Jim Clark kisses one of his four Capuchin monkeys inside their RV at an undisclosed location near the Louisiana Border in Texas. Even in their Texas hideout, Jim and Donita Clark are terrified that wildlife agents from their home state of Louisiana will descend on their motorhome and seize the four Capuchin monkeys they've reared for 10 years. You write the cutline. (AP photo: Gerald Herbert)

Top Cutlines

• 1. Jim, a Tarzan fan, never could have imagined that he and Donita would fall into such poverty living in their RV, but their monkey never doubted it, remembering what his wise mother once told him: ‘Cheetah’s never prosper’ — JohnA.
• 2. Bobo knew she shouldn’t date outside her species — and that life with Jim and their future family would be tough. But she couldn’t protect her heart whenever Jim looked at her that way — and puckered up — DFO.
• 3. Jim, not able to find any frogs, decided that perhaps there were other ways of finding a princess — Herb Huseland.
• HM: Misjustice.

I didn’t realize that Dennis Mansfield or Jim Clark was taking a photo of my interview w/Raul Labrador (via Labrador Twitter) — or I might have tidied up Huckleberries Central a bit. See all my toys? I enjoyed meeting Labrador. Indeed, he’s a hard guy not to like. Wished more politicians could smile and remain friendly with the opposition no matter whether they agree or disagree.

Question: Is your desk better organized than mine?

• Monday Poll: By a slight margin, Vito Barbieri is the pick of HucksOnline to win the House District 5 seat now held by retiring Rep. Jim Clark. Barbieri captured 36 of 138 votes (26.1%) to edge Hayden Councilwoman Jeri DeLange (34 of 138, for 24.6%). The rest of the votes were cast for Duane Rasmussen (25 of 138, 18.6%) and Fred Meckel (9 of 138, 6.5%). None of the above received 34 of 138 votes, 24.6%.
• Today’s Question (in lefthand rail): Are you a member of the Coeur d’Alene Chamber of Commerce or another civic organization?

• Weekend Poll: You Berry Pickers are looking forward to seeing “Iron Man 2” and “Robin Hood” during the summer movie season. 30 of 98 respondents (31%) said they most want to see “Iron Man 2,” while 28 of 98 respondents (29%) said they prefer “Robin Hood.” The rest of the votes were scattered among “Toy Story 3” (10 votes); “Shrek Forever After,” “Sex in the City 3” and “Karate Kid” (8 votes), “MacGruber” (6 votes), and “The A Team” (4 votes).
• Today’s Question: Who do you want to win Rep. Jim Clark’s House District 5 seat: Vito Barbieri, Jeri DeLange, Fred Meckel, or Duane Rasmussen?

The hottest legislative race in North Idaho this spring is the four-way contest for the House seat 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.”

Question: Who do you want to win state Rep. Jim Clark’s House District 5 seat — Vito Barbieri, Jeri DeLange, Fred Meckel, or Duane Rasmussen? Why? (Bonus Question: Do you think Jim Clark did a good job as an Idaho legislator?)

(Steve) Vick told Eye on Boise he was recruited to run against Jorgenson by the two state representatives from Jorgenson’s District 3: Reps. Jim Clark, R-Hayden Lake, and Phil Hart, R-Athol. “They just felt like their district there would be better represented by somebody else than Sen. Jorgenson,” said Vick, a former four-term Montana state representative/Betsy Russell, Eye On Boise. More here.

A North Idaho senator’s initial attempt to get his primary challenger tossed off the ballot has failed, but Sen. Mike Jorgenson says he’s not giving up. Jorgenson, R-Hayden, last week filed a complaint with the Idaho Secretary of State’s office saying that his GOP challenger, Steven Vick of Dalton Gardens, isn’t qualified for the ballot because of a 2006 voter-registration glitch. Idaho Secretary of State Ben Ysursa said today that Vick meets registration requirements to run; Jorgenson now plans to take his complaint to court. You can read my full story here at spokesman.com. Vick told Eye on Boise he was recruited to run against Jorgenson by the two state representatives from Jorgenson’s District 3: Reps. Jim Clark, R-Hayden Lake, and Phil Hart, R-Athol/Betsy Russell, Eye On Boise. More here.

Question: Did Mike Jorgenson hurt himself by making an issue of Steve Vick’s eligibility — and providing Vick w/a lot of ink and pixels that he wouldn’t have had otherwise? And/or: What do you make of Vick’s statement that Jim Clark and Phil Hart recruited him to run against Jorgenson?

Rep. Jim Clark, R-Hayden Lake, proposed legislation today that would ban repeat drunk drivers or those who drive drunk at far above the legal limit from buying or possessing alcohol, for anywhere from five years to life. “Have you ever read in the paper about somebody with their eighth DUI, their ninth DUI, 10th DUI?” he asked the House Judiciary Committee, which he chairs. “This will put a stop to it. … This is a big idea. It’s a total shift in how we deal with these individuals.” Clark said the bill hasn’t yet been reviewed by sheriffs or others; he asked the panel to introduce it so that discussion could start/Betsy Russell, SR Eye On Boise. More here.

• Hart: ‘We’re keeping track of too many people’
• Senate protects Greyhound Park bingo
• ‘Too much government’

Question: What do you think of the Rep. Jim Clark’s idea to ban repeat DUIs from buying alcohol?