The Honor Should Go To Stone

So, North Idaho College is thinking about naming its performing arts arena after someone ornery, with college ties, who left a public post under a cloud? Forget former NIC President Barry Schuler. How about ex-NIC dean Ray Stone, the only Coeur d’Alene mayor to serve consecutive four-year terms? Stone certainly could be as petty as Schuler. But he was far more colorful, too. Besides, Stone also could be magnificent - like the time he spoke eloquently for human rights in accepting the Raoul Wallenberg Award for Coeur d’Alene before the world’s cameras at New York City Hall. Stone received a national honor for helping liberate a Nazi concentration camp, taught generations of Coeur d’Alene students, and routinely supported the arts. Schuler accomplished much for the college in terms of expansion and construction. But he’s moved on. Stone helped build this community and remains part of it.

There must be better ways to bug Nazis

Sorry, I’m not one for renaming a road to make a political statement - no matter how clever. North Idaho College instructor Tony Stewart has proposed renaming Rimrock Road for Martin Luther King Jr. to bug area racists. You see, Rimrock Road borders Richard Butler’s Aryan Nations compound. Stewart, former president of the Northwest Coalition Against Malicious Harassment, figures the name change would pay tribute to King and send a message to the neo-nutsies. (And what would that message be - that local human-rights activists are through resting on their laurels and have become vigilant again?) Unfortunately, if Stewart & Co. are successful, everyone along Rimrock Road will be affected - not just the Aryans. Some, if not most, of the Rev’s neighbors probably prefer the current descriptive name “Rimrock,” which pinpoints an area north of Hayden Lake. Send this one back to the drawing board.

All eyes are on Osburn logging job

A lot is riding on Dan Hagman’s logging job in Shields Gulch. Above Osburn. Where everyone in town and driving along the interstate can see. If he screws it up by overlogging, tree huggers will point to the job as an example of what routinely goes on in the back country. Of course, Shoshone County Commissioner Jack King didn’t help the loggers’ cause by sympathizing with concerned Osburn residents and stating: “We don’t want the land raped where people can see it.” (Out of sight, out of mind, hey?) Hagman has every right to log his land. But, for the sake of the natural-resource industry, he has to be extremely careful. Everyone will be watching.

, DataTimes MEMO: D.F. Oliveria’s “Hot Potatoes” runs Tuesdays and Thursdays. You can comment on the items by calling (800) 344-6718 or (208) 765-7125.