Congratulations, neighbor, on being declared The Most Beautiful Small Town in America. But for the Coeur d'Alene faithful, is that honor bestowed a little to the north by USA Today and Rand McNally kind of like getting sandpoint kicked in your face? Not really - even though some sense of competition is alive and well. Between the Lake City and Sandpoint, "Coeur d'Alene has to take it," said resident Robert Hoss. Granted, he said, they both have expansive, gorgeous lakes and a score of art shops downtown. But only one has a floating boardwalk, he said. And, in his opinion, shadier pines/Alecia Warren, CdA Press. More here. (SR file photo of Coeur d'Alene Resort boardwalk & waterfront by Jesse Tinsley)

Question: Izzit just me, or is this a bit of a 'homer' story for the Coeur d'Alene Press to publish? Coeur d'Alene vs. Sandpoint? C'mon.