In brief: Developer speaking at NIC Booster lunch
Regional developer Marshall Chesrown will be the speaker at the NIC Booster Club Luncheon at noon Tuesday at the Coeur d’Alene Resort’s Shore Lounge.
Chesrown grew up in the Spokane Valley. After graduating from high school in 1976, he began his career with a summer job at a Buick dealership and by 22, Chesrown was a minority owner in a Chrysler dealership.
Chesrown worked for the next 20 years in California, Oklahoma and Colorado, moving back to the Inland Northwest permanently in 1999. Soon after, Chesrown founded Black Rock Development and began the construction of the area’s first private golf community. Other developments include Kendall Yards in Spokane, Bellerive in Coeur d’Alene, Legacy Ridge in Liberty Lake, Rivers Edge along the Spokane River and The Ridge at Sunup Bay.
During the luncheon, Chesrown will speak about Black Rock Development and its proposed expansion, the viability of the Educational Corridor and other business development topics.
The public is welcome to the meeting. The cost of lunch is not covered.
Information: 769-3348.
Learn about bugs, lavender
Insect ID and Control class will be conducted by UI Entomologist Ed Bechinski. The class, from 1 to 4 p.m. Monday, will include a segment on spiders, as well as other common insects. Control will focus on the “softer” more environmentally friendly insect controls.
“Basic cultural requirements, propagation, companion plant, and the many uses of lavender will be covered in a class from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday by Cindy dePaulis, a lavender grower, market gardener and co-founder of the North Idaho Lavender Guild.
The classes will be held at UI Extension–Kootenai County. Office at 1808 N. Third St. and are $5 each. Call 446-1693 to register.
Naples
Taxidermist wins award
A local taxidermist’s life-size mount of a bobcat received three major awards during the recent 2008 Montana state competition in Missoula.
John Thomas, owner of Thomas Taxidermy in Naples, scored the highest among 44 entries in the professional division, which included game heads, fish, birds, reptiles and other life-size mounts. He earned a master of professional ribbon for the honor.
“That award is given to the highest scoring entry in the professional division,” said Montana Taxidermist Association Board Member Royce Dake. “What that’s telling him is he has achieved a real high standard of work and he needs to graduate to the next level up.”
That level is the master’s division.
“When you get to the master’s division, (it’s saying) he has won major awards and a lot of blue ribbons,” Dake said.
Ironically, this was Thomas’ second competition. Fourteen years ago, he placed second with an elk.
“It was exciting to win after putting so much time and effort into this mount, but I still feel there’s a lot to be learned,” he said.
World champion taxidermist Wendy Christensen-Senk, who for nearly a quarter of a century has been the taxidermist for Milwaukee Public Museum, judged Thomas’s bobcat.
“It’s a very, very nicely done cat,” said Christensen-Senk, who was amazed it was the first time Thomas had competed since 1994.
“I was thrilled to have my bobcat judged and appreciated by her,” Thomas added.
His bobcat also received a blue ribbon for scoring more than 90 points, a ribbon for best life-size mount in his division and best of show from Safari Club International.
A longtime logger, Thomas has been doing taxidermy part time since 1990. Last fall, he retired from the woods to pursue full-time taxidermy. He specializes in North American and African game. Thomas plans to continue competing.
– From staff reports