Despite lengthy discussions over the past two months, DISH Network and KXLY-TV have been unable to reach an agreement to carry the local ABC affiliate on the paid satellite service. The current agreement ended March 16, 2012 at 10:59 p.m. “We have offered DISH Network a fair agreement to continue to carry KXLY-TV to its subscribers,” said Teddie Gibbon, vice president and general manager of KXLY-TV.  “DISH is unwilling to agree to virtually the same terms we have negotiated with nearly all of its competitors in the last few months.” KXLY-TV knows DISH Network can reach a deal without raising its customers’ bills because they are already charging them for providing this service.  DISH charges its customers $5.99 a month to access local channels.  Full release here.

 Question for Dish users: Will you drop Dish Network for another cable/satellite provider?

Dave Resser, is the resident deputy for a rural area of Shoshone County. (Photo Courtesy: Shoshone County Sheriff's Office/Facebook)

Some call Dave Resser a modern Wyatt Earp. When it’s time to drive into town from his rural turf, he shows up to Shoshone County Sheriff’s Office logistics meetings with his classic cowboy hat and boots. He’s also armed with a righteous mustache that could put Tom Selleck's own to shame. He’s the resident deputy for a huge chunk of land in Shoshone County that ranges from the Bitterroot Mountains to the south county line. He’s only one man patrolling the backcountry bordering Benewah County to the state line. Sheriff Mitch Alexander wrote on Facebook: “He handles an area half the size of Delaware all by himself.” “It’s a huge area for one person,” said Resser/Nicole Hensley, KXLY. More here.

Question: Do you now or have you ever worn a mustache?

'Tis the day for defunct newspapers. Above, from the KVNI Facebook site, David Candia holds up the front page of the old Spokane Chronicle from way back in the early 1980s. Candia was one of the first in the area to jump in the lake on New Years Day for what has become the Polar Bear Plunge at Sanders Beach. The plunge, of course, will happen again Sunday.

Question: Have you ever participated in the local Polar Bear Plunge?

I, for one, enjoy the new sports format for KVNI. There's only so much recycled oldies that someone can take (especially when they're more for my older sister's g-g-g-generation than mine). I'm listening to many more hours worth of programming now than I did before. “Joe in the Morning” Paisley explained the new format: “I do the Morning Show from 6-8 every weekday. Then it goes back to ESPN radio (national programming). Then at 3-6 pm, its the POW show (Patchin, Osso, Wingman). Then back to ESPN for the rest of the night; Unless of course, there is some sort of local sports programming. Vandals, HS sports, Mariners, etc.”

Question: Which KVNI program format do you prefer — Oldies But Goodies? Or ESPN/KXLY sports?

On her Facebook page, KXLY weathercaster Kris Crocker writes: “Just in time for the cold weather, the seat heater in my car burned a hole all the way through the leather of my seat. I wasn't expecting that. I'm all for warm buns, but GEEZ.”

Question: Has something gone wrong that makes you less ready for winter?

“I always thought I'd like to end my career with one big case involving real government tyranny and genuine wrong-doing that you can point to and people would be marching in the streets,” Steele said. “Lo and behold — ironically — I've almost got the case and its mine.” Steele made a name for himself ten years ago, representing those on the fringe. He represented the McGuckins, a North Idaho family whose children held government agents at bay with guns and guard dogs for days on end. He also represented the Aryan Nations in a civil case that bankrupt the movement. You can't talk to Steele without hearing his views on race.”People live in North Idaho and they're here for the weather, they're here for the lack of population, they're here for the good shopping, they're here for the transportation,” he explained. “Those are acronyms, code words, for living apart from other races. I don't use those code words. I just say I prefer to have my family live somewhere that is not riddled with the crime that comes with Mexicans and blacks living all around you”/Melissa Luck, KXLY. More here.

Question: Do you feel sorry for Edgar Steele?

Occasionally, Scanner Traffic posts an item in which a freeway detector spots a stolen vehicle on Interstate 90 as it passes through Kootenai County. Anusha Roy, the hard-working KXLY reporter for North Idaho, talked to law enforcement in Kootenai County about the License Plate Recognition system. Post Falls Police Chief Scot Haug calls it “probably the best technology to come to law enforcement since DNA.” You can read Anusha's story here.

