Idaho Voices

The winter solstice does not occur this year until 9:47 p.m. PST on Dec. 21. It is hard to believe that winter is still officially over a week away when much of the country – even as far south as Texas and Louisiana – have already been exposed to bitter cold and a dose of snow. Even harder to believe, is that while overnight lows dropped below zero in many locations across the Inland Northwest in the past week, readings at the official observing sites in the area (with the exception of Omak) were not cold enough to break any records. Lack of snow on the ground prior to the arctic blast allowed us to take full advantage of the sun’s warming energy during the day, rather than having it reflected back due to the high reflectivity of fresh snow.

“Well, I sent you a tie clasp, but that was last July … you ain’t never cut a record and you ain’t no friend of mine.” As soon as the words had slipped through my lips, I realized they somehow seemed a little bit off. My attempt at Elvis’ “Hound Dog” had been sabotaged by the sad handiwork of some random karaoke transcriptionist who obviously had never fully mastered the English language.

Today “A Little Princess” (Drama) – 2 p.m., Lake City Playhouse, 1320 E. Garden Ave., Coeur d’Alene, (208) 667-1323.

Sandpoint-area students in grades seven through 12 recently created pieces for “The Art of Human Rights.” The event is the third annual young artists’ exhibition of human rights-themed art and literature and is hosted by the Bonner County Human Rights Task Force and the Pend Oreille Arts Council.

Filings from Nov. 12-20 Chapter 13 (wage-earner petitions)

Monday is the opening day for Batteries Plus at 217 W. Canfield Ave. (next to Valentino’s Pizza in the shopping complex between Government Way and Highway 95). With about 400 stores, the company bills itself as a “single-source supplier of national and control brands, custom-built battery packs and battery-related products.” The company began in 1988 in Green Bay, Wis. Each store has a technical center to build made-to-suit batteries for special needs for both private and commercial needs.

The Sand Creek Byway has been a hotly contested issue in Sandpoint for several years, dividing business owners and residents who eagerly shared their arguments either for or against a highway bypass. But now that the construction of the byway is well under way, many on both sides of the issue are concerned that visitors may not take the time to explore Sandpoint’s quaint and scenic downtown. “We are all looking forward to the completion of the byway,” said Marsha Ogilvie, who received the most votes in November for one four-year seat on the Sandpoint City Council. “Until then we can be proactive and plan for the future. I think the possibilities are exciting for the downtown corridor. The City Council needs to aggressively pursue the continued revitalization of downtown. The downtown is the life blood of our community.”

The Rathdrum Lions Club is asking for donations to fill 50 boxes, which they will pack and mail to military men and women serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. “Just imagine running out of lip balm or sunscreen while in the desert with temperatures exceeding 100 degrees,” said Rathdrum Lions Club member and military care-box coordinator Marge Huddleston.

BOISE – The TV commercial features images of women over 40, transforming into a large pink ribbon that fills the screen. “185,000. That’s the estimated number of women who will be told they have breast cancer this year,” a narrator intones. “Early detection is key to survival, which is why getting screened regularly is so important.”

COEUR D’ALENE – North Idaho College received a $1 million Idaho Go On grant from the J.A. and Kathryn Albertson Foundation. The Idaho Go On program is a statewide initiative that aims to increase opportunities for Idaho students.

It has been a cold, but relatively dry week across the Inland Northwest. The sunshine has been welcome, though I’m sure the local ski resorts would like a little more in the way of contributions from Mother Nature. Though temperatures in the teens and 20s this time of year are no surprise for locals, the latest wintry blast has been a little bit harder to take in the southern U.S.

On Friday, Schweitzer Mountain Resort will host the fourth-annual Day for Heather, offering $10 lift tickets all day for all ages and a chance to ski what Powder Magazine calls the best park in the Pacific Northwest. The event is named in memory of Heather Gibson, a member of the Sandpoint community who did much to change the face of cancer in North Idaho before she died from the disease in August 2006.

As you know, challenger Jim Brannon is suing Mayor Sandi Bloem and a laundry list of city and county officials in an attempt to annul his five-vote loss to incumbent Mike Kennedy in the Nov. 3 election. But did you know that one of his allies who scoured election books looking for voter discrepancies incurred the wrath of a soldier serving in Iraq? The matter has been lost in the local blogosphere. Until now. Before Christmas, Larry Spencer challenged the right of Army Sgt. Maj. Gregory A. Proft to vote in the local elections, based on residency. And Proft fired back in a Coeur d’Alene Press comment below a Spencer letter to the editor.

Filings from Oct. 30-Nov. 12. Chapter 7 (liquidation petitions)

For 11-29-2009

In a world where teens struggle to fight off the temptations of peer pressure, there is one place in Sandpoint that has done all it can to provide a safe and secure environment where kids can go after school, interact with friends, and give back to the community. The Sandpoint Teen Center is in its sixth year and for the first time has a paid part-time director, providing consistency for the kids who attend the center.