Rough world of wiener dog racing

And yet another reason why I (heart) Tom Burnett’s Rathdrum Star – wiener dog race wars. In the last episode, er, issue, the Star published a classified ad in which Nancy Taylor’s “friends in Iraq” urged her to get a colonoscopy. In this week’s weekly, the Star tells of a fracas over the community’s wiener dog race that might wind up in court. Seems Spokane’s Margo Mossburg of Dogs Rescue Northwest made “a blistering phone call” – the Star’s words, not Huckleberries – to the Rathdrum Chamber of Commerce after the recent Rathdrum Days. Which featured a dachshund race. Mossburg claimed exclusive rights to wiener dog racing as a fundraiser and threatened to sue if the dog races were held at the 2009 Rathdrum Days. Quoting from a phone recording, the Star reported that Mossburg said: “I would prefer not to go that route, but … The wiener dog races are our thing. This is how we advertise our dog rescue. I don’t know what to do. I’m pretty upset that you guys would run this again this year.” At Huckleberries Online, Berry Picker ThomG knew exactly what to do to resolve this mess without going to court. “Cut the dogs in half and give half to her and half to Rathdrum.” Hasn’t something like that been tried before?

Kellogg on my mind

Imagine Raymond Pert’s surprise this past school year when he discovered that one of his community college students in Eugene, Ore., hailed from his hometown of Kellogg. Sorta. At Kellogg Bloggin’, the former miner turned college instructor tells how he was interrupted while rattling on about the benefits of growing up in Kellogg – in other words, boasting about the rotten-egg stench of the air, the gray river running through town, and the privilege of being leaded. Said a student: “I live in Kellogg. I’ve never seen you.” Stunned, Raymond remembers stammering: “You live in Kellogg now?” Yep, the coed responded, adding that she lives in Eugene four days a week and the rest of the time in Kellogg. Where she serves as a volunteer firefighter in her spare time. Raymond couldn’t believe that a student would commute more than 500 miles a week to attend college in Eugene. And he was right. Although he’s lived in Eugene for almost 30 years, he’d never heard of Kellogg, Ore., which is about an hour way – down by Elkton via Highways 38 and 138. All Raymond found when he drove down to see Oregon’s version of Kellogg were signs that indicated a community had once existed on the bank of the Umpqua River. And a fire station – at nearby Elkton. Idaho’s version of Kellogg won’t have to worry about relinquishing bragging rights.

Huckleberries

If you think you have problems finding a wedding gift for a previously married family member, consider Berry Picker JeanieSpokane’s dilemma. Her former husband is getting remarried. In San Francisco. To another guy. Wonder what “Seinfeld” would do with that story line? … I’d never paid attention to the motto of The River Journal (serving Bonner & Boundary counties and some of Montana) before I saw it this week in the publication’s first edition as a slick magazine: “Because there’s more to life than bad news.” Owner Trish Gannon tells Huckleberries that she adopted the motto about a year ago … Because You Asked – Steve Sibulsky: ITD’s Barbara Babic tells Huckleberries that the Ninth Street bridge over I-90 will reopen for traffic on Monday, Aug. 18.

Parting Shot

Tongue firmly cheeked, North Idahoan John Austin offered Huckleberries Online readers a list of items at which Washington “beats” Idaho: 1. Tribal casinos offering nothing back to local governments. 2. Migrant workers, asking nothing more than a chance to stay. 3. Power, generated from its damned-up rivers, covering in water its native heritages, cultures and ways of life. 4. ‘Professional’ sports franchises looking to move on in search of suckers willing to support them. 5. Stuck-up boaters it sends out-of-state. 6. Mud puddles they call lakes. 7. Coffee nerds. 8. ‘Greenies’ running for office. 9. Failing newspapers. 10. Blogs without 10,000 daily views. (The last item is a reference to the strong summer that Huckleberries is having online – and much appreciated.)