Best of the Northwest — 6/2/05

In Kootenai County, Idaho, and neighboring Spokane County, Wash., the real estate market is a seller’s one. See item below IMHO-NW.

Now that Spokane Mayor Jim West has appeared with Matt Lauer on the “Today” show, humorist Doug Clark /SR wonders what would happen if he turned to TV to redeem his rep-P-U-tation. Tongue firmly cheeked, Clark has “found” perfect roles for the beleaguered mayor on “American Idol,” “SpongeBob SquarePants” and “Desperate Housewives,” among others. Click here .

David Postman/Seattle Times blogs the Washington election trial here .

1. David Horsey /PI delivers another humorous middle-of-the-road toon today here .

2. Ex-Microsoft millionaires have pocketed their great wealth and gone bowling, among other things, as they experience life after computer software here .

3. Roda Bec , one of the lost children of the Sudan, survived a civil war, walking barefoot and naked across the Sahara Desert and 7 years in limbo as a refugee, only to be murdered by an ex-boyfriend while attending Western Washington University here .

4. Another close encounter with a bear in northwest Montana ends with the bear pushing up daisies here .

5. Animal activists were out for blood when a Spanaway, Wash., nurse appeared in court to answer charges that she poisoned her neighbor’s cats with antifreeze here .

6. IMHO-NW: Steve Huffaker /Idaho Fish and Game ( Apology for fishing license snafu ), Jamie Kelly /Missoulian ( Dying in the woods ), Idaho Statesman ( Whistleblowers’ courage ), Steve Kelly /Seattle Times ( Good riddance to Koren Robinson ), Tacoma News-Tribune ( Weyerhaeuser rapped for market bullying ).

* Drew Bledsoe , the Dallas Cowboys’ QB and ex-WSU Coug, talks to the Walla Walla Union Bulletin about the parenting skills that led to his pending induction into the World Sports Humanitarian Hall of Fame here .

*The housing market in Spokane and Kootenai counties continues white hot here .

*Boise’s $220.3 million Powerball winner remains a mystery here .

For the rest of the Northwest, click Orbusmax here .