Bayview Water & Sewer Election

The are some fine candidates for the board running in May. Not to disparage the others, two stand out from the field. Board president Richard Doney took over during the tumultuous period following the death of Chuck Waller and straightened things our quickly. Prior boards were the fiefdom of Waller. He appointed all of the board members without an election.

During the period ending last Winter, Bayview Water & Sewer didn't even have bylaws. That was fixed by Robyn Edwards who isn't well know yet here in Bayview, but she used to run another Water district and was able to provide  sample bylaws that fit well, so that with minor changes, we didn't have to start from scratch.

Both of these candidates are superior  to most others in our area. This is a hard choice, since the other candidates have long contributed to our community, but this isn't about personalities, it's about experience.

I also recommend that a change in the bylaws making holding office limited to Bayview and Cape Horn residents that are registered here to vote.

Flip Flopping

The left seems to enjoy using terms that are a cousin to name calling, which they have long enjoyed. Recently, they have accused the president of flip flopping on policy issues. This is clearly a pejorative term which tends to imply that President Trump cannot make up his mind on a number of issues.

Objectively, we have a president who has never held public office. He was like a kid with his nose pressed against the window of a candy store.

When he was elected, the realities hit. Actions had to be taken where before, theories abounded. This is called on the job training.That he has enough intellect to modify his previous theories is a plus. A positive, not a negative. Reality will do that to all but the most stubborn.

My goal has already been reached. We have a new Supreme Court Justice. Not a legislator in a black robe. There are rumors that there might be another vacancy in the near future. Anything he does after that is gravy.

Fox News

With the departure of Meghan Kelly and Bill Oreilly, the two most popular hosts, Fox is not looking good.

This alleged misbehavior has not given us details. While perhaps suggestive comments are not polite, they don't add up to m illions of dollars damage. Something isn't right here.

Kelly has now debunked that she left for NBC. She said recently Fox declined to renew her contract.

Wouldn't it be ironic if both Kelly and O'Reilly ended up on the same network.

That there is a Fox in the hen house is probable.

Dead Heading Crews

The United fiasco of last week not only shouldn't have, it didn't even need to. It runs out that American had a flight that left for the same destination one hour later. The media of course, didn't check whether there was room on that flight. But even if there weren't, they could have charted a lear or even drove the crew, only a four hour drive.

What really torques my jaws though is the sloppy coverage both the print and television media handled the crises. They consistently mixed the terms "over booking," with the reality, which was dead heading a crew. Over booking, in the contract covering a ticket, allows an airline the right to bump ticketed passengers BEFORE THEY BOARD. Once seated, they cannot.

The press constantly referred to over booking, which was not the issue. I blame very poor journalistic practices for the confusion. Poor fact finding, erroneous reporting was apparently caused by trying to beat the other outlets, even if their information was wrong, and it was.

Even dredging up the victim's legal problems was wrong. That had no beating on the cause and effect of the activities. I predict a large lawsuit settlement followed by some congressional oversight rule changes. If the airlines cannot be customer friendly, then government intervention will require it.

The skies are no longer friendly. How sad. One good thing that may occur is that after the dragging incident, over booking may never be a problem for United again.Perhaps we need to re-regulate them, as their freedom didn't get the desired effect.On a lighter note, I thought you would enjoy this related clip Ray Stevens recorded a few years ago.

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LdtCzLQxrL0

Back In The Saddle Again

Years ago when I was a lad, we had singing cowboys. Roy Rogers and Gene Autry were two of the most successful. Gene Autry's theme song was "Back in the saddle again."

Well, someone remembered I used to write feature stories for the Spokesman Review. This lasted about five years up to the time the paper divorced North Idaho. I learned later, that between Athol and Bayview, 60 subscribers cancelled, presumably to subscribe to the Coeur d'Alene Press.

A couple of days ago I was contacted by the press, asking if I would be willing to write a monthly column. I immediately agreed to do so. My first column will probably be in the May issue around the third week of the month.

If  you know of a story that would interest others, call me at 208-683-9107 or e-mail me at bayviewherb@gmail.com

I am pumped. If I haven't lost the touch, you soon will read about people and events around our community. We may be rural, but we will have a voice. I'm back in the saddle again. 

