on the social media site/Josh Wright, SR. 
Tournament update. No JimmyMac sighting at this
time although Tropicana Ave is rife with excitement over his imminent
arrival. They have stocked, double stocked , lemon gelato at the
Bellagio candy store and Dim Sum will be the first order of the lunch
hour followed by Pilot Women BB at The Orleans Arena. Hopes are running
extremely high here as the denizens of Bellemaison get their first
whiff of mainland spring. With the entance of Jimmy Mac the happiness
will be complete. Back to you, daveo.
incurred
significant costs some people criticized as eating up more than he was
trying to save. It went downhill from there. Last year his veto tantrum kept
legislators in Boise for an extra month at $30,000 a day. He
accomplished nothing. His best friend heads the department of administration and who
passed over low bid contracts subjecting the state to expensive
litigation at private rates and possible damages which may obligate the
taxpayers to pay out on two contracts instead of one. 
editorial writers again, or at least two of them: Marty Trillhaase of the Lewiston Tribune and Corey Taule of the Idaho Falls Post Register. This time, Otter has Senate President Pro Tem Robert Geddes and House Speaker Lawerence Denney signing off on the letter, which was circulated by Otter spokesman Mark Warbis. It concludes: “The bottom line is that we can’t spend money we don’t have. We’re confident Marty and Corey will continue their campaign for doing something – anything – other than forcing State government to live within the people’s means. That’s their prerogative. We just hope they will start using the facts.” You can read the full e-mail from Otter/Geddes/Denney 
how a squabble between North Idaho lawmakers in JFAC this morning nearly killed a highway bonding plan. Half of North Idaho’s delegation fought for full funding for a U.S. Highway 95 construction project next year, and the other half fought for an alternative plan aimed at saving the state money on interest costs. But JFAC members uncomfortable about any additional highway bonding opposed the pricier proposal, and neither plan could get a majority, leaving the joint committee deadlocked on both. In the end - after four votes, two of which were tied - JFAC voted 12-8 in favor of a $12 million bonding program for next year, down from the $26 million Gov. Butch Otter requested.”
CindyH: A moment of silence, please. I’m about ready to go to the DMV to get my license renewed. I’m tempted to send Dave a before picture, because I think I look okay. The after picture however, will be horrifying and scary. And if they ask me anything about red light cameras I’m referring them to Starr Kelso.
A Family Runs Through It, Idaho Dad writes: “Do your kids chew ice? My son has been driving me crazy with his regular munching of ice cubes. I know I shouldn’t let little things like that get to me, but I can’t help thinking about the dental bills I’m going to see in a few years when his enamel is worn thin and his teeth develop chips and cracks. Ice chewing can be a sign of anemia in some people, but that’s not the case with my son. He just likes to make loud crunching sounds. It’s become so bad that I’ve had to outlaw ice chewing.” 
Bill Schneider: “The trend toward more and larger recreation fees fits perfectly with the plans of those who would like nothing better than to privatize our public lands. I know it only seems like a measly $5 here or $25 there, but it’s the old nibbled-to-death strategy—you hardly notice it happening until one day, you realize you can no longer find an affordable place to hike or hunt or camp. Interestingly, I believe every major green group opposes privatizing public lands, yet not one does or says anything about this obvious attempt to do it.” (AP file photo taken in Yellowstone National Park)
In the comments section, Idaho Dad provides a link to the incredible 60-foot shot by Vandal Kashif Watson with 0.1 second left in the half that banked in to give Idaho an 18-point lead at that point. The Vandals went on to win by 10. Later, Watson’s shot ranked No. 2 on ESPN’s Plays of the Day. Idaho Dad has provided a link to the video. You’ll have to watch eight other plays of the day before you see it. But it’s worth the wait. 
