Huckleberries: Steady stream of oddities preserves CdA’s image

A commenter on the Huckleberries Online blog who goes by the pseudonym “Sisyphus” contends that the image problems for the Coeur d’Alene area are cumulative.

Many, of course, think of million-dollar waterfront property, pine-covered foothills and the floating green when they hear the name “Coeur d’Alene.” But others, says Sisyphus, wonder: Isn’t that the place where: 1. The old man lives who hit the black kid on the plane? 2. They had a KKK snowman with a noose? 3. The school trustee repeated a tasteless Obama joke? 4. They’re building a right-wing armed fortress? 5. They protested against Mexican food carts?

It’s not like the media is staking out the Coeur d’Alene area, adds Sisyphus. It. Just. Keeps. Happening.

Now we have the Dalton Gardens company (South Fork Industries) that’s manufacturing pork-lined Jihawg Ammo designed to send slain jihadists straight to hell without passing “Go.” Bad theology. But the Facebook wall has 9,000 likes.

ABC News and even international media pounced on that Coeur d’Loonian-area oddity this month. The hits keep coming.

Biggest Loser

On Friday, Rob Palus of the Post Falls Engineering Department celebrated his selection as one of two Biggest Losers in a 12-week City Hall contest by taking a victory lap after lunch on a giant tricycle. Participants lost a total of 482 1/2 pounds … For the first time in years, the Coeur d’Alene School Board will have five elected trustees, when the three new ones are sworn in Monday afternoon. Which also means the turbulent, over-reaching reign of conservative hard-liners, including three appointed ones, will come to an end. Huzzah … Then there’s the one about the Post Falls tyke who was thwarted in a runaway attempt Thursday morning – by the flat tire on his scooter … The aforementioned item happened two hours after patrol officers responded to a report that a Labrador dog had been hit and injured by a passing vehicle near Interstate 90’s Spokane Street interchange at Post Falls – and found a dead deer under the guardrail.

Huckleberries

Poet’s Corner: “The door of life/revolves about;/she’s coming in,/I’m headed out” – The Bard of Sherman Avenue (“New Grandchild”) … Mic’s bartender Patrick Jacobs wonders: “Am I the only one (who) still occasionally gets flashbacks related to the long gone Rosauers on Appleway? Sometimes, I just want a time machine so I could grocery shop there again and enjoy the horrible senior citizen food in their restaurant. Maybe I’m crazy, but I miss the place like a dead friend.” … In some city circles, that small piece of seawall real estate at the eastern entrance to Coeur d’Alene’s City Park has a name – you know, the place where angst-filled youth hang out, smoking and cussing. Some refer to it as Losers’ Ledge. Others as Kiddies’ Korner. Huckleberries prefers Loiterers Ledge. But is open to better suggestions … Quotable Quote: “So, um, if the defenders of ‘traditional marriage’ include Rush Limbaugh and Newt Gingrich, then I confess to being slightly confused about the question” – Mike Kennedy, one of five Coeur d’Alene council members to vote in favor of the anti-discrimination ordinance extending civil rights protections to gays.

Parting shot

Spokesman Keith Erickson of the Lake City Development Corporation was happyhappyhappy when he received a $2 discount on his latest haircut. But it came at a steep price. His stylist had given him the senior discount for those on the wrong side of 60 – and Keith has yet to touch the Big 5-0. Philosophizes Keith: “Perhaps she was just cutting me a break, but I would have rather forked out the extra $2 and maintained a sense of middle-aged youthfulness.” Nice try.