Huckleberries: From snakes to bad breaks, she has helped fill SR’s pages

Former Shoshone County commissioner Sherry Krulitz of Pinehurst has made several cameo appearances in Huckleberries.

In a recent item, Sherry drove to the rescue when two garter snakes slithered onto her daughter Keri Alexander’s patio. Remember? Sherry tossed the snakes into a bucket and escorted them away from the premises while Keri screamed. (Hey, Huckleberries doesn’t like snakes either.)

Sherry is no stranger to The Spokesman-Review. She has appeared on these pages since she was a girl growing up in Osburn. Her mother had always told Sherry that her name had appeared in 1961 on the S-R’s front page. Recently, Sherry found the faded newspaper clipping in an old family Bible.

The story, “Visit to hospital ends in fracture,” tells of Sherry stumbling at the top of the second floor stairs after visiting her ailing father, Harley Portwood, at Sacred Heart Hospital. The article concludes: “Physicians were quick at hand to set her leg, broken in two places from the fall.”

Of the front-page play, Sherry Facebooks: “I think it’s because of where I broke my leg.” Bingo.

Sadder, not wiser

In the latest edition of the Kellogg Police Department Roll Call report, Sgt. Paul Twidt tells of a woman who tried to outrun an officer after a traffic stop. The KPD officer pulled her over in the 100 block of Riverside Avenue. But she then sped off and later crashed on Station Avenue. Sgt. Twidt notes the error of her ways: “Let’s check out the differences between her running from the police and her not running from the police,” he Facebooks. If the female driver hadn’t tried to run, Sgt. Twidt points out, she would have been arrested on a $30,000 warrant and cited for driving without privileges.” BUT she wouldn’t have totaled her car. By running, Sgt. Twidt admonished, she added the charges of eluding a police officer and reckless driving. Our good police sergeant concludes: “Just sayin’.”

Huckleberries

Poet’s Corner: In spring the grass grows night and day/unceasing in its ancient way;/some time beneath it I’ll lie meekly –/until that day I must mow weekly – “The Bard of Sherman Avenue: Poems by Tom Wobker” (“The Philosopher Contemplates His Lawn”) … Huckleberries got several responses from that item about the 58-year-old female bicyclist who hit a deer on Hayden Lake Road last week. Charlie Greenwood of Spokane tells Huckleberries he came this close to striking one on a bike in Peaceful Valley, west of downtown Spokane … Meanwhile, Cathleen Ryan of Wallace says fuhgeddabout deer. She dodges moose when riding the Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes above Restless Rapids … The wonderful statue of “The American Worker” between Front Avenue and McEuen Park, is dedicated “to the Farmers, Loggers, Miners, Construction Workers, and all who build America – (and) made our country great and prosperous.” Hat Tip to Dean and Cindy Haagenson for donating it … Huckleberries blog poll: Idaho AG Lawrence Wasden may be wishy-washy when it comes to aerial fireworks. But Hucks Nation isn’t. Sixty-five percent want the potential fire-starters banned, forever and ever, amen.

Parting Shot

So Kimberly Johnson of Kellogg is sitting in the Spokane airport reading the June 11 column about my son-in-law Okie Doke – and cracking up. Okie Doke sent me real-time texts while riding the MAX train in Portland about an extended family of loud Idahoans wearing camo who were making eye contact AND chatting up skittish Portlanders. Kimberly emails: “Hilarious. And you have to admit for the most part Idahoans are pretty friendly folks!” Huckleberries agrees. Idahoans are friendly as all get out, as long as you vote straight-ticket Republican and don’t touch their guns.