Time to Vote …

On her Facebook wall, Kerri Thoreson posts: “As we were leaving Memorial Day ceremonies at Evergreen Cemetery, (husband) Bert noticed the Press box at the entrance and wondered which of the 'residents' was a subscriber.” You write the cutline.

Wednesday Winner — DFO/with 5 likes: “Felix the Feline admits life is nice in Houtong. But he dreams of going to America, where he hears that his cousin, Milo, is pampered and worshipped by an eccentric Cat Lady, with four sons and an indulgent husband, who writes tear-jerkers re: how old people fell in love.” You can see the photo and all cutline contest entries here.

How windy is it? Here's Kerri Thoreson (on her Facebook page) earlier today on the top level of the Coeur d'Alene Resort parking garage. Writes Kerri: “I'd guess those predicted gusts up to 50 mph are pretty accurate.” SR sports scribe Greg Lee and I just returned from a walk through the Education Corridor and along the north shore waterfront. The wind was blasting us from the southwest. We finally made good time once we got the wind at our backs.

Question: How are you doing in dealing with the wind today? Any horror stories?

In her Main Street column this week, Kerri Thoreson tells a heart-warming story of a Coeur d'Alene woman and her son opening a house at 10th & Pennsylvania to landscape architech Jon Mueller and his siblings to enjoy a 60th anniversary in their childhood home. Kerri writes: “On Saturday the planets aligned and there in the backyard of the house on 10th and Penn was a glorious gathering of Muellers. Bill and Joanna's children Mark Mueller, Jahn Mueller Schmitz and Jon Mueller, 10 of their grandchildren and four great-grandchildren from Washington, Oregon, Arizona, California and New York were there. Assorted spouses brought the total to more than two dozen family members. Joining them were their hosts, Cobi and Bayley. The potluck picnic included childhood favorite dishes once lovingly prepared by Joanna. Mark, Jahn and Jon posed on the backyard steps, built by their father decades before, his initials still visible in the cement. Stories were told, with much laughter and a tear or two.” Full column here.

Question: Did you ever return to your childhood home? Please describe the experience.

I have to respond to (Stickman's) comments about Duane Hagadone and his philanthropy. Beyond his investment in this community, of his own dollars, to provide jobs in his numerous business ventures, Duane and Lola do many untold quiet good deeds and acts of generosity. In every community the biggest dogs have the most detractors ie: the Cowles family in Spokane for example. True that the Hagadones live a lifestyle the majority of us will never know but that lifestyle was earned by hard work, shrewd investments and business acumen. I don’t begrudge anyone their success or second guess what’s in their heart to give back to their fellow man. I do what I can do and at the end of any given day sincerely hope I’ve made a difference somewhere, to someone. God bless anyone, including Duane Hagadone, who give of their time and treasure. The event tonight raised $500,000 for the Boys and Girls Club of Kootenai County and will absolutely make a difference in the lives of hundreds of children in our community. I’d call that worthwhile by any definition.

DFO: Couldn't agree more. Duane & Lola deserve a monster Hat Tip for hosting the fundraiser for the Boys and Girls Club at their Casco Bay home — as well as all those other fundraisers for worthy causes in the community. Saaalute. (Coeur d'Alene Press story here)

Thoughts?

Tom Burnett was a newspaperman. There are many people who earn a living in the newspaper business in a variety of capacities, but in my decades-long experience there's only a handful I'd describe as a newspaperman, the kind of person who bleeds ink and considers the 4th Estate a noble calling. If you don't get a little misty-eyed when the printing presses are rolling and another edition is put to bed, forget it. I never worked with Tom in my career but our paths crossed many times. He had a passion for the role of a weekly newspaper and at one time owned the Post Falls Tribune, selling it a few years before I became publisher/editor/Kerri Thoreson, Coeur d'Alene Press Main Street. More here. (Jesse Tinsley SR file photo)

Question: Do you have any family ties to newspapering?

After her Wednesday morning KVNI/ESPN 1080 radio show with Joe Paisley this morning, Kerri Thoreson drove to Sanders Beach and saw this scene. Kerri posts on her Facebook wall: “It must be mating season for turkeys, several big toms flashing their tail feathers were making their way through the neighborhood. I had to laugh when I looked down an alley and saw two rival “gangs” heading towards each other. Urban wildlife photography from the driver's seat is my specialty.”

• Best of … hypocrisy/Arch Druid
• For those who think my posts are too long/Atmospheric Ruminations
• Never take your eyes off magician's hands/Dennis Mansfield
• Quasi-khaki/Fort Boise
• Painting … artist?, and: Blue Monday/From A Simple Mind
• Company Profile: Seltice Thrift/INorthwest Business Watch
• If Cheney can, so can I/Nuts & Nonsense
• Rain on my parade, and: Tuesday TwitterdeeHurry-Up Offense/Slight Detour
• Hiking Mount Spokane/3Rs
• The value of a letter/Writing North Idaho

HucksOnline numbers (for Tuesday): 8875/5334, and (for Monday): 8846/5195

Question: Feel free to submit a cutline for the photo above.

