A Word from Bill McCrory ...

...re: that Prosser, Wash., kid who drew a picture in art class of Dubya's head stuck on the end of a stake, held by an Iraqi:

I disagree with your statement that the Secret Service overreacted to the Prosser student's drawing. It is the Secret Service's statutory responsibility under 18 USC 871 to investigate any behavior that may constitute a

Presidential threat to determine if a threat was made, and if it was, if the person making the threat actually poses a threat to the President. A drawing can be an artistic expression, but it can also be a valid pre-incident indicator of contemplated violence. The Secret Service interviewed the student and, since the student was not arrested or committed for psychiatric evaluation, apparently determined he neither made nor posed a threat to the President.

Bill McCrory
Coeur d'Alene

DFO: Bill, it's not just me. The Seattle Times felt the same way. On the other hand, agreeing with the Times editorial position isn't the best argument is it?

Another Word from Ace Jones ...

...re: Katie Brodie and Claudia Brennan.

"Anonymous" (now, "Silver Belle") obviously doesn't know Katie Brodie. If he thinks anyone will control her he is mistaken. She would bring a welcome dose of energy, enthusiasm, and leadership to the Courthouse. These are all things lacking in the three blind mice on the commission. Sweeping Claudia and Katie into one is a good political tactic, but does not reflect reality. If you want to disagree with Katie's pro businees, pro development positions, fine. Opposing her because of falsely perceived ties to Duane is a huge mistake. Things are so bad at the courthouse I would vote for John Kerry for Commissioner.

Ace

DFO: Hey, this is getting to be fun.

A Political Poem

Sandy, Woody, Deanna and Ben
Wouldn't go back to the table again.
They muttered, they stammered, They chewed their lips
They almost had a conniption fit!

With Uncle Dewey pulling their strings,
They gave away the beach,the fees and everything.
Now he's backing Claudia and Katie, so he'll be able
To have a seat at the Commissioners' table!

Silver Belle

A Word from Steve Gigliotti ...

re. Bush distortions of John Kerry's voting record:

Dave, The readers/citizens/voters deserve and need the truth. Democracy dies without the truth. Have you told the paper readers and your blog visitors that Bush sent 40,000 troops to Iraq without body armor and then has the gall to blame Kerry for voting against the $87 billion a year later?

More Bush Distortions of Kerry Defense Record

DFO: I appreciate links, like the one sent by Steve, that tell the other side to the story.

Lunch Special (4/28/04):

Big John Rook sends along a link that should bring a smile or two to the faces of Dubya Fans ... and anyone else who appreciates cowboys. Didn't someone once sing: My heroes have always been cowboys? Bottom line? We shouldn't duck our heads when the cowardly French, Germans or Spaniards claim we've been led off to war by a Cowboy President. After all, Dubya isn't the first cowboy who has set in the Oval Office. Cowboys are today's Lunch Special focus here.

Best of the Northwest (4/28/04):

My stomach's growling, so we must be approaching noon, which means your "Best of the Northwest" roundup is overdue:

1. The baseball season's only 20 games or so old, but already things are looking bad for the Seattle Mariners. Mebbe Milt Priggee forewarned us about bad days ahead with this political cartoon about the season opener here.

2. "Baghdad Jim" McDermott of Seattle is at it again. This time the liberal congressman has made news by omitting the words "under God" while leading the Pledge of Allegiance for the House of Representatives. Click here.

3. In Spokane, Bloomsday runners are waxing nostalgic about the old finish line to the annual springtime run ... in the downtown area. Click here.

4. Boise State, which is crunched for space, has purchased a shopping center for $5 million and now will begin developing plans to use it here.

5. Anna Webb of The Idaho Statesman interviewed favorite Boy-C hometown boy Troy McClain about his success on the TV reality show, "The Apprentice," here.

6. Business is booming in downtown Boy-C since 9-11 here.

7. The Seattle Times continues to look at that drug scandal engulfing the U-Dub softball team here. Meanwhile, U-Dub discusses a sports program run amok here. And sports columnist Steve Kelley looks at the out-of-control program here.

8. A U-Dub study shows that women who have dental X-rays during pregnancy have a better chance at giving birth to an underweight child here.

--Columnist Dan Popkey of The Idaho Statesman takes a look at the efforts being made by labor unions and Democrats to gather 40,772 valid signatures in their push to land on the ballot with their attempted repeal of Right to Work legislation. Click here.

--In an editorial, The Seattle Times correctly takes the Secret Service to task for overreacting to a goofy Prosser kid's drawing of Dubya's head on a stake here.

--WSU senior Randy Henderson tells Seattle Times readers that all the attention being paid by "American Idol" to off-key singer William Hung is nothing but a cruel racist joke here.

--The Missoulian is happy that racist Matthew Hale didn't find Big Sky country very hospitable here.

Wednesday Quick Fix Six (4/28/04):

The sun is shining amidst the clouds overhead, and we're headed for a coupla days of good weather here in Coeur d'Alene, which means "heart of an awl," whatever that means. Mebbe "small-hearted" because French trappers thought the Coeur d'Alene Indians were shrewd traders. On the other hand, small-hearted seems to fit our elected city officials nowadays. Here's your fixes:

1. I know we run Bruce Tinsley's Mallard Fillmore strip in the classified now. And you might have seen the one I'm about to show you. But it's worth a second look. Here's your Political 'Toon Fix.

2. Again, No Holds Barred turns to Jay Leno for a chuckle: "Spain has withdrawn its troops, or troop from Iraq. The new prime minister said that putting Spanish citizens in Iraq was senseless and dangerous. Unlike running with the bulls." Here's your Late Night Fix.

3. In America, we have Rush, Sean, the Washington Times and other conservative media to provide the rest of the story ignored by the national media; in the Middle East, they have al-Iraqiya. Here's your Truth Shall Set You Free Fix.

4. If you can't make 'em be good, pay 'em to be good. In an unprecedented move, the University of Maryland is offering football coach Ralph Friedgen a $50,000 bonus if he can get thru the next season without his players getting arrested or causing the university embarrassment. Here's your Novel Idea Fix.

5. Bonnie Diehl's Gen-W blog site is a must-see for photos of that Not-So-Great Pro-Abortion march on D.C. last week. You get photos of cuh-razy statements made by the disciples of NARAL, plus Bonnie's acerbic comments. Here's your Reality Check Fix.

6. Don't look now, but liberal James Ridgeway of the Village Voice is challenging the Demos to wake up and draft someone other than uninspiring J. Flipflop Kerry as their prez wannabe. Here's your Flipflop Fix.

--A Promise Keepers survey shows that only 60 percent of Christian men are "marginally satisfied" with their church here.

--A Rassmussen poll reveals that U.N. favorability ratings are dropping like a rock with only 38 percent of respondents providing a thumbs up here.

--Good ol' Hillary Clinton; her husband couldn't defend us against terrorism, but that doesn't stop her from shooting her mouth off to the Arab press about how Dubya's undercutting Middle East stability. At another time, she'd be viewed as a traitor. But such talk is now par for the course from her side of the aisle. Click here.

