Spokane7
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A man who shot and killed a college student home for Mother’s Day after a fight at a Coeur d’Alene bar last year will serve at least 20 years in prison before he’s deported to his native Honduras. Juan C. Aldana Villanueva, 23, was sentenced today to 20 to 28 years in prison for the murder of Timothy I. Wolfe, 21, on May 9, 2009. Villanueva, who worked at a Post Falls restaurant, had argued with Wolfe (pictured), a member of the Coeur d’Alene Tribe who was attending college in Montana, at a Coeur d’Alene bar before Villanueva drove to the Post Falls home where he lived with his girlfriend and child to get a gun, according to court documents. More 
w “Judge Judy” has brought a Spokane man more than just 15 minutes of syndicated fame.
Joshua J. Mulvey, 26, now faces new criminal charges in an Internet fraud scheme after a Snohomish County man who saw the episode recognized Mulvey as the same person who conned him out of $2,500 last year, police say.
Mulvey was arrested at a Coeur d’Alene motel in February. Detectives used a cell phone tower ping triggered by Mulvey’s mobile phone to trace him to the Lake City after they say he escaped from his Spokane apartment during a raid.
Read more about the latest twist in the case, and see a video of his Judge Judy appearance, 
Republican rift. Fourteen months prior to the
primary, Vaughn Ward was plucked from DC by Dirk Kempthorne, anointed by
the Republican establishment such as Phil Batt, and funded by Idaho big
business Republicans like Micron. Ward had secured the support of the
NRCC who provided labor and promotion labeling him one of their “Young
Guns” to take over DC from the likes of Nancy Pelosi. In stark contrast
Labrador came to the race late, had sorely anemic fund raising, and
secured the endorsement of …Bill Sali, as well as most his colleagues
in the Idaho House of Representatives known for its extremism and for
bucking the Governor and his moderate cronies in the Senate. This is not to say that Minnick has the general locked up by any
stretch. Minnick is still clearly 
Woody Allen’s famous phrase - “Eighty percent of life is showing up.” Back in the gloomy cold of winter, with the Idaho Republican establishment in line with the guy Labrador decked on Tuesday, you wouldn’t have found many political watchers in Idaho - this one included - who would have given the very conservative state legislator even a five percent chance to win the GOP primary. You gotta hand it to Labrador. He had the guts to show up and win he did. All politics require measures of luck and timing and courage and Labrador got just enough of each/Marc Johnson, The Johnson Post. 
For 20 years, federal agents allege, a Coeur d’Alene cocaine dealer went undetected by law enforcement, thanks in part to a tight-knit group of traffickers that included his friends and family. 
Dan of the County: Still looking quite light…even by late afternoon some Post Falls precincts were still in single digits…hoping the after work and dinner crowd will bump up the numbers plus when the absentees get added in…still, I fear it will be closer to 20% turnout than the mid-twenties.
Several of you Berry Pickers received a robo-call from Sarah Palin on behalf of Vaughn Ward today in his 1st Congressional District race against state Rep. Raul Labrador, including Chatterbox, who posts: “We received the Sarah Palin robocall at work this afternoon. Some of you know, I work for a local government office. Seems kinda silly to program a robocall to the county.”
the NCAA gets ready to lift a moratorium on schools moving up to the Football Bowl Subdivision, Griz football fans are debating the pluses and minuses. Montana native and ABC and ESPN sports broadcaster Brent Musburger says such a move would be “economic suicide.” Musburger was in Bozeman for a fundraiser for the Montana State women’s golf team. Musburger says moving Montana up to the FBS would be a horrendous mistake and that the state could not support a FBS team/Associated Press. 
Rack is moving east, to be closer to the highway and closer to North Idaho. Those are the reasons given by the Seattle-based clothing retailer for leaving the NorthTown Mall and taking up a 30,000-square-foot space in the Spokane Valley Plaza. It expects the Rack, Valley version, will open in October. It’s taking space last used by Linens ‘n Things, in a triplex flanked by Sportsman’s Warehouse and Old Navy, west of the Spokane Valley Mall. The Rack is the off-price division of Nordstrom that offers merchandise from other stores at significant discounts/Tom Sowa, Office Hours. 
in Kellogg say they are still no closer to ending a fight over a Veterans’ memorial there, even after a city council meeting on Monday night. Those veterans are upset after the city stopped flying the American flag over the memorial and then moved both. Those vets were hoping to hear a decision one way or the other about moving the small memorial about 100 yards. Those veterans say 100 yards is a very big deal. One veteran says he was happy with the little plaque because of what it stands for and he says what it stands for is bigger than the vets.The plaque dedicated a piece of land as Memorial Park/KREM.com. 
1,912 less games than former star catcher Mike Piazza, but he’s never been named to an all-star game. But that didn’t stop MC Andy Finney from introducing the Kootenai County commissioner as Mike Piazza. Now, you have to give Andy allowances for the mistake. The county commissioner was also listed as Mike Piazza in the program honoring Father George Rassley at Holy Family Catholic School for his many years of service to his faith and the local community. Some 200 to 250 parishioners attended the event. Councilman John Bruning, subbing for ailing Mayor Sandi Bloem, announced that the city is naming the men’s homeless shelter and warming shelter in Rassley’s honor. Piazza, Rich not Mike, BTW, had a good chuckle re: the mixup. (2006 AP File Photo of San Diego catcher Mike Piazza)
only chance I have to vote for County Commissioners. I think as a resident, I should be able to cast my ballot for the best candidates. In other races, if I know there’s a Democrat I will support in the general, I leave my ballot blank. The Republicans are afraid that Dems cross over to mess with their elections, and get the weakest candidate to win. That’s not why I do it, and I’ve never talked to anyone who crosses over to intentionally get the weakest R’s on the November ballot. We cross over because we want the R’s that most closely represent out interests to win.
(UI) abandoned 
Facebook, Bent points out that this is Sisters Week, a time to remember the great things your sister(s) has meant to you and done for you. Writes Bent of his sis: “S
Facebook, David Townsend noted that Friday was the 10th anniversary of his going to work for the Coeur d’Alene Public Library. Quoth David: “
Sen. Mike Crapo on Monday asked 1st District GOP candidate Vaughn Ward to correct a campaign e-mail that Crapo says leaves the “inaccurate impression” Crapo has endorsed Ward. The Ward e-mail was sent Monday morning, less than 24 hours before polls open in his race with state Rep. Raul Labrador. The Ward e-mail included a quote from Crapo praising Ward and listed 47 people who have endorsed Ward, starting with former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin. Crapo reiterated what he and his staff have told Ward and Ward’s campaign at least four times: Ward should not imply he has received Crapo’s nod over Labrador. Since he was elected to Congress in 1992, Crapo has never endorsed in a contested primary/Dan Popkey, Idaho Statesman 
coming in steadily today. But he shares my opinion that there’s widespread apathy this year, despite key races that will be decided in the primary election — Idaho Supreme Court, two Kootenai County commissioner seats, and two of the three seats in state District 3. I didn’t get one question from another church member re: the races Sunday, which has to be a first for the Sunday preceding an election. Dan predicts that the final turnout total will be lucky to top 25 percent. I’d say a low turnout will make it easier for a dedicated group of partisans (like Tea Party sympathizers) to grab some seats that they might not otherwise get (read: Steve Vick over incumbent Mike Jorgenson in Senate District 3). Also, the Tea Party might be disparaged elsewhere but not here in Idaho. Where Tea Party Boise has endorsed Raul Labrador in the 1st Congressional District race w/former frontrunner Vaughn Ward. Which would be a gauge of the clout Sarah Palin has in her state of birth. I’m predicting close races will go to diehard conservatives Tuesday.
not only lost their edge over the last couple years, but have become cutesy to the point of making me violently ill. The worst offender is Rose Is Rose. I don’t know, wasn’t it more edgy, more gritty at one time? It’s like a Doberman who’s been neutered, and now just sits on the porch with little rainbows and hearts and ice cream cones where his balls used to be. I no longer read Peanuts because it just seems so lightweight to me now. I know that Charles Schulz died ten years ago, and that the strips are selected reruns from the last 40 years or so. But I read the comics to make me laugh and/or think, not to be gently tickled with an occasionally amusing feather. Peanuts, due to its inherent time capsule status, has fallen victim to our cynical times/Bob Wire, New West. 
d’Alene store was the sudden disappearance of the old sign at the corner of 3rd and Miller which proudly proclaimed “Serving Coeur d’Alene Since 1938”. Still, Judgment Day must eventually come for all things, and the sign had most likely been in use since the last time the store had a facelift around 40 years ago. In other words, the place was in desperate need of an update, and the replacement sign’s modern, minimalist rendering of the Safeway’s latest corporate logo is an accurate representation of the store’s slick interior improvements/OrangeTV, Get Out! North Idaho. 
dispute between veterans and city leaders that has escalated into recall petitions being filed against the mayor and all six City Council members. The flagpole formerly displayed both the American flag and a Tree City USA flag, until the commanders of Silver Valley veterans groups informed the city in August that flying both on the same pole was improper. The flags flew above a veterans’ memorial dedicated to the city more than 50 years ago. The stone memorial embedded with a plaque honored veterans of the two World Wars and of the Korean War/Alison Boggs, SR. 
“I’ll never use one or those. I like the touchy feely tactile sense of a substantial book in my hand with my fingers fondling paper.” Yes, and people way back in history hated it when parchment scrolls became forerunners of Gutenberg’s books and helped destroy storytelling around the fire. But hardly anybody is reading scrolls anymore, and they would be whining if they had to. However, in one sense, the electronic book is nothing new. It is merely a redesign - an electronic version of a paper book. But it is an improvement on the whole when you’re traveling because each half pound electronic reader holds hundreds of books weighing nothing at all/Bill Hall, Lewiston Tribune. 
CindyH: Found a small boy wandering down the middle of Lincoln Road (on Sunday). Some guys had stopped but the boy kept running. We stopped and the boy ran to me. He was autistic and couldn’t tell us his name. Called 911— he’d been reported missing. He held my hand and we walked to a nearby church where he and I stayed busy high fiving a
Dustin Hurst 
when the entire island story line we had been following for six seasons turned out not to matter very much within the internal organization of the show’s narrative — to be largely disconnected from that final quasi-religious resolution of the plot — it was deflating, despite the warm feelings the finale otherwise inspired. Most of the post-mortem discussion of the finale will involve parsing and grading that final 10-minute sequence. Before conducting our own analysis, however, let’s talk about the previous 140 minutes of “The End”/Mike Hale, New York Times. 
Then, has any losing candidate ever followed the steps taken by Jim Brannon after his five-vote loss to incumbent Mike Kennedy, sidestepping a recount in favor of a lawsuit to overturn the entire election? That fact hasn’t been lost on Kennedy. Who posted this comment at HucksOnline last week: “Writing as a private citizen being sued, here, regardless of whether he loses or wins this court case, because of this willful and admitted plan of suing me individually first without pursuing all legal steps in the process, I would assume that Mr. Brannon has been preparing himself personally for the time when I as a private citizen seek to recover every penny of all applicable legal costs, personal costs, and damages in this lawsuit through full discovery in the courts …”/DFO, SR Huckleberries. 
