Wheel crowded with Halloween celebrants
We don’t know what was the scariest part of last week. Was it Halloween? Or was it Election Day? The answer to that probably lies with whose favorites won and whose lost in Tuesday’s election.
Today, though, we are going to focus on the myriad of Halloween parties held of course, on Halloween. Starting with the traditional party in Bayview at the Captain’s Wheel, with costumes galore, folks trekked from Spokane for that one off-season celebration in Bayview that has held up through 20 years or more.
The always popular band, The Keep, played at the Wheel with some very strange creatures in attendance. The place was packed, but we did notice a difference this year. People would drift in and out then back in again, looking for that perfect party.
Lots was going on in Athol, starting with the American Legion, Post 149 party, with Jeannie and the Good Time Boys providing the tunes. The place was packed with revelers, mostly dressed kind of strange. Down the street at City Hall, two kids’ events were happening: First, a trick-or-treat tailgate party complete with lanterns in the parking lot, then downstairs in the building, where cartoons were being shown on a large screen.
Just down the street, Timberlake Fire District provided treats for the kids as well as guided tours of the facilities and engines.
Some of these tours were performed by Sparky, the station mascot fire dog, also known as Chelsea with a dog mask atop her curls. We ventured farther south, noting that the Hayden Eagles was going full blast with a full house, as well as the new hot spot in town, Rusty’s. There again, it seemed that the crowds ebbed and flowed into then back out of these venues all evening.
On another note, longtime restaurateur Terry Shepherd of Terry’s Cafe, is branching out to Spirit Lake. Opening in late November, she will occupy the space formerly filled with Emily Rose, a cafe that recently closed on Maine St. She will open under the name, Terry’s Country Cafe.
Asked why, in this business climate, she would expand, she replied, “I had a chance to get a location I might not have been able to find when times got better. I live in Spirit Lake and it was a natural move for me.”
Shepherd will move back and forth between the two locations, saying, “I’ve got some real good people working for me that will hold down the fort when I’m not there.”
Rumors abound about the fate of the Buttonhook restaurant being sold, but so far, no deal is imminent. We expect something to pop soon, but as of deadline, nothing yet.
Traffic in Bayview has slowed way down. Partly because of people moving out from the trailer park that held around 20 year-round residents and partly, we suspect, because of the moribund economy.
New construction and the accompanying increase in population will have to wait until more units are built, which right now has come to a screeching halt.
Monnie and Marie at the Captain’s Wheel tell us that on the bright side, you probably won’t have to wait for a table at dinnertime anytime soon.
We understand, also that for the first times since Prohibition, Idaho bars were able to serve alcoholic beverages on Election Day. This from a quote in the River Journal from Senator Mike Jorgenson. Many local wags suggest it should be mandatory.