policy re: linking in wake of the recent flap with Idaho Conservative Blogger. Remember? A newspaper editor sent ICB a note asking in a polite way that the blog quit using Statesman copy wholesale. Adam Graham/Adam’s Blog and others have weighed in on the Statesman shot across the bow. As one who uses dozens of links throughout the day, I view this disturbance in the Idaho blogosphere as a good thing. Many bloggers and commenters don’t realize that you can’t use material produced by other online publications wholesale, including cut-and-paste comments. The key is to use a brief amount of copy, to credit the source, and to provide a link (so the original source receives benefit in the way of a page-view from a curious reader of the secondary blog). 
and Welfare. This morning we passed from JFAC $100 million in cuts to medical services for people with disabilities, for children and for adults with medical conditions and not enough income to afford care. If Representative Fred Wood had had his way we would have only talked about the numbers. What passed was not a plan, not a working budget but a huge cut with instructions to the Governor and Department of Health & Welfare: “Hope you can make this work.” Unlike with education budgets yesterday, none of the affected parties were brought in. No stakeholder meetings were held with the disability community, with people with chronic illnesses or with the hospitals, clinics, doctors and nurses to see if this would work out/Nicole LeFavour, Notes from the Floor. 
popular songs of today. Dunno how many of you have heard any of the songs. But Kelli’s take on them are interesting. For example, she says of “Telephone” by Lady GaGa and Beyoncé: “It reminds me of that Backstreet Boys song, ‘The Call’ that was popular but had the exact same message, ‘I’m singing this song about how I don’t want to hang out with you because I’d rather have sexy time with this girl and probably contract something incurable. Text me tomorrow, though.’” Some of the lyrics Kelli cites in other songs on her list are raw. So be forewarned before 
Hurst (re: 
she never meant to harm anyone and simply forgot she had the weapon with her. “I would never purposely take a weapon into a courthouse,” said Stacey L. Atkins, 22. “That would just be dumb.” Atkins was cited for two misdemeanors Thursday and released after security found the Bersa .380-caliber semi-automatic pistol in her purse as it passed through the X-ray machine on the north side of the courthouse/Meghann Cuniff, SR. 
generation fought and DIED for … and look what we have. People are less educated, entitled, irresponsible, spoiled, weak, gang ridden, drug addicted and less free. I mean it is truly an oddity to even meet someone who has both a mom and a dad that live together anymore. Of course there are many, many, many people from the baby boom generation that are great Americans, great people and even heroes. But when you zoom out and look at the big picture, I cannot think of another generation before that has let down the next so abysmally.
reminded of that while watching the evening news and seeing Spokane TV reporters reading to kids. I’ve done that a couple of times over the years and have found it very enjoyable. My favorite Dr. Seuss poem has been given as a gift many a time to high school graduates. “Oh, the places you will go … .” The doc had it right for anyone at any age if they just open the door to adventure. Sometimes we initiate those adventures; sometimes circumstances create them for us. I’ve enjoyed one such ongoing Seuss adventure over the past few weeks … /Marianne Love, Slight Detour. 
public space redesigned in a way that allows more of the public to use such a wonderful piece of land. … I am very tired of the baseball crowd and the traditionalists sticking with the same old same old. The city should build them a baseball diamond someplace else. Then go for something truly unique and wonderful at McEuen. Be bold, just don’t hand over any portion of that land to a private interest to help finance the project. We don’t need or want a “partnership” with some mega-wealthy developer who really wants to shut the public out while lining their pockets with gold.
set for the revitalization of that hallowed area by construction of the new library, new residential area nearby, and new commercial area across Front Street. Reworking of McEuen Field and downtown parking are two remaining pieces of an ambitious agenda to change the face of downtown. But I don’t envy the Bloem administration as it moves forward. In the 25 years that I’ve been here, I’ve seen one dust-up after another involving McEuen Field or the public waterfront, including Duane Hagadone’s two attempts to build a memorial garden in memory to his parents (on McEuen Field and later Sherman Avenue). Coeur d’Alene residents are deeply suspicious of moves by community leaders to “fix” McEuen Field. More below.
last night buying a few things and the line was long so I had time to sit and peruse the covers of the various Enquirer-type magazines there. And as I was doing this I realized that when it came to all of these celebrities who are identified as “reality stars,” I had no idea who any of them were. None. Sure, I recognized Brad and Angelina and Oprah and Brittney and their types, but no one whose fame has come through reality television. And they comprised about 75% of the people on those magazine covers. And that made me feel good. Getting rid of cable was one of the best things I’ve ever done.
