McEuen plan gets a mishearing

You may have heard that Steve Adams claims that Finance Director Troy Tymeson told him about plans to build a two-story parking garage on McEuen Field. Adams, an unsuccessful council wannabe, challenged Mayor Sandi Bloem during the last council meeting because she’d said such claims raised by council basher Mary Souza were a “lie.” Seems Adams was the irrefutable source that Mary used to launch a “sky-is-falling” rumor about the clandestine scheme by City Hall to dump a sight-obstructing garage on the site of the old McEuen tennis courts. Only Tymeson told Huckleberries later that Adams had crossed his wires re: what he’d heard. Tymeson said he was trying to give Adams a CliffsNotes version of city parking after the Jan. 19 council meeting because Bloem had just appointed him to the Parking Commission. Tymeson said he jumped from discussing a garage structure near the old federal building to McEuen Field. A plan to build an underground structure at McEuen has been on the drawing board for some time. A two-story structure above ground would violate the Walker-Macy plan for McEuen Field to protect views, Tymeson said. Ultimately, Tymeson called claims by Souza and Adams “amazing.”

Thinner

In the Precision Fitness Solutions newsletter for February, ex-Farmers Insurance agent Jerry Carlson provides an interesting testimonial. Yeah, the former Coeur d’Alene High booster who is awaiting sentencing after pleading guilty to federal drug charges. After introducing himself as a 47YO who has struggled with his weight since graduating from UIdaho in 1985, Carlson tells how a friend mentioned Precision Fitness 3 years ago – and how he half-heartedly tried working out at first. Then, he says in his testimonial, “After a life shattering event last February I decided there was nothing to lose. A few weeks later I started to see results.” Bottom line? Carlson has lost 100-plus pounds as a result of strength training and proper nutrition – and reduced his body fat in half. He concludes: “I have become more balanced physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. What else could I ask for?” Ah, a minimum sentence when he faces the judge April 14?

Huckleberries

As you may recall, Berry Picker/absentee voter CoeurGenX was subpoenaed to be deposed by attorney Jim Brannon in Brannon’s suit to overthrow his five-vote loss to Councilman Mike Kennedy. That was to have happened Friday. CoeurGenX told Huckleberries earlier that he planned to wear a T-shirt with an inscription that said: “I (heart) Mike Kennedy.” And mebbe a Speedo. Also, he said he planned to donate the $35 witness fee from the Brannon camp to the Kennedy campaign fund … HBO Poll: 65 percent of my online blog gang voted that the urban renewal agency should provide $200,000 as requested to help rebuild an ice arena for the Coeur d’Alene area … Sometimes the brevity of police scanner transmissions allow the mind to enjoy filling in the blanks, for example, this Monday morning snippet: “Martha has muskrat problems.” Now that’s something you don’t hear around here every day … The HBO (Huckleberries Online) Grub Club has had a week to dine at Nosworthy Hall of Fame on Government Way and will be reviewing the sports bar en masse online beginning today.

Parting shot

In the recent Coeur d’Alene Press online comments section, community activist Dan Gookin provides a breakdown on the ideologies of the revamped OpenCDA.com group, plus allies, that will comprise his new city, ahem, watchdog group (Citizens for Honesty and Responsibility): Bill McCrory, Independent; Susie Snedaker, Dem; Mary Souza, Kathy Sims, and Gary Ingram, Republican. Of particular note is Gookin’s statement, “I am a Libertarian.” Which could come back to haunt him as he tries to woo Repub support in possible future political campaigns.