North Idaho Doesn’t Get A Sniff From Racing Board

Typically, the Idaho Racing Commission couldn’t be bothered to travel to Post Falls on Monday for a hearing on the Coeur d’Alene Greyhound Park. Commissioners looked the other way when animal-abuse charges were leveled at the track, too. After the track decided to close shop, commissioners canceled plans to move the hearing north from the “Great State of Ada.” Of course, few local greyhound lovers had the time or money to make a pilgrimage to Meridian (near Boise). Dog lovers still have legitimate concerns, though. Chief among them is: Should any greyhound racing, live or simulcast, be allowed in Idaho? If Gov. Phil Batt could make time to travel to Kootenai County this fall for a Land Board meeting, you’d think racing commissioners could do so, too - unless, of course, they’re afraid to face their public.

Who can blame Berghan for saying, ‘Enough’?

It’s about time Executive Director Connie Berghan and her Festival at Sandpoint staff told community detractors: “Take this job and shove it.” The four women don’t have to put up with the kind of personal attacks that have been leveled against them. The boo-birds have been venting their displeasure since Berghan and her board announced plans to move half of the festival concerts to Kootenai County. The move was deemed necessary to put the festival on sound financial footing. Berghan has been a solid executive director; her imaginative planning and booking of big-name stars helped the festival crawl out of a $138,000 hole. Now, we’ll see if the Monday morning quarterbacks can do any better. Here’s betting they can’t.

Hull needs to reach out and touch someone

Chilly relations between Bonner County Prosecutor Tevis Hull and the sheriff’s office led to a major snafu this week. A man suspected of wounding a sheriff’s deputy in a shootout was set free - with a chance to pass “Go” and collect more than $200 - because Hull didn’t file charges in time. Although his brother and father were arrested, Reyham Higgins, 21, wasn’t - though chained to a hospital bed since being wounded in the Nov. 12 shootout. Hull wanted a report from the sheriff’s office before bringing charges. Never mind that state authorities were handling the case and that Hull’s office had an investigator at the scene. Now, Higgins is on the mend and has good grounds to file a civil-rights lawsuit against the Bonner County taxpayers who paid his medical bills. Don’t they have phones in Bonner County?

, DataTimes MEMO: D.F. Oliveria’s “Hot Potatoes” runs Tuesdays and Thursdays in the Idaho edition of The Spokesman-Review. You can comment on the items by calling (800) 344-6718 or (208) 765-7125. Doug Floyd’s “Bagpipes” column will return next week.

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