Justice Trembles

It has come to our attention that in all, Waterford Park Homes, LLC has had eleven projects red tagged by the County. According to my sources in Building & Planning, all have been ignored, none have been lifted. When we were about to invite all residents of Kootenai County to build without permits, we hear that the Kootenai County Prosecutor is planning possible criminal charges.

When respect for the rules is flagrantly ignored, government must act, or forever be insignificant. We are happy that belatedly, the enforcement end of things will be protected.

Jim Wilson

I woke up to a nightmare today. Every Friday, at 4:00 Jim Wilson showed up at the Captains wheel. He had one drink, then asked, "Is there any of Herb's Potato Salad left? I always had a go box full of potato salad for him.

I made potato salad Friday. Jim showed up on schedule. Before clocking out, I made a go box for him, like always. I brought it out to him, and thanked him for his loyalty. He left with good wishes, and he thanked me for the Potato salad, and left, after buying me a beer for the courtesy.

Jim died in his sleep last night, and I find myself breaking into tears, and I don't know why, except my keyboard keeps getting blurred.

God Bless you, Jim...

May you have a safe journey to what is beyond. I loved you Man...

Bayview Disappears

As I looked out over the bay this morning, I realized I couldn't see across it. Smoke billowed down to lake level, smelling like a forest fire. I thought at first that it was one. It is hard to believe that the grass seed farmers were that callous.

Apparently they were. Traffic on Highway 95 between Chilco and Athol slowed to a crawl, as visibility lowered down close to zero. People in Bayview were choking with the air close to unbreathable.

Silverwood Theme Park, a tax machine that pays much more in taxes to the County than farmers, was obliterated by the clouds of smoke. Usually in these conditions, one or more guests or employees are rescued by ambulance.

Hopefully, the EPA will change this. That the fields were burned even though forest fires were already smoking up the sky was criminal. Recently, the EPA ruled that they were going to tighten up the rules.

It is terribly unfortunate, that our elected state officials didn't care enough to make these changes. Now the Federal government will. It's about time.

Comprehensive Plan

The Kootenai County Planning Department has held out an olive branch to those that oppose growth. This doesn't mean that growth won't happen, it just means that we are being asked for our opinions as to how to control it.

I applaud the Department for it's forward thinking idea of "Meetings in a box."

This is an informal way of collecting opinions from many different sources. I was honored to be selected by the staff, to conduct, host, and produce the results of such a gathering, consisting, but by no means eliminating others, bloggers. It amazes me that someone from the County would think that we bloggers are opinionated, but there it is...bloggers throughout the County that have opinions are invited to attend.

This is not a substitution for the blogfest earlier announced. That will occur in late September or early October. The purpose of this exercise is vital. It will form the master growth plan that we will have to live with for years. Done right, we shouldn't have to deal with a flurry of conditional use permits, or exceptions, as is now the norm...

Since this is a business meeting, I will attempt to hold it in Coeur d' Alene, date and time to be announced. The meeting must be held before September 29, as that is the deadline for comments. I need RSVP from those that are interested in attending. Please direct these to me at: hhuseland@aol.com...

Army vs. National Guard

I pretty near choked when I read the article in the Spokesman-Review about 550 soldiers from Ft. Lewis being assigned to fight fires in Central Washington.

That is the job of the Washington National Guard. If they are not available, where are they? Iraq? If the Guard is in Iraq, while regular army troops are hanging around in garrison, it makes me wonder if we have this backward.

Guard troops are to be used only in case of National Emergency. Other that that, their contributions to the community are riot control, flood and firefighting...

These are under trained citizen soldiers helping out in their own states. I don't like what I'm seeing, what with Northern State Guardsmen and women being assigned out of their own states for border patrol, or foreign duty, while the Army sits in garrison and trains.

Dog Days of Summer

There is a mystery about August. One day, people are swarming into the resort areas like ours, the next day they are gone. The weather is great...Maybe the greatest week-end weather we have had in memory.

Is it the cool nights that have descended upon us? The shopping trips for school clothes/supplies? Who knows. All I know, is that the seasonal heat has disappeared, the nights are cool again, and my tomatoes are ripening a month earlier than usual.

That brings us to another subject. Tomatoes. I have raised tomatoes as a religion for many years, both on the coast, and here. This year, with slightly modified methods, and great weather, I hit the jackpot. I have ripening tomatoes. Big ones. Blossom -end rot is still a problem, but not as bad as previous years. If I could find a place to buy calcium foliage spray, I would win that battle.

