Six supporters of Senate Bill 1387 drove from Sandpoint to Boise to lobby for the bill. After a 10-minute hallway conversation with House State Affairs Committee Chairman Tom Loerstcher early Tuesday, they remain frustrated that the bill has yet to receive a hearing. “We came 500 miles,” said Judy Howrey, board chair of the Life Choices Pregnancy Center in Sandpoint, which offers free ultrasounds. “We want to find out about the meeting and why it was canceled.” Loertcher canceled a hearing on SB 1387 last week, after objections were raised in a closed-door Republican caucus. “There is no hearing scheduled,” said Loertscher, R-Iona, who was headed to his office for a private meeting with two prominent backers of the bill, Kerry Uhlenkott of Right to Life of Idaho and Julie Lynde of Cornerstone Family Council, the Idaho affiliate of Focus on the Family/Dan Popkey, Idaho Statesman. More here.

Question: Do you think the 2012 session will end session without the ultrasound bill hearing?

The conventional wisdom holds that Paul must win somewhere – and fast – or risk running out of steam as the primary campaign grinds on. He would seem to have a far shot in three states with a GOP caucus today – North Dakota, Alaska and Idaho. The Idaho GOP establishment is aligned with Mitt Romney and the state’s sizeable Mormon population is almost certain to give him an advantage, but – a big but – the insurgent wing of the Idaho GOP, the group that has come to dominate a good deal of the party’s business, is entirely capable of sending Romney and his Idaho supporters a big message. We’ll see if they do. It may be worth noting that while Paul was drawing 1,300 up the road in Sandpoint, Gov. Butch Otter, a Romney surrogate, was speaking to a crowd of 100 in Coeur d’Alene/Marc Johnson, The Johnson Report. More here.

Question: Is there anything to be made of Paul attracting 1,200 in Sandpoint (and probably 2,000 in Moscow) while Butch Otter subbing for Mitt Romney attracted only 100 in Coeur d'Alene?

Dominic Brauer of Sandpoint holds a sign outside the Bonner County Fairgrounds before a town hall meeting with Republican presidential candidate Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, Monday in Sandpoint. Story here. (AP Photo/Matt Mills McKnight)

• Idaho's Super Tuesday caucus guide/KTVB
• Dan English preparing to run for House District 2 seat/CdA Press
• BYU women unseat Gonzaga in WCC tournament/Jim Meehan, SR
• Idaho school budget funds laptops, merit pay/Betsy Russell, SR
• Marquez to run for Shoshone County sheriff/Zak Failla, Shoshone NP
• Ex-Demo 'rising star' Cronin won't seek re-election/Betsy Russell, EOB
• Idaho unemployment rate revised downward for 2010, 2011/Statesman
• Llama injured, one killed after dog llama in Spokane/Shawn Chitniss, KREM
• Senate Ed OKs bill to lift cap on all charter schools 5-4/Betsy Russell, EOB
• Betty Richardson files for state Senate, 2 incumbents will step aside/Kevin Richert, IS

Republican presidential candidate Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, waits backstage with wife, Carol before a town hall meeting at the Bonner County Fairgrounds Monday in Sandpoint. (AP Photo/Matt Mills McKnight)

GOP presidential candidate Ron Paul drew a crowd of 1,200 supporters to a noon rally at the Bonner County Fairgrounds in Sandpoint today, the AP reports, a crowd the campaign called “massive;” this AP photo shows Paul addressing the crowd. The rally comes as Idaho's Super Tuesday GOP presidential caucus approaches tomorrow night; at 7 p.m. local time, in every one of the state's 44 counties, Republicans will gather at local caucuses to decide which GOP candidate the state should support for the presidential nomination/Betsy Russell, Eye On Boise. More here.

Question: Even if Ron Paul won Sandpoint, would it matter in the grander scheme of things?

Over the course of 45 years in business, Dale Coffelt has grown close to the community he serves. He has seen children grow into grandparents and watched as one generation gave way to the next. Perhaps more than anyone, he has been there when community members passed away, comforting families, making a hard and heart-breaking situation, in his words, “softer.” Coffelt Funeral Services was established in 1970 after he took over the operation of the business and the associated Pinecrest Cemetery from Bud Moon, whose father started Moon Funeral Services back in 1922. Dale still remembers the day he entered the building at the corner of Division and Pine, not because it was particularly notable, but because it was the first entry in what would become a long and illustrious local career/David Gunter, Bonner County Bee. More here. (Photo from Coffelt Funeral Service Web site)

Question: The article goes on to say how Dale Coffelt is passing down his funeral service to his grandson. I tip my hat to families like the Coffelts who serve their communities in such a way. But I can't imagine why anyone would want to be in the funeral business. Is Digger out there?