--Matt Drudge reports that Flipflop spent more than $1,000 to have his hair touched up prior to appearing on "Meet the Press" here.

--And here's some good commentary for ya: Ben Shapiro (Pat Tillman), Dick Morris (Republican convention), Michelle Malkin (Ashley Judd pro-choice march) and Jonah Goldberg (Medalgate).

Parting Thought (4/27/04):

I appreciate your notes and longer e-mails ... as well as your eyes and ears out there in the community. If you want to provide info but don't want to see it on the blog, please e-mail it in, with a note that it's for my eyes only. If you want to share an opinion but you don't want to be named, send in your comment and provide a pseudonym. As long as I know who you are, I'll probably blog your comment. I know how dangerous it is in Coeur d'Alene to share your opinions candidly. If you don't mind seeing your name and e-mail in print on my blog, e-mail ahead. I don't have frequency or length limits. Yet. As Jerry Seinfeld said to the estranged wife he was trying to pick up, I'm here for you -- DFO

A Word from Ace Jones ...

re: recalling Queen Sandi's neo-Gang of Four:

In reaction to the annexation decision people keep talking about remembering this at election time. As I have said before the method Coeur d'alene uses in electing council members is heavily weighted toward

incumbents. What people need to do is get organized and use the tools in place to have an impact much sooner than November 05. A referendum could be place on the ballot to repeal the annexation ordinance, A move could also be started to recall the four yes voters. In both cases all it takes to start is the signatures of 20% of the voters in the 2003 election, or 834 signatures. Repealing the ordinance and\or recalling four council members would send a clear message of who really is in charge. Elected officials serve at the pleasure of the citizens. Nothing wrong with making that point.

Ace Jones

DFO: Actually, it's more complicated than that. You have to get signatures equal to 20% (3,341) of the total registered voters (16,704) at the 2003 city election. That'd be tough. What the city really needs is an election that forces candidates to run for a position rather than in our current horse-race setup in which the top three vote-getters win election and incumbents have the inside track. Council prez Dixie Reid has clung to her seat despite finishing third in each of her last three elections. A good candidate who forced her to defend her record could take her out, one-on-one.

A Word from John Rook ...

...re: Pepsi in the can:

Don't buy Pepsi in the new can. Pepsi has a new "patriotic" can coming out with pictures of the Empire State Bldg. and the Pledge of Allegiance on them. However, Pepsi left out two little words on the pledge, "Under God". Pepsi said they did not want to offend anyone. If this is true, then we don't want to offend anyone at the Pepsi corporate office. If we do not buy any Pepsi product, they will not be offended by receiving our money that has the words "Under God" on it.

John Rook
Coeur d'Alene

DFO: We certainly wouldn't want to oh!-fend a good corporate citizen like Pepsi.

A Word from The Edge ...

...about the Portland nut who trashed fallen ex-NFL pro Pat Tillman's memory:

Dave,

The writer who trashed Pat Tillman needs to be dropped off in Afganistan for six months. Then he might understand the dangers he faced and the people who
hate America and the west. Race has nothing to do with it. It's about religion and radical Islam. By the way, he wasn't a dumb jock. He graduated with a 3.8 GPA from Arizona State University.

Free speech is sacred. However, why does anybody bother reporting on this nut? He's not worth the effort.

The Edge

DFO: I liked the slogan they had back in the '60s: America, love it or leave it.

The Party's Over Lyndon

Colleague Betsy Russell sends this note from Boy-C re. Lyndon LaRouche joining Flipflop, Kucinich and other Demos on the Idaho ballot:

Lyndon Larouche qualified for the Idaho presidential primary ballot today as a Democrat, collecting more than the required 5,016 signatures by 5 p.m., though just barely -- Larouche supporters in Idaho brought in 5,403 valid signatures. LaRouche will join John Kerry, Dennis Kucinich and Al Sharpton on the D’s ballot in Idaho. However, despite the last-minute scramble for signatures, Idaho’s Democratic presidential primary is merely a “beauty contest,” because the party selects its presidential delegates via caucuses. Those are already over, and Kerry won. On the Republican side, the primary vote counts – but George W. Bush is the only one on the ballot.

DFO: There are more D's on the ballot than there are in the state of Idaho.

Lunch Special (4/27/04):

For years, conservative Ben Stein wrote a column about stars and starlets in Planet Hollyweird. Stein? He's a bit actor who once played that boring science instructor in "Forest Bueller's Day Off" -- you know, the one with the monotone voice. Anyway, Stein finally has hit the wall. He has ended his column for the eon-line Web site, Monday Night at Morton's to pursue other things. In his final column, he sez:

Real stars are not riding around in the backs of limousines or in Porsches or getting trained in yoga or Pilates and eating only raw fruit while they have Vietnamese girls do their nails.

Here's his take on "real stars":

A real star is the soldier of the 4th Infantry Division who poked his head into a hole on a farm near Tikrit, Iraq. He could have been met by a bomb or a hail of AK-47 bullets. Instead, he faced an abject Saddam Hussein and the gratitude of all of the decent people of the world.

Today's Lunch Special? Real stars. You can read Ben's final column here.

Recall

For those keeping score at home, it'd be difficult to recall the neo-Gang of Four -- Dixie Reid, Deanna Goodlander, Ben Wolfinger and Woody McEvers -- which sold out city residents over Sanders Beach access. Petitioners would have to collect 3,341 signatures from registered voters (20% of the 16,074 registered electors at the 2003 city election) to put a recall effort on the ballot. Doable. But ...

'Just What They Needed'

Guerrillas and gunfights
can be sort of a drag,
but there’s good news today
cause they got a new flag.

The Bard of Sherman Avenue

Best of the Northwest (4/27/04):

1. I shoulda known my old buddy Milt Priggee would come up with the political cartoon I wanted re. fallen hero, Pat Tillman. Click here.

2. Sean Fitzpatrick, that Lewis & Clark High kid who attempted suicide by Spokane police last fall, might not have to serve jail time. As messed up as he is today, physically as well as mentally, that's probably a good thing. Click here.

3. The Idaho Statesman provides a checklist of symptoms that extremely healthy people should know to avoid the risk of sudden death while participating in fun runs, marathons and other strenuous activity here.

4. Just when you think things couldn't get any worse for U-Dub sports, what with former coach Rick Neuheisel's gambling problems and all, along comes a report by The Seattle Times that softballers are so overmedicated that concerned parents flush pills down the toilet. Click here.

5. Anti-war sketches by an eastern Washington high school kid were so graphic, including one that featured Dubya's head on a stick, that they attracted the Secret Service. Click here.

6. A new Web site provides basic info on all prisoners in King County jails, so family and victims can keep track of them. We need that in the Inland Northwest. Click here.

7. Washington Gov. Gary Locke urged judges yesterday to pledge not to drink in public or to drink very little here.

8. U-of-I is planning to expand the campus by purchasing about 10 acres of railroad property nearby here.

--Three more players with Idaho ties have signed NFL free-agent deals here.

