Idaho Voices

It’s been hard to say anything but “brrrr” so far this month. While two weeks have passed since we experienced record lows across the region, we only have one chip to put in the “above normal” temperature basket, which occurred last weekend when afternoon highs soared to near 70 degrees. Despite the brief swing of the pendulum in the other direction, average temperatures for the month are still more than 5 degrees below normal. Often, one of the enjoyable parts of the fall season, are those days of Indian summer. Fall colors, coupled by sunshine and mild temperatures, make people want to get outdoors and enjoy the weather before things turn permanently chilly. We haven’t had the opportunity for one of those yet, however, as our sunny days have been chilly, while our warmest temperatures have been accompanied by cloudy skies.

Coeur d’Alene District students are invited to share their poetic talent at the Hayden Library’s Teen Poetry Slam on Monday, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Students can choose two original literary pieces and perform them live. Prizes will be awarded to students in grades six through 12.

BOISE – When Idaho boaters register their boats for the next boating season, they’ll no longer have to purchase a separate invasive species sticker – it’ll all be combined into a single registration sticker. “It saves a tremendous amount of money,” said Rep. Eric Anderson, R-Priest Lake, adding, “That’s what the public wanted, too – they didn’t want another sticker on their boat.”

Republicans should support Republicans at all levels of elected office, including nonpartisan races. That was the message presented at Marge Chadderdon’s home to about 20 Republican Women by their national leader on Oct. 17. The fun started when GOPoohbah Shirley Sadler of Washington, D.C., concluded her comments by calling on Councilwoman Deanna Goodlander to say a few words about her race with challenger Dan Gookin, a former Libertarian. Goodlander gave a brief pitch before noting that not all the women in the room supported her candidacy. Which was the cue for Duane Rasmussen, the local GOP Central Committee vice chairman, to claim that challenger Dan Gookin wasn’t a true-blue, er, true-red Republican, like Goodlander. Which was a cue for OpenCDA.com’s Mary Souza to tout Gookin’s candidacy. During his turn, Rasmussen told the gathering how he’d heard Gookin tell two other local Repub leaders in a private meeting that he didn’t want “Republican” tattooed on his butt – only Duane used more colorful language. Which caused the female pachyderm herd to gasp collectively. Which caused Souza to exit stage right in a huff a short time later. Only 10 shopping days left until Election 2009. Still shrinking

Today Charley Packard (Originals) – 6 p.m., Spuds Grill, 102 N. First, Sandpoint, (208) 265-4311.

After she recovered from a broken hip suffered in a fall at Mass seven weeks ago, John Austin’s mother wanted nothing more than to return to church. So John’s sister, Beth, her daughter, Kelley, and Kelley’s precocious 2-year-old, Hannah Beth, accompanied her. As four generations of Austins listened, Father Roger began his homily: “Why? Why do we believe in Jesus Christ?” Listening intently, Hannah Beth looked at her mother and asked: “Why, Mama?” Kelley, of course, shushed the girl. And Father Roger continued, “Why did he die for our sins and why do we have faith in God the Father?” Again, Hannah asked her mother: “Why, Mama?” Finally, in an attempt to quiet her child, Kelley said “Why what, Hannah?” To which Hannah said, “Why did the chicken cross the road?” Father Roger was no match for Hannah, as several pews responded to the girl’s eternal question with belly laughter. Slip slidin’ away

Filings from Sept. 30-Oct. 6. Chapter 7 (liquidation petitions)

Bryan Elementary is hosting a book drive for the Coeur d’Alene School District’s new Kinder Center, beginning Monday and continuing through Oct. 30. The Kinder Center is a new school this year and doesn’t have a library. Bryan is asking for donations of new and gently used books for Pre-K, kindergartners, first-graders, and second-graders.

Coeur d’Alene Ed and Kevin Kok, 328 N. Forest Drive, residence remodel, valued at $80,000.

For 10-18-2009

Weekly Events Our Daily Bread Soup Kitchen – Offers free lunches each Sunday, 1:30-3 p.m., at Lutheran Church of the Master, 4800 N. Ramsey Road, Coeur d’Alene. Sponsored by the church’s Outreach Ministry. Contact Mitch at (208) 660-4309 or mitch@agencysoftware.com.

A year from now, ice arena activities will return to North Idaho. Kootenai Youth Recreation Organization plans to construct the KYRO Community Arena at 3525 Seltice Way. The building will replace the one destroyed by heavy snow two winters ago. The four-acre parcel once was home to Y-J Foods. The 40,000-square-foot facility will include a 200-by-85-foot (NHL-size) rink, seating for more than 500 people, rooms for special events, a heated lobby and locker rooms. The parking lot will have level access to the rink and to the Centennial Trail.

COEUR D’ALENE – The North Idaho College Concert Choir, NIC Madrigal Singers and Jazz Co. choir will perform in the Fall Chorale Preview today at the Coeur d’Alene First Presbyterian Church, 521 Lakeside Ave. in Coeur d’Alene, at 3 p.m. The concert is free and open to the public. Donations for the Community Action Partnership food bank are appreciated.

The concept of the Mongolian BBQ is a bit of a fuzzy sham, albeit a delicious one. Turns out the basic idea actually originated in Taiwan within the last 30 or so years and is far closer to Japanese-style “teppanyaki” cooking than the dried camel jerky and yak dumplings popular among the nomads of Mongolia. The back story perpetuated by many of these types of eateries is that the soldiers of the ancient Mongol Empire went hunting for meat, overturned their massive shields above a bonfire and cooked dinner in them using their mighty swords to stir-fry whatever they could kill that day, presumably along with whatever vegetables happened to miraculously be in season during the continuous freezing-cold weather.

State Superintendent of Schools Tom Luna says Idaho’s public schools need a 9.2 percent increase in state general funds next year, just to keep even and accommodate more students. In his budget request for fiscal year 2011, Luna is calling for a $1.3 billion general fund appropriation for public schools next year, $1.7 billion in total funds. That’s up from $1.2 billion in general funds this year – the first year that Idaho’s schools have taken a cut in state funds from what they received the year before. This year’s school budget, in state funds, was 7.7 percent below last year’s $1.3 billion level.