Tom Burnett was a newspaperman. There are many people who earn a living in the newspaper business in a variety of capacities, but in my decades-long experience there's only a handful I'd describe as a newspaperman, the kind of person who bleeds ink and considers the 4th Estate a noble calling. If you don't get a little misty-eyed when the printing presses are rolling and another edition is put to bed, forget it. I never worked with Tom in my career but our paths crossed many times. He had a passion for the role of a weekly newspaper and at one time owned the Post Falls Tribune, selling it a few years before I became publisher/editor/Kerri Thoreson, Coeur d'Alene Press Main Street. More here. (Jesse Tinsley SR file photo)

Question: Do you have any family ties to newspapering?

Herb Huseland of Bay Views writes: “I was surprised to get a call from Taryn Hecker Thompson today. She said that prior Spokesman-Review correspondent, May Jane Honegger is the editor of a brand new Newspaper named Panhandle Sun. Taryn will be writing for the spirit Lake/Athol Twin Lakes area, and yours truly my old beat, Bayview and Farragut State Park. Look for the first edition soon. It turns out Mary Jane has been looking for me for the last couple of weeks not knowing I was listed in the phone directory. It will be fun to write for a publication again. The Rathdrum Star closed down a while back leaving local businesses without advertising coverage. Some of those businesses stepped up, hired Mary Jane and the rest is the future. We will specialize in features and stories about local people. The paper will be distributed in Bayview, Rathdrum, Athol and Spirit Lake.” More here.

Question: I think this is a great thing. How about you?

Tom Burnett lived up to a dare to start a weekly newspaper in Rathdrum more than seven years ago. “I wanted to start a newspaper, so I did,” said Burnett, who was dabbling in selling real estate at the time. “I borrowed $5,000 to buy computers and programs and I ran the newspaper out of my bedroom for the first couple months because I didn't have an office.” Wednesday marked the final publication of the Rathdrum Star, a free newspaper mailed to about 10,100 homes in Rathdrum, Hauser, Spirit Lake, Twin Lakes Village and Blanchard. The newspaper published a front-page photo of the Star's office window painting of a cigar-smoking reporter tapping away at a typewriter with “Sorry; We're closed” written over the picture. Burnett, who turns 70 in January, said the publication has ended due to his retirement/David Cole, Coeur d'Alene Press. More here. (2004 SR file photo of Tom Burnett)

Question: Does your old hometown newspaper still exist?

OK! We’re quickly getting to the point of no return with this State Rep. Phil Hart story. First, the guy didn’t pay his income taxes, contending the laws governing taxation are improper, illegal or something. Anyway, seems Hart owes some $700,000 in unpaid taxes. Ever think of how much money someone must make to equate to $700,000 in unpaid taxes, penalties and fines. How the government is expected to function without tax dollars … well, that’s apparently not a concern for this three term legislator. But, now, the kicker … From what we read, this alleged tax-dodging soul stole the logs used in building his home out there in rural Athol. According to news account, he went onto state lands and cut down a bunch of trees – from property earmarked as school endowment money. This endowment money, from what we understand, is timber set aside, the sale of which goes into funding for public education – not for some snook to come in, cut it down and build a house/Editor Tom Burnett, Rathdrum Star. More here. (Photo: Howard Griffiths)

Question: Will Kootenai County Republicans try to vote Tom Burnett out as Rathdrum Star publisher for not supporting Phil Hart over a write-in?