Welcome To Cliche City
Coeur d’Alene is experiencing an outbreak of “win-wins” this election season. Win-wins is chamber of commerce jargon for an outcome that pleases everyone. The self-important word - like “pro-active” and “parameters” - sounds good when dropped into a speech or an interview with a reporter. In announcing his run for mayor, Steve Judy hit a trifecta, saying he wanted to work pro-actively to create win-win situations for the city in order to avoid lose-lose situations like the Sanders Beach dispute. Then, he said he spent his formative years working for U.S. Sens. Larry Craig and Dirk Kempthorne. Politicians talk like that. Council wannabes Deanna Goodlander and Stan Smith, on the other hand, wanted a win-win solution to Sanders Beach. Goodlander is a businesswoman and, therefore, susceptible to jargon. Smith, however, is blue collar all the way. The working class hasn’t had a win-win situation around here since the mines and most of the mills shut. Still, Smith’s the only candidate with a genuine concern for Sanders Beach and public waterfront property. So, I’ll forgive him a highfalutin cliche.
Future will judge C’dA council harshly
Before long, the Coeur d’Alene City Council will fumble away Sanders Beach. Sure, some councilors give lip service to the perennial issue. But they’re convinced the city won’t pass a bond to purchase the beach by condemnation. So, Joe Chapman or someone else eventually will build on the beach. And his neighbors will follow suit. And, years from now, Coeur d’Alene residents will wonder how the councils of the 1980s and 1990s stood by while it happened. Public access to Lake Coeur d’Alene’s north shore is invaluable. At a minimum, the council should fight fiercely to prevent any construction on the beach side of East Lakeshore. If that isn’t too much to ask.
Who needs spring when Cougs are here?
In recent years, the end of the Seattle Mariners season depressed local sports fans. They were left facing five months of winter before spring training chased away cabin fever. The Seahawks have floundered. The promising Sonics never seem to go all the way. But this year’s different. Incredibly, lowly Washington State University has rekindled hope with a 5-0 start - and a No. 12 ranking in football polls. If WSU doesn’t “Coug” against the University of California in two weeks, it could earn its highest ranking ever. And maybe this year’s Apple Cup will mean a Rose Bowl berth for the winner. Be still, my beating heart.
, 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, or by sending e-mail to daveo@spokesman.com.