Ron Paul has tentatively placed Moscow back on his campaign trail ahead of Super Tuesday, seeking a larger venue after his first visit was to a shut-out crowd. According to an email from a campaign staffer, the Texas congressman plans to visit three Idaho cities Monday — Sandpoint at 11 a.m., Moscow at 2 p.m., and Idaho Falls at 7 p.m. Paul's staff is currently fleshing out a contract with the University of Idaho to use the Kibbie Dome, said Karen Calisterio, north Idaho regional director for the campaign/AP.

Question: How important are the results of the Washington (Saturday) and Idaho (Tuesday) caucuses to Ron Paul GOP presidential hopes?

It's a balmy 28 degrees in Sandpoint this morning, where last night more than 50 people packed the public meeting room at the Sandpoint Library to learn about Idaho's open meetings and public records laws. “Open meetings and public records are very important to us as a citizenry,” Idaho Attorney General Lawrence Wasden told the group. It was the first of four North Idaho seminars this week sponsored by Idahoans for Openness in Government, IDOG, in partnership with the Attorney General's office and recommended by the Idaho Press Club, the Idaho Association of Counties and the Association of Idaho Cities. Last night's seminar was co-sponsored by the Bonner County Daily Bee; publisher David Keyes said the turnout shows people here really want to know about these issues/Betsy Russell, Eye On Boise. More here.

• DFO: The RSVPs have maxed out the seating for tonight's open meetings/records seminar at the SR building in Coeur d'Alene tonight.

Question: Do you think Idaho's open meetings/open records laws are adequate?

City officials want to ensure that everyone feels welcome in Sandpoint. At last Thursday’s Administration Committee meeting, Councilman John Reuter sought the committee’s approval to work with city attorney Scot Campbell in drafting a city ordinance that would prevent discrimination  race, color, disability, age, national origin, sex, religion, creed, veteran status and sexual orientation. … Idaho law currently prohibits discrimination in employment, education, real estate transactions and public accommodations based on age, disability, religion, sex, race, color and national origin. However, Reuter’s proposal would bolster and enhance current state law to include additional categories like veteran status and sexual orientation/Cameron Rasmusson, Bonner County Bee. More here.

Question: Will Sandpoint embrace an anti-discrimination law that's stronger than Idaho law, adding sexual orientation to the mix?

For all the complaints about city budgets being stretched to the limit, our local governments here in Idaho are at the forefront of growing the nanny state with as much gusto as the federal government. Examples abound in just the last month. Example one comes from the city of Boise, where statists (those people who believe in and worship the power of government) are contemplating a ban on smoking in local bars. … Not to be outdone, Sandpoint is where city officials have passed an ordinance banning the use of cell phones while driving — whether talking or texting. That's apparently because the police chief thought it was too hard to just ban texting — so now every activity in the phone-car continuum is now illegal. If you're in Sandpoint, beware. Even if you're not hurting anyone, you're now a criminal/Wayne Hoffman, Idaho Freedom Foundation. More here.

Question: Do you consider actions taken by city councils in Idaho against smoking and cellphones to be part of a “nanny state” mentality?

Just a short stroll from downtown Sandpoint, a dirt trail follows Lake Pend Oreille’s shoreline past groves of leafy cottonwoods that block out the sights and sounds of the bustling resort town. Instead of traffic, trail users hear lapping waves and the musical cadence of song sparrows. To the east, they can watch storm clouds gathering over the Cabinet Mountains. The privately owned trail is one of Sandpoint’s best kept secrets. But through a $1.6 million deal negotiated with the heirs of the late Sandpoint photographer Ross Hall, local cities and a nonprofit group hope to secure almost a mile of the undeveloped shoreline for public use/Becky Kramer, SR. More here. (SR photo by Kathy Plonka: Dann Hall, son of the late Ross Hall, talks about his family’s waterfront property)

Reaction?

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.

This morning's paper tells us that we won a contest, sponsored by big names in the media business–USA Today and Rand McNally.  Yesterday the word spread quickly on Facebook that–after the judging, which involved visits to several communities throughout the country–Sandpoint is America's most beautiful small town. What that will bring is now the question.  Will we,  who love this place as it is and has been,  want all the more to put up the gates?  And, I'm not talking about gates to exclusive developments but gates to city entrances/Marianne Love, Slight Detour. More here.

Question: If you could, would you put up a fence around your North Idaho community and not let anyone else in?

Rand McNally's 2011 Best of Road Rally has named Sandpoint as the most beautiful town in the United States. Jeff DeKorte, Rand McNally’s SVP, Travel & Digital Media and John Peters, VP/GM Digital Strategy along with Victoria Borton, General Manager of USA TODAY Travel, announced the five winning teams to a packed house at the Destination Marketing Association International (DMAI) Annual Convention in New Orleans. Narrowed down from more than 600 submissions, 30 top towns in five categories — Most Beautiful, Most Patriotic, Friendliest, Most Fun, and Best for Food — were selected for review during the inaugural Best of the Road Rally. More here. (SR file photo/Pia Hallenberg, of small-scale Statue of Liberty on Lake Pend Oreille)

Question: Which place in America's most beautiful small town would you point out to visitors as quintessential Sandpoint?

