Celebrate America at local July 4 events

Once again I'll be heading into the skybox in front of The Resort Plaza Shoppes on Sherman Avenue between Second and Third streets for the best view of the Fourth of July American Heroes Parade: the announcer's booth. I haven't missed many Fourth of July parades in Coeur d'Alene in more than four decades; it's become a little slice of Americana. To have Medal of Honor recipient Tommy Norris as the Grand Marshal is such a great reminder of what the day's all about. Our flag still waves o'er the land of the free and the home of the brave. Happy birthday, America!

Last week I was behind a pickup truck at a stoplight near Highway 41 when I noticed a faded bumper sticker with the message "KILL DUNCAN." Then I saw the window stickers in memorial of Mark McKenzie and Brenda, Slade and Dylan.

Nine years ago when the first reports of a horrific triple murder and two young children kidnapped in the dead of night in Wolf Lodge, it was hard to fathom that something like that could happen here, although it's rather unreasonable to think that bad things only happen to other people who live in other towns.

We all waited for news we knew would not be good and speculated on who could have done such a thing, why would they do such a thing and where those innocent young children could be ... and how their family must suffer the not-knowing.

Then, miracle of miracles, little Shasta Groene was rescued on July 2, 2005, and we had a brief, fleeting moment to rejoice, as long as we didn't think too much about the tragic, horrible fact that she'd been nearly two months in the clutches of a genuinely evil and perverted predator and that her brother, Dylan, was nowhere to be found. He would later be found, and it again became too awful to imagine what unspeakable terror Shasta must have survived that Dylan did not.

Joseph Duncan has visited a lifetime of sorrow and tragedy on three families. He scarred an entire community and stole a bit of innocence from our children. Duncan now sits on death row.

Sincere condolences to the driver of the pick-up with the bumper sticker, who likely is a relative or friend of Mark McKenzie and who lives with the loss every single day.

'Tis the season for motorcycles and bicycles on the roads of our communities. For the seventh year, Pastor Jonathan Owens (J.O.) of Heart of the City Church will officiate the Blessing of the Bikes. Motorcycles - and bicycles, too - will be prayed over, asking safety for their riders and passengers. The public is welcome to attend in the parking lot of the church at 521. W. Emma, just off Lincoln Way in Coeur d'Alene at 1:30 p.m. Sunday, July 6. Pastor J.O. will share a brief inspirational word and give a vest patch and Biker Bible to attendees.

Blessings are appreciated but motorists also need to be extra vigilant on the road for motorcycles and bicycles. Win-win.

My shift volunteering the last few hours at the Ironman finish line was even more incredible than I had imagined. In a dozen years of celebrating and cheering on the athletes, there's nothing like the interaction with the individuals as they finish and receive their medal. I had some inspiring moments Sunday night that will stay with me for a long time. Seeing the last man standing - or, more accurately, crossing the finish line literally seconds before the midnight cutoff - was something else.

One of the finish line volunteers I met was especially impressive. Turns out the volunteer was Cathy Stephens, who competed in Ironman Coeur d'Alene in 2012 and finished 23 seconds after the midnight cut-off time.

I "caught" about a dozen athletes as soon as they crossed the finish, guiding them to receive their medal, T-shirt and hat and the removal of their ankle band timing chip, then over to have their official photo taken before handing them off to the post-race medical evaluators. We'd make small talk about where they were from, if this was their first or fifth Ironman. There was an equal amount of emotion and exhaustion for most of those I "caught" in the last hour or so.

As one of the athletes came across, I congratulated her and said I was going to take her from there, she then asked if I was Kerri. I said yes, but didn't recognize her. I looked down at her race bib to read her name and said, nice to meet you Julie. As we walked she said she had read in my column that I'd be at the finish line for the late shift and she wondered if we had meet. My assumption was that she must be a local Press reader.

On Monday, I looked up her race number, 855, and was surprised to see that Julie McGroarty lives in Hagerstown, Md. She likely had arrived a week or so early to Coeur d'Alene and had been reading the local newspaper. Ironman really is a small world.

Samantha Peugh and Matt Lickfold were married June 14. Two weeks later, the newlyweds won first place in the wife-carrying contest at the rodeo in Bonners Ferry. The prize? $500 and your wife's weight in beer!

Follow-up to last week's column mention of the billboard: The television commercial broke on Monday. How do I know? People started calling and posting that they'd seen "Vera" and we looked a lot alike.

Happy birthday today to Tonya Bean, Jim Dennison, Ron Baltzell, Ted Wright and Red Cozzetto. The same tomorrow to Jeff Ward.

Friday, the United States of America, Brent Regan, Chris Atkinson, Jennifer Locke, Joscelyn Ramsey, Jake Campbell, Keri Roybal, MaryBeth Matthews, Dick Lind (70!), Tyson Chamberlain, Britney Davenport, Jack Smetana, Glenda Johnson, Amber Hunt, Teresa Espe and Orla Kahl celebrate their star-spangled birthdays.

On Saturday, Steve Hanson, John Beutler, Chris Hollibaugh, Kaila Hansen, and Amy Dreps will enjoy another trip around the sun.

Alivia Lickfold is turning 1 year old, and Barb McCarley, Bill Brooks, Wade Jacklin and Robin Ducote will blow out the candles on Sunday.

Marking birthdays on Monday are Becky Lee, Susie Jameson, Tim Adams and Susie Sullivan.

July 8 is the birthdate of Taryn Thompson, Peter Finney, Bev Hammond, Dawson Brown, Ron Jacaban, Beverly Knapp and Carrie Erickson.

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 and Kerri can be contacted on Facebook or via email mainstreet@cdapress.com. Follow her on Twitter @kerrithoreson.