--The Seattle Times opines on that order that Boeing received of 50 7E7's by All Nippon Airways here.

--Timothy Egan of the New York Times sez Sami Omar al-Hussayen's terror case could test the Patriot Act here.

--Joe Connelly of the P-I is surprised at how much Dubya's spending for air ads in supposedly left-leaning Washington here.

--Judging from the Lefty worldview of this U-of-I Argonaut editorial writer (J.H.), s/he is ready for a job with the mainstream media. Click here.

Tuesday Quick Fix Six (4/27/04):

The sun's shining in be-you-ti-ful (at least on the surface) Coeur d'Alene this morning. But it's suppose to get windy with gusts up to 50 mph later this day -- without the City Council meeting. It's time to begin your fix:

1. Chuck Asay of Colorado Springs has a good idea why Dubya's poll numbers keep rising despite the attacks by J. Flipflop Kerry and the mainstream media, the Demo propaganda wing. Here's your Political 'Toon Fix.

2. Jay Leno joked about the pullout of some coalition troops on his show Monday: "The Dominican Republic has pulled its 300 soldiers out of Iraq. I didn’t know they had an army did you? The only Dominicans I’ve ever seen in uniform are playing for the Yankees." Here's your Late Night Fix.

3. You don't think the Left is hateful? Think again. NewsMax brings us a Web site in P.C. Portland, Ore., that mocks the death of former NFL player Pat Tillman. Here's your Lefty Hate Fix.

4. Columnist Ann Coulter looks at the important GOPrimary race today that pits conservative Pat Toomey against Arlen Specter, who she sez is a Donkey in an Elephant's skin. Here's your Primary Fix.

5. Insight mag sez the U.S. is having a better time tracking down WMDs than is being reported by the mainstream media here. Also, Jordan has uncovered a major al Qaeda plot to release chemical weapons in the heart of Amman and possibly kill as many as 80,000 people. Here's your WMD Fix.

6. Columnist Matt Towery sez Americans aren't buying the notion, promoted by T. Chappaquiddick Kennedy and the mainstream media, that Iraq is becoming another Vietnam. Here's your Reality Check Fix.

--Wes Pruden of the Washington Times opines on Flipflop's past as one of the nation's top Vietnam War hero medal tossers here.

--John Podhoretz sez J. Flipflop Kerry is imploding because he's a terrible, terrible candidate here.

--Andrew Sullivan looks at Bob Woodward's latest book, Plan of Attack, here.

--Tod Lindberg wonders when media pundits'll ever get it right here.

No Nazi Ghosts

Spent part of the afternoon disoriented at the old Aryan Nations compound. Everything's gone. No buildings. Grass is growing over the driveway. Without a photo, it's hard to tell where Butler's home, church, parade platform and watch tower were located for so many years. Even the two pines that bore Nazi swastikas are gone. All that I saw today during a tour of the new "Peace Park" with Tony Stewart and Norm Gissell were a broken brick or two, dandelions, trees and the sun shining on a meadow that once served as an Aryan parade ground. Tony and I visited the compound a few years ago, shortly before local firefighters razed it. The firemen did a superb job. I'll tell you all about it Saturday when I write about my return trip to Aryan Central.

A Word from The Edge ...

...about the four hula girls who were almost arrested last week for performing a protest hula in front of the Coeur d'Alene Resort:

Imagine this scene at the Kootenai County Jail if they had been arrested for Hula dancing:

Criminal: “Whaddya in for?”
Young girl: “Hula dancing.”
Criminal: “Was it at the Torch Lounge? I bet it beats the thongs off anything Pegasus or Destiny can do on the gold pole.”
Young girl: “No, no. That's sick. We danced at the Coeur d’Alene Resort.”
Criminal: “Oh. Why is that illegal?”
Young girl: “Because Duane Hagadone only likes to see local politicians dance.”
Criminal: “Really? Do the mayor and city council tango? Or do they waltz? The electric slide?”
Young girl: “No. Duane is a big fan of the Limbo. He likes to see how low they can go.”

The Edge

A Word from Gordon Holder ...

...about accountability by Mayor Sandi Bloem and the City Council?

Letter to the Editor:

As of today, residents of Coeur d'Alene have no voice in governing our city.

The way developers and special interests are able to squeeze promises out of the city council and mayor is a sign of the times.

Mayor Bloem's administration and the City Council aren't representing the people, they are processing the people and don't hear a word we are saying. So we have something in common, we have no voice and they have no voice for us.

Rarely, does anyone but developers get their way in Coeur d'Alene. They want to develop the lakefront, that's O.K.; they want to develop the mountains, that's O.K. too; they want to develop the riverfront, why not.

Today we go to city meetings to not be heard. I really think something is seriously wrong within the city. I'm sure many residents would confirm this view if we opened it up for debate.

At the core of this administration is contradiction. They are elected to represent all of the people but favor business, and will do anything to not be held accountable.

If the city continues to take the easy way out, hiding behind procedures and lawyers, many passionate residents will withdraw and people will become further alienated by our flawed city governance.

Deep down inside maybe that's what our city council and the city administration wants.

I'm sure the residents of our great community will not let this happen.

Gordon Holder
Coeur d'Alene

DFO: Well said.

Lunch Special (4/26/04):

Today's lunch special is a ... hero sandwich. Hero as in Pat Tillman, the Arizona Cardinals defender who turned his back on $3.6 million over three years to become an Army Ranger. You know, of course, that he died Thursday in Afghanistan when his unit was ambushed. He was the first professional football player to die in combat in more than 30 years. His sacrifice reminds me of that old Bible verse: Greater love hath no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friend.'' The verse, of course, was talking about the Savior's sacrifice. But it certainly applies to Tillman's. We owe it to him and the hundreds of others who have fallen in Afghanistan and Iraq -- and to the 3,000 who were murdered by Islamic terrorists on 9-11 -- to successfully fight the war on terror. You can find an assortment of links discussing Tillman below:

--Robert Alt of National Review On-Line sez Tillman was a throwback to American men and women who successfully fought WWII here. And Greg Couch of the Chicago Sun-Times agrees here.

--Ed Odeven of the Arizona Daily Sun sez he's never met a more responsible individual than Tillman here.

--W. Thomas Smith Jr. of the National Review On-Line looks at other NFL players who have died in combat here.

Best of the Northwest (4/26/04):

1. Eric Devericks of The Seattle Times and David Horsey of the P-I begin our Northwest roundup with superb political 'toons here and here.

2. Most Spokane streets are falling apart but not the Bloomsday race route. The race course gets all the TLC it needs here.

3. Larry HHolstein, a Hagadone Hospitality exec, saw red when four hula dances did their thing on the front lawn of The Coeur d'Alene Resort to protest his boss' refusal to grant perpetual access to a beach that has been open to the public forever. You can find your Monday Huckleberries here.

4. Columnist Tim Woodward of The Idaho Statesman looks at a family who brought a 101-year-old grandpa home rather than warehouse him in a old-folks home or assisted living center here.

