This has been a lake-play-in-Western-Montana week so I haven't had my usual connections. I have several leads on new places, but none are immediate. I'll save those for upcoming issues.

So this week will be a how-I-get-my-stuff and how-I-got-into-it issue.

Most of my tips and information comes from readers, both spies who see or hear about something happening and from business people who want me to publicize their places. Usually these reports come by email to [email protected]. Some spies will be townspeople I see.

They'll know who I am and say, "Did you know ...?" Some of these will be regular contacts such as people in organizations and business people, such as Carla, a teller at my Wells Fargo bank.

I read the commercial building permits on city-town websites and in the Journal of Business. I watch the ads in both this and other publications. Sometimes a competitor will have news we haven't run so I'll grab that. Another good source is the Internet, especially www.inlandnwbusiness.com.

We live in the northeast corner of town so when I drive to another area I try to take different commercial routes to notice any changes. This especially worked well when I taught journalism at North Idaho College in the southwest corner of town. I watch for activity in a building that has been empty, for a business that suddenly is no longer there, for a "leased" sign, for building activity in a building or vacant lot.

My favorite related story is when I notice surveyors in property north of Neider Avenue and between Fourth Street and Government Way. On the way to NIC, I pulled over to the edge and ran into the field.

The workers wouldn't tell me what they were surveying for. On the way home I saw they were gone. I walked into the field and looked at their markers. In a far corner of the property one stake was labeled "Costco." Yea! What a scoop that was! A newsperson's favorite triumph is to get a scoop!

I go to a few business peoples' meetings such as a weekly one I call Tips Club. Each attendee tries to have some business news - such as a new, closed or moving business or one with new owners, whatever.

I use plenty of connecting people such as Realtors and those in key city and county offices. It's an exciting profession to be the first "local" to know the local business news.

With me the "news" business started in grade school when I had "the" Spokesman-Review paper route in Thompson Falls, Mont. Originally from New York City, my parents moved to T. Falls when I was a kid as my dad, the only doctor for many miles, considered it the most ideal place. Because T. Falls in the '50s didn't get TV yet, with my paper route I was the first human in town to know the news - and the scores. In high school I worked for the Sanders County Ledger, the weekly paper, and was editor of my high school paper with a fantastic journalism and English teacher, Esther Lawyer.

All four years in journalism school at the University of Montana I wrote and edited sports for the Missoulian newspaper full time on nights and weekends. Avoiding the Vietnam War draft by joining the Coast Guard in 1967, I was a journalist for them in San Francisco and Great Lakes, Ill. I covered sports for those city papers on weekends.

In 1971 new wife Mary and I went to Seattle where I was sports editor for suburban papers for nine years - a special nine years as that's when Seattle got its professional sports teams.

Not wanting to raise kids in the city, we discovered Coeur d'Alene by driving through on trips to Montana and visiting brother Mark who went to NIC. I started at the Coeur d'Alene Press "the week the mountain (St. Helens) blew" in May 1980 and transferred to the NIC job in 1984. I continued weekly columns.

It's been a great life with great people in a great location. Thanks to you all!

Now for the Tidbits

- Watch for news on ResCare HomeCare on Ironwood, Premier Discount Auction and Center in Post Falls, the vacant property in the southeast corner of Sixth and Sherman, Pinot's Palette and a hookah lounge on Fourth Street, Patriot Pizza in Prairie Shopping Center, Freedom's Burritos where Susie's Kitchen was on Highway 95, Domino's Pizza expanding on Neider and a rumor that Grill From Ipanema is moving to Riverstone.

- "Flier" is the spelling for both the pamphlet and the aviator. "Flyer" is a brand name.

- Last weekend's Art on the Green, Fun in the Park and on Sherman Avenue were all fantastic. I wonder what the vendors pay for their spaces ...

- A sign above a urinal in the Montana office where I'm writing this said, "Stand closer. It's not that long." It must be referring to length of time ... or Montana men. Heh, heh.

- The "Missoulian" newspaper is now $1.50 for a daily issue and $3 for Sunday. A July 21, 1969, issue on our lake house shelf with the front page headline "We're on the moon!" cost 10 cents.

- Contact Nils Rosdahl at [email protected].