Scholars are divided as to why Twain wanted the first-hand account of his life kept under wraps for so long. Some believe it was because he wanted to talk freely about issues such as religion and politics. Others argue that the time lag prevented him from having to worry about offending friends. One thing’s for sure: by delaying publication, the author, who was fond of his celebrity status, has ensured that he’ll be gossiped about during the 21st century.
agenda of the tea party movement,” and one in six call themselves members. The finding in the nation’s most Republican state comes from an Idaho Statesman/KBOI-TV Channel 2 poll conducted May 17-19 by Mason-Dixon Polling & Research in Washington, D.C. A national ABC/Washington Post poll in late April found 27 percent support the tea party movement. The same poll asked respondents of all political parties if they were “active” in the movement, and just 2 percent said yes. The Statesman/KBOI-TV poll asked a different question of Idaho Republicans, “Do you consider yourself a member of the tea party?” and 16 percent said yes/Dan Popkey, Idaho Statesman. 
late arrival to the race for Congress, state Rep. Raul Labrador (pictured) has demonstrated competence, composure and a command of nuanced policy. Despite more than a year of full-time campaigning, decorated Marine Major Vaughn Ward has proven himself untrustworthy. Labrador has earned the support of Republicans in Tuesday’s primary. He has earned the opportunity to present his case to 1st Congressional District voters in the fall, in a heated race likely to carry national implications. Let’s be realistic. Should a Republican win in November, the victor will be a newcomer in what will probably be a deeply split House. No first-termer will be a phenom. Labrador has the better chance to make an impact/Idaho Statesman. 
several out in the Rathdrum area that concerns the Vick race but nothing really over the top like you see some days or appears to be happening with the congressional candidates. I wonder if people have less funds to do those nasty attack jobs or if we maybe are going to be so lucky to experience some positive growth and maturity on the part of our candidates and their supporters…and maybe I’ll wind a big ‘ol Powerball jackpot too…probably more likely to win the Powerball than that the politicians have decided to “just all get along.”
Republican primary race to represent western Idaho in Congress, says an Idaho Statesman/KBOI TV Channel 2 poll. The snapshot of the electorate, taken a week before the vote, shows Ward backed by 31 percent of voters and Labrador by 28 percent, putting the race within the plus or minus 5 percent margin for error. Undecideds topped each candidate with 37 percent. Harley Brown had 4 percent. Ward had big leads in fundraising and advertising, but Labrador has gained momentum in recent weeks as Ward suffered a series of setbacks culminating in the resignation of his campaign manager last week/Dan Popkey, Idaho Statesman. 
10:30 Friday night, Dustin Hurst, a newshound for the Idaho Reporter and regular commenter at HucksOnline, posted this on Facebook: I’m “getting married in less than 20 hours. Wow. Scary. Anyone care to pass on some good marital advice?” Among the advice he received was: “Happy wife. Happy life.” And: “Say thank you a lot.” And: “No matter the argument she’s right.” Also: “Love the way you want to be loved. treat each other the way you want to be treated. Always be honest with the one you love. Always put eachother first.” How about you?
set up the question below: “Okay scenario: your kid comes home from a concert telling you so-and-so was not allowed in the concert because she couldn’t pass security’s tests for being drunk. Would you inform the parents of this 15/16 years old? Just curious. Btw if it was my kid I would hope to be informed. Drinking and driving kills.”
In fact, the City of Marysville throws an annual festival about this time of year - The Strawberry Festival. (I know - creative, right?) … My family was involved with the festival for a few years. My dad, brother, and I all worked the vendors market and volunteered as parade security. It came with perks. … Oh the free food. The food vendors understood that we were in control of their power supply and their access to ice. So they repaid us with goodies. This was greatly appreciated, but as it was a benefit it was also a curse. … After eating nothing but a variation of strawberries for five consecutive days, at the end of May, every year, you suffer something akin to strawberry burnout. At least that’s what happened to my brother and me. For years, neither of us could stand to eat that infernal fruit/Nic, via Facebook. 
George: Today I found the carcass of a beautiful golden-buff common barn-owl. Not a feather out of place, not a mark on its body — but it had died within just a few hours before I found it. Possibly it had eaten a poisoned mouse. The barn-owl isn’t on the endangered list but I’ve never had the experience of holding such a beautiful bird-creature in my hand before. Its heart-shaped face and extremely soft feathers and down is unlike anything in any of my previous experiences. The thought of a species being wiped out forever is a sobering thought. I would rather that we, as the dominant species, over-reacted in protecting all-species from a careless extermination rather than under-reacting.
30th Anniversary is commemorated today, May 22! Can you still recall the early years of 
you know Sarah Palin was the star attraction today at Quest Arena in Boise stumping for Idaho 1st CD GOP hopeful Vaughn Ward. I want to extend a thank you to the Ward Campaign for giving ICB press credentials. It was fun tweeting during the event and irritating the print press with my presence at their table. As you know ICB is a huge Palin fan and today she did not let me down. I have some pictures and a video below/Idaho Conservative Blogger. 
New Facebook friend Kiki Miller tells of a problem that should have a familiar ring to it, for many of you. Sez Kiki: “
left as she gave an enthusiastic speech rallying voters for GOP congressional candidate Vaughn Ward in Boise today. “The left and some of the lamestream media, they can really play dirty sometimes, trust me on this one, I know this one,” Palin told a crowd of about 1,500 at the Qwest Arena in downtown Boise. Ward, who headed the McCain-Palin presidential campaign in Nevada in 2008, is facing state Rep. Raul Labrador, R-Eagle, in Idaho’s primary election on Tuesday for a chance to challenge freshman Democratic Congressman Walt Minnick/Betsy Russell, Eye On Boise. 
Pentagon’s brownie recipe is 26 pages long. Just grab a copy of 
his latest dustup is spot on. Otter has taken exception to a Salmon-Challis National Forest official’s decision to deny an Idaho Public Television request to send a lone cameraman into the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness Area for educational-filming purposes. Specifially, IPTV wants to film about 15 participants in a Student Conservation Association program meant to train future land managers, according to an Associated Press report. The footage would be featured in an “Outdoor Idaho” program/Doug Bauer, Moscow-Pullman Daily News. 
There appear to be about 500 seats set up on the floor of the Qwest Arena for the Sarah Palin-Vaughn Ward rally, and so far roughly half have filled up. In the free seats on the risers at the sides a little over 100 people are seated so far. Outside, people filing in included Linn and George Pitt of Garden City; “We’re big admirers of Sarah Palin,” she said, to which her husband added, “We’re undecided on Ward vs. Labrador, so we want to hear him some more.” Glancing at her husband, Linn said, “I’m going to vote for Vaughn Ward”/Betsy Russell, Eye On Boise. 
yours and just waste a bunch of your asses.” That was what John Hough, owner of the Roosevelt Inn Bed and Breakfast, said he told Avista Corp. over the phone on Wednesday, which led to the power company calling police. Police handcuffed Hough and took him to Kootenai Health for psychiatric evaluation. Hough also told the serviceman there to cut off his power that the visitor had a choice. “You can shut off the power and suffer the consequences,” Hough said he told the man, “or you can take my request and depart my property”/Tom Hasslinger, Coeur d’Alene Press. 
paleoconservative tendency to many of these younger upstarts. Who is uberconservative, a “front porch republic” guy (look it up), or a FOX news type? And it depends what you mean by “take over”. It is inevitable that the old giuliani-lovin’ centrists will dwindle away anyway, they are old and tired, and not particularly ..ummm ..intellectually curious, shall we say. Shaking things up will be a good thing, and no one really knows how it will look at the other end, except we will certainly have a stronger Ron Paul element, that is certain.
total amount of creosote-laced soil from the old Carney pole site is small in comparision to the total amount leeching from the thousands of piers and bridge pilings spread throughout the Coeur d’Alene Lake, Coeur d’Alene River and St. Joe River. Why isn’t the EPA concerned about them? The pilings that comprised the quarter-mile city levee, constructed by the Corps of Engineers and now replaced by a steel-sheet levee, leaked twice the amount of creosote into the river than what slopped out of the pole soaking-pan of Carney’s pole site.
I don’t think there’s a consensus, so I can only say what I was taught in the military when we had washed-up politicians visit. We were told that, in general, former chief executives (Presidents, Governors) are still given the honorific they had as chief executive after they leave office, but former representatives (Senators, Representatives) are not. Therefore, Governor Palin would be correct, as would Mr. Sali, if they were to visit a military post.
speak, by the ever-morphing-but-consistently-disgusting saga of the gulf oil spill, 
seeing before … political ads in the Nickel’s Worth (or anywhere else) for precinct committee people … let alone three for different people … ” Which prompted me to check out the precinct races. Do you realize that 38 of the 71 Kootenai County Republican precincts have contested races. Some of those being challenged are such local Republican stalwarts as: Ruthie Johnson, Matt Roetter, Jeri DeLange, Kerri Thoreson, Betty Ann Henderson, Gus Johnson, Barry McHugh, and Rick Currie. I mentioned some time back that there’s a group out there, to the right of the Reagan Republicans and Pachyderm Club that are trying to shake things up at the local GOPCC. You can see the list by clicking on this county election department link and then on 
anti-personnel mines would be a fine and effective deterrent to Mexicans who cross illegally onto United States soil. He said some mines, which might “castrate you or cause some arterial bleeding,” are “a splendid idea.” On the big issues facing our country, this is a candidate who knows where he stands. Abortion? “I’m down on abortion like God Almighty is down on sin.” Iran? “That guy in Iran, he’s over there threatening the whole Middle East with those nuclear weapons. I believe in wiping them out with a preemptive nuclear strike.” Medicare? “That is completely government socialism,” he said. “And I would attack it”/Michael Ames, Boise Weekly. 
the Forest Service denied a request by Idaho Public Television to film a crew of students doing stewardship work in the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness. The Forest Service believed the request was “commercial” in nature because IPTV sells copies of its programs on compact discs. But IPTV sales strictly cover operating costs. As a state agency, IPTV is prohibited from generating profits. That aside, IPTV plays a critical educational and informational role in communicating the values of wilderness to Idahoans/Brad Smith, Idaho Conservation League. 
At his Get Out! North Idaho Facebook page, OrangeTV writes: “I always love spending some time picking out a couple of new brewskis to try at Pilgrims Market on North 4th Street in Cd’A, where the selection of micros and imports is wild and impressive.” OTV goes on to post a list of unusual varieties that he sampled and then commented on. 
numbness — of cycling long miles during Bike To Work Week: “
and then step down and the lieutenant governor would become the governor, which I think is not being sincere and honorable in your intentions.” It’s a variation on some recurring scuttlebutt. We have asked Otter and his staff about the governor’s health and his commitment to a second term, and they’ve debunked the rumors. What Ullman did, cagily, was to bring the question out from the shadows. On Wednesday, Otter campaign manager Debbie Field denied Ullman’s claim. Meeting with the Statesman editorial board last week, Otter again said this is the best job he has ever had, and he said voters can support him without worrying about his health/Kevin Richert, Idaho Statesman. 
some huge revenue for the Ward campaign. It also give those interested in seeing Palin but unsure on who to back for the Idaho CD GOP primary a chance to see and hear Ward speak. Don’t underestimate her power to draw a crowd thus giving Ward a huge opportunity to reach new eyeballs. But can this one event fix all the Ward campaign problems from the past? Can Palin bring back former Ward supporters who jetted away after all the negative press lately from the Idaho Statesman and Spokesman Review?/Idaho Conservative Blogger. 
reports): And while either a County Clerk or Secretary of State can assess a fine ($50 a day if I remember right) for late filings, it’s rarely done. The main thing is to just get the information out in a timely manner. It’s when someone completely ignores the rules or timelines that there becomes a real problem. And again, I’ve rarely seen that at the county level. While we offer training classes as well as a written manual on how and when to fill out sunshine reports it can still be a bit daunting for new candidates and treasurers that aren’t used to dealing with election laws…a bit like tax forms.
Christa Hazel: Actually, we should cut him some slack. Ward is so busy cramming for the “How To Look Like An Idahoan” refresher course that he doesn’t possibly have time to learn about other places. 
introduced by the Kootenai County Commissioners which would allow developers to escape their obligations under existing land use approvals and financial guarantees for up to two years by simply sending a written request. The draft bill says that the Board of County Commissioners may consider such a request at any regular meeting. But the legislation does not provide any standard for a decision by the Board, nor does the legislation require any findings of fact or law prior to granting an approval. Indeed, other than a “written request” that contains “reasons why good cause exists (minimally including an economic hardship),” these requests may evidently be granted by the Board on a whim/Terry Harris, KEA Blog. 
