Huckleberries: Dear ideologue councilman: I’ve got a deal for you

Unbowed, Coeur d’Alene Councilman Steve Adams didn’t retreat from criticism on Huckleberries that his ongoing votes against use of federal funding for city purchases, hires and projects are “goofy.” In fact, the conservative hardliner seized on the term “goofy” from Huckleberries Last to launch a counter strike at a council meeting last week.

Said he, as the Coeur d’Alene Public TV Channel 19 camera rolled: “What Mr. Oliveria has done has used a juvenile tactic called a ‘logical fallacy’ in the form of an ad hominem attack. The reason he did this is because he didn’t have an intelligent debatable argument to present. So he resorted to name calling, which is very immature in my opinion.”

Then, Adams proceeded to cast the lone dissenting vote against using federal money to help hire three new Coeur d’Alene police officers. Police Chief Lee White estimates that the force, which is recovering from the slaying of Sgt. Greg Moore on May 5, is at least 12 officers short.

So here’s the deal: I’ll admit that I’m “very immature” if Adams will admit that his ideological stand against using federal dollars for city operations hurts Coeur d’Alene.

Worst Idaho places?

HomeSnacks.net has compiled one of the worst online polls to come to the attention of HucksOnline. In the poll, HomeSnacks offers a Top 10 list of the worst Idaho places to live. Middleton, Caldwell and Payette head the list. No arguments so far, although there are worse places to live in the Gem State. Ever been to the Lemhi Valley? Or Owyhee County? Mountain Home and Nampa also made the list.

The “Are You Serious?” part enters at No. 9 – Sandpoint. And No. 10 – Rathdrum. Sandpoint has made Top 10 lists for being one of the best small towns to live – in the entire country. In 2013, NerdWallet picked Rathdrum as the No. 5 best place to live in Idaho for young families (in terms of good schools, affordability and economic growth).

Of course, there’s a silver lining with the HomeSnacks.net poll. Mebbe polls like this will keep some of the masses yearning to be free from moving to North Idaho.

Huckleberries

Poet’s Corner: “Waiter, the check/for my mac and cheese,/and a doggy bag/for my water, please” – The Bard of Sherman Avenue (“Dining Out in California”) … Bumpersnicker: “A man is incomplete until he gets married – then he’s finished” – spotted on old red pickup by my brother, Ray, in Coeur d’Alene Friday … Poll: The Hagadone Hospitality proposal for a second, 19-story tower on the Coeur d’Alene resort campus received mixed reaction from my Huckleberries Online blog readers. Forty-four percent had an unfavorable first reaction. But 30 percent had a favorable reaction and another 15 percent had a mixed reaction. The rest were undecided … Quotable Quote: “There are two kinds of people in the world: those who think my impulse buy of jalapeno garlic stuffed olives is sheer genius and those who are throwing up a little in their mouths right now” – Front Porch columnist Cindy Hval via Facebook.

Parting shot

Opinion Editor Marty Trillhaase of the Lewiston Tribune had harsh words to say about Mary Jo Finney, an outspoken advocate for removing John Steinbeck’s classic, “Of Mice and Men,” from required ninth-grade reading lists in the Coeur d’Alene School District.

After the school board rejected the recommendation of Finney, who was part of a majority of an ad hoc committee, Finney advised parents to “pull their children from (District) 271, or better yet never put them in.”

In his Cheers and Jeers column Friday, Trillhaase wondered: “Who is Finney to impose her world views on the children of Coeur d’Alene? Who made her the minister of culture?” Seems the Coeur d’Alene School Board didn’t.