On her Facebook wall, Kerri Thoreson of ESPN 1080 (aka KVNI) posts this photo of a woman she saw cross-country skiing northbound in front of Forest Cemetery along Government Way at about 9 this morning.

Question: Does anyone know this woman?

DFO’s interview with Kerri Thoreson Feb. 20, 2012

Some of you have asked whether KVNI 1080 (ESPN 1080) provided a copy of my interview with Kerri Thoreson Monday morning. The station graciously did so this morning. You can listen to it here by clicking link above. Kerri provided the photo.

River City Councilwoman Kerri Thoreson Facebooks: “On the way into the studio this morning I noticed on the I-90 billboard that tonight's Powerball jackpot is $170 million. So on the way home I stopped at a gas mart to buy a ticket. The clerk told me good luck and I joked that my odds of winning were greatly enhanced by having a ticket. She laughed and said she hoped she brought me good luck since a year ago she sold the winning Mega Millions ticket worth about $90 million to the Rathdrum bank clerk. I promised her that if I had the winning ticket I'd take her on a tropical cruise. That's a promise I'd sure enjoy keeping.”

Question: What treat would you bestow on someone if you won the Powerball lottery?

On her Facebook wall, Post Falls Councilwoman Kerri Thoreson advocates for shopping local: “Why shop local? Local businesses pay taxes, provide paychecks, donate and contribute to organizations and events throughout the year. If not for local businesses who would be donating to the auctions, raffles, scholarships, grad night parties, senior centers, charitable causes, youth sports sponsorships etc., etc.? This Christmas season make your gift giving pay it forward in our communities … SHOP LOCAL!”

Question: We discussed this a little Monday. What percentage of your gift shopping do you do locally? In Spokane? Online? What would cause you to shop more locally?

Kerri Thoreson: Just a thought on the very low Post Falls voter turnout … it was the first time that citizens could not vote in person absentee at our city hall and had to drive to the county election office in Coeur d’Alene to cast an in person absentee ballot. We had about a 20% voter turnout four years ago and a 14% last week. From what I heard from citizens that issue is one that will be revisited with the county clerk.

Question: Should County Clerk Cliff Hayes restore absentee balloting to City Halls?

Kerri Thoreson: I ran for mayor of Post Falls in 2001 and got my clock cleaned by Clay Larkin who was serving as the mayoral appointee after Gus Johnson was elected to the Kootenai County commission. I continued to be involved in the community and served a year on the Park and Rec Commission before successfully running for a council seat in 2007. This week it was quite different to be running as an incumbant for re-election. A different level of stress when you’re running on a record. For anyone who’s not had their name on a ballot, it would be hard to understand that contrary to the opinion that it’s all about ego, it’s an exercise in humility to ask for contributions, support to place signs, walk the neighborhoods and then that all important vote on election day. When the dust settles and you’ve received the nod to serve, it is not only gratifying there’s a profound sense of responsibility to serve well. (SR file photo of Kerri Thoreson & her father, Ron Rankin, & mom, woman with back to camera, on Ron's last day in office, Jan. 10, 2003)

Question: Anyone have a good Ron Rankin tale to tell?

On her Facebook wall, Post Falls Councilwoman Kerri Thoreson writes (and provides photos) of the reception of the National Guardsman returning from Iraq to the Post Falls Armory last night. The last 30 Guardsmen in two buses were snagged behind a large pileup on I-90 near Ellensburg, Wash. Writes Kerri: “After waiting on pins and needles all afternoon for the busses carrying the last of the 116th finally home, I got the call that they were about 30 minutes out. I headed onto I-90 for the National Guard Armory and had to pull off to catch my breath. The sight of the ladder truck, firefighters and a flag draped over the Idaho Street overpass brought tears to my eyes.” And: “There were over three dozen citizens lining Seltice in front of the armory holding large flags and more than 100 family and friends with flags and signs lining the parking lot.” Among those returning were KCFR Division Chief Dan Ryan and Kerri's nephe, Dallas Rankin Scharf. More photos here.

• KXLY video

Back in January I recounted some of my journey to become fit and lose weight, which prompted a reader to communicate his own struggles. He shared a touching story of how last summer he'd taken his daughter to Silverwood but was unable to accompany her on the roller coaster due to his size. He promised her that day that he could do something about his weight and would. And that this summer they'd take that roller coaster ride together. A promise made is a debt unpaid, he said. … I mentioned the story to my friend, Nancy DiGiammarco, who happens to be the marketing director for Silverwood. She mentioned it to owner Gary Norton. They were both as moved as I was with the story and long before the park opened for the summer, gifted the father with passes to the park. I was thrilled to hear that Tom Hamilton kept his promise to his soon-to-be sixth grade daughter, Lizzie this past Sunday/Kerri Thoreson, Main Street, Coeur d'Alene Press. More here. (Tom Hamilton Facebook photo: Tom & daughter, Lizzie)

Question: Have you ever lost a considerable amount of weight — and kept it off?

