Nancy Trusty worked for the four mayors of Coeur d’Alene who served during the last two decades of the 20th century: Jim Fromm, Ray Stone, Al Hassell and Steve Judy.
For example, the former executive secretary, who now lives in Richland, Washington, does not know who was on duty when the Muddy Cadillac incident occurred.
It started innocently. Nancy’s husband had gone to City Hall to pick her up for lunch in her black Cadillac with tinted crystals, which she affectionately called “Snob Mafia Car”.
Only she saw that it was covered in mud.
He’s gone.
“I opened the door, sat down, put on my seat belt and bit my husband for spoiling the Array,” Nancy tells Huckleberries.
Then he saw the older boy behind the wheel. It wasn’t her husband. And the car wasn’t yours either.
Clearly shocked, the veteran citizen told Nancy that his wife paid the bill for his application internally. And he confided that he would leave his car blank before returning to city hall.
Again, Nancy: “He told his friends and neighbors that it’s best to leave his car blank before going to City Hall, because a wild girl will come out and bite your tail feathers.”
Nancy apologized and couldn’t get out of the car fast enough. He left a shoe behind, under the seat. But I didn’t dare back down.
That’s when she had her Caddy, three cars away. And impeccable.
Minority Republicans?
A column through Terry Schick, then editor-in-chief of Coeur d’Alene Press, in August 1970, presented a ray of hope to local Democratic superintendents. Schick begins: “Well, what do you know? After all, it turns out there’s a Republican Party in Kootenai County. This is not a typo. Republicans were the unhappy political sacks of Kootenai County 50 years ago. The editor continues: “When I first came here, everything that happened this way points out that Kootenai County is not yet a strong Democrat. It turns out that Republicans at the time were putting their hopes for revitalization on the party’s new chairman, Gary Ingram. Gary, as many of you know, conservative. And editor Schick had something to say about it: “I think Republicans will have to lose some of their conservative thinking tactics if they need to be identified as a culpable force in Kootenai County politics. Who knows? In 25 to 50 years, the pendulum can return to the donkeys.
He’s a boy.
You may know that Kenny McAnally of Coeur d’Alene is a fighting veteran who returned burgers to Hudson before landing at a task at the Idaho Department of Corrections. But did you know he stored the hair of every beard he grew up: 8.5 pounds? The practice started 14 years ago. And now says Huckleberries: “I can’t justify throwing it away.” And, for a white elephant gift, says Kenny, you can’t beat a hairball and a fifth of Jameson whiskey.
Blueberries
Poet’s corner: if you meet one while you’re away, walk away slowly but don’t panic or scream; / Don’t take a look back while waiting on the ground, / and just hope the thing doesn’t stick to your home – The Sherman Avenue Bard (“How to Care for a Street Zucchini”).
Has it been 25 years since the feds admitted their mistake at Ruby Ridge? His mea culpa included an agreement that awarded $1 million each to Randy’s 3 daughters and the overdue Vicki Weaver: Sara, Rachel and Elisheba? And $100, 000 for Randy Weaver.
If the delicious shredded red meat or three-pointed steak with BBQ beans, macaroni and cheese salad doesn’t appeal to you, the motto painted on the BlackHills Red and White Barbecue truck on Best Avenue: “Never accept yourself as a real with a thin chef.
In June 1916, Herman Rossi, Wallace’s mayor for five terms, shot and killed his young wife’s lover, Clarence “Gabe” Dahlquist, at the Samuels Hotel. And three and a half months later, he found out he was innocent of murder. Ron Roizen of Wallace spent 18 months investigating the murder. If you discover an editor, we’ll be treated with a remarkable story.
A Garden District resident is for the despicable user who released ladybugs at 11th and Foster. Through the online site NextDoor, the resident complains: “They are boring and bite. They’re all over my garden. Yes, Virginia, there’s a Santa Claus. And a tooth fairy. And other people who hate ladybugs.
Initial shot
Here’s one thing Huckleberries learned at the Handshake Productions concert in City Park on Sunday with swing band Zonky. Once upon a time there was a song called “Let’s Choo Choo Choo to Idaho”. He appeared in the 1950 film “Duchess of Idaho”, starring Van Johnson. Zonky played it. Before he started humming a few steps, he knows that “Choo Choo” was not a success. But he controlled to rhyme words like “dude” and “Pocatella,” “Sun Valley” and “Rand McNally.” It’s unlikely the Beatles have done much with that.
• • •