In a guest opinion in the Bonner County Bee on Sunday, Sandpoint Mayor Gretchen Hellar , pictured, said Dover Mayor Randy Curless earned $45,000 per year. Which was news to Mayor Curless and his daughter, former SReporter Erica Curless. Mayor Curless earns $2400 per year. In a mea culpa on Tuesday, Mayor Hellar writes in the Bee: “In my rush to get my guest editorial published I committed a stupid error. I did not check the information I got from the Internet. I tried to call Dover City Hall and Randy Curless, mayor of Dover, before I submitted it. I could not reach them. I should have waited until I could confirm the data. The Dover mayor does make $45,000, but that is the salary of the mayor of Dover, Md. I sincerely apologize to Randy and the citizens of Dover for the problem I caused.”

Question: Have you ever been embarrassed by information from the Internet that you used in a public way?

“Got the May issue of Outdoor Life in the mail today,” comments KeithinCDA. “Top 200 towns listed for Sportsmen and of the top 200, Idaho has 10. … All great places for jumping off into the outdoors”:

#7 Lewiston (was #1 last year)
#23 Idaho Falls
#32 Sandpoint
#33 Pocatello
#43 Hailey
#65 Payette
#79 Coeur d Alene
#85 Salmon
#108 Rexburg
 #111 Driggs

Question: Would you rather live in Lewiston than the current Idaho place that you're living? Why? Why not?

North Idaho educators and supporters are marching down Sherman Avenue in protest to Tom Luna's education “reform” plans as i post this. Here, Sandpoint High student Tyson Bird is talking to KHQ reporters about his objections to Luna's radical plan. (Photo courtesy of William Love)

Larry Spencer: How about a recap of the dumbest laws created in Idaho in 2010. My number one pick is the Sandpoint ordinance that outlawed butcher knives. So … perhaps the city council is a bunch of tofu lovers, but how the heck is anyone going to carve up a turkey? Or is that they're what they are trying to make impossible? You can have my carving knife when you pry it from my cold dead fingers, you.. you….”progressives!”

Question: Can you think of other dumb laws enacted in 2010?

Winner Nate Holland, center, from the United States, third placed Mario Fuchs, left, from Austria and second placed Tom Velisek from Canada celebrate on the podium after the men’s snowboard cross final at the World Cup ski event in Lech, Austria, Tuesday. Holland is a native of Sandpoint. See story below. (AP Photo/Kerstin Joensson)

• Transtector lands $4.6M contract for EMP protection panels/Tom Sowa, Office Hours
• Beaudry owners hit w/$2.1M judgment in Idaho court/Tom Sowa, Office Hours
• Nez Perce supervisors rips Idaho P&R for roiling OHVers/Rich Landers, Outdoors
• 2-fer: CdA man sets up Xmas, birthday account for abused twins/CdA Press; and: Jailed grandma in abuse case wants to take care of library books/KREM
  
• Washington State student believed infected by meningitis/KXLY
• Post Falls No. 1 in high school basketball poll/Jesse Zentz, Statesman
• Sandpoint native wins World Cup opener in Austria/Sandpoint Online
• USFS withdraws from Lakeview-Reeder timber sale/KEA Blog
  

Quest Aircraft Co. will furlough all except a handful of the airplane manufacturer’s 120 employees for three weeks beginning next Tuesday. Quest CEO Paul Shaller said this wasn’t the way he wanted to end an already turbulent 2010. “We are going to end up manufacturing 14 planes this year when I really wanted to do three times that,” he said. Quest had four rounds of layoffs this year and continues to be in the middle of an economic storm/Bonner County Bee. More here.

Question: Has your company had layoffs, furloughs, wage cuts, or related actions this year?

If I hadn’t checked Randy Stapilus’s Facebook page, I would have missed this story from the Bonner County Bee in which U.S. Sen. Mike Crapo ran head long into a group of birthers during a Sandpoint pit stop. From the article by Cameron Rasmusson: “Substantial conversation arose at speculation about the legitimacy of Obama’s citizenship and consequently, his presidency. Several attendees were eager to weigh in on the issue, one noting that if Obama’s presidency was invalid, all of his appointees would be deposed as well, resulting in a political coup. He then asked whether Crapo would support Obama’s impeachment if sufficient investigation occurred. Crapo replied that it was the House’s responsibility to impeach the president, while the Senate held the trial, and he would need more information before making a public statement. “I would need to see more background on the issue,” he said. More here.

Question: Seriously?