Huckleberries: CdA, nearing 125th, incorporated for 36 reasons

Coeur d’Alene water superintendent Jim Markley gave Huckleberries a heads-up that the City by the Lake is turning 125 this month – on Aug. 22 or Aug. 29, depending on how you read city history. On Aug. 3, 1887, city founders petitioned for incorporation, according to North Idaho Museum records. Incorporation of the village played out officially over the rest of the month, with trustees being appointed to govern the city on Aug. 22.

Markley points out that Coeur d’Alene incorporated for 36 reasons. His personal favorites include: “to restrain and suppress bawdy houses” and “to require and regulate the planting of shade trees on streets,” and “to establish and maintain a free public library – and appoint a librarian and janitor.”

Reading down the list, Huckleberries noticed three reasons for incorporating that pertain to firearms: “to prevent the firing of fire arms,” “to regulate the storage of gunpowder” and “to regulate, prevent and furnish the carrying of concealed weapons.”

Do you suppose today’s NRA would condemn Coeur d’Alene’s founders as a bunch of “gun control nuts”?

Profiling Coeur d’Alene

Reacting to a constituent complaint, Coeur d’Alene Councilman Dan Gookin is urging police Chief Wayne Longo to begin profiling vagrants and homeless people. In an exchange of emails, Gookin expressed concern about an increase in transients and crimes of “opportunity,” including the theft of packages left at front doors by local postal workers.

Quoth Gookin: “I don’t believe my constituents moved to Coeur d’Alene so that they could live with this kind of stuff going on.” Also, Gookin asked: “Has an emphasis been put out with the regards to the increasing number of vagrants and transients in town? If your patrols see some burn-out in his 30s, who hasn’t had a bath in weeks, riding a kid’s bike, do they stop him and ask him questions? Or is that type of thing not encouraged for political reasons?”

P’haps profiling isn’t encouraged for reasons involving civil liberties? (Translation: It’s probably illegal.)

Huckleberries

Poet’s Corner: “Picasso regrets / He can’t make the scene / As all the fun starts / At Art on the Green” – The Bard of Sherman Avenue (“And the Weather’s Good, Too”) … Mary Souza, the ringleader of the failed recall effort against Mayor Sandi Bloem and three City Council members, won’t push another recall try this fall. In a recent newsletter, she said: “Summer is too short to waste on such frustrations. We all know the next city election in 2013 is our target, so let’s enjoy the gorgeous weather while we can.” Huckleberries seconds that emotion. … By the way, Councilman Gookin isn’t going to win friends and influence constituents with his idea for increasing revenue: tripling downtown parking fines.

Parting shot

In the “No Good Deed Goes Unpunished Department,” Coeur d’Alene City Councilman Mike Kennedy, 43, with seven children ages 16 and under, Facebooks this close encounter at a recent Spokane Indians baseball game: “The woman behind me has a baby on her lap. Baby drops bottle in our row. I pick it up. She thanks me. Then, she says to her baby, ‘Nice grandpa got the bottle for you.’ While it’s possible that I misheard her, I’m taking this as a hostile comment. And deeply depressing.”