The council is going to bring McEuen Field forward now because it’s time to reconstruct Front Street. Front Street was one of the three streets that was part of the original downtown redevelopment plan. But it has never been addressed. It’s important to know how Front will be connected to McEuen. We also need to re-evaluate downtown parking as move forward. LCDC has always had McEuen Field as one of its priorities. We need to know how a parking structure near the federal building will affect parking adjacent to McEuen. We also have been made aware of a substantial grant that is available to those cities that have participated in Mayor’s Institute (which Coeur d’Alene has) for planning purposes. It’s a long shot. But we want to apply. 
rod mama!” My husband said, “You’re going to have to work a lot more to pay for all your tickets, you red light runner, you!” Me? I. Do. Not. Run. Red. Lights. Except, the red light camera at the intersection of Division and Francis says I do. At 8:11 on a Wednesday morning, it filmed my car approaching the intersection, slowing ALMOST to a complete stop and then making a right turn. Oh, come on! There was no traffic! The road was clear. I will fight this to the bitter end or at least until my ticket is reduced. Do you think Starr Kelso will represent me for free?
Paul supporters (Ronulans) to take over the Idaho Republican Party and rid it of RINOs. They are led by this man, Challis McAffee, Republican Central Committee member, who “was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in August for pointing a revolver at Robert Lutes in Meridian. McAffee was documenting homes with delinquent mortgages for Wells Fargo & Co. In December, he pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of assault. He served five days in jail and completed eight hours of anger management classes”/Sisyphus, 43rd State Blues. 
It’s like they have nothing better to do. Idaho legislators have got things under so much control they have time to throw a federal government-bashing festival in Boise to impress the states-righters throughout the Gem State. Those Idahoans who favor less government are howling like wolves with approval for legislators who they believe, are looking out for their interests. The latest lets-get-the-feds measures call for suing the federal government over gun rights, control of federal land and replacing U.S. currency with gold and silver. Seriously? Do they think these things through?/Murf Raquet, Moscow-Pullman Daily News. More here.
Question: Why do you think some lawmakers in the Idaho Legislature can’t resist taking swipes at the federal government?
documentary on my generation, the vast and venerable baby boomers. Fortunately for our time zone, the show will be broadcast on CNBC at 6 p.m. That’s good because the repeat airs at 9 p.m., which is way past most baby boomer bedtimes. To be a baby boomer you had to be born sometime after America dropped atomic bombs on Japan up to about when Britain dropped the Fab Four on us. To help clear up any misconceptions, I have prepared a brief examination designed to test your baby boomer knowledge. Please answer the questions and we’ll tally the scores at the end/Doug Clark, SR. 
towards a CITY COUNCIL POSITION, in a podunk town like CDA. It was a close vote for some bizarre reason, but it’s small potatoes in the long run. Even Al Gore, who truly did win the presidential election, eventually gave it up. This is more about ego, and a kind of group paranoia that just continues to feed on itself. I see this kind of thing in local letters to the editor, or “government watchdog” types who are too timid to run for office themselves, but project all kinds of negative motives on those who do run, and who actually get elected to office. Someone should study this group, because it’s made up of a bunch of strange rangers.
bandits. Stand against the wall with your 30:06 stained hands in the air. Seriously, do you realy think the terrorist that has had three or more helpers to get into his final suit would actually touch the explosives? But how about all of those people that practice at firing ranges, including law enforcement? I was going to say, what in the world were they thinking, then I realized they worked for the government and can’t be expected to think.