I can see how Avista could drive a person to this. They are horrible to work with on commercial accounts. There staff is uncaring, uncooperative, and not the least bit helpful when it comes to working witth small businesses. When I had my cafe dealing with Avista during the hard times was always a nightmare. I defenitly can understand Avista’s poor attitude driving someone over the edge.
breath of my support this early in a campaign cycle. I had a very healthy number 
d’Alene Police Sgt. Christie Wood. John and Tina Hough have owned the business for about 11 years, Tina Hough said. The power shut-off notice listed unpaid bills totaling $3,132.14. John Hough was alone in the B&B when the serviceman showed up, his wife said. Receiving the notice “just set him off” she said, because the couple has been behind on bills and was pinning hopes on the lucrative summer tourism season. All other creditors have been patient with them as they worked to catch up, she said. “We’ve been struggling to get through here,” Tina Hough said. John Hough called Avista’s customer-service center and police said he made threatening statements that included reference to a gun/Alison Boggs, SR. 
Shred Day is underway right now, what are you doing to keep your personal information safe? Experts say, with identity theft on the rise, now more than ever it is important to shred all sensitive documents you might have lying around your home, or at work. As part of Shred Day this year, KHQ followed one local business working to keep your personal information safe. PAML on the South Hill, a company that works in the Health Care industry, says not only is shredding your documents the right thing to do, it’s critical/KHQ. 
the budget puzzle in Rexburg, where trustees are trying to make about $3 million in cuts. Last week, teachers turned down the trustees’ proposal of 10.5 percent in pay cuts over three years … . Sherri Christensen, REA (Rexburg Education Association) president, said she understands board members’ caution but the situation is frustrating. ‘If we’re getting paid less, we will work less,” Christensen said. “Some of us really will have to go out and find another job.’” To broadcast to the world a potential pay cut will mean a work slowdown should be unthinkable in tough times when many people would be grateful to HAVE a job, even one where they had to take a temporary pay cut/Idaho Freedom Foundation. 
“which isn’t fun anymore since they won’t give me nitrous oxide for routine cleanings. Then there’s the lying about flossing. This time I’m going to tell the truth.” Which prompted another commenter to post: “Look. I don’t floss unless I’m trying to cram for this dental exam. I know I should. I’m a bad person. Blah. Blah. Blah. I should floss more. Noted. Let’s move on.” To which, Cindy responded: “It’s the sad look of disappointment that’s hard to deal with. I mean I only see these people twice a year, but I crave their approval. And a prize from the treasure box.” (SR File Photo for illustrative purposes)
blog is six years old today. Seems like ages since I first started writing about being a dad. That’s a lot of thinking and sorting and guessing on the subject of fatherhood. But it’s not so much what I’ve written that has made me a better dad. No, it’s the other dad blogs I’ve connected with over the years. It’s their posts and comments and personal emails that have made this all worthwhile. So, cheers to them on my 6th birthday. I appreciate the mom bloggers too. One of whom as become a good friend to my family/Idaho Dad, A Family Runs Through It. Washington state is forging ahead with its insistence that Idaho cities meet a more difficult standard of wastewater discharge than do Washington dischargers. Disappointing, yes. Surprising? Nope. When Washington Department of Ecology Director Ted Sturdevant decreed that the two neighbors would be held to different water quality standards, not even the ducks downriver gave a quack. Business as usual. But this business as usual, barring an unexpected veto from the federal Environmental Protection Agency or from the courts, is going to cost you. In fact, the phospherous-o-meter is running right now/Mike Patrick, Coeur d’Alene Press. More here.
Question: Is it right for Washington to insist that North Idaho meet more stringent wastewater discharge demands that it does?
Mayor Nancy Chaney said Tuesday memories of the sniper shootings in 2007 won’t go away, but Moscow is still a safe place. “Has life returned to normal for most people? Yes. But have we forgotten? Absolutely not,” she said. “I think newcomers to the area will see Moscow as a safe, friendly community and that’s unchanged, but there are some wounds that are still there.” Today is the three-year anniversary of an “ambush-style” attack committed by Jason Hamilton. He killed his wife, a church caretaker, Officer Lee Newbill and himself, and seriously injured Sgt. Brannon Jordan and a University of Idaho student/Kelsey Samuels, Lewiston Tribune. 
the TV showing a bunch of misspelled signs, tell them that a purely fictitious “2 million” showed up in Washington and they believe they’re going to take over the country. They believe any apparition so long as its coming from Fox. So yesterday they have a special election in a competitive congressional district in Pennsylvania, a district Obama lost in 2008, and the Democrat carries it by 8 points. This is where illusions get shattered by the cold stone facts. Nevertheless I don’t expect that to phase the Captain’s delusional ardor one iota.
you can use it to make more than just bread. One plant will provide you with more than enough zucchini for the entire season.” Now, I don’t know about you. But zucchini is a staple in the vegetable part of my garden. Gotta have ‘em, along with yellow crooknecks and some other type of squash that usually doesn’t grow for some reason. Also, I’m neighborly enough not to try to pawn the ones that grow to the size of large hogs because I forget to check them every day.
spectacular Coeur d’Alene Resort Golf Course is well-known for its floating green on the 14th hole and beautiful location on the shores of Lake Coeur d’Alene. The park-like course is continually ranked among the best resort golf courses in the United States by Golf Digest, Golf Magazine, and more. Although the course is well-known for priding itself on course conditioning (Golf Digest has proclaimed Coeur d’Alene “The Best Conditioned Course in America”), golf pro Andy MacKimmie says conditions are currently better than ever, due to the mild winter which has put play about a month ahead in terms of course conditioning/Idaho Golf Trail Newsletter. 
forget that it was the parents of todays liberals that did that. Perhaps after they grew up they somehow forgot to pass those experiences on to you. Heck, up here in Bayview, we recently had a sit-in by some lefties, (some or most are my friends, or used to be before I wrote about them) The cause? The replacement of a park bench in the boat launch area in Farragut State Park. It turn out the bench had reached it’s end of useful life, and the park decided it wasn’t a good place for foot traffic, what with boat trailers backing up with limited sight lines. They decided not to replace it and a cause celeb was born.
to the state Legislature. Sen. Mike Jorgenson, a Hayden Lake Republican, still must survive his May 25 GOP primary, where he faces Steve Vick. There’s no Democratic foe for November’s general election. Jorgenson, who has tried unsuccessfully to enact a law to punish Idaho employers who knowingly hire illegal aliens, vowed to push “an exact duplicate of the Arizona law” in the 2011 Legislature. Arizona’s new law requires police to ask for citizenship documents from those suspected of committing a crime, if officers had reasonable cause to believe the suspect was an illegal alien. Jorgenson says following suit in Idaho would “force Congress to get off their kiesters.” At least nine states are considering Arizona-style laws/Associated Press.
different fronts: an anonymous blog and complaints about the organization’s financial information are all in the mix. If anything, the attention means area Republicans have to fend off allegations of improper handling of financial records. Sometimes officials cannot even respond publicly because they don’t know who their accuser is. Ken Edmunds, former treasurer of the central committee, found that out the hard way. When he resigned last week, an anonymous blog called “Twin Falls Republican Party Restoration” suggested a possible reason was because the blog put heat on Edmunds for his work as treasurer. “They misrepresent things so badly, it’s very irritating,” Edmunds said/Ben Botkin, Twin Falls Times-News. 
Cindy: If breakfast is the most important meal of the day, shouldn’t we eat our most important foods then? For me that would be PB chocolate ice cream, a juicy grilled ribeye, steamed new potatoes slathered in butter, smoked salmon with capers and onions on a chewy baguette, and a chunk of dark chocolate. I’m thinking that says “important”. In fact it may say, “Breakfast of Champions.”
for the first time we have protesters — this time in Idaho — trying to get the 
paper’s website), Judge John Bradbury stated that rather than taking the Supreme Court’s approach, he would have sent the case back to the district court to determine how much money was required in order to fix the defective school buildings (a state estimate placed the amount at between $700 million and $1 billion), that he would then have mandated the Legislature to come up with the money and, if it did not make the necessary appropriation, he would hold the Legislature in contempt of court. This is activist approach that would have taken longer to resolve the matter and have produced a constitutional confrontation between the court and the Legislature/Justice Roger Burdick, Lewiston Tribune. 
Bauer, the managing editor at the Moscow-Pullman Daily News, is being promoted to the same position at the Lewiston Tribune, as Paul Emerson retires. Bauer, 37, will begin supervising about 30 newsroom employees on May 26, just two days before Emerson completes 29 years in the job. Bauer was selected from a field of 44 candidates that was narrowed to three, including another in-house candidate. Bauer met the criteria for the position of being a person of character who will be a partner in charting the course of the region’s newspaper, said Nathan Alford, editor and publisher of the Tribune and the Daily News. “He starts with a passion and respect for the region’s people and communities. He loves where he lives. That’s one of the keys to success in newspapers. You’ve got a foundation for success”/Elaine Williams, Lewiston Tribune. 
(Incumbent Donna) Jones is stronger on the controller’s one policy function: voting on the Idaho Land Board. Jones joins Attorney General Lawrence Wasden in pushing for higher lease rates on cabin sites at Payette and Priest lakes - although she is noncommittal about Wasden’s decision to sue the board over the issue. Hatfield says he is not fully up to speed on this issue - a troubling sign, considering Hatfield lives in McCall, center stage for the cabin lease battle/Kevin Richert, Idaho Statesman. 
been among the most anticipated in modern history. But the size and force of the blast, the landslide and mudflow from superheated snow were far beyond expectations. A magnitude-5.1 earthquake below the volcano triggered a blast that blew out the top 1,300 feet of the volcano, pushing some 3.7 billion cubic yards of debris to the north and west. Temperatures in the blast zone reached an estimated 600 degrees Fahrenheit. Trees were snapped off and laid down like dominoes. An avalanche of debris rushed down the North Toutle River, raising it as much as 600 feet in some spots, wiping out bridges and burying roads. Fifty-seven people died/Jim Camden, SR. 
don’t know how accurate of an “intensity indicator” it is, but on Saturday we had had our elections office open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. for early absentee voting and only had a little over a dozen voters show up. For several years now, we’ve had one Saturday voting session before each Primary or General for people who want to vote early in-person but who can’t make it during the work week. Hopefully we may still have a gang-buster turnout on election day but so far the absentee interest seems pretty light …
Congressional candidate Vaughn Ward’s campaign says it is “just a rumor at this point” that former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin will come to Idaho on behalf of Ward’s campaign. “We don’t have confirmation of anything at this point,” said Mike Tracy, the new campaign spokesman for the 1st District GOP hopeful. “Right now people are speculating.” Palin endorsed Ward on March 30, along with two other veterans who are seeking congressional seats in Florida and Illinois/Betsy Russell, Eye On Boise. 
stay completely out of it. But my feeling is that the coroner’s job is a ‘full-time, boots on the ground’ requirement. You’ve got to be committed to getting up at 2 o’clock in the morning and driving to wherever it is – Plummer or Harrison or Athol. That requires a lot of commitment and it also requires people that have demonstrated working relationships with law enforcement and with funeral homes and with the public. You can’t run the coroner’s office from your desk and you can’t run it from home. I’m not law enforcement and I’m not the prosecutor. It’s my job to speak for the deceased, the victims, and the only way you can do that is if you’re willing to get out of bed. You have to be there. It’s not something that will wait until 8 o’clock the next morning.” 
campaign debate that Idaho’s long-standing school funding lawsuit isn’t over. “That was a misstatement,” Burdick told The Spokesman-Review on Monday. “We indicated the case was over.” The end of the drawn-out case, which stretched for 19 years, came in late 2005 after the Idaho Supreme Court ruled the state’s system for funding school construction unconstitutional and ordered the Legislature to fix it, then closed the case without any further action or review of subsequent legislative changes/Betsy Russell, Eye On Boise. 
