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Huckleberries: 30 years ago Coeur d’Alene was the toast of New York City

In this 1995 SR file photo, Ray Stone, who served with the 82nd Airborne in WWII, tells a small crowd gathered at the Coeur d'Alene Public Library about liberating the Woebbelin concentration camp in Germany in April 1945, 50 years ago. Stone was one of three Coeur d'Alene representatives who traveled to New York City in January 1987 to receive the Raoul Wallengberg Civic Award on behalf of the city. (Jesse Tinsley/SR file photo)
By D.F. Oliveria daveo@spokesman.com(509) 319-0354
In this 1995 SR file photo, Ray Stone, who served with the 82nd Airborne in WWII, tells a small crowd gathered at the Coeur d'Alene Public Library about liberating the Woebbelin concentration camp in Germany in April 1945, 50 years ago. Stone was one of three Coeur d'Alene representatives who traveled to New York City in January 1987 to receive the Raoul Wallengberg Civic Award on behalf of the city. (Jesse Tinsley/SR file photo)
In this 1995 SR file photo, Ray Stone, who served with the 82nd Airborne in WWII, tells a small crowd gathered at the Coeur d'Alene Public Library about liberating the Woebbelin concentration camp in Germany in April 1945, 50 years ago. Stone was one of three Coeur d'Alene representatives who traveled to New York City in January 1987 to receive the Raoul Wallengberg Civic Award on behalf of the city. (Jesse Tinsley/SR file photo)

Only months before, domestic terrorists associated with the Aryan Nations had bombed various places around Coeur d’Alene – and the home of the Rev. Bill Wassmuth of St. Pius X Catholic Church. Wassmuth was also leader of the Kootenai County Task Force on Human Relations.

He was one of three representatives from Coeur d’Alene who traveled to New York City to accept the Raoul Wallenberg Civic Award for Coeur d’Alene’s human rights battle. Mayor Ray Stone and Undersheriff Larry Broadbent were the other two. This columnist tagged along to report on the event/ DFO , Saturday Huckleberries. More here.

* This story was originally published as a post from the blog "Huckleberries Online." Read all stories from this blog