Huckleberries: With or without the hyperbole, CdA a beautiful city

Like many Coeur d’Alene-area residents, Suzy Sindelar was surprised when tourism writer Steve Winston used terms like “gas-lit streetlamps,” “cobblestone” streets, “alpine lake” and 7,000-foot mountains to describe the Lake City. Winston’s hyped descriptions were contained in an article naming Coeur d’Alene as the top “Mountain Town” in the USA. A stickler for accuracy, Suzy challenged Winston’s description in an email to him – and got this response: “In answer to your question … Yes, I have been to Coeur d’Alene.  I was there about three years ago. And in some of my wording in this article, I was apparently not entirely accurate. I believe the sidewalks – at least in part of the town – are red-brick, not cobblestone. So I did use a poor choice of words there. And I believe, as well, that I should have used the word ‘style’ in describing the streetlamps … as in ‘gas-lit-style.’  I don’t believe there’s a town in America that has actual ‘gas-lit’ streetlamps anymore.” Winston was surprised by the reaction of Sindelar and other locals to his upbeat report about the Lake City. The tourism writer plans to visit Coeur d’Alene again this summer. He’ll find mountains that are really foothills. A lake that has environmental problems. But as viewtiful as he described.

God’s Country

Former Coeur d’Alene finance director John Austin explains why he/we love to live in North Idaho: “Well, in typical March weather we experienced all four seasons on our walk on the Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes near Medimont (recently). What began with the brilliant sunshine and warmth of summer gave way to fall-like thunder, lighting and rain, followed by a hail shower resembling the best thing any winter has to offer. When the sun finally came out again it was with the chilly feel of spring, displaying a remarkable double rainbow, and we knew the walk had come a full four-season circle. Meanwhile, we saw a herd of 20 elk roaming the pasture, oblivious to the half dozen whitetails nearby and a pair of soaring eagles overhead. If there is a more beautiful place on earth in the spring, I’m assured I’ve yet to find it.” Bingo!

Huckleberries

Poet’s Corner: “Raise a glass of champagne,/sparkling pride of the vinter,/for the spring time has come/and we’ve outlived the winter” – The Bard of Sherman Avenue (“A Toast to April”) … Former S-R colleague Kevin Taylor was surprised to hear a ha-huge German shepherd bark near the wall-to-ceiling aquarium in the Coeur d’Alene Resort Wednesday. A male with a shaved head shushed Rin Tin Tin. Embarrassed, the owner explained: “Sorry, he saw the catfish” … Scanner Traffic: A dispatcher reported Friday that a slender 5-foot-8 man in a blue hoodie was hanging around the Seltice Way mini-storage, with an odd tale. The stranger told a mini-storage worker that he was a bass player who wanted to move to Canada to form a band and attract women. So said the dispatcher. Responded a Post Falls officer: “I was looking for a bassist” … About that black wristband with yellow lettering that Idaho Gov. Butch Otter wore to announce his re-election bid in Hayden Wednesday: Local attorney Duane Rasmussen gave that to him to remember the only U.S. soldier held captive by the Taliban: Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl of Idaho.

Parting shot

The Editorial Board of the University of Idaho Argonaut was amazed that only 20 students turned out to hear a discussion on a proposed 4.7 percent tuition increase – only one of whom had no connection with an organized student group. Quoth: “It’s great fun to complain about things after they’re put into effect, but the fact remains that very few students at UI do anything other than complain.” Sounds like UI students are well on their way to joining the great ranks of apathetic American voters.