Upon graduating high school we all face the same challenging question: What do I want to do with my life? One path is to continue your education at a traditional four-year university, community college or technical school. Many enter the workforce in a wide range of jobs or family owned business. Still others feel the need to serve their country through military service. And a few simply set out to explore the world while they aren’t tied down to a career, marriage or family.

The final straw was a very large branch. And when it fell on her son’s car, Sharalee Armitage Howard knew the centenarian tree in front of their Coeur d’Alene house had to go. “He had literally just won the Hayden’s Got Talent competition,” Howard said of her juggling, harmonica-playing son, “and within a half hour a branch fell on his car.” She and her husband had long figured they needed to remove the tree, but the most recent crash accelerated those plans. It was a dauntin

You never know when the snow will actually stop falling in this part of the country, but for skiers and riders, sadly, the season must eventually come to an end. While there should still be plenty of great days here in March, it’s never too early to start planning the inevitable meltdown. Diehards are prepping their spring-condition skis and boards—the ones you don’t mind getting dinged by a suddenly exposed rock or fallen tree limb. While conditions might tend to deteriorate

Husband and wife and business owners Joel and Shawn Anderson have been providing their exceptional services through Monarch Custom Homes for the past 20 years, priding themselves as a true custom home builder, working with their clients closely from the very beginning of the home build process to the end. From helping guide their clients in evaluating and choosing the right location and lot to site development, complete home construction, interior design help and everything i

Serving the greater Coeur d’Alene and Spokane communities for more than four decades, Pool World opened its doors in 1976 by husband and wife Kerry and Lyla Henderson. Today, that commitment to service has been passed on to their son Mark Henderson. The family owned local business has been—and continues to be—dedicated to superior quality products, services and personnel since day one. Formerly located on Sunset Avenue in Coeur d’Alene, they moved locations to Appleway (acros

Devin Sorrelle Lake City High School With hard work and determination, you can achieve anything. That is something that Lake City High School senior Devin Sorrelle said he has learned by being involved in wrestling. He is in his second year as captain of the LCHS wrestling team and was a 2018 qualifier for state as well as a 2019 Pacific Northwest Classic runner-up, and he placed in the 2019 Jug Beck Rocky Mountain Classic. Devin shares that his biggest challenge when it come

Carson Magee has accomplished a lot. When we last checked in with him five years ago, he was inventing new technologies and watching a design of his whiz by on a formula one racing car. He’s met and shared stories with sports legends, been featured on local TV and in print articles, and given presentations to congress and the governor of Idaho. Carson was diagnosed with Type I diabetes at 7 years old. Now 16 and a sophomore at Coeur d’Alene High School, Carson continues to us

It was freezing outside. The chill in the air was biting, and the ocean roared as waves crashed on the long, sandy beach. A gentle breeze blew as the sea mist coated our faces. Though it was August, it was mid-winter in New Zealand. And my family and I, including a 5-month-old and a 2-year-old, were about to ditch our warm clothes for swimsuits. And dig in, literally, at Hot Water Beach hot springs. Hot Water Beach is on the East Coast of the Coromandel Peninsula on the North

Food has always been the centerpiece of just about any society. When ancient cultures would meet and introduce themselves, an exchange of each culture’s delicacies and staple foods was typically at the forefront. Europe’s demand for spices from India and China during the spice trade opened up all kinds of new trade routes and continued the sharing of cultures and goods. As our world continues to become more and more connected, these ingredients that were once incredibly diffi

Dejah Wilson Lake City High School Seventeen-year-old Dejah Wilson is passionate about basketball. But to her, it is not just a physical game but a game of emotions as well. “I enjoy everything about basketball. Just being out there running around. There’s just something about it that I just can’t let go of; it takes every emotion a person has,” said Dejah. “First you’re anxious, then you’re either in the flow or you’re getting upset, or you just won the game and you’re so ex

At his desk at the Museum of North Idaho, Robert Singletary shuffles loose papers into stacks, clearing a bit of space. This time of year, the museum in Downtown Coeur d’Alene is only open by appointment, but that doesn’t mean the 84-year-old is slowing down or short on work. “The museum is closed, but this is the real stuff. It’s the part of the ship that doesn’t show,” he said. “It’s a different kind of busy.” On an adjacent table sits a four-inch stack of copies of the Coe

The New Year is upon us, and many have made the resolution to improve their lifestyle to better their health, and for many that starts with joining a gym. If you are looking for a fitness center that is known for providing superior customer support and specializing in real results, look no further than Snap Fitness in Hayden Lake. Opened in 2011, owners Jeff Spencer, Bret Spencer and Matt Grogan partnered together with the purpose of providing the local community a positive a

The mission of Hospice of North Idaho continues, and always will be, to provide professional and expert end-of-life care to both patients and family members, regardless of their financial circumstances. Grief and loss counselors and medical staff help make life comfortable for the afflicted and provide guidance and hope to grieving and struggling family members. While many have insurance, others have little to no funds to pay for services, but no matter the situation, Hospice

My first impulse was to slug the doctor. Not because he had just diagnosed me with the chronic disease known as multiple sclerosis. It was his bedside manner and an apparent lack of compassion. My neurologist was probably being practical when he suggested that my wife and I stop on our way home to buy a cane and insisted that we purchase as much life insurance as possible “while I still could.” This could not be happening to me. Not now. I had just started to live my dream. S

We all know that we are truly blessed to call Coeur d’Alene our home. Not just because of its natural beauty but because of the community in which we live. It is a community made up of the young, the young at heart and everyone in between. We are from all walks of life, financial status, retirees and those with aspirations yet to be fulfilled. The hospitality, kindness and generosity of those who live here can be seen not only this holiday season but throughout the year. We a

Looking forward, successful convergence of information technology (IT) and operational technology (OT) will be a driving force behind business-growth initiatives. Through the integration of these two disciplines, companies can utilize real data to drive efficiencies and productivity that will accelerate product-to-market times and boost demand while reducing costs and risks. It also creates opportunities for economic growth that strengthen communities. While operational techn

The holiday season means many things to many people, but the true spirit of the season is the generosity and kindness shared among family, friends and even strangers. There is a constant need for those who are less fortunate, and December is a time where you can really make an impact in your community. You don’t have to be a huge financial donor to make a difference, as there are so many ways you can help improve the lives with simple acts of kindness, an extra purchase or a

Toriana Wilson Lake City High School Hard work and dedication have led Lake City High School senior Toriana Wilson to be ranked fourth in her class of 374 seniors and maintain a 4.287 GPA. Her course load is nothing less than challenging with honors, advanced placement and dual-credit courses. In addition to a challenging academic schedule, Toriana has been a member of the Lake City High School varsity swim team for the past four years, serving as captain this year. “This yea

With a mission to create a world in which all individuals and families can achieve their full potential through education, financial stability and healthy lives, United Way of North Idaho is continuing to lead the way in engaging community leaders in charitable giving campaigns to help advance the common good of our local communities. Established in 1957 as the United Crusade organization so that more funds would remain here in North Idaho, United Way of North Idaho is a 501

Fifty years ago, I was an acne-faced teenager desperately trying to cling to the tail of the political unrest that had swept our nation. While most of my junior high classmates spent their after-school hours on ball fields, my days were filled with creating memorable catch phrases that could be painted on poster boards that I prepared for the next rally against social injustice or the bloody war in Vietnam. My lunch hours were filled with gatherings of like-minded young peopl