Dellie filled community, family with love

I was stunned and had to fight back tears when I heard that Dellie Thompson passed away last week.

I have always considered myself lucky to know Pete and Dellie. They made a great team, pure and simple.

Pete has never been shy about telling me how I can improve "his" newspaper and Dellie was never shy about giving me words of encouragement.

The Thompsons founded the Daily Bee in 1965 in a town and a county that were too small for a daily paper. Most statistics would state the county is just now coming close to having a large enough population to support our paper.

Pete sold this paper, the Bonners Ferry Herald and the Priest River Times to Duane Hagadone in 1984. I'm lucky enough to publish those three papers today as well as to occupy the same office he and his son, Jim, did.

Dellie will be remembered by most for her quick smile, reassuring manner and her love for children — hers or anybody else's.

Several years ago, the Thompsons were in Priest River for Marylyn Cork's retirement party. During recent years Pete and Dellie spent part of the time in Yuma, Ariz., so I didn't see them very often. So when they showed up at the Beef n'Brew, it was a fun reunion.

My son, Austin, who was six at the time, tagged along and was bored. In no time flat, Dellie hooked up with Austin and was showing him the fine art of shooting pool. They played for about 30 minutes.

When I mentioned Dellie's passing to Austin, he remembered the night of the pool lessons.

"Oh Dad, she was so nice," he said. "She really likes kids."

That's how I plan to remember Dellie — a beautiful woman who was nice to kids and was a model wife and partner with Pete for 55 years.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the entire Thompson family.

Only 110 people voted Monday in Sandpoint's non-binding straw poll on height restrictions. I hope the turnout isn't a signal that nobody cares about Sandpoint's future.

I am a big fan of what Panhandle State Bank has in store for the abandoned Harold's property. I am not a big fan of how a city employee injected herself into the debate after previously stating she was against the project.

My prediction is … the zone Panhandle State Bank's expansion plans are aimed will pass by enough to give the Sandpoint City Council the courage to move forward. If the nonbinding straw vote fails for that zone, I also have a feeling council members will do what's right for Sandpoint.

Remember, the polls are open until 5 p.m. Friday.

FYI … there are currently 3,321 registered Sandpoint voters, In 1993, there were 3,073. That year Sandpoint residents were asked their thoughts about the need for a bypass. Twenty-nine percent of the registered voters voted that year. For 29 percent of this year's registered voters to turnout, there would need to be 963 votes cast between now and Friday.

This civics experiment has cost taxpayers $2,000.

The lesson on elected officials shirking their responsibilities and passing the buck? Priceless.

Seen 'n' Heard … Dan and Debbie are moving across the street from their old real estate firm and are shopping for gold jackets … will the Re/Max balloon soon be flying over downtown Sandpoint?… Bill Litsinger's radio show on 1400 AM is getting better all the time, on Monday he had Mayor Miller saying he supported the PSB height request. He's not afraid to tackle local issues and almost makes us forget he is on the same station as Rush Limbaugh and Michael Savage … Of all the stories about Sandpoint to hit the news recently, the pepper spray in Wal-Mart incident hit the A wire of the Associated Press. We have had notes or calls from papers from Seattle to Boston wanting to know more. It's odd how that story would have traction, but when a community pulls together to save Todd Miller's life after his excavator is crushed, you only read about it in this newspaper. Todd's doing better, we are told. Todd is a great kid and I have had the pleasure to watch him grow up. About 18 months ago he was in a motorcycle accident that just about took his life. He still had pins in his body from that accident that Harborview doctors were removing over the weekend. If Todd were a cat, he would only have seven lives left. As it is, his guardian angel is definitely on overtime pay. Get well, Todd.

E-mail of the week … This is from Ron Welch.

In the year 2005, the Lord came unto Noah, who was now living in the United States, and said, "Once again, the Earth has become wicked and over-populated and I see the end of all flesh before me. Build another ark and save two of every living thing along with a few good humans."

He gave Noah the blueprints, saying, "You have six months to build the Ark before I will start the unending rain for 40 days and 40 nights." Six months later, the Lord looked down and saw Noah weeping in his yard … but no Ark.

"Noah," he roared. "I'm about to start the rain! Where is the Ark?"

"Forgive me, Lord," begged Noah. "But things have changed. I needed a building permit. I've been arguing with the inspector about the need for a sprinkler system. My neighbors claim that I have violated the neighborhood zoning laws by building the Ark in my yard and exceeding the height limitation.

"We had to go to the Planning and Zoning Board for a decision. Then the Department of Transportation demanded a bond be posted for the future costs of moving power lines, to clear the passage for the Ark's move to the sea. I argued the sea would be coming to us, but they would hear nothing of it."

Getting the wood was another problem. There's a ban in cutting local trees to save the spotted owl. "I tried to convince the environmentalists I needed the wood to save the owls. But no go," he said.

"When I started gathering the animals, I got sued by an animal rights group. They insisted that I was confining wild animals against their will. As well, they argued the accommodation was too restrictive and it was cruel and inhumane to put so many animals in a confined space.

"The EPA ruled that I couldn't build the Ark until they had conducted an environmental impact study on your proposed flood.

"Also, the trade unions say I can't use my sons. They insist I have to hire only union workers with ark-building experience.

"To make matters worse, the IRS seized all my assets, claiming I'm trying to leave the country illegally with endangered species.

"So, forgive me, Lord, but it would take at least 10 years for me to finish the Ark," Noah said.

Suddenly the skies cleared, the sun began to shine and a rainbow stretched across the sky.

Noah looked up and asked: "You mean, you are not going to destroy the world?"

"No," said the Lord. "The government beat me to it."

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