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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Seems crows are nobody’s concern

D.f. Oliveria The Spokesman-Review

Nah, they weren’t filming an Alfred Hitchcock movie the other day at Coeur d’Alene’s City Park. But you woulda thought so by the way the crows were dive-bombing park users near the public restrooms, including one Berry Picker who reports: “I was body-boinked on the head by a crow (fortunately, feet first) and then endured about four to six other dives that didn’t result in touches.” Frightened, the woman later saw the crows dive at two other people in two separate incidents. Although neither was hit, the Berry Picker said, “both people boogeyed out of the park as quickly as possible.” The only problem seemed to be around the toilet building. Later, she said, she called Lake City’s parks department and talked with a woman who said “birds are a natural element of a park – and the department has no responsibility (or interest) for wild animals/birds.” The distressed damsel of this tale was told to contact someone who knew about birds. (Read: Someone who cares.) The woman had heard about the diving birds in banter among department worker bees but seemed “pretty unsympathetic.” Be careful out there.

Without excuse

Ryan Jabaay, 32, of Cocolalla, who faces several felony charges in the death of 10-year-old Sawyer Frisbie May 26, has received support at Huckleberries Online from friends in his hometown of Enumclaw, Wash. Their basic theme has been that he deserves to pay for his bad decision to drink and drive. But that he’s no monster. One went as far as to say that everyone has driven snockered. Which caught the attention of Nic Casey of the Rants, Raves & Random Thoughts blog. “It’s just not true,” responded Nic in a long thread about the accident in which Jabaay tried to run away after alledgely blowing a red light at Fourth and Interstate 90 and hitting a car driven by Frisbie’s mother. “I’ve never been drunk behind the wheel. Never. Not once. I don’t buy that excuse, and neither would a court of law. Before I appeared in court for a speeding ticket nine years ago, the judge told the entire courtroom that he would not accept ‘but other people were driving faster than me’ as an adequate defense. If that defense doesn’t work for speeding, it won’t work for a DUI.” I don’t think Nic’ll be serving on that jury.

Huckleberries

Poet’s Corner: Though the clouds and chill/may be a slight bummer, /those four days in May/were a lovely summer – The Bard of Sherman Avenue (“A Glass Half Full”) … As far as Men’s Journal is concerned, UIdaho is running with fast company as one of the five best college towns in the country. Bloomington, Ind., tops the short list. And Durham, N.C., Madison, Wis., and Missoula complete it … You can follow the action at state party conventions – GOP in Sandpoint and Dems in Boise – by clicking onto Huckleberries Online beginning Thursday. Erica Curless will be posting breaking stories about the battle for Idaho GOP leadership, while Betsy Russell will be covering the utilitarian Dem confab … Did KREM2 really publish a story online that said Jabaay blew a 0.03 on the breathalyzer after the fatal car wreck involving the Frisbies – instead of .30? Maverick, the Spokane Valley Inside blogger, says the station did.

Parting shot

Berry Picker Machiavelli offers the perfect punishment for those two rocket scientists in a white pickup involved in slapping 32-year-old Jennifer Gaertner on the bottom as she pedaled her bike along Brunner Road, near Athol: “They should have to ride a ‘girl’s bike’ to work for a month. A pink Schwinn with a basket in the front, streamers coming off the handlebars and a big ol’ banana seat with a Barbie flag flapping in the back. That is assuming these bozos have jobs.” You know what they say happens when you assume things?