Best of the Northwest (5/2/05)

EWU’s Matt Nelson drove past two Washington Huskies in December 2004 in Seattle. Now, Nelson’s leaving EWU for BSU/APhoto. See Item No. 3.

EWU 2004 graduate Jeremy Lokken is making a monster reputation for himself, as his short, animated film, Monster in the Mansion, continues to gather accolades, according to the EWU Easterner, here .

1. David Horsey /PI looks at the John Bolton UN nomination here .

2. Idaho youngsters may leave for awhile, but they, like Dorothy, often realize that there’s no place like home, returning years later to pick up their lives, according to the Statesman, here . And the “brain drain” is reversing in Montana, too, here .

3. EWU’s loss is BSU’s gain as Matt Nelson, the Big Sky freshman basketballer of the year has decided to transfer from Cheney to Boise here .

4. Washington Repubs won an important judicial victory today in their bid to overturn the gubernatorial election result here . Meanwhile, Democrat John Kerry visited Washington to raise money to help Gov. Christine Gregoire hand on to her post here .

5. An African-American pastor from the Tri-Cities is under fire for his uncompromising stand in favor of traditional marriage here .

6. IMHO-NW: Joel Connelly /PI ( John Kerry’s back ), Jim McClure /Idaho Statesman ( University Place lawyer complaints ), Missoulian ( Public’s right to know ), Jamie Kelly /Missoulian ( Hating Canadians ), and Michelle M. Larsen /Oregonian ( Shattering the glass ceiling ).

*Confused WSU students in need of medical care have been dropped off at an old vacant hospital entrance here .

*Moderates and conservatives in the Flathead Valley (Kalispell, Mont.) GOP are waging a battle royale for control here .

*RuralNorthwest.com provides the Bonner Count police logs here .