Biden’s Potential Impact Pages 6-7
The Online Option Page 10
Change of (Holiday) Plans Page 17
Sports & Stage Two
BEHIND THE MASK See pages 12, 13, & 14 for a look into the lives of workers on the frontlines of COVID-19.
Volume 98 Issue l Sandpoint High School shscedarpost.com
Page 20
EDITOR IN CHIEF MOLLY BALISON
TABLE OF CONTENTS | 3
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NEWS | page 4
COVID COLOR CHANGES
An overview of the changes Lake Pend Oreille School District has made to the COVID-19 color plan.
By Chris Koch
News Editor
L
ake Pend Orielle School Disctrict modified their original COVID-19 protocols. The original color plan included green (no community spread), yellow (Minimal to moderate community spread), orange (substantial risk), and red (high-critical community or individual school transmission). Now, the LPOSD school board has adopted a new system that omits the orange phase from the original plan. This allows for more flexibility in the red phase. The new red plan now includes the “Substantial Risk” category as well as the highly-critical community or individual school transmission category. “The Red Plan means that we could continue going to school 5 days a week...with just some increased safety measures, and that is going to be school by school,” said Lake Pend Orielle School Disctrict Superintendent Tom
Albertson. There will not be many changes from the Yellow Plan to the Red plan. One example is that the lunch schedule would change as well when students wear face coverings and when they do not at the elementary level. The teacher’s association played a role in changing the color system. The association and superintendent speak often to try to accommodate for troubles that develop. Albertson said, “Through conversation with the teacher’s association, we felt that [the orange plan] just didn’t fit.” The school board felt prompted to change this system after talking with the teacher’s association and discussing observations made by superintendent Tom Alberson, “We’ve had none to very little student to student spread within schools.” Albertson said. He noticed that students who are contracti-
Original No community spread. Face coverings will be encouraged and there will be smaller classes.
Minimal to moderate community spread. Mandatory face coverings and modified schedule with smaller class sizes. Substantial Risk. Students will only go to school 2 days a week while the other 3 are completed remotely.
Highly-critical community or individual school transmission. School will go full remote in case of a high transmission.
ng the virus are students who are living in a household with an adult that has tested positive. With this in mind, the school board decided that the safety protocols set in place at the schools were effective and that being in school is not very threatening to the students’ health and safety. Albertson discussed a situation that could arise that would effect schools, “What would really probably shut our schools down, is going to be the health of our workers.” Employees in the maintenance, transportation, teaching, and office departments are all crucial for the school to function. The school could potentailly shut down in the new red plan. Albertson said, “The only time we would go to a full remote learning or partial remote learning would be if there was a local or state stay-at-home order.” Albertson discussed another possible
way school would go to full or partial remote learning that is tied in with the new red plan. He explained that if an individual school in the district had a really large student to student spread within the facility, it would not affect the entire district, but only the school where the transmission occurred. This school would shut down for around two weeks until the threat of getting exposed at school is gone. Schools could still resort to full remote learning, but the school board wanted flexibility to stay in school and maximize learning time for students. Based on observation, schools have not been risky places to be during this pandemic. The safety protocols like sanitizing and wearing masks have proven to be effective. This new plan will be embracing this observation and using it to the school districts advantage to keep kids in school and as safe as possible.
New No community spread. Face coverings will be encouraged and there will be smaller class sizes.
Minimal to moderate community spread. Mandatory face coverings and modified schedule with smaller classes.
Substantial risk or highly critical community or individual school transmission. Class is done remotely if a local or state stay at home order is implemented.
NEWS | page 5
M
Graphic Design Editor
ovie theaters everywhere have struggled to be successful. Now would seem like a terrible time to buy a theater. Eric Plummer and Mike Lahosid disagree. These two jumped at the chance to revive Sandpoint’s local movie theater, formerly known as Bonner Mall Cinemas. “With all the closures,” Plummer said, “it wasn’t hard to find [a theater], but we had to act quick. We had to jump in knowing that there could be rough times.” Plummer and Lahosid knew that buying a movie theater was a big risk, but they were confident that they could make great improvements to Bonner
Mall Cinemas. The new managers’ first step in making this entertainment center come alive again was re branding the business as Sandpoint Cinemas. Plummer plans to try to make the theater safer and better than ever. He is working to expand the movie theater’s digital footprint by updating its website and marketing through social media to reach audiences. The managers have also implemented private screenings where people can rent out an entire showing room. In addition, Plummer said he wants to start showing high school sporting events live in the theatre for those who want to watch the games where there are no spectators
allowed. Employees have observed the improvements the new managers have made to the facility as well. Kile Hind, a former employee of Bonner Mall Cinemas, said “They’ve done a lot of work there. [They] put in new candy, new popcorn sizes, and prices are lower. They are definitely trying to get people to come.” All the employees at Bonner Mall Cinemas were let go when it shut down. Luckily, most of the employees were offered jobs at Sandpoint Cinemas when Plummer and Lahosid took over. This was the case for Hinds who currently works for the new managers.
Health precautions are being taken to keep the theater open and the guests safe. Routine cleaning, a limit on the number of people in a showing room, and taped off seats to distance people from each other have been integrated. Employees are suited up in their masks and plexiglass partitions are stationed in the lobby. Several changes have already been made to the theater to give the business a second chance at success. The cinema will most likely be seeing an upswing in business as the pandemic mellows and other businesses start opening again.
TENTATIVE NEXT STEPS
Q & A with the post-secondary guidance counselor about how she is preparing seniors for their next steps.
By Wil Auld
Radio/Podcast Editor & Web Manager
T
he counseling department has had to adjust how they reach seniors and help them plan for what next steps they will take after high school Here is post-secondary guidance counselor Jeralyn Meyer’s take.
Q: What major challenges have you come across during application season this year? A: This year has been extremely challenging in a lot of ways. I think one of the first things is that when we shifted to the four-by-four schedule we sacrificed a lot of things that we have in place for seniors in English and Government class. Currently, we’re really only seeing around half the seniors right now and we’ll see the other half in the spring. Even though that’s not necessarily too late a lot of things that should be happening now for some of those seniors just aren’t. Q: What is the process of helping a student apply for colleges?
A: Fall is for working on applications and FAFSA as well as applying to a range of schools since you really don’t decide until the spring when you get that financial package back. Once they get accepted the students move on to their free application for federal aid. Once the schools get that then they will send a financial aid package to their college email that says how muchfinancial aid] they can help with. After that we help them with their housing application, picking classes, [and] registering. Q: How has this process changed during the pandemic if at all? A: I think, we are not hand holding as much because we used to do apply week with every single senior and everybody applied somewhere. Now, we only got to do that with half the seniors, but we had a very poor turnout for that event. So I think they’re a little more on their own. Q: Are students still getting their ap-
Photo by: Wyatt Leoni Above: Jeralyn Meyer meets with a student and discusses their senior plans. plications in by themselves or are they putting it off? A: I’ve been working along with Kate Neu on calling students and just saying “Okay, where are you in the process? Do you need any help?’ So we’ve been calling students down individually and trying to connect them. Q: How do you see counseling chang-
ing if the school were to shut down again? A: What we worked on last year was really supporting teachers with students that were struggling and reaching out to parents...It’s still a challenge if we go remote again, but I hope we don’t because I think it’s better for students, staff, and everybody.
