Longtime Cozy Relationship Has Developed A Hern-Ya

Finally, polluter John Hern has worn out his welcome with the Kootenai County commissioners at least with two of them. Commissioner Ron Rankin still rolls out the red carpet for his anti-government church buddy. On Monday, Rankin was the only sympathizer when Hern bellyached that the assessor’s office picked on him by raising the value of Hern’s Ironworks more than $500,000 in one year. Never mind that in 1997 Hern let appraisers onto his property for a good look for the first time in years. Commissioners Dick Compton and Dick Panabaker adjusted the property value somewhat but basically backed the assessor. In 1996, Dick Squared and Rankin supported Hern when he was hit with one of Idaho’s largest environmental penalties. Maybe now Hern will begin paying his fair share of the bills for local government.

Hagadone wants more, more

Hot Potatoes can’t believe the Idaho Transportation Board still is considering that goofy trade with the Hagadone Corp. - a public right-ofway along beautiful Coeur d’Alene Parkway for a rock quarry elsewhere. What is the board thinking, particularly North Idaho representative John McHugh? This sweetheart deal should’ve been rejected months ago. The lot adjacent to the Centennial Trail should be preserved for the public forever - not just one company … So, you don’t think North Idaho has diversity? Zero? Zip? You should have attended Plummer Day Saturday. There, you’d have seen Coeur d’Alene tribal elder Lucy Finley, 85, and Vernon Baker, the black World War II hero, serving as parade grand marshals. Parade organizers couldn’t have done better … Psst. A Washington Post reporter will attend next weekend’s grand opening of the tribe’s wellness center at Plummer. The last Post reporter who visited the reservation wrote a story about contamination in the Coeur d’Alene Basin that still has CdA Mayor Steve Judy twitching. Stay tuned.

Tater Tots: Mayor’s idea right-on

By Jove, Mayor Judy has a brilliant idea: Funds raised for human rights by marching neo-Nazis Saturday should be used to erect a memorial against hate. The plaque could say: “From Richard Butler with Love” … Hot Potatoes likes the idea promoted by the Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations - to add to our city limits signs the statement: “A city committed to human rights” … If the Washingtonians who are griping about our so-called contaminated water would stay home, we commoners would have more room at City Beach.