Idaho Voices

The North Idaho College Foundation recently announced the recipients of grant money from the NIC Foundation Grant Program. The funds awarded for 2008 totaled $49,619. A committee of representatives from the Associated Students of NIC, staff assembly and faculty assembly, student services, instruction and the NIC Foundation chose the recipients based on each grant proposal’s relationship to the college’s strategic plan and its potential to advance the vision and mission of NIC.

Kootenai County school lunch menus for the week of Jan. 12-16. Coeur d’Alene School District

East Valley High School Class of 1969 – July 18, noon-6 p.m., at Pavillion Park in Liberty Lake. Contact Valorie Marschall by e-mail at jacknval@earthlink.net; or Jeff Jordan at (509) 220-3312. Marycliff High School Class of 1959 – Looking for classmates for the 50th reunion July 23. For more information, e-mail marycliffclassof59@gmail.com.

Over the last week, we’ve endured heavy snow, strong winds, and finally a thaw which resulted in flooding. Finally, we’re back to some “normal” January weather – cold and gray – which I guess could be considered “better,” relatively speaking. I was able to come up with a fact, however, that is sort of a light at the end of the tunnel. The days are actually getting longer – 18 minutes longer than back on the winter solstice Dec. 21. Not only are daylight hours increasing, but climatologically speaking, we have just passed the coldest part of the year. Average temperatures are now on the way up, albeit slowly.

Construction should start soon on a new Walgreens store in the southeast corner of Highway 95 and Honeysuckle Avenue. The 14,490-square-foot store should open in the fall with 25 to 30 employees. Walgreens began in 1901 near Chicago and became famous for its soda fountains as the company grew. Its Web site www.walgreens.com even carries its milkshake recipe in its interesting history. With a forecast of adding about 425 stores a year, the company plans to have 7,000 stores by 2010. Its headquarters is in Deerfield, Ill.

Athol is famous for more than its name. People in this area seem to raise rather exotic animals. We have the Zebra Lady in the Silver Meadows area, and just down the street resides Jeannene Christ and too many strange animals to count. There are a number of pygmy goats, horses, dogs and camels.

Kootenai County

Spokane’s historic Looff Carrousel in Riverfront Park will be closed for its annual maintenance and restoration until Feb. 27. The Carrousel will reopen for a yearlong celebration of “100 Years of Carrousel.” Spokane’s historic landmark will turn 100 on July 18.

Today After School Specials - Celebrate children’s book author Kevin Henkes through stories, crafts and games. Library locations include: Cheney, 610 First St. 893-8280; Otis Orchards, 22324 E. Wellesley Ave. 893-8390; Moran Prairie, 6004 S. Regal St. 893-8340. 4 p.m. Free.

You need look no further than Kootenai County Democratic chief Thom George, if you want to know why Democrat Walt Minnick dumped Republican incumbent Bill Sali in the 1st Congressional District race. At one of those hush-hush Republicans-for-Minnick gatherings last year, a female voter who is known as MamaJD at Huckleberries Online told ThomG she’d vote for Minnick, if he’d jump in the lake. Not only did Thom jump in the lake, but he did so on New Year’s Day. Can you say Polar Bear, baybee? The ex-New Yorker joined dozens of other cuh-razies, to win MamaJD’s vote. MamaJD jumped in the lake, too, as is her custom. She described the experience on her blog (http://mamajd. blogspot.com) as “invigorating, tingling, refreshing, full of adrenaline and an absolute blast.” I’ll take her word for it. MamaJD contends that she got the better of the deal because she has more, ahem, insulation than Thom. Also, she said she’d have voted for Minnick regardless. The usually loquacious Thom didn’t say much about submerging himself in the frigid lake. But he changed the avatar illustration for his Huckleberries comment posts to one of a coupla tiny walnuts. Brr. Don’t get comfy

The Special Needs Recreation, a nonprofit organization in Post Falls that provides recreational opportunities for youths and adults who have disabilities, will hold a Cowboy Crusade Romp and Stomp dance on Friday at Prairie View Elementary School, 2478 E. Poleline Ave., from 6 to 8 p.m. The cowboy bash includes a DJ, snacks and prizes.

Public meetings, clubs and support groups in the Post Falls/Rathdrum area in the upcoming weeks: Meetings

Today DEAN SMITH (ACOUSTIC/BLUES) – 9 p.m., The Moon Time, 1602 Sherman Ave., Coeur d’Alene, 667-2331.

What’s new? Not much – it’s all about snow. Snow is the only news of the day, and today’s snowy forecast calls for local cities to keep crews working overtime plowing and carting away snow; for home owners to continue tiring themselves out shoveling snow off roofs, decks and sidewalks; for schools and businesses to close their doors for safety during rooftop snow removal; and for driving conditions to change hourly – mostly from bad to worse.

For the week of Jan. 12-16. Post Falls School District