Hot Potatoes — 2/1/07

* Man killed by train in Athol: Highway 54 crossing claims second victim in 7 years /Spokesman-Review — If you play chicken with a thundering locomotive, you can hope for a draw, at best — a closed casket at worst.

* Connie’s closes doors as lease expires /Betsy Dalessio, Bonner County Daily Bee — And another piece of Bonner County history bites the dust.

* NIC president search team named /Spokesman-Review — A very respectable search team, indeed, led by Wanda Quinn, Dick Compton and Sandy Patano . But won’t the local Elephants be upset when they discover that — ohmigosh — Demo Mike Kennedy is on the list?! Local R’s have been tossin’ and turnin’ since Mike won a council seat 15 months ago. ( BTW, check out that bear hug outgoing NIC prez Michael Burke and Trustee Christie Wood are giving each other in this Brand X photo here . )

* Resort spa recognized as world’s best /Rick Thomas, Coeur d’Alene Press — Gracious, one writer gives a thumbs up to the new resort spa, and the paper crows about it on the front page? On the other hand, writer Maryann Hammers gets around. Among her other articles: Top 10: Romantic Spas , Sweatique 101: 5 Top Rules of Gym Etiquette , and Desert Spa Adventures: Queer, Lesbian, Gay Travel .

* Jorgenson: Human life worth more than moose: Bill would revoke hunting privileges for life of those who shoot another, convicted /Betsy Russell, Eye On Boise — Nice thought. But it doesn’t bring the deceased back to life. How many reckless hunters shoot two others while hunting in a lifetime?