On Facebook, CindyH writes: “
incumbent Sen. Shawn Keough (pictured) in this month’s primaries. He was among local and state candidates who met the public at Sandpoint High School Thursday during a forum in the school auditorium. Tanner, who works in the logging and construction industry, said if elected he would do away with the prison system, installing instead a system of capital punishment. 
the city, and me, after rejecting the free opportunity he had to follow the state legislated process and do a recount before considering legal options. Writing as a private citizen being sued, here, regardless of whether he loses or wins this court case, because of this willful and admitted plan of suing me individually first without pursuing all legal steps in the process, I would assume that Mr. Brannon has been preparing himself personally for the time when I as a private citizen seek to recover every penny of all applicable legal costs, personal costs, and damages in this lawsuit through full discovery in the courts. And I would certainly assume that preparation doesn’t include (hypothetically speaking, of course) diverting or shielding personal assets, inheritances, or family trusts in the names of any other individuals or family members. 
Terry Harris is celebrating his second anniversary (to the day) of living in the Inland Northwest by attending an all-day meeting in viewtiful downtown Smelterville. Terry, as you know, is the executive director of the Kootenai Environmental Alliance. He moved here from Baltimore, Md.
he is so young. In fact, leaders of major nations aren’t often as young as David Cameron. Teddy Roosevelt at 42 and John F. Kennedy at 43 were the youngest U.S. presidents when they entered the Oval Office. So political reporters were buzzing the other day over that 43-year-old Cameron kid and his young wife. Meanwhile, the sports writers repeatedly referred to (Ken Griffey Jr.) as “the 40-year-old Griffey” with an implied exclamation point. They were saying that “Junior” is much too far into his baseball dotage to be feebly swinging a major league bat. Those bats are heavy. The poor old guy is going to hurt himself if somebody doesn’t get him out of the game in time/Bill Hall, Lewiston Tribune. 
biggest football rival will likely be out of the Warriors’ league in 2011, although Western Athletic Conference commissioner Karl Benson reminded me yesterday that, “there has to be an invitation before it can be accepted.” Most believe it will be a formality when the WAC defectors invite BSU next month at their presidents meeting. I’m sure many of you view the above quote as an example of Benson passively watching events unfold rather than actively participating in them, that he is just setting himself and the conference up for another big blindside hit … like the one in 1998 that formed the Mountain West/Dave Reardon, Hawaii Star Bulletin. 
you say “sprawl?” As if there isn’t enough of this unsightly and wasteful use of land, the 
OpenCDA.com, Mary Souza provides her spin re: what happened during the Friday hearing on the latest motions by challenger Jim Brannon and incumbent Mike Kennedy. As you may recall, Judge Charles Hosack added the city of Coeur d’Alene back into the suit and rejected Kennedy’s motion to dismiss the lawsuit altogether. Using terms like “seasoned,” and “astute” to describe Hosack (largely, I suppose because he ruled the way she wanted), Souza gushed about the proceedings, even taking time to take a swipe at Councilwoman Deanna Goodlander, who dared tell readers of this “internet gossip blog” that some on her side behaved badly in the courtroom. You can read 
Coeur d’Alene has a group of private IB lovers raising money to supplement its pet program? Are they an official 501(c)(3)? Any public accounting of the funds raised? Inquiring minds want to know. ;-) And: Btw, I love how the IB lovers here refer to Wikipedia as their source for information. Wikipedia is controlled by a group of left-wing control freaks who have no life outside of Wikipedia. It’s pathetic. And yes, I have been banned from editing there. ;-)
battle has been fending off the misinformation by the realtors, builders, and business interests. Parroting talking points we’ve been hearing all along, a commenter to our recent posting about the Commissioners’ misguided decision to remove density designations from the current draft plan writes: “This is actually a wonderful and BRAVE decision for these two to make. Terry…you and I don’t always agree but the state law is VERY specific and NO other county has density restrictions in their comp plan in Idaho. It is illegal by statute.” Which is (except for the “don’t always agree” part) unfortunately false. Quite a few Idaho counties have ranges of land use densities specified in their comp plans/Terry Harris, KEA Blog. 
issues, they are conservatives who differ ever so slightly, though Labrador backers doubt Ward’s sincerity because his most important ally is former Gov. Dirk Kempthorne, who raised taxes in 2003. In a Tea Party Boise survey, they differ on eight of 64 questions. Four differences are major: Labrador would return to the gold standard and quit the United Nations; Ward wouldn’t. Ward would cut the number of federal employees by 25 percent, except the military and homeland security; Labrador answered “not sure.” Ward wants term limits; Labrador opposes them/Dan Popkey, Idaho Statesman. 
required a place that served both Mexican food and adult refreshments, and Las Palmitas just happened to be nearby. Honestly, I’ve never been overly impressed by the food there, and I hadn’t even wandered in since a terrible, slow waitress basically ruined the place for me a few years ago. Still, I’m almost always willing to give a place a second (or third) chance if I’m hungry enough at the time. A friend and I wanted to celebrate her new job, and as the clock struck four we decided the time was nigh for blended margaritas. We sashayed our way into the lounge area and took a seat in some rickety, raw leather-enshrouded chairs that looked like they were put together by an obscure tribe of Native Americans several hundred years ago. Well, the mid-1970s at very least/Patrick Jacobs, Get Out! North Idaho. 
not one to discuss butt-crack sightings usually. Nor is Marianne Love. But when you spot the Mother of All Butt Cracks (or is that the Father of All Butt Cracks?) … it’s hard not to say something. Marianne was swapping motor-home-tour stories with two friends in the produce department of a Sandpoint supermarket when the MOABC burst into view near the lettuce display. Now, we’ve all seen butt cleavage before, especially those who enjoy swimming at City Beach during the summers. But this one was so pronounced that Marianne flirted with the idea of documenting the length and depth of the canyon with her cell phone/DFO, SR Huckleberries. 
and have
attended many Republican functions. I recognized many of the Brannon
supporters that were in the courtroom from some of those events. I was
appalled at the disrespect shown and the comments made by some of those
people. They all profess to have respect for the princlples of the
founders of this great country of ours and trumpet how they are
defenders of freedom and yet, whenever the attorneys for the City and
Mike Kennedy spoke they were rude and disrepectful, making snide
comments during the attorneys statements. It seems to me that respect
for the court system is one of the most important principles of this
country of ours, wether you agree or disagree with the issue. Respect
was not shown today.
some of the best Mac ‘n Cheese in town! Both restaurant and individual competitions. Chefs from our local restaurants will try their hand at creating the best mac ‘n cheese. Families welcome! The event is on Sunday, from 1-5 p.m. at the Greenbriar Inn, 315 Wallace. There is a free tasting (to the public) and chef competition for this MAC AND CHEESE event. Contributions to the fund-rasier are welcome. There will also be some auction items. There will be at least 20 chefs, both professional and non-professional involved in the event. The weather is supposed to be at least 70 degrees, so there will be deck and garden seating as well. We will provide cocktails, martinis, wines and beers for the event. Kids are welcome. We will have lemonade and huckleberry lemonade for the kids at no charge. Benefiting cancer research at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.” (SR File Illustration: Bridget Sawicki)
to this ritual a few times in the past I
knew that there would be hundreds of people there and that the car park
would be in a farmers field a couple of fields away from the site … so I
was a bit apprehensive about going, ya see, I still walk a bit like a
penguin with piles … I aint as yet got the best of gaits lol … and Im a
bit wobbly still on uneven ground such as a bloody ploughed farmers
field and climbing over a hedge sty … its all to do with the
pro-procepter muscles that surround me bionic fake knees lol and it
means that uneven ground is still a bit dodgy … anyways I SOOoooo
wanted to go, especially as me matie had got some free tickets to the
event and it was a great place to go ‘people watching’ or ‘weirdo
watching’ lol … I had found my people :) — me matie said ‘take ya
crutches’ I said ‘I aint no crimple’ so I took one of the beautiful
sticks that The Stickman and Don Sausser had sent me … so every time I
wobbled to the left or the right I had just that little stick to stop me
going arse over tit :) 
P33t, having been the object of some unsolved mystery of poison and darkness, do note my last thoughts here in order that you can all move on in an orderly manner without too much shock and sadness at my early death. Who knew that P33t wouldn’t grow old with everyone else? Red Dorothy will be snickering about my ability to write a will as P33t is not known as a particularly articulate guy but rather a guy of action! Someone who barks! Is ferocious! ;) P33t was also someone who was quite handsome. Sweet. Adorable. Good with the ladies. So they can snicker, one and all, at the thought of P33t laying down his last will and testament but to them I say this: P33t Ssssmitz has got game. Watch and learn. 
A North Idaho girl who was abused so badly both her feet were amputated received a new pair of prosthetics Friday morning. Doctors fitted Kyra Wine, 5, with a new pair of “stubbies” at Hanger Prosthetics and Orthotics. “Stubbies” are described as short prosthetic legs without knee joints. Doctors say these are specifically for summer, designed for running and jumping and even swimming. Kyra’s prosthetics were personalized with a heart design/KREM2. 
a point of saying that it wouldn’t endorse Minnick or any other candidate for the 1st Congressional District seat. Now, 
Hey, I was just surfing — do you call it surfing? — Facebook and discovered a post from the Coeur d’Alene Visitor Bureau that intrigues me: “Sunday, 1 to 5PM at the @Greenbriar Inn, 315 Wallace free tasting & chef competition for a MAC AND CHEESE Cookoff!” The post also had a number to call. Now, everyone here knows that Bent & Co. are the kings of BBQ’d meat (and getting better all the time). But a mac-and-cheese cookoff makes the mind wonder:
be at the courthouse today when Judge Charles Hosack hears a series of motions in Jim Brannon’s never-ending lawsuit against incumbent Mike Kennedy. The hearing is scheduled for 3 p.m. But the courtroom hasn’t been determined yet. Mary points out that one of the issues on board is Bill McCrory’s attempt to bring the city back into the lawsuit. Sez Mary: ”It would help a great deal to have as many people as possible present at the hearing so retired Judge Hosack, newly appointed to this case, understands the public’s interest in this important issue.” Stay tuned.
Hess says he’s not much interested in making a sequel to “Napoleon Dynamite.” “When sequels are an afterthought, they usually end up being bad but when they were originally intended to have multiple films made of the same story, when they’re conceived that way, I think it works,” Hess told the online entertainment news website 
I watch almost all the parades in Coeur d’Alene. Now, here comes Cindy bragging that she has her wave down pat to participate in this year’s Torchlight Parade in Spokane. On her Facebook page, Cindy sez that she “has worked hard all week to perfect her Parade Wave because she has been asked to ride with the Pearl Harbor Survivors 
John Bradbury to a debate. Then he backs out. Bradbury is running against Jones’ colleague, Justice Roger Burdick, in the May 25 primary. Jones is unopposed for another term. Unhappy with Bradbury’s charges against the courts, such as his criticism of using retired judges to preside over cases, Jones sought to defend the system and counter Bradbury’s arguments. The public would have benefited. Burdick and Bradbury haven’t gone into those issues much. Jones is a serious man who was a successful Idaho attorney general. The idea of him debating Bradbury would lead you to think he’s committed to bringing the facts to the voters. But then he flinched/Marty Trillhaase, Lewiston Tribune. 
Idaho Conservative Blog, the blogger writes: “As a friend of mine so eloquently said the last time there was a big Ward Campaign “Gaffe”, “Oh my, My oh my.” Well once again, what a day it’s been for Idaho 1st CD GOP candidate Vaughn Ward. ICB has not endorsed anyone in this race, but as my email filled up and the phone started ringing off the hook today all I could think was, My oh my. In the Spokesman Review today Betsy Russell dropped a bombshell in a column titled, 
Mike Kennedy: On facebook (and with his permission to print this), Mike Kennedy wrote: “Rode my bike to work (Thursday). Beautiful day, which made it a perfect start. Only one rude gesture from a driver, but I’m guessing that is not because I was sharing a lane of traffic with her, but rather it was perhaps she knew who I was.”
prison on three counts of statutory rape. Jordan Vernon received two years fixed prison time and four years “indeterminate” to run consecutively on each of the three rape charges. However the judge presiding over the case retained jurisdiction which means Vernon could be eligible for probation in as little as six months. Vernon was removed from his volunteer position with Real Life Ministries in 2008 after allegations of inappropriate behavior first surfaced. Post Falls Police say they found pictures on MySpace with Vernon engaged in sexual activities with a 14-year-old girl. Vernon also had sex with a 17-year-old church member and tried to lure a 12-year-old girl/KXLY. 
