Mike Kinney wins $604,000 in poker challenge

Don't invite Sandpoint builder Mike Kinney to your next poker game. He might walk way with your house.

That's essentially what he did last week when he participated in the World Poker Challenge in Reno at the Hilton.

Kinney beat 5,209 contestants to walk away with $604,469 in prize money. In addition, his winning run will be televised on June 23 on the Travel Channel.

As it became obvious Kinney was going to make the finals, he called his sister and brother in law at 2 a.m. on Thursday, and asked them to fly to Reno for good luck.

"We debated for a second or two and said we are going," said Kinney's sister, Sheila Martin. She said the environment at the tournament was electric and "unbelievable."

"The whole thing was thrilling," she said

He is also headed to the World Championship of Poker April 19-21 in Las Vegas — his $25,000 entry fee waived because of his win last week.

Kinney has been playing poker for a few years but started getting serious the past few. The Kinney Construction boys still have their weekly poker games with 10 or 12 players, but Mike raised the ante two years ago and started playing in satellite poker games in Spokane and other, smaller tournaments.

After Kinney defeated the last table full of competitors in Reno — most of whom were professional gamblers — and was crowned the winner, he, Mistie and his entire winnings were pulled through the casino in a wagon pulled by a team of horses accompanied by cowgirls.

"It's Reno," Sheila deadpanned.

The reason we don't have any comments from Kinney is that he and Mistie aren't back yet. They had planned a trip during spring break and left Reno for a warmer climate. One guess is they are probably trying to figure out how best to spend $604,000.

Now, if this couple just knew any good house builders or Realtors …

There's a growing concern in and around Sandpoint that the vocal minority has somehow taken over the Daily Bee editorial pages in regards to the Sand Creek Byway.

More than a few people have asked why we run letters that oppose the byway. We run them as we get them and I am glad that all sides of every local discussion show up on our letters pages.

I think the vast majority of people see the Sand Creek Byway as the only traffic option that will save lives by moving trucks out of downtown and will save downtown businesses by keeping byway traffic nearby.

In this week's Daily Bee online poll we ask: "Is the proposed Sand Creek Byway good for Sandpoint and Bonner County?"

Last week we asked if readers preferred George W. Bush or John Kerry as our next president. More than 450 votes were registered and President Bush won 61 percent to 39 percent.

I'm voting in favor of the byway because, quite frankly, there isn't a better proposal out there and the traffic problem isn't going to fix itself. Downtown businesses that properly advertise and promote their uniqueness and customer service will have more customers because those customers won't have to risk life and limb to get to their stores.

The DSBA is starting to do a great job with signage and directing visitors and locals to parking spots.

Vote at bonnercountydailybee.com. starting this afternoon. The online poll will cease next Monday night.

Want to see speed? Go out to Les Schwab early any morning and watch Larry Enright and the crew go at it. Last week I was out at the Ponderay store about a half-hour before it opened.

What I saw was amazing.

Nearly 30 people were assembled outside the front door waiting to get in. Once the doors opened, each and every customer was greeted with a smile — and many by name.

"I love Les Schwab," said Dot Bosley. "The service and quality are great." She was one of the early birds and was bringing her 1990 Ford Explorer in to rotate off the winter tires. She has been a Les Schwab regular for 14 years.

KPND station manager Bob Witte is no longer with the station. He left last week to go to work with his friend, John Windju, in a unique business opportunity. Read all about it in tomorrow's Bee. Bob is one of the nicest guys around and deserves any break he gets. He also has a great tan.

Is anyone interested in restarting Sandpoint Slam? Call Chris Watkins at the Bee at 263-9534 to talk hoops.

David Keyes is publisher of the Daily Bee. His column runs Tuesdays.