Flag mural to honor veterans

It's a road trip with a purpose and New York artist Scott Lobaido is on a mission.

Lobaido is known as America's Artist, a talented and patriotic man with a passion for veterans and first responders - and flags. Big flags.

This winter I read a story about his 2015 50-State Tour and Scott's mission to paint one flag mural on one veterans post in every state. When I contacted him suggesting the Steven H. Nipp American Legion Post 143 in Post Falls as the Idaho location for a mural, we were already on his radar. We sealed the deal in early March and it's been fun to talk, text and follow along online as he makes his way to Idaho to paint a 40-foot by 8-foot flag mural on Post 143, where it will be visible on Poleline Avenue at Syringa Street.

Scott started on Feb. 20 in North Carolina, driving "Betsy," a 2008 Chevy Suburban that, of course, he custom painted. Since then he's painted murals in South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama, New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, Oregon, Washington and is in Alaska before coming to Post Falls next Monday, where he'll work on the mural for 3-4 days. The tour will be complete on Aug. 25 in Virginia.

The 50-State Tour is sponsored nationally by Home Depot and Behr Paints. Locally the Home Depot is providing all materials, site prep work and employees to assist Lobaido. The Coeur d'Alene store is taking it one step beyond and will also send a crew to spruce up the Legion's grounds with bark chips and rock landscaping.

The public is welcome to come out and watch the work in progress and see "Betsy." The Suburban will be auctioned online at the end of the tour to benefit the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation. To see photos from the tour and some of Scott's spectacular murals go to www.scottlobaido.com

Places to go and things to do:

Tonight from 4-7 p.m. is the 9th annual Post Falls Community Fair, open to the public and featuring nearly 100 local businesses displaying their products and services. It's at the Greyhound Park with free parking and admission.

Make dinner plans for Thursday at the 4th annual Best Western Chili Cook-Off, with 100 percent of the proceeds benefiting the Community Action Partnership and the Post Falls Food Bank, at the Coeur d'Alene Inn from 4:30 to 7 p.m. Sample some of the best chili around made by local organizations and businesses.

Friday is the opening show reception for the PFHS art show at the Jacklin Arts and Culture Center from 4:30-6:30 p.m.

On Saturday at Post Falls City Hall from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. there's a recycling event that includes e-recycling (computers/cellphones/printers etc.) and Drug Take Back Day for unused prescription medication with the PFPD.

Saturday from 4-7 p.m. at the Post Falls Senior Center the community will come together to support lifelong resident JoAnn Hildebrant in her battle with cancer. Spaghetti dinner, $5, silent and live auctions and live music with Kelly Hughes.

It's Friday Night Lights on Saturday night for the Trojan football team with door prizes, tailgate dinner, silent auction and all things football. 6 p.m. at Premiere Auction Center, over 21.

The Coeur d'Alene High School Class of 1985 is holding its 30-year reunion Aug. 7-8. Organizers are still searching for classmates and have a Facebook page - Coeur d'Alene High School Class of 1985 - or contact Debbie Brockway Bravo at jndbravo@roadrunner.com or (208)818-7426.

RIP Larry Oleson and Rod Hart. April 23, 1971.

Happy birthday today to Janna Robnett, Ron Strobel, Jeannette Peacock, Mark Nelke, Jim Barrett, Curtis Gregory, Dave Nordby, George Greenfield and Corey Beaver.

Tomorrow, Shelly Enderud, Troy Speziale, Malika Mills, Kevin Bennett, Charlotte Brown, Tracey Singer, Kathleen Schmidt and Tracy Williams will celebrate. Mary Watson, Dan Taylor, Pascale Cafferty, Hayley Gabriel, Dea Lenz, Lori Rogers, Mark McWhorter, Mike Regusa, Eric Haakenson, Jordan Ketzenberg and Tim Ketzenberg have Friday birthdays.

On Saturday, Cheryl Burchell, Lori Hess, Patricia Keller, Cathy Biby, Krystal Arthur and Joey Grunden will blow out the candles. April 26 is the birthday of Sandy Landberg, Patrick Lippert, Marilyn Desjarlais, Tim Skelton and Doneda Allen.

There's a quartet of birthdays on Monday: Dee Sasse, Steve Kane, Frank Jackson and Brittney Blaski. Taking another trip around the sun on Tuesday are Glorie Ward, Tootie Reynolds, Martin Teall, Linette Freeman, Sue Barnard, Beth Bollinger, Barb Forgacs, Star Hart, Corinna Whiting, Jana Pool, Kristina Lallatin, Caitlin Rielly and Larry Locke.

Kerri Rankin Thoreson is a member of the National Society of Newspaper Columnists and the former publisher of the Post Falls Tribune. 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.