NEWS | page 6
BIDEN’S POTENTIAL IMPACT What are Joe Biden’s policies, and how (if at all) will they affect the city of Sandpoint?
Photo Courtesy of Shutterstock.com Above: Philadelphia, PA / USA - May 18th, 2019: Joe Biden kicks off his 2020 campaign for the US presidential election at a rally in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. By Connor Bird
Editor-in-Chief
T
he election this year was unlike any other. A record number of votes, runoffs and recounts, and a canceled debate--all the while suffering from a global pandemic. The incumbent, Donald Trump, and the challenger, Joe Biden, ran very different races on very different policies with very different personalities. One thing that is often portrayed today is the “divisiveness of Washington”, but this is not necessarily a new concept. The United States government has faced a “divided government” quite often-where Congress and the President are of different political parties. Since 1968, the President and Congress have often been separate parties, creating dispute and a lack of political action in Washington. And if Georgia elects one or both of its Republican incumbent Senators back into office during the runoff in January, Joe Biden could face a divided government taking office--something a president hasn’t faced since George H. W. Bush did with a Democratic Senate and House in 1988. This could affect his
cabinet nominees, as he can’t rely on his party for congressional approval. Joe Biden ran his campaign on traditional liberal values, fighting with the slogan: “Unite for a Better America”. What would this mean for Sandpoint? Here is a rundown of Biden’s policies:
Minimum Wage:
Wants to raise the federal minimum wage to $15/hr. Idaho’s current minimum wage is the Federal minimum wage of $7.25/hr.
College:
Wants to make 2 years of community college or technical school free.
The Environment:
Wants to stop all new leases for drilling on Federal lands and plans to tax carbon emissions of big corporations.
Gun Rights:
Supports a buyback of previously owned assault weapons, universal background checks, and supports a gun registry. He said that he would not confiscate previously owned firearms, however.
Abortion:
Supports pro-choice, although he is against late term abortions--in line with the Roe vs. Wade decision.
Infrastructure:
Proposes a $1.3 trillion dollar investment in infrastructure over the next 10 years. This includes bridges and bridges, as well as billions more going towards transit. He plans to pay for it by rolling back tax cuts and taxing the wealthy and large corporations more heavily.
Taxes:
Wants a minimum tax of 15% tax on corporations making a net profit of over $100 million a year. This would eliminate any tax loopholes past 15%. He also plans to raise taxes on the wealthiest bracket of individuals to 39.6%, and just like with the corporate tax, set a cap of 28% for tax breaks. The Tax Foundation found that Biden’s plan would collect about $2.8 trillion in tax revenue over the next decade. His plan is projected to decrease the GDP by 1.62% over the “long term” and decrease after tax income for all taxpayers by 1.9% over the next decade, however.
While a lot of these policies and plans seem like a large change, some of them will either be turned down, or never even proposed in Congress. If Biden does start his term with a divided government, many of these policies will be impossible to push through, and will likely have very little impact on the average American. Presidents often run on lofty campaign promises, only to let some of them slip by while they are in office. Idaho is a Republican state, with a Republican House, Senate, and Governor. This means that unless Biden’s policies become a Federal law, not much is likely to change for the people of Sandpoint. Senior Baxter Pollard thinks that change might come to bigger cities, but in Sandpoint people are likely to be unaffected. “Because I live in a small town there is a chance that I won’t be as affected as other people” said Pollard. All information credited to joebiden. com, politico.com, and taxfoundation.
page 7 | NEWS
LIBERAL VS CONSERVATIVE A breakdown of the two biggest political ideologies and their different stances on divisive issues.
GUN CONTROL It is the job of a state or local government to protect its citizens, rather than individuals bearing arms. Stricter gun laws would protect the community from gun violence.
“Probably [the biggest political issue for me] is gun control” -Elijah Daugherty 12
A more literal interpretation of the Second Amendment: that people should be able to keep and bear arms. Individuals should have the right to defend themselves, without relying on government.
SOCIAL ISSUES It is the job of the government to try to fix social issues and promote equality. Support things such as gay marriage, the legalization of marijuana, and immigration.
“I do not like to see people just being put down for something that they can’t control.” -Jake Aitken 12
It is the duty of an individual to make life what they want it to be, with limited help from the government. Support gun rights, but often support more restrictions on other social issues, such as abortion.
ECONOMY Government regulation is needed to level the playing field. Smaller businesses deserve protections from large corporations. The government should be motivated by public interest. Supports higher taxes on the rich.
“As we are getting ready to enter the work force I want to know that there will be a variety of jobs available.” -Riley Cessna 12
A free market system and competitive capitalism provides opportunity for everyone. Jobs are created through supply and demand. This system promotes more economic growth. Supports lower taxes overall.
HEALTHCARE Support universal government healthcare. Believe that healthcare is a fundamental right of a US citizen. Whether or not a person can afford it should not effect their ability to receive it. voted (or would have) for Joe Biden
“COVID is definitely the most important issue for me” -Baxter Pollard 12
Compiled by:
Connor Bird Editor-in-Chief William Auld Radio and Podcast Editor
Healthcare should remain privatized. People shouldn’t be expected to pay into a national healthcare program if they don’t receive the service. Believe that national healthcare would result in poor-quality care. voted (or would have) for Donald Trump
POSTSCRIPT | page 8
2020 RECAP A timeline of the major events that occurred in each month this year.
Graphics By: Peyton Mullen & Connor Bird Compiled By: Molly Balison
NUARY A J
RUAR Y FEB
M A R CH
Australia experienced its most The Senate acquitted charges The global Coronavirus pandisastrous wildfire season burning against President Trump demic hit triggering the stock 47 million acres. after his impeachment trials. market crash.
GU AU ST
The West Coast erupted with devastating wildfires spreading from California to Washington.
PT E S
EMBE
R
JULY
The bubonic plague resurfaced in China.
T O BE R C O
Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the President Trump tested posisecond woman ever appointed to tive for the Coronavirus. the Supreme Court, died.
JUNE
APRIL
Trump declared a State of Emergency for the U.S. in response to COVID-19
MAY
A movement of protests against George Floyd, an innocent racial injustice was sparked by man, was killed by unnecessary George Floyd’s death force shown by a police officer.
VEMBE O R N
Joe Biden won the 2020 Presidential Election becoming the 46th President.
DE
CEMBE
R
A lawsuit was filed against four of the battleground states over the results of the election.
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OPINION | page 10
FIVE FESTIVE FILMS
The best Christmas movies to watch over winter break
NAUGHTY
& NICE
A list of the positives and negatives of the holiday season. By Fallyn O’Connor
Opinion Editor
T Photo by: Piper Frank & Peyton Mullen Above: There are tons of Christmas movies for whatever mood you’re in. By Piper Frank
Outdoors Editor
G
et in your pajamas, grab a hot drink, snuggle up on the couch, and binge watch these Christmas movies over winter break. Here is a review of Christmas movies that are guaranteed to get you in the holiday spirit.
