Since When Do American Men Hold Tea Parties?

What’s this? Duane Hagadone meeting Friday at Frank Henderson’s Pinevilla home for a tete-a-tete with Mayor Gus Johnson and other Post Falls muckety-mucks? Hmmm. If I were a suspicious sort, I’d say it had something to do with the prime Louisiana Pacific property sitting a stone’s throw from City Hall.

But Henderson, Johnson and Administrator Jim Hammond assured us the gathering was a get-acquainted thing - nothing more than a “tea party.” In fact, all the suspects said it was “not a big deal” so many times that I’d be a fool not to suspect otherwise. Stay tuned.

Izzat you, guv’nah?

Even the hired hands were surprised by Dirk Kempthorne’s decision to run for governor. Like everyone else, Kempthorne’s staffers guessed Dirk was going to stay in the U.S. Senate when he opted to make his announcement in his Boise office rather than on the nearby Capitol steps. That explains the collective gasp and burst of applause when Kempthorne uttered the magic word “governor.” … By the way, don’t worry about Gov. GQ’s old-age pension. He’ll still pull down $20,000 annually for his five years in the Senate - about what I’ll be eligible for if I work 20 years for this broadsheet. Such are the perks for a “public servant.” … And, yes, the governor-elect (if I can drop the formality of an election) did vote - along with fellow “conservatives” Sen. Larry Craig and Rep. Mike Crapo - for the sneaky raise that lifted congressional salaries above $135,000.

‘Swan Lake’ redux?

It might be worth $10 to see “Princess” Fred Blackwell Jr. and “Queen” Al March in Tchaikovsky’s “Swan Lake.” The two Athol firefighters and other volunteers are staging the event Nov. 8 at Athol Elementary School to raise money for a comfort station for fire and accident victims. They guarantee the play will be “like you’ve never seen it.” The guarantee was unnecessary.

Let’s par-r-rty

So, you wonder what else is going on in River City? Well, a Web search for “Animal House” Friday turned up among its top 25 sites (drumroll, please) “The Authorized Guide to Post Falls, Idaho.” Before I started chanting, “toga, toga,” however, I saw that Webcrawler had picked out another “Animal House,” the pet and supply shop owned by David and Kathleen Chestnut. … If the Davis Donuts reader board is right, I still have three years left as a dummy (Shaddup!): “When I was 14, my father knew nothing; when I was 21, it was amazing how much he learned in seven years.” … Last week, Rathdrum Councilman Mark Worthen summed up a cemetery report for his colleagues thusly: “It’s pretty dead around here.” And so it is here unless I can come up with better Huckleberries. Huckleberries

Do you suppose Kootenai Medical Center had to explain why October was declared “National Beast Month”? This, according to a KMC press release. Spell check has a down side. … Spell check II, Accuracy 0: Then, Frank Bartel, who played alongside Jerry Kramer on the Sandpoint High football team of the 1950s and now works for us, is promoting his new book, “World That Never Was.” It’s a “lusty and griping” tale of the cultural revolt following World War II. … FYI: It’s time to drive a stake through the rumor that Democratic operatives Mike Kennedy and Ryan Hill secretly are working for GOP congressional wannabe Tony Paquin. Tain’t true. They’ve finally found honest work with Paquin’s former company.

Parting shot

Mayor Emeritus Dick Wandrocke assures Huckleberries that “the current national ruckus to reform election campaign financing has not encroached upon our Fightin’ Creek contest. Ballots are still obtained by purchasing a beverage of your choice.” Dick also revealed the odds-on favorite to win the job of cleaning out the Fightin’ Creek outhouse: R.C. Fahlgren. The business crowd that’s trying to buy the 1997 Coeur d’Alene city elections could pick up a few tips at Fightin’ Creek.

, DataTimes MEMO: Gotta Huckleberry? Call the Huckleberry Hound Hotline: (800) 344-6718 or (208) 765-7125; daveo@spokesman.com.

The following fields overflowed: CREDIT = D.F. Oliveria The Spokesman-Review