Legality of Syrian Attack

Several members of Congress, the noisiest being Senator Rand Paul have stated the President acting as he did, was unconstitutional. He is factually wrong. Read the following:

the War Powers Act. BrE. a US law passed in 1973 which allows Congress to limit the President's use of military forces. It states that the President must tell Congress within 48 hours if he sends armed forces anywhere, and Congress must give approval for them to stay there for more than 90 days.

This means Trump could have invaded if he chose, unless congress disapproved, for up to 90 days. How about toning down the negative rhetoric and just sticking to the facts.

None of the usual cable and/or broadcast news sources have brought this up.

New Iraq Policies

For the last 8 years, our country has been run by an avowed pacifist. His only weapon was drawing red lines.This has led to other countries such as Russia, Syria and other players that have correctly labeled the U.S. as Cowards. This creates a license for trouble makers to expand their activities.

Today, those who have wondered about President Trump's ability to first, listen to his senior advisers in  the military, and secondly, assert the United States power when felt it necessary.

What we have in reserve, are some of the former Ohio Class Missile subs which were converted to massive numbers of Tomahawk missiles. I don't know where they are deployed, but they certainly are not effective in Puget Sound.

The balancing point here is what can we do, what effect will these attacks and what possible retaliation will be probable and from where. In all of the wars this country has been involved going back to WW1, there were only two sides. Coalitions were formed, but in Iraq and Syria there are numbers of groups that are working at cross purposes with each other with mixed directions and allies.

I am proud to back a strong president that will truly make us great again. We have had two pacifist presidents have have reeked havoc on our country. Carter and now Obama. We have rearmed and recovered from these disasters, but at huge cost to catch up to where we were before these presidents dismantled our military and naval strengths.

The beast is loose in Syria and only his removal will make possible to reunite this broken state. 

Zags Came Short

I believe that Gonzaga played better over all than NC. The difference looked to be first time pressure,  If you look a Shem missing short under the basket shots that he normally made, I think , I hate to use the term choked, but considering the usual shooting skills were absent, I think the difference was pressure.

Now about next year, we look great. If nobody goes pro, we have Collins, an able substitute for Shem. We only lose to starters to graduation with a great bench. Do not be surprised if the Zags end up in the final four next year too. 

They just missed too many open shots.

Water & Sewer Board Vacancy

Due to illness, Don Gardner has resigned from the

Bayview Water & Sewer Board of Directors.

Anyone interested should submit a resume to the District's office before April 21^st, 2017.

Sheryl Puckett

4:34 PM (5 hours ago)

to Richard, me, norma, Jackie SENT  to my master email list and POSTED on Facebook. Click here to Reply, Reply to all, or Forward 1.58 GB (10%) of 15 GB used Manage Terms - Privacy Last account activity: 5 hours ago Due to illness, Don Gardner has resigned from the Bayview Water & Sewer Board of Directors. Anyone interested should submit a resume to the District's office before April 21st, 2017. Sheryl Puckett 4:34 PM (5 hours ago) to Richard, me, norma, Jackie SENT  to my master email list and POSTED on Facebook. Click here to Reply, Reply to all, or Forward 1.58 GB (10%) of 15 GB used Manage Terms - Privacy Last account activity: 5 hours ago Details People (4) Richard Doney Show details Details		People (4) Richard Doney

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Growing Old

Growing up is out of the question. Growing old is not. Here I am, one year away from 80 years old. I have had no training for this journey. Suddenly I'm a Geezer.

I have aches and pains in locations I didn't know existed. I woke up this morning with my little finger feeling like it's broke. A couple weeks ago my doctor feeling a lump in my left pectoral, (Tit for you poorly educated)  sent me to Bonner Memorial hospital for a Mammogram.

I thought Brest Cancer only occurred in females. It turns out that it is quit common in men as well. fortunately mine was benign.

There are rumors that Spring may occur soon, but I'm not betting on it. Still I'll start my tomatoes for the seedling faze.

My 79th birthday afternoon March 23, found me watching the Zags make history. I think we have a better chance to beat South Carolina than North Carolina. Go Zags!

What Wait?

Yesterday March 23 was my 79th birthday.That meant renewing my drivers license among other things.

Rising early, an unusual event for this retired old guy. My schedule was as follows: First, a haircut, which due to mostly weather related events was delayed to the shaggy condition, so it was my first stop in Hayden. There was just one customer ahead of me.

