Idaho Voices

For Sagle resident Rich Faletto, the question was never a matter of whether he would write a book, but when. The time finally came three years ago, and the final product will be released to the public on Thursday when Faletto, 69, hosts his first book signing at Vanderford’s bookstore in downtown Sandpoint. “Four-Eleven! Pulaskis, Planes & Forest Fires” is a memoir of the four summers Faletto worked for the National Forest Service in the early 1960s, fighting fires, maintaining trails and flying as an aerial observer pilot in Washington state.

Ever wondered what happens to all that stuff you haul to the transfer station for Clean Green disposal? All most of us see is the giant piles of grass clippings, tree and shrub prunings and weeds being pushed around by equally large front end loaders. We finish cleaning out our vehicles and leave. Just where does all that stuff go?

Students at Coeur d’Alene High School were recently named to the second-semester honor roll for the 2009-’10 academic year. Students are listed by grade level. Seniors

The Independence Day holiday on Monday will impact the following offices and services: • All Kootenai County city and rural garbage pickup will not be affected.

The first tropical storm of the Atlantic hurricane season formed this past weak. “Alex,” which eventually became a hurricane, tracked across the Yucatan peninsula, and then northwestward into southern Texas, bringing the usual deluge of heavy rains and strong winds. This was the first June hurricane since 1995. With the disastrous oil spill in the Gulf, scientists are paying extra special attention to tropical storms as they form across the area. While forecasting and tracking the location of tropical storms is important, being able to predict the intensity of storms is important, too.

POST FALLS – North Country Chapel, 2281 W. Seltice Way in Post Falls, will have vacation Bible school July 12 through July 16, from 9 a.m. to noon each day. “Cosmic City” is for ages 6 to 12.

Lake City High School recently announced students named to the second semester honor roll for the 2009-’10 school year. Students are listed by grade level. Seniors

Students at Lakeland High School were recently named to the honor roll for second semester of the 2009-’10 academic year. Students are listed by grade level. Seniors

Today Bill Reid (jazz) – 1 p.m., DiLunas, 207 Cedar St., Sandpoint, (208) 263-0846

Kym Murdoch is bringing a tropical trend to North Idaho waters. A trip to the Hawaiian Islands last winter left the 35-year-old entrepreneur with a feeling that she couldn’t shake.

Plummer’s turning 100 this summer and the town’s celebrating for three days, not just with parties and food, but also with the “Plummer Idol” talent show. The fun will begin July 16 with a kids’ carnival and block party at Plummer’s Community Center Park. The block party will be held outside the Benewah Medical Center, from 12:30 to 4 p.m. Partygoers will have an opportunity to view displays highlighting the past 100 years on the reservation and the Benewah Tribe’s ties with the Plummer community.

I briefly studied basic marketing concepts in college, and I’ve been ultra-aware of various consumer appeal techniques ever since. “Quizno’s has always been a little different,” read my soda cup full of Diet Mountain Dew, the momentary focus of my attention amidst a slightly chaotic lunch rush at the sandwich franchise down on the dark end of the Ironwood Square/Albertsons shopping center. “We boldly believe that your food should taste great,” it continued, “that we should use only the highest quality ingredients and that more than our lettuce should be green.”

When a child suffers, there is nothing a parent wouldn’t do to help alleviate the pain or to find a cure. For many, that means spending their life savings to find alternative treatments or cover the uninsured costs that come with a devastating illness. Four North Idaho families who are facing such obstacles will be blessed with the help of many from this community next Sunday when Jacey’s Race takes place for its fourth year at Sandpoint High School on July 11.

This is the first week for the new Super 1 Foods store at the intersection of Larch Street and Boyer Avenue in Sandpoint. On the site of a former lumber mill, the $5 million store is 54,000 square feet, about the same size as the company’s original store in Hayden and smaller than the Coeur d’Alene store. Open 24 hours daily, the store offers large selections of fruits and vegetables, fresh Northwest seafood, USDA Choice beef, a natural foods section, pharmacy, bakery and deli in 16 aisles. Steve Furin manages 106 employees.

You can do a coupla things with those floating golf balls that bob westward from the Coeur d’Alene Resort’s floating green during spring winds and storms. Keep them. Or make nice gifts of them, with that swell resort logo on one side and the word “floater” on the other. Or, if you have 850 of them, you can form them into a massive Ironman Coeur d’Alene logo in your yard to inspire the triathletes as they struggle past your home. Stickman and his bride, Walkabout, did that on their little corner of the Ironman course, across from East Tubbs Hill Park. Seems Walkabout, who patrols Tubbs Hill daily looking for litter, collects about 1,000 golf balls from the resort each year. Stickman told Huckleberries Online: “It was a big hit, as I would say at least half the athletes noticed and some took pictures, even to stop their run. It gave me something to do besides the sticks, and gave many a good smile on their last legs of the race.” Stickman, of course, is that delightful soul who fashions walking sticks from fallen Tubbs Hill tree limbs – and gives them away to all who ask. May his and (Walkabout’s) kind increase. Ironman salute

Filings from May 19-26. Chapter 7 (liquidation petitions)