Everyone was dancing in the street
Enjoyed time in the announcer's skybox for the Fourth of July parade, partnering with Marilee Wallace Dionne and once again we invited the kids to come dance in the street while waiting for the parade start. Kids of all ages were getting "Happy" when I noticed two familiar faces taking a twirl in the middle of Sherman Avenue. The ageless octogenarians Bob and Coke Hough were enjoying themselves immensely. Not hard to see where their talented grandkids of "Dancing with the Stars" fame, Derek Hough and Julianne Hough, come by their fancy footwork.
Thanks again to Curtis and Kevin from ROX, who are pretty good at getting me up and onto the scaffolding. When I said I'd keep announcing the Fourth of July parade as long as I could still climb up and down the ladder, Curtis said not to worry he could put in an elevator. :)
Didn't get to see Sarah Palin, who was watching the parade a few blocks down the street, although I did extend an invite for her to join me in the skybox via my brother-in-law Rick Scharf.
Speaking of the parade ... who doesn't absolutely love the talent and entertainment of the Perfection Nots marching band that's made up of former CHS band members of years gone by and musical friends. The band was formed decades ago to provide a marching band for the Fourth of July since the high school band isn't available in the summer.
Now that the Post Falls Festival takes place the second week of July instead of the first weekend of June, Post Falls faces the same challenge. PFHS band director Matt Barkley has put the call out to former band members and adults in the community who play an instrument and want to march in the Post Falls Festival Parade on Saturday morning. Just bring your tuba, trumpet, triangle or whatever to Post Falls High School tomorrow night (Thursday) at 7 p.m. for the one and only practice. Perfection Nots welcome, too!
There were fireworks of celebration for Pat Riley, Northern Lakes Fire District's Deputy Chief of Operations, on the Fourth of July. Pat and Kellie Riley became first-time grandparents when their son Jordan and his wife, Kelly Jo, welcomed Jedidiah William Riley. Baby Jed, weighing in at 9 pounds, 6 ounces, is also loved by grandparents Elaine Fix and Chris Martin. Said Grandpa Pat, let the recruiting into fire service begin!
Post Falls is the place to be for the three-day Post Falls Festival. At beautiful Q'emiln Park on the Spokane River, there are multiple stages with live music and entertainment, along with a large variety of vendors and a beer garden. The beach will be open with life guards but the boat launch will be closed over the weekend.
New this year are lawn mower races at the Post Falls Chamber, running on 5th Avenue and starting at 6 p.m. Friday with free admission. Saturday morning is the parade on Seltice Way, starting at 11 a.m., followed by a noon open house at Kootenai County Fire and Rescue's Station 1. On Sunday morning, bring a chair and join the Community Worship Service on the plaza at City Hall at 10:30 a.m. It's going to be a great weekend in the River City. See the complete schedule of events at www.postfallsidaho.org.
Kudos to Angela Flock for her wonderful acappella rendition of the Star Spangled Banner during the flag raising ceremony at the Ronald Rankin Veterans Memorial Plaza last week. The beautiful flag flies through the month of July in memory and honor of fallen hero Nick Newby.
The Post Falls High School varsity boys basketball team is selling raffle tickets to help defray the cost to travel to play in Reno and Boise this coming year. The grand prize is THE hot ticket, actually four tickets to the Super Bowl champion Seahawks' home opener on Sept. 4 with Green Bay. Other prizes include six tickets to the Gonzaga / WSU basketball game, a guided salmon fishing trip for four on Lake Coeur d'Alene, four rounds of golf at The Coeur d'Alene Resort golf course, floating green and all, and a 55-inch flat screen TV. Coach Mike McLean anticipates there will be great odds since they're only selling several hundred of the $10 tickets. The drawing will be held on Monday, July 14 at PFHS. For tickets contact Mike at mmclean@sd273.com or 661-7518.
Sunday is the Coeur d'Alene Garden Club's 17th Annual Garden Tour, featuring five beautiful local gardens. Info: 664-0987, www.cdagardenclub.com
Happy Birthday today to Madison King, Jenny Seaman, Brooke Bowers, Loren Mitchell, Brooke Hell, Jenny Joyner and Renee Christensen and tomorrow Jason Faulkner, Collin Coles, Jim Hail, Sr., Amber Blanchette, Gene Gertson, Jan Ryan, Mike Stevens, Heather Wichman, Darren Olson, Pat Fuller and Michael Garrett take another trip around the sun.
On Friday Richard Jurvelin, Jeri Lee, Bill Graves, Scott Mote, Larry Wendt and Maxine Nelson will celebrate. Saturday birthdays belong to Chelsea Rosenberger-Hajny, BeBe Fletcher (90!), Cheri Burila, Emily Hodgson, Paul Burke and Jim Welborn celebrate.
Sunday is a big day for Ingrid Yates, Mark Daanen, Julia Koontz, Becky Rider, Kris Mans, Brooke Hayden and Karen Applebee. Blowing out the candles on Monday, July 14 are Dee Barnes, Barb Chambers, Kathleen Esquibel, John Lasher, Jim Lyons, Nancy Seright, Jaime Vanderpool and Dawnelle Garvey. Best wishes for a happy birthday on Tuesday to Kris Siebers, Katie Mans, Loretta Lyon, Angela Olson, Andreas John (40!), Julie Ingram, Marisa Buffaloe, Brian Bunch, Wayne Huckabee and Glen Collins.
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.