5. The financially strapped U-of-I begins interviews today with four candidates for financial veep here.

6. The sun must be shining in Seattle, where Boeing just landed a $6 billion deal from All Nippon Airways in Japan for 50 7E7s. Read all about the good news here.

7. You can find out how Tami Silicio and Amy Katz got those photos of U.S. coffins being secured in a cargo plane, from Kuwait to Seattle, here.

8. Today's Lucky Number is 197,734: the number of signatures needed to get an initiative on the November ballot in Washington State. And there's a whole lotta folks trying to do just that. Click here.

9. The Daily Evergreen looks at WSU's Spokane campus here.

10. Most WSU students say they haven't cheated in three years -- at least, by their own definition of cheating. If you want to know what WSU considers cheating, click here.

--Steve Massey, former editor turned Hayden Bible Church pastor, encourages S-R readers to invest wisely in eternal things here.

--Patrick Orr of The Idaho Statesman sez the terrorism conspiracy trial of Sami Omar al-Hussayen has not produced the expected media circus here.

--In an editorial, The P-I talks about the major media being scooped by a small Internet site that posted those photos of our war dead. Click here.

--Paul Keller, former editor of the Sandy Post, sez Mount Hood would be destroyed if it's turned into a national park here.

Monday Quick Fix Six (4/26/04):

Welcome to Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, the city that abides by the golden rule: He who has all the gold makes all the rules. The sun's shining. The beaches are shrinking. And the tourists are about to invade to clog streets, waterways and hotels. In other words, it's situation normal for us worker bees. And speaking of work, I need to provide your morning fixes:

1. Cartoonist Kevin Tuma leads off this morning with your Conservative 'Toon Fix.

2. Jay Leno knocked one out of the park Friday night with this look at Dubya: "All these books have been coming out about President Bush – Richard Clarke, John Dean’s book, Paul O’Neill’s book, now Bob Woodward’s book. It’s pretty amazing, isn’t it? George Bush is actually making people read more than almost any other president." Hey, Jay takes the weekend off. And, as a beggar, you can't choose which day I highlight for your Late Night Fix.

3. Dubya told the usual suspects that they can take a hike if they want taxpayers dollars to promote pro-abortion positions at a global conference. It's about time that we had an administration that didn't kowtow to the Planet Hollyweird/Moveon.org/Loony Left crowd. Here's your Pro-Life Fix.

4. Don't look now, little Bush Hater, but Dubya is leading or tied in many of the battleground states won by the Demos last time around. The D's need these states if they have any chance to beat the prez this year. Here's your Poll Fix.

5. "Hanoi Jane" Fonda is an albatross to J. Flipflop Kerry's chances to win election today. But in 1971 she was his stepping stone to bigger and better things -- she and Richard Nixon. Also, back when, Kerry said he threw his own medals over the White House fence, in contradiction to his story on the campaign trail, and Teresa Heinz Kerry sez she won't pattern herself after any other First Lady (not that she'll get the chance). Here's your Flipflop Fix.

6. Some may be quaking in their boots this morning as Marines do battle with the fundamentalist crazies in Fallujah. But not the men and women who are wearing our uniform. Re-enlistment is beating goal projections. Here's your Military Fix.

--Robert Alt of National Review On-Line opines on fallen warrior Pat Tillman here.

--World mag explains why African archbishops have refused to accept money from the U.S. Episcopalian church here.

--Don Feder of FrontPageMag explains why America trusts "stupid" Dubya over Liberal Elites here.

--Italian baker Fabrizio Quattrocchi died defiantly at the hands of Islamic thugs, another hero in the war against terrorism. Click here.

Parting Thought (4/23/04):

It's the end of a long, long week -- and Coeur d'Alene is poorer for it. But you've heard enough from me for one week about the Black Tuesday at the Coeur d'Loon City Council. And I'm tired of thinking about Her Sanderlessness' new Gang of Four, who sold out this town for a pittance. Let's talk about those hula girls: Barb & Robin Scarth. Didja know the mother-and-daughter duo and two other dancers almost got arrested Thursday evening while reprising their hula on the front lawn of The Coeur d'Alene Resort? HH jumbo Larry Holstein rousted them with the claim they were on private property. And they might have been. Or they might have been on public First Street right of way that's buried under resort lawn (unless, of course, the city gave that to HH, too). Why am I telling you all this? I'm gonna tell you all about the up close and personal confrontation between the gentle hula girls and bellowing HHolstein -- in Huckleberries Monday. You'll have to wait till then.

A Word from 3 NHB Fans ...

...re: the proposed Cooper Ridge development in CDA:

What’s all the fuss about?

Mayor Sandy Bloem has a vision for our city. She has a vision of Coeur d’Alene that is "a beautiful city that promotes a high quality of life and sound economy through excellence in government".

So what is everyone complaining about? She’s happy. All she wants to know is where to grow next, how much citizens will stand for and what she needs to charge us. What’s wrong with that?

The city is a business, developers want changes to make more money and citizens choose not to show up. Is citizen discourtesy her fault? We are well governed by knowledgeable elected officials that focus on residents first. Right?

Sandy Bloem has amply demonstrated it. We should all shut up and leave her, the city council and planning commission alone. Maybe they’ll find a law and a lawyer that will do that for them too.

Judy Hohl
Coeur d'Alene

---

My wife and I are new additions to the fair city of Coeur d'Alene. We have been visited, since moving here, by our children and grandchildren. They were all amazed and impressed by the surrounding beauty of the mountains, trees and caring neighbors surrounding the proposed "Copper Ridge" located at the end of Shadduck Lane. However, lately I have become very concerned regarding some of our developer neighbors (you know who you are) that wish to infringe upon our property rights and quality of life by asking for a zone change from R-1 to R-3 to build 72 homes at the base and up the mountainside of our pristine and beautiful Canfield Mountain.

Please join us to save the mountains and quality of life surrounding this beautiful mountain and landmark.

Roger Fuller
Coeur d'Alene

---

Residents Merit Support

Last week, Mayor Sandy Bloem’s Planning Commission passed yet another house development proposal to ... get this ... build houses on and around Canfield Mountain.

The Copper Ridge development is adjacent to the now famous "Mark of Zorro" ... you know ... the road gashed into the side of Canfield Mountain. The new project calls for a fifty acre housing development in the same area.

Coeur d’Alene residents are getting fed up.

The residents have an entirely different agenda as the City Council and Sandy Bloem. We believe in preserving the quality of life in Coeur d’Alene. This includes protecting our last treed areas, mountains, and our own property rights.

The city has chosen in action, policy, practice, communication, publication and through city council arm twisting of residents, to put property rights of developers over the property rights of its current residents.

When a developer buys a property zoned R-1 that is his right. It is also the developers right to develop that property as zoned. They decided to buy there ... no one forced them. For some reason, developers seem to think that they also have a property right to receive an automatic zone change from the city. Residents don’t have this same right.

