Trivia Really Throws Him For A Loop

Sergeant-at-arms Scott Nass was surprised Wednesday when Panhandle Kiwanians couldn’t recall how many female presidents they’d had. As is the custom, the Coeur d’Alene attorney started the weekly breakfast meeting by collecting quarters from members who couldn’t answer his trivia questions. He thought the answer to the one about the presidents was easy: two (Louise Gillespie in 1996 and “Sandi” Emerson in 1979). Yes, that’s the same James Alexander “Sandy” Emerson who also served a seven-year stint as CdA Chamber of Commerce manager - obviously, before Scott’s time. Put $5 in the kitty, Mr. Nass.

Take it outside

Even 1st District Judge John Luster chuckled when a witness told why Michael James Bartosh allegedly rearranged a man’s face on Dec. 28 outside the Lake City Bar. When cross-examined during Bartosh’s preliminary hearing on an aggravated battery charge, Patricia Hagan explained, matter-of-factly, that Bartosh and Percy Cochran had left the saloon because (drumroll, please) “you can’t fight in a bar. You could get in trouble.”

The doc makes house calls

Dr. Colin Cross, who’s facing radical cancer surgery Tuesday, had the last laugh at his community send-off last week. After Dr. Tony Henneberg promised to take care of Cross’ patients - but not steal them - Cross suggested that his buddy start a business: “Tony’s Pap & Plow.” You see, when Cross was laid up, Henneberg also plowed the snow from Cross’ driveway. The ailing sawbones even suggested wording for an ad: “Need your pap smeared and road cleared?” It went downhill from there. But that’s probably all you can handle over breakfast. … Keep the good doctor in your prayers.

Fan mail

Beth Brubaker didn’t like the “Dr. Kevorkian” reference in the same Huckleberry (Jan. 19) as a Lakeland School District Invention Convention entry. “Perhaps attending positive activities in the future, rather than writing from secondhand information, might help you to see these young people’s efforts for the creative products they truly are, rather than as objects of your scorn and ridicule.” … Then, “D” from Sandpoint is anxious to learn more about the food that will be served at the Pasty Depot (“Huckleberries,” Feb. 2) on Northwest Boulevard in CdA: “I shall be anxious to hear the ingredients as the word “pasty” is used loosely. I order 40 of them at a time from Upper Michigan. These are real Cornish pasties just as the miners took to work in their buckets.” Bingo.

Huckleberries

A paperback among the Hastings discount books caught my attention: “An Idiot’s Guide to Dating.” “Only an idiot would plunk down $9.99 for that book” was my first thought. Then I remembered the frustrating Dating Game of long ago as I searched for Miss Right. I’m glad I found her - and no longer need to read the beginner’s manual. … A bumper sign for our times: “Another member of the vast right-wing conspiracy.” … Hmmm. Police Chief Cliff Hayes is gone all fall to train in Virginia and what does he get when he returns? Post Falls employee of the month honors for December. Is there a message here?

Parting shot

What are the odds of the same baby being locked in the same car by the same mother two days in a row? Long, you say? How about if the same cop rescued that same baby each time? It happened that way last month in Post Falls. On consecutive days, Post Falls policeman Rod Gunderson rescued a bouncing baby boy for Mommie Dearest, who shall remain anonymous to protect her from further embarrassment. (Yeah, I become a softy around Valentine’s Day.)

, DataTimes MEMO: Got a Huckleberry? Call the Huckleberries Hotline at (800) 344-6718 or (208) 765-7125 or send e-mail to daveo@spokesman.com.

The following fields overflowed: CREDIT = D.F. Oliveria The Spokesman-Review