I like Groundhog's Day. Big time. My father was born on Groundhog's Day in 1921. And Big Earl, one of my BFFs, is a Groundhog's Day baby. Beyond that, as I've said off and on for the last month, I consider Groundhog's Day to be the beginning of the end for winter. It might huff and puff some after Feb. 2. But it's on the way out.
Bee Cave Bob the armadillo emerges from his burrow in Bee Cave, Texas, to declare an early Spring at the 7th annual Armadillo Day on Tuesday. Every February 2, on Groundhog Day, the Benevolent Knights of the Raccoon host their own version, Armadillo Day, with live country music, chili and tamales to watch the armadillo forecast the weather.
Writing for the University of Idaho Argonaut, Erin Bamer argues that Donald Trump deserves credit for shaking things up and prompting Americans to tune into the 2016 presidential campaign earlier than usual -- not that Erin would ever vote for Trump.
Scanner Traffic for Tuesday PM (18 items & counting + link to AM Scanner Traffic with 16 more items) ...
The Cutline Contest today features an eagle that has been trained to snag drones flying in restricted areas in The Netherlands, such as large outdoor events. Monday Winner: gitrdun.
Congressman Raul Labrador is confident that Republicans can repeal Obamacare if the country elects a Republican president in November: "We can repeal Obamacare and replace this failed experiment with a patient-centered system that meets America’s health care needs and reduces our deficit.”
It was by no means a stinging rebuke or a public shaming. But the timing of Gov. Butch Otter’s latest guest opinion is notable. On Tuesday, the governor used his bully pulpit to press the case for his education budgets — and subtly place a little pressure on fellow Republicans in the Legislature.
The dividing line over a monthlong armed standoff in this rural Oregon community deepened Monday. Hundreds of people converged on the county courthouse lawn to send a singular message to the remaining occupiers at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge and their supporters: Go home. However, the occupation backers aren't heeding message.
The House on Tuesday failed to override President Obama's veto of a bill that would have repealed key provisions of Obamacare and stripped federal funding from Planned Parenthood. The 241-186 vote to override the veto fell short of the two-thirds needed, ensuring that the Affordable Care Act will remain in place at least through Obama's tenure.
You could call Dawna McCallum a little superstitious, and it’s paying off for the Cheney woman. McCallum won $52,000 in the Idaho Lottery in 2012, and last week she won $100,000 in an Idaho Lottery scratch game called Big Timber. The woodsy name resonated with her. McCallum was on her way to a social event, "Working Women's Wednesday."
Eye on Boise roundup begins with Medicaid expansion hearing: Dr. Kenneth Krell, director of critical care at Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center in Idaho Falls, offered chilling testimony to senators today about Idaho’s failure to expand Medicaid to cover 78,000 Idahoans who now fall into a coverage gap. More posts from Betsy below.
The daily roundup of posts from Huckleberries Online blog roll includes unusual sighting of deer at City Park. Also: First Take: Iowa/Randy Stapilus, The rightward march/Barrett Rainey, Idaho economy big on guns/Outdoors, Will we have peace today?/Simple Mind, The blind man & the elephant/Fort Boise, We were getting used to this/Grip ...
Employees at the Post Falls Library caught a patron viewing pornography on a library computer -- a no-no. When asked to leave, he refused and argued with employees. More below.
Singer Adele is asking presidential candidates to stop using her music at their campaign events. "Adele has not given permission for her music to be used for any political campaigning,” a spokesman for Adele said today. Trump has played the British singer’s "Rolling in the Deep" in Oklahoma and the "Skyfall" theme at an event in Ohio.
Wedeln6969: "I can never figure out why people who hate winter live here. We have winters. Gets dark. Gets cold. Freezes. Snows. They aren't the winters they used to be ... but this ain't so cali. Ski. Snowshoe. Snowmobile. Ice fish. ... But don't hate the winter! It makes our summers that much more perfect." (Q: Do you hate North Idaho winters?)
Item: President Barack Obama has signed a 2nd disaster declaration for Idaho and ordered federal Aid. Better Idaho comments: " Reps. Heather Scott, Sage Dixon, Vito Barbieri, Eric Redman, Ron Mendive, Don Cheatham, Kathleen Sims; Sens. Steve Vick, Bob Nonini, Mary Souza." Ironic, hunh?
A pending rule covering new science and humanities standards is in limbo after members of the House Education Committee complained about the public input process surrounding the creation of the standards, Idaho EdNews reports. Committee Chairman Reed DeMordaunt, R-Eagle, led the effort to reject the rule in the House committee this morning.
In an editorial Saturday, the Oregonian identified the real patriot of the Malheur Wildlife Refuge occupation debacle: Harney County Sheriff Dave Ward.
Scanner Traffic for Tuesday AM (16 items & counting) ...
The House has voted 66-2 in favor of launching a computer science education initiative in Idaho’s public schools, with just Reps. Heather Scott, R-Blanchard, and Shannon McMillan, R-Silverton, objecting. (Q: Reps. Heather Scott and Shannon McMillan objected to this common-sense approach to education in the 21st Century? Why am I not surprised?)
The daily roundup of AM Headlines today includes news that a pedestrian trail along Highway 41 will kick off this spring. Also: Cold temps to keep shelter open/Press Colville Tribe reintroduces pronghorn/SR, Risch campaigned for Rubio in Iowa/EOB, Cheney woman wins 2nd Idaho lottery/SR, Senate committee backs 'go-on' goal/EOB ...
In Monday's poll, less than a third of Hucks Nation said it has participated in a party presidential caucus in the past. Today's Poll: Do you plan to vote in the GOP presidential primary Tuesday, March 8?
The Hill provides the biggest winners & losers in the Iowa caucuses. Winners included: Ted Cruz, Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders & Marco Rubio. The biggest loser was, of course, Donald Trump.
Idaho may be small potatoes in the national presidential nominating process, but the Gem State is trying to position itself to have maximum impact on the process in both parties, writes Betsy Russell/SR.
A Riggins couple embroiled in the ranching standoff at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in southeast Oregon recorded their last will and testament on a friend's cellphone before they joined the protest. Sandy and Sean Anderson are two of the four remaining occupiers at Malheur Wildlife Refuge.
D.F. Oliveria started Huckleberries Online on Feb. 16, 2004. Oliveria's Sunday print Huckleberries is a past winner of the national Herb Caen Memorial Column contest.