Post Falls couple targeted in what federal agents describe as a murder plot by a former developer received probation this week for a 2008 marijuana bust. Charles Hatridge, 49, was ordered to serve one month in federal prison in addition to four years probation. His wife, Karrie Hatridge, 48, received no prison time and three years probation. The Hatridges, who had no previous criminal records, also will forfeit $50,000 to the federal government/Meghann Cuniff (pictured), Sirens & Gavels. 
Capitalist” which targets the District’s International Baccalaureate program. The paper was available at a local coffee shop. Quotes the Coeur d’Alene Charter Academy’s founding member, Dr. Bill Proser, the IB program is “left-wing baloney’ and “anti-capitalist”. Accor
(re: 
Facebook (and printed here with his permission), Otis G writes about his Little League experience: “
On Facebook (and with his permission to print this), David Townsend of the Coeur d’Alene Public Library writes of a trip to his old hometown, Bozeman, Mont.: “
say anytime you are harassed, humiliated or threatened online it’s cyberbullying, and teens aren’t the only victims. ”I hear about adult women retaliating a lot more and retaliating in really vicious ways, to the point where sites get shut down, people drop off of sites,” said Dr. Cheryl Dellasega, author of Mean Girls Grown Up. She says bullying can be one rude comment, or a string of them. “The topics that women are cyberbullied about are really endless. It could be a romance. It could be your parenting practices,” said Dellasega/Mimi Jung, King5.com. 
Commissioners today voted 2-1 in favor of throwing out thousands of hours of hard work by hundreds of citizens in developing a new comp plan that actually meant something. Over Commissioner Tondee’s strong objection, Commissioners Currie and Piazza voted to remove specific development density ranges for all land use designations in the Plan. In essence, the two Commissioners declined to describe in real and useful terms what levels of development would be appropriate in any area of the county. The density decision, of course, is the most important one to make in a comprehensive plan. Today’s deliberation was the last one scheduled before the primary election/Terry Harris, KEA Blog. 
posted on his campaign website for at least the past five months are word-for-word identical to statements on other candidates’ and congressmen’s sites, including one in which Ward touted “my roadmap legislation” - actually something proposed by Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin, whose campaign website contains an identical paragraph. Ward’s statement on tax relief - all but its first sentence - is a repeat of a statement on the campaign website of third-term Rep. Geoff Davis, R-Kentucky. Half of his statement on health care matches a Jan. 7, 2009 Wall Street Journal article by Rep. Tom Price, R-Georgia/Betsy Russell, Eye On Boise. 
National Park. Two women, in campsites miles apart from one another, were mauled and killed by grizzly bears, the first bear-related fatalities since the park’s inaugural year. It is known as “Night of the Grizzlies,” a story with enough gravity to grab national headlines and cause the national park system to re-examine wildlife policies. It was also an incident forever burned into the hearts and minds of those involved, as well as the park’s widespread community. MontanaPBS is revisiting the story with the documentary, “Glacier Park’s Night of the Grizzlies,” set to debut on May 17. While the story may be familiar to many Montanans, some of the voices in the film have never been publicly heard before, said co-producer Gus Chambers/Molly Priddy, Flathead Beacon. 
Democrats and Republicans gridlock themselves at the state and federal level; what we need is action at the local level, such as the promotion local food production, or the creation of local energy trusts. We need a Party that focuses on the wealth of local communities – by that I mean local history, culture, economic opportunity, and can-do spirit. Let’s call it the Commonwealth Party and let’s say its mission is to build economic and ecological resilience to meet the steep and diversifying challenges of the 21st century/Courtney White, New West. 
understatement. I’ve been lost in every city, town, state and country I’ve ever lived in or visited. Yes, you can get lost in Ritzville. It’s difficult but not impossible. Don’t get me wrong 
more battles related to one thing - the 10th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. “The federal government beats districts into submission,” he said. “The state has to stand up and say, ‘No, we’re not doing that anymore.’” Some federal regulations can be harmful to Idaho’s economy and potential job growth, he said. For example, Klingenberg said he would support the nullification of the Endangered Species Act in the state of Idaho. Efforts to add the giant Palouse earthworm to the list of endangered species potentially endangers Idaho jobs - such as agriculture and logging - and could “bankrupt Latah County,” he said/Christina Lords, Moscow-Pullman Daily News. 
candidate for Idaho’s 1st Congressional District. “Vaughn is a true conservative who will champion our values in Congress,” Keene said. “I am proud to endorse Vaughn Ward for Congress.” Keene continued, “Vaughn stands for lower taxes, less government, and pro-family values that is desperately needed in Congress. Through his pro business stances, Vaughn has the leadership and vision to help put our country back on the right track. We need to support conservatives like Vaughn who will work to put an end to expanding the government with wasteful spending and irresponsible bailouts. I am confident that Vaughn will be a strong voice for all conservatives in Washington D.C.”/Vaughn Ward for Congress news release. 
primary elections. Where do they find these people? I swear, some of the candidates are less articulate than my two-year-old. I intend to vote in the GOP primary simply to prevent the stupidest candidates from getting a spot on the November ballot. I’d certainly rather be represented by articulate and intelligent members of *either* party than a mouth-breather who actually believes the Idaho Legislature has the power to overturn the Endangered Species Act.
tickets, smoke, go to jail, and vote. More importantly: my words hold a new weight coming out of my mouth. I can be recognized as some one with an opinion, and not just merely viewed as a teenager shouting into the wind. I get to be viewed as an adult shouting into the wind! Ok, maybe I’m being a little too snarky and sarcastic about this whole thing. I really do view it as more than a legal “coming of age”. To tell you the truth, I have a serious conflict about this whole turning 18 thing, and it really doesn’t have to do with my birthday at all. April 23rd 2010 signified that I am one huge step closer to leaving home and starting my own life. As anyone who has experienced this knows, that’s both one of the best things and one of the scariest/Colin Mansfield, via Dennis Mansfield’s blog. 
flopped on repealing the 17th Amendment — and thus returning the election of U.S. senators to state legislatures. “I’m not changing the position, I’m clarifying would be a better way to put that,” Ward told Betsy Russell of the Spokane Spokesman-Review Monday. Um, no. On the April 30 edition of “Idaho Reports,” Ward couldn’t have been much clearer. After Eagle state Rep. Raul Labrador advocated the repeal of the 17th Amendment, Ward joined in assent, saying the amendment represented a step in the erosion of states’ rights/Kevin Richert, Idaho Statesman. 
governor has signed a bill banning ethnic studies classes that “promote resentment” of other racial groups. Gov. Jan Brewer approved the measure without public statement Tuesday, according to state legislative records. The new law forbids elementary or secondary schools to teach classes that are “designed primarily for pupils of a particular ethnic group” and advocate “the overthrow of the United States government” or “resentment toward a race or class of people.” The bill was pushed by state school Superintendent Tom Horne, who has spent two years trying to get Tucson schools to drop a Mexican-American studies program he said teaches Latino students they are an oppressed minority/CNN. 
Mr. Johnson tells you about the new fence he’s putting up this summer. But HBO is like a Saturday night BBQ where alcohol is served - everyone gets a bit loose, some people are funny, some people are annoying, some people embarrass themselves. I’d rather be at the party and leave fellowship hour to those who prefer not to step on toes (or to have their toes stepped on). … it’s fun and new for about a year. Then it’s just as boring and annoying as email, and you’ll start to wonder why you found it so neat when you first created your account.
A photo on the front page of Tuesday’s The Wall Street Journal featured a 17-year-old 
“This is tapping into middle America,” (former Idaho Congressman Larry) LaRocco told Politico. “I think this is more of a toxic atmosphere.” But this time, LaRocco doesn’t foresee a rout of Democrats and a big win for Republicans like in 1994. “The voter anger is equally divided between Republicans and Democrats – we’re seeing that in some of these primaries,” he said. “It’s really anti-incumbent, quite frankly”/Betsy Russell, Eye On Boise. 
that there is no problem. So now I wait for them to give the note from my doc to their doc and have him call me so I can tell him my pulse is fast because I am terrified of needles. Giving blood shouldn’t be this damned difficult! I can tell you that my pulse rate when I first donated way back when would have been a LOT higher then it was today. Heck, I was in and out in less then 10 minutes once they hooked me up. The guy who had gone in before me was still there when I filled my first pint and left/Jean C’s Cat House & Shooting Gallery. 
think the older I get the more of a sap I am. Maybe it’s because there are many days that I am training, and have a twinge of guilt in me about time away from my family. I know that every Mom needs her time, and it is a good and healthy thing to do for yourself, but my time away some days seems excessive. My Fridays and Saturdays, are no less than 5-6 hour training days. That’s a lot. When other Mom’s are hangin’ out, playing with their kids on the weekend, I am on a bike for 5 hours. Or running for hours. Guilt/Paula, Adventure Junkie Mom. 
two Republican candidates for the Idaho 1st congressional district dropped the gloves in 
Twenty-two years into the Mariners beat, things have gotten a little difficult for News Tribune reporter Larry LaRue. It was LaRue who reported on Monday that Mariner Ken Griffey Jr. was snoozing during Saturday’s game against the Angels, spawning nationwide coverage and local disappointment in one of the team’s most promising players. And a case of the cold shoulder. After a players-only meeting Tuesday, Mariners players refused to talk to LaRue, with pitcher Cliff Lee going as far as to interrupt a news conference until LaRue left the room, 
fear among many hunters is that the few well documented declines in elk numbers reported here and there will become the norm everywhere unless wolves are actively controlled. There is good reason to believe this will not be the case. It’s important to point out that the vast majority of elk herds are holding their own in spite of the presence of wolves. Indeed, many elk hunting units in Idaho, Montana and Wyoming have populations that are at and/or above agency objectives despite the presence of wolves and other predators. But there is no doubt that wolves can affect prey numbers and occasionally cause them to decline. But that is a good thing/Greg Wuerthner, New West. 
wildfire popularity of texting and tweeting is shoving a whole generation of telecommunications lemmings off the cliff of basic knowledge, to perish below on the sharp rocks of sloth and ignorance. I read a lot, and I write a lot. I’ve come to understand the rules of language, grammar, punctuation and spelling. And I break those rules constantly. But at least I know they’re there. Notice I didn’t say “their they’re” or “their there?” That’s what I’m talking about. If you want to see evidence that our society is quickly sliding into the abyss of boneheaded duncery and moronic disregard for the basic rules of English, take a look at Facebook or craigslist/Bob Wire, New West. 
On Facebook, JeanieS asks one of those questions that I’ve never stopped to ponder: “Just took a Ladybug outside where she belonged and it made me ponder, since I refer to Ladybugs as ‘she,’ is there a ‘he’ and if so, does he have an image conflict being called a Lady. And if there is no ‘he’ then how do all the she’s get created?”
bag of tricks. They’re concerned that the fare that made Huckleberries a success in its six-plus years will be diluted by the new online fare. I don’t think so. Nor do the individuals with whom I’ve discussed this on my Facebook page. The two new cyber tools have complemented what I do here. Twitter has proven valuable by enabling me to share good links here with a broad range of newsmakers and news organization that might not otherwise check in here. And vice versa. Facebook has restored a social element to this page that has been lacking for awhile. This page has been leaning too far to the political and attracting heated exchanges among a small number of individuals that have chased some regulars to the sidelines. I’ve dropped The Political Sandbox wild card which encouraged those flame exchanges. State and local politics will always be a key element of what we do here. But I will ratchet back on the national stuff that brings out the worst in some. I’m always experimenting with this blog, changing the types of things I post and the weight I give local bloggers and commenters. Twitter and Facebook, I believe, has helped me improve the mix/DFO.