Bud Hazel was not a guy who was impressed with his power and authority and his capacity to school children, inherent in the position of teaching. It was always about the idea at hand and laying down thoughts in a clear, cogent manner to bring your persuasion to its highest perfection. In his eyes, he was undoubtedly the least important factor of the equation. He also was a man with a really nice sense of humor and with Bud Hazel, nice counted. In fact, it was worth a couple of extra credit points. He lived his stuff and did his very best. There are some people, him included, that I do not take out of my contacts ever.
Arpie: Anyone know what that is on Hammond’s tie? I thought the press broke out the ugly ties in April as a sign for the legislature to wrap things up.
famous “Joel on Software” blog is coming to an end March 17, author Joel Spolsky announced in his Inc. magazine column. Spolsky, a former manager on Microsoft’s Excel team, used the blog to promote his New York-based company, Fog Creek Software, and created a resource for programmers that drew more than a million visits a month. Blogging was great for Fog Creek, in the early days. But Spolsky now questions whether it’s the best use of time for entrepreneurs and companies. Spolsky’s candid analysis could be a revelation — or a relief — to companies that feel left behind or frantic to catch up to the latest social-media tools/Brier Dudley, Seattle P-I. 
With President Obama forging ahead on health care reform, the moment of truth is arriving for wavering Democrats who would prefer that the issue just went away. Take Walt Minnick, a freshman from Idaho. The conservative Democrat voted against health care reform when it first came through the House. When the Associated Press 
with county clerks from the 10 northern counties and the Secretary of State’s staff. It came up while they were going over elements of the sunshine law reporting requirements. Other Clerks had read about this on-going case and wondered as well how fund-raising or expenditures related to an election challenge should be handled if it came up in the future. The Secretary of State representatives said that legal expenses and associated donations for an election contest clearly are clearly connected to an election event and are therefore required to be reported at least on the next annual report if there are no intermediate reports due to an off year.
case you were wondering what has happened to former SR colleague Erica Curless, Marianne Love/Slight Detour provides the answer: “One of my students started down a new road in her life. Erica Curless became a mom late last night on Dr. Seuss’s birthday. I read that news first thing this morning on Facebook. She and her husband Matt now have a little daughter named Quinn. Congratulations, Erica and Matt. Oh, the places she will go!” Feel free to give a shout out to Erica, Matt, and Baby Quinn (which I believe also is the name to one of Councilman Mike Kennedy’s battalion of children).
On his blog, 
to market research, only 5 to 7 percent of Americans still use their
middle initials (or middle names) on a day-to-day basis — and a good percentage
of them, I suspect, are named either John Smith or Mary Jones. Yet some
newspapers, including The New York Times and The Washington Post, still use
individuals’ middle initials as a matter of style. (Except when writing about
the rapper Eminem, I suspect; where would the period go?) Those papers claim the
practice is to avoid confusing, say, President Barack Obama with somebody else
named Barack Obama. Sounds dubious, but there still are some legitimate reasons
for using middle initials/Steve Crump, Twin Falls Times-News.
When I was at the store this morning, I glimpsed the CDA Press headline about
the Brannon case and have been waiting all day for them to post the article on
their website so I can read it. Of course, since it’s the worst website in the
history of the world, it’s still not there and who knows if it ever will be. Did
anyone read it and if so did it bring to light any new angles on the situation at all?
the Statesman is trying to impose extra-legal restrictions on the use of their content to restrict the same bloggers whose work the Statesman without permission for nearly two years. Folks like me and 
to change the system – from the courts or anywhere else —you’re going to need money – a lot of money. A cocktail hour fundraiser isn’t going to cut it. You need somebody with deep pockets who will finance a top-notch attorney and have the money for a performance bond. They have some people in their group who have money – Kathy Sims for example owns Coeur d’Alene Honda. I seriously doubt any of them will have the conviction to risk $10,000 let alone $40,000 to make the bond. I believe their challenge is dead. I found it ironic that if they had just raised an extra $10,000 during the election – they might have beaten Mike Kennedy. 