When people buy property next to an airport or a junk yard, do they have a property right to receive a zoning change from the city to remove the airport or junkyard and improve their land value?

They sure would in Coeur d’Alene. Kootenai County Airport here we come!

The Coeur d’Alene city Council and Sandy Bloem need to reassess their choices. The residents of Coeur d’Alene merit their support.

Woodrow Pierce
Coeur d'Alene

A Spy Reports ...

...on that Ash Avenue meeting re: the rest of Sanders Beach:

Ash Ave. residents say yes they want better police patrols at Sanders Beach, yes they want the city to take a more active role in the clean up but they say no to Jerry Franks proposal for the elimination of parking on East Lakeshore and making it a one way street.

Eagle Eye

DFO: With this City Council, Franks' loopy proposal might have legs. Don't take anything for granted.

Another Word from Steve Badraun ...

...re: Mayor Sandersless Bloem's legacy:

If the people of Coeur d' Alene are willing to take the sweet with the sour, Mayor Sandi Bloem, will continue to make progress for our town. There is no question that she will always side with her friends from her Hayden

Lake Country Club. The other side of this cozy relationship with power and influence is that Sandi Bloem, if she decides, can gain concessions from them over martinis and a round of golf.

The loss of Hagadone owned Sanders Beach was an unforgivable sin. Sandi Bloem has some work to do to help correct her legacy by finally, once and for all, placing "Coeur d Alene First" as her goal. She can secure Sanders Beach for public access for all time. She can secure the hundreds of feet of riverfront, now controlled by the University of Idaho, for public use for all time. She can use these influences to make certain that no more Coeur d' Alene Lake water surface falls into private hands. She can place public access to our land and water at the top of her agenda for her remaining time in office.

She can do all of this. The question will be whether she will commit herself to these goals

Steve Badraun

DFO: Sound words from the man who could have been mayor.

Three Days Later ...

...and I'm still shaking my head at that despicable vote by the City Council Tuesday night to kiss off guaranteed access to Sanders Beach. It's easily the worst vote I've seen in my 20 years in Coeur d'Alene -- and mebbe 34 years in the journalism profession. The council was holding a royal flush to Duane Hagadone's pair of deuces and the council folded. Chumps.

DFO

Lunch Special (4/23/04):

Conservatives are barking up the wrong tree when they question John Kerry's military service during the Vietnam War. You can rip him for his comments before the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee. But there should be no question that he risked life and limb defending out country. Three Purple Hearts and two other medals for his Vietnam service indicate he was in harm's way. And got shot up a bit. Personally, I'm concerned that Kerry is too much of a dove now to protect us from the threat of Islamic extremism. And his stands on social issues. And his flipfloppery. But I don't question his guts or patriotism in Vietnam. A colleague provided a wake-up call from the Columbia Journalism Review. The document shows Kerry was eager for service in Vietnam, while Dubya preferred to stay state side. Your Lunch Special today is a small serving of crow here.

'I Got'

I got me a hotel
and house on the hill;
I got me a boat that’s
the size of Brazil;
I got me a golf course,
and something newer:
I got me a freebie
Coeur d’Alene sewer.

The Bard of Sherman Avenue

Best of the Northwest (4/23/04):

I got my loved ones scattered all over the West today -- wife in northern California, daughter in Seattle with the Lake City High choir, and son in Denver cramming for his second-year medical school test. The dog's home alone. And I'm blogging for you. C'mon, admit it. That's dedication. Here's a final spin around the Northwest as we all watch the clock move toward 5 p.m.

1. Cartoonist Eric Devericks of The Seattle Times looks at "the other JFK" here.

2. Ex-S-R cartoonist Milt Priggee made the Howard Stern Web site with a recent 'toon here. (Scroll down the left side and make sure you don't look around the rest of the site much.) Meanwhile, Milt provides his take on Washington's minimum wage law here.

3. The Christian Science monitor takes a look at the Sami Omar al-Hussayen's trial here.

4. Meeting in Coeur d'Alene Thursday, the Idaho Board of Education gave the state's new charter school laws a workout here.

5. A group of Eco-Twinkies has claimed responsibility for torching three homes in a new Snohomish County subdivision. Book 'em, Dano, and throw away the key. Click here.

6. A group of war-weary National Guardsmen from Washington made it as far as Kuwait en route home before they were sent back to Iraq and more danger here.

7. On Thursday, U-of-I answered the question: What if they threw an Earth Day, and nobody came. In U-of-I's case, they didn't even throw an Earth Day. Click here.

8. Don't look now, but the U-of-I yearbook, Gem of the Mountains, is going mod to generate interest here. And Joe Vandal's getting a new headpiece for his mascot unie here.

--The Idaho Statesman sez Idaho has a clear stake in managing its wolves, not providing over their downfall here.

--Columnist Steve Kelley of The Seattle Times wonders what's wrong with Seattle's Ancient Mariner Jamie Moyer here. And Columnist Art Thiel of the P-I is concerned with the whole dang M's team here.

--In an editorial, The Seattle Times tells eco-Twinkies that arson is a crime, never a protest here.

--Columnist Joe Connelly of the P-I sez Bush may be a Teddy Roosevelt in reverse here.

TGIF Quick Fix Six (4/23/04):

Alicia's been voted off the island, and Amber's hanging onto Boston Rob as her Sugar Daddy to get her to the final two. Meanwhile, in Coeur d'Alene, a city with a serious obsession with $izzle (inside joke), the sun is shining brightly -- on the good and the bad. And there's fair weather ahead for the weekend ... mebbe 80s by Monday. It's time for your fixes:

1. Let's mix things up a bit and provide you with a Donald Trump 'Toon Fix to brighten your morning. OK, OK, quit whining. Here's your Conservative Political Cartoon Fix.

2. Jay Leno was in his usual good form last night as this line indicates: "A lot of people marked earth day by walking to work. They're not environmentalists, they just can't afford the gas." Here's your Late Night Fix.

3. Pat Tilman, a former St. Louis Cardinal football player who turned down a $3.6 million offer to become an Army Ranger, has fallen in Afghanistan. Dunno what your definition of a hero is. But Tilman's mine. R.I.P. Click here.

4. You probably didn't hear about that anniversary that occurred Thursday -- the 33rd anniversary of J. Flipflop Kerry's rant before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that portrayed Vietnam vets as mother rapers and baby stabbers. Vietnam vets in Congress didn't forget Thursday here.

5. Tami Silicio, the woman who was fired from her job in Kuwait for snapping a photo of coffins of U.S. servicemen being secured in a cargo plane, sez her act had nothing to do with politics. But NewsMax.com reports she and another woman sued Halliburton four years ago, naming Richard Cheney as a defendant. Coincidental? Ahaha. Here's your Coinky-Dinky Fix.

6. Dr. Walid Phares sez ordinary Iraqis know who their enemy is -- and it ain't the United States. It's al Qaida. Here's your Reality Check Fix.

--Washington Times Editor Wes Pruden simply is the best at smithing words and twisting the knife. He chides Dubya for talking to Bob Woodward here.

