As much as this Common Tater loves controversy, I see a simple solution to Coeur d’Alene’s Fourth of July parade flap involving Kootenai County veterans, the Coeur d’Alene Chamber of Commerce and developer Marshall Chesrown. The Pappy Boyington Detachment 966 of the Marine Corps League saw red when it learned the name of the annual Independence Day event: Coeur d’Alene Chamber of Commerce’s Black Rock Fourth of July Festival. I would object because the name’s too long. But the local vets were angry that Chesrown bought naming rights for the festival for a contribution of $10,000. Said Dusty Rhoads, president of Vietnam Veterans Chapter 673: “Independence Day is not for sale.” Actually, Chesrown deserves a helping of Sweet Potatoes for stepping up with his checkbook when previous sponsor First Bank declined to underwrite the event again this year. Yes, last year’s parade was called in part: First Bank Fourth of July Festival. Seems some – many? – veterans didn’t know about past sponsors. They have a legitimate beef about protecting the independence of this country’s most hallowed day. But here’s one time when negotiations woulda been better than a unilateral attack against a relative newcomer trying to be a good corporate citizen. The solution proposed by KGA morning man Dick Haugen on my Huckleberries Online blog this week? Simply rename the event The American Heroes Independence Day Festival sponsored by Black Rock. Can’t we all just get along?

Peeing on the Constitution?

Headliner: “25 Kootenai County public officials line up, pass drug tests.” DFO: I refuse to process the image of these fine individuals lining up to pee for drug-free work places. Or the hit the constitutional amendment against illegal search and seizure takes when they do. … I have nothing against Real Life Ministries. In fact, my now college-age daughter has attended youth groups at the mammoth Post Falls church since she was 16. However, Kootenai County Commissioners Todd Tondee and Rich Piazza earn Rotten Potatoes by approving RLM’s request to build a monster campus on the Rathdrum Prairie sans sewer hookup. It’s the aquifer, stupids. … French Fries (or “How to deal with interstate construction while traveling through Spokane”): 1. Valium. 2. Bike. 3. Walk. 4. Stay home. Or 5. Road rage, birds and citations.

We’ll always have Paris

“Paris Hilton’s a gauge analytic, / Of the state of the body politic, / Her antics fatigue us, / Yet somehow intrigue us, / We’ve become a host Parisitic!” – Andy Michaels/29 Words Or Less (“Fiddling While Paris Burns?”). … Item (from Gallup pollsters): President Bush’s approval rating stands at 33 percent: Only 29 percent support the job performance of the Demo Congress. In other words, the do-something-even-if-it’s-wrong approach of Dubya’s is slightly preferred to the do-nothing-but-talk approach of Pelosi, Reid & Co. … Today’s edition of Hot Potatoes was brought to you by the Nos. 1,014 and 306. Or the number of votes received, respectively, by winning incumbent Christie Wood and challenger Stan Hess in their Coeur d’Alene School District race Tuesday. Or in the latter case the number of North Idahoans who proved they were totally clueless by voting for supremacist Hess.