Huckleberries Best of the INorthwest — 4/7/08

Steve Hanks/Lewiston Tribune, AP
Another dose of winter coats the Palouse with a layer of snow Saturday, near Genesee, Idaho.

1. Ellen Craswell, a born-again Christian and conservative Republican stalwart who served in both houses of the Washington Legislature and ran for governor, is dead at 75 here /SR.

2. The Idaho Statesman has been named a 2008 Pulitzer Prize finalist for its coverage of the Larry Craig scandal that began with his arrest and guilty plea in an airport restroom last August here /Statesman.

3. U.S. Sen. Barack Obama sampled a french fry at the M&M Bar and Cafe on Saturday afternoon in Uptown Butte, but he politely declined one of Stevie Faulkner’s famous shoeshines here /Billings Gazette.

4. IMHO: Debate at WSU: Liberals talking /Michael Costello, Lewiston Tribune; Romanticizing war /David Horsey, Seattle PI; Rehabilitation efforts are worth it /Rebecca Nappi, SR; McDermott should have been suspicious /Tom Henderson, Lewiston Tribune; and Truckers set example we can follow /Doug Bauer, Moscow-Pullman Daily News.

5. Blogosphere: GOP complains about Gregoire’s polling & listening tour /Rich Roesler, Eye On Olympia; Room for mischief /Randy Stapilus, Ridenbaugh Press; Hillary: Tested and ready? /Dogwalk Musings; Rammell on religion /Kevin Richert, Idaho Statesman; and Spring chinook return at snail’s pace /Rocky Barker, Idaho Statesman.

6. News Roundup: Missoula embraces Clinton after rockin’ to Obama /Missoulian; Ambassador Crocker: Premature Iraq exit would be devastating /SR; Wife of long-time WSU/UW cage coach dies /Seattle Times; Loose bison lead police on low-speed chase /KTVB; and Prostitution ring operator leaves court a free man /KREM2.

Orbusmax Special : Oregon State picks Obama’s brother-in-law as new basketball coach here .