Cri de Coeur

Cry from the Heart

Gookin Floats Paying City Staff for Savings

Mayoral candidate Dan Gookin recently floated the idea of compensating city employees for cost-saving measures they discover and implement. While his proposal lacked details consider the following scenario as an example. Picture this: “Thank you for saving the city $40,000, Mr. Jones. On your next paycheck, we will give you a bonus of $40!” While

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CDA Braces for Potential Property Tax Hike

The Coeur d’Alene City Council is currently grappling with a projected budget deficit for the upcoming fiscal year 2025-2026, and a key discussion point is a proposed 4% property tax increase. The council met on July 21, 2025, to review the preliminary budget and discuss strategies for ensuring the city’s long-term financial sustainability. Here’s what

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PSA: Garden District Officially Designated: “Historic”

The Coeur d’Alene Historic Preservation Commission was recently informed by the U.S. Park Service that the City’s downtown Garden District neighborhood has been officially listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Letters from the Idaho State Historic Preservation Office informing residents of the listing were mailed out Wednesday to all registered property owners in

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KCRCC Town Hall: “Your Voice is Meaningless Now”

Coeur d’Alene makes national news, again, for something negative. A North Idaho College employee who ran for public office, Teresa Borrenpohl, was dragged out of a town hall, nearly losing her shirt. The CDA Press reported phenomenally despite reports of their credentialed reporter being “hit in the face by a security guard” and leaving early

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Fentanyl and Drug Awareness in CDA

Fentanyl has become a more prevalent drug in today’s society. At the local skate park, there have been numerous accidents involving said drug. The City has put in place Narcan Nasal Spray to help anyone needing to use these in an emergency. So far 25 sprays have been used. (See Narcan Maintenance Log) Narcan is

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City Council Grants Hardship to $13 Billion Advertising Giant

The Coeur d’Alene City Council approved a variance allowing Lamar Advertising, a $13 billion company, to relocate and digitize a two-sided billboard from Northwest Boulevard to 3119 N. 2nd Street. The 4-2 vote granted exceptions for height and proximity to residential zones, sparking debate over undue hardship, corporate influence, and community impact. While supporters highlighted

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Billboards: A City or Special Interest?

Photo by Josh Sanabria on Unsplash Lamar Advertising of Spokane is requesting a variance in conjunction with a relocation and digitization of a two-sided 300 square foot v-build billboard; current location is 1621 Northwest Boulevard to be removed and relocated to 3119 N. 2nd Street, while addressed off of 2nd Street, the billboard would be

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The Future of NIC, Supporting the CDA Economy

One of our team members traveled to Duke University for a leadership conference. He saw some ways NIC can increase tourism, training for hospitality workers, and support the service economy of Coeur d’Alene. Here is what he said: I made a trip to North Carolina to experience a National Student Leadership Conference. This conference was

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City to Evaluate Residential Light Pollution

Recent public comments made at a city council meeting revealed concern about residential light pollution. The concern relates to demolishing of old homes and replacing them with bigger and taller structures, the loss of trees, and the resultant light that travels from a neighboring house. The city declared “Dark-sky Week” multiple times over the past

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Trader Joe’s Opens

Trader Joe’s opened for business. A constant stream of customers kept the parking lot and shopping lines full, and the crew kept the shelves stocked. Murals of City Beach, Tubbs Hill, and the Coeur d’Alene Resort give Trader Joe’s its signature neighborhood local feel. While many customers have commented on the atypical large parking lot

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Election Day

Besides national and state elections that CDA voters cannot impact, Coeur d’Alene voters will elect three NIC Trustees, vote on an amendment to the Idaho Constitution, (Prop 1), and a school district levy. NIC Trustees Voting for blocks of individuals in non-partisan races seems unwise and inappropriate. The official local Republican party, known as the

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