Dreading the expected long wait at the DMV, I, believing a lengthy period on my butt. I walked in and behold! while all of the windows were full, nary a seat was occupied in the waiting area. After a ten minute wait I approached the deputy hoping my glasses on order at the VA would not be needed. The lady that served me acted like I needed a white cane and a seeing eye dog. But explaining the glasses on order hadn't arrived yet, she begrudgingly passes me, took my $30.00 and Wallah, I was done.

Unfortunately instead of leaving Coeur d"Alene at two, heading to the Spokane VA for a scheduled CT scan, I had time to burn. So I had an early lunch at a Chinese restaurant. In my car I noticed it was just 12.03. I reached the VA at 1:00, with a 3:00 appointment. I went ahead and checked in and lo and behold, only waited for about 10 minutes to be ushered in.

My adult kids and assorted granddaughters expected me at around 3:00 pm, and it was just 1:30. So I played with my two youngest while waiting for the older ones to get home from school.I got to watch a cd of a school play from last year that I missed.

After a birthday dinner with a birthday blackberry pie instead of cake, I headed for home, reaching Bayview around 8:30. Sucking down a beer at the Captain's Wheel, I pulled in a home with all my chores done including making my reduced Real Estate tax exemption and application for sales tax reduction.

A full day that went off like it should always, ahead of schedule and without a hitch. I now have to wait for the proverbial other shoe to drop. The law of averages suggest I'll have a bad day to balance the ever present karma. Not bad for an old codger, eh?

Standing Rock Trash

I have been following the debate over the Dakota pipeline with great interest. The Standing Rock Lakotas have been very militant about clean water and the potential damage to the  environment.

Well, we all want clean air and clean water. But using that well worn excuse for shutting down just about everything won't wash.

Banks and government entities have been boycotting not only the pipeline, but any company connected to the project.

The real big issue here is extremism in the protection of our environment. This is only justified by those people and groups that trek to the nearest project themselves showing that they are pure in these alleged violations by their own behavior.

Today, in an AP story, the cleanup of the site where all of these people and tribes camped out there left behind 835 commercial sized dumpsters of trash. In my judgment that is not the way to support a cause that charges others with the same thing. Irony? Or perhaps just a cruddy group that doesn't live the lifestyle they preach. Walking the walk is more important than talking the talk.

Cannabidiol Use Medically

"In conservative Idaho, efforts to put a medical marijuana initiative on the ballot failed last year and two years before that. The only exception is a similar supervised use of cannabidiol oil to treat seizure disorders in up to 25 children, which Otter signed as an executive order in 2015."

This is excerpted  from an AP article which appeared in today's Spokesman-Review

I know of a child that was wracked with seizures until given Cannabidol oil, AP or doctor? stopped the seizures cold. Unfortunately her doctor says it is illegal. Who is correct? The Doc? Or the ap reporter?

You can reach me by commenting or through my e-Mail, bayviewherb@gmail.com. 

State of Our Union

Only the most jaded of the left wing proponents can find fault with the president's state of union message. Earlier today, an on line poll dominated by left wing types were asked to grade Donald Trump's presidency. This with just five or so weeks into his presidency and even without his full cabinet confirmed. Every one except me gave him an F.

Tonight, President Trump gave perhaps the most scintillating speech  I have ever heard. He started by honoring black history month then condemned violence against minorities and the Jewish community. He honored our veterans especially those that have given their lives in the line of duty.

Tonight, the president flung the gauntlet down. Either help us govern, or face the voters if you don't.

There were so many positives during this speech that I cannot repeat them all. Congratulations Mr President, today you truly became a president in deed as in name.

I won't go any further with this, since either you didn't watch the address, or you did and were blinded by party politics. Either way, it was your loss.

Cape Horn Road Closed

According to Sheryl Puckett, who sent out an e-mail, Cape Horn Road is washed out east of the summit, just past Terrace Road. A stretch estimated at 30-35 feet long, 6-8 feet wide and 20-25 feet deep has closed the road.

Water lines were severed at the scene and have been shut off. Please avoid the area as it is very unstable.

Update: Cape Horn Road is now open to all traffic and the water lines are secured.

Hate Crimes

A hate crime may be thee only one where the motive outweighs the act itself. If I punch someone in the nose, I'm guilty of third degree assault, a misdemeanor. Conversely, if I utter an ethnic or racial epitaph before the punch in the nose, I'm then guilty of a felony.

Folks, punishing a person for their motive rather than the act is blatantly UN-American. I don't advocate racial or ethnic slurs, but they fall under the category of poor behavior, not felonious crimes.

