Huckleberries Local AM Headlines — 12/23/05

Bradley Gilmore of the Army Reserve’s 659th Engineer Company is greeted by longtime friend D.J. Nall (aka Frum Helen Back) at the Hauser Resort Wednesday for a welcome home party for the Hauser Lake resident returning from Iraq. “I watched him grow up and it was scary when he went to war.” says Nall here . (Brian Plonka/The Spokesman-Review)

* School employee touched many lives: Lisa King killed after being hit by truck in parking lot / Brian Walker , Coeur d’Alene Press — This is easily the saddest local story locally from Christmas 2005. That poor husband … the kids …

* Tax district would fund rec centers: Group hopes to build swimming pool, skating rink for no-cost, after-school use / Erica Curless , Spokesman-Review — And the answer is — slim and none. The question? What are the chances of selling a new taxing district in anti-property tax North Idaho.

* Santa hit by pellet at mall still smiling /Spokesman-Review — HBO nominates the young delinquent in this case for a Christmas lump of coal. Shooting Santa? Sheesh.

* Praying for a miracle: Father prepares for what may be his last holiday with family / Christi Wilhelm , Coeur d’Alene Press — Another sad Christmas story.

* Dry mountain snow sucking up rain /Spokesman-Review — Dreamin’ of a white Christmas? Fuhgeddaboutit.