Labor day week-end is almost upon us. I've worked hard this Summer, which was good for me. Dropped from 200 pounds to a svelte 179. Anyone of you that knew me in my youth would wonder where I put 200 pounds. I do too. Hopefully I will keep it off.

I am still contemplating a blogfest, probably one or two weeks after Labor day, but need to consult DFO before setting a firm date.

Hollandville, USA

I am posting this as a community service, as requested by a great friend and community stalwart. For those of you that don't know, a moratorium on new float homes was put into place by the State of Idaho, several years ago. Apparently, they figured out that the float home owners didn't represent enough votes to form a dissident group. Fighting from behind for years, the Float Home Owners Association was created for the purpose of keeping the marina owners from totally controlling the price of moorage. Moorage that they can't leave.

"To all Bayview float home owners,

As some of you may know, Randy Ragan and I have been meeting with Bob Holland to push the dockominium concept forward. After several discussions, we have an outline of the anticipated program, which has been substantiated by Mr. Holland. I have attached it to this email in both MS-WORD and PDF format. Both documents read the same.

We are organizing a meeting with all Bayview Marina float home owners for this Saturday (Aug, 12th) @ 10:00AM. We have arranged with Steve from the Buttonhook restaurant to open early for this private meeting. Mr. Holland will not be attending this meeting.

Hope to see you there.
JR



John Ragan

MOR Manufacturing, President

5676 E. Seltice Way

Post Falls, ID 83854"

Bayview Chamber

Tuesday evening will be the usual chamber meeting at 7:00 PM. What won't be usual, is it will be followed by a potluck. I am about to trek down to the Captain's Wheel, where I have been commissioned to make a huge bunch of potato salad.

We expect around 70 or 80 folks to attend, so it will be a huge bunch of potato salad. Unlike the splinter group, numbering 15 by their own count, we have a large membership mostly comprised of individuals, with great support from local businesses.

I hope to see all of you there...

Patience

I learned something of value this week. Actually, I learn something of value every week, but this one was special.

I had just posted my last,"Whacko." I was in the process of copying my first paragraph for the purpose of pasting it to INWBA. Bad things began to happen. In three tries, I failed to highlight the offending three lines.

Every time I tried, the whole article would turn blue. I couldn't get the @*&%#@@ lines to highlight separately. I turned blue. I decided, (I had a few drinks prior to this decision) to punish my computer.

Never try to punish your computer. This mass of chips and garbage invented by that #@%*@# guy Bill Gates, is in charge. I head butted my screen. Nothing. Then I slammed my mouse down hard on my pad. That got my computer's attention alright.

The mouse was broke. The moral of this story is, of course, never try to outsmart the ugly gnomes that inhabit the mysterious computer. I was out of touch for three days, until I could run to town, get Office Max to recommend a new mouse, (I am now the proud owner of a Microsoft mouse) and then streak back to Bayview to install it.

Actually, remembering the 70's, streaking might not be the correct terminology. Bottom line, DO NOT ATTEMPT TO DISCIPLINE YOUR COMPUTER. IT WILL RETALIATE.

Whackos

I have heard about, and actually experienced people that were a bit left or right of center, but this one took the cake.

I'm sitting at a neighborhood bar, having my first beer of the afternoon. It's a nice day, the sun is out, maybe a little too out. I was introduced to a man that was representative of all the answers.

I was awed. A man that had all the answers. I've looked for someone like that all my life. I listened carefully. Here is what he said, paraphrased.

The 9-11 Twin Towers debacle? CIA." Didn't you know that the navigation systems in modern jets can be flown anywhere remotely? "

His whole theory was that our own government attacked the twin towers to use as an excuse for attacking various other countries.

This jerk-off had maybe one or two problems with his analyses. First I am a qualified pilot. His idea that a commercial airliner could be made into a guided bomb was flawed in several ways.

First, The flight was a regularly scheduled flight, booked days in advanced. Secondly, the idea that an airliner could be remotely controlled, to crash into the twin towers is bullcrap.

This particular conspirator theorist, was an idiot. What is scary, is that someone might listen to him or his ilk.

For your information, should someone try to tell you an airliner can be directed to any target, here is the truth. Category three aircraft have on board radar, capable of zeroing in to fogged in airports, or those runways that are below normal minimums. In order for a commercial plane to land using this precision system.
You see, the target airport must also have the same equipment, thereby electronically controlling the descent and landing of that aircraft.

