Huckleberries Best of the INorthwest — 9/28/06

“She’s such a joy,” said Valerie Stichweh of Spokane about her 18-month-old daughter Faith Ann while swinging at Finucane Park in Hayden on Wednesday/Kathy Plonka, Spokesman-Review.

Eye On Boise: GARVEE funds for Idaho highway projects coming up far short here .

1. David Horsey /Seattle PI believes the wild West will return if Washington passes Initiative 933, which is similar to Idaho’s Proposition 2 in requiring local government to pay developers when its action decreases the value of their property here .

2. For the first time in who knows when, property taxes in Kootenai County, Idaho, are going to drop significantly this year despite rapid increases in valuations here .

3. A suspended Washington state trooper facing felony unlawful imprisonment charges is accused of suggesting that two women should expose themselves to him during a traffic stop. The women complied and were let off without a ticket here .

4. A Gonzaga High School teacher went on to molest at least four more young boys after Jesuit leaders shipped the troubled priest to Seattle University in 1950 here .

5. The Baja 1000! It is arguably the most intense off-road race in the world and not the place you’d expect to see the executive team from a technology company. But this November, that’s exactly where Micron’s CEO and his company officials will be, racing 1,000 miles through the Mexican desert of Baja, California here .

6. IMHO-NW: Spokesman-Review ( Gregoire shows poor dinner judgment ), Rich Landers /Spokesman-Review ( Issues abound for fragile hatcheries ), Dan Hammes /St. Maries Gazette ( Don’t use Indian names ), Jinx Beshears /River Journal ( Smartest women at “Man Show” ), and Jared Downing /WSU Evergreen ( Higher-ed needs practical focus ).

Online Poll: 78% of 320 respondents to a Helena Independent Record poll support imposition of impact fees on developers.

*Family, friends dedicate statue to Spokane wastewater worker killed in 2004 accident here .

*Cable show to debut new Washington State dating show here .

*Stabbed Nampa woman alerts police before she dies in car trunk here .

* Bill Zadek of Great Falls, Mont., has won the world wrestling championship at 145 1/2 pounds here .

Orbusmax Special: Judge: Former AG John Ashcroft doesn’t have absolute immunity in lawsuit filed by ex-UI footballer here .