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Huckleberries: Councilman feels echo of Tucson

The assassination attempt against congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords in Tucson, Ariz., hit home for Coeur d’Alene Councilman Mike Kennedy. While going toward the St. Pius X Catholic Church altar to receive Communion last Sunday, Mike was approached by a troubled woman. She tossed four pages of handwritten ramblings in the pew behind Mike and said “those are for you.” In the past, Mike told Huckleberries, “I’ve shaken my head and recycled her writings, since I genuinely believe them to be deranged. After the events (at Tucson), though, I’m going to drop a copy of this letter off to the police department.” As you can see, dealing with unstable individuals isn’t simply an academic exercise for Mike. Who concluded: “We have to come up with a better solution in this country to help people who are battling serious mental illness.” And everyone said: Amen.

Jai & Militia

Those three burly guys in camo hanging at the back of the Kootenai County Courthouse crowd during county swearing-in ceremonies Monday weren’t with the contingent of cops present. My spies didn’t read the stitching on their shirts until they moved forward to congratulate new Commissioner Jai Nelson. It said: “Idaho Militia.” Nelson greeted them warmly. Gulp! … Re-elected Kootenai County Treasurer Tom Malzahn was corrected by his wife after taking the oath of office. Malzahn said, “This is the fourth time I’ve said ‘I do.’ ” Which prompted wife Cathy to shout from the audience: “It’s five, honey.” And that’s how you go from the courthouse to the doghouse in a matter of moments … New Coroner Debbie Wilkey drew a laugh when she said: “It’s never really good to say as a coroner, ‘I’m looking forward to meeting all of you …’ ”

Huckleberries

In Post Falls, Rosa’s Italian Market & Deli deserves props for a brilliant word-of-mouth marketing idea: the eatery’s “celebrity menu.” Among Post Falls celebs honored with their own sandwiches are Mayor Clay Larkin, Councilwoman Kerri Thoreson and police Chief Scot Haug … You know you’re a true Inland Northwesterner if you understand the following words: Yaktrax, Sorels, grain shovel, roof rake, Super HotHands and Softlips balm … Scanner Talk: At 8:41 a.m. Thursday, a Lake City snowplow operator said to colleague: “The hydraulics are making weird noises and not wanting to work.” Responded the second: “That’s not good” … McEuen Field Poll: Almost 80 percent of my Huckleberries Online (www.spokesman.com/ blog/hbo) poll responders support some change to McEuen Field, with 33 percent backing the Taj Mahal plans unveiled by Team McEuen (including removal of the Third Street boat launch and the ball fields). Only 22 percent say the popular downtown Coeur d’Alene green space should remain as is.

Parting shot

On her Facebook wall, Kerri Thoreson criticized Spokane TV weathercasters for “crying wolf” every time a snowflake falls. To which KXLY’s Colleen O’Brien responded: “I agree. Media should not treat snow like war is upon us. But I invite anyone who thinks we make too big of a deal out of snow to answer our newsroom phones during a snow event.” Methinks Spokane TV weathercasters should spend a winter or five in Montana, as I have, before they describe anything local as a “snow event.”

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