Toot, Toooot! Bnsf Depot’S Comin’ Through
You don’t think that 2-to-1 vote in favor of the Burlington Northern and Santa Fe refueling depot was a railroad job? Then why was the courthouse information desk handing out BNSF calendars beforehand? Big ones. With a BNSF choo-choo train on the front. A stack of them was sitting on the counter, free for the taking. Until The Powers That Be came to their senses and had them removed. Even in Kootenai County, you shouldn’t be too obvious.
Same ol’ leopards
Commissioners Dick Panabaker and Dick Compton were consistent in voting for the BNSF depot - and against the aquifer. Almost five years ago to the day, Dick Squared, then new to the office, voted to allow a machine shop to be built over our drinking water near the county airport, sans sewer hookup. At the time, county planner John Mueller called the decision, “a rookie mistake.” Now we know it was a sign of things to come.
Here’s a tip
Don Hoffman of Post Falls sez he’s going to eat elsewhere until a pricey CdA restaurant quits adding a 15 percent gratuity to his bill. (No, we’re not talking about a Hagadone Hospitality restaurant here.) The worker bees told Don that management began adding the tip because cusstomers were chintzy. Don has a better solution. Pay the help more. Bingo … CdA’s Roy Johnson was surprised after a man in a Dodge rig hit his bike from behind in the Cenex lot. And after the driver gave him insurance information. And drove him and his crumpled bike home. The info was bogus. Be careful out there.
Quotable quotes
“How many marriages would survive 20 years if you evaluated it each quarter” - analyst John Connallon at a Salomon Smith Barney investment seminar discussing the importance of a long-term outlook … “If we don’t help them sell their products, each of us has to eat 63 potatoes” - Idaho Commerce Director Gary Mahn at the Jobs Plus annual meeting defending the need for trade missions to market Idaho ag products … “Unlike some recent articles in the newspaper, this one doesn’t have any shots in the hull.” - Boy Mayor Steve Judy accepting a photo of the S.S. Coeur d’Alene from Jim Shepperd of VFW Post 889.
Huckleberries
This example comes from the “commas” section of the Harbrace College Handbook, 10th edition: “On 23 April 1984, his divorced wife remarried and moved to Sandpoint, Idaho, because she wanted to be near good skiing.” But the grammar book didn’t say if his ex lived happily ever after … At 4:03 p.m. Wednesday, I spotted the first skaters of the year at Skate Park. Spring is near … FYI: State Sen. Gordon Crow now tells me the hugs of his wife, Sandy, and 7-year-old Andrew mean more to him than spending each winter cooped up in Boise. Let the scramble begin … Rumorama: Grand High GOPoobah Bob Nonini vs. state Rep. Mary Lou Shepherd, D-Wallace, in a House District 4 race? Stay tuned … One of the joys of serving as a Mr. CHS judge Wednesday was listening to stereo Hoorelbeke. Blake, a CHS senior, made a strong debut on stage, while Papa Pete sang along quietly in the audience. Pete, as many of you know, was the drummer and lead singer for the ‘70s band, Rare Earth … That overturned canoe that sent S.O.S. crews scrambling early Wednesday afternoon turned out to be a log. And the two men clinging to it actually were seagulls … So, KVNI’s Dick Haugen has been defending my honor on the air? Sez he of the move to make huckleberries the state fruit: “I say no way that Oliveria is the state fruit.”
Parting shot
Why did the Chamber of Commerce make brief mention of deadly Highway 95 at its annual Boise luncheon with legislators? The whoopee-cushioners were told by some of our pols not to mention it. They said they were sick to death of hearing about it. Never mind that North Idahoans are sick to death of risking our lives by driving it.