Huckleberries: Steve Adams’ principles trumps his electorate’s needs

Councilman Steve Adams of Coeur d’Alene continues to provide evidence that rigid ideology can be harmful to a community’s health. For almost four years, conservative hard-liner Adams has voted against taking federal money for purchases, road construction and city projects. He almost singlehandedly scuttled a mandated, megamillion-dollar expansion of the Coeur d’Alene sewage treatment plant because federal dollars were involved. Last week, he voted in a council subcommittee against federal funding that would help the city of Coeur d’Alene hire three more police officers. The city is several officers short. Adams figures the federal money goes away after three years, and Coeur d’Alene will then have to pick up the whole tab. However, he doesn’t realize that attrition and retirement will allow the department to move those three officers into open spots before the 75 percent federal funding expires. He took his, ahem, “principled” stand despite the outpouring of community support for Coeur d’Alene police after the May 5 slaying of Sgt. Greg Moore. Remember this vote if Adams runs for re-election this year.

It’s a joke, son

You may have heard that a drive-in theater isn’t planned for the 9 1/2 acres owned by Corky and Ginny Hughes on the Rathdrum Prairie. And that the whimsical couple caused a stir by erecting signs on a corner of the property that said, “Coming Soon” and “Drive-in Theater.” But did you know that they had other signs planned to rotate in with those? Corky and Ginny told Huckleberries that they had considered replacing the “Drive-in” sign with one that said, “Hemp Farm,” and later with others that might say “Quidditch Pitch” or even “Ammo Factory.” So many people had stopped to ask what they were planning to do with their land that they decided to have some fun. Only some passers-by and neighbors weren’t laughing. Nor were county planning officials who fielded calls from concerned citizens. Chastened, Corky issued a written apology to appease the grumps out there. But he still thinks it was a funny idea. So do I.

Huckleberries

Poet’s Corner: In his rhyme, “News: Feds Plan to Save Honeybees,” The Bard of Sherman Avenue reveals his concern for the colony collapse disorder: “The honeybees are badly ailing/and this would lead to farm crops failing;/to try to save them I find shrewd,/for it’s my habit to eat food” … Props to Cynthia Marlette and her Community Methodist Church Bell Choir at Ramsey Road and Government Way in Coeur d’Alene. They provided neighbors and commuters a free concert Wednesday afternoon, to brighten their day and introduce them to bell music … The National Coalition Against Censorship weighed in Friday on a recommendation that the Coeur d’Alene School Board remove John Steinbeck’s “Of Mice and Men” from required ninth-grade reading. The board will discuss the recommendation Monday. I’ll let you guess which side the coalition is on … Former Coeur d’Alene police Chief Wayne Longo is running across the country, from Maine to Los Angeles, to focus publicity on the Special Olympics. He’s part of a three-person team that will run six days a week for the next month. They left Tuesday. One of the celebrity runners who joined Wayne on Friday was former Winter Olympics medalist Michelle Kwan.

Parting shot

Gotta hand it to Jim Korver, of Post Falls. In a letter to the Coeur d’Alene Press editor, Jim reveals the silver lining in the immigration of ex-Californians to North Idaho. Jim figures his home lost $70,000 to $80,000 in value as a result of the overbuilding that has occurred in Kootenai County, even during the Great Recession. If the waves of Californians continue, sez Jim, maybe his home will inch back up in value.