Leap of faith to live the dream

In the spring of 2012 I was at the Reverse Job Fair, where Post Falls High School seniors prepare displays of their career choice and professionals from the business community walk through and interview each student. Most are very traditional careers: Physical therapy, diesel mechanics, computer technology, etc.

One of the students really caught my attention. With a sweet face and long blond curls, Ashley Honnell was standing next to a large and glittery poster board display that declared her career choice as country recording artist. I was intrigued and asked if she was singing to the interviewers. She handed me a set of headphones and hit play on an iPod so I could hear her recorded voice. Listening to her business plan, I went from intrigued to smitten. I stayed in touch over the next months and interviewed her on the radio twice.

For the last three years since graduation, Ashley has been paying her dues and working hard. I've watched her perform everything from the national anthem at an NIC rugby match and shows at the North Idaho Fair, to holding her own on stage with Kelly Hughes and performing at clubs with her own band.

This week, Ashley and her very supportive parents, Mark and Lisa Honnell, are taking a 2,000-mile leap of faith as they pack up and move to Nashville, Tenn. We tell young people to follow their dreams and it's inspiring when they actually do just that. My money's on Ashley Honnell of Post Falls, Idaho, to be the next big thing in all of country music.

Walked out the front door early last sunny Sunday morning and thought I'd stepped into a Disney movie - a family of quail strolling about, dozens of sparrows chirping, robins breakfasting on berries and an unseen songbird in fine voice. The only creatures missing were Bambi and Thumper.

Ken Gimbel received a sweet 58th birthday present all wrapped in a pink bow when granddaughter Arianna Michelle Gimbel arrived on Feb. 4. Arianna's the daughter of KJ and Alisha Gimbel and joins big sister Mia.

We've heard about the promotion of medical tourism in recent months but for Amy Boni and Pam Houser at the Post Falls Chamber of Commerce, there was an all-time first inquiry by a Canadian traveler last week who walked into the visitor center. Seems he was in search of marijuana dispensaries. Pam politely told him he was in Idaho, not Washington and directed him to the Spokane Valley chamber just across the state line. Party on, dude.

Last week on "Jeopardy!" in the category Bodies of Water, the clue was, "French traders gave this lake, a gem in the state of Idaho, a name meaning "heart of the awl." The answer ... Lake Coeur d'Alene. A contestant actually answered correctly, pronouncing Coeur d'Alene just like the late Louise Shadduck always did, "cur d'lane."

Rest up for the weekend, which will feature a plethora of Valentine's events including the annual Coeur d'Alene Downtown Association's "A Chocolate Affair" on Friday. Start the adventure at the Plaza Shoppes at 5 p.m., and on Saturday visit the Post Falls Community Volunteers' Annual Sweetheart Ball at the Greyhound Park, featuring music by Tuxedo Junction.

Happy birthday today to Carole Tabakman, Trevor Smith, Eleanora Capaul, David Clark, James Shepperd, Jarryn Siebers, Jeff Carlson, Sharon Link, Gordon Leigh, Chad Salsbury, Jody Hissong and Heather Frayer.

Tomorrow, Faith Valente, Bonnie Guindon, Kim Edmondson, Rochenda Crane and Laura Wilson blow out the candles on the birthday cake. On lucky Friday the 13th, Elmer Currie celebrates his 95th, along with Rachel Fehling, Sam Crawford, Ron Vieselmeyer, Jim Prussack, Sherry Adkins, Ken Martin and Toby Flood.

Valentine's Day birthdays will be celebrated by Don James (85!), Jason Hayes, Tripp Rogers, Jan McDaniels, Joe Doellefeld, Susan DuBois, David Lunceford, Jean Bledsoe, Mike Shepperd, Kaelyn Bingham (30!) and LaDonna Beaumont. Feb. 15 is a special occasion for Jeff Conroy, Linda Jagar, Mindy Hatcher, Tracy Dickinson, Craig Smith, Art Sullivan, Sandi Hall and Donna Montgomery.

On Monday Bob Hough, the perennial bobby soxer DJ, turns 88, sharing a birthday with Stephanie Smith, Paula Rehrmann, Tom Thompson, Diana Farquhar, Adam Averill, Craig Bronson, Deanna Goodlander, Morgan Dickinson, Bruce English, Quinn Kennedy and Jim Wilson. Taking another trip around the sun on Feb. 17 are Mike Kennedy, Dorene Russell, Dewey Berndt, Helen Pischner, Lisa Ortize, Steve Mills, Don DuBois, Chuck Ethridge and Mary Button.

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.