Why this hasn't been tested in an appellate court  blows my mind.

In this one generation we have allowed people to tramp all over our rights of free speech. Political correctness was born from the left wing press and carried forth by the Democrats.

Freedom of speech has been voided by those that only accept that speech with which they agree with. God help us all as we swirl down the proverbial drain of a people who once was free..

Mexican Farm Workers

Back when I was a teen, way back,in the 1950's, we had no fast food outlets at all. The route to teen income was either an allowance from parents, or in Summer, the bean fields.

Flashing forward 60 years, the valley that stretched from Renton, Washington to Puyallup, Washington, some eighteen miles, was solid bean fields. There weren't enough teen age workers that could pick fast enough to overcome the youth grab ass tendencies. After all, pursuing the opposite sex was paramount in our minds, bodies, and dreams. What to do?

Braceros. Braceros were Mexican farm workers that could pick three times as fast as we slothly teens.  They were paid by the hour, since by our scale it would have cost the farmers more than they wanted to pay. First mistake, but then this was the 1960's where our sense of justice did not extend to our neighbors to the south.

From time to time I spoke with some of the Bracero's I much admired them for their ambition and productivity. The way it worked, was that the Mexican farm worker were imported for a season's work in he fields. When that season was done thy could, if sponsored,  follow the crops north to fruit orchards. etc. The bottom line here, was they were imported by employers, then taken back by them as well. When winter came, they rejoined their families in Mexico.

I do not know what happened to that program. Perhaps it was the farm workers union of the 1960's. That is a valid concern. Importing alien workers must not be allowed to undercut the living wage of resident farm workers who are here legally. Importing lesser wage workers would first not be right, and secondly, would create wars in the farm community.

Why hasn't ts occurred to our government?

Winter From Hell

Something told me this winter was going to be a challenge. It is. While 2007-2008 had more snow, the below zero weather followed by more than a foot of snow has stopped people in their tracks.

For those that still believe in the groundhog predictions, stuff it.

At this point, with the snow being rained on, we now have a foot of slush, too deep to drive through. I can only hope that the Mercantile delivers, because I'm going nowhere fast.

As it looks now, and it's 10:00 am Sunday, that the rain is going to change back to snow. I see ice ruts in our future.

As always, be safe.If you do not absolutely have to be somewhere, don't go. Besides, you get great gas mileage when not driving your car.

Total page views to date 500,333

Thank You

As I see 499,163 page views, since I started this blog 11 years ago, passing 500,00 tomorrow, I realized after reflection that I haven't thanked those most responsible for this success.

First,none of this would have happened if Dave Oliveria hadn't urged me to do this thing. Dave is ring master at Huckleberries on line, the North Idaho blog sponsored by the Spokesman-Review. When Steve Smith, former editor of the Spokesman-Review expanded to North Idaho with the Handle Extra  then the Prairie Voice, he recommended me as a correspondent for Northern Kootenai County, a position I held for about five years. When the S/R pulled in it's horns, discontinuing the Idaho editions, I was done. In my area of coverage, between Athol and Bayview,  the paper lost 60 subscribers. People that liked me to write about them and those events that were important to them.

The format for Bayviews, was designed for me by StebbiJo. The design that I still use.  She was a wealth of information and assistance during those early days where my computer skills were practically non-existent.

Then there was Bill McCrory, retired secret service officer. I must have called him at least three times a week for technical advise. He never hesitated to patiently help me over those hurdles.

While there were many more, these were the ones that made it all possible. Most likely, I will cross the half million page views tomorrow. Thank you all again. I just wish I would have done this way sooner.

Justice Gorsuch, Nominee

The nomination of 10th circuit court judge, Gorshuch came as a surprise to nobody. He was approved at the circuit court level by acclimation.

The issue of Constitutional Constructionists vs. going with the flow as progressives have favored bring up an important issue. Has society evolved and they want to go with them, or did starting with the Warren Court, push them into this evolution.

As was president Trump's remarks reflect, many voted for him solely on the basis of keeping the supreme court to the original job of following the U.S. Constitution. This is a heavy mandate. One that will bite democrats on the butt if they fail to realize why they lost and why he won.

Some in the progressive wing will commit political suicide if they ignore this. My hope is that the Senate does not have to use the nuclear option to shut down the negative voters. If they do, it will be on the heads of the recalcitrant Democrats.