Huckleberries

It’s easy to imagine how Chris Guggemos would introduce his follow-up act.

Wearing white summer shorts, a tucked-in Hawaiian shirt and a wide smile, Coeur d’Alene’s Music Man would urge the crowd: “Let’s have a big round of applause — for Michael Koep.”

Then, he’d pause a few beats and add: “Oh, come on now; you can do better than that.”

Michael, of Koep Concerts, deserves enthusiastic applause. He will keep free summer music alive in the park, despite a late start in fundraising and signing bands, after Chris’ death last September.

“It was challenging,” Michael said. “But Chris left behind beautiful groundwork and connections.”

Michael, the drummer for the popular local band, The Rub, has lined up nine Sunday concerts for City Park this summer, from July 2 to Sept. 3, and six Thursday concerts at McIntire Park in Hayden, from July 6 to Aug. 17. No concerts are scheduled for Rotary Centennial Park (formerly Sherman Square Park) on Sherman Avenue, due to construction of the 18-story Thomas George building nearby. But, Michael said, the Tuesday “pocket park” productions will return for summer 2024.

The highlight of the season will be the July 16 memorial tribute to Chris at City Park. Michael’s Rub bandmate Cristopher Lucas and a handful of other singer-songwriters will play and explain their original music, as well as Chris’.

Many of the bands this year will be familiar to fans of the summer concerts: Pastiche, Tuxedo Junction, Coeur d’Alene Big Band, Zonky, The Hankers.

Said Michael: “I’m leaning on legacy gigs this year. I want everyone to be comfortable. We’ll slowly switch things up as we go along.”

During the summer concerts, Michael will embrace Chris’ customary role of thanking sponsors during hourly breaks. But he doesn’t plan to perform during them.

“I don’t like to get in the way,” he said.

On his rounds to promote this summer’s playlist, Michael has encountered “overwhelming delight.” Sponsors and fans are gleeful that Chris’ legacy and the summer music will live on.

A turning point

The Coeur d’Alene Press of the day heralded the approach of “an epochal milestone in the history of North Idaho Junior College”— an institution the paper called “an orphan.”

Seventy-five years ago (June 8, 1948), county voters went to the polls to decide the future of NIJC. A $496,000 bond was on the ballot to construct an administration building and gym auditorium at the junction of Lake Coeur d’Alene and the Spokane River.

At the time, the rapidly growing college was spread over six buildings downtown — City Hall, an annex building, Masonic Temple, Little Round Table, Roxy Theater and the fair building. Space in two of the buildings was donated. NIJC paid rent for the other four places.

The Press wasn’t impartial during the bond campaign. Under a headline that included the words, “Orphan Needs a Home,” it opined:

“The bond election brings the fate of the college’s future up to these crossroads: Shall there be progress? Or shall the long-congested present quarters continue to serve the fast-growing NIJC institution which has earned high praise for its educational standards and for its lowest per capita cost of any college or university in the Gem state.”

A two-thirds supermajority was required to approve the construction of a two-story building for classrooms and offices and a gym auditorium that could seat 3,000.

Voters gave the bond 70% approval — 972-419. Coeur d’Alene and Post Falls provided 892 of the “yes” votes. The negative votes came from the outlying areas, including Rathdrum (10 yesses, 74 nos), Harrison (10 yesses, 42 nos) and Worley (three yesses, 53 nos).

“The successful outcome of the election is due to the unselfish efforts of many persons,” said former college President G.O. Kildow after the vote.

Immediately, trustees announced plans to open NIC’s new home for the second semester of the 1948-49 school year.

Now, of course, NIC stands at another crossroads, brought low by an ideological agenda of the trustee majority. It’s hard to say if the college will survive another 75 years — or even until this fall.

Singing for suppers

Doug Clark is: 1. Former editor of the Coeur d’Alene Press. 2. Former columnist of the Spokesman-Review. 3. Best man at my wedding 48 years ago. 4. Founder of the Trailer Park Girls band of Spokane. 5. Founder of Street Music Week.

The answer is: All of the above. And one more thing about Doug — he’s a terrific guitarist/vocalist who will sing on Sherman Avenue with dozens of other buskers during a lunch hour this Monday through Friday. He and other entertainers will perform for donations to the Second Harvest Food Bank in Spokane and Coeur d’Alene.

Over the past 20 years, the event has raised about $315,000 to feed hungry people in the Inland Northwest. Doug invites anyone with even a smidgen of talent to join this worthy event. More info is available at streetmusicweek.com.

Huckleberries

• Poet’s Corner: It’s June,/too soon — The Bard of Sherman Avenue (“Speeding Toward”).

• Limericking: This week those in their senior years,/Will cross that big stage to great cheers./Moms and Dads are all proud,/But some won't say aloud,/They'll be privately shedding some tears — The Humble Spud (“GRADS”).

• This Bud's for You: Budweiser may be ensnarled in a culture war today. But 40 years ago (June 9, 1983), the Anheuser-Busch product was a Suds god. A survey of Coeur d’Alene’s four major beer and wine distributors ranked Bud No. 1 in Kootenai County — and it wasn’t close — with Coors, Heidelberg, Rainier and Hamms tied for second.

• Trivia Question: Today, Paul Van Noy is the somewhat controversial pastor of a major local church. Can you name the non-clerical job he held 25 years ago (June 10, 1998) while starting Candlelight Christian Fellowship? Pat yourself on the back if you guessed — manager of North Idaho Spas in the Sunset Mall for owner Bill Connolly.

• Low Ball: On June 10, 2013, Anne Nesse and others launched an initiative drive at Riverstone Park to raise Idaho’s minimum wage above the federal rate of $7.25. The activists wanted to increase the state minimum wage to $9.80 over four years. The attempt failed and the low-ball wage remains $7.25 10 years later. Of course, few will work for that today.

Parting shot

The late Larry Strobel, a local mail carrier who played a mean French horn, is remembered as the founder of the beloved Perfection-Nots. Larry formed the ragtag group for the 1977 Fourth of July Parade after a chamber manager pleaded for more marching bands. The Perfection-Nots are known for their zany costumes and stirring sounds. Thirty years ago (June 4, 1993), Larry answered personal questions for a Press mini profile. Favorite Saying: “If you want it done right, do it yourself.” Pet Peeve: “People who say they will do things and then don’t come through.” And he had this to say about his goal in life: “To retire and live happily ever after in Coeur d’Alene, and make the town a better place to live.” Words to live by.

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D.F. (Dave) Oliveria can be contacted at dfo@cdapress.com.