Idaho Voices

Filings from April 29-30. Chapter 7 (liquidation petitions)

BOISE - As the 1st District Congressional race shapes up for November, incumbent Congressman Walt Minnick is launching his re-election campaign. Minnick, a conservative “blue dog” Democrat, faces Republican Raul Labrador in his bid for a second term, after Labrador defeated Vaughn Ward in a bruising GOP primary last week.

Coeur d’Alene T-Mobile, 418 N. Second St., commercial, valued at $9,000.

It’s not easy to take it all in. The scenery changes from flat, farm land into a spectacular, picturesque gorge while traveling at high speed on I-84 toward Portland. The broad river is walled in with black and gray towering basalt cliffs along with numerous waterfalls whose water free-falls hundreds of feet and flows into and adds to the already significant river. The Columbia River Gorge offers so much for a day-tripper. Here is a serious recreational marvel. The river runs 80 miles through an area officially called the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area. Inside the recreational boundary are found a scenic-historic highway, numerous state parks, trails to hidden waterfalls, dam tours, fish hatcheries, returning wild salmon observation centers, wind surfing, kayaking, rock climbing and wildflower displays. Full service tourist facilities are available nearby in communities like The Dalles, Hood River and Troutdale.

A pleasant, comfortable place with pleasant people to serve you is evident at the Pub on 5th, a new tavern behind and connected to Scratch Restaurant in the northeast corner of Fifth Street and Sherman Avenue in downtown Coeur d’Alene. Featuring a perimeter of leather seating along the walls and leather couches with serving tables in the middle, the place seats about 30 customers. A flat-screen TV shows sports events. The fare includes several beers and wines, pub menu items and the full menu from the adjoining Scratch. Owner Jason Rex has three or four employees at Pub on 5th and also owns the Scratch Restaurant in downtown Spokane.

Is it possible to be down-to-earth and put on airs at the same time? After an enjoyably relaxing and satisfying Sunday breakfast at Coeur d’Alene’s new Garnet Café, I’m convinced it most definitely is. With a few fairly oblique menu options, the haughty air of several of our fellow diners, and an overall aura of class, my breakfast partner and I felt remotely out of place for a few moments, like maybe sitting at Denny’s having Moons Over My Hammy was where we truly belonged.

POST FALLS – Memorial Day service will be held on Monday at the Evergreen Cemetery, 2834 N. Spokane St., at 11 a.m. Post Falls American Legion No. 143 will conduct the services and will feature State Senator Jim Hammond and Mayor Clay Larkin.

Today Bill Reid (Jazz) – 1 p.m., DiLunas, 207 Cedar St., Sandpoint, (208) 263-0846.

Students at Winton Elementary School in the Coeur d’Alene School District are racing to collect pennies before the end of the school year. Their goal is to collect 1 million pennies before June 11. Winton kids and staff have collected 80,217 pennies and are reaching out to people in other states for pennies.

Not only has Rich Piazza hit 427 less home runs, knocked in 1,335 less RBIs, and played in 1,912 less games than former star catcher Mike Piazza, but he’s never been named to a Major League Baseball all-star game. But that didn’t stop emcee Andy Finney from introducing the Kootenai County commissioner as “Mike Piazza.” Now, you have to make allowances for Andy’s mistake. After all, the commissioner was also listed as “Mike Piazza” in the recent program honoring Father George Rassley at Holy Family Catholic School for his many years of service to his faith and the local community. Some 200 to 250 Catholic faithful attended the event. Councilman John Bruning, subbing for ailing Mayor Sandi Bloem, announced that a men’s homeless and warming shelter will be named in Rassley’s honor. Piazza, Rich not Mike, had a good chuckle re: the mixup. We’ve been ‘signed’

Filings from April 17-22. Chapter 7 (liquidation petitions)

Coeur d’Alene Riverview Ventures LLC, 4088 W. Idewild Loop, commercial, duplex, valued at $150,000.

For 05-23-2010

COEUR D’ALENE – Dr. Michael Coats, medical director of Kootenai Health’s Sleep Disorders Center, will speak on sleep apnea at Kootenai Medical Center on Thursday, from 6 to 8 p.m. The free presentation will give information about the disorder and how to treat it.

I can’t figure out why state law allows the loser of a close election to directly sue the winner. Then, has any losing candidate ever followed the steps taken by Jim Brannon after his five-vote loss to incumbent Mike Kennedy, sidestepping a recount in favor of a lawsuit to overturn the entire election? That fact hasn’t been lost on Kennedy. Who posted this comment at HucksOnline last week: “Writing as a private citizen being sued, here, regardless of whether he loses or wins this court case, because of this willful and admitted plan of suing me individually first without pursuing all legal steps in the process, I would assume that Mr. Brannon has been preparing himself personally for the time when I as a private citizen seek to recover every penny of all applicable legal costs, personal costs, and damages in this lawsuit through full discovery in the courts. And I would certainly assume that preparation doesn’t include (hypothetically speaking, of course) diverting or shielding personal assets, inheritances, or family trusts in the names of any other individuals or family members.” Someone’s going to laugh last here. Mob mentality