Huckleberries Best of the INorthwest — 2/8/06

A life-size statue of Marilyn Monroe, as seen in the movie “Seven Year Itch,” sold for $30,000 Tuesday as part of the auction of property belonging to Marilyn’s on Monroe, a defunct Spokane casino and restaurant. Here, ring man Gary Justice, right, encourages bids here . (Jesse Tinsley/Spokesman-Review)

Local editors, journalism professors and a former mayor will discuss The Spokesman-Review’s investigation of former Mayor Jim West at a forum tonight sponsored by the Washington News Council here .

1. David Horsey /Seattle PI doodles how Pittsburgh’s “12th Man” had a bigger impact on the Super Bowl than Seattle’s famous “12th Man” here , and Milt Priggee /Skagit Valley Herald lets his thoughts be known re: US newspaper reluctance to publish the controversial Muhammad cartoons here .

2. The University of Idaho will introduce former UI/WSU/Wyoming/Miami/Seahawk/Oregon State/49er coach Dennis Erickson as its new football coach at a press conference this afternoon at 5:30 here .

3. Dave Smith Motors of North Idaho’s Silver Valley, the World’s largest car dealer, is suing three former female employees for defamation of character for filing harassment claims here .

4. Montanans have been turning out in droves to see “Brokeback Mountain,” contrary to what conservative radio host Bill O’Reilly predicted before the movie hit Big Sky Country here .

5. Rushing leader Shaun Alexander is confident Seattle will offer a “fair deal” to sign him here .

6. IMHO-NW: D.F. Oliveria /Spokesman-Review ( Science should guide wolf policy ), Dan Popkey /Idaho Statesman ( Interviewing Seymour Hersh ), Kalispell (Mont.) Daily Inter Lake ( Cartoon Jihad no laughing matter ), Bruce Ramsey /Seattle Times ( Defending cartoon censorship ), and Art Thiel /Seattle PI ( Critics lament shrug of Turin ).

Online Poll: Given 4 options including “no opinion,” a plurality of 30.7% of 833 respondents to an Idaho Statesman poll said their children’s homework was “too light.”

*Washington state health-care subsidy to Wal*Mart workers put at $12M here .

*A Billings woman has been charged after her newborn was found dead in an LA trash bin here .

*A Washington state senator has introduced an assisted-suicide bill in Olympia here .

Orbusmax Special: Oregon National Guard to model for new action figure here .