Beware Good Grades From The Green Party

Monica Lewinsky will not be the top topic of conversation in this, the inaugural run of the 1998 Political Notebook. Still, there are a boatload of important political issues hiding behind the salacious headlines out of Washington, D.C. Stay tuned here for important details about everything from school bonds to the races to seize political thrones from Helen Chenoweth and Anne Fox. Our debut includes …

Unwanted endorsements

Tuesday’s unveiling of the environmental rating for Congressional delegations from Washington and Idaho, from the Inland Empire Public Lands Council and League of Conservation Voters, should draw at least a few yawns. The only real suspense here is whether any of our politicians will get better than a D+ from these groups. Flunking won’t break any hearts in the incumbents’ campaign camps. An A+, though, likely is the kiss of death to an Inland Empire re-election campaign.

Trickle-down education?

More tense this spring, however, is Post Falls’ umpteenth attempt at a school bond on March 24. There’s the basic $17.97 million bond issue, or the one with an extra $2.9 million for a stadium and an auditorium. Five members of the ever generous Kootenai County Property Owners Association made a Christmastime offer to support a $14 million version and not a penny more. Simultaneously they waxed eloquently about their own children being in private schools. So they will dig deep for their own kids but want to skimp on the students now double-shifting at the Post Falls Middle School? So much for that civics class.

A rumor of Armey

Speaking of political dissention, the Kootenai County Republican Party can’t seem to agree whether Rep. Dick Armey, R-Texas, will indeed be in the Lake City for the annual Republican Lincoln Day Dinner. That’s not stopping the chefs from lighting the grill or the other politicians from flying in. U.S. Sens. Larry Craig and Dirk Kempthorne, as well as U.S. Reps. Helen Chenoweth and Mike Crapo, have their plates reserved. Anyone else who’s interested in the Feb. 21 event at The Coeur d’Alene Resort can call Ruthie Johnson. Daytime telephone is 772-2141. Evenings, call 772-5024.

Sweet retribution

North Idaho College president Ron Bell could at least jokingly bask in a bit of unexpected glory last week. Idaho State Sen. Atwell J. Parry, Republican chairman of the Joint Finance Committee, told Bell that NIC is getting all of the money this year, because “I’m mad at Jerry Meyerhoffer,” rumormongers say. Meyerhoffer, of course, is president of the College of Southern Idaho. Were it true, University of Idaho would really want to take over NIC. Meyerhoffer, meanwhile, likely is adding a class titled “How to Please the Man With the Purse Strings.”

Quote of the week

“Now, if we can’t do that because we see black helicopters coming over the mountain, we’re in real trouble.” - Idaho Board of Education’s Tom Dillon, responding to State Schools Superintendent Anne Foxes’s objection to working with other states to improve teacher training.

Question of the week

What advice did Coeur d’Alene native and chief domestic policy advisor Bruce Reed give Bill Clinton just before the president delivered the State of the Union address?

, DataTimes MEMO: Campaign ‘98 is published during the campaign season and is compiled by Ken Olsen from staff reports. To submit information on a political event or submit a question for a candidate, write us c/o The Idaho Spokesman Review, 608 Northwest Boulevard, Suite 200, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho 83814, or e-mail us at keno@spokesman.com.