Harwood, R-St. Maries, said he wasn’t deterred by the attorney general’s opinion. “Y’know the supreme law of the land sometimes is maybe not always right,” he told the committee. “There was a prohibition law and that was not right. .. They ended up turning around and saying, well, what we did there was wrong. Another one was … the United States Supreme Court upheld, to protect a slave owner, they said that a slave was not a person, it’s a piece of property - we all know that’s wrong. That didn’t get overturned until the people went back and said this is wrong. You have to push the envelope … That’s what this bill is doing”/Betsy Russell, Eye On Boise. 
that Jim Brannon post a bond of $40,000 to continue in his lawsuit to overturn his five-vote loss to incumbent Mike Simpson. She called the decision “arbitrary” and “stunning” and insists in a headline to her latest post that you need $40,000 to buy justice in Coeur d’Alene. Quoth Mary: “His action appeared random because the number was apparently plucked from thin air, as we all watched, without reason or rationale given by the judge.” Indeed, Huckleberries hears that the OpenCHRG crowd was out in force to cheerlead for Brannon and his attorney Starr Kelso Tuesday in Simpson’s courtroom. Few of us who followed this case were surprised by the bond Simpson is ordering. However, I was a bit surprised by a statement in Mary’s post that attorney Kelso is working for free. That would be interesting, if true. And would explain how Brannon has been able to continue this far. For more reaction from Brannon’s supporters, you can use this link to read 
these times of economic duress. Now it’s been years since I called Idaho home. But I still feel enough Spud State attachment to want to help when I can. So here’s my brainstorm for Idaho. Leave those harmless poker-playing geezers be. Doing this would save a few bucks in wasted law enforcement man-hours. And more importantly, you badge-wearing Idahoans wouldn’t look like such heartless imbeciles to the rest of the world. This all stems over the foolishness that occurred recently in Twin Falls. According to a news account, the cops showed up at the Twin Falls Retirement Center to shut down a long-running, low-stakes poker game/Doug Clark, Spokesman-Review. 
Former Idaho Sen. Larry Craig has been on the board of the National Rifle Association since 1983, when he was in the third year of a 28-year congressional career that ended in 2009. But Craig’s re-election may be problematic, according a story in Wednesday’s Washington Times by Jennifer Harper. “The NRA will cast its votes May 14, during the group’s annual meeting,” reported Harper. “It is a delicate situation, perhaps — and insiders expect that Mr. Craig, well, is not on target this time”/Dan Popkey, Idaho Statesman. 
going hunting tonight. His target: Republicans in Name Only. McAffee, a Ron Paul supporter, is leading an insurgency aiming to control the Idaho Republican Party organization. Tonight’s event in Boise is called, “Operation: RINO Hunter.” McAffee calls “establishment” Republicans “dirty” and “power-hungry elitists” who “only care about sucking up to power”/Dan Popkey, Idaho Statesman. 
going to go out on a limb and applaud Jim Bunning for standing up to Congress and it’s insatiable spending. While everyone and their pet dogs have been castigating him, I think his timing is brilliant. You see, it got the attention needed! Had he held up legislation on anything that wouldn’t affect people already in dire straits it would not have gotten his intended effect. It did; he got the compromises he wanted and the Senate was held to task. Don’t let the Democrats use it against the Republicans. As Mr. Bunning said, we’ve got to start paying for things!/Dogwalk Musings. 
issued a number of strong statements during the committee hearing, such as referring to the “ugly process going on up there with JFAC,” that his committee was “chipping away at the armor they surround themselves with up there,” and, referring to the fact that the intent language had changed that day, complaining that JFAC had access to office staff with which to implement such changes. “I can see the advantage of having [budget and policy analysis division manager] Cathy Holland-Smith and [principal budget analyst] Paul Headlee at your beck and call making these changes,” he said. “JFAC rolls out a big ugly old sausage at the end of the day”/Sharon Fisher, New West. 
other incumbents but Councilman Mike Kennedy from Jim Brannon’s lawsuit — and raised the bond for the plaintiff from $500 to $40,000. Brannon attorney Starr Kelso, according to my source, protested that the increased bond was too high and would serve as a chilling effect for citizens who want to challenge election results. But Simpson responded that such lawsuits as Brannon could serve as chilling effect to individuals who are considering a run for office but don’t want to face the personal expense of paying for a court challenge. Brannon now has 7 days to post the $40,000 bond for the lawsuit to continue to trial on April 13. Simpson is now hearing the second motion in the Brannon case, a request by the plaintiffs for elections officials to produce 48 different kinds of documents.