National Lampoon’s 1 . Christmas Vacation (PG-13)
Chevy Chase stars in this hilarious Christmas classic about getting together with crazy relatives for the holidays. Chevy Chase plays the dad in the movie, Clark Griswold, as he tries to put the perfect family Christmas together with lights, decorations, and the perfect tree. The rest of his family shows up unexpectedly and sits back and watches his plans for the perfect Christmas go askew. I love this movie because of the way it depicts how crazy the holidays can be in a fun, goofy way.
2.
Four Christmases (PG-13) The movie Four Christmases stars the actors Reese Witherspoon and Vince Vaughn as a couple who successfully avoids going home to their family for the holidays for years by going on vacation and pretending they are doing charity work. Yet this year, their plane can’t take off and their family finds out about it, so they are forced to visit both of their parents. This is a great movie because their families are crazy, fun, and bring a hectic holiday spirit.
3.
Love Actually (R)
Christmas and the holidays are all about families getting together all around the world surrounded by love. This movie, Love Actually, intertwines nine different Christmas stories that focus on the main emotion that bonds all of us together, love. This movie is not only sentimental, but proves the strong sense of love that spreads around the world during Christmas. How the Grinch Stole
4 . Christmas (PG)
How the Grinch Stole Christmas is a well known short classic film that is highly watched during Christmas. The main character, the Grinch, hates Christmas and everyone until he himself is loved by Cindy Loo Who. Through the love that Cindy Loo gives the Grinch he learns that the Holidays aren’t about tangible items but the wonderful feeling of being surrounded by friends and family that love you.
5 . Home Alone 1 (PG)
Home Alone is a Christmas favorite because it shows how much family means. When nine year-old Kevin Mcallister gets left behind from
his family’s Christmas vacation, he is happy because he now has no rules. He has many adventures but finally realizes that he misses his family. I think this is a great Christmas movie because of the Christmas cheer it spreads and the amusing at home moments
here are several great things about the holiday season, however, some choose to focus on some negative aspects of the holidays. There is a lot of hype around Christmas time as it is one of the most celebrated holidays in the world and has become more and more commercialized. Here are some things that the true meaning of Christmas has become lost behind.
Early Shopping
It’s no surprise that Christmas is so popular when the shopping is done so early. There are special shopping channels to specifically help people get a head start Christmas shopping. This makes the Christmas holiday more about the pressure on people to find the perfect gifts instead of caring about the actual meaning of Christmas which is to spend time with family and friends and be together for the holidays.
Perfect Gift Pressure
The jump on Christmas shopping adds more pressure to find the perfect gifts for your friends and family. It is no wonder that people are super
ful time to unwind and spend quality time with the people you love. Here are some of the great things about the holiday season you can look forward to.
Good food
There are special times in the year where you can stuff your face with a lot of great food and Christmas is one of them. Loved ones gather around the table and share the amazing food that is prepared with special care and family recipes. Also, there are lots of leftovers you can enjoy over the holiday break.
Time off
Nothing is better than getting some time off of work and school and just spending time doing fun winter activities. Students can be happy not to have homework or deal with the daily hassle of school for a little while. You have days ahead of you to just hang out in your pajamas and watch Christmas movies with the people you love.
Giving
Nothing is sweeter than watching your family’s eyes light up as they open their Christmas presents. Of course Christmas stressed around the holidays. isn’t just about the presents, but it’s nice to feel Music and Ads like you made others happy. The holidays are Radio stations like to get a head start with early all about making others happy and making lastChristmas music and advertisements. Some ing memories with people. people don’t like hearing Christmas music so early in the season and listening Quality time to Christmas themed ads and music The whole family getting together before Thanksgiving is just unnecesto spend time with each other over sary and annoying. the holidays is always the best part of Christmas. Seeing each other, watching Forgetting Thanksgiving cheesy Christmas movies, and being in Christmas doesn’t just cause a lot of stress, it also seems to make people completely each other’s company is truly the best feeling forget about other holidays surrounding it like that comes from Christmas besides eating a ton of good food and sweets. Thanksgiving. The overshadowing of Christmas takes away from the great messages in the Do not let the common negative thoughts other holidays such as Easter, Thanksgiving, towards the holiday season overshadow the memorable things about Christmas. Showing and many other holidays. Why should one love and gratitude and spending time with the Holiday dominate over all the other ones? Remember that Christmas is about more than people that you love and care about should be presents and craziness, though. It is a wonder- the true goal of the Christmas season.
page 11 | OPINION
THE ONLINE OPTION
Why SHS students choose online classes for the 20-21 school year, and great places to study.
Photo by: Ali Terry Above: Many Sandpoint High School students have chosen online classes this year which requires them to complete their work from home or find places in town to be productive. By Ali Terry
Social Media Editor
W
ith the way of going back to school this year, students were given the opportunity by the high school to either go back to school in person or online if they choose to do so. Whether it was because they didn’t want to be potentially exposed to Covid-19, wanted a change, or wanted to learn at their own pace with personalized learning, many students at SHS decided to take advantage of this and switch to online classes. At SHS this year, there was an increase in students deciding to make the switch to online classes. With thirty students doing full time remote through IDLA or Schoology, ten part time homeschool students, and forty-five full time remote learners who are enrolled in SHS classes, students had different reasons on why they decided to partake in online classes. “I just didn’t want to do an AP class in a semester. I like the high school, it’s just that doing my hard classes in one semester would have been so hard,” said junior Cresanna Authier who decided to take advantage of the online learning option that SHS provided. “I didn’t really feel like going
back to school,” said junior Jaidyn Inman by doing classes online, “I could do a lot of work in a short amount of time online.” This seemed to be a common factor on why students decided to choose to do classes online this year. The workload they could get done in a short amount of time was ideal. “We can finish in like three hours a day with all of our assignments,” Authier said. This allows students to move at their own pace and create a schedule that allows one to not be stuck at school all day, but instead they can study from their own bed or even other locations. Other than studying at home, there are many different study spots in Sandpoint to choose from. With warmer weather, City Beach is a great place to study with its view of the lake and the fresh breeze of nature surrounding you. Also with the warmer weather you could study at parks including Travers Park, Lakeview Park, and Pine Street Park. When the cooler weather starts to hit, a cafe is a great place to study, and Sandpoint has a variety of cafes and coffee shops to choose from.
Evans Brothers is a well known coffee shop that sits at the corner of Church St. and 6th. They offer a variety of food and drink options while studying. The Longshot Cafe is another place in town that is a great place to study because of its welcoming environment. It provides inside and outside seating options along with many food and drinks you can choose from while studying. Starbucks is another great option because there are two sit-in locations you can choose from. One in town, and one in Ponderay. A bonus to going to these places to study is that they provide free wifi to all customers. As for next year some students are already planning on coming back to school in person. “I will be coming back to the high school for sure…I want to graduate through the high school rather than some online thing,” Authier said. Other students however are choosing a different option including Inman, who is choosing to continue some online classes and in person classes.
