Not Quite A ‘Peak’ Experience

The shot of boiled bodies in the hot springs was good. Ditto the scene in which Pierce Brosnan suffers a compound fracture and almost is squished to death in a mine. Finally, the visual effects that show Dante’s Peak, aka Wallace, being shredded by a volcano blast were simply mahvalous. Overall, I’d give “Dante’s Peak” a 7 on a scale of one to 10. In other words, the movie wasn’t worth waiting in line for 45 minutes, as my wife and I did Sunday - unless you’re an extra in the flick or you know someone who is. (We spotted Coeur d’Alene’s Judy Yeager in an early scene.) It was hard to follow the story line and look for extras. At times, the plot was hard to swallow - such as the scene in which Brosnan rescues Mayor Wando, her kids and a pet dog by driving a rubber-tired rig across a lava flow. (Don’t try that at home, children.) Still, the film beats megaflop “Heaven’s Gate,” which also co-starred Wallace. “Dante’s Peak” should be worth seeing again - on video.

Time to bring smoking judge into line

Kootenai County commissioners should use the leverage they have with 1st District Court to right a little wrong in the courthouse. You know what I mean. They should enforce the county’s no-smoking policy in all its buildings, including the private chambers of District Judge Gary Haman. A chain smoker, Haman has defied the commissioners’ no-smoking decree for years, claiming his personal chambers are just that - personal. Well, before the commissioners look for $600,000 to build office space for a fifth district judge, they should insist that everyone in District Court observe their rules - just as we’re expected to follow the rules the judges enforce. Haman should kick his habit or join peons outside if he wants to smoke.

We could have had another boat launch site

Coeur d’Alene’s Third Street dock might have been replaced years ago if ex-Commissioner Frank Henderson had had his way. During his tenure, Henderson spearheaded an effort for a county launch site at Silver Beach. The county even put earnest money down on some property and ordered plans for the Kootenai County Centennial Park. Alas, Henderson & Co. couldn’t come up with an estimated $1 million to build a tunnel to get the public from a proposed parking lot safely across the old Interstate 90 roadway. So Duane Hagadone snapped up the lakeshore treasure, which included Jackson’s restaurant, enlarged the marina and let Lake Coeur d’Alene goers walk across the roadway. And if we had an alternative boat launch site? Maybe the proposed Hagadone Library and Botanical Garden would be closer to reality today.

, DataTimes MEMO: D.F. Oliveria’s “Hot Potatoes” runs Tuesdays and Thursdays. You can comment on the items by calling (800) 344-6718 or (208) 765-7125 or by sending e-mail to daveo@spokesman.com.