Cda Teen Has An Unsinkable Fishing Story

Jeremy Gittel has quite a tale about a 27-1/2-inch pike that sunk his 14-foot aluminum boat. After catching the monster at Gotham Bay on Lake Coeur d’Alene this summer, the Coeur d’Alene teen was headed back to the family cabin to do some bragging - when a big wave from a passing motor boat swamped him. Jeremy had just enough time to grab the tackle box, two fishing poles and a flotation device before his small craft sank. Upon reaching shore 300 feet away, Jeremy was amazed to see the bow poking 6 inches out of the water. A second life preserver had wedged beneath the bow. Incredibly, the fish didn’t get away either. Jeremy paddled to shore with it. Maybe that’s how Jonah got his start.

Car trouble

So, how did Jennifer Gravelle of Pinehurst celebrate the purchase of a used Ford Thunderbird? She drove it into a ditch on her way home, causing $3,000 worth of damage. This, according to the Idaho News Observer. But there’s a silver lining to this story. Fortunately, Jennifer purchased insurance an hour earlier. The only things hurt were her feelings - and her insurance rates. … While target practicing, Sander D. Wells of Clark Fork was shot several times by a 15-year-old with a pellet gun before he got mad enough to contact the Bonner County Sheriff’s Office. Sander either knows how to turn the other cheek, or he’s someone with a very high pain threshold. … Noticing antagonistic Commissioner Ron Rankin in the Kootenai County Democratic Club lunch audience, Assessor Marv Vandenberg quipped Friday: “Ron Rankin and I are both here for the same reason. We’re looking for a replacement for me.” Actually, Marv hasn’t decided whether or not to seek re-election.

Home away from home

Marie Whitesel of Coeur d’Alene owns the only private cabin at Ponderosa State Park in McCall. Her family began leasing the site for $20 per year way back when. Now, Marie and others are fighting a proposal to raise leases on public lands up to $6,000 annually. “I live in Coeur d’Alene,” Marie told the Land Board recently. “People ask me how I could spend so much time on Payette Lake. People think that’s weird. Well, I started as a very young girl. …” Most weird people I know started young.

Huckleberries

Steve Judy, the baby-faced executive of Concerned Businesses of North Idaho, got tagged with this one at the T.W. Fisher’s coffee klatch: “Hey, Steve, why don’t you lie about your age and run for mayor?” … If you’re looking for “Republican Headquarters - Kootenai County” in the North Idaho phone book, you can turn to the R’s, of course. And the M’s - where it’s duplicated just beneath Lu Myser’s name. … Three months ago, Lindsay Taggart was shaking hands with Lake City High principal John Brumley at graduation ceremonies. Two weeks ago, she was shaking hands with President Clinton at her new school, American University in Washington, D.C. You’ve come a long way already, baby. … A bumpersnicker: “Hang up and drive.” … Two weeks ago, the readerboard at Bob Ovnicek’s Paul Bunyan Pak-Out added one too many A’s to “they.” This week, his Topper Too sign advertised double cheese burger, bacen and tomato. Oh well, the food’s good. … After hearing the news that the Ol’ Onion Farmer won’t re-up for governor, congressional wannabe Tony Paquin was beside himself. He was ready to start a movement to draft Our Miss Chenoweth for governor. But I don’t think his chances would improve much. … How about Vernon Baker for governor?

Parting shot

Top nominee for the “Only in Idaho” category comes, appropriately, from this year’s list of inductees into the Idaho Hall of Fame. Out of the starting gate is poet Ezra Pound, a fascist who was born in Hailey, lived in Italy and was arrested for treason by the U.S. government. Not far away on this list of VIPs is none other than Medal of Honor recipient Vernon Baker of St. Maries. And his claim to fame? Fighting fascism and Nazism in Italy. , 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