FEATURE | page 12
THE
BEHIND MASK
A look into what it is like working on the frontlines of COVID-19. By Molly Balison Editor-in-Chief
E
xhausted from traveling, the emergency medicine physician, Tricia Dickens, roamed the El Paso International airport. She was surrounded by individuals suited up in masks who were booking flights to escape COVID-19. The reality of how severe the pandemic was in this city hit her. As a traveling physician, she wanted to go where she was most needed--and for the next several weeks, it would be El Paso,Texas. Since 2017, Dickens has been a traveling physician licensed in emergency medicine in 6 states. As COVID-19 spread rapidly and hospitals overflowed, Dickens was assigned to cities across the country whose health care facilities desperately needed extra hands. The national shortage of healthcare professionals to attend to the abundance of patients entering the hospitals was so urgent that Dickens was flown out to states that she didn’t even have a license in such as New York, Arizona, and Texas. There was no time to waste applying for a license in the middle of a crisis. An average day in Dickens’ life is intense. Just reviewing each patient’s condition with the nurses would take her up to half the day. The rest of her day is filled with completing procedures that need
to be done. “There’s no idle time” Dickens said,“I’m either working, eating, or sleeping” Dickens works anywhere from 6 to 12 “shifts” throughout the year, with each shift being several weeks long. It is nearing 10 months since the first pandemic hit the United States, yet it is still too early to identify the patterns of the Coronavirus. Viruses are complicated and unpredictable. This has been a source of anxiety for people across the nation. “Our society is so used to immediate answers to everything, that uncertainty...doesn’t feel good.” Dickens said. Even physicians do not fully understand the extent of the virus as they have been bombarded with so much new information in such a short period of time. Dickens made a point that the public needs to be patient and understanding with health care professionals since they are still figuring out
how to overcome the pandemic. “We don’t come across something completely novel and know exactly how it all works.” Dickens emphasized, “We have to have experience with it first.” What is different about the Coronavirus is that it impacts other organ systems besides the respiratory
“Our society is so used to immediate answers to everything, that uncertainty...doesn’t feel good.” -Tricia Dickens system even in patients with no preexisting medical conditions. Dickens explained, “It’s amazing to me that this is a respirato-
ry virus…This one is creating a blood issue so it’s not just a respiratory issue. That includes the clotting system and the inflammatory system in our body and creates significant issues in our other organs that are not typically affected by a respiratory infection.” This aspect of the novel virus has been eye opening to physicians who have never encountered something like it before. “I have a respect for the virus that I think a lot of people who haven’t experienced a loved one that became ill with it would have no concept of ” Dickens said. She stands by patients’ sides and watches their health rise and fall in hopes that everything she has done to care for them is enough to save their lives. “That’s very rewarding to watch someone on the brink of death and watch them improve.” Dickens said, “It’s a feeling that you just never forget” Shane May, a nurse at MultiCare Deaconess Hospital in Spokane,
page 13 | FEATURE
Photo Courtesy of Sharon Bistodeau Above: Tents are set up inside the COVID sanctioned area in the Intensive Coronary Care Unit of Bonner General Health as precaution. Washington, said that his day to day intensive aftercare of COVID patients is time consuming. He stays busy treating the patients’ other health concerns that couple with the virus such as Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome and pneumonia. He explained that it is a process to enter the room of a COVID patient and the team has to have a plan and suit up in protective gear such as a PAPR (Powered Air Purifying Respirator). Many hospitals, including Deaconess, have altered the airflow of COVID patients’ rooms so that contaminated air does not circulate through the rest of the hospital when the door is opened. May contracted COVID and experienced all the common flu-like symptoms except for a fever. He observed that not developing a fever was a trend in most of the COVID patients he treated. May had to quarantine for 10 days and could only go back to work after being symptom free for a full 48 hours. With practice in conducting COVID tests, May found that tests are not al-
ways reliable since, “People that contract COVID can test positive kind of on and off for a while and so it would make the test erroneous.” he said. Dealing with COVID patients has been a learning experience for nurses and physicians across the nation. For May, becoming more familiar with ventilators, machines that help breathe for patients, was a critical learning curve. “It’s difficult to optimize the vent settings...” May said, “[and] find the happy place that best oxygenates the patient and there’s a type of different style to protect their lungs.” In some cases, even if putting a patient on a ventilator is the only method of
care that will keep them alive, it is a struggle for their body to keep up with the stress of their treatment changing. In Bonners Ferry, community member Tracey Koch practices nursing at the Kootenai Tribal Clinic. “It’s been a real challenge, as far as the clinic is concerned, to really make sure that we’re available for everyone and that people have access to care,” she said, “but yet we have to think about the big picture and keep everybody safe.” The clinic has had to undergo a lot of procedural changes to make the facility safer such as letting only a certain number of patients into the building at
“There is a whole plethora of people that take care of one patient.” -Sharon Bistodaeu
a time. They also engage in “telemedicine” where patients can seek help over the phone to minimize the amount of people coming to the clinic in person. Nursing Supervisor, Sharon Bistodeau, has devoted 28 years of her life to working at Bonner General Hospital in the ER, ICU, and anywhere else she is needed. As a smaller hospital, Bonner General is staffed according to a 25 bed hospital so they do not have an abundance of extra hands. There has been a nationwide shortage of nurses for years, and more so now than ever because the intensity in hospitals because of COVID is too much for some nurses to stay in the practice. But not for Bistodeau. Caring for COVID patients is more time and resource consuming. “There is a whole plethora of people that take care of one patient,” Bistodeau said. Because the disease is so contagious, nurses who care for COVID patients have to be isolated to the COVID pods--the area sanctioned specifically for the
FEATURE | page 14
Photo Courtesy of Sharon Bistodeau Above: (Left) Plastic is put over the doors to protect against contamination in the COVID sanctioned hall. (Right) A nurse in their typical protective gear. individuals who contract the Coronavirus. Many healthcare professionals have stepped away from their specialties to be on the frontlines of COVID which is mentally and emotionally draining work. Today’s technology allows people to easily be connected with each other, but it still does not offer the same feeling as holding the hand of a sick loved one. This disease is not only physically taxing, but has a major psychological impact on both patients and hospital staff. “Patients are put in rooms by themselves without family coming to visit,” Bistodeau said.“I know nurses that are the strongest nurses I’ve ever met in my whole life and they break down and bawl because of this.” If you were to come into the hospital as a COVID patient, you would be isolated with no family members or visitors. “These patients are scared. They don’t have anybody’s hand to hold except for our hand that has a glove on it.” Bistodeau said when painting a picture of what a COVID patient experiences. “You’re masked up and they don’t even know who you are...Nobody can
see your smile. Nobody can see your tears.” This aspect is heartbreaking for the nurses who directly come in contact with the individuals who have COVID. Erin Binnall, the Manager of Community Development and Public Information Officer for Bonner General Health wants people to feel safe coming to the hospital. “We don’t want to scare people away either because people need routine medical care.” she said, “People are having heart attacks, they’re having strokes, there are traumas, and we’re still here to service them.” Binnall feels that this is why it is important that people practice personal responsibility and be mindful of others so those in need of medical care can get the attention they need. Bistodeau emphasized that the most effective ways to protect yourself
and others from the virus is by washing your hands and wearing a mask. “You’re a hero by putting that mask on,” Bistodeau said. “We need to quit politicizing this stuff. It’s a healthcare issue.” Binall stressed that the Coronavirus is undeniably real and is not something that should not be ignored by young people. “We are caring for younger, middle aged individuals who have had no comorbidities, are in ICU, and have been in ICU for over 2 weeks” Binnall said, putting the seriousness of the disease in perspective. “It hits anybody differently” she said, “You don’t know how it’s going to affect anybody” According to Panhandle Health Districts data, in the last five years, there have been less than 60 deaths
“I think now, more than ever, our healthcare community and our health care workers need community support.” -Erin Binnall
caused by the flu in the region, whereas there have been over 90 deaths caused by the Coronavirus in the last 8 months. COVID has caused hospitals around the country to be overwhelmed and at maximum capacity. Every bed in Bonner General Health’s COVID pod is full with only a few beds available in the whole hospital at a time. If the regional hospitals such as Kootenai Health and Sacred Heart reach maximum capacity, Bonner General has nowhere to send their patients, so they have to do their best to treat them whether they have the capabilities to care for them or not. “I think now more than ever, our healthcare community and our health care workers need community support.” Binnall said. From when COVID was just beginning, to now reaching over 200 cases in the region, health care professionals have needed support and understanding from the community. Binnall expressed, “Now is the time where we need to pull together and be there for one another and be mindful and be kind and be the wonderful small Bonner County community that we’ve always been.”
