When I moved to Post Falls in 1985, the town had a population of about 5,000. Jim Hammond was his first term on the Post Falls City Council. We met when I took over as editor of the Post Falls Tribune in 1990. One of my favorite photos on the front page of the Tribune is one I took at Post Falls City Hall on election night in 1991. A jubilant Jim, who had just learned he had won the race for mayor, dipped his wife in the Cyndyand then gave his bride a kiss.
The 1990s were an exciting, thrilling and pivotal time for Post Falls. Businesses, industry and families had discovered our corner of the state and over the next few years made us the fastest growing city in Idaho. Mayor Hammond was just the right person at the right time to set the course for everything that was to come in the next few decades.
We became friends and spent time together bundled up in the stands cheering on the Post Falls Trojans football team when her son played and our daughter was on the cheerleading team. Another fond memory of the 90s is Sunday sundaes with Jim and Cyndie, Thick And Jan Harris, Skip And Jody Hissong, cliff And Jeanne Hayes and I and Bert We took turns hosting casual sundae parties while solving all the world’s problems. It was at one of these gatherings that I tried ammonia cookies for the first time. Cyndie made the treats using her grandmother’s recipe and they were delicious.
Time passed, Jim went on to serve in the Idaho State Senate, and after a stint as city manager of Coeur d’Alene, he threw his hat in the ring to become mayor of Coeur d’Alene. I wasn’t there to take a photo on election night 2021 when he won, but I’m sure there was a kiss.
In our county’s history, Jim was the first person to serve as mayor of both Post Falls and Coeur d’Alene.
In recent years, Jim has struggled with health issues, but he has remained active in public service. Last month, he announced that he would resign as mayor so he and Cyndie could move to Colorado and spend time with their grandchildren. His resignation will take effect on August 31.
It is the end of an era in Post Falls and Coeur d’Alene. Jim was always a first class man, a gentleman, even in difficult times. The Hammonds will always have a place in my fond memories of this community. Good luck.
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Happy Birthday Bill Kinder, Cindi Wimmer, Greg Delavan, Bob Nonini, Billie Collins And Daniel Dahl8. August birthdays are celebrated by Sara Meyer, Jodi Anderson, Eli Yates, Jeff Humphrey, Ken McMeans, Virginia Griggs, Jim Hollingsworth, Jennifer Bokma, Heidi Phillips-Allen And Patty Collins. On Friday, Anne Anderson, Terry Morris, Jack Havens, Kyle Patterson And Christian Strailman blow out the candles. Jeff Grundon, Caryl Johnston, Sydney Sales, Jeremy Morris, Chelsea Cordova, Bonita Koontz, Tim Symons And John Hammon We celebrate her birthday on Saturday. Jennifer Jaeger-Darakjy, Ann Seddon, Phyllis Berry, Erin Valente, Lisa Bell And Edith Uhl Let the corks pop and celebrate Sunday. Joe Paisley, Stacey Berger, Jennifer Pitts, Ed Collins, Claudia Hurt, Deena Krobath, Roger Saterfiel, Ronda Nash, Mariah Silva, Julie Hunt, Jennifer James And Nevaeh Witherspoon Take another trip around the sun on Monday. George Gee, Mike Laverdure, Tery Garras, Michelle Coppess, Donna Flom And Bryan DeKeles put on their party hats on August 13th.
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Kerri Rankin Thoreson is a member of the National Society of Newspaper Columnists and former editor of the Post Falls Tribune. Main Street appears every Wednesday in The Press and Kerri can be contacted on Facebook or by email at [email protected].
