Huckleberries Online

"If Congressman Raul Labrador is elected next year as Idaho’s next governor, then you can count on this: The Idaho Freedom Foundation will emerge as the most influential lobbying organization in the Statehouse." So says Chuck Malloy of Idaho Politics Weekly ...

Gov. Butch Otter is back and presiding over the state Land Board meeting this morning. He’s gotten lots of welcome-backs and questions about how he’s doing. His response to one of the well-wishers: “Good – slow, but mobile.” Betsy Russell/Eye on Boise reports ...

Steve Cameron of the Coeur d'Alene Press digs into the growing controversy involving the Kootenai County Republican Central Committee. Chairman Brent Regan, of course, claims the committee is diverse & treats everyone fair & square. Duane Rasmussen, however, makes some interesting insider observations.

Prosecutors in the county’s most high profile murder case will try to persuade a First District Court judge today to allow their experts to conduct psychological tests on Jonathan D. Renfro without his counsel present. Ralph Bartholdt/Coeur d'Alene Press reports ...

Well, my Huckleberry Friends, we're reaching the end of the line, for now. Four more days of breaking big rocks into little rocks here at Huckleberries Central. Last week, I was the focus of many kind remarks. This week, I want to turn the tables and focus on you: the bloggers, commenters, and blurkers who made this place such a nice cyber spot ...

Scanner Traffic for Friday PM (18 items & counting + link to AM Scanner Traffic with 17 more items) includes ISP report on that AM crash near Silverwood that sent 50YO Priest River resident Shelley Swoboda to the hospital via air ambulance.

Sorry, guys ... I need to write my penultimate column. I think my long-time friend Christa Hazel will make a final guest appearance. In the lede. I'll be glad when the column writing is out of the way (although I know I'll be missing it by next week). I don't have any idea what the final column will say.

Tom Hamilton, former chairman of the Coeur d'Alene School Board, condemns the Kootenai County Republican Central Committee for remaining silent during repeat attacks by its secretary, Alex Barron, against resigned precinct committeewoman Christa Hazel. Here's a comment made by Hamilton below the Sunday Press editorial ...

I am not precluding the possibility of returning to blogging after a six-week respite, to try my hand at private blogging for the City Council races this fall. I don't know what they'll look like. That's why I plan to keep my Facebook and Twitter accounts active. If I should return to some sort of retirement platform, how do I let you know?

Idaho Sen. Mike Crapo and 2nd District Idaho Rep. Mike Simpson have issued statements on the violence in Charlottesville, N.C., over the weekend, both sent out on social media on Sunday. Sen. Jim Risch will have a statement this afternoon; 1st District Rep. Raul Labrador hasn’t yet responded to a request for comment

So many people have provided so much of their writing talents and comments to make Huckleberries Online a swell online watering hole. Question: Which Huckleberries Online regular would you most like to share a beer or coffee with? And why?

Scanner Traffic for Monday AM (17 items & counting) includes serious rollover crash on Highway 95, near Silverwood ...

In an op-ed article in the Coeur d'Alene Press, Robert Hunt of Post Falls calls out local GOP Chairman Brent Regan re: his handling of debate at the July meeting involving precinct committeewoman Christa Hazel, who subsequently resigned from the committee. You can read a link to Hunt's comments on Roberts rules below. Regan, of course, responds ...