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LIFESTYLE | 16
TAPPING INTO TEACHING A young dancer shares her passion by teaching a tap class for kids.
Photos by: Molly Balison Above: (Left) Junior Margo Barton prepares the choreography she will teach her pre-school class. (Right) Barton takes attendance before class. By Molly Balison
Editor-in-Chief
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hether she is working or strengthening her skills in dance, Junior Margo Barton spends about 14 hours a week at her second home--Allegro Dance Studio. Dance has been a passion of Bartons for 11 years. She has danced competitively and obtained years of experience in tap, jazz, hip hop, contemporary, and ballet. The young dancer has recently become an employee at her dance studio where she shares her skills with preschoolers. Barton started out as an assistant and a substitute teacher at the studio, but now is responsible for teaching a weekly tap class on her own. Barton said that being an instructor has taught her responsibility and punctuality. “You have to be really organized and come up with lots of stuff to work on,” Barton said, “and have an actual plan for what you are going to do.” Coming up with activities and choreography on the spot was more realistic for Barton when she assisted or subbed for classes, but, now, she strives to have a well-thought out curriculum for her students to keep them on track for advancing in their tap skills. The basic agenda in Barton’s class
consists of warm up exercises, technique that the class has been working on, and fun choreography or activities. Working with children has been eye opening for her, “Little kids are definitely more capable than I thought they were,” Barton said. Her students can usually pick up the steps she teaches them quickly and are able to perform what they have practiced. Barton has learned a lot by watching her own dance instructors, especially her tap teacher. “She has definitely taught me what I think is more beneficial as a teacher.” Barton said referring to her tap instructor, “If I compare myself to my teachers, it shows me what I should and shouldn’t do based on what I understand from my teachers and what their style of
teaching [is].” Not only does Barton focus on her technique when taking dance classes for her own benefit, but she thinks about how she can improve as a teacher in her preschool class by watching how her instructors conduct their classes. Teaching a class full of kids comes with its fair share of challenges. “It’s challenging to come up with curriculum that is balanced and has entertainment and keeps them focused... but also challenging them.” Barton said. Sometimes, Barton’s students do not grasp what she is trying to teach and she has to think on her toes and improvise. Barton explained, “I have to change what I’m doing on the spot to adapt to what they’re good at.” It can be frustrating when her vision does not
“Hopefully they will grow up and have the same passion as me and the same love for dance.”
-Margo Barton
pan out, but having an alternate plan is a skill that all teachers must have.
Even though Barton does not see herself pursuing a career in instructing dance, she has learned many skills that will help her keep a side job as a dance teacher throughout highschool and college. Her job has also helped her learn customer service skills and dealing with parents as she works at the front desk of the studio in addition to teaching. Dancing professionally is an extremely competitive career so Barton hopes that she can minor in dance and receive an opportunity to pursue her passion. She has realized that she needs to have another career option lined up because, “If you’re offered a career in dance, it’s not going to be something you’ve planned.” Barton said. Barton’s positive energy in class gets her students excited about dancing. Getting to do what she loves makes her happy to go to work. “I can take my passion and teach it to younger kids and hopefully they will grow up and have the same passion as me and the same love for dance” Barton said.
LIFESTYLE | 17
CHANGE OF (HOLIDAY) PLANS SHS students reflect in a survey if their plans are changing for the Holidays. By Piper Frank
Outdoors Editor
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Graphic by Piper Frank Bar graph shows the majority of students holiday plans are not changing
re your plans changing for the holidays? With holiday cheer and COVID in the air the holidays will look different for most. Usually on holidays families unite across the globe, flying and traveling to be with each other during this special time. Yet this year, with the global pandemic still being a major factor, some families don’t feel comfortable visiting their extended family. Instead they will be staying home and spending the holidays with their immediate family. On an Instagram survey asking SHS students if their plans are changing, 24 said yes and 50 said no out of 74 responses. Sophomore Tru Tomco expressed, “I am not seeing my distant family this year.” Tomco and many others are experiencing the same thing because of the dangers of Covid-19
during this holiday season. This holiday season may be more of an adjustment for most by taking precautions such as having a nice family dinner at home, visiting family that is close by, just interacting with immediate family, and shopping online. Or as some see it a chance to get away from it all by taking advantage of the time off and going on vacation. Junior Erin Eddy is going to Sayulita, Mexico with her family for Thanksgiving break, but says, “my mom packed us clorox wipes and a disposable mask for each plane ride and lots of hand sanitizer, we’re also renting a house so we will be interacting with just our family.” Whether you’re going away or staying in for this holiday season, everyone can still spend these odd times surrounded by loved ones and holiday fun.
CHRISTMAS GIFT GUIDE
A festive guide to gain inspiration for your Christmas gifts this holiday season
By Bella Baker
Lifestyle
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ith Christmas right around the corner, it is time to start writing Christmas lists. Thinking of gifts for your family and also yourself can be a very stressful thing, especially if you wait until the last minute. Don’t know what to ask for as a teen? Here are some items you can consider adding to your wish list this year...
Film camera LED Lights Hydroflasks/water bottles Converse, Vans, or Nike shoes Airpods Penny Board/Skateboard Bluetooth Speaker Winter Coat Spotify Premium Perfume/Cologne Bedding Heated Blanket Hoodies
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uring this time of year, it is also important to give back to your family. Sometimes it can be hard to find gifts that are in your price range, but hopeful this list will give you ideas of some affordable gifts. The items listed below are great, budget friendly presents that you can give to your parents, siblings, relatives, or anyone important to you.