Thousands of college graduates across the region will walk proudly this weekend and collect their diplomas. Then many of them will pack up their college apartments and move back in with mom and dad.Graduation day: The culmination of much hard work. The beginning of a successful career, a life spent reaping the benefits of sacrifices made to attend college.Or not.A new study out this week says that most college graduates simply can't find a job and 8 out of 10 of them are moving home after graduation/McKay Allen, KXLY. More here.

Question: Has your college graduate moved back in with you? How is that working out?

Bruce Jones lives in landlocked Rathdrum but that isn't stopping him from following his dreams below the surface of the ocean.”When I was in high school I would sketch the underwater habitats and write out letters to Jacques Cousteau,” he said.Jones built his first submarine in the early 90s. Today Jones and his team at Triton Submaries are working on building what they feel is a one-of-a-kind submarine. Dubbed the Triton 36,000 3, it will be the deepest diving multi-passenger submersible ever built/Anusha Roy, KXLY. More here.

Question: Have you been scuba or deep-sea diving? Can you describe the experience?

KXLY Web Producer Nicole Hensley (Blush Response) rode along with Coeur d'Alene Police last week. Nicole snapped the photo and provided the commentary below.

The first call of the power shift brought K46, Officer Nate Petersen, and I to just outside Les Schwab. Along with three other officers, they were called in to speak with a group of teens. When we arrived, the male teen was already in the back of the parole vehicle. He was a runaway with an arrest warrant. They found him down the street with a backpack of stolen medication. After cross-questioning the female teens at the scene, it was determined that they were traveling from location to location by bus to shoplift medication (cough medicine) for consumption/Nicole Hensley. More here.

Question: Did you ever shoplift something from a store, as a kid?

If all goes according to plan, I’m 8 weeks from delivering my son. It’s my second, so I shouldn’t be surprised at the weird things people say to pregnant women. I was starting to think it was just me, so I checked around with some of my pregnant friends. I found out, it’s universal; people say really weird things to you as soon as another human being starts growing in your stomach. Maybe people just don’t know what they should say, so, on behalf of pregnant women everywhere, I am here to be your guide/Melissa Luck, KXLY. More here.

Question: Do you have anything to add to Melissa's list re: what not to say to a pregnant woman?

Thieves are targeting packages delivered on doorsteps.  One Spokane Valley woman says a shipment of Christmas gifts from her mother was stolen last week. When packages that were set to arrive by Wednesday weren’t there by Friday, Christie Hoiles became suspicious. Delivery drivers say the crime isn’t uncommon.  They say people follow their trucks and watch them drop stuff off, then steal it.  A UPS driver also told KREM 2 News he watches his back to make sure people aren’t following his route.  He also tries to hide packages on a porch so you can’t see it from the street/Marissa Bagg, KREM. More here.

Question: Does the practice by delivery companies of leaving packages on your doorstep make you nervous?

If you’re looking for a commercial property in downtown Coeur d’Alene, now might be the time as there are a half dozen vacant properties along Sherman Avenue.The reason for so many vacancies? Over the last year, some entrepreneurs have been forced out of business because of the economy. Others have moved locations because of a spike in rent that doesn’t reflect today’s market.Whatever the case, there are plenty of vacant commercial properties on Sherman Avenue/Tania Dall, SR. More here.

Question: Which Sherman Avenue place do you frequent most?

Elizabeth Murphy Burns, president of Spokane Television, Inc. and QueenB Radio Inc., has announced senior management changes at the KXLY Broadcast Group effective Jan. 1. Steve Herling will be retiring from his role as the executive vice president and general manager of the KXLY Broadcast Group after 28 years. Herling has worked for Morgan Murphy Media for 41 years and will now become the senior vice president of special projects for Morgan Murphy Media. He will work out of the KXLY office in Coeur D’Alene, 504 E. Sherman Ave. Burns has announced the appointment of Teddie Gibbon to the role vice  president and general manager with overall direction of the KXLY Television operation/KXLY news release. More here.

