Huckleberries: Senate candidate caught in Sandpoint high-speed chase

Nels Mitchell, the Democratic candidate for U.S. Sen. Jim Risch’s seat, didn’t know what to do when he was caught in the middle of a high-speed chase on Long Bridge in Sandpoint last Sunday. Nels, who was campaigning in North Idaho at the time, was enjoying a morning walk when 15-year-old Kamil Stuchlik, of Kailua, Hawaii, roared past him in an SUV with Bonner County deputies pursuing. “I didn’t know whether to jump in the lake (Pend Oreille) or not,” Nels told Huckleberries. “It was like something out of the movies.” Officers used a spike strip at the northern end of Long Bridge and a patrol car to finally stop Stuchlik. Who’s in a whole lot of trouble now.

Teen heart throb

The Coeur d’Alene teen scene was aflutter, with news that Harry Styles of One Direction was hanging out at Gozzer Ranch on Lake Coeur d’Alene. Styles, the frontman for the mega-popular teen band, posted several photos of other teens and him playing soccer at Gozzer Ranch. Don’t sweat it. I had to Google him, too … Quotable Quote: “I promise we won’t have bobbing for Baby Ruth candy bars” – Sid Fredrickson, director of the Coeur d’Alene wastewater treatment plant to the Coeur d’Alene Press. Fredrickson was discussing games planned for the 75th anniversary celebration of the Lake City sewer plant, which occurred Friday. Think: “Caddie Shack” … My 2 Cents: I understand the reason why names of the current and past city council members are on a new plaque at the McEuen Park. The council members were part of the discussion process that birthed the park’s $20 million makeover. But the names of current council members Dan Gookin, Steve Adams and, possibly, Ron Edinger deserve an asterisk. They fought the project. All. The. Way.

Huckleberries

Poll: 80 percent of my Huckleberries Online readers say ambitious Idaho Congressman Raul Labrador isn’t “going places.” But I disagree … That KREM2 online headline concerned us Coeur d’Alene residents: “Otter attack sends boy, grandma to hospital.” After all, Idaho’s governor was running loose in downtown Coeur d’Alene and at Art on the Green Friday … Ex-Sandpoint teacher Marianne Love never gets tired of seeing Nick Hagadone pitch for the Cleveland Indians, even if it is against the Seattle Mariners. She Facebooks: “Fun to see ‘Hagadone’ on the Cleveland pitcher’s jersey versus Seattle Mariners. Nick Hagadone, born in Sandpoint, son of Mike.” Nick pitched 1 1/3 innings against the M’s Thursday, giving up one hit but no runs. He has a nice 2.45 ERA … Honesty isn’t the problem for that 19-year-old Post Falls driver who was stopped by a patrol officer Friday morning – you know, the one who admitted he’d received another speeding ticket two days earlier. However, common sense may be … Food for Thought tweeted by KXLY’s Melissa Luck: “If you’re thinking about getting a tattoo, think about how silly it might sound if a dispatcher is describing it over a police scanner” … Remember that old commercial line for Campbell soup: “Mmm mmm good.” I have a new nominee for “mmm mmm good” – Dannon Oikos Greek nonfat yogurt with fresh huckleberries picked by a friend in the Fernan Saddle area.

Parting shot

Chuck Malloy columnizes about the stunning announcement last week that veteran Statesman reporter Dan Popkey had gone to work for tea party Congressman Labrador. As his spokesman. Said Malloy, the former Statesman opinion page editor: “Popkey will become a ‘real’ press secretary the first time he has to write a news release, or commentary, that defends a position contrary to Popkey’s personal views. In this case, it could be a monthly occurrence.” The $84,000 Popkey will receive should help the medicine go down more easily.