Candles Face masks Beanies Slippers Mugs Funky Socks Wallet/Card Holder Mini Oil Diffuser Phone Chargers Chapstick Sunglasses
LIFESTYLES | page 18
SOCIALLY UNDIS UNDISTANCED TANCED
Students disregard social distancing in the morning to visit with friends before school.
Photo by: Lucy Allen Above: Students in all grades, gather outside of Sandpoint High School to enjoy some quality time to catch up with their friends before the school day starts. By Lucy Allen
Multimedia & Reviews Editor
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n the mornings, students can be seen hanging out outside of Sandpoint High School. Normally, when the winter months roll around, kids would move their before school gatherings into the commons until the bell rang. With the new restrictions as a result of COVID, students now have two options: go straight to class when they arrive at the school or loiter outside of the building despite the weather. Assistant Principal Derek Dickinson recognizes that students want to socialize since it is limited during the school day, but there could be more steps taken by students to be safe when socializing. “I think it’s just kind of one of those organic things that kids want to do and, yeah, I think that it’s mostly positive” Dickinson said “I do wish that there was maybe more social distancing and mask wearing and things like that but we generally let kids have that time to meet out front before coming in.” If Dickinson was a teen during these confusing times, he would want to be productive. “I think it would depend. I think there would be times I would want to come in because I’d probably
want to use that time to do work.” He said. However, Dickinson can also see why students loiter in front of the school building when he puts himself in their shoes. I think there would be times that maybe I’d want to use that as a time to meet up with some friends and talk a little bit, do some socializing.” He said. Dickinson also pointed out that school doesn’t start until 8:45 now so kids have the option to stay home and sleep in later than in past school years. Principal David Miles also expresses his opinion on the subject saying, “We would prefer if students did not congregate, but we are not going to press the issue at this time.” Miles also explained that the school could find ways to help the students have more social time with their friends, however , “We should not
be promoting social activities during the times of COVID.” He said, “School is an educational organization and although we recognize the importance of socializing, it really isn’t our duty to make sure kids are socializing.” According to Miles and Dickinson the faculty has not discussed letting kids gather inside the foyer and commons in the morning before school. “The decision rests a lot on the fact that before 8:20, teachers and staff are not on supervision duty. They need this time to get ready for class.” Some students like Freshman Lauren Harrison agree with Dickinson. “I don’t think I would change the policy if I could,” Harrison said, “I feel like it’s a safer thing.” Although Harrison agrees that not letting students enter
“We should not be promoting social activities during the times of COVID” -David Miles
the school building until 8:20 is safe, she still wishes that she and her friends could roam the halls before class like they used to. On the other hand, Sophomores Calvin Hinds and Caleb Gonzalez disagree. Hinds said, “I think the school should let kids hang out in the commons until like 10 minutes before the bell rings and then make them go to class.” He said, “I mean they’re going to be together in the class anyways, why can’t they do it outside of class.” Gonzalez also thinks that students should be allowed to stand in groups outside in the morning. He simply said,“I don’t want to wear a mask, so I stay outside and hang out with my friends.” Overall, students at Sandpoint High School are just trying to find ways to hang out with friends and make up for the lack of socialization during the school day, which is more challenging than before due to COVID precautions. Although some students are upset with the new guidelines, ultimately the school board is just trying to keep all students happy and healthy.
page 19|LIFESTYLES
QUARANTINE GUIDEBOOK
A day-by-day guide that will help you stay productive if you have to self quarantine.
Photo by: Dillon Terry Above: Staying motivated during quarantine can be a challenge for students. have lots of free time at home since you By Dillon Terry no longer have to go to school. Here is a Sports Editor guide to help you be productive at home as well as how to spend some of that free ay you find out the person next time you have. to you in one of your classes just Day 1: It’s your first day at home and got COVID-19. You now have to you’re excited. You can sleep in later self-quarantine for two weeks. You'll than normal. Once you have woken up
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you should probably hop onto Schoology to see what assignments you have due today. If you have a lot of homework a great way to be productive is by making a to-do list. The best way to start your list is to write down all the small assignments first. This way, you can finish several assignments in a relatively short period of time. Now that you have your daily work done, it’s time to focus on the bigger assignments that are due later in the week. I know you could just procrastinate it until the night before it’s due, but you could use this idle time in quarantine to be productive. I would recommend that you break the projects and assignments into smaller parts and spread them out from the day it is assigned to the day it’s due. So now that you have your work done for the day time to relax, you’ve earned it. Day 3: You’ve been home for a while and you are sticking to your to-do plan that you’ve made. This is where quaran-
tine may start to get boring. So once you finish your work for that day, it’s time to figure out what you want to do. You could catch up on some of the movies you have always wanted to see or maybe ones you missed because you were spending so much time in school. You could start to learn a new skill. This could be learning how to cook, or teaching your dog new tricks, this is really up to you. Day 8: If you have followed this guide then you should be all caught up on your school work. I know being locked up in your house for this long can start to give you cabin fever so remember to get outside. Go out and take a drive or if you are unable to drive get out and take a walk. It’s good to get outside and get some vitamin D and fresh air. Day 12: You did it, good job. You made it through a 2 week quarantine!
SPREADING INCLUSION
Portraits of students and community members spark conversations about inclusivity..
By Ali Terry
Social Media Editor
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here are 28 smiling faces of local community members, including Sandpoint High School students on the side of the granary building on Church St. The black and white portraits of each individual are 3x4 feet and are a part of a movement called the Inside Out Project. This is a global project in which communities get the opportunity to share their portraits and make a statement about what they care about. The project was brought to Sandpoint when a local photographer, Marsha Lutz, felt that she needed to bring awareness to an important issue in Sandpoint. Lutz said the issue she is passionate about is “The discrimination and intolerance being displayed around town that actively promotes hate.” Because of this issue Lutz believed that displaying portraits “was the perfect platform to encourage open dialog and discussion around this topic and bring awareness and change.” Lutz organized this project and found other members of the community, including students, who felt just as passionate about human rights and who wanted their voices to be heard. Lutz selected students to be featured in her portraits after
Photo by: Ali Terry Above: Portraits are displayed on the building
the killing of George Floyd occurred and the BLM protests that took place in Sandpoint. One of the students included was Senior Future Churchill. “I was interested in it because I did research on what the project promotes,” he said, “it means a lot to me because it is all about diversity, acceptance, and community” All the participants helped to come up with the project’s message, which is displayed alongside the portraits and reads, “Our group action stands for tolerance, inclusiveness, and respect for all citizens and visitors. We believe that by respecting and celebrating each other’s differences, we create a loving place that everyone can be proud of.” Lutz believes that bringing the Inside Out Project to Sandpoint will start a conversation that is needed to draw awareness in order to advocate for change. And by utilizing these portraits it “will help us look each other in the eye and recognize our shared humanity, and that is a powerful and a
SPORTS| page 20
WOMEN IN WRESTLING Sandpoint prepares to introduce a girls wrestling team and train for the upcoming season.