When I was a kid, we learned plenty about the founders, most of it false or candy-coated (never once heard about slavery until the Civil War units). What I was never taught in school was anything about the millions of people who were already in North and South America before Europeans arrived. Imagine my surprise when I got to college and learned that the white man wasn’t the grand and noble explorer he had been made out to be. I teach my own kids that, while this country and its history is great, it’s far from perfect. Really really far. We don’t actually have that much to crow about. 
Thoreson/
businesses that especially offer women’s items. But perhaps the better choice would have been to make last Sunday’s new business items be the women’s stores. That might have helped solve the Mother’s Day gift quandary. One new option is Dazzle, a quality resale fashions store in Hayden Creek Plaza at 8134 Government Way. Opening in late April, Dazzle offers clothes, shoes, handbags, jewelry, fashion accessories and small home décor items. “We offer women the chance to turn cluttered closets into cash by consigning items they no longer wish to wear or possibly have never worn at all,” said Dwight Lucky, who owns the store with his wife Tara/Nils Rosdahl. 
angered to the point of action & protest over the fact that the United Nations is operating somewhere in the world. I don’t believe that Hayden Meadows is ground zero of indoctrination for a New World order. So I’m not frothing at the mouth over the UN but that shouldn’t equate to a one way ticket to live somewhere else, should it? And PS — the Pledge of Allegiance is still stated on a daily basis, the constitution is still studied, and kids at Hayden Meadows love their country.
commissions a poll out of his own pocket, shops the results around, hoping media outlets will bite. The resulting news story generates publicity for “Greg Smith & Associates,” which he then uses to drum up some more business. Greg has to do this because he doesn’t get much repeat business. An example of why - you all remember Matt Salisbury? Nice guy. He had Greg do a poll for the ‘08 primary between himself and Bill Sali. Four days before the primary, Salisbury’s campaign staff was running to and fro telling everyone “We just got poll results that show us trailing Sali by only 3 points!” Salisbury lost by 20.
groomed, talking point, rethoric spewing politician. He says he hates politicians and is going to change the status quo becuase hes not status quo - but he speaks to us in soundbytes and with buzzwords. Raul Labrador seems downhome and honest. You don’t feel like you’re being talked down to like with Ward. He is well spoken and easy to relate to. He dosen’t speak in buzzwords and seems to hold true to his convictions. I would really encourage everyone to go watch this debate before you vote on May 25.
John Bradbury over some of Bradbury’s campaign talking points. Jones had given Bradbury three possible dates for a debate in Boise after Bradbury said he’d meet Jones for a debate “anytime, anywhere” in a Twin Falls Times-News story. Now, Jones said that because of plenty of opposition to Bradbury’s campaign, a debate is no longer needed. “A Jones-Bradbury debate would serve no purpose at this point and merely distract from an important Supreme Court contest,” Jones told reporters in an email/Brad Iverson-Long, Idaho Reporter. 
primary race that finds 50 percent of voters undecided, just weeks before the May 25 primary election. Smith said his poll of 400 voters in the 1st CD showed 34 percent support Vaughn Ward in the GOP primary, 16 percent favor Raul Labrador, and 50 percent were “undecided/don’t know/refused/other.” Smith said the same poll showed, for the general election, incumbent Democratic Congressman Walt Minnick as the favored candidate for 50 percent of respondents, with just 20 percent choosing “the Republican candidate” instead/Betsy Russell, Eye On Boise. 
thanks to a couple 
Dan of the County: Yes, absentee voting has started at the elections office, 1808 3rd street, or a request by mail. We will also be open this Saturday only for absentee voting at the elections office from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Voting — it’s not just on Election Day Anymore! Questions or More Information = 446-1030.
West Glacier this morning to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the establishment of Glacier National Park. There were officials a-plenty - Park Superintendent Chas Cartwright, as well as retired park superintendents and employees; Lt. Gov. John Bohlinger; and tribal representatives from the Blackfeet and Flathead reservations. But the “wherefores” and “whereases” were interspersed with people’s own memories of the park, with one person after another reminiscing about coming to Glacier with his or her own parents, and then returning with children of their own/Michael Jamison, Missoulian. 
for investigation of bestiality after a family member accused him of sexually abusing a goat. GMI reports the Whatcom Humane Society took custody of the goat. In another bestiality case, Sheriff Bill Elfo says detectives continue to investigate an animal sex operation that was busted last month near Sumas. Elfo told The Bellingham Herald charges are possible against Douglas Spink who was arrested April 14 and held on suspicion of violating a drug probation. A British man was arrested for investigation of animal cruelty after agents found a video of him with a dog/Associated Press. 
Baccalaureate program
named Juan from Mexico whom I don’t think would pass any “e-verify” checks in today’s environment. Heck of a good guy, but he was like the wind. He’d leave to go visit his family for a while, and the owner wouldn’t ever quite know when he’d be back, so scheduling was, creative. Then he’d show up and we’d stumble along in my high school spanish. I thought we should do a sitcom on the characters that came through there, starting and ending with the New-York native owners (one of whom was a Southwest pilot who would bring flight attendants in to impress them - that never worked). Good times.
Butch Otter will lose in the May 25 Republican primary, but unlike other aspirants for office, he doesn’t think he’ll be the one to take down the incumbent. He said he expects former elk rancher Rex Rammell of Idaho Falls or Ada County Commissioner Sharon Ullman to win the race. Peterson said he doesn’t want the state’s top political job, and has already endorsed an independent candidate in the race. Ousting Otter has been the focal point of Peterson’s campaign. His official website is BeatButch.com, where people can order bumper stickers, shirts, or underwear with the “Beat Butch” slogan/Brad Iverson-Long. 
repealing the 17th Amendment - direct election of U.S. senators - one of two GOP congressional candidates who backed the idea now says he never did. “I’m not changing the position, I’m clarifying, would be a better way to put that,” said Vaughn Ward, who is running in the hotly contested GOP primary for a chance to challenge 1st District Democratic Congressman Walt Minnick. “I do not want to take away the power of people to elect senators,” Ward said Monday. “What I do support is amending the Constitution and adding a two-term limit for U.S. senators”/Betsy Russell, Eye On Boise. 
to the sports site 
frequent commenter. He’s added his opinion on kxly.com more than 300 times. He’s a news junkie and loves the debate. He says it helps people feel like they’re part of the news affecting our community. And, he acknowledges, sometimes it’s easier to be honest when people can’t see your face. But, he also sees the downside. “You can character assasinate a person or an issue at lightspeed. Anonymously. That is probably the biggest drawback of all,” says Lloyd. To Lloyd’s credit, he always posts his name. Which is why I was able to determine it was he who leveled that particularly scathing response to last week’s Good QuestionMelissa Luck, KXLY4. 
Rick Currie’s signs seem to disappear faster than he can put them up and Jai Nelson signs appear in most of those same locations. Having experienced the disappearing sign sydrome myself, I have to say it is frustrating, expecially since it is too late to get more signs printed. It does not seem to bother the Labrador people to place their signs smack dab in front of the other signs that were there previously. Whatever happened to common courtesy and respect??????
Mower won’t start, charge battery, install, mower starts, PTO (power take off) won’t engage, belt off. Put belt on, mow some tall grass, mower dies. Won’t start. Push to car, jump battery, PTO won’t engage, belt off. Put belt back on, start mower, mow some, disengage PTO, engage again, belt falls off. Turn off mower, put belt back on, mower won’t start. Push to car, jump start, mow some more, belt brakes”/Trish Gannon, via Facebook, re: struggle w/a under-performing mower.
wasn’t surprised while reading a book on the last presidential election to learn that the three leading contenders - Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and John McCain - resorted in moments of anger and frustration to the use of the F-bomb. Politicians can be hot-headed in their language. Of course, most people resort to strong, heartfelt exclamations ranging from “Drat!” to hissy-fit outbursts of the coarsest kind when they hit their thumbs with a hammer or are infuriated by something. Few painkillers are as instantly effective as wallowing in the crude words once used mostly by sailors. But I was surprised how frequently in the book “Game Change” by John Heilemann and Mark Halperin the three major candidates chose the favorite Anglo-Saxon obscenity to alleviate their many moments of distress/Bill Hall, Lewiston Tribune. 
having a judge rule that the other side was wrong in a personal injury lawsuit and then allow them to leave without cutting you a check. The attorney for those schools (in their long-standing lawsuit), former Justice Robert Huntley of Boise, says he was told that the case was “over” and that the court had no intention of moving ahead. Taking the case to the federal courts didn’t resolve the matter. Burdick says the case remains open. … But Huntley, who donated huge sums of money and time to this cause, has run out of both. So there it sits. Nearly two decades of court battles and a Supreme Court ruling that says the state constitution is being violated. Noble words. No deeds/Marty Trillhaase, Lewiston Tribune. 
fact we had no regular potato chips… because nothing tastes better than a ham sandwich crammed full of those crispy critters. It got us discussing the odd foods that can sometimes be paired together with surprisingly tasty results. I mentioned to Dustin how in our youth, my friends and I used to dump peanuts into our Coke. He was stunned. I thought everyone did that, but maybe it was just a southern thing. Then he mentioned one of his own favorites, dunking French fries into his Wendy’s Frosty. I was stunned. Yes, French fries with gravy, that I can understand, but in ice cream? Really?!/Trish Gannon (Politically Incorrect/River Journal). 
Every now and then the health and nutrition experts come up with some new idea that makes you realize these guys aren’t nearly as boring as most scientists usually are. Not long ago, the experts told us that the amount of exercise needed for middle-aged women who wish to maintain their weight has been adjusted from 30 minutes three times a week to 60 minutes daily. Don’t bother getting out your calculators - that’s an hour of exercise every day. And it’s not geared to lose weight, but just to maintain what you already carry. These guys are regular comedians/Kathy Hedberg, Lewiston Tribune. 
get. Some owners take their dogs, no matter how small or large, to public gatherings. This has become a bone of contention - no pun intended - with some attendees of the Moscow Farmers Market. Arguments against dogs at the market make sense, as did the banning of dogs at the recently held Moscow Renaissance Fair. There is little demonstrable benefit to taking dogs to an event attended by hundreds of people. Some people don’t like dogs and some are downright afraid of them. Those folks are entitled to the same market access as others and should reasonably expect not to be scared by an animal/Murf Raquet, Moscow-Pullman Daily News. 
go live with Santa and we are sitting with him until his time comes. We do not know why and how it was P33t who got poisoned but we know, absolutely, that the acute pain that life sometimes deals out is too, too hard. Too hard. The Chows are taking this somewhat better than me—they are completely settled that P33t will be with Uncle Bob but I cannot reconcile myself to P33t’s suffering and bewilderment as this deadly toxin has settled into him, gripping his kidneys and liver, refusing to give up even in the face of the best veterinary science has to offer. I can’t reconcile this surprise visit from fate or The Gods or whoever pulled P33t’s card up and put it on their desktop/JBelle, Notes from The ‘Kan EWA. 
On Twitter, entries from University of Idaho and Jamie Morgan, who has a daughter at North Idaho College, reports that finals have begun this week at those two institutions. I used to wait until the last minute to cram for finals or write papers that had been due all semester, with varying results of success. If I had extra time, I would write finals papers in English and literature for my roommates. For pay, of course. An “A” paper, I recall, was worth $25.
been running a stealth campaign to avoid the vultures. Last Friday night I surfaced at the Blanchard Grange Candidate’s Forum. It was a great event and I got to speak extensively on the state bank idea. It was well-received and well attended. I put the number at about 80. Recent info suggests that I still have a chance to get back into the race. Even though the Republican Party establishment and Bonner County Ron Paulers have been running over me with a steamroller, they still represent a tiny percentage of the voters/James Stivers, GOP candidate for Senate District 2 seat”/
Republican primary for the 1st Congressional District, volunteered for Democratic elected officials. Ward was an intern for former state lawmaker Jim Hansen, now the executive director of the Idaho Democratic Party, in either 1989 or 1990 while he was attending Boise State University (BSU), according to Hansen. The Democratic Party of Virginia also has Ward on record as a campaign volunteer during the 2005 Virginia gubernatorial campaign of Tim Kaine, who now the head of the Democratic National Committee. Ward’s campaign manager, Ryan O’Barto, said Ward never backed Kaine’s campaign, and that his work as a college intern didn’t reflect his political ideology/Brad Iverson-Long, Idaho Reporter. 
