National Public Telecommunicators Week is coming April 14-20. It's an opportunity to recognize the Emergency Communications Officers (dispatchers) and their contributions to our communities. It takes a unique skill set to be the person calmly and clearly communicating from the public to the police officers and first responders in the field, often during a time of crisis.

A sincere thanks to the ECOs from the Post Falls Police Department: Michaela Thompson, Nancy Ray, Amanda Hughes, Lori Flood, Hillory Wichman, Jennee Nixon, Annette Clark, Emily McEvoy, Laura Claffey, Nicole Leslie, Joanie Huska and Laurie Sutton, who dispatch for Post Falls and Rathdrum and to Kootenai County Sheriff Department ECOs Carol Brown, Beverly Crawford, Cheryl Hallgren, Linda Lane, Barbara McDonald, Shelly Renner-Allen, Staci Syth-Benzon, Tina Tipke, Talina Moyer, Peter Cangany, Beverly Crawford, Stephanie Erickson, Amanda Greil, Cary Howard, Jennifer Keyes, Scott Leslie, Dameon Metzger, Chelsey Nye, Kathlene Patchett, Jeanene Pitts, Lindsey Robinson, Tony Sorensen, Melinda Stallings, Tami Taylor, Michael Vargas, Mathew Wallace and Derek Wilson, dispatching for Coeur d'Alene and throughout Kootenai County.

Hats off to the North Idaho Fair and Rodeo Foundation for an incredible event, the second Cowboy Ball. The Jacklin Building at the Kootenai County Fairgrounds has been refurbished and is a great new venue for the area.

More than 700 people attended the Cowboy Ball, with dinner courtesy Texas Roadhouse, a spacious dance floor and just a fun time with Kelly Hughes and his band.

All proceeds benefit capital improvements for the North Idaho Fairgrounds.

What I love about this event is the support of so many in our community who are actually ranchers and farmers, the real deal among the rest of us "rhinestone cowboys." It's a reminder of the traditional economy of this area.

A treasure from the Cowboy Ball silent auction ... a print of an original 1990 painting of a gray thoroughbred by Claudia Steinley Shelhamer. Thanks to Barb Renner for donating the print to the auction, it now hangs in my office.

Players and coaches from the undefeated state champion Coeur d'Alene Viking football team of 1982 will be honored at the Idaho Sports Banquet on Saturday at the Best Western Coeur d'Alene Inn. They brought home the first state football championship for the Vikings in '82 with a 12-0 record. This week I visited with one of those players, Rick Rasmussen, who has great stories of the era, including many involving his late father and coach, Gary "Big Daddy" Rasmussen. It sounds like there will be quite a Viking football reunion at the banquet on Saturday. For ticket info: 765-3200.

Another of those "I Love Where I Live" events celebrates Arbor Day with the annual Free Tree Day at Q'emiln Park in Post Falls on Saturday. Coordinated by the Post Falls Parks and Urban Forestry departments and made possible by sponsors Cannon Hill Industries, JUB Engineering, Pioneer Title, Century 21 and Panhandle State Bank, along with volunteers, people can choose up to three bare-root trees. Several varieties will be available from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. It's not just for Post Falls residents, our neighbors are welcome to come adopt a tree for their yards, too!

More places to go and things to do ... Thursday is the Post Falls Chamber's Community Business Fair with almost 100 businesses and organizations represented, from 4-7 p.m. at Greyhound Park. It's open to the public and free. Saturday events include the third annual Walk/Run for Autisim Awareness at Riverstone, the Bryan (Elementary) Bounce at the CHS gym, a benefit concert for the North Idaho Violence Prevention Center at Paddy's and a reunion for the Kelly Hughes Band at Big Al's, which is the former home of Kelly's Grand Ol' Oprey. Whew, busy weekend.

Happy birthday today to Dianna Scott, Sandra Borg, Rosie Diana, Sharon Finnerty, Kathryn Rosa and Nancy Benjamin. Tomorrow Idella Mansfield, Lonna Duncan, Patrick Jacobs, David Bond, Doreen Johnson, Karen Reagan and DiAnna Macklin will celebrate. On April 12 Mallory Stubblefield-Martinez, Russell Heistuman, Connie Munk and Kevin Reed will kick up their heels. Look for Madison Leonard, Evalyn Adams, Kathy Behm, Sandy Robertson and Corbin Messina to blow out their candles on Saturday. Phil Damiano, Joan Harmon, Delaine Lewis, Mark Robitaille, Dana Shapland and Bill Gough, aka the One Man Band, have Sunday birthdays. Next week starts with another trip around the sun for Caroline Crollard, Tori Gray, Randy Teall, Doug Harms, Kara Hicks and Judy Donner on Monday and JD Dickinson, Leslie Gourley, Kevin Johnson and Tom Fisher on Tuesday.

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 2013 by the readers of the North Idaho Business Journal. Main Street appears every Wednesday in The Press and Kerri is on the air Mondays and Wednesdays on 1080 ESPN AM (KVNI). Find her on Facebook or via email mainstreet@cdapress.com.