Soldier makes stop in Sandpoint

The entire community was stunned this weekend to learn of the death of Jamie Packer.

This 34-year-old beam of light touched everyone with whom he had contact. He will be missed.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Sheila, their two daughters, Mackenzie and Sydney and "finally a boy," Brady, as Jamie was proud to say.

The many people who knew Jamie are grieving and wondering how something like this could happen to someone who meant so much to his family, his church and his community and had so much life ahead of him to live.

Mountain West Bank has established a memorial fund to help Sheila and the kids financially get through this. I also have heard Hidden Lakes is planning an annual scholarship tournament to help the Packer children.

Speaking of dads … ES Sgt. Aaron Hunt has been visiting family and friends while on a short break from the war in Iraq.

Sgt. Hunt is Kathy McIntire's (St. Francis Preschool and kindergarten) son and he has two sons, James, 10 and Taylor, 9. The 31-year-old has been in the Army for nearly eight years and has been in Iraq since Jan 22. He's based at Camp Taji, which is just outside Baghdad. His job is to patch up Apache helicopters that have been shot and keep them flying,

He has enjoyed playing catchup with his boys and spent all day Tuesday with them at Silverwood.

"It's important I spend some time alone with each boy so I worked it out to have a special day with just James and Taylor," he said.

While stationed in Iraq, Sgt. Hunt can only call home once every two weeks and only for a half-hour. The kids send and receive e-mail to Dad more often than that. Taylor likes to talk about video games with Dad while James talks about girls, sports and school during their punctuated visits.

Dad usually calls the kids at 6 a.m. There is an 11-hour time difference.

Both children say they miss their Dad and think about his safety. Hunt shrugs off the danger and tells the boys he couldn't be more safe.

Hunt feels lucky that his base is very well protected in Iraq. The Apache helicopters are called on quite often.

"The more we can keep the Apaches up in the air the less the insurgents want to take over," he said.

Hunt misses his children and his many deployments have taken a toll on his marriage.

He is leaning toward not "reupping" next June when his tour is over.

"It's time for me to watch them grow up," he said. The Hunts spent a few minutes during our interview comparing scars and picking on each other.

Normal stuff.

So for the next few days, Hunt is catching up with day-to-day family life and by next week he will be in the heart of Iraq — in 120-degree temperatures and the middle of a war.

That's quite a contrast for this North Idaho boy. If he needs a reminder of home, though, all he has to do is talk to one of the Apache helicopter pilots. Major Corey Mendenhall is from Bonners Ferry.

Save your $11.97 for that bayonet letter opener you wanted from the Sportsman's Guide catalog. It seems the chrome-plated, 5-inch, wood-toned plastic handled letter opener can't be delivered to Idaho by mail.

It's state law.

When James Blake inquired about why he couldn't adourn his desk with this letter opener, the catalog company told him to contact Sen. Shawn Keough.

So, let's see … we can order guns, ammunition and fake grenades and have them delivered, but we can't put our hands on a bayonet letter opener? Hmmm…

Who else was surprised that NICAN filed suit to stop the byway? With traffic backed up to the chamber office on Friday afternoon and people darting in and out of traffic near the Bridge Street intersection with First Ave. all weekend, I hope the NICAN-ites didn't want to drive or hand-deliver notice of the suit to the local byway office.

If I gave any impression last week that the Northshore fireworks show was anything but above board and legal, I apologize. The gracious host opened his home and backyard to the entire neighborhood and we were all grateful.

And, in case you were wondering, the organizers did have a permit from the city for the pyrotechnics.

It was a wonderful, community event.

Watch for something soon to happen to the grain elevator along Fifth Avenue. You remember, the grain elevator with the "loosened nails" thanks to a series of small explosions inside.

Just look one way (up) before driving past it during the next few weeks. You have been warned…

E-mail of the week: Most weeks this portion of the column is dedicated to something funny or insightful. This week please use the following web addresses to check up on registered sex offenders who may or may not be living near you.

I was surprised there are 74 registered sex offenders living in Bonner County. The following links will take you to a list and photo of the offenders as well as their addresses.

This is important information. I was surprised that I knew a few of them and didn't know one was convicted of sex with a minor.

? http://www.isp.state.id.us/so_viewer/search.do?segment=1=county=BONNER=A

? Or Google, Idaho Registered Sex Offenders and it will take you there.

David Keyes is publisher of the Bee. His column runs Wednesdays until Little League baseball is over. Go Royals!