Huckleberries: Enough already, she’s paid her debt

The long journey to complete rehabilitation in society’s eyes is almost over for Kendra Goodrick-Martinez. But not without complications. Kendra, as you may recall, is the ex-drug dealer who so cleaned up her act that she won over District Judge John Mitchell. Who wanted to give her credit for time served and a get-out-of-prison-free card. But was blocked by Prosecutor Bill Douglas’s office. Which demanded a last pound of flesh in this high-profile case. As a result, Kendra landed back in the slammer despite successfully completing drug and alcohol abuse classes, her volunteer work, and a community outcry in her favor. Once released again, she aced her probation and community service requirements. Or so she thought. Somewhere in the maw of the legal system someone lost the records of her 100 hours of community service. So she faced the prospect of having to perform the work again. Which she was willing to do. Until the Kootenai County Humane Society found records verifying a good chunk of her work. Now, Kendra’s facing the prospect of being discharged from probation by Judge Mitchell when she completes the year of being supervised. Huckleberries concurs with the probation officer who told Kendra that it’d be a waste of taxpayers’ money to keep her on the caseload.

Huckleberries hears …

… That Demo congressional wannabe Walt Minnick met privately last week with two groups of KootCo Repubs. Who were looking for an alternative to super-conservative Congressman Bill Sali. About 35 Repub who’s-whoers met with Minnick in the gated community of Forest Hills Tuesday. Another dozen or so Repub women hobnobbed with Minnick at ex-KootCo Demo chairwoman Bev Moss’s home Thursday. A Berry Picker reports on the second meeting: “Walt spoke for a few minutes and came across as very normal and informed rather than the usual far-right rhetoric you get from local Republicans. I was very impressed with his praise of Idaho legislators and that he hopes to work with Simpson, and Crapo and Craig. He vowed to put aside partisan politics and work across the aisle to effect change for Idaho. I was impressed with how moderate he is. In order to beat Sali he will need the moderate Republican vote. I think he can get it.” Some R’s have OK’d being part of Repubs for Minnick ads.

Huckleberries

Poet’s corner: Which FBI gumshoe/was in charge of this show?/Was it Barney P. Fife/or Inspector Clouseau? – The Bard of Sherman Avenue (“Headline: US to pay ex-Army scientist Hatfill $5.8 million in anthrax lawsuit”) … 2nd Amendment State: By 77 percent to 20 percent, 855 respondents to an Idaho Statesman online poll agreed with the Supreme Court decision that struck down the District of Columbia’s ban on handguns … In the Pet Owners Gone Bad Dept., Berry Picker JeanneH witnessed a seventysomething couple stop their white Chrysler in the Coeur d’Alene High parking lot about 6 Friday morning. Then, as JeanneH watched curiously, they opened their trunk to allow a yellow cat to jump out, dart across busy Fourth Street, and disappear into the Coeur d’Alene Bible Church parking lot. Fumed JeanneH: “If I could have seen their license plate I would have reported them.” Bingo.

Parting shot

Eagle-eyed Berry Picker IdaBlue spotted a delicious juxtaposition that raised a smile recently. Sandwiched among a photo of a smiling, waving Hillary Clinton and a column by John McQuade blasting Repub power broker Karl Rove on the Huffington Post (an online liberal news Web site) was a Google ad for Lt. Gov. Jim Risch, touting the “official campaign Web site of Idaho’s next U.S. senator.” Commented IdaBlue: “Talk about going into the belly of the beast. Wonder how that’s paying off for him?” You’re right. The Risch camp isn’t very Internet savvy.