When idiots get just a little information about advances in navigation aids, they tend to idiotise. I confess, I had never actually run into one of them until now.
It is to me unbelievable that an otherwise intelligent person could get lost in this stuff. You tell me...I can't figure it out...

Heatwave

Blistering heat has descended upon us. The last several days have been especially uncomfortable if you work in a restaurant kitchen. It has been 120 plus degrees at the Captain's Wheel kitchen lately. Many diners visit us because it's too hot to cook at home. Don't forget to show your appreciation for those that do it for you.

Customers and employees alike have taken to jumping into the lake clothes and all, to beat the heat. No end is in sight though the nighttime temps will start down soon. Alas, I am preparing to go to work tonight. It's not much fun in this heat. Fortunately for the customers, the rest of the building is air conditioned.

The Real Story

Yesterday, I posted a rebuttal to the article by Maghann Cuniff of the Spokesman-Review. In it, I pointed out that this small group of dissidents are not representative of the vast majority of residents.

Today, I'm going to get more specific. This morning, I was contacted by a Bayview Water & Sewer board member, along with the patriarch of Bayview, Jim McDonald.

I stopped over at McDonald's Marina to chat with him. This is a man who feels heartbroken, that his work, and that of others since he and a few adventuresome souls started the Bayview Chamber in 1954 is being dragged in the dirt by some easterners and other recent emigrants.

These people invariably, after moving here for the peace, tranquility and ambiance in our area, settle in, then pine for the things they left behind. One of the officers, Tom Lloyd, moved here from Vermont one year ago. Bob Moore, another recent move six years ago.

We even had the so-called president, or whatever, state that they didn't want Bayview to become a party town. Well, let's see. We have around 750 permanent residents, and several hundred folks that recreate here in the Summer. We have seven resorts, five watering holes, two major restaurants. People have been partying here since the Navy held the big camp-out in Farragut back in the forties.

You people didn't have to move to a resort community, and hey, it's still not too late for you to leave.

Since the chamber was established in 1954, modeled more after a community Club than a chamber, and definitely not controlled by business only many public services have been brought forth by this chamber that you are dissing.

Establishment of the Bayview Water and Sewer District. The formation of a fire district, now merged with Athol to become Timberlake Fire District. Sponsorship of the 4th of July fireworks, and many other public services too many to name.

A small group of radical thinkers came forth, tried to take our chamber away from us last year and was rebuffed. Whether rank and file of this cell are all the same bunch is arguable. We here in Bayview have a very democratic forum in our Chamber of Commerce/Community club.

Bayview is small, and doesn't need splinter groups claiming the right of representation of our community. Especially people that are so new here, that they don't have a clue as to who has accomplished what. Visit with people that have made a difference in this village before you mouth off.

Summer Time

The lyrics to "Summer time, and the livin' is easy" crosses my mind today. Between vicious Thunder storms, we have had what I have never seen here in North Idaho.

All of our bad weather has happened in mid-week. Every week-end has been gorgeous. What's up with that? Tradition has it that all bad weather happens on week-ends, and good weather starts on Monday or Tuesday, ending of course on Friday or Saturday.

Bayview has been somewhat quiet recently, unless you count the remarks of disidents starting up their very own community club, because they couldn't control the Bayview Chamber of Commerce.

Well, that brings up another subject. A staff reporter working for the Spokesman-Review, interviewed several people that, I've never heard of, that stated the Chamber is representing business only, and not the community. Not true. While there are about five businesses that have membership in the Chamber, about 90% of the membership is are individuals.

The problem is in the quality of reporting. If all you interview are of the opposition, then what you have is a newsroom editorial, instead of information. I realize that "If it bleeds, it leads" does dominate, slanting opinion by either not trying to interview others, is not news...It's just the opinion of a very few.

I'm sorry, but I just can't ignore this...When I ran spell check, it stopped at newsroom. It turns out that the alternative they suggested, was"mushroom."

Almost Tragedy

As happens every Summer, a boater got in trouble in bad weather. A sail boater in this case. It wasn't just bad weather, it was a severe thunderstorm that swept through the south end of Pend Oreile Lake, late Wednesday Afternoon...

Weather can change in an instant, but in this case, the weather was apparently ignored. For at least one hour, it was obvious that a severe thunderstorm was tracking toward Whiskey Rock, and south.

According to officers on site at the Kootenai County boat ramp, the boaters were rescued by Bonner County Rescue crews.