Kagan! Why is 
phase back in high school, I’ve been rather squeamish about eating chicken right off the bone. I can handle a nice, juicy white breast in its natural state if it’s done right (hello, Chester Fried!), but otherwise my domestic fowl needs all the bones and gristly bits removed before it crosses my dinner plate. I always picture the gruesome scene in John Waters’ classic “Serial Mom” when the neighbor couple is eating chicken dinner and the camera lingers on close-ups of the couple’s mouths ravaging a greasy bird, grunting and licking fingers during what turns out to be their last meal before Kathleen Turner gives them the works. Chicken wings remind me of rowdy football parties or a night out at Hooters – these things just aren’t my style/OrangeTV, Get Out! North Idaho. 
in District 3 that’s opening up due to seven-term Rep. Jim Clark’s retirement. The matchup between the four candidates, all of whom are actively campaigning, is the final chapter in this story – no Democrat has filed for the seat, so the GOP primary winner on May 25 will be the district’s new representative in Boise. And with the typically very low turnout in Idaho primary elections, there’s no telling what could happen in the race between Vito Barbieri of Dalton Gardens, Jeri DeLange of Hayden, Fred Meckel of Rathdrum and Duane Rasmussen of Hayden. “It’s going to be kind of fun to watch – somebody could win with 30 percent of the vote, 30 percent of the 15 percent who show up to vote,” said Clark (pictured), who’s not endorsing any of the candidates but says he thinks there are “a lot of good-quality people in the field.”
was looking at the lettuce. Now, I know Boots has seen butt cracks before, but to be standing in the presence of two fine ladies while viewing such a phenomenon. That may have been a new experience for Boots. I know I’ve seen butt cracks before too, and I’ve always wondered about the bearer of the bare butt. Do these people have a clue about the reactions that take place all around them whenever and wherever they bend over? Could these folks be the least bit embarrassed (no pun intended) if they knew what fits of hysteria they cause during the time they’re leaning over to pick up a head of iceberg to see if it’s the one they’ll choose to drop in the cart/Marianne Love, Slight Detour. 
Terrence
Howard as Lt. Col. James Rhodes, our iron-clad hero takes on some
political enemies, a rival manufacturer, a new superpowered rival in
Ivan Vanko (Mickey Rourke), a degrading arc reactor (the device that
powers his heart) and his own roller-coaster temperament. The
movie should be a fairly decent way to escape for a couple of hours,
even if it doesn’t match the 2008 original in, if nothing else,
freshness factor. And it does boast the presence of Robert Downey Jr.,
an actor who can make anything look interesting, even a lame take on
am very excited to be a part of the market this year and I must
admit….I’m a little nervous as well. I have no idea what to expect and
I know that many folks who participate have much larger growing
operations than we do. So I guess my only real fear is we won’t have as
much to sell…at least not in the front end. I heard from a fellow
market vendor that some vendors simply don’t show up until they have
produce to sell. Nevertheless, we want to be there on opening day just
to get a feel for how the market operates…if I run out of plants to
sell then rest assured we will be back to the market when harvest time
comes around/Sunny, Bent’s Beer Garden. 
it time for the University of Washington president to make a
million bucks a year? You may say no. You may say hell no. You may say that it’s no time to
ratchet up the already humongous salary for the top Dawg, given the
various budgetary brutalities inflicted upon our state’s colleges and
universities lately. But the people who make this decision won’t really be listening to
you. They’ll be listening to the market. And this market only ever says one thing: More. Absurd as it sounds, it will be a near-miracle if the next president
at UW doesn’t make more money than the departing Mark Emmert (shown at Washington-Washington State game w/Gov. Chris Gregoire in January), who is the
second-best-paid public-college president in the land, at more than
$900,000 a year/Shawn Vestal, SR. 
invitation to deliver the commencement address, I’m going to assume that they’ve once again settled for someone else. As such, I’m going to use this forum to deliver my own advice to our most recent crop of graduates. My advice is to go forth and make as much money as you can. Contrary to what is often advocated at commencements, I am not going to encourage you to enter public service. Public service is typically defined as politics, political advocacy or government employment. And according to those who recommend such a career path, only by doing so can you exert a possible influence on the world. That is nonsense. The truth is that, until recently, the amount of money you earn in your lifetime is a pretty accurate gauge of how much you have contributed to the world’s well being/Michael Costello, Lewiston Tribune. 
Bright remembers when the Cloverleaf Grange was the hub of a close-knit community focused on farming and family values. Couples waltzed across the wooden floor on Friday nights, or gathered during election season to listen to candidates debate the issues. Over the past century, the grange hall on McGuire Road in Post Falls also hosted 4-H meetings, rummage sales, wedding receptions, potlucks and cowboy-themed church services. “I spent a lot of my life inside those walls,” said Bright, 87. “Now, I’m one of the only ones left.” Dying membership is threatening Idaho’s oldest grange/Becky Kramer, SR. More here.
Seems she was have an manicure when … well, I’ll let Cindy tell the story: “Drill baby, drill takes on new meaning when your nail tech accidentally drills into the fleshy part of your thumb during a manicure.” Yes, the manicurist drew blood. Again, Cindy: “But my tech happens to be graduating from Nursing School in June. I think she did it on purpose, so she could whip out the first-aid kit. Imagine my dismay when she had NO Disney Princess bandages.” The tale prompted Liz to write that a dentist once accidentally slipped and drilled her cheek. Liz: “Really big ow when it was all over and the novocaine wore off.” (Illustration: SR File Photo) 
Dan of the County: I’m wondering if anyone else got a totally automated phone poll that only asked about who you would be voting for county commissioner. At least one other person in our office with a 687 prefix got one last night…maybe it was the Rathdrum night…curious who was doing it and of course what kind of results they are getting.
Voters in Idaho’s 2nd Congressional District, which covers the eastern portion of the state, including parts of Boise, Twin Falls, Pocatello, Idaho Falls, and Rexburg, can get a closer look at the three men who want to represent them in the U.S. Congress. Republicans Mike Simpson, who has held the seat since being elected in 1999, Chick Heileson, and state Rep. Russ Mathews, R-Idaho Falls, are set to debate Sunday night at the Idaho State Capitol building as part of Idaho Public Television’s (IPTV) effort to televise debates for all major primary races/Dustin Hurst, Idaho Reporter. 
member of the basketball team will join 47 other student athletes at Gonzaga’s commencement ceremonies at Spokane Arena on Sunday. Turiaf, who is currently a member of the Golden State Warriors NBA team, will receive his degree in Sport Management from Gonzaga. After playing out his eligibility at Gonzaga, Turiaf was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers and spent his first three seasons there until signing with Golden State in 2008. Turiaf underwent heart surgery in July 2005 when Lakers doctors discovered he had an enlarged aortic root. He rejoined the team six months after surgery and played 23 games for the Lakers to close out the 2006 season/SWX. 
Environmental Alliance provided testimony last night at a hearing by the Idaho Department of Lands on whether to approve a proposal for up to 12 overnight mooring buoys in Cougar Bay and a string of buoys across the mouth of the Bay to demarcate a no wake zone. The proposal, sponsored by Kootenai County Parks and Waterways, purports to protect the sensitive Bay in advance of removal of the existing pilings and log booms that act as a barrier to boat traffic currently/Terry Harris, Kootenai Environmental Alliance. 
farmer’s market business to be “Mostly Sunny”. We went with this rather than our blog name of The Beer Garden because we obviously can’t sell beer at the market. The Beer Garden blog got it’s start on The Spokesman Review’s blogroll on Huckleberries Online and many of our local friends know me as Sunny and they know Jeff as Bent. These names were simply monikers that originated from the Spokesman’s blog world. Hopefully, this clears up any confusion … I am very excited to be a part of the market this year and I must admit….I’m a little nervous as well/Sunny, Bent’s Beer Garden. 
Marc Stewart, spokesman for Coeur d’Alene Indian Tribe: My advice for any aspiring public relations person about how to write a press release is to talk to Stacy Hudson at North Idaho College. She’s the best.
thing. This is Lake Coeur d’Alene this morning, amid country that’s so different from the arid south. And then there’s the wild GOP politics in Kootenai County, where the once heavily Democratic region is now heavily Republican, particularly in fast-growing areas like Hayden that are filling up with newcomers who never saw the old North Idaho Democratic politics. In these parts, there are the Republicans, the Reagan Republicans, the Pachyderm Clubs, the social conservatives, the constitutionalists and a whole lot more/Betsy Russell, Eye On Boise. 
flashed some of the sweetest smiles I have ever seen. He had just picked up this talent, and he grinned at me every chance he got. This motherhood thing has – by far – been the most difficult undertaking of my life. It has forced me to rethink who I am and what my priorities are. I have learned that even though I want to “have it all” (the career and the family life), there is nothing wrong with taking a little time to focus more on raising a child and less on working a job. Because after all, I’ll never get this chance again. Jobs come and go/Shannon, Anchor Mom. 
Brown, another candidate and I were all seated at a table in the Idaho Statesman’s Editorial Board. 4 guys behind a table. All in suits…except Harley. He was in leathers…all leathers (Yep, he told us “all” leathers…) Butch started in. Gave his pitch. Then the other candidate. Same stuff. Then Harley… He stood up, took off his fingerless black leather gloves and THREW them on the table. He stood straight as an arrow, then (like a bear) growled: “F– the Idaho Statesman. (PAUSE) I destroy things for a living. God told a prophet in Africa that I would become President of the United States. Congress is my first step.” No kidding. Then he sat down. I was next. All eyes turned toward me. I said: “Wow, being next in line, after Harley, makes me look really mild, doesn’t it?” Everyone TOTALLY cracked up/Dennis Mansfield. 
The time of phone calls. Be it the obligation kind or the grateful kind. When your parents are younger and you are in your 30’s, 40’s or even 50’s. it usually is a fun time to catch up. And
Nappi when she did an article on us for the Spokesman-Review in 1993) has a phone tree that is efficient, speedy, and totally there for you at any given moment. … Like, when Kathy, who has Parkinson’s, suddenly realized she was blind in one eye – a piece of plaque had broke off from an artery in her neck, and landed at the back of her eye. Jackie started the phone tree, letting all of us know she was in surgery, she was fine, but now blind in one eye. She’s adjusting as valiantly as she always does – but first and foremost – she is rallying because of her four Best Friends Forever standing at her side. And also, her hubby paid for a gift of a permanent eyeliner tatoo – which she proudly displayed at our last dinner/JeanieS, Nuts & Nonsense. 
Mexico. I keep seeing pictures of dead sea turtles and fish and it makes me sick. Then I read last night that it happened because BP didn’t think their blowout preventer would ever fail. Excuse me, didn’t we learn this lesson from the Titanic? The supposedly unsinkable ship? Didn’t we learn almost 100 years ago to always be prepared for the worst? And now thousands of sea life have to die because of their ignorance and stupidity. Congratulations, oil companies, you’ve successfully made yourselves even more detrimental to the environment and economy than you already were.” 
MikeK: School uniforms. Bring on the school uniforms. Our family has experienced both schools with uniforms and without, and unequivocally some type of standardized uniform makes things easier at every point in the process from parenting, shopping, hand-me-downs, school bullying, too much skin showing, too little skin showing, socioeconomics, you name it. Bring on the school uniforms.
