Chris Beck and his longtime friend, Steve Judy, have been heading down the St. Joe with Jack Smetana on an annual fall fishing trip for more than a dozen years, including this past weekend. If the name Steve Judy sounds familiar ... in 1998, at age 28, Steve became the youngest mayor ever in Coeur d'Alene. He had no shortage of big issues during his single term, starting with Richard Butler's Aryan Nation applying for a parade permit on Sherman Avenue. Steve and his wife, Michelle live in Meridian now.

*** Ted and Claudia (Dixon) Pryor of Post Falls have been traveling to Reno for the National Championship Air Races since 2003, meeting up with friends and fellow RVers from far and wide every year. On Friday afternoon Ted was in the Row F box seats, and while he escaped injury, those a few rows in front of him were among the nine spectators who were killed when a vintage World War II plane crashed during the race.

***Friday, Sept. 23, is officially the first day of autumn and also the Post Falls homecoming football game with Lakeland. With a weather forecast of mid-80s temps this will be no doubt be one of the balmiest homecoming games in recent North Idaho memory.

***This past Thursday evening we were at the Relish Cooking Show at the Greyhound Park. It was hard to stay focused on the fun, as like many other families of the 116th Idaho Army National Guard we awaited a call that the last 30 soldiers were arriving at the Armory. The two buses left Fort Lewis mid-day and were delayed en route behind a 10-car accident on I-90. Finally got the call that they were just coming into Spokane so I headed out to the Armory.

As the Idaho Street overpass came into view, there was a wonderful sight ... the Kootenai Fire and Rescue ladder truck with firefighters draping a large American flag over the railing to welcome the soldiers home. Then coming to the Armory another incredible sight ... at least three dozen citizens lining the sidewalk along Seltice, holding large flags. In the parking lot were more than 100 family and friends of the soldiers with signs and more flags.

It had been 359 days since the 116th deployed from that same parking lot to combat in Iraq. As the soldiers stepped off the buses we knew for them, as it was for us, a bittersweet homecoming. The presence of their fallen friends and fellow soldiers, Nick Newby and Nathan Beyers, was definitely felt.***

On what we all thought was the last 90-degree day of the summer last week, the monthly Laundry Night was held at the Hagadone Event Center pool deck at the Coeur d'Alene Resort Golf Course. That infinity pool overlooking Lake Coeur d'Alene is incredible, as is the customer service thanks to Hilary and David.

******Saturday is the Post Falls Chamber's Northwestern Gala "Denim and Diamonds" at the Greyhound Park Event Center. Info, 773-5016. The 13th annual Cd'A Race for the Cure is Sunday at North Idaho College and you can register online through tomorrow at www.komancda.org. Info, 665-9888. Mudgy and Millie will celebrate their 3rd "birthday" at the Coeur d'Alene Library on Sunday at 2 p.m.

***Kibbee Walton again worked his photographic magic on the annual updating of this column mugshot. Postage stamp-sized photos are the most flattering of all. :)

***Happy Birthday today to Stacy Hudson and Margaret White. Tomorrow celebrants are Jerry Lyon, Amy Reagan and my baby sister, Ronna Park. On Friday David Thompson, Sue Enright, Craig Owens, Denise Bechel and Madeline Singleton mark their birthdays and Saturday's birthday boys and girls are Justin Capaul, Debbie Michalak, Marv Lekstrum, Cathy Schaede and Steve Evert. September 25 is the birthdate of Cheryl Snyder, Susan Cliff, Michael McGee, Beck Jacobsen, Ronald Schlepp and Cate Kuhlmann, who will blow out 30 candles. On Monday Lisa McElwaln and Darci Allert share a birthdate and the most senior member of this week's Main Street Birthday Club is the fabulous Ruth McDermid, she's marking 83 years on Tuesday which is also the birthday of Loretta Reed and Paul Landers.

***Kerri Rankin Thoreson is a member of the National Society of Newspaper Columnists and the former publisher of the Post Falls Tribune. She was voted Best Local Writer for 2010 by the readers of the North Idaho Business Journal. Main Street appears every Wednesday in The Press. Kerri can be reached at mainstreet@cdapress.com