Idaho Voices

Young builders and designers will gather today at the Coeur d’Alene Library to compete in the fourth annual LEGO-Rama. LEGO-Rama, sponsored by the Friends of the Coeur d’Alene Library, encourages boys and girls to use their imaginations to come up with original designs using the building toys.

This past week, while the Inland Northwest was trapped under a veil of low clouds and fog, and all outside objects shimmered with a daily coating of fresh ice, it might be hard to believe that not too far away, at elevations above 3,500 feet, folks were walking around in short sleeves. Folks in Billings, were doing just that earlier this week, where highs were in the mid-50s to low 60s. Calgary, Alberta, saw similar warmth. The same ridge of high pressure that kept us in the cold and fog, resulted in near record highs for several locations east of the Rockies. The key was being on the right side of the mountain range.

Today ACROBATS OF HEBEI CHINA (DANCE) – 7 p.m., Nighthawk Lounge, Coeur d’Alene Casino, Highway 95 South, Worley, (800) 523-2464.

Today “The Spirituality of the Twelve Steps” – parish minimission today by Father Emmerich Vogt, O.P. at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, 601 S. Lincoln Ave. in Sandpoint. Mass begins at 8 a.m., conference is from 9:15 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Donations accepted. Call Cathy at 263-3720.

She knows him as Barry. Two years older than Sandpoint resident Dyno Wahl, he was one of her brother’s best friends during their high school years in Hawaii. He slept over at their house, played endless basketball with her brother and was often a guest at their dinner table. Barry – now known to the world as Barack Obama – took his place in history earlier this week when he was sworn in as the first African American president of the United States. And there was no way that Wahl was going to miss the event.

Kootenai County school lunch menus for the week of Jan. 26-30. Coeur d’Alene School District

Mary Souza, the self-appointed fly in Mayor Sandi Bloem’s appointment, triggered a response from another favorite foil when she columnized about City Council manners. Again. In a recent column, Souza scolded Bloem for allegedly allowing council members to take impromptu breaks during public hearings. Quoth Souza: “The council’s lax manner of walking out while a citizen is speaking at the podium is shameful. Mayor Bloem should put a stop to this behavior at once.” Which prompted Councilman Mike Kennedy to respond at Huckleberries Online: Huh? Quoth Kennedy: “I can’t recall one single solitary instance when I or another council member has ever stepped away during public comment. ... If Mary needs lessons in rudeness, she should watch replays of how she treated people who testified in front of her during public comment while she was on the planning commission.” Which caused Souza to toss a brickbat Kennedy’s way, as she defended her planning “legacy” (her word, not Huckleberries’) – at the OpenCDA.com blog that she shares with like-minded community nags. Souza claims that only two people can take issue with her actions as a planner, including another favorite punching bag, exec Tony Berns of the Lake City Development Corp. Again, Souza: “He was not happy that I asked too many questions when he gave his Power Point presentation on the wonders of urban renewal.” Souza, who was defeated by Kennedy in a 2005 City Council race, chided Kennedy for calling her “school yard names.” Wouldn’t it be fun if the two signed up for a rematch this year? I swear … sorta

BOISE – From the silver-linings department, the economic downturn has actually meant savings in a few remote corners of Idaho’s state budget. Among them: Since the 4 percent holdbacks, or mid-year budget cuts, were imposed, the state treasurer expects to save $51,300 on bank fees for deposits and other transactions, because less state revenue this year meant fewer transactions.

Aaaargh! It’s tax season again. (Note that sentence ends with a period and not an exclamation mark.) Fittingly, Liberty Tax Service is in new locations in Coeur d’Alene and Post Falls. And the businesses are run by a mother and daughter. Debbie Smith moved her offices to Suite H next to the former Pizza Shoppe in Appleway Square at Highway 95 and Appleway. Phone 765-4000. April Morgan, her daughter, is new owner of her expanded location at 4082 Primrose Lane (off Highway 41). Phone 773-7400.

Kootenai County Jim and Lynnette Hall, Post Falls, residence addition/alteration, valued at $32,534.

William Petersen as “CSI’s” Gil Grissom may have retired. But that doesn’t mean county Demo chief Thom George will switch allegiance to David Caruso and Miami’s version of “CSI.” Thom has a hard time taking his ex-classmate Caruso seriously. Caruso was the Class of ’72 clown at Archbishop Malloy High School in Queens, New York. Thom and the future star were among 12 students enrolled in Mr. Egan’s American history class. Caruso had a reputation for not doing his homework. One day, he presented a small scrap of paper to Mr. Egan, with an excuse that the dog had eaten his home work or it’d been trampled on the subway. Mr. Reeves told Caruso that he should write his assignments on toilet paper because that’s what they were worth. So the next day, Thom recalls, Caruso presented Egan with a roll of Charmin upon which he’d written his assignment meticulously with a ball-point pen. Says Thom: “It was the only assignment I can recall that he turned in.” Also, Thom recalls that Caruso was one of only a handful of students from his Catholic school who didn’t go onto college. Mebbe there’s a lesson in that? Watch Yer Mouth

Effective Monday, the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Department will start accepting prescription and/or over the counter drugs that citizens wish to dispose of, supporting a countywide “Medication Turn-in Program.” Kootenai County residents will be able to bring any medications to the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Department main lobby between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., Monday through Friday, to be safely disposed of. medical waste, hazardous materials and needles of any kind will not be accepted.

Today COUNTRY JAM SESSION – 8 p.m., Crickets, 424 E. Sherman Ave., Coeur d’Alene, 765-1990.

For the week of Jan. 26-30. Post Falls School District

Hobbies are recreational things we do in our spare time; and since January is National Hobby Month, I decided to find out more about one of the most popular hobbies these days – scrapbooking. In the craft field, scrapbooking remains a perennial favorite according to local crafters. While Michaels Arts & Crafts says they are offering Wilton cake decorating classes this month, they say it is the scrapbooking supplies that continue to fly off the shelves.