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Huckleberries: North Idaho had critical advocate in Albrecht-Hellar

The death Friday of former Sandpoint Mayor Gretchen Albrecht-Hellar closes the book on decades of public service by two remarkable women. Gretchen was a peace advocate and former leader of the Bonner County human rights effort. Her mother? Old-timers in Coeur d’Alene will never forget the late Lois Land-Albrecht. The flamboyant former Coeur d’Alene councilwoman had a troublesome, barking dog, Bandito, and a sharp tongue that whittled Lake City’s high-and-mighty down to size. In my Huckleberries column of Nov. 17, 1998, I wrote of Hellar: “Lois Land-Albrecht must be smiling somewhere up there. Her daughter, Gretchen, is a chip off the ol’ block. Gretchen Albrecht-Hellar of Sandpoint was looking racist Richard Butler in the eye Thursday, when she told a Bonner County Human Rights Task Force gathering: ‘Everyone should be able to live in a racism-free community.’ ” Land-Albrecht never backed down. Neither did her daughter. North Idaho is better off that they didn’t.

Brush with fame

As you know, actor John Travolta told The Spokesman-Review that he plans to visit Coeur d’Alene soon to see two of his sisters in a show based on their family’s holidays: “I Remember Christmas.” Coeur d’Alene theatergoers are used to Travolta dropping by performances involving his sisters, Ellen (of “Grease” fame), Ann and Margaret. In fact, I had a brush with him during a 2010 Coeur d’Alene Summer Theater production of “Cinderella” involving his three sisters. After the lights went down, the director announced there was a delay because of an accident on the freeway that blocked some Spokane ticketholders. Then, there was a commotion as a whole row of individuals arrived late. I thought they were some of the aforementioned Spokane residents. Only later did I learn that John Travolta was sitting right behind me. I was the only one in my row who didn’t know. And that is my one brush with fame.

Huckleberries

Texas Roadhouse might want to do something about that dysfunctional neon sign gracing the back of its building along U.S. Highway 95 in Coeur d’Alene. “Roa – use” is a sign that someone’s not paying attention … A resolution from GOPrecinct 52 committeeman Bjorn Handeen of Coeur d’Alene calls for the Idaho GOP to reconsider the selection of Larry Craig as finance chairman. Kootenai County Republicans will decide Tuesday if they want to take on state party leadership and the former U.S. senator from Idaho who tapped in a Minneapolis bathroom once too often … Bumpersnicker (spotted by former Coeur d’Alene Press reporter Susan Cuff in Missoula): “If guns are outlawed, only outlaws will accidentally kill their children” … Poll: You’d better think twice about messing with my Huckleberries blog crowd. Eighty percent said last week that they know how to handle a gun … At least the shoplifter caught at Post Falls Wal-Mart for pilfering popcorn chicken last week has good taste in salad dressing. She also swiped a bottle of ranch dressing. Can you think of any other dressing that goes with popcorn chicken?

Parting shot

Cindy Wooden, the Sandpoint High graduate who has reported on Vatican news for the past 25 years, has written a book, “Pope Francis: A Guide to God’s Time” ($20.85 in paperback, Amazon). In a blog post, Cindy explains that the title was taken from a homily given by the pope: “The pope is someone who is constantly looking at his watch because he sees a careful management of his time as a spiritual discipline and as sign of respect for the people he is supposed to meet at a certain hour. But in a homily that inspired the title, he said that when we go to Mass, we enter into God’s time ‘without looking at our watches.’ ” Speaking of time, mine has run out. See you back here next Sunday.

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