Executed Murderer Was Selfish To The End
Shed no tears for Duncan McKenzie. The ruthless killer finally got his reward for a 1974 torture murder - a lethal injection. He was selfish until the end Wednesday morning, refusing to admit guilt in the Montana slaying or to discuss an unsolved Coeur d’Alene murder. He was a suspect in the strangulation of Lake City teen Debra Prety 22 years ago. A confession would have allowed Debra’s family finally to have laid their loved one to rest. But people like McKenzie don’t land on death row for humanitarian reasons. He died without any final words. Good riddance.
Batt’s breaking up that ol’ GOP gang
Idaho Republican Gov. Phil Batt has done more for his state’s decimated Democrats than anyone else. By tapping state Rep. Michael T. Johnson as his first director of the Department of Juvenile Corrections, Batt now has appointed seven GOP legislators to his new administration. Others are Sens. Roger Madsen, Rod Beck, Dennis Hansen and Mary Hartung and Reps. Pam Ahrens and Jesse Berain. Democrats will have an easier time defeating appointees than multiterm legislators. As the first Republican governor in 20 years, Batt has made wholesale changes in key posts, and the Legislature offered a good talent pool. But there also is bad news for Idaho’s minority Democrats. Johnson should be Batt’s last lawmaker pick.
Tell me lies; tell me sweet little lies
Remember last fall when Kootenai County candidates promised they’d get out into the hinterlands more than their predecessors? Hahahahaha. Insiders tell me new Commissioner Dick Panabaker is glued to his courthouse seat and rarely gets out. Panabaker and his courthouse-bound colleagues should follow ex-Commissioner Frank Henderson’s example. Henderson would grab his fishing pole, jump in his van and head for Worley, Harrison, Bayview or Hauser to hobnob with the locals. His visits meant more than lip service every four years.
Duke, Coeur d’Alene take to each other
Patty Duke’s a class lady (this has nothing to do with her autographing an old LP for me). She has performed at fund-raisers for her new hometown. Stumped for candidates. And brought Hollywood here to film Coeur d’Alene’s beautiful waterfront. If her new TV series, “Amazing Grace,” doesn’t make the cut (because it’s too wholesome and in an awful time slot), she deserves credit for trying. Duke already has done more for her new community than many old-timers have.
xxxx