Growth - So Far, So Good

I don’t like the traffic congestion growth has brought Kootenai County. In fact, my daughter claims I regularly exhibit three of the nine symptoms of road rage (liberal use of the word “idiot,” imagining what I’d do to other drivers if I could get my hands on them and tapping the brakes when I’m tailgated).

Still, count me among the North Idahoans who believe growth has helped the region. In a recent survey, 43 percent of Panhandle residents said growth improved their lot, 43 percent said it hurt them and 14 percent were undecided.

In Kootenai County, growth has brought dozens of new stores and restaurants, from the Factory Outlets at Post Falls and Silverlake Mall here to Eagle Hardware and all the new fast food places along Seltice Way, Appleway and elsewhere. I can’t remember the last time I had to shop in Spokane for something I couldn’t find here.

Growth has provided jobs - although the pay still isn’t all that great. It has brought in new people with fresh ideas; people who largely respect our quality of life. In Coeur d’Alene, it has provided a broad enough tax base that schools can be built without relying on bonded indebtedness.

All this, and our communities still are friendly and generally law-abiding. The time may be coming when growth will overwhelm us, but it hasn’t arrived yet.

All the good news that’s fit to print?

The front page of our Tuesday Handle was for all subscribers who’ve ever said: “Can’t you guys ever print good news?” (Admit it. You’ve said it, right?) The top four stories? The Festival at Sandpoint no longer is in debt. Coeur d’Alene and its police department have reached agreement after bitter labor negotiations. The pollution level at a Coeur d’Alene well has gone down. And arrests for drunken driving have declined statewide. A followup story on the Washington State riot, of course, overshadowed those articles. But each day has some good news - if you look for it.

Young Simpson pursues unholy cause

Jack Simpson must be turning in his grave. His son, Jack Jr., built a fence on his Sanders Beach property in the dead of night in December and now is fighting the city to keep it. City officials, of course, believe their shoreline ordinance bans such eyesores on the north shore. For decades, Simpson’s father was a regular at City Council meetings. He could be cranky and obstinate. But he also was civic-minded. I know he wouldn’t fight for something that hurt Lake City’s quality of life.