Home stretch to the holidays

A hop, skip and jump back to childhood

A few weeks ago, my husband and I took advantage of one of the last 70-degree sunny days to take a leisurely mid-week drive up the North Fork of the Coeur d’Al…

Gratitude for voters, U.S. Marines and veterans

Since I filed this column before the polls closed yesterday, no Wednesday morning election quarterbacking will be included. To all of the newly-elected and re-…

Christmas quilt jacket comes full circle

In the Oct. 1 Main Street column I wrote ... “Last winter Jesse and I were watching a Hallmark Christmas movie and one of the characters was wearing a Christma…

Career Day inspiration lasts for decades

In the 1980s, a presentation by Missoula Police Chief Doug Chase during a school Career Day inspired Greg McLean to pursue a career in policing. Greg enrolled …

Mammogram experience enlightens

A few months ago, my doctor referred me for a routine mammogram as part of my annual wellness checkup. At my age, every few years for the screening is recommen…

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas for fan

It’s the first day of October, but Coeur d’Alene’s Alisha Kinerson is eager for Christmas. "Last winter, (husband) Jesse and I were watching a Hallmark Chri…

Welcome to pumpkin spice season

I’ve not yet surrendered to the end of summer by draining the pool and putting the floaties and patio furniture into the storage shed. While I truly enjoy fall…

Holding up a mirror on community and country

As a newspaper columnist, I don’t do work that would be considered heroic or dangerous. Sometimes, as someone who weaves words, observes and documents, life ca…

Kindness ripples for decades

In September 1965, our family moved to Coeur d’Alene, then a small town of around 15,000. I was 13 and just starting the eighth grade. Walking up the steps of …

Big smiles for back-to-school photos

Here’s a collective Good Sport Award to the hundreds of kids, from kindergartners to seniors in high school, who let their parents take first day of school pho…

Celebrating life and friendships never gets old

On Monday, I met up with the Birthday Boys and their best girls on the lakeview patio at the iconic Coeur d’Alene restaurant, Tony’s. For the 51st year, they w…

Shining the light on Shasta's long journey

This isn’t so much a book review as it is a revelation. Greg Olsen’s book, "Out of the Woods," written with Shasta Groene, is profound. Yes, there are parts th…

Adjusting to being a retired couple

My much younger husband, Bert, officially retired June 30 after nearly a quarter century with the Lakeland School District Transportation Department and over h…