Craig Welch

"I like water," says Kootenai County Planning Commissioner George LaValley, who fears that a proposed development near Coeur d'Alene could threaten the region's aquifer. "We're very good to developers if they have a good project," he says. "If they don't, we're mean." Photo by Dan McComb/The Spokesman-Review

A Guardsman fires up a personnel carrier in CdA. Photo by Jesse Tinsley/The Spokesman-Review

The Idaho Attorney General's Office will not force a politically charged merger of Kootenai County's two 911 centers. The state will continue to let the county and Post Falls city leaders fight the years-old battle amongst themselves, according to an April 25 letter from Deputy Attorney General William Von Tagen.

Dangerous crossing. Allan Brandvein talks with an officer after an accident Tuesday at the intersection of Northwest Boulevard and Lincoln Way. Photo by Dan McComb/The Spokesman-Review

Mark Boss, 12, looks to his father for help lining up a shot at soda cans 350 yards away. Photo by Craig Buck/The Spokesman-Review

1. Bob Fletcher is interviewed by the Canadian media. He later grew angry, threatened to throw out the film crew and called the female reporter an obscene name. Photo by Dan McComb/The Spokesman-Review 2. Militia co-founder John Trochmann says Americans "just don't know us." 3. Workers install a windsock on Toby's Tavern in Noxon, Mont. A flood of media has been using a small airstrip in front of the bar. Photo by Dan McComb/The Spokesman-Review 4. State Rep. Jim Elliott: "Anybody who's angry and paranoid and owns a gun is really dangerous." Photo by Dan McComb/The Spokesman-Review

The owner of a controversial State Line speedway can't hold practices until completing more work at his unfinished motorcycle track. That was the decision Friday from Kootenai County commissioners.

Following complaints of backroom dealing, county commissioners Tuesday invalidated a week-old decision to let a Post Falls city councilman use his unfinished race track. Commissioners agreed April 18 that Councilman Joe Doellefeld could hold weekly practices at the controversial dirt motorcycle track near State Line. The impromptu gathering was not advertised. Angry neighborhood opponents weren't notified.

Motorcycles now can buzz once a week around a Post Falls city councilman's controversial racetrack near State Line. The decision was made at an unannounced meeting April 18 attended by Councilman Joe Doellefeld and Kootenai County commissioners - two days after Doellefeld angered neighbors with a noisy Easter Sunday rally held in violation of county laws.

Militia spokesman Bob Fletcher leaves the Landmark Restaurant in Noxon, Mont., on Friday. Photo by Dan McComb/The Spokesman-Review

Dismayed by a decision that he thinks could threaten the region's source of drinking water, one of Kootenai County's own planning commissioners is taking the county to court. George LaValley is appealing a vote by elected leaders to allow machine shops to be built on 150 acres near the Coeur d'Alene Airport. Citizens Network for Responsible Growth joined him in the appeal, filed Thursday.

A neighborhood group saved a 2.8-acre triangle of trees from development Tuesday when it convinced city leaders not to sell the land. City staffers had hoped to fetch about $95,000 by selling the land for development of up to 23 apartments. The money would have been used to buy land for future street projects, said City Administrator Ken Thompson.

Neighbors Lynn Humphreys, left, and Frank Flanigan have complained about the noise and dust at the racetrack. Photo by Jesse Tinsley/The Spokesman-Review

It's often the best place to turn. Got a pot-holed street? A stodgy, dust-caked business district? Leaky septic tanks?

Don Gray, with son Byron, 6, wasn't told of the assessment when he bought his home last year. Photo by Jesse Tinsley/The Spokesman-Review

A handful of residents with homes under the care of a defunct property management company are out thousands of dollars in rent, police said Thursday. Police are interviewing owners and employees of Inland Property Management in connection with the missing cash.

A traffic safety board Wednesday urged city leaders to route traffic around an intersection where an 18-year-old woman died last month. It's the third time in a decade the committee of police officers, engineers, traffic experts and other citizens has recommended eliminating turns from steep, angled Lincoln Way onto Northwest Boulevard.

Ed Biaggi, an assistant manager and driver for Taxi by Hall in Coeur d'Alene who works long hours for low wages, opposes unlimited competition in the taxi business. Photo by Craig Buck/The Spokesman-Review

If a final series of land deals goes as planned, the city will someday extend Neider Avenue from Government Way to Fourth Street. Despite modest efforts, however, the new road could lead to the demolition of eight low-income housing units.

Ed Eichwald, Al Rambosek and John Bushfield oppose development. Photo by Craig Buck/The Spokesman-Review

Budd-Falen

The design and high traffic flow at the intersection of Northwest Boulevard and Lincoln Way may have contributed to a recent addicent. Photo by Jesse Tinsley/The Spokesman-Review

Recurring debate over crossing the Spokane River with sewer and water lines is, to some, a red herring. Recent proposals to stretch such services to the bays, fields, rolling hills and tree-lined subdivisions south of the river near Coeur d'Alene and Post Falls are being battled by residents. And not merely because of the immediate impacts of such construction.

City Planning Commissioner Steve Badraun opened his new Kathleen Avenue floral shop last week without the required final building inspection or occupancy permit. Badraun said the problem boils down to a difference of opinion. He is working with city officials to comply with their requirements.