Lewiston couple escaped unharmed after they left their kitchen for the living room, just moments before a pickup truck came crashing through the kitchen wall. Lewiston police say a drunken driver was apparently participating in sexual activity with a passenger when he lost control, left the road and drove a 2003 Dodge pickup through the house, coming to rest in a nearby yard. The Lewiston Tribune reports that neither the driver nor his passenger were injured. The driver was arrested on a misdemeanor drunken driving charge/
Stebbijo’s Place, the blogger has posted a response from Prosecutor Barry McHugh (pictured) re: Jim Brannon’s lawsuit to overthrow his 5-vote loss to incumbent Mike Kennedy. Stebbijo explains that she wrote an e-mail to McHugh to “restore integrity to our local government.” McHugh’s response is worth reading here. Stebbijo dismisses it as “coined.” But you will see that the prosecutor spells out his technical reasons for resisting Brannon’s request to produce 48 different kinds of documentation. Also, you’ll see that he’s squarely in the corner of Civil Deputy Prosecutor John Cafferty, who used the term “witch hunt” to describe the requested documentation. You can read the Stebbijo’s Place 
than let the publicly scheduled votes determine representation, a small group is circulating a petition to replace one of the commissioners (who is) in favor of retaining Chief Krill. The board consists of five commissioners. One such seat, held by Bayview resident, Kirk Quillan is up for election. He is sounding very much like he will not run for re-election. Jon Guinn, former Lt. Colonel in the USAF Office of Special Investigations, having been elected two years ago, is facing recall by factions that allegedly are attempting to obtain a majority for the purpose of firing the fire chief/Herb Huseland, Bay Views. 
room and ease it under the hot water. Unfortunately, when I stepped, clean and refreshed, out of the shower, I made a dismaying discovery. I had neglected to pack a clean shirt. Jeans, underthings, socks, shoes—everything was there except a top. It took only a moment to evaluate my options. With two fingers, I gingerly picked up the perspiration-streaked T-shirt I had worn while I exercised. The thought of pulling that damp scrap of material over my freshly scrubbed and deodorized skin was appalling. So I did the only other thing I could do. I pulled on my coat, buttoned it up to my chin, and held my head up high as I made my sweeping exit—a secret streaker, boldly (if covertly) defying the spirit of the “no shirt, no shoes, no service” sign on the door/Katrina, Notes on a Napkin. 
old to 100 years plus, Aspiring Pilots, Astronauts, Rocket Scientists and spectators and fun-lovers of all ages to assemble in The Plaza Shops, 210 Sherman Ave. At 11 a.m. Sunday, March 21, they will transform The Plaza Shops into a downtown Coeur d’Alene airport with runways, hangers, control towers, a sky mall, and real live airline pilots as part of the upcoming Great Northwest Paper Airplane Contest.
there to serve each session actually do so with an idea of helping people. The rest seem to be re-living high school. It’s weird…it really is. In a way, Butch Otter doesn’t fit into that group. He’s more like The Nice Principal. And so many of the Legislators end up being like…(I’m gonna test your TV trivia) … a room full of Eddie Haskells - complementing him all the while, scheming behind his back. Man, no wonder The Governor needs compassion…not only from the press, but also from the citizens. We stick him with a bunch of “Sophomores” in the Senate and expect him to get things done. The Speaker of the House has to contend with it, too. He’s like The Vice Principal, spanking and cajoling/Dennis Mansfield. 