--Pat Boone, the old '50s crooner, talks about the other war being wage across our land -- the one over moral values -- here.

--R. Emmett Tyrrell Jr., editor in chief of the American Spectator, has awarded a Googler to Lefty Al Franken for writing the worst book of the year here.

--John W. Snow of the Wall Street Journal notes that the much-maligned Patriot Act has done wonders in stopping the flow of dollars to terrorists here.

--Larry Elder of townhall.com takes a look at Dubya's environmental record here.

Parting Thought (4/22/04):

Dunno what to make of that S-R story this morning -- the one in which Mayor Sandi Bloem claimed she's thisclose to winning guaranteed access to other parts of Sanders Beach. It could be a dodge ... to buy time until the restless natives calm down about that 4-2 annexation vote that cost the city guaranteed access to Duane Hagadone's 500 feet of beach. After voters shot down Community Center II a few years ago, the victors used that tactic to placate advocates, meeting with them for a few months in an effort to develop a, ahem, better plan. Nothing ever was done -- until recently when Bloem negotiated with the school district for a swap that would allow the city to convert the Lakes Middle School building into a community center once the district no longer needs it. As ticked as I am at her and her Gang of Four, Her Sanderlessness is probably the only one in this town who can talk sense to the East Lakeshore Drive owners of Sanders Beach. Here's hoping she has better luck with them than she did with The Cap'n. Stay tuned.

A Word from Herb Huseland ...

... siding with Hagadone Hospitality.

Alas, Fearless Leader, I beg to differ with you. The contested portion of Sanders Beach doesn't belong to the public. It never did. The public never bought it, never paid for it, and never paid years of taxes on it.

Our U.S. Constitution say's, " The taking of private property by the people without fair compensation is forbidden." Paying for it through extortion, (the granting or holding back of, zoning, that might properly be awarded anyway) is at best, immoral, and at least, illegal.

The robbing of the rich to give to the poor is bad policy, and unconstitutional...

The other rant that I have today, is the AP story regarding the Sheriff of Jerome County. It seems that he has offered to pay for a cow that after wandering close to the freeway, was shot 8 times by his Deputies. Better the money should have been spent on shooting lessons. Ba Da Boom!

Herb
Bayview

DFO: The Hagaphiles on the City Council were able to muddy the waters re: a taking. This never was about a taking. Duane Hagadone had the option to withdraw its annexation request and go his own way in trying to ruin Silver Beach with high rises. Cities ask developers all the time for concessions -- from deeded parkland to development fees. The city was holding all the cards. Hagadone needed city sewer to build his shoreline shrine. Trouble is ... our trembling council is no match for Hagadone when it comes to playing chicken.

Lunch Special (4/22/04):

I began this blog because I wanted to give readers -- all 600 or so of you, to date -- the rest of the story on news events, big and small, from a conservative's point of view. As an imbedded conservative, I'm aware of the national media's liberal bias in story accounts, story play, headlines, etc. -- way more than you are. I'm bugged by that blatant bias in stories about Dubya's administration, the war in Iraq, gay marriage, etc. But nothing angers me more than when the national media totally ignores a story because it'll undermine their bias. Example: The total blackout that the New York Times has given a trial involving partial-birth abortion, only 4 miles away. Well, it's time to pull back that veil. Today's Lunch Special? The media sin of omission. Click here.

A Word from The Edge ...

... about payback, baybee.

Dave,

I think the folks who fought to save Sanders Beach should buy a full-page ad in the Coeur d'Alene Press, and the Spokesman-Review and run all of the signatures on the petition. To show old Wolfzennegger that the names total

more than 100 folks he claimed to be on the petitions during during the meeting. The ad also should say that these we will will remember what happened during future elections. If somebody like you gets it going, I'll chip in 10 bucks.

The Edge

DFO: So you want to buy a full-page ad in the Coeur d'Alene Press, which is owned by the guy who wouldn't guarantee Sanders Beach access? Sounds like a win-win for HH. As for my participation, I'm a blogger not a crusader -- at least while I'm on another's payroll. After I retire, it'll be different. Then, I'd spell relief: R-E-C-A-L-L. For now, I'll be a conduit for the huddled masses of the disenfranchised in this Lake City.

A Word from Bill McCrory ...

...about the Coeur d'Alene City Council sellout.

Thanks to Erica Curless's precise reporting in this morning's Review, we now have a clearer picture of the city's position on the Hagadone Hospitality annexation. We also have a much clearer picture of the indifference our mayor and some city council members have toward the opinions of citizens who speak from their heart rather than with their checkbooks.

Mayor Bloem doesn't want to provide specifics right now about continuing beach talks, because the city is trying to building trust with everyone

involved. Apparently the "everyone involved" includes a relatively small number of people...much like the negotiations with Hagadone Hospitality.

The city government wanted the annexation as badly as Hagadone Hospitality. The potential loss of more than $200K in tax revenues convinced the city government to do whatever it took to grant annexation. So how honest was the mayor being when, at the April 6 council meeting, she publicly told the city staff to consider Sanders Beach in the negotiations? That meaningless instruction was intended to placate the residents who had petitioned the city government to fight for the beach. Sadly, some of the residents believed their sincere and heartfelt concerns would have the same influence as Hagadone Hospitality's megabucks. That's how our city government builds trust: Say one thing in public, do another behind closed doors.

The mayor said the issue wasn't about the beach but about taking Hagadone's private property without consent. The council said the city had no business forcing Hagadone to allow residents to use 500 feet of Sanders Beach as part of the annexation agreement.

Those are red herrings. This never was a property rights issue. No one put a gun to Hagadone Hospitality's corporate head and said, "Your beach or your life." A tough negotiating position is not the same as robbery or extortion. Hagadone Hospitality wanted something only the city had the power to grant. If Hagadone Hospitality didn't want to negotiate or didn't like the conditions, it could withdraw its annexation proposal and walk away no worse off than when it made the proposal. Annexation is not an entitlement.

The mayor promised that the city would "work its heart out" to get more access to Sanders Beach. Perhaps it should have used some of that heart in the negotiations when its bargaining position was better.

At Tuesday night's council meeting Dixie Reid lamented about the opportunity lost years ago when the city took a tougher negotiating position with Hagadone Hospitality. It seems to me that both the city and Hagadone Hospitality have done reasonably well in spite of what she perceives to have been a lost opportunity. Had the present annexation agreement been withdrawn, I suspect the world would not have stopped rotating and Coeur d'Alene would still have been a decent place to live.

Bill McCrory
Coeur d'Alene

Best of the Northwest (4/22/04):

Oh, somewhere in the Pacific Northwest the sun is shining bright;
The band is playing somewhere, and somewhere hearts are light,
And somewhere men are laughing, and somewhere children shout;
But there is no joy in Potterville-- the City Council has struck out.

1. David Horsey of the Seattle P-I provides his take on Dubya's pre-war intelligence here, and Eric Devericks looks at Dubya's reaction to Bob Woodward's new book here.

