Finally!

Before noon on April 24, Easter Sunday, we finally saw temperatures above the 60 degree mark! 2011 has been record-setting in the latest day in April that the temperature cracked 60.

Wordless Weather Report

On this 21st day of April, no words are needed to describe the weather ...

Undersheriff's Last Day Prank

Longtime Kootenai County Sheriff Rocky Watson is a legendary prankster so retiring Undersheriff Tad Leach planned a payback for his last day. Tad (on right) arranged to have a forklift place Rocky's Durango on top of two ammo bunkers in the Sheriff's Dept. yard on Wednesday afternoon. Rocky was a good sport and applauded the prank. The last prank he played on Tad? Shrinkwrapping the Undersheriff's desk ...

Buzz Cut

Kootenai County's Chief Deputy Assessor Rich Houser (left) was shorn for a friend on Tuesday morning. Longtime county appraiser Gary Logsdon has taken an early retirement for health reasons and Rich inspired county staffers to contribute to a going away fund for Logsdon, to the tune of over $1,000! Read this week's Main Street column HERE for more of the story and to discover who else in the Assessor's office is likely to be sporting a buzz cut in the coming days ....

April Showers

In the course of an hour on Monday there was snow, hail, thunder and lightning. Then the sun came out and within minutes the accumulation on the roof melted, sending a stream of rainwater down from the gutters to the rain chain. Only in North Idaho!

Chilly Dash

Runners await the start of the Spring Dash at McEuen Field on Sunday morning. Temperatures were at the freezing mark, which didn't deter over 1,400 participants. Winners of the Team Challenge Spirit Cup were the Red Hot Mamas and Garwood Elementary School won Silverwood passes for all 29 team members for the School Challenge. The annual event benefits the programs of United Way of Kootenai County.
Coeur d'Alene Mayor Sandi Bloem, Post Falls City Councilor Kerri Thoreson and UI Women's Soccer Head Coach Peter Showler judged the Team Challenge Cup competition.

Art Manley Award

Jerry and Diane Shriner were congratulated by former Vermont governor Howard Dean upon receiving the prestigious Art Manley Award at the annual North Idaho Democracy Luncheon. The Shriners were recognized for their service to the Democrat Party in Kootenai County. The event took place at the Coeur d'Alene Casino on Saturday with Dean as the keynote speaker.

Across the Pond

I wrote about my recent adventure to London with my daughter Sarah in the last Main Street column in the Coeur d'Alene Press. An album of photos from our travels ...HERE.

Spring has sprung

Buttercups make their first appearance of the season along the Centennial Trail.