By Lucy Allen
Multimedia & Reviews Editor
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restlers are excited to hit the mats and practice for their matches this winter--especially the girls. As the number of female wrestlers in Sandpoint has grown, so has the prospect of a girls wrestling team. An exciting change to the wrestling program that will be brought to SHS next year is the addition of a sanctioned girls wrestling team. “This year we have three girl wrestlers. KJ, Grace Balch and Riley Hacock.” Wrestling Coach Jacob Stark said. Although girls wrestling is not yet it’s own sport there are still lots of opportunities for girls that still want to participate in the sport. “Last year Heather Wallace got first and KJ got third at the girls’ state competition.” Stark said, “I took them all the way down to Pocatello. It was two weeks before the actual boys state
Photo by: Wyatt Leoni Above: Wrestlers Riley Hancock (left) KJ Otterson (middle) and Grace Balch (right) “It’s cool to see girls coming out and I wish I could stay before they have to lead the next team.” Coach Stark and Otterson are excited another year and be part of the official and ready for the season this year. “I state.” Otterson said. definitely think I’ll have an edge in the Otterson is looking forward to passupcoming season.” Otterson said, “I’ve ing down her knowledge on the sport to had a varsity spot on the boys team and the girls joining the team including Riit’s just made me better for girls season ley Hancock and Grace Balch. “I think and made me stronger.” it’ll be cool to teach them to know a lot
Photo by: Wyatt Leoni Above: Hancock and Balch wrestle during practice. so they have to have their own but next year it will be a legit sport.” The new girls wrestling team is going to have the same rules as boys wrestling and will be running alongside the boys season. Wrestler Kayelin Otterson is excited about the addition of a girl’s team, even though she will be going to Corban University on a wrestling scholarship.
SPOR TS & STAGE TWO This year all Sandpoint High School winter athletics will not have fans in attendance. By Dillon Terry
Sports Editor
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Photo by: Colton Moore Above: There are no fans in the stands of Les Rogers Court during a basketball game.
ith the rise in COVID-19 cases, the Inland Empire league decided to not allow spectators in attendance at any of the winter sporting events. This decision was a result of Governer Little putting Idaho back in stage two of reopening. Sandpoint’s girls basketball was the first team to experience what playing a game without fans was like. “Not being able to have spectators at our games is super weird, the gym feels so empty and quiet” said varsity girls basketball player, Senior Bella Phillips. The atmosphere felt in the gym is not the same. “Usually there are people cheering and I think it gives everyone on the team more motivation and excited to play.” said Senior Riley Cessna, a
varsity basketball player. Both of the girls feel that there is a lack of energy without the fans. All you hear are the squeaks of the shoes on the gym floor and the occasional yells from the benches. The cheering is minimal, which creates the scrimmage type feeling. Wrestling matches feel different too. “Right now we can’t have any fans, which is kind of upsetting because it’s really fun to come wrestle in front of all your friends and family and the guys really look forward to that.” Said coach Jacob Stark. Winter sports will have challenges with overcoming the loss of energy without the fans to have the best season they can.
SPORTS | page 21
A recap of the 2020 fall season for SHS varsity sports.
Graphic by: Peyton Mullen Above: Sandpoint High School Athletes compete in their sport during the fall season. By Chris Koch Boys Soccer: News Editor The boys soccer team went to state for his past fall, Sandpoint High the first time since 2017. Their record School athletes were able to comthis season was 5-6-2. pete despite the unusual circumThe Bulldogs won the Inland Empire stances this season. This year, 4 and 5A League with an undefeated record. They schools in the area recreated the Inland competed in the state tournament in Empire League which gave the Bulldogs Idaho Falls where they lost to Bishop an opportunity to play more games Kelly and Vallieview. against tougher schools. Playing during Although the Bulldogs were not able a pandemic didn’t stop the athletes from to make it far in the state tournament, succeeding. the feat of getting to compete contributFootball: ed to a memorable season. The Football team had a season to Girls Soccer: remember and ended up winning the The girls soccer team ended their regional title and went to the state semi- season with a record of 5-7-1. finals for the first time since 2015. Despite their struggle this season, the The team’s overall record was 5-5 and team hopes to recapture their league the Bulldogs dominated the other 4A title. “I think that’s entirely up to my schools in the region. After beating players quite frankly” Baranski exLakeland, the Bulldogs played Hillcrest plained, “it doesn’t matter how much and won. Sandpoint then beat Moscow that frustrates me...And I think my which gave them the ticket to the state players will respond appropriately.” semifinals. Volleyball: The team is hopeful they will make it The volleyball team had a record of to the state championship next season. 5-10 this season. The head coach, Karen
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Nolan Angel | Boys Soccer
“I felt like the season was pretty good. I feel like we did well as a team and I did well individually.”
Bella Phillips | Volleyball
“Overall I feel like [our season] was pretty good. It was rough at times, but I feel like every season is like that.”
Alsager, had an optimistic view on her team’s season. “I’m happy that we did better than we did the previous year.” She said. Alsager was also pleased that the team beat a variety of different school levels. “This year, we had 2 5A wins and 2 4A wins, so we were beating better teams.” She said. The team performed better this year in the district tournament than last year. Sandpoint beat Moscow, but lost to Lakeland. The Bulldogs came out of their season with their heads high and ambitions for next year. Boys Cross-Country: The boys cross-country team had an outstanding season. They beat all division one and two teams in their league. Coach Matt Brass enjoyed coaching the team saying, “[It was just] a really fun team, they were a really fun team to coach and be around.” Coach Brass said that Nikoli Braedt, Jett Lucas, and Keegan Nelson were influential to the team’s performance and placed high in every meet. At the end of the season, the Bulldogs went undefeated in every regional meet and earned a fourth place title in the state of Idaho. Girls Cross-Country: The girls cross-country team did very well placing ninth at the state competition. Coach Angie Brass said, “It was a great season...We placed in the top three of most of our meets we attended,” The girl’s team were regional champions and made it to state which is always one of the many goals for their season. There were some key runners for the Bulldogs success this season including Mackenzie Suhy Gregoire, Megan Oulman, and Ara Clark. Nueder described her season with
Tag Benefield | Football
“[our season was] good...I wouldn’t say better than last year, but I’d say we, as a team, did better than last year.”
pride in her team. “I think this was my favorite season [and] the whole season is what really got our team through this crazy time,” she said. Swim Team: The swim team achieved success this season. The boys team came in second in the district competition and the girls came in first. Both teams competed in the state tournament, but this year it looked different considering it was a virtual event. Both teams placed second at state to cap off an amazing season. Kate Bokowy, one of the team’s leading swimmers, said “COVID gave us a new motivation to try our best everyday because for all we knew it was our last practice.” Dance: The dance team has had a great start to season with exciting performances at the home football games. Head Coach Laurie Buck was excited about the high skill level her team showed this year saying, “Our team this year has such a positive outlook and the skill level is higher than it’s ever been.” Captain Breann Klopman said, “[Our season has been] pretty good so far we haven’t had competition yet...But the football games have been great.” Cheer: The cheer team has cheered at most of the football games this year. Although their competitions do not start until late January. it is still beneficial for the team perform at the football games. Knowing whether they should be prepping for competition season since one of the competitions has already been canceled has been a struggle for the cheerleaders, but they are hopeful they will get to perform.