I question why, with all of the electronic aids we have, such as weather radio, radar, why boaters that have no more qualifications than the money to buy a boat they are not qualified to operate are allowed to go forth upon this lake of ours, with the knowledge that we will rescue them if they get in trouble.

Impropriety in Bayview?

Recently, allegations of egregious flaunting of the County and State building codes have surfaced. According to the parties that have complained, Waterford Park Homes, LLC is the suspected culprit.

A long list of items, such as permanently setting park model mobile homes in a flood plain, illegal filling of portions of the lake, building showers and rest rooms in the Vista Bay Marina, all without permits.

Two of this companies' R.V. Parks are alleged to have sewer and water lines in the same ditch, no backflow prevention installed, all done without licensed plumbers or permits.

The list goes on. If these charges are true, one has to ask, since regulatory agencies have been complained to, where is the enforcement? It seems that the water district, EPA, Building and Zoning all have been informed, yet rumor has it that red tags have been torn up and ignored, and business as usual with arrogant references to the local folks as "local yokels."

Sources

I have a site meter on my blog that tells me what area my hits come from. giving the fact that some are accidents, such as through googling, etc., others are not.

I truly hope that some part of my content pleases, informs, or otherwise entertains you. What drives me nuts, (Not a long trip) is the repeats that occur over and over. What started me up on this, was that I got another hit from Friday Harbor, in the San Juan Islands. I spent many wonderful times on that Island in my youth.

If it pleases you, please, stop to comment on the posts that you read. Tell me what you like, and what you don't like, but TELL ME!

Shasta

There are many out there that have preconceived notions of what is right and what is wrong regarding the public Shasta Groene. I am no Child psychologist, and neither are the others that seem to always know best. My experience is as a Father of four, Grandfather of sixteen, and Great-Grandfather of three.

My memory of both my own childhood, and that of other children, including my own, is that Kids like to fantasize. Carnivals, Circus', parades, make-believe playmates.

While escapism is frowned upon in adults, it is accepted in children, even encouraged. What Shasta dreams about in the middle of the night, we'll never know. Escaping reality is sometimes healthy. The applause of the many parade watchers, waving back at them, I'm sure gives her a feeling of being loved by many.

I don't think anyone can do better than that.

Bayview Survives Again

I am writing this at what I consider my bedtime. Right! It's not even late yet, right? Well, it's 10:40 PM, the fireworks have gone off. (Incidentally, :30 duration for those that have been wondering)

We got slammed. I'm thinking that next year,I will be more careful. No longer will the Herbster invite strangers to our town. I will only invite single older women to town, and then only with references.

Ex's are not necessary for the references. We had a great time, I think. Sam Taylor introduced himself to me, which was a great pleasure for me. I misled him, unintentionaly, about Karaoke, which turns out to be one of his fun things, along with mine. I was misinformed about the date. Turns out that Karaoke will take place Sunday night.

I didn't get a chance to meet Tayrn Brodwater, rumored to be in town, but I suspect that I will have that pleasure tomorrow. In case I don't make it through the weekend...This Is my epitaph. Go, Bayview...

Bayview Craze

Here we are at last. This Saturday will usher in the 4th of July activities in Bayview. Festivities start at 11:00 AM, beginning with the street parade. If you aren't in town before 10:30 AM you will be subjected to a wait, while the parade goes by.

We have stocked up on your favorite beverages, and expect the usual unbelievable crowd. After an afternoon of food and beverages, take in the very good fireworks display that will take place around 10:00 PM.

I'll be at the Captain's Wheel. I hope those of you that attend our celebration, stop by to say hi to me.

Bachelors Rebel

The recent ad for single ladies, seen in the Nickle's Worth has everyone talking here in Bayview, Idaho. Mostly it's the female population that is all agog with curiosity.

The burning question of the day is, "who placed the ad, and who are the Batchelors of Bayview. As to the author, I am sworn to secrecy. I might possibly be a spokesperson for the group, except we never have meetings, don't have a clear idea of who is one, and don't have officers to appoint a spokesperson.

In the eleven years I have lived here, many conversations have hinged on the lack of single adult women here in Bayview. It seems that the choice is, move to Bayview and remain without a partner, or stay in town where they hang out. We like it here in Paradise. We go without. Now, with this grass roots rebellion, it is clear that at least some bachelors are unwilling to have this continue.

The core group seems to hang out at the Captain's Wheel Restaurant, but they can be found all over town, from well off business people, to blue collar workers, and of course we single retirees.

The new motto it seems is, "We are damn mad and we aren't going to take it anymore."