A glass of eyeball punch or a shot of orange haze?

It's not enough for Halloween drinks to be delicious. They also have to be creepy.

Not by wine alone

As an avid wine enthusiast and one who works in the field daily it is easy to lose track at times of the other great beverage choices that are out there, pair well with food and generate just as much passion as fermented grape juice does for me.

Winter Wine Rodeo III

Pour lists are being compiled, restaurants and vendors are committing, layout of the room is near completion, which can mean only one thing... The third annual Winter Wine Rodeo is scheduled and will be the biggest and best gathering of food and wine yet. It is sometimes hard for us to believe that it is the third of these events to take place, and each year it seems to be more fun, with more folks from North Idaho and around the area gathering to sample more than a hundred wines, food from great local restaurants and get a little holiday shopping done too.

Writers Corner for July 6, 2012

A double-whipped eggnog to set the holiday mood

For me, eggnog season can't come soon enough. As soon as Halloween is packed away, I buy a quart of my favorite eggnog at the grocery store. I drink it little by little, spiked and not. I make eggnog cappuccinos in the morning and eggnog milkshakes at night. On the weekends, there is nothing like French toast made with eggnog.

2 NYC officers dead in ambush

Assailant angry at chokehold death

Coconut oil redux

A good story is always worth retelling and when it comes to coconut oil, it really is a good story to tell. A few years ago I published a column on coconut oil thinking I was writing about something that would be informative and lack controversy. Like most things tied to health and fitness, I was completely incorrect about coconut oil being a safe topic.

Not adhering to the corporate way

Rogue Minnesota DQ makes up own rules for ice cream treats

MOORHEAD, Minn. - The Dairy Queen in downtown Moorhead has been thumbing its nose at corporate HQ pretty much since it opened in 1949, despite some efforts from the home office to have the store mind its Ds and Qs.

Last call for teachers to apply for July 11-12 history workshop

Native American relations, the gold rush story, territorial law and politics; Mormon migration and settlement; and economic development are a few of the topics that will be explored in a series of upcoming workshops the Idaho Humanities Council is sponsoring for the state's kindergarten to 12th-grade teachers.

DRIVERS: Officers should watch road

While I have the utmost respect for our Highway Patrol, I’m concerned about a message they are sending in regard to the hot topic of distracted driving. While driving south on Highway 41 toward I-90 with my teen, we followed a patrolman who for the entire drive was doing something on a passenger seat computer. As we were right behind him, at first we wondered if he had someone in that seat as his head was turned toward the passenger seat. Every so often he’d glance at the road.

'Holding Government Accountable' forum in Cd'A

Government accountability will be the topic of a town hall-style meeting the Idaho Humanities Council and The Press will host next month at the Coeur d'Alene Public Library.

Study peace on Mondays

Unity offering interfaith dialogue, healing seminars

COEUR d’ALENE — Unity Spiritual Center of North Idaho is hosting a study course focused on interfaith dialogue and healing.

CLIMATE: Acknowledge problem

It’s good that Randy Mann is open to discussing Earth’s changing climate, but in his response to my letter he manages to again conspicuously avoid acknowledging the role of “anthropogenic (human influenced) global warming (AGW).” “Climate change” is a related but also a separate topic.

A creamy vegetable soup with no cream or butter

Years ago, when I was pregnant with my kids, all the advice books swore that smart moms-to-be made sure to eat broccoli three times a day.

What helps indigestion, heartburn and reflux?

In the U.S., it is estimated that 60-70 million people suffer from digestive-related diseases. Of these, an estimated 75 percent continue to suffer their symptoms, even after being "treated" medically for them! Doctors are writing $114 million in acid-reducing medication prescriptions; that doesn't include over-the-counter sales. It's big business! What's worse is that taking acid-reducing medications to treat these issues can actually cause or contribute to many of the diseases we are suffering with today. Yet there are many remedies that actually fix the problem, not just cover them up.

How free-roaming cats impact wildlife, disease transmission

Cats are hunters by nature, which is why it’s not uncommon for an outdoor cat to bring home a “gift,” left on their owner’s doorstep.

ADVERTISING: Advertorial — Managing the (too much) sweetness of the holidays

We are quickly marching into the season where sugar abounds, and the temptations feel almost unbearable.

The accidental leak - losing bladder control

When most people think of acupuncture, they think of pain or addictions. While those are two of the most widely used applications of acupuncture, there are many, many, other conditions successfully treated with acupuncture. Overactive bladder, leaky bladder, difficulty in urinating, bedwetting, incontinence, and other bladder conditions respond quite impressively to acupuncture.

ADVERTISING: Advertorial — Magnesium: Vital for wellness

The subject of magnesium in the diet, as well as topically, has been a hot topic for several years now. It has been touted as the cure-all for almost anything that might ail you. While there is no doubt that magnesium may be good for you, you could be getting swayed by marketing propaganda that lures you into buying something you don’t need.

Abi's Ice Cream to open Friday

Hand-crafted organic ice cream and treats will be offered at Abi’s Ice Cream opening Friday at 112 N. Fourth St. in Coeur d’Alene.