Hattie Larson | Girls Soccer
“My soccer season went well. I think I learned a lot from it and developed my leadership skills.”
OUTDOORS | page 22
SCHWEITZER LIMITED CAPACITY Schweitzer Mountain Resort limits customer capacity due to rise in COVID-19.
Photo by Will Auld Above: Passholders mask up and wait in line to ride the Basin Express Quad after new rules were enacted. By Will Auld
Radio/Podcast Editor and Web Manager
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s of this Year Schweitzer Mountain Resort has opted to limit their skiing and visiting capacity in mindfulness of Covid-19 and CDC guidelines. They have reviewed their years of detailed data relating to tickets sold, passes scanned and hotel visits, and as such can accurately predict how many people will be visiting the mountain on any given day. By utilizing this Data Schweitzer’s departments
can implement a variety of strategies to reduce COVID-19 spread in buildings and on the slopes. “In order to stop the spread of the virus, we really needed to limit the number of people congregating at any given time.” Chrismer told Cedar Post on Friday, “ as such Tom’s (CEO) strategy was to look through historical data and figure out how many people we’re on the mountain on any given day during our season.” From this data they can determine how many people on the mountain are passholders and how
many are individual tickets visitors. Prioritizing passholders, Schweitzer uses this data to see how many tickets can be sold on any given day, allowing people to spread out and be safe while still enjoying Schweitzer’s activities. Besides determining how many people are allowed on the mountain Schweitzer has implemented other strategies to reduce COVID spread in buildings, on chairlifts, and in the offices. According to Chrismer “It can be challenging [implementing these protocols], as certain offices and buildings
don’t have the luxury of a lot of space, so I think we’re taking the protocols pretty seriously, temperature checks as you come in, wearing a mask if you’re going to be within six feet of someone.” Schweitzer is also limiting building capacity relative to the state of COVID-19 cases in Bonner county, thus preventing congregation in enclosed areas. Cedar Post also spoke to the Human Resources Director Scot Auld about how customers and employees have been handling Schweitzer’s COVID-19 protocols. “I think that for some people it’s normal, they have taken to the changes really smoothly. But I think for others it’s been a point of stress, we’ve even had some employees who have been with us for a long time that opt not to work this year.” said Auld. Schweitzer, like the rest of the world has seen a wide spectrum of response to the current situation and must deal with each problem as it comes. Though the COVID-19 future is unknown, Schweitzer mountain resort is confident in their ability to reduce spread, stay open, and most importantly provide their customers with an unforgettable experience.
MOUNTAIN MEALS ON WHEELS A new way of dining by food trucks is implemented at Schweitzer Mountain Resort.
By Bella Baker
Lifestyle Editor
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s many know, the lodge becomes crowded very easily during the day. Because of this, Schweitzer’s coming up with many new ideas for people to still get food without exposure to others. Along with this, they are having food trucks stationed in the parking lots on the nicer days. Dig, the marketing manager up at Schweitzer, shared some insights about the food trucks and what it means for the people of Schweitzer. “We had to get
creative because we really don’t want people to be conglomerating inside the buildings, we would prefer they spread out and be outside as the evidence shows us the corona virus spreads less outdoors,” she replied when asked why Schweitzer decided to put food trucks. She shared that the food trucks will start opening and selling closer to the Christmas Holidays. There are 3 trucks and they will be located in the lower lots. She stated, “People can ski in to
the food trucks, get their lunch, their snacks, and ski off, or go sit outside somewhere.” By allowing more ways of getting food allows for people to space out thus being safer. The mountain hopes to, “give people other options, a place to eat, somewhere to grab a snack, being outside and kind of being creative and fun and creating a different atmosphere that’s still a good time.” With such changes people are
wondering what the setup is going to be like. Dig explained, “We want them to get what they need and then go find their space.” There will be trash cans but the Schweitzer team really wants people to spread out and find creative ways to enjoy food and the mountain. Hopefully by creating a place to get food outside it will help stop the spread of covid and help keep the mountain open and the people safe.
OUTDOORS | page 23
WINTER IN THE WOODS
Two freshman share their skate skiing experiences on the new Pine Street Woods trails.
Photo Courtesy of Grace Rookey Above: Freshman Grace Rookey (left) smiles with her friends after a race.
Photo Courtesy of Jett Longnecker Above: Jett Longnecker nears the finish line at a race in Canada last year.
By Piper Frank
Outdoors Editor
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he new trail system at Pine Street Woods accommodates all types of outdoor activities such as mountain biking, hiking, snowshoeing, and nordic or cross-country skiing. With snow on the ground, Sandpoint Nordic Club will begin their season and practice on the Pine Street Woods Trails. The Pine Street Woods trails were added to the community last year and have great Nordic Trails that are highly used and appreciated by the Sandpoint Nordic Club. The Sandpoint Nordic Club, run by Ross and Vicki Longini, consists of both skate and cross-country skiing. Nordic and cross country skiing was originally open to the public at the U of I extension center, but is now open to the public at Pine Street Woods. Anyone of any age can take lessons from the Sandpoint Nordic Club and join the
club or race team. Freshman Grace Rookey, a member of the race team, said “I love Pine Street Woods. A lot of really good hills that are super nice.” Rookey has been part of the Nordic Club for the past few years, but this year is her first year on the race team. The race team travels all over for competitions. Spokane, Wa.; Bend, Or.; Salt Lake, Ut.; Methow, Wa.; and Canada are just a few places they compete. This year, precautionary measures have to be taken because of COVID-19 in order to allow the races to take place. Some of these adjustments include a single person starting instead of everyone starting at the same time and limiting traveling to inside the U.S borders. These restrictions do not stop race team member Jett Longnecker from being excited for the season. “I am most excited about races because it gives
you an opportunity to see new places, experience new things, and make new friends.” Longnecker says. The young skier has been on the race team for multiple years and loves nordic skiing because it keeps him in great shape. Longnecker also loves the new addition of Pine Street Woods. “[Pine Street Woods] is a lot better, and there are hills.” he said when comparing the new trails to the old ones by the U of I extension center. Longnecker says his goal this year is to be invited to the Junior National Competition in Minnesota--just one of many races that Longnecker will be competing in this year. Longnecker and Rookey will both train for their races at Pine Street Woods and are both excited about the hills, snow, and challenges this season will bring them. To stay in shape for the season Longnecker participates in
soccer, while Rookey is a cross country runner. The Nordic Club also provides additional, specialized workouts and roller skiing during the summer so when the snow hits, the team is ready to jump into practicing. Both Longnecker and Rookey have developed a love for the sport that keeps exciting them. “I love Nordic because it’s challenging and I like the challenge,” Rookey said, “and it’s fun, fast, hard work that I am able to push myself at.” Anyone can have the same love for Nordic skiing as Longnecker and Rookey and can experience the great new trails at Pine Street Woods. Whether you want to start skate or cross country skiing or enjoy the scenery on a nice walk, Pine Street Woods is a great place to visit in the winter. The beautiful trails are open to the public and are just waiting to be trekked on this winter.
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