Lost and found and Facebook
After last week’s Main Street column on unintended consequences of a Facebook post, I received an email from reader John Thurston, a Realtor with Windermere Coeur d’Alene Realty. His tale of the reach of Facebook is the stuff of legends. John has been on Facebook for several years, often posting things that showcase North Idaho. He says it’s a great way to connect with potential buyers all over the world.
A few weeks ago John was at the Oakland, Calif., airport flying home from a trip. During dinner at an airport restaurant he set his keys on the table — and not until arriving in Spokane did he realize he’d left them there. He filed reports with the airline and the airport that night.
The next morning John posted on his Facebook page, “I know this is a HUGE long shot, but I left my keys in a restaurant in the Oakland Airport last night. If any of my FB friends are flying through Oakland this morning message me and I’ll give you more info.”
Within a couple of minutes he had a response from a friend who was at Gate 12 in the airport and asked where the restaurant was. John told them the restaurant name and location and five minutes later the good Samaritan sent a picture of his keys. The Facebook friend put the keys in the mail and John received them a few days later. Now that’s an incredible story for sure!
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Coeur d’Alene High School alum (CHS '72) Kent Brooten now lives in Kent, Wash., and really gets around.
Just this week Alaska Airlines debuted a new ad campaign to feature its frequent flier MVPs. There on the side of Seattle city buses is bigger-than-life Kent with the description "Mountaineer and 33 year FF." Kent has yet to see the buses bearing his image in person as he’s traveling in Iceland at the moment — using Alaska frequent flier miles, of course.
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Nothing signals the homestretch of summer like the North Idaho State Fair, which opens today and runs through Sunday. I’ve been attending the fair since the 1960s and love how it’s kept so many of the traditions from the early years but expanded and grown.
It takes a village and we’re fortunate to have so many who are dedicated to celebrating the farmers, ranchers, crafters, gardeners, bakers and artisans who are our neighbors. A special nod to all of the 4-H kids and their families who’ve worked so hard on their projects and who make such a commitment to participate.
More things to do highlights: Tonight at LePeep Cafe in Riverstone, Coeur d’Alene Summer Theatre presents an encore performance of “Living Through the Fire” at 7 p.m.
Also tonight a wonderful Novel Destinations presentation at the Coeur d’Alene Library at 7 p.m. in the Community Room. Captain David Kilmer and his first mate/wife Rebecca will share stories and photos of their adventures traveling to Key West and Cuba in Chasing Hemingway. Free and open to the public.
The Think Big Festival is Friday and Saturday in Coeur d’Alene. www.thinkbigfestival.com.
Saturday the annual Post Falls PD Cops & Kids open house and car show, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Also on Saturday the Highlands neighborhood’s Law Enforcement Appreciation Spaghetti Dinner at American Legion Post 143 in Post Falls, 3 to 7 p.m. and on Sunday the K-27 Forever benefit for the Thin Blue Line water feature at McEuen Park 4 to 8:30 p.m. with live music and food.
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Happy birthday today to Mike Dodge, Linda Fox, Lori Chissie, Sarah Rasmussen and Eric Burgeson.
Taking another trip around the sun tomorrow are Jeff Selle, Ali Shute, Angie Penzkover, Rhonda Budvarson, Staci Anderson, Cindi Carlson, Mack Mannschreck and Lydia Myers.
Putting on their party hats on Friday are Sofia Armstrong, Andrew Evenson, Pam Grenny, Cam Crollard, Juilianne Rinard, Perry Peterson, Warren Bakes, Irene Watkins, Troy Blood, Lita Balbin and Phil Higgs.
Jan Berry, Peggy Sawicki, Ed Mitchell, Mike Wood and George Forgacs start their annual celebration on Saturday.
On Sunday Freya Ford, Jack Reiswig, Marissa Leupold, Steve Slaney, Michelle Garcia, Dirk Scott, Samantha Dirks, Becky Fletcher, Darlene Johnson, Judy DeTar, Karen Huber, Laurie Sutton, Loretta Richards, Pearl Brown and Spencer Messina (16!) blow out the birthday candles.
Best wishes on Monday to Jeannie Peugh (75!), who shares the date with Ashley Smart, Stacey Holley, Randy Marmon, Cindy Foulk, Bob Myklebust, Lori Barker, Cody Jewell, Merle Bartlett and Arvada Schmacher.
On Tuesday Carrie Kralicek, Bryan Williams, Luke Sommer, Cyndie Lempesis, Jarin Bressler, Bjorn Handeen, Gen Twete and Stefany Mealey celebrate the anniversary of their birth.
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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.