Huckleberries: Otter’s education funding effort ripe for mockery

Last week, a Facebook post by a Democratic legislative candidate got under Jon Hanian’s skin: Hanian? He’s Idaho Gov. Butch Otter’s mouthpiece. Onward.

Travis Manning, a House candidate from Canyon County, published a photo of Otter and him shaking hands, quipping that the governor was thanking him “for working to save Idaho’s public school system from total annihilation.” This, according to Idaho Statesman reporter Dan Popkey. Idaho, of course, is the Mississippi of the West when it comes to education funding.

Hanian and Manning swapped emails, with the humor-impaired spokesman denouncing the Facebook spoof as untruthful and asking that it be changed. Ultimately, Manning kept the Facebook post up.

Why am I telling you this? On Wednesday, Huckleberries Online published a photo of the governor auctioning cookies at a Kootenai County GOP fundraiser April 12, for the blog’s daily Cutline Contest. The winning caption read: “Otter unveils his plan to fund education: bake sales.” One wag suggested the possible wording of an email that Hanian might send Huckleberries, demanding a “change.” But nothing was forthcoming. P’haps the governor should do more about education funding if he doesn’t want to be teased about it.

Miracle at CHS

On his Facebook page, Coeur d’Alene High instructor Bruce Twitchell tells of a wonderful, once-in-a-lifetime story that happened at school Thursday. Seems the vice principal called one of Bruce’s students to the office. She was crying and smiling when she returned 10 minutes later. She’d so impressed a judge during her senior project presentation that he wanted to pay her way to college. Full ride. Until that point, the teen had expressed little interest in college. Neither she nor her family had the money to pay for college. Now, she wants to go.

Sums up Bruce: “I’ve never seen her more excited.”

And you thought things like this happened only in the movies?

Huckleberries

Food reviewer Patrick Jacobs gives a thumbs-up to an unusual offering at Bonzai Bistro in downtown Coeur d’Alene: half-pound Kobe burger, ’shrooms and onions, bruleed havarti, tonkatsu aioli, on a fried ramen bun (“all only 75 calories,” exclaimed Patrick, “for $9.99, almost free!”). Fried ramen bun? Ah, pass … Poet’s Corner: “Sugar coating/made him willing - /took a bite and/lost a filling” – The Bard of Sherman Avenue (“The Marshmallow Easter Chick”) … The Gem State is 49th in online pornography viewing at 80 views per capita, according to PornHub. Quipped a blog wag: “I think it’s just because Idaho’s broadband Internet is so lousy” … On Tuesday, those two desperadoes engaged in a suspicious activity on a Post Falls property turned out to be fishermen digging for worms … If you’re still running studs at this late date, you ought to be ashamed of yourself, especially after our easy winter. However, after April 30 in Idaho, you’ll also be breaking the law to continue to do so. You’ve been warned … Quotable Quote: “Most of my son’s classes next year will be at the local community college, and OMGCOLLEGEISEXPENSIVE!!!” – blog commenter Idaho Dad. It doesn’t get any cheaper either.

Parting shot

Every tea party candidate – and there’s at least one in each of the eight contested races – running for the Legislature in Kootenai County’s three districts signed the loyalty oath that says they agree 100 percent with the Idaho GOPlatform. That platform contains such goofy ideas as nullification, repealing the 17th Amendment (which allows residents rather than legislatures to pick U.S. senators), closed primary, tax credits for private education and guns on college campuses. Worse yet? Their opponents were almost in complete agreement, too.