Huckleberries Best of the INorthwest — 5/1/07

AP Photo/The Olympian

In this image taken from video, Ross Kurtz, 14, examines a gray whale that washed ashore dead near Johnson Point in Olympia, Wash., Monday. Researchers planned to perform an autopsy on the five-ton, nearly 30-foot animal. The whale was too thin for its age, estimated at up to 2 years, said John Calambokidis, a research biologist for Olympia-based Cascadia Research here .

1. Best of the Political ‘Toons: David Horsey /Seattle PI ( “Mistake accomplished” )

2. Best of the Online Polls: 49% of 560 respondents to an Idaho Statesman poll say Yellowstone grizzlies should be delisted.

3. Best of Sports: WSU Cougars sign playmaking guard away from Air Force Academy here .

4. Best of NW Blogs: Tom Forbes /Palousitics ( Co-opted out of a living wage ), Betsy Russell/Eye On Boise ( Montel Williams speaks out in Boise ), and Karl /Leaning Straight Up ( Washington court protects free speech ).

5. Best of the News: Orbusmax Special: Oregon ranks among top spending states per capita here , Canoeists who pulled body to shore ticketed here , Bison hazed back into Yellowstone or face slaughter here , Crash injures Montana teens returning from prom here , and Texas warden exits after complaints by Idaho here .

6. IMHO-NW: Doug Clark /SR ( Horn blower looks to tap into talent ), Idaho Statesman ( Grizzly recovery depends on us ), UI Argonaut ( Be safe, don’t be paranoid ), Tecla Markosky /UI Argonaut ( Grammar error proves fatal ), Frank Mieli /Kalispell Daily Inter Lake ( Let’s create safe haven for terrorists ), and Bob Wire /New West Missoula ( Perfect spring day ruined by dog ).