C-SPAN profiles Coeur d'Alene

COEUR d'ALENE - C-SPAN will be roaming the city this week doing a series of stories on the history of Coeur d'Alene and some of its non-fiction authors.

The Cable-Satellite Public Affairs Network selected Coeur d'Alene as one of 20 mid-sized cities it is profiling for the 2013 City Tour programming series.

The network has been working in partnership with cable companies across America to highlight cities that have rich historical backgrounds and are also home to notable authors, said Ashley Hill, a producer for the network.

The authors footage will air on C-SPAN2's Book TV program on Dec. 7 at 9 a.m., and the history footage will run on C-SPAN3's American History TV program on Dec. 8 at 2 p.m.

The shows will air on Time Warner cable channels 10, 118 and 18.

Hill said C-SPAN wants to focus on unique cities that might not always get a national audience.

"We are looking forward to learning more about the people here and the history here," she said during press conference at the Coeur d'Alene Library on Monday.

She said American History TV videographers will take an in-depth look at the history of fur trading, mining and logging in Coeur d'Alene. They are also going to take a look at the histories of Fort Sherman and the Coeur d'Alene Tribe.

The Book TV crew will be interviewing City Councilman Dan Gookin, who wrote a series of "For Dummies" books, including "DOS for Dummies" and "PCs for Dummies." They will also interview Mike Bullard, who penned "Lioness of Idaho: Louise Shadduck and the Power of Polite," Jerry Dolph, author of "Wyatt Earp and Coeur d'Alene gold!: Stampede to Idaho Territory" and Julie Whitesel Weston, who wrote "The Good Times Are All Gone Now: Life, Death, and Rebirth in an Idaho Mining Town."

During the press conference, Mayor Sandi Bloem, Steve Wilson, CEO of Coeur d'Alene Chamber of Commerce, and Correen Stauffer, Pacific Northwest manager for Time Warner, were asked to help kick off the series.

Hill said that Time Warner made it possible for the nonprofit network to come to Coeur d'Alene for the project.

Stauffer said when she started in cable television 34 years ago, there were only 12 channels and no remote controls.

"We actually had to get up and turn the television channel," she said, adding she is excited to see Coeur d'Alene being profiled on C-SPAN. "We've done a lot of work to bring great programming to this community, and I couldn't be more proud of what Ashley and her team are doing here in Coeur d'Alene."

Bloem welcomed the C-SPAN crew to Coeur d'Alene and encouraged the community to take this opportunity to show off Coeur d'Alene.

"There is nothing we like to do more than showcase Coeur d'Alene," Bloem said. "Let's show it off and show it off well, that's what we do best."

Wilson agreed with Bloem and followed her advice.

"They asked if I would comment on what makes Coeur d'Alene so special," Wilson said "I truly believe that there is a sense of community engagement in this community that is different than others."

It's a small town where a lot of people volunteer to make a difference. He said whether it's someone putting in time with a child's parent teacher organization, volunteering at the library or the Boy's and Girl's Club, Coeur d'Alene is town where individuals can still make a difference.

"I think there is a sense that what we do individually in this community really matters in this community," he said. "And as a community, we do come together. We come together in times of need."

Wilson said some examples of the community coming together include a new library and McEuen Park.