2. Walt Worthy, savior of the Davenport Hotel, has offered to buy the 17-story Metropolitan Finance Building in downtown Spokane here.

3. Morihiko Nakahura has a big pair of shoes to fill as he approaches the end of his first season as associate director of the Spokane Symphony here.

4. DNA results of Pullman's serial rapist don't match any DNA of any suspects in local or national databases, according to the WSU Daily Evergreen here.

5. Tami Silicio, a Kuwait-based cargo worker, was fired for providing The Seattle Times with a poignant photo of some 20 coffins of U.S. servicemen being secured in a cargo plane for a return flight home. Click here.

6. With profits going thru the roof, Starbucks is about to unveil five new summer Frappucino drinks, including three without coffee. Click here.

7. A note suggests that eco-terrorists may be behind arson fires in a new Snohomish County subdivision, according to the Seattle Times. Click here.

8. Wanda Baucus, the wife of long-time U.S. Sen. Max Baucus of Montana, has been charged with assault in a D.C. garden center scrap. The Missoulian reports the incident here.

9. A hot debate in Washington state focuses on the practice of adding chicken dung to cattle feed here.

10. The Seattle P-I reports on a woman who has undergone a new type of surgery that has put a squeeze on her stomach and her weight here.

Commentary:

--Sports columnist Larry Stone of the Times sez the Mariners like having Raul Ibanez back on their side here.

--Denis Hayes, coordinator of the first Earth Day, sez the nation needs to reclaim the celebration's vision here.

--U-Dub prof Ilene Schwartz tells P-I readers that no autistic child should be left behind either here.

Thursday Quick Fix Six (4/22/04):

Welcome, again, to Coeur d'Alene, where the rich guys own the access to the poor guys lake. It's overcast again, today -- and has been since Tuesday night when the City Council gave away a chance to tie up 500 feet of Lake Coeur d'Alene access for eternity. But the council wasn't up to the task ... at least four of the members. Speaking of fixes, let's get to your Quick Fix:

1. Cartoonist Paul Nowak doodles what I think of colleague Bob Woodward's latest book in today's Political Cartoon Fix.

2. Jay Leno provided this observation about Ralph Nader during a recent monologue: "Independent candidate Ralph Nader says he thinks the draft is coming back. But then again Ralph thinks that he is coming back." Here's your Late Night Fix.

3. Another Earth Day has dawned. And Dr. Michael Berliner of the Ayn Rand Institute sez our greatest danger today isn't from acid rain or logging in the rain forests. It's from today's environmentalism. Here's your Gang Green Fix.

4. Vietnam War vets question how J. Flipflop Kerry could receive three Purple Hearts for cuts and bumps in less than five months of service. The Washington Times brings you today's Flipflop Fix.

5. What's this? Flipflop's Sugar Mama, Theresa, is an heir to the Heinz ketchup fortune, but Heinz execs are funneling moolah to Dubya's re-election campaign. Here's your Strange But True Fix.

6. In North Carolina, a 17-year-old Eagle Scout was suspended from high school for wearing a shirt with a message that opposed a gay rights "Day of Silence." So much for free speech. Here's your .Political Correctness Fix.

(Continue reading for your Opinion Fix)

--Conservative firebrand Ann Coulter explains why Repubs need to get rid of liberal incumbent Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania here.

--Catherine Seipp of FrontPageMag looks at what the feminization of American culture has done to American newsrooms here.

--Country music writer Aaron Harris looks at the genius of Johnny Cash here.

--Los Angeles Times weekly columnist Max Boot sez Halliburton doesn't deserve to be trashed for its war time work here.

An Open Letter ...

... To Councilmen Ron Edinger and Al Hassell: Thanks for trying to get guaranteed Sanders Beach access and representing the overwhelming majority of Coeur d'Alene residents against long odds. It takes George Bailey courage to go against pushy Hagadone Hospitality when your City Council playmates are determined to give away the farm.

...To Mayor Sandi Bloem: You escaped a bullet by not being put on the spot to cast a tie-breaking vote on the annexation agreement. You, of course, would have OK'd it. You've promised to gain other beach access for the working stiffs of Coeur d'Alene. But I'm not holding my breath.

...To Councilman Woody McEvers: I told you before the meeting that your vote was the only one that I wasn't sure of. And that I wasn't optimistic about it. I wished you'd had the guts to drop this one in Sandi's lap. As such, you've been weighed in the balance and found wanting.

...To Councilwoman Deanna Goodlander: I understand where you were coming from. But that doesn't mean you were right. Your constituents overwhelmingly told you that they didn't care about the tax dollars from the Hagadone annexation. But that's all you could talk about in summary. You have a lot of penance to do to make for this one up.

...To Councilman Ben Wolfinger: Who were you kidding with all those closing theatrics -- you know, with your claim that you thought about the annexation vote all the way to Grangeville and back Tuesday? Your mind was made up weeks ago. A few years back, someone described you to me this way: Ben is extremely knowledgeable and talks a good game. But you can count on him to vote wrong at crunch time. You did, pal. You'd better hope the residents of Coeur d'Alene forget about this vote when you run for higher office someday.

...To Councilwoman Dixie "I'm Not Happy And What Are You Going to Do About It" Reid: No comment other than this: You've been on the council too long.

...To the people of Coeur d'Alene: Wake up! Every city council election, I editorialize about the importance of voting for candidates who will protect the waterfront from the town's muckety-mucks. And what do you do? You forget, for example, how this council voted for a McEuen Field plan that eventually will evict American Legion Baseball, so the rich and powerful can take over. While the minimum-wage help sleeps, the Rich & Powerful in this community never take their eyes off the prize: the public's waterfront property and traditional access. You need to remember Tuesday's vote when/if these council members seek re-election or another elected office.

A Word from Cis Kos ...

Sad to see the four headless horsemen, ride over the citizens of CdA ... Not even a child could melt their cold hearts.

Cis Kos
Kootenai

DFO: You know what the funniest thing about all this was? The city council kissed away guaranteed access to Sanders Beach for families with young children after beginning the meeting with Mayor Sandersless Bloem proclaiming this week as "The Week of the Young Child."

A Word from George Abelhanz ...

You were correct in that the Coeur d'Alene city council doesn't have any back bone when it comes to dealing with the Hagadone Corporation. My only surprise was that of Woody McEvers, I thought for sure that he would vote against this annexation, at least on what was presented. No real surprise on the rest of the "yes" votes.

George Abelhanz
Rathdrum

DFO: I was disappointed most with Woody McEvers but not surprised. When I met him before the 2001 city elections, I thought Woody was an Everyman a la Ron Edinger. But he has become one of the good old boys (and girls) who goes along to get along. I told Woody before the meeting last night that I knew for sure how everyone was going to vote but him. And I wasn't very optimistic about him. If he'd voted with his heart instead of his pocketbook -- Duane Hagadone, after all, holds the lease to his Rustler's Roost building in Hayden -- Mayor Sandersless Bloem woulda been forced to cast the tie-breaker, for annexation, of course. She's the only one who emerged from this pile of manure holding a rose. That should earn her another ride on the big boat.