didn’t address the right of suffrage. “I don’t think it changes anything,” Payne said of the analysis. “Under the Idaho Constitution, the right of suffrage is guaranteed.” Non-tribal members wouldn’t have the right to vote in tribal elections, he said, and that’s the problem. If a sheriff is abusing power, voters can vote that sheriff out, and if a police chief abuses power, they can vote for a mayor and city council who promises to discipline that chief. The issue isn’t relegated to Benewah County. Several state associations have sided with Benewah County’s voting claim, including the state’s prosecuting attorneys and sheriffs associations/Tom Hasslinger, Coeur d’Alene Press. 
commissioners ever did anything to direct the process, participate in a vision, write the document, research the land use principles or engage in dialog with the P & Z Commission for all three years that I served. They certainly asked no questions of us even when the P & Z Commission insisted on briefing them as to our progress. To add insult to injury, Mr. Currie now ruminates that he “doesn’t want to end up in court because of this plan.” Well, sir, I tried to give you case law, statutes and opinions from local attorneys, (including myself who has practiced law for 25 years and, I may add, is no dummy) and you could have cared less/Kathlene Kolts, former county planning commissioner, in letter to Coeur d’Alene Press. 
Lewiston, was arrested for drunk and disorderly conduct in Lewiston after he got married on Valentine’s Day. After he was bailed out of jail, Lewis went to a Clarkston home on 24th Avenue, but left after stopping his mother from calling the police on him because he was “out of control,” according to court records. His mother was able to push a life-alert button, but then another call was made to police by his wife Rebecca Lewis who reported being slapped and choked twice by her husband - who blamed her for his earlier arrest, according to court records. Lewis was rearrested around 2 a.m. on Feb. 15, this time by Asotin County deputies/Brandon Macz, Lewiston Tribune. 
“You’re doing the right thing. People in Grant County are great human beings who believe in democracy.” Stewart was one of two speakers invited to the John Day area by 
explore the area in which we live enough, I googled North Idaho Hikes this morning and came up with the Mineral Ridge Loop Trail. Going to try to find a local hike we can do on the weekends when we aren’t off playing somewhere else. The trail head for this is about 3 miles off I90 from the Wolf Lodge Exit - so not far to get to. The first link that came up for this hike said that it was 3.3 miles and that the elevation change was minimal and that it was an easy hike. I knew where the trailhead was, but we hadn’t hiked it before - I should have thought about it a little more and would have realized it was a RIDGE which means hiking up. It was up, up, up. I hate climbing up, but with stops to rest it was ok/It’s Just Me. 
environmental votes. As is sadly not unexpected, the Idaho Congressional delegation did poorly. On a 0-100% scale: 
in the hours.” Not much news value other than the statement that the three commissioners don’t have vacation or sick days. But they have taken off a range of nine to 31 days a year for the last three years. 
that the 48 different kinds of documentation requested by attorney Starr Kelso in Jim Brannon’s lawsuit represents a “witch hunt.” She called Cafferty’s comments in his response to Kelso’s request “unprofessional.” And then lectures in her latest newsletter that the challenge is a “legitimate legal action” on behalf of the “voters of Coeur d’Alene and all Kootenai County.” Mary concludes by castigating “this attorney” (John Cafferty) for “, is flinging inflammatory, juvenile names and accusations.” You can read Mary’s comments for yourself at OpenCHRG.coom 
2010 spring steelhead season is in full swing up on the Salmon River and East Idaho is experiencing the positive financial effects throughout the plain. Local sporting goods merchants are enjoying much needed sales revenue, the Idaho State Liquor Dispensary is approving its biggest restock order since the New Year’s Eve rush, Fish & Game is seeing an influx of funds from licenses and tags, and the emergency room in Salmon is looking forward to another season of drunken mishaps that make Johnny Knoxvilles’ Jackass antics pale by comparison. Anything short of a compound fractured femur is in the noise for Salmon ER professionals, they’ve seen it all/Clarence Worley, New West. 
