Idaho Voices

The mountaintops may still be covered with snow, but that isn’t stopping people from thinking and planning for warm sunny days. With registration already open for the third annual CHaFE 150, bicycle riders are eagerly planning their training schedules for the June 12 event. CHaFE 150 – which stands for Cycle Hard for Education – is a 150-mile bike ride hosted by Panhandle Alliance for Education, a nonprofit organization that raises funds which go toward providing programs and educational opportunities for youth and families.

I didn’t need to see a “Please Seat Yourself” sign to know what to do. It’s apparent immediately upon entry that Nosworthy’s is as casual as stopping by Mom’s kitchen for a little visit and a quick homemade lunch. It’s been a home away from home for the many regulars who’ve been frequenting the burger and omelet mecca since it sprung into life as the Ground Round, sometime in the Neo Paleolithic era of Coeur d’Alene history.

For 02-21-2010

About anything possible for dogs (and cats) is available at the GoodDog store, which opened last week at 3115 Government Way. Owner Pam Nordby said the inventory includes top-of-the-line foods, toys, apparel, collars, leashes, carrying bags, backpacks (even ones that hold water), crates, car seats and treats. Nordby previously was employed at Daisy’s Pet Boutique and decided to open her own store when Daisy’s closed. Her clientele include Daisy’s previous customers. A portion of proceeds from Saturday’s grand opening was donated to the Kootenai County Dog Park Association.

COEUR d’ALENE – The cast of Christian Youth Theater-North Idaho will premiere a new version of “Sleeping Beauty” on Friday at 7 p.m. at the Salvation Army Kroc Community Theater, 1765 W. Golf Course Road in Coeur d’Alene. The show was specially written for CYT and will include a cast of 77 area schoolchildren, 17 students on the crew and more than 70 volunteers.

BOISE – Idaho lawmakers are “probably getting close to halfway through the session,” Senate President Pro-Tem Bob Geddes, R-Soda Springs, told reporters last week. He and House Assistant Majority Leader Scott Bedke, R-Oakley, talked with the Idaho Press Club about everything from texting while driving to tax increases.

Sunday A Touch of Jazz (Jazz) – 1 p.m., Di Luna’s, 207 Cedar St., Sandpoint, (208) 263-0846.

Weekly Events Coeur d’ Alene Dharma Friends – Meets Thursdays at 5 p.m. at Life Center Therapies for Well Being, 1319 N. Government Way, Coeur d’Alene; includes meditation and study in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition. 665-5862.

Now that she has a lead role in a North Idaho Tea Party movement, Pam Stout, 66, is lucky that she has jettisoned her shyness. Otherwise, the Sandpoint woman would be overwhelmed by the spotlight shined on her by the New York Times Monday – front page and two inside pages. Reporter David Barstow led off his long piece about the Tea Party movement by describing Stout’s pilgrimage from shy retiree to nominating herself to be president of the Sandpoint Tea Party Patriots. She told the Times reporter that she was transformed after listening to former Arizona Sheriff Richard Mack bring 1,400 to their feet during a speech in Post Falls. Barstow writes: “Mrs. Stout said she felt as if she had been handed a road map to rebellion. Members of her family, she said, think she has disappeared down a rabbit hole of conspiracy theories. But Mrs. Stout said she has never felt so engaged.” The Times also interviewed human-rights activists Tony Stewart and Rachel Dolezal. Who are nervous about the Tea Party movement. And ends with Stout wondering if another civil war is necessary to fix this country. That kind of talk would make anyone nervous. Fan mail

It’s not too soon for parents in the Coeur d’Alene School District to start thinking about signing their kindergartners up for their first year of school. The district will begin registering children for fall 2010 kindergarten on April 27. Kids must be 5 or older by Sept. 1 to be eligible for kindergarten.

“Health is the most valuable asset a person has. Unfortunately, many people don’t invest much in their health until a serious problem develops, like a heart attack or cancer,” said Andrea Thomas, director of business and community relations for the North Idaho Health Network. Because everyone needs to begin early in life, the health network is sponsoring a series of four hands-on classes geared to helping people adopt a healthy lifestyle.

It has been hard to write about local weather this season. With the lack of local storms, snow, drought, fires, floods and dangerous wind-chills, Mother Nature hasn’t given me a whole lot to work with. It’s almost like we’re in a protective bubble, however, as much of the rest of the country has been dealing with destructive and dangerous weather over the past couple of months. There have been mud slides and flooding in Southern California, while record snowfalls in Arizona stranded Flagstaff National Weather Service employees at their office for hours before they could dig their way out. Parts of New England have been measuring snowfall in feet, while Florida deals with both flooding and red flag warnings – all in the same week! Just this past week, the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport set a record 24-hour snowfall with just over 14 inches; and both Oklahoma and Kansas have been hit with a parade of snowstorms and ice storms, which have closed schools, caused widespread power outages; and resulted in numerous traffic-related fatalities due to treacherous road conditions.

Filings from Jan. 25-29. Chapter 7 (liquidation petitions)

Cindy Ingalls, the North Idaho College health professions and nursing division senior administrative assistant, recently started Prime Beauty, a beauty resource blog for women 40 and older. The site features articles on skin care, makeup, product reviews and new product launches. Ingalls also has a weekly feature in which she writes a review of a drugstore product she thinks is high quality for a low price. She has used some of her resources from the makeup industry to provide tips and tricks, and has plans for a monthly feature called “Ask Ashley,” where readers can e-mail questions to freelance makeup artist Ashley Babino, who worked for Laura Mercier Cosmetics, with the Prescriptives line, and in the cosmetics department for Nordstrom as a makeup artist for special events.

Coeur d’Alene Cool Nails & Wax, 3512 N. Government Way, commercial, tenant improvement, valued at $10,000.

For 02-14-2010

It does not take long for newcomers to Sandpoint to realize that this town has an unusually strong sense of community spirit. And there are few who have contributed more to that spirit than Sandpoint’s Ernie Belwood. There is a saying that what goes around, comes around, and now it is Sandpoint’s turn to give back to the retired businessman who has done much for this community over the last several decades.