Huckleberries Best of the Northwest — 12/23/05

Outfielder Matt Lawton is shown running the bases as a Pittsburgh Pirate in spring training camp last year. Now, he’s the latest signing by the Seattle Mariners. But he won’t be with them on opening day no matter how great a spring he has because he’ll be serving a suspension for steroid use at the end of last season here .

1. Freelancer Milt Priggee /Gig Harbor is enjoying the resurgence of the Seattle Seahawks as much as anyone in the NW this holiday season here .

2. Jim Junior Nice killed his three children with a combination of over-the-counter medication and rat poison, allege documents filed Thursday in 5th District Court, according to Terry Smith /Twin Falls News-Tribune, here .

3. Boise State fans are upset after hearing rumors that Coach Dan Hawkins , who will relinquish the reins of the Broncos to become the UColorado head coach, is recruiting some of the same players as BSU here .

4. A former Twin Falls, Idaho, track star who lost both legs in an explosion in Iraq received a surprise visit this week from President George Bush and First Lady Laura Bush here .

5. Montana is the only state that allows a double proxy wedding. That’s why Francie Mercado, 25, wearing a white lace wedding gown at the University of Florida, and Jason Druding, 26, wearing Marine desert camouflage fatigues at a base in Djibouti, Africa, could get married thousands of miles away at Montana State University, according to Gail Schontzler of the Bozeman Chronicle, here .

6. IMHO-NW: John Levesque /Seattle PI ( Compassion runs deep for Coach Dungy ), The Columbian ( Not in the Northwest ), Bill Virgin /Seattle PI ( Retailer’s friend, if used wisely: the sale ), Idaho Statesman ( City Hall right to permit Christmas display ), Seattle Times ( How to have real bowl games ).

*Albertsons Inc. is no longer for sale and will keep its corporate headquarters in Boise here .

*A former Spokane Lutheran youth minister has been jailed on sex charges here .

*2 weeks into Washington’s smoking ban, some are fuming but few cited here .

Orbusmax Special: Suspect in eco-terrorist case found dead in jail cell here .