Summer has arrived. Finally!

Happy first day of summer tomorrow, when we'll receive the gift of sunshine and temperatures in the 80s after a chilly wet first part of the month. Summer solstice marks the longest period of daylight of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.

As of today, the spill gates on Avista's Post Falls dam are closed, which means the Q'emiln Park boat launch is open for the summer.

Over the weekend, I visited Corbin Park on the Spokane River below the Post Falls dam. It’s a beautiful 28-acre wooded park that features covered shelters, picnic areas, barbecue and horseshoe pits, a volleyball court, a softball field and a popular and challenging disc golf course.

There’s access to the river for kayaking, rafting and fishing. It’s definitely not intended to be a swimming beach. The river runs fast and the rip currents can be deadly, even if on the surface all looks serene and calm. Despite multiple highly visible signs warning of the danger, it seems every few years there’s a tragic drowning there. Wading on the shoreline is one thing, but entering the water, even in a raft, without a life vest is risky at best.

So, enjoy all of the outdoor amenities of this Post Falls park, but take the family to swim at Q’emlin Park above the dam where there’s a protected swimming beach.

Here’s to a wonderful summer of recreating on our area’s beautiful lakes and rivers. Respect nature, warning signs and each other.

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Ironman 70.3 is coming Sunday. Athletes of all sizes and shapes will swim, bike and run a total of 70.3 miles for the lofty goal of crossing the Ironman finish line on Sherman Avenue. While I don't comprehend the desire, I salute them all.

Director of Volunteers Dani Zibell Wolfe says there are still opportunities for volunteers to get up close to the action in a variety of roles. If you're an early bird, there are openings for body markers (4:15 to 6:15 a.m.) and wetsuit peelers (5:30 to 9 a.m.), as well as crowd control, swim spotters, run aid stations and more throughout the day.     

You can see the full list and sign up to volunteer for a shift online, ironman.volunteerlocal.com.

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Happy Main Street birthdays today to Jim Morrison, Jake Capaul, Peggy Beebe, Jennifer Smock, Tess Schoultz, Kelly Gwinn, Doug Harwood, Mel Swatzenberg, Paul Ivie, Genia Wortman, Lauren Hoffman, Sue Shibley, Bill Cope, Twyla Cope and Joey Flood. Happy first day of summer solstice birthdays June 20 to Kristen Enders, Lynda Nutt, Daniel Davis, Sherin Diehl, Mark Appleby and Eva Jones. On Friday, Wayne Newby, Jaymee Paul, Lynda Pym, David Wold, Shirley Bade, Randy Watkins, Kelly Rice, L.C. Schell and Stephen Larson celebrate. Joe Butler, Nathan Walker, Camille Lang, Ronda House, Jamie Johnson, Scott Shepperd, Mike Saunders, Bianca Olson and Caitlin Parmentier do the birthday dance Saturday. On Sunday, Dawn Forest, Nancy Nick, Lynne Hammond (60!) and Carly Cline whoop it up. Jim Reynolds, Kathy Bush, Kimi Coles, Rhonda Ellis (50!), Ian Sadler, John Phelps, Sara Wegner and Laura Lahr put on their party hats come Monday. June 25 celebrants are Joann Hildebrant, Bill Reagan, Mikki Stevens, Patty Vogt, Addison Johnson, Jim Guy, Jan Olsen, Angela Mort, Connie McGee, Kylie Gibson, Shanda Johnson, Sally Mackin and Megan Ownbey.

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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.