A great fivesome

The annual conference of the Association of Idaho Cities in Boise last week was a great opportunity to meet with mayors, city council members, city managers and assorted department heads from dozens of municipalities from around the state. Topics included water quality standards, Idaho Health Exchange impacts, land use planning, capital projects, building and energy codes, funding infrastructure and neighboring communities collaborating to leverage resources. And that was just the first of three days of workshops.

On Friday during the conference's closing luncheon, Coeur d'Alene Mayor Sandi Bloem, who serves on the association's executive committee, received the AIC Public Service Award. Unable to attend as she's recovering from a leg injury suffered earlier this month, Council President Mike Kennedy accepted on the mayor's behalf.

With about four hours between the end of the conference and the last flight out from Boise to Spokane, I hitched a ride to the airport with Rathdrum Chief of Police Kevin Fuhr, Mayor Vic Holmes, Rathdrum City Administrator Brett Boyer and his Hayden counterpart, Stefan Chatwin. Chief Fuhr took us to an amusement park out by the airport for a rousing 18 holes of miniature golf. Stefan and I were new to the Rathdrum delegation's traditional end of conference game of mini golf.

Brett and I left the others in our dust, neck and neck, each with two holes in one and tied at the end of nine holes. The back and forth lead change continued on the back nine until the 17th hole when I choked and ended up with a 4. On the last hole Brett aced it and I took two shots, to place second by a single stroke. For those keeping score at home, Chief Fuhr ended with a 50, Mayor Holmes 49, Stefan 48, my 41 and Brett's winning score of 40.

Community collaboration in action.

Another Ironman Coeur d'Alene is in the books and again provided a glimpse of our community's incredible volunteerism as well as the athletes' incredible dedication to the sport of triathlons. My volunteer role was one I'd not experienced before ... doping control. The reality of professional athletics is oversight by an independent organization. Our team was in the finish line enclosure and were assigned random placement positions of the elite athletes. We then escorted "our" random finisher to a drug testing station. Fascinating aspect of the race that's under the spectating radar.

Being in the finish line area I had a close up view of Post Falls' triathlete Derek Garcia and his triumphant finish, the first local athlete across the finish line. His wife and three young children were there to congratulate him, too.

By any measure finishing an Ironman is an extraordinary achievement but over the last few years Derek has waged a battle with cancer along the way. It was emotional to see him cross that finish line. He's the kind of guy you want to root for ... not just in a competition but in life.

Andrew and Sara Houser were preoccupied with hockey during last Saturday's minor league Spokane Indians baseball game against the Boise Hawks. Hockey? They happened to be seated next to NHL great Wayne Gretzky, who happens to have a son playing for the Boise team. Andrew said so many people were stopping to ask for autographs and photos the hockey legend was getting a bit impatient, wanting to watch his left fielder son, Trevor, play ball. Wayne is seen around Coeur d'Alene in the summer months and is by all accounts described as a nice guy. Don't blame the proud dad for wanting to focus on the game.

Saturday highlights ... Bikes, Brews and BBQs at The Fairgrounds, Walk a Mile in her Shoes at the HREI and the 9th annual Trae For Kids Golf Tournament at Coeur d'Alene Public Golf Course and Paddy's Bar.

Looking forward to reprising my role as announcer in the skybox for the Coeur d'Alene American Heroes Parade on the Fourth of July ... also can't believe that's just one week away!

Happy birthday today to Kit Hoffer, Rick Rasmussen, Shannon Fish, Chloe Hutter, Ben Wolfinger, Karen Hanson, Cathleen O'Connor, Sheryl Snyder and Ernie Hunt. Tomorrow birthday wishes to Terri Mercer, Janet Smith, John Goodlander, Terri Mercer, Scott Hamilton and Nathan Gubbe. On Friday birthdays will be celebrated by Luke Thoreson, Ashley Honnell, Connie Gridley, Sheryl Sipe and Norma Fencl. Saturday Lyndon Harriman and Neil Conner turn 60, joining Monty Danner, Krystal Gordillo and Carolyn Havens in blowing out their birthday candles.

June 30 birthdays will be marked by Patty McGinnis, George Green, Katie Disney, Kimberly Carlson and Rosie Brown. On Monday, the first day of July, Tim Riordan, Arlene Reichenberg, Bill Brown, Chris Harrison, Byron Hamby and Mark Johnson (60!) will celebrate another trip around the sun. Tonya Bean turns the big 5-0 and along with Jim Dennison, Ron Baltzell, Ted Wright and Red Cozzetto will put on their party hats to celebrate Tuesday birthdays.

Kerri Rankin Thoreson is a member of the National Society of Newspaper Columnists and the former publisher of the Post Falls Tribune. She was voted Best Local Writer for 2013 by the readers of the North Idaho Business Journal. Main Street appears every Wednesday in The Press. Contact Kerri at mainstreet@cdapress.com or find her on Facebook!