Huckleberries Best of the INorthwest Online — 11/14/07

Kathy Plonka/Spokesman-Review
Idaho Gov. Butch Otter listened to comments at the Wallace Senior Center as part of his “Capitol for a Day” program in Wallace Tuesday. A mother and her home-school child were the only nonofficials to attend the event here .

Spotlight: Idaho Demo Walt Minnick kicks off his campaign for Congress at 1 p.m. today at CDA’s Harding Center here . Idaho Statesman report here .

1. In Seattle in about an hour and a half, People for Our Public Schools will make “an announcement” that will presumably be a declaration of victory in the tight race to make it easier for school districts to pass property tax levies here /Rich Roesler, Eye On Olympia.

2. A member of the Idaho National Guard was the $200,000 Powerball winner from Saturday night’s draw on Veterans Day. The winner will be announced at a news conference at 2 p.m. (PST) today here .

3. A U.S. Border Patrol official confirmed Tuesday that agents investigating human smuggling on commercial bus lines arrested more than 100 illegal immigrants in the Twin falls area over the past week here /Twin Falls Times-News. SR: Idaho groups urge acceptance of immigrants here.

4. News Roundup: Kaiser Aluminum profits soar /Spokesman-Review; Man bit in groin by police dog seeks $1M /KTVB; Starbucks rising prices put company in slump /KREM; Former CBS exec selected for Murrow award /WSU Daily Evergreen; and UI students feel targeted by noise rule /KTVB.

5. Blogosphere: Senate ethics committee veep sez “stay tuned” re: Craig /Eye On Boise; Big money, no whammies /The Skinny on North Idaho; On Fred Thompson’s pro-life endorsement /Adam’s Blog; Ride the spiral /TUBOB; and Opportunism /Morialekafa.

6. IMHO-INW: It’s not easy being green /Pia Hansen, Spokesman-Review; Sometimes an activist judge does you a favor /Tom Henderson, Lewiston Tribune; Spokane County responsible for too many sex offenders /Spokesman-Review; Early birds will get big break /Kerri Thoreson, Coeur d’Alene Press; and Boise State/UI rivalry not as lopsided as it looks /Chadd Cripe, Idaho Statesman.

Orbusmax Special: Archbishop Murphy football team won’t be reinstated here .