Huckleberries: Baby sitter got early look at Alaskan gubernatorial hopeful

You know by now that UIdaho alum Sarah Palin won her Republican primary race for Alaska governor. But did you know that Susie Puckett, Sandpoint ex-mayor of Wasilla, Alaska, remembers Sarah as “a real cutie who had all this hair”? Susie was an eighth-grader when she watched Sarah and her siblings for her science teacher, Chuck Heath. The Heath family lived behind the Sandpoint Safeway back then. Soon after Sarah’s birth, her father accepted a teaching job in Skagway. Susie has kept in touch. She was thrilled when Sarah captured nearly 51 percent of the vote Tuesday to win the GOP nomination in a five-way race that included incumbent Gov. Frank Murkowski, who finished third with only 19 percent of the vote. Sarah now will face former Democratic Gov. Tony Knowles in the November election.

“Huckleberries hears that the Groenes were baptized in the late-morning service Sunday at Real Life Ministries/Post Falls, Steve first and then his brave daughter. And that Shasta looked at Pastor Jim Putman “with a smile that you wouldn’t believe a little kid could have” when he asked about her faith in Christ.

“GOP congressional wannabe Bill Sali said in a press release “over 150” turned out for that $35-per-plate fundraiser at Post Falls with House Speaker Dennis Hastert this week. But Huckleberries hears that it was 75 or 80, if you didn’t count Sali family, campaign staff and local electeds. Who knows? The press wasn’t allowed in to give an impartial, accurate account.