On Facebook, Editor Vickie Holbrook/Idaho Press-Tribune offers a handy tip for those of you who circulate press releases to newspapers and other media: “A bit of advice for folks in the public relations business. If you want your press release read, please put a headline that says something in the subject line. If you put “press release” in the subject line, it gets mixed with the other 100 or so “press releases” an editor gets in a day. Just sayin’ …”
would not even be noticed for wearing T-shirts with the American flag. But Cinco de Mayo is not any typical day especially on a campus with a large Mexican American student population. Galli says he and his friends were sitting at a table during brunch break when the vice principal asked two of the boys to remove American flag bandannas that they wearing on their heads and for the others to turn their American flag T-shirts inside out. When they refused, the boys were ordered to go to the principal’s office/George Kiriyama, NBC Bay Area. 
Copper King, a genuine scoundrel and a United States Senator thanks to the money he spent buying a few state legislators and his ticket into the world’s greatest deliberative body. Now - brace yourselves - the Tea Party movement is advocating, you can’t make this stuff up, doing away with direct election of U.S. Senators. Even more off the wall, the two top candidates for the GOP nomination for Congress in Idaho’s First Congressional district have endorsed the idea as has Idaho’s governor. These folks must be drinking something stronger than tea/Marc Johnson, The Johnson Report. 
Here’s a 
Moscow man whose lawyer blamed caffeine-induced psychosis for alleged hit-and-run crashes at Washington State University in December has been acquitted by reason of insanity. Whitman County Superior Court Judge David Frazier ruled today that Daniel Noble, 31, (pictured) was temporarily insane during the Dec. 9 incident and acquitted him of two felony counts of vehicular assault, two felony counts of hit-and-run and misdemeanor resisting arrest. The Lewiston Tribune reports that Frazier granted a defense motion to acquit Noble based on Noble’s attorney’s intent to use an insanity defense at trial. The two crashes injured pedestrians, Neil Waldbjorn, 19, of Malaga, Wash., and Hogun Hahm, 23, of Pullman. Each suffered a broken leg. Officers used a Taser to subdue Noble/Associated Press. 
started on the Spokane Street bridge @ Post Falls. More specifically, we hit the 45 mph speed limit about a mile east of Spokane Street. It stayed that way for the entire 6 miles until the stateline. No other work was evident. I never understand why transportation departments rope off so much real estate when projects are limited to a relatively short section of the roadway. Mebbe it’s to ensure safety because so many drivers with lead feet exist. The only impatient driver I saw was the one behind me — with a 7B (Bonner County) plate — who tail-gated my car until Stateline. Other than that, things went fairly smoothly for the round-trip to the airport.
I’ve consumed a lot of coffee the last couple of days, hanging out with my kids in Cour d’Alene and Spokane. I always order coffee, never the mochas or sundry other drinks offered at the various coffee shops, in sizes from 8 ounces to 20 ounces. Usually, I ended up drinking the last half of the 20-ouncer cold, if i finished the drink at all. On Facebook, Cindy wonders about the need to have big cups of coffee in the morning: “Theoretically,” Cindy says, she “likes the idea of BIG coffee cups, but finds the coffee gets cold quickly. So, she fills the cup half full, and then wonders what is the point of having a BIG cup?
now know there are. For those who missed it, a lawsuit was filed last week by three Bay Area men against the North American Gay Amateur Athletic Alliance. Yeah, that was our reaction too. Who knew there was a gay alliance for amateur athletes? It’s anybody’s guess why they need their own special alliance. One would think that it would be counterproductive to distinguish between homosexual amateur athletes and those amateur athletes who are not homosexuals. It’s just that over the last several decades, the entire “gay movement” has been about homosexuals wanting to be treated like everyone else. Despite that, they form a group to treat them special. And apparently in the gay world there are degrees of specialness/Dan Hammes, St. Maries Gazette-Record. 
wouldn’t necessarily label myself as a slob. It’s more accurate to say I’m fashion-challenged. There was a time when I cared about the clothes I wore. But then children came along, and then homeschooling, and suddenly there was not even a minute of the day to think about clothes beyond making sure they pass the smell test. Actually, I do put some thought into fashion when it comes to my kids. I make sure my daughter doesn’t go out of the house half-naked, and that my son doesn’t show up at soccer practice in a Wiggles t-shirt. But me? Psshh. Who cares. Seriously, who cares how I look? I’m showered and shaved. Deodorant liberally applied. Hair, ummm, under a hat. You will not be frightened as I approach from one end of the cereal aisle at the grocery store/Idaho Dad, A Family Runs Through It. 
everything from the way you tell stories to how you do your hair. It’s part of the job, though at times, it can really get to you. Recently, something has made it a lot more frustrating: the fact people can comment and not leave their name. A couple of people have left some pretty insulting comments in recent days, specifically in response to my weekly segment called “Good Question.” Maybe people don’t like that we call it Good Question (they’re not MY questions, it’s not like I’m taking credit for it!) – but, here are two of the comments people posted about yesterday’s question, “Why are some people faster than others?”: 
still not sure why, but my board flipped out from under me. When I hit the transition, I felt something slide in my knee. As I lay there assessing the situation, Brent asked what I thought was wrong. At that point, all I knew was that it felt really weird… and my foot was pointing in the wrong direction. “I think my knee came out of joint. Maybe I can twist it back.” “Dude… if you can get yourself out of this pool, then I could get you to the hospital… and you won’t have to pay for an ambulance.” I was immediately feeling the weight of hospital bills. Skipping the ambulance sounded good, so I did probably the worst possible thing - and tried twisting my leg back into joint. After feeling a couple snap crackle pops, I decided that probably wasn’t a good idea. “I’m not going to make it out. Call 911”/Otis G Experience. 
exclamation marks. Especially, first thing in the morning!!” That prompted a colleague who shares our mutual Facebook space to say that she received an e-mail Tuesday morning containing 3 exclamation points — and the writer wasn’t even angry. In fact, the information shared was fairly simple stuff. Another commenter declared that he wasn’t a fan of the semi-colon but that “it’d do in a pinch.” Still another said that the punctuation “?!” was called an “interrobang.” Me? I rarely use exclamation points, figuring the writing and subject matter should take care of the excitement.
over,” without any
written order or decision - and despite an earlier ruling that the
state’s school funding system is unconstitutional. “It is abject
malarkey and nonsense,” Burdick said, adding that the basement meeting
was a scheduling conference on another, related case. “I’m not going to
say it’s a lie, but it’s darn close to it,” Burdick said. Bradbury responded, “If you want to know what happened in the basement
of the Supreme Court, talk to the players who were there.” His
description matches that given at the time by former Idaho Supreme Court
Justice Robert Huntley, attorney for a group of school districts that
sued over the the state’s system for funding school construction, and
Deputy Attorney General Michael Gilmore/Betsy Russell, SR. 
often a catalyst for rethinking one’s own life and one’s own priorities. Having a parent die, even if the relationship with said parent was very strained indeed, is a very pointed reminder that our days are numbered. I’m not saying I wasn’t already thinking about this stuff, because I was; hence the post started a few weeks ago. Prior to my last posting, actually. What my mother’s death did, though, was underline it all so very thoroughly. It pushed me over the philosophical line, and solidified my thoughts about what one wants to be looking back at as the end of one’s life here on this earth draws to a close.” 
MelissaKXLY4: 
Congress utilize
the services of Facebook or Twitter or blogs. Congressman Walt Minnick,
a Democrat representing Idaho’s 1st District, has two Twitter accounts,
one for his official congressional office and one for this campaign
team. The two men vying to challenge him, state Rep. Raul Labrador,
R-Eagle, and Vaughn Ward, a Marine reservist, both have Twitter accounts
through which they post links to press releases and news articles
favorable to their respective campaigns. Of all the congressional
candidates in Idaho, Ward has the largest presence on Twitter, with 685.
Labrador trails Ward by 180 followers. Minnick, on his campaign
Twitter account, has 153 followers. All three contenders have campaign
pages on Facebook. None of the men utilize blogging services, but
Ward’s wife, Kirsten, authors a blog on his campaign site updating
followers on the happenings of the campaign trail/Dustin Hurst, Idaho Reporter. 
you post there, maybe share a foto, perhaps read what
yer friends have said, and if they post something cool, you’ll give it a
thumbs-up or thumbs-down, and then you do the same for every one of
your friends, and then one of those friends wants to chat with you for a
while so you do that, and then there’s a cool Facebook group you wanna
belong to, so you join the group, then you answer a few (or many)
Facebook Poll questions, and all of a sudden it’s 2 in the morning and
you haven’t checked your main in-box yet, and then, oh my, you need to
post something on your own blogsite, and after you’re done with all
that, it’s 4:30am and you cuss out yourself royally for getting
sucked-in by the Facebook machine.
calm tone to his delivery and answered
questions well. Labrador was prepared and had a great line when talking
about global warming. Labrador said, 
happily demented dog. Clearly, our new
amigo had already finished off quite a few cold ones. He didn’t know
more than a few words of our language either, so it took us a minute to
figure out that he wanted to buy our first beer. “You buy us dos
cervezas?” shouted my friend, as she repeatedly poked her finger in his
direction, then ours. He grinned enthusiastically and nodded his head
yes, nearly falling off his barstool. Our beers arrived and we continued to embarrass ourselves by
shouting out random, unrelated Spanish words and phrases we kind of
knew, eventually coming up with, “Cinco de Mayo!” On that, he lifted his
beer again and slurred a few sentences in Spanish that I’m going to
guess meant something like, “Hey, I’ll be even more bombed on May 5 than
I am right now, and most likely so will you!/OrangeTV, Get Out! North Idaho. 
The place was Dallas. The date was Nov. 22,
1963. Her boss was President John F. Kennedy. “My colleague, Chris Camp, and I were working on speech copy for
the next stop. We were on Air Force One in (Kennedy’s) cabin when one of
the stewards came through and said to pack up,” said Vogelsinger, a
Sagle, Idaho, resident who served as a member of Kennedy’s press staff. Decades later Vogelsinger smiles as she remembers the man she calls
physically awe-inspiring, quick-witted and a man who truly loved
his job. “Being around President Kennedy was exhilarating,” said Vogelsinger/Patty Hutchens, SR Handle Extra. 
Spokane. And dozens of corporate cup runners went home
with a trophy. For others, the 34th Lilac Bloomsday Run was less
about awards and more about annual traditions of bringing together
families and fitness. Jerry Litzenberger, a 65-year-old consultant
from Snohomish, Wash., returns to his roots each year to run Bloomsday.
He grew up in the West Central neighborhood, which is the course’s
homestretch. His sister and 94-year-old mom still live there.“Running
through the old neighborhood is lots of fun,” said Litzenberger, who
finished the race in 1 hour, 35 minutes. “And over the years, it’s
evolved into a family event”/Becky Kramer & Tom Sowa, Spokesman-Review. 
Noel Damiano, 22, of Hayden, is in custody facing an aggravated assault charge after an exchange of gunfire with deputies early this morning, according to the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Department. Deputies responded to the area of East Chilco Road near Chilco Lake, north of Hayden, for a report of trespassers causing a disturbance in the area around midnight. Initial information indicates that as deputies were approaching the area the suspect fired one round and the deputies returned fire. The suspect Damiano then gave up without further incident. No one was injured in the incident. The Idaho State Police was called in to perform the investigation.
Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky, a field of 20
will compete in the 
were lined up to spin for salad dressing, pita chips
and rice. They were flaying away at Nordstrom Rack goods like lost
mall crawlers. The smaller ones were tossing basketballs at an inflatable rim. And there were stacks and stacks of shoes. Joel Warwick of Sport Town said the 400 boxes of Asics and New
Balance footwear will shrink by as much as 80 during the trade show’s
two days. Most are too rigid to be worn Sunday, he said, but a soft shoe like
the Nimbus will allow runners to float around the Bloomsday course
without discomfort. “A lot of people can get away with it,” Warwick said/Bert Caldwell, SR. 
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