Three Post Falls City Council incumbents have filed their candidacy petitions to seek re-election: Kerri Thoreson (Seat 1), Scott Grant (Seat 3), and Skip Hissong (Seat 5). Also filing papers to run for the City Council are challengers Joe Malloy, who will be seeking Grant's spot, and Jim Edgington (who will seek Thoreson's position). Other individuals who have picked up election packets include: Barry Rubin, former councilman Joe Doellefeld (who is eyeing Hissong's spot), former councilman Joe Bodman (who had considered running for sheriff until Coeur d'Alene Tribal Police Chief Keith Hutcheson tossed his hat in that ring), and Bob Flowers. Filing deadline is Friday, Sept. 9.

So off we went, our party of 10, including two little ones in a tow-behind on their dad's bike. The 13-mile (Route of the Hiawatha) adventure at 4,160-foot elevation started by riding into the 1.6 mile Taft Tunnel, which burrows under the Bitterroot Mountain range, straddling the Idaho/Montana border. I knew immediately that this was going to be way outside my comfort zone.Within about five minutes I was so disoriented by the pitch black tunnel, lit only by our bicycle headlights, I had to get off and walk my bike the rest of the way. Euphoric at making it out of the tunnel and at the incredible scenery unfolding along the trail, I couldn't resist taking a photograph of Bert as we pedaled the slight downhill slope. Bad mistake. In the blink of an eye I lost control of my bike, clipped Bert's rear tire and luckily didn't send one or both of us careening over the sheer drop off just a few feet away/Kerri Thoreson, Main Street. More here. (SR file photo)

Question: Describe your worst bike accident?

On her Facebook wall, Kerri Thoreson posts a photo of her mother, Alice Rankin, on her recent 80th birthday. Alice formerly wrote a gardening column for Huckleberries Online. Her late husband, Ron, of course, was well known for his fight against property taxes and two-term stint as a Kootenai County commissioner. The Rankins and I go way back. During my 9 years as a reporter, Ron provided several tips that led to major stories for me. I've been here so long, in fact, that I remember the fellow whom Ron replaced as head of the Kootenai County Property Owners Association: Rex Morehouse (who lived in Spirit Lake at the time).

Question: Feel free to give a shoutout to an oldtimer who has enriched your life?

Five years ago tomorrow I received two coronary arterial stents at Kootenai Heart Center. I was 53 years old. February is Heart Health Month but every month it's important to listen to your heart. Heart disease kills more women each year than all forms of cancer combined. Since Feb. 24, 2006 I've celebrated five more birthdays of my own and of my daughters and grandsons, viewed 1,770 sunsets, watched a grandson graduate from high school and just enjoyed every single day of the second chance at life I was blessed to receive. Life is good/Kerri Thoreson, Main Street, Coeur d'Alene Press. More here.

Question: Do you enjoy life more today as a result of overcoming a serious injury or illness?

Kerri Thoreson (via Facebook): When did normal winter weather in north Idaho ie: an inch or two of snowfall on any given day in January, become a major media event with breathless newscasters “crying wolf!” every time a winter storm arrives?

Colleen O'Brien/KXLY in response: I think snow becomes news when we can get information out to residents about plow progress, response from the city, traffic accidents to avoid on your way to work, updates to the forecast (@Greg) that in the last 12 hours has …changed from a foot of snow to 6-8 inches (yes, mother nature changes her plans on us often). News is, after all, what's happening right now. I agree, media should not treat snow like war is upon us. But I invite anyone who thinks we make too big of a deal out of snow to answer our newsroom phones during a snow event.

Question: Do the local television stations make too much of “snow events”?

Kerri Thoreson, a Post Falls councilwoman writes on her Facebook page re: the shooting of Congresswoman Giffords and slaying of others with her in Arizona Saturday: “What I'm unsettled by, influenced no doubt by holding public office, is the number of violent attacks on members of school boards, city councils etc. in recent months. Will we come to a point when regular citizens will no longer serve in their communities in these offices? Will people like me wonder whether holding a public office is worth risking my life for? And will the access to our elected representatives here in Idaho on the local, state and federal level disappear? Congresswoman Giffords was doing something I could imagine myself doing … meeting with her neighbors and constituants on a Saturday morning to listen to their concerns.

Question: Would you have second thoughts re: holding a public office today, as a result of increasing attacks against public officials?