Huckleberries Best of the INorthwest — 2/6/07

U.S Marines carry the casket of Cpl. Darrel Morris to a hearse after his funeral at Ferris High School Saturday in Spokane. Morris was killed while serving in Iraq. In a Spokesman-Review editorial today, Jamie Tobias Neely says: “Part of our deep respect for the men and women of the military must include our firm determination to spare them from fighting aimless wars.” See IMHO-NW below/Dan Pelle, Spokesman-Review.

Eye On Boise: Legislative GOP leaders were furiour after Idaho House State Affairs Committee rejected a their bill calling for closed primaries here .

1. The United States has agreed to release a classified cockpit video showing the reaction of two U.S. pilots from Idaho after they killed a British soldier during a friendly-fire incident in Iraq, a spokesman for the coroner said Tuesday. Story and KREM-2/KTVB video here .

2. Washington State climbed four spots in the Associated Press poll to No. 14 Monday, equaling its highest ranking ever, and nobody surrounding the program seemed terribly excited here . Related: Cougs impressive rise continues here .

3. Anti-war Drums: Martin Luther King III , the first son of Martin Luther King Jr. , told a crowd of 2000 at the UIdaho Monday night that America should abandon its violent ways in Iraq and tend to its own troubled democracy here . Meanwhile, a Demo state senator from Butte, Mont., will ask the Montana Legislature to go on record against the president’s proposed increase of U.S. troops in Iraq here .

4. A Stevens County, Wash., woman charged with the starvation death of her adoptive son was arrested this morning as she arrived at court for a pre-trial hearing. Carole DeLeon was arrested on charges she violated the conditions of her release by contacting her other children here .

5. Several customers of Snake River Spa and Pools/Twin Falls won rebates to recently purchased spas, pools and saunas because Chicago returned the opening kickoff in the Super Bowl for a TD here .

6. IMHO-NW: Jamie Tobias Neely /Spokesman-Review ( War death and debate ), Tecla Markosky /UIdaho Argonaut ( Racism not issue in gangsta parties ), Leaning Straight Up ( Gay marriage opponents strike back ), Idaho Statesman ( Idaho has best grocery tax relief plan ), and Brandon Scheller /WSU Evergreen ( Why can’t Seattle team reach top? ).

Online Poll: 79% of 290 respondents to a Helena (Mont.) Independent Record poll say the Legislature shouldn’t pass a bill outlawing the death penalty.

*Twin Falls man dies of accidental gunshot while carving hole in ice for fishing here .

*Proposed Idaho wolf kill bill sets bounty below $10 here .

*Owners bring animals a long ways from home for special treatment at WSU vet department here .

*Living wage jobs hard to find in Idaho here .

*Authorities wonder if crime committed after woman sees body fall out of truck here .

Orbusmax Special: Oregon online charter school has attracted 1,200 students so far, faces legislative hurdle here .