Best of the Northwest (5/28/04)

Gotta admit. I agree with Brand X's analysis of that proposed $30 million to $50 million horse track on the western edge of Post Falls. Everything looks good on paper ... for those who can stomach gambling of any sort ... but a proposal like that has a bunch of hurdles to overcome -- not the least of which is industry competition in the Boy-C area. At best, this one's a 100-to-1 longshot. Here's your Northwest roundup:

1. Dang! Cartoonist Milt Priggee mighta had a tough time getting today's offering thru the old S-R screening process. But No Holds Barred is a different animal. Here's his latest.

2. At Wazzu, prez V. Lane Rawlins sez he will appoint a veep of political correctness, er, vice president for equity and diversity, here, and The Daily Evergreen disses that announcement here. Sounds like Rawlins could learn a thing or two from the student journalists.

3. Boy-C State prez Bob Kustra is on board the Vandal Express as the U-of-I seeks to join the Broncos as a full-fledged member of the Western Athletic Conference here.

4. Sgt. Donald Walters of Salem, Ore., who was listed as killed during the ambush that brought national fame to Jessica Lynch, was actually captured alive and then executed by his Iraqi captors. The Seattle Times reports the story here.

5. J. Flipflop Kerry, who has now decided to accept his party's nomination if offered at the Demo convention in Boston, wrapped up his swing thru Seattle Thursday by promising to restore "America's place in the world" as an internationally respected power. Blah. Blah. Blah. Here.

6. Going-to-the-Sun Highway in Glacier National Park is a stone's throw away from opening for the spring/summer here.

7. Boy-C welcomed back nine helicopter mechanics from a 10-month tour of duty in, ahem, bee-you-tiful Afghanistan here.

8. There's trouble in paradise as the Elephants gather in Bellevue today for their state convention here.

*The Idaho Statesman correctly supports the calling of a grand jury to sort thru the University Place mess here.

*The Missoulian opines that the folly of grounding the nation's aerial tankers as a result of an overreaction of a National Transportation Safety Board report already is being felt here.

*With Gary Barnett back, columnist Steve Kelly of the Seattle Times sez nothing has changed at the U-Colorado here.

* Joel Connelly of the P-I sez the spirit of Chicago Mayor Richard J. Daley is alive and well among the strong-arm politics of the Northwest here.