Deer and pheasant hunting seasons kicked off in North Idaho this last weekend. While wolves were also hunted last season, they’ve been put back on the endangered species list and are now officially off limits. There are two camps at polar opposite ends of the debate over wolf hunting. There are the hunters who believe wolves should be fair game and there are the environmentalists who want wolves left alone/Tania Dall, KXLY. More here.

Question: Did the feds make a poor decision by electing to shut down a second season of wolf hunting in the Inland Northwest?

It’s relevant on several levels, depending on who you ask. It’s relevant because the sheriff’s office already has a huge issue on its hands – and, the sheriff chose to assign some of his employees to get to the bottom of it. It’s relevant because, if investigators determine it’s a violation of policy, this deputy could possibly lose his job, even if the prosecutor clears him of criminal charges for the shooting. It’s relevant because some people believe if Deputy Hirzel would violate policy in this way, it’s possible he violated policy with the choices he made the night of the shooting. It’s not up to us to decide the answers to those questions; it is our responsibility to cover every angle of this huge community story, including this one/Melissa Luck, KXLY. More here.

Question: Persuaded, yet?

Money worries is pushing the Salvation Army KROC Center to hike its membership rates.Since the facility opened its doors back in May 2009, the state of the art facility has drawn in big crowds shattering memberships records.The KROC Center’s Executive Director Major John Chamness says raising membership rates will help offset a $400,000 projected deficit in 2011. Major Chamness blames an increase in insurance rates, utility rates and a spike in staff health insurance for having to increase rates. Members will have to pay an additional $1 to $7 dollars per month for services/Tania Dall, KXLY. More here.

Question: Will raising rates cost the Kroc Center members?

Jesse Bennett likes to build things. He took the timber on his property and built his home. Once that was complete he dedicated his energies to a life long hobby of building model trains.Bennett — friends call him Jess — has been building trains since 1958. It’s a hobby likely sparked during the Great Depression when as a young man, he headed west with three dollars to his name. Thousands of hours of hard work and intricate detail helped create his labor of love. “I’ve had to make a part maybe two or three times to get it exactly right but never was frustrated with it,” Jess said/Tania Dall, KXLY. More here.

Question: Did you ever play with model trains?

Item: KXLY (KVNI) drops Rick, Teresa Lukens/Spokesman-Review

More Info: Rick and Teresa Lukens, longtime KXLY TV and radio broadcasters, were dropped by KXLY last week. Rick Lukens, who has been with KXLY for more than 27 years, said they got a call from station management while they were on vacation. The station exercised an option to drop their contracts and give them three months of pay. Lukens said the station cited budgetary reasons.

DFO: We’ve been discussing this via Facebook and Hucks since Friday. Last evening, I posted an e-mail from a KXLY/KVNI exec in which she sought advice from listeners & advertisers re: how KVNI can make changes to attract a bigger audience. I sent the exec a copy of the post, along with best wishes that KVNI can turn things around. I haven’t heard back from her.

Question: What do you like best about KVNI now? What don’t you like about KVNI now?

Candace Smith, an account exec for KXLY, is asking for input in an email she circulated to listeners and advertisers of KVNI today. (A Berry Picker sent along the following S.O.S. sent out by Candace.) Writes Candace: “KVNI is in the process of making some changes. Over the past two weeks we have been updating the Board equipment for the KVNI radio station. Late last week there were some changes to KVNI’s DJ talent. Rick and Teresa Lukens are no longer the hosts of the KVNI Morning Show. … With the talent change of KVNI we are looking at making some changes to KVNI. I have heard from many of you about how you would like to see things done at KVNI. Well, now is your chance to give the station and management your opinion. I will be in a meeting on Monday with regards to the future of KVNI.” Candace (CandaceS@KXLY.com) wants to hear your ideas by midnight Sunday.

Question: Seriously, if any of you have ideas re: possible changes at KVNI, you should send them to the email above. KVNI is an important part of the Coeur d’Alene media. It would be nice to help KXLY management get the station back on track.