A Word from Deanna Goodlander:

Dave;

I know that it is early and you have not had a chance to really hammer us yet, but I gotta tell ya that I am emotional, nothing phony about it. Yes I looked at the whole issue and I voted for the annexation. Why? Simple, I did not

want to take the risk of losing the opportunity to get the tax revenue and the ability to extend our sewer to the end of the Hagadone property. Council took the risk before and we lost the opportunity. We sat on a real hot seat last night and had to make the tough decisions and I am not ashamed of making my decision. The two council who voted against annexation were among those who took the risk last time and we all lost. I was not about to play politics and look like the good guy, when I believed that we would lose the project if I did. I believe that our Staff hammered out the best agreement that they could get and politics had nothing to do with it. You might want to put my letter in Blogs right after Steve Badraun's.

Councilwoman Deanna Goodlander

P.S. I really enjoy Blogs even when you are calling me names.

DFO: Deanna's the only council member who voted in favor of the annexation that I still respect today. I believe she was dead wrong in her vote. But, after a long conversation with her a few weeks back, I understand her logic. I do have to address one point in her note. Neither Ron Edinger or Al Hassell voted against the annexation 15 - 18 years ago. In a huff, Duane Hagadone pulled his original annexation request because four members of the city P&Z commission dared raise some environmental concerns, delaying his pell-mell rush to build his golf course. Afterward, he ripped the four, headed by the late David Potts, in a tacky full-page ad. It'll be interesting to see how Hagadone treats the two courageous councilmen who stood up to him this time.

A Word from Steve Badraun:

Landing on a new beachhead

The city council decision for Sanders Beach was an outrageous theft of our traditional public access to the shores of Lake Coeur d’ Alene. Like so many times before with Coeur d’ Alene mayors and city councils, power, money and personal selfish entitlement became the rule of law. Our town quality of life was thrown aside. That little sliver of Sanders beach, in a few short years, will be

given away forever. This theft will anger conservative and progressive thinkers alike for generations to come.

Maybe, just maybe, this great loss will be the seed for a landing on a new beachhead; a new political force that puts quality of life above a few pieces of silver. The dedicated opponents to this awful pattern of land theft, who devoted their civic lives to safeguarding this quality of life, have grown older and tired over years of battles. A new energy from the sons and daughters of Coeur d' Alene must come to the cause. People who can endure the public and private ridicule and threats from this dangerous Hagadone posse will gladly join. People who can live and work under their dark political shadow will walk the walk. People who believe that Coeur d’ Alene is not about fenced beaches and exclusive places will freely give their time and efforts. People will be counted when they believe that something very valuable has been stolen from their community lives forever.

Quality of life is why we make our home in Coeur d’ Alene. Quality of life is our only enduring legacy. This planted seed of a new political army will grow and become the rallying cry from all walks of life and all political persuasions. Those few feet of Sanders Beach are gone. A new beachhead must be found to storm those forces that steal our most precision possessions freely giving away our generations of heritage.

Steve Badraun

From the Peanut Gallery ...

... and Eagle Eye:

The only surprise of last nights meeting was Wolfinger. He tried to do his cool cop impersonation and he came across as a big dork. Your right, he is angling for something that Hagadone can help him with. So here is my take on the Failed Four:

Reid -- social wannabe who is looking for a ride on the yacht; Goodlander -- looking to feather her sons nest who works at the Resort; McEvers -- looking

out for his business life and scared to death of Hagadone; Wolfinger -- looking for some positive ink from the CDA Press. What was real sad was these imposters doing such a poor job of acting like they gave a rip about the people.

When you look at that 500 feet of beach , that doesnt mean anything to the success of the Hagadone Corp or this project. What it is is a power trip for Hagadone and that is the one thing he likes even more than money. To maintain any sanity towards those people (Hagadone and his drones) you have to almost feel sad for them that power and money dominate their lives. We all know that there is only one judge and when that judgement day comes those things just dont matter.

Eagle Eye

Evening Cruise on HMS Lola

Woody and Dixie,
Deanna and Ben
danced for The Cap’n
last night once again.

"Dance," said The Cap'n,
"and don’t you be shy."
And they said while twirling,
"My vote is an aye!"

The Bard of Sherman Avenue

Lunch Special (4/21/04):

The Lunch Special today is ... a yo, ho, ho and a bottle of rum -- you know, pirate rum. In other words, M-TV has released its Movie Award nominees, and "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl" leads the list. Usually, I would ignore anything coming out of M-TV -- goodness, I quit cable years ago so my kids wouldn't watch the trash on there -- but "Pirates of the Caribbean" is one of my all-time favorites. "Nemo's" in the running for best picture, too. And, of course, Pirates and Nemo both will have to beat out "The Return of the King." You can find all the M-TV nominees here.

Best of the Northwest (4/21/04):

The sun's shining amid the dark clouds overhead, but there's still no joy in Potterville after the council sellout last night. But duty calls. So, here's your weekdaily Best of the Northwest:

1. Northwest cartoonist Milt Priggee has been productive in the last few days. You can find a coupla dandies about free speech and anti-tax activist Tim Eyman here and here.

2. Hey, I'm a sucker for political cartoons. And you are, too. So, I'm giving you another twofer. You can find the Seattle Times' Devericks here and the P-I's Horsey here

3. If you've been reading this blog for any time at all, you know that I've been ranting about the Hagadone Hospitality/Sanders Beach issue. You can find the story on the City Council's despicable vote here.

4. Richard Atkinson, that Spokane creep who killed his wife by running over her a bunch of times in front of their children, has given up the rights to her remains. That's big of him. Then, he'll have a hard time attending her funeral, what with the $1 million bond and all. Click here.

5. Columnist Dan Popkey of The Idaho Statesman sez Sen. Brad Little, R-Emmett, may have trouble defending his seat because he voted to raise taxes and against the gay-marriage amendment. Click here.

6. A confab on the Owyhee Canyonlands wilderness proposal, sponsored by the Sierra Club, drew 150 people to a Boy-C church Tuesday here.

7. Betcha didn't know that at 4:20 yesterday, April 20, pot smokers around the world lit up in a show of solidarity. The Seattle P-I looks at this long-running phenomenon here.

8. In a Seattle Times story, AG Christine Gregoire has accused gubernatorial opponent Ron Sims and others of releases damaging documents re: an independent investigation of her office. Click here.

9. Ranchers, outfitters and environmentalists gathered in Boy-C Tuesday to discuss a U.S. Fish & Wildlife plan that'd make it easier to kill wolves here.

10. Ashbal S. Green of The Oregonian reports on that Multnomah County ruling that blocked an attempts for gays to marry here.

11. Bridget Burns, ex-North Idaho College student body veep, continues to roll up achievement and honors as an upperclassman at Oregon State here.

12. In a KXLY-TV story, Cd'A pastor Al Holm discusses plans to start a suicide prevention organization in Lake City here.
--In an editor