Best of the Northwest (3/29/05)

Twice a year, Microsoft’s Bill Gates (pictured above) retreats to the woods to ponder the future of his company and the tech industry, according to Robert R. Guth /Wall Street Journal. Often, remarkable things come from these retreats, including his 1995 paper, “The Internet Tidal Wave,” which led Microsoft to develop its Internet browser and crush Netscape. You can find the rest of the story here .

1. David Horsey /PI looks at the “enabler-in-chief” here .

2. A Whatcom County woman has been charged with sending a series of increasingly threatening letters to Washington Gov. Christine Gregoire here .

3. Lake City High grad Aaron Welch taught U.S. troops how to prepare for Iraq and wants to teach LCHS football players how to prepare for opposing team’s defenses, according to the Coeur d’Alene Press, here .

4. UI prez Tim White has his ax out as he tries to pare jobs and balance a 2005-06 budget that begins with a $4.75 million deficit here .

5. Why aren’t garages and parking spaces getting bigger to accommodate the trucks and SUVs that are, wonders The Idaho Statesman here .

6. IMHO-NW: Bill Virgin /PI ( Come home, Boeing execs ), Joel Connelly /PI ( Honor without death OK ), Idaho Statesman ( Water bills do too much, too soon ), Kahlen Burgwin /Daily Evergreen ( Director Peter Jackson ), and Adam Gangl /Daily Evergreen ( Bogus diversity credit ).

*The weekly roundup of Kootenai County scofflaws is provided by RuralNorthwest.com here .

*Ex-Micron exec Russ Fulcher has been named to replace disgraced Jack Noble in the Idaho Senate here .

*Hewlett-Packard Co. has named Mark Hurd , the head of NCR Corp., as its new CEO here .

*Mariners Moment: Jamie Moyer can’t throw bricks this year, if the M’s are to succeed here .