businesses, who continue to pay fees they cannot negotiate and cannot elude if they want to remain in business. Visa, MasterCard, and the banks that issue their cards take as much as 3 percent off the top of every transaction in the form of interchange fees. For retailers, restaurant owners and others squeezed by the recession, the fees turn the screws a little bit tighter. And high fees can translate into a waiter not hired or equipment not replaced. If a card is presented, the merchant must accept it, no matter how small the transaction/Bert Caldwell, Spokesman-Review. 
hamburgers and pork chops, has written a book that asks meat people a question about our inconsistent relationship with animals: Why do we treat some of them like beloved relatives and others like dinner? The book is called, “Why We Love Dogs, Eat Pigs, and Wear Cows: An Introduction to Carnism.” Joy suggests that we have been taught by our culture to treat some animals like family. We treat dogs and cats like substitute children, albeit weird, little children who run around on all fours and are too lazy to learn how to read and write/Bill Hall, Lewiston Tribune. 
Wolves, when you get down to it, are a lot like us. They are powerful, aggressive, territorial, and predatory. They are smart, curious, cooperative, loyal, and adaptable. They exert a profound influence on the ecosystems they inhabit. Nevertheless, we have problems with wolves, no doubt about it. Maybe we can’t wrap our minds around both the big bad wolf and the close relative with the adoring gaze that follows us around the house. Or maybe it’s because gray wolves are the planet’s most widespread large land mammals after humans and their livestock and—in the Northern Hemisphere—have long been our most direct competitors for meat/Douglas Chadwick, National Geographic. (Cover photo: Jess Lee). See 
On Sunday, Bill McCrory accused both The Spokesman-Review and Coeur d’Alene Press of ignoring what he considers to be Coeur d’Alene’s equivalent to Watergate — the 2009 Coeur d’Alene municipal elections and losing candidate Jim Brannon’s never-ending challenge to his 5-vote loss to incumbent Mike Kennedy. Writes Bill: “The inescapable conclusion is that neither the local Coeur d’Alene Press nor its supposed regional rival The Spokesman-Review wants Idaho residents and legislators to understand just how easily Idaho’s elections can be manipulated. Neither do they want that story spreading across the nation.” Bill goes on to say that County Clerk Dan English has been conducting elections incompetently and Idaho AG Lawrence Wasden (pictured) and Secretary of State Ben Ysursa have allowed him to do so. 
Andersen to just not be on the board as of now. I see no problem with him being a member of the IPC. Again, the IPC doesn’t at all dictate news coverasge. If Semanko is arguing that he’s more ridiculous than I already thought he was. The IPC is largely there for journalists to know what other journalists around the state have been doing in their career and for recognition of good work (i.e .~ awards each year). They also work to ensure that there is a free press in the state, the courts are open and that open public meetings and public records remain just that. For Semanko to argue that someone, whoever they’re stumping for, shouldn’t be involved in an organization that fights for transparency seems a bit odd to me. Full post below.
1995 is back in the air. Two days before Stack’s suicide mission, 
gone outside for a smoke. Suddenly, fireworks began exploding all around him, and the combat veteran was back in Iraq, with no weapon, no backup and no one around who seemed to care. Screaming and crying, he covered his head with his arms and walked in circles as his panicked wife, Christy, begged him to tell her what she could do. Nothing, he said. He didn’t want anyone to touch him, to be near him, to help him. That was on the last night of 2006, and it was the McAnallys’ first real glimpse of how the year Kenny spent in Iraq as a combat engineer had affected him/Alison Boggs, SR. 
any beer or wine tonight,” apologized the waitress with a hint of exasperation when I walked into Kelly’s Irish Pub to meet the parental units for dinner. The draught drought was actually through no fault of their own; turns out they ran into a snare during the transfer of the beer and wine license, namely the fact that the county is notoriously slower than molasses when it comes to such matters. More than likely, Kelly’s beer taps will be flowing by the time you read this, but their temporary dry spell was too much to handle for several groups of customers who walked in and did a 360 back out the door after being told of the dire